RTHK: Pakistan's nuclear pioneer dies, aged 85

Abdul Qadeer Khan, who died Sunday, was lauded in Pakistan for transforming it into the world's first Islamic nuclear weapons power.

But he was seen by the West as a dangerous renegade responsible for smuggling technology to rogue states.

The nuclear scientist, who died at 85 in Islamabad after recently being hospitalised with Covid-19, was revered as "the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb".

He was seen as a national hero for bringing the country up to par with arch-rival India in the atomic field and making its defences "impregnable".

But he found himself in the crosshairs of controversy when he was accused of illegally proliferating nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

Khan was placed under effective house arrest in the capital Islamabad in 2004 after he admitted running a proliferation network to the three countries.

In 2006 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but recovered after surgery.

A court ended his house arrest in February 2009, but his movements were strictly guarded, and he was accompanied by authorities every time he left his home in an upscale sector of leafy Islamabad.

Born in Bhopal, India on April 1, 1936, Khan was just a young boy when his family migrated to Pakistan during the bloody 1947 partition of the sub-continent at the end of British colonial rule.

He did a science degree at Karachi University in 1960, then went on to study metallurgical engineering in Berlin before completing advanced studies in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The crucial contribution to Pakistan's nuclear programme was the procurement of a blueprint for uranium centrifuges, which transform uranium into weapons-grade fuel for nuclear fissile material.

He was charged with stealing it from the Netherlands while working for Anglo-Dutch-German nuclear engineering consortium Urenco, and bringing it back to Pakistan in 1976.

On his return to Pakistan, then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto put Khan in charge of the government's nascent uranium enrichment project.

By 1978, his team had enriched uranium and by 1984 they were ready to detonate a nuclear device, Khan later said in a newspaper interview.

The 1998 nuclear test saw Pakistan slapped with international sanctions and sent its economy into freefall.

Khan's aura began to dim in March 2001 when then president Pervez Musharraf, reportedly under US pressure, removed him from the chairmanship of Kahuta Research Laboratories and made him a special adviser.

But Pakistan's nuclear establishment never expected to see its most revered hero subjected to questioning.

The move came after Islamabad received a letter from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog, containing allegations that Pakistani scientists were the source of sold-off nuclear knowledge.

Khan said in a speech to the Pakistan Institute of National Affairs in 1990 that he had dealings on world markets while developing Pakistan's nuclear programme.

"It was not possible for us to make each and every piece of equipment within the country," he said.

Khan was pardoned by Musharraf after his confession but later retracted his remarks.

"I saved the country for the first time when I made Pakistan a nuclear nation and saved it again when I confessed and took the whole blame on myself," Khan told AFP in an interview in 2008 while under effective house arrest.

The scientist believed in nuclear defence as the best deterrent.

After Islamabad carried out atomic tests in 1998 in response to tests by India, Khan said Pakistan "never wanted to make nuclear weapons. It was forced to do so".

Nearly a decade ago, Khan tried his luck in the political arena, forming a party -- the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Pakistan (TTP), or the Save Pakistan Movement -- in July 2012 in hopes of winning votes on the basis of the respect he still commands in Pakistan.

But he dissolved it a year later after none of its 111 candidates won a seat in national elections.

Khan also stirred a new controversy that same year when, in an interview to mass circulated Urdu newspaper Daily Jang, he said he transferred nuclear technology to two countries on the direction of slain prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

He did not name the countries, nor did he say when Bhutto, the twice-elected prime minister who was assassinated in 2007, had supposedly issued the orders.

"I was not independent but was bound to abide by the orders of the prime minister," he was quoted as saying.

Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party denied the claim as "baseless and unfounded".

None of the controversies appear to have dented Khan's popularity, even years on.

He regularly wrote op-ed pieces, often preaching the value of a scientific education, for the popular Jang group of newspapers.

Many schools, universities, institutes and charity hospitals across Pakistan are named after him, his portrait decorating their signs, stationery and websites. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-10-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
News  Vietnam

Vietnam set to vaccinate children against COVID-19 in October
Deputy PM Le Van Thanh urges watching out for upcoming storm Kompasu

Deputy Prime Minister and head of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Le Van Thanh has asked relevant agencies and localities to keep up caution and prepare for an upcoming storm.













At the event (Photo: VGP)



He made the request at a meeting of the committee on October 10 to review the response to storm Lionrock, which has weakened into a depression, and preparation for storm Kompasu, which is forecast to enter the East Sea/South China Sea in the next several days.



The Deputy PM noted that prompt preparations have helped minimize losses from storm Lionrock, but vigilance is still needed as big rains in the storms aftermath will continue for some days.



Besides, storm Kompasu is on its way to the East Sea/ South China Sea, expected to become the eighth storm to hit the country this year. Kompasu is forecast to be stronger and move faster than storm Lionrock, so careful preparation is needed, he said.



Deputy PM Thanh underlined the need to check and ensure the safety of reservoirs and dams as well as important dykes. He reminded local administrations to help farmers harvest crops, while still following pandemic prevention regulations.



Head of the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority Tran Quang Hoai asked localities to prepare food and essential goods for emergency situations, and have plans to give shelters to migrant workers who are travelling from the south to their hometown in the north after prolonged lockdowns.
Nearly 2,000 Vietnamese children lose their parents to Covid-19

Approximately 2,000 children in Vietnam have lost their parents to Covid-19 according to a report from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.















A girl who has lost her mother to Covid-19 in HCM City





The report said that as of October 8, some 1,970 children nationwide had lost their mothers, fathers, or both due to Covid-19.



In the country's biggest epicentre of Ho Chi Minh City, as many as 1,517 youngsters have lost their mothers, fathers, or both due to Covid-19 according to a report released in mid-September by the Department of Education and Training.



The Vietnam Children Protection Fund has co-operated with 27 localities nationwide to give financial support of VND7.26 billion (USD 315,652) to 1,427 children orphaned by the Covid-19. Each child is given VND 5 million (USD 217). Some 14,330 children who are infected with Covid-19 have also received a financial support of VND 1 million each.



The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said that if the orphaned children cant live with their relatives or are not adopted, local authorities would arrange for them to stay at local social protection centres.





Many government agencies and organisations in Vietnam have also stepped in to help young children affected by the pandemic.

The HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has recently announced a monthly subsidy program for orphans affected by Covid-19.



Vice chairwoman of the municipal unit of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers Organisation, Nguyen Ngoc Nhung, said that they had set up a scholarship programme that will fund the education of children affected by the epidemic until they finish high school. So far nearly 400 children have benefited from the programme.



Although the pandemic has gradually been brought under control in Vietnam, it has left a heavy toll. As of Saturday evening, 20,442 people had died in the wave, which had infected 836,134 people.


Lionrock weakens, heads to north-central Vietnam

The storm is forecast to change its direction a bit into west and southwest and weaken into a tropical depression before battering the southern part of the Red River Delta and north-central localities.



Together with a cold front which is moving from north to south, Lionrock will cause strong winds and heavy rain in large parts of northern and north-central regions, with average rainfall of 100 - 250mm.

Lionrock is forecast to strike southern parts of the Red River Delta on October 10 afternoon.





The national weather forecasting bureau warned of a high risk of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas and flooding in low-lying and riverside areas.



Meanwhile, another tropical storm Kompasu is churning through the southern part of the Philippines and is anticipated to enter the East Sea on October 11.



Initial forecasts show after moving into the East Sea, Kompasu will quickly increase its intensity and is likely to affect northern and north-central provinces of Vietnam on October 13-15.



Another tropical depression or storm is likely to form in the East Sea and is forecast to affect Vietnam several days later.



Weather forecasters warned the northern and north-central provinces will experience heavy downpour over the next 10 days.



Provinces from Hai Phong to Quang Binh have already ordered fishing vessels to move ashore or seek storm shelters to avoid Lionrocks track. They have also made plans to evacuate local residents from low-lying areas to a higher ground.



Search and rescue forces of these localities have been on standby in case of emergency. The Ministry of Defence said it will deploy 380,000 troops and more than 3,000 vehicles and helicopters to support search and rescue work.
Schulz, hoping to unseat Merkel, gets unanimous backing as SPD leader

Martin Schulz, who will challenge German Chancellor Angela Merkel in September national elections, was confirmed leader of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday by unanimous vote at a party congress in Berlin.

GALLERY

Schulz told more than 600 party delegates in Berlin that "justice, respect and dignity" will be the cornerstones of the Social Democrats election campaign manifesto, adding that the SPD governance programme will be presented at a congress in Dortmund at the end of June.

Berlin (dpa) - The 61-year-old former European Parliament president became the first leadership candidate to secure 100 per cent of SPD delegates support since before World War II.The vote comes amid a buzz of excitement among SPD supporters. Since Schulz was announced as the partys nominee for chancellor, the SPD has climbed to above 30 per cent in opinion polls - after having trailed Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU) for years at between 20 and 25 per cent.Schulz told more than 600 party delegates in Berlin that "justice, respect and dignity" will be the cornerstones of the Social Democrats election campaign manifesto, adding that the SPD governance programme will be presented at a congress in Dortmund at the end of June.Schulz said he had travelled all over Germany since his return to national politics in January, meeting people "to listen and learn, and to draw necessary conclusions as to what our priorities must be for the coming years."Drawing a lesson from Donald Trumps election campaign last year, Schulz said "the condemnation of entire groups of people must have no place in Germany."SPD members also celebrated outgoing party chief, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, who used the occasion to speak out against the continuation of a coalition government after September elections.Merkels conservative CDU and their CSU sister party from the state of Bavaria currently form a grand coalition in Berlin with the SPD as a junior partner.Gabriel told more than 600 party delegates in Berlin that he led the SPD into a coalition in 2013 "because the SPD isnt in politics to just have a look around.""People want a new uprising," Gabriel said. "What they dont want is a continuation of the grand coalition."Schulz was elected president of the European Parliament in 2012 and served in the role until January of this year, when he replaced Gabriel as SPD leader. His return to national politics in Germany from Brussels has boosted the SPD to a four-year polling record.Merkel will be running for a fourth term in September.
Democrats to press Sessions on Trump campaign's Russia ties

Democratic lawmakers are to question US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday about his past statements on communication between President Donald Trump's electoral campaign and Russia.

GALLERY

Washington (dpa) - Sessions is to appear at a routine oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee at 10 am (1500 GMT) to answer a range of questions about the Justice Departments work.Democrats are likely to zero in on questions about Russia, after a former foreign policy adviser to the campaign, George Papadopoulos, pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russia.Court documents showed that Papadopoulos had attended a meeting with Trump, Sessions and other aides at which he claims to have mentioned the possibility of arranging a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin."These facts appear to contradict your sworn testimony on several occasions," Democratic lawmakers wrote to Sessions in a letter last week, outlining their concerns ahead of the hearing.Sessions has previously denied any knowledge that anyone from the campaign might have been in contact with the Russians. He has previously come under fire for failing to disclose his own meetings with the Russian ambassador.Court documents unsealed last month said Papadopoulos met with a professor with ties to the Russian government about information that was supposedly damaging to Trumps Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.The charge was among the first resulting from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections. Sessions has recused himself from the investigation.
CIIE to inject new impetus into China's rural vitalization

Xinhua) 09:07, October 10, 2021

Decorative plants for the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) are seen at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

SHANGHAI, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled offline from Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai, has attracted global players bringing their latest products and offering solutions related to agriculture and rural modernization.

Products that are scheduled to be on display include a portable farm from Israel, German biodegradable equipment and Swiss carbon emission reduction service system.

Analysts believe that the exhibits may enlighten government departments, enterprises, institutions and consumers and help broaden their understanding of China's rural vitalization campaign.

The CIIE is the first dedicated import exhibition in the world and has seen fruitful outcomes in the past three expos.

Liu Xiaomin, an entrepreneur from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, is a frequenter of the expo. Having raked in business success by importing wine and other products from Russia and Uzbekistan, she believes that the CIIE has achieved "win-win cooperation between China and foreign countries."

In February, China declared a "complete victory" in eradicating absolute poverty. Now with the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects realized, China is ramping up efforts to propel rural vitalization.

China will prioritize the development of agriculture and rural areas, and fully advance the rural vitalization strategy during the 2021-2025 period. By 2035, "decisive" progress shall be made, with basic modernization of agriculture and rural areas, and by 2050, rural areas shall see all-around vitalization.

Agribusiness giant Cargill has participated in the past three CIIEs and plans to display its top agricultural products and related processing technologies at the 4th CIIE.

In June 2021, Cargill inked a cooperation agreement with the United Nations World Food Programme, aiming to help corn growers in northeast China better cope with risks and promote sustainable farming.

Liu Jun, president of Cargill China, noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Cargill's entry into the Chinese market. "The project demonstrates Cargill's continued commitment to increasing farmers' income and promoting sustainable agricultural development in China," he said.

In 2017, the rural vitalization strategy was elaborated in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Exhibitors in the fields of agricultural products, machinery and management grabbed much attention at the first CIIE in November 2018.

Over the past three years, a number of projects signed at the CIIE have facilitated rural vitalization across the country.

Cargill has been adjusting its exhibits to better cater to the demand of Chinese consumers and the strategy of rural vitalization. For example, the company has been shifting from displaying the processing technology of animal-based protein products to commodities that are plant-based, with reduced sugar and low calorie.

Cargill also reached an agreement with China Agricultural Science and Education Foundation to provide training and scholarship to farmers and students at agricultural colleges.

Not only agricultural companies, foreign auto and high-tech firms participating in the expo have also put their eyes on public welfare in rural areas. General Motors has forged cooperation with China Development Research Foundation to aid preschool education in China's rural communities. So far, 618 children aged between three and six in Qinghai, Hunan and other provinces have benefited from the program.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
China releases 150,000 tonnes of national metal reserves

Xinhua) 09:08, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's state reserves authority on Saturday released a total of 150,000 tonnes of copper, aluminum and zinc from the national reserves to alleviate the burden on businesses over rising costs of raw materials.

The National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said it would step up the monitoring of commodity prices and organize follow-up releases of national reserves.

Since the beginning of this year, bulk commodity prices have surged due to factors including the overseas spread of COVID-19 and the imbalance in supply and demand, causing pressure on medium and small firms.

This is the fourth batch of releases to the market. China has previously released a total of 420,000 tonnes of copper, aluminum and zinc to maintain market order.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Experts, officials discuss building ecological civilization at forum

Xinhua) 09:09, October 10, 2021

KUNMING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Over 300 scholars and government officials from 14 countries and eight international organizations including the UN attended a forum on global ecological civilization construction in southwest China's Yunnan Province Saturday, according to local authorities.

At the forum themed on jointly building an ecological civilization and protecting the beautiful planet, guests said countries in the world are closely linked and it is essential to together face ecological and environmental problems.

Mankind has a shared future in the face of ecological and environmental challenges, said Guo Weimin, president of China Public Relations Association (CPRA), adding it is necessary to carry out international exchanges and communication, explain the concept, progress and achievements of China's ecological civilization construction, and promote international cooperation.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region also faces serious challenges due to rapid deforestation, extinction of wildlife species, and vulnerability to disasters, said Kung Phoak, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, adding stronger support from key partners, including China, is needed to ensure more sustained efforts to preserve and restore ASEAN's rich natural treasures.

There are four sub-forums at the event, which cover Chinese wisdom of ecological civilization construction, new opportunities for building corporate image and other topics.

The forum was jointly hosted by China International Publishing Group, the people's government of Yunnan Province, and the CPRA.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
COP15 media center opens

Xinhua) 09:11, October 10, 2021

An information counter is seen at the media center of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 9, 2021. The media center of the COP15 opened here on Saturday. The COP15 is set to kick off in Kunming on Oct. 11. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

KUNMING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The media center for the upcoming 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) opened on Saturday.

Located at the Kunming Dianchi International Convention &Exhibition Center in Kunming, Yunnan Province in southwest China, the media center opens from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. between Oct. 9 and 15.

The COP15 media center's two press conference halls can accommodate 140 people and 100 people, respectively. Participating media outlets can also go online to conduct interviews.

The whole venue is fully covered by a wireless network, serving 1,200 online users simultaneously.

Satellite trucks with a C-band and KU-band uplink-broadcast service are also in place to support the reporting.

The COP15 meeting will kick off in Kunming on Oct. 11. It will review the "post-2020 global biodiversity framework" to draw up a blueprint for biodiversity conservation in the future.

Themed "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth," the COP15 meeting is the first global conference convened by the United Nations on the topic of ecological civilization. Enditem

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Chinese, U.S. youths hold dialogue on addressing climate change

Xinhua) 09:32, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Sino-American Youth Dialogue was held in Beijing on Friday, with young people and experts gathering online and offline to discuss issues related to climate change.

Themed "Making Carbon Neutral, Youth in Action," the event was co-hosted by Tsinghua University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

How to deal with climate change and mitigate natural disaster risks have become serious issues for all countries, which require collective efforts of the global community, Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, said in a video speech.

The event consisted of a series of activities including round table discussions and youth dialogues, where students and field experts had in-depth exchanges.

Young scholars should use scientific research results to provide solutions for addressing climate change, youth delegates attending the event suggested, calling on youth across the world to unite and create a sustainable future.

The event also launched a joint youth initiative for climate response and biodiversity protection under carbon neutrality goals.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Ecological protection efforts bolster rural tourism in NE China

10:16, October 10, 2021 By Wang Jinhai, Liu Jiahua ( People's Daily

"We've heard so much about the beautiful maple leaves here. It's definitely worth the journey," said Du Juan, a woman visiting the Fenglin Valley in Huanren Man autonomous county, Benxi, northeast China's Liaoning province.

Visitors enjoy the sight of maple leaves at the Dashi Lake in Benxi, northeast China's Liaoning province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

Du, a tourist from Benxi's neighboring city Shenyang, came to the tourist attraction with her family. She was so attracted to the beautiful scenery that she could not stop snapping after entering the scenic area.

Maple leaves are a character of Benxi's tourism, while the city's development highlights greenness.

Benxi was historically extremely polluted as part of China's old industrial base in the northeast. Huge environmental improvements have occurred as a result of the city's tireless efforts.

In recent years, Benxi has prioritized environmental conservation, steadfastly developed its industry, and vigorously pushed forward the cultural and tourism sector. The city sees huge gains in both ecological conservation and tourism development as it strikes a balance between environment and tourism.

"We probably have the most beautiful maple leaves in the entire Liaoning province," said Zhang Chunyou, an employee of the Fenglin Valley, and pride was shown on his face when he said it. No one would imagine that the scenic area was once an remote tree farm, he added.

Zhang started working at the tree farm in 1980. At that time, the farm was ringing with the sound of motor saws all day. According to him, over 5,000 cubic meters of trees were felled annually, and almost all the trees there were chopped down eventually.

Photo shows maple leaves at the Guanmen Mountain National Forest Park in Benxi, northeast China's Liaoning province. (People's Daily Online/Min Zhengtong)

This resource crisis unquestionably sounded an alarm for the tree farm. Therefore, the farm, upon discussion, decided to establish a tourism company. After three years of planning and a massive "refill" of trees, the scenic area was opened to the public in June 2013. The June-December revenue that year equaled to the whole-year income from lumbering, and now the Fenglin Valley currently earns over 20 million yuan ($3.1 million) every year.

The story of the Fenglin Valley is a miniature of Benxi's green development. As a forest city at the national level, Benxi has forest coverage of 76.31 percent. In recent years, it has rolled out a series of regulations to safeguard the ecology, develop green coal mines and conserve its maple trees.Besides, it has also been working to fight air pollution. As a result, the ecological environment in the city is significantly improved.

Wang Guangchao is a resident of Heping village, Xiangyang township, Huanren Manchu autonomous county, located near the Fenglin Valley and Hugu Valley, another scenic spot in the county. He told People's Daily that the scenic areas have not only offered jobs for his fellow villagers, but also boosted the local B&B business.

Wang, who runs a small resort, gets new bookings practically every day. "I have to dish up for a huge group of tourists today, and some 30 of them are going to stay here tonight," he said.

In Tongjiangyu, a village near the Benxi Water Cave in Xiaoshi township, Benxi Man autonomous county of Benxi, the agritainment business is blossoming. The village has made the Man culture its prominent attraction and built a featured resort.

"The villagers used to subsist on their crops, and sometimes they took part-time jobs. Their annual income was only several thousand yuan," said Bai Jinghua, Party chief of the village. Now the development of rural tourism provides massive jobs for surrounding villagers, with some of them earning 3,500 yuan a month, he added.

Gao Zhifa, chief of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xiaoshi township committee, told People's Daily that the local government, by calling on the operators of agritainment facilities to establish integrity alliances, has well regulated the market and improved their services. Meanwhile, the local government has invested over six million yuan renovating 45 stores, including 22 agritainment facilities in Tongjiangyu village, to make the village more attractive.

According to Wu Lan, secretary of the CPC Benxi municipal committee, Benxi will keep holding the vision of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," turn resources into great projects, and accelerate the fostering of leading tourism projects and brands to drive the high-quality development of the city's tourism industry.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Xinjiang populations literacy continues to improve

10:20, October 10, 2021 By Zhang Dengke ( People's Daily

Residents of various ethnic groups perform at a residential community in Yizhou district, Hami city, northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, to celebrate the 10th good neighborliness festival of the community, Sept. 27, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Cai Zengle)

Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has constantly increased input into education, effectively lifting the literacy of its population, especially the ethnic minorities in the region, pointed out a white paper titled Xinjiang Population Dynamics and Data released recently by the State Council Information Office of China.

Population constitutes the basic support for the countrys modernization drive and the engine of economic and social development. As Chinas demographic landscape and stage of economic and social development change, increasing education investment and improving the literacy of people have become increasingly important.

The average years of schooling for people aged 15 and above in Xinjiang rose from 9.27 years in 2010 to 10.11 years in 2020, 0.2 years higher than the national average of 9.91, and ranking 10th across the nation. The illiteracy rate of people in Xinjiang declined to 2.66 percent, lower that the countrys national average.

Compared with 2010, the number of people with university education rose from 10,613 to 16,536 per 100,000 persons, and those with high school education grew from 11,669 to 13,208.

It should be noted that the education level of the ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, especially the Uygur population which comprises 44.96 percent of the total population of the region as well as 77.85 percent of the population of its ethnic minorities, has continuously improved.

According to data from the seventh national census conducted in 2020, 8,944 per 100,000 Uygur people had received a university education, an increase of 272 percent compared to 2000. The average years in education for those aged 15 and above grew to 9.19 in 2020 from 7.06 two decades ago.

These facts fully prove that the education level and literacy of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have continuously improved, thanks to the regions efforts to put into practice various policies to promote education, increase fiscal funds for education, accelerate the construction of a high-quality education system, and deepen educational cooperation with developed regions in China.

The Education Law of the Peoples Republic of China stipulates that the state shall help all ethnic minority areas develop educational undertakings in light of the characteristics and needs of different ethnic minority groups.

In recent years, the country has formulated and issued a document on speeding up national education development and an implementation plan for lifting severely impoverished areas out of poverty by improving education from 2018 to 2020, intensifying efforts to promote education for ethnic minority areas and poverty-stricken areas through preferential policies.

Xinjiang has exempted some tuition fees and provided subsidies for students receiving the nine-year compulsory education and vocational education and implemented comprehensive financial aid policies for higher education receivers to ensure that students from financially embarrassed families can receive education.

With the support of the central government, Xinjiang has increased investment into education and made it a priority area of its fiscal expenditure, gradually completing mechanisms for input of educational funds at all levels.

In 2019, Xinjiangs general government spending on education totaled over 86.3 billion yuan ($13.38 billion). As of the end of 2019, Xinjiang had invested a total of 26.3 billion yuan in the construction of basic education facilities and renovated and expanded 9.13 million square meters of school buildings. Over half of the investment was used in four poor prefectures in southern Xinjiang. All the schools for compulsory education in these prefectures have reached the required basic standards for normal operation.

Upholding the concept that education comes first ,Xinjiang has further deepened education reform based on its actual needs, in which the region has made preschool education accessible to more, developed compulsory education in a balanced manner, promoted universal senior high school education, improved the quality of vocational education and vigorously advanced higher education development.

By introducing relevant plans and implementation projects that suit the reality of different areas and circumstances, Xinjiang has established and improved a high-quality education system that effectively links all levels of education from preschool to elementary school and high school.

By the end of 2019, the gross enrollment rate of preschool institutions in Xinjiang reached 97.51 percent, the completion rate of compulsory education 95.51 percent, and the gross enrollment rate of senior high schools and higher education institutions 98.82 percent and 46.79 percent, respectively.

Putting into practice the central governments instructions on providing pairing assistance for Xinjiang, developed provinces and cities that have paired up with Xinjiang to help with the latters development have prioritized assistance in promoting education in the region. While taking advantage of their high-quality education resources, they have innovated an assistance model covering funds, mechanisms, talents, concepts and employment to help Xinjiang develop education, and formed an assistance system that links preschool education, compulsory education and higher education and covers education resources, teachers, and courses.

Schools of all levels and kinds in Xinjiang have all received pairing assistance from developed provinces and cities in China, and cultivated a large number of professional talents and highly-educated talents of various ethnic groups based on the education resources of these developed provinces and cities.

Practice has proved that the CPC and the Chinese government have always paid high attention to improving peoples literacy and emphasized the importance of guaranteeing citizens rights to development and education.

Xinjiang has earnestly implemented relevant national policies, continuously increased investment in education and significantly improved the literacy of its population.

(The author is a lecturer at the School of Chinese Language and Literature, Xinjiang University.)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Xinhua Commentary: A new warning to Taiwan separatists and their supporters

Xinhua) 10:38, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent the latest stern warning to Taiwan separatists and their supporters.

"Those who forget their heritage, betray their motherland, and seek to split the country will come to no good end; they will be disdained by the people and condemned by history," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said in Beijing at a meeting marking the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911.

The new warning was issued on a proper occasion, as the 1911 Revolution served as a watershed historic event for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, a milestone on the journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The message that the Chinese leadership wants to drive home on such a special occasion is crystal clear: those who fantasized about counting on foreign intervention to inflate themselves and provoke the Chinese mainland in an attempt at "Taiwan independence" are doomed to fail and will only bring disaster to compatriots on the island.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The Taiwan question, which arose out of the weakness and chaos of the Chinese nation, is purely an internal matter for China, one which brooks no external interference. No one should underestimate the Chinese people's strong will, determination, and ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Taiwan question concerns China's core interests, over which there is no room for compromise.

External forces should respect China's sovereignty, security and development interests, abide by the one-China principle, and stop using Taiwan-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs.

In reassuring words, Xi also reiterated the adherence to the basic policy of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems," as well as the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and the promotion of the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

It must be understood that the Chinese mainland is not the aggressor, as has been painted in some Western narratives. The troublemakers are Taiwan separatists and their supporters, who have been stoking tensions.

Xi urged compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to stand on the right side of history and join hands to achieve China's complete reunification and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The compatriots in Taiwan should recognize the dangers of "Taiwan independence" and the tricks of external forces, work together to eradicate the scourge of "Taiwan independence", stop the interference of external forces, and safeguard the sovereignty, security and development interests of the motherland.

Just as Xi said on Saturday: "National reunification by peaceful means best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including compatriots in Taiwan."

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
AUKUS deal to seriously affect regional peace, stability, security: scholar

Xinhua) 10:59, October 10, 2021

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The military pact among the United States, Britain and Australia, known as AUKUS, will seriously affect regional peace, stability and security, and it can trigger nuclear competition in the region, a Cambodian scholar has warned.

The deal, which will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines with technology provided by the United States and Britain, is a tool for the United States to expand its military influence in the Asia-Pacific region, Chea Munyrith, president of the Cambodian Chinese Evolution Researcher Association, told Xinhua.

"The AUKUS will pose a risk of nuclear proliferation in the region," but the United States "does not care about other countries," said Munyrith.

The pact will also provide Australia with medium and long-range strike capacities such as Tomahawk cruise missiles, long-range anti-ship missiles and precision strike missiles, he said.

Such a move contradicts the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which was reached in 1987 to prohibit and control missile transportation with more than 300 km capability, he added.

As a signatory to the MTCR, the United States has "violated the pact by selling and transferring the Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can be launched for more than 1,000 km, to Australia," Munyrith said.

"AUKUS has disregarded and violated international law" and jeopardizes peace and stability in Asia, where countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are located, he said.

ASEAN could not forget the tragedy that the United States has caused in Afghanistan, he said, adding between 1965 and 1973, the United States dropped roughly 2.7 million tons of explosives on 113,716 locations in Cambodia.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Former vice governor of Shanxi prosecuted for bribery, power abuse

Xinhua) 11:01, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xinyun, former vice governor of north China's Shanxi Province, was charged with taking bribes and power abuse, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Saturday.

The Langfang Municipal People's Procuratorate in north China's Hebei Province was designated by the SPP to handle Liu's case.

According to prosecutors, Liu took advantage of his positions to seek illicit profit for others and accepted an enormous amount of money and gifts in return.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
UN migration agency condemns killing of illegal immigrants in Libyan detention center

Xinhua) 13:21, October 10, 2021

TRIPOLI, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Saturday condemned the killing of illegal immigrants in a detention center in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

"IOM condemns Friday's senseless killing and the use of live rounds against migrants protesting the appalling conditions in detention," IOM said in a statement.

Six were killed and at least 24 others injured at the Mabani detention center in Tripoli when armed guards opened fire following a riot and an attempted escape, IOM said.

However, the Libyan interior minister denied the six deaths, confirming that only one person was killed "accidentally while leaving the center".

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

The rescued and arrested ones live in overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close the centers.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
DPP authority returning to 1992 Consensus premise of cross-Strait relations improvement: spokesperson

Xinhua) 13:26, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Saturday said that cross-Strait relations will only improve and develop when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan returns to the political basis of 1992 Consensus and stops aggressive moves seeking "independence."

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the comment in response to the negative remarks from an official of Taiwan's mainland affairs council regarding the 1992 Consensus.

It is the shared aspiration and serves the fundamental interests of the people from both sides to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations on the basis of the 1992 Consensus, said the spokesperson.

Answering to a media query on a DPP official's distorted statement about Resolution 2758 of the United Nations General Assembly, Ma reiterated that "there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China."

The island's participation in international organizations and activities must be handled based on the one-China principle, Ma added.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
National park sees more tiger, leopard cubs in China

Xinhua) 13:48, October 10, 2021

CHANGCHUN, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's pilot national park project for endangered Siberian tigers and Amur leopards has borne fruit, with wildlife populations on the rise.

At least 12 Siberian tiger cubs and 11 Amur leopard cubs have been born since 2017, when the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park pilot project was launched in the provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang, according to the park's management bureau.

Populations of other wild animals, such as spotted deer and boars, are also on the rise, suggesting an improving eco-environment in the park that spans 1.46 million hectares.

Over the past four years, the forest stock in the park has risen from 212 million cubic meters to 223 million cubic meters.

Local authorities regularly send forest rangers to patrol the park and the neighboring area and clear traps set by poachers.

Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers, mainly live in Russia's Far East and northeast China. One of the world's most endangered species, about 500 Siberian tigers are believed to be living in the wild.

Amur leopards, also known as the Far Eastern leopard, are also one of the most endangered felines in the world and have been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Expert proposes consolidating industrial foundation for Hainan free trade port

Xinhua) 13:49, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese expert has called for promoting industrial growth and accelerating building a modern industrial system at the Hainan free trade port to enhance its high-quality development.

It forms an important foundation for the port by speeding up the construction of a modern industrial system with tourism, modern services, and high-tech industries as the main part, said Chi Fulin. Chi is head of the Hainan-based China Institute for Reform and Development, and he spoke at a book launch in Beijing.

Noting the crucial role of the service system in development promotion at the port, Chi called on implementing high-level institutional opening-up in the service sector and creating rules, regulations, and administrative measures in line with international standards.

Breakthroughs should come soonest in the service system for duty-free shopping and health care, he said.

Addressing the port's need for increasing market flow, Chi suggested promoting policies at the port based on the needs of enterprises.

He also called for efforts to ramp up reform and innovation of the administrative and judicial systems to make a sound business environment a prominent advantage of the port.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
China renews blue alert for rainstorms

Xinhua) 13:52, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday renewed its blue alert for rainstorms in southern and eastern parts of the country and called for taking precautionary measures.

From 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Jiangsu and Anhui, with southern parts of Guangxi experiencing rainfall of up to 160 mm, the center forecast.

Some of the aforementioned regions are likely to encounter over 50 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms, gales or hail.

The center has advised local governments to make preparations for the rainstorms. Schools and kindergartens have been asked to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children and drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Iran's FM visits Syria for "comprehensive developments" in relations

Xinhua) 14:17, October 10, 2021

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (R, Front) and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian (C) speak to reporters in Damascus, Syria, on Oct. 9, 2021. The visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian arrived in Damascus on Saturday, speaking about "comprehensive developments" in the relations between his country and Syria, according to the state news agency SANA. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian arrived in Syria's capital Damascus on Saturday, speaking about "comprehensive developments" in the relations between his country and Syria, according to the state news agency SANA.

Speaking jointly with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad to reporters upon arrival, Abdullahian said that over the past few weeks, Syria and Iran have reached "important agreements" for achieving comprehensive development in the relations in all fields.

He said both sides are putting forward "intensive programs" to implement cooperation in the economic, trade, and tourism fields.

"Syria is on the path of progress and prosperity," he said, stressing his country's ongoing support to Syria.

For his side, Mekdad described the visit of the Iranian official as "important," noting that there are "important developments" that will be discussed between both sides for the interests of both peoples.

Before Damascus, Abdullahian visited Russia and Lebanon and held talks with Russian and Lebanese officials on various international and bilateral issues.

Mekdad noted that he and Abdullahian will discuss the outcome of the latter's visits to Russia and Lebanon.

The visit of the Iranian official comes at a time the Syrian government is sensing a change in the international climate towards Syria.

In a recent televised interview with the Syrian national TV, Mekdad pointed out that there is a change in the international political atmosphere towards the Syrian issue, noting that during the recent United Nations General Assembly meetings, tens of countries wanted to meet with the Syrian government delegation.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Interview: China's nature-based solutions key to tackle global biodiversity challenges, says conservation chief

Xinhua) 14:21, October 10, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Facing challenges in preserving global biodiversity, the world should steer social and economic development in a nature-based direction like China has done, the chief of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has said.

Calling for awareness of threats to climate and biodiversity, Bruno Oberle, director general of the IUCN based in Gland, Switzerland, said, "Both crises are global. Both crises require big transformation of our societies and our economies. Both crises are rooted in the way we produce and consume today."

An upcoming UN conference in China will provide a platform for "almost all countries in the world" to "reflect and discuss what kind of actions have to be taken to protect nature and to halt the losses of biodiversity," he told Xinhua in an interview.

As a panelist, Oberle will virtually attend the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known as COP15, which kicks off Monday in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Themed "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth," the meeting is expected to draw up a blueprint for protecting global biodiversity for the next decade.

"We know how to create growth, jobs, wealth for everyone on the planet, at the same time respecting the boundaries that the planet is giving us. This needs new products. This needs new services. This needs new investments," Oberle said.

"We have to steer carefully our societies and our economies in that direction," he added.

As the incoming president of COP15, China is promoting "the post-2020 global biodiversity framework" under the guidance of ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by the country to achieve harmony between humans and nature.

Since China joined the IUCN in 1996, the two sides have worked together to develop "the Chinese concept of the standard on the nature-based solutions," Oberle said, adding "this is supported by a number of examples of successful implementation of nature-based principles in China."

To improve biodiversity governance, China has made biodiversity conservation a national strategy, rolling out measures to improve legal and policy frameworks, expand oversight on law enforcement and encourage public participation.

Oberle highlighted the protection of giant pandas in China, a species that has been re-classified from endangered to vulnerable after decades of effort to keep it from extinction. "This was very well taught and very well implemented and very successful."

"China is playing a bigger role," he said while commending Beijing's contribution to global biodiversity and climate agendas.

Oberle said the urgent need to preserve nature should galvanize the world, saying, "we face a common endeavor and a common challenge. And we will only find this solution if we all together work in this direction."

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Yunnan makes continuous strides towards the protection of biodiversity

People's Daily Online) 14:36, October 10, 2021

A skywalk gibbon is seen in a forest in Yunnan. (Xinhua file photo)

The diversity of species is a direct reflection of biodiversity. In recent years, southwest Chinas Yunnan province has done an excellent job in preserving and increasing the diversity of its species, putting nearly 90 percent of the key protected wild animal and plant species under effective protection.

Yunnan has carried out thorough surveys of the biodiversity status in key areas across the province, including four national biodiversity conservation areas under its jurisdiction. Based on the survey and evaluation results, it then took targeted efforts to protect, restore and manage the ecosystems.

By taking advantage of its ecosystem positioning stations, Yunnan has continuously monitored the diversity and the ecosystems for rare and endangered species, including Asian elephants, snub-nosed monkeys, and black-necked cranes, among others. It has also taken proactive steps to include biodiversity in its environmental monitoring system and carry out research on the methods and indicators used to monitor biodiversity.

Yunnan has continually monitored and surveyed the populations of rare and endangered animals, including gibbons, Asian elephants, snub-nosed monkeys, and green peafowls, as well as plants with extremely small populations, such as the Myristica fragrans and Paphiopedilum wenshanense, preserving and restoring their habitats. It has also established rescue and conservation zones for the protection of other rare and endangered animal and plant species. As a result of such efforts, the populations of these species have been growing steadily, so has the number of species newly discovered and recorded in Yunnan.

While increasing support for biodiversity research projects, pushing for breakthroughs in promoting the utilization of biological resources of high economic value, building capacity in the research of biodiversity, and introducing research, technological and managerial talents, Yunnan, which shares international borders with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, is paying great attention to international cooperation for the conservation of biodiversity and has made major progress in this aspect.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Interview: Biodiversity meeting opportunity to encourage nature-positive economic models, says UN official

Xinhua) 14:51, October 10, 2021

NAIROBI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- All countries should develop nature-positive economic models to boost climate resilience and protect ecosystems that underpin livelihoods, a senior official of the United Nations has said.

Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UN Environment Program, said during a virtual interview with Xinhua ahead of a global biodiversity meeting next week that China's ability to blend economic growth with habitat protection offers useful lessons.

She said that by agreeing to host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), which is set to kick off on Oct. 11 in the southwestern city of Kunming, China has reaffirmed its commitments to global biodiversity conservation in line with its concept of ecological civilization.

"We look at that being really the last big chance to end biodiversity loss as we know it," Andersen said of the conference.

"The COP is hosted under the banner of ecological civilization, and I think that is a powerful Chinese plan, understanding and framework," Andersen said.

She noted that China's 14th five-year plan, which outlines a comprehensive strategy to protect nature amid a quest for growth, is an opportunity for nations seeking low-carbon development pathways.

Andersen said Beijing has put in place robust guard rails to ensure that urbanization and infrastructure growth do not negatively impact the health of vital ecosystems including forests and watersheds.

"The fact that China has embarked on an ambitious tree planting, on an ambitious program to combat food waste, all of these are very good," she said.

China's "Green is Gold" concept has been embraced by the Chinese public, hence elevating the Asian nation's status as an example of biodiversity protection, she said.

Andersen said that the adoption of a ten-year roadmap for conserving biodiversity at the meeting will mark a significant milestone in reversing a loss of species that has accelerated due to climate change and population pressure.

Governments, industries, donors and civil society should utilize the meeting to agree on policy, regulations and the funding required to stem biodiversity loss, she said, stressing the need to hasten low-carbon growth.

"Getting an ambitious agreement on biodiversity will tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss," she said.

Andersen said that African countries require technical and financial support to help reverse biodiversity loss that has worsened hunger and resource-based conflicts.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Feature: China-Laos railway carries dreams, brings hearts closer

Xinhua) 15:55, October 10, 2021

VIENTIANE, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The sunshine in October is still burning in a railing base in the northern outskirts of Lao capital Vientiane, but what Sida Phengphongsawanh, a trainee for China-Laos railway train driver, cares, is the jingle of the train maintenance which sounds like music.

The crisp sound in the China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group (CREC-2) of the China-Laos railway seems to celebrate her for one more step closer to fulfill her wish.

The 22-year-old looks gentle while holding a determined "steel locomotive dream": being a train driver. To this end, as soon as she heard that the China-Laos railway was to be built, she thought about working on it in the future.

The China-Laos Railway, which connects Kunming in China's Yunnan Province with Lao capital Vientiane, is the first railway project built with Chinese investment, jointly operated by China and Laos and directly connected to China's railway network. As the project enters the completion acceptance phase, Sida is getting more and more excited and earnest.

"I heard about the Laos-China railway for the first time in 2015. In 2016, I went to Kunming to study the knowledge of railways. After returning home, I went straight to the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. to apply for a position. I hope to be an excellent female driver on the Laos-China railway," Sida told Xinhua recently.

Born in the hilly town in northern Laos of Muangxay, Sida came up with the idea of becoming a train driver at an early age. Her hometown is only about 100 km from Laos-China border gate, where the surrounding mountains block the way to China. Sida, who has hardly ever been out of the mountains, had always wanted to see what it looks like across the mountain.

It is also the common wish of Lao people. The country is known as the "roof of the Indochinese Peninsula" and the only landlocked ASEAN member with mountains and plateaus that account for about 80 percent of the land area. Breaking through the blockade of the mountains and converting it from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub are the wishes of Lao people.

"Because of the mountains in northern Laos, the roads connecting the towns are winding and unsafe. Many old people have never walked out of the mountains where they were born," Khamsai Phimvongsa, a farmer in Vientiane told Xinhua.

In 2015, the Chinese and Lao governments signed an intergovernmental railway cooperation agreement, marking the official entry of the China-Laos railway into the implementation phase, which has become an opportunity to realize the aspirations of the Lao people.

The China-Laos railway, as an important part of the trans-Asian railway network, is of great strategic and practical significance to Laos, according to a signed article entitled "Jointly build a community of shared future with strategic significance between China and Laos."

The two sides should strengthen overall coordination and strive for the early completion of the opening of the railway, so that Laos and neighboring countries and the world can be better connected.

The Belt and Road Initiative "is an opportunity, through economic infrastructure, trade, investment and people-to-people's connectivity to deepen the mutual trust and help between and China and Belt and Road Initiative countries. Thus, we have the landed project, Laos-China railway project," Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh said when interviewed with Xinhua in August.

The railway, hence, carried hopes and expectations of many Lao people.

"Personally, the Laos-China railway has given me a stable job, and at the national level, the Laos-China railway can drive the multi-level and all-round development of Laos. In particular, my hometown of Muangxay has a long history of importing from (China). The opening of the Laos-China railway, will facilitate the importation for Muangxay," Sida said.

Khamsai, the 60-year-old Lao farmer, said he hopes to sell local fruits and vegetables to China to improve the rural life in Laos. A middle-aged official in Xaythany District of Vientiane said, "I hope the railway will extend to Thailand, Vietname and Cambodia, etc., to bring the neighbors to do business, invest and travel."

The 1,013-km China-Laos Railway consists of two sections, the Chinese section and the Lao section. Along the way are mountains and deep valleys with complex geological situation.

Bridge and tunnel ratio is quite high with that in Chinese section up to 87 percent and Lao section up to 63 percent, including the 1,651-meter Ban Ladhan Mekong Bridge, 1,459-meter Luang Prabang Mekong Bridge, 9,384-meter Ban Sen No. 2 Tunnel, 9,296-meter Ban Nakok Tunnel. It is said that the China-Laos railway was not paved out, but erected and drilled through with numerous difficulties.

"I have found that the Chinese engineers are so wonderful. Confronting the complex terrain in the mountains plateaus, they can always use advanced technology to drill through every tunnel," Thonglien Outhayod, a Lao employee in China Railway No.2 Engineering Group (CREC-2) Vientiane railing base told Xinhua in October.

Sida also noticed, "On the construction site, the busy Chinese engineers can always be seen 24 hours a day. The heat in Laos added difficulties to tunnel building, while the temperature in the tunnel is much higher than outside. Working in a tunnel needs great patience and perseverance."

While building the railway, the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. has opened training course for around 600 Lao trainees to learn train driving, scheduling and maintenance. Sida is one of them.

The China-Laos Railway also also carries the wishes and dreams of Chinese engineers.

Hu Bin, the project manager of the CREC-2 China-Laos railway railing base in Vientiane, has been working in Laos for four years. His team undertook the tasks of building bridges and laying rails for the whole Lao section, taking the lead in building the first overseas Chinese standard railway beam yard, and realizing the first bridge beam production and installation in a Belt and Road country with Chinese standard.

"I'm very proud to be able to join the Belt and Road project," he told reporters. "We feel very proud to build a railways with Chinese standards and Chinese technology in a foreign country."

Lei Chao, the CREC-2 Vientiane railing base executive manager, is expected to see the completion of the railway in this December. "We feel much pleasure to see that the Lao trainees can grow up in the construction sites of the China-Laos railway, and then have their own stable jobs with full expectation for their future."

The China-Laos railway will bring great convenience to trade and travel between the two countries and become an important part of the north-south artery of the Indochinese Peninsulas in overcoming land transportation difficulties and developing its economy.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Across China: Solar decathlon competition lights up greener life

Xinhua) 15:57, October 10, 2021

SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- On the vast grassland in north China's Hebei Province, a cluster of houses of different types shining under the sun has become a new landmark.

The 15 houses, designed by professors and students of 29 universities from 10 countries, are for Solar Decathlon China, a competition to contribute to sustainable development, human health, and smart connections.

Starting in October, the houses built in Desheng Village in Zhangbei County will function on clean energy, mainly solar power. The generated power will meet or exceed the energy consumption of the houses themselves.

Teams will compete in 10 divisions, including architecture design, energy utilization, indoor environments, and market potential.

A design by Xi'an Jiaotong University looks much like a traditional house in north China. Using solar and hydrogen power, the team has strived for a healthier and more intelligent housing mode that consumes almost zero external energy, said team leader Zhen Meng.

Zhen said his team has taken into consideration the living environment and the aging problem in rural China. "If the design is applied in the countryside in the future, the architecture and equipment components could increase or reduce based on residents' demand, habits, and financial conditions," he said.

Zhang Hong, a professor of Southeast University, said the competition, focusing on China's carbon emission reduction goals, is significant to achieve sustainable development through intelligent means.

China has announced that it would strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Li Ang, secretary-general of the event's organizing committee, said the houses would challenge the freezing weather below minus 30 degrees Celsius in Zhangbei in winter. The teams will then make corresponding adjustments to the clean heating system so that a feasible, clean heating solution can be promoted in north China in the future.

The results will be announced next year. The houses will stay in the village to serve the rural vitalization after the competition, said Li.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (L) and Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, at Bushehr nuclear power plant in Tehran, Iran, October 8, 2021. /Iranian Presidency

Iran has enriched more than 120 kilograms of 20-percent enriched uranium, the head of the country's atomic energy agency said on Iranian state television Saturday evening.

"We have passed 120 kilograms," said Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

"Our people know well that they (Western powers) were meant to give us the enriched fuel at 20 percent to use in the Tehran reactor, but they haven't done so," he added.

"If our colleagues do not do it, we would naturally have problems with the lack of fuel for the Tehran reactor."

In September, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran had boosted its stocks enriched above the percentage allowed in the 2015 deal with world powers.

Under the deal, Iran was not meant to enrich uranium above 3.67 percent, well below the 90-percent threshold needed for use in a nuclear weapon.

The IAEA estimated that Iran had 84.3 kilograms of uranium enriched to 20 percent, up from 62.8 kilograms when the agency last reported in May.

Under the 2015 agreement, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States had agreed to lift some sanctions against Iran if Tehran cut back its nuclear program.

But since former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal in 2018, Tehran has progressively abandoned its commitments under the agreement, and the United States has imposed fresh sanctions in response.

On Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said he was optimistic that talks on reviving the 2015 deal would make progress, provided Washington fully resumes its commitments.

Source(s): AFP
The Afghan Taliban announced on Saturday that a high-level delegation of its government met with a U.S. delegation in Qatari capital Doha.

It was the first such gathering since the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in late August and the first foreign visit by Taliban government officials.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the newly-formed Afghan administration, said the two sides discussed opening a new chapter in bilateral relations and Taliban officials called on the U.S. side to lift a ban on frozen assets in the Afghan Central Bank.

The Taliban delegation also urged the U.S. to respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan's airspace and not interfere in its affairs, he said, stressing that the focus was on humanitarian aid and the implementation of all the provisions of the Doha Agreement, concluded between the two sides in February 2020.

"We clearly told them that trying to destabilize the government in Afghanistan is good for no one," Muttaqi told Afghan state news agency Bakhtar after the talks in the Qatari capital.

The U.S. delegation, led by CIA Deputy Director David Cohen, mainly focused their talks on terrorism and easing the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans from the country, according to U.S. media reports.

A State Department official described the engagement as pragmatic in nature and focused on "issues of U.S. vital national interest" and told CBS News the meeting "is not about granting recognition or conferring legitimacy."

A Taliban fighter stands at a gate outside the passport office as people wait with their documents after the Taliban announced the reopening of the passport application process, in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 6, 2021. /CFP

The Twitter account of a Taliban spokesman stated that on Friday a high-level delegation led by Muttaqi headed to Doha to meet with Qatari officials and representatives of other countries on the current political situation and the country's external relations.

According to Muttaqi, the Taliban delegation will meet with representatives of the European Union in the coming days.

Qatar plays a major role in the Afghan issue. According to official statements, it facilitated the evacuation and transfer of tens of thousands of people from Kabul, helped reopen Kabul Airport to receive aid and flights, and provided an estimated $50 million in financial aid to Afghanistan.

The Taliban has maintained a political office in Doha since 2013.

The Qatari capital has for years witnessed negotiations between the Taliban and the United States and is where the peace agreement between the two sides was signed in February last year, which provided the basis for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

(With input from Xinhua)
By Bobby Naderi

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is seen during a press conference in Berlin, Germany, February 21, 2020. /Getty

Editor's note: Bobby Naderi is a London-based journalist, guest contributor in print, radio and television, and documentary filmmaker. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Regional arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia are expected to improve ties and have reached some agreements in their reconciliatory negotiations to build trust and end hostilities.

According to Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, more talks are needed to improve relations, but negotiations have been heading in the right direction and have gone a "good distance."

His Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, has also confirmed that his country held its first round of direct talks with Iran's new government last month, expressing the hope that Iran will offer a basis to address unresolved issues and "we will strive and work to realize that."

At the very least, if the two neighbors have a hope of transitioning to a region which remains stable for everyone, particularly for Yemen and Syria, it's time to focus on dialogue and what might truly be possible in a thoughtful and realistic way. In order to reverse the mistrust that has become entrenched on both sides, acts of good faith are also key.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are on opposing sides in the Syrian and Yemeni conflicts. This makes the ongoing negotiations in the interests of the war-torn countries. They can also end Iran's regional isolation, understanding that good relations with Arab neighbors are more important than agreements with the U.S. Best of all, this great diplomatic leap forward may serve as a model for other countries desperate to exit a failed status quo imposed on them by the West.

So, it's not surprising if the new Iranian administration, under President Ebrahim Raisi, gives priority to regional diplomacy over other issues such as the resolution of nuclear dispute with the United States. Tehran is in no hurry to revive the nuclear deal but focuses its foreign policy on the region.

Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's president, holds his first news conference following his victory in the presidential election, Tehran, June 21, 2021. /Getty

This might also have something to do with U.S. President Joe Biden's Afghanistan policy and the lost war. Many regional countries who believed in Washington's support have joined a growing line of abandoned and frustrated allies. The imperial disaster and pivoting to Asia have, not surprisingly, discouraged many countries from trusting Washington's words and commitments ever again. The conclusion is that the U.S. has lost its global stature and cannot be trusted at all.

In such conditions, Tehran and Riyadh are doing the right thing to resume dialogue and rethink their regional policies and plans, particularly in Syria and Yemen. The U.S. will do nothing to solve their regional disputes. Its poor leadership and demoralizing effect on the region failed to bring about any order or reduce tensions. It is now up to the countries in the region to take matters into their own hands in order to solve their problems.

Beyond the closed circle of official Washington, talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia can and should help solve the Yemeni crisis by establishing dialogue with the main backers of Houthi militias. For Iran, good relations with Riyadh normalize inter-Arab relations and pave the way to circumvent U.S. sanctions. Equally, the support of Arab countries will play an important role in ending the Syrian conflict.

To be sure, Riyadh and Tehran stand to win if they revive relations based on mutual grounds and in the interests of the region. The man-made humanitarian catastrophes in Syria and Yemen cannot go on forever. Other countries also need to come to the same conclusion that they will always remain neighbors with Iran and that the U.S. won't support them forever. Without dialogue nor agreements, there can be no regional peace and security. There is a difficult road ahead, but it's doable and needed to produce concrete results.

All countries in the Middle East have shared interests in the forceful affirmation of the unity and security of the region, and in the termination of the U.S. military presence and interference. Many are stakeholders in the Syrian and Yemeni conflicts and are not happy about an open-ended U.S. military presence with a clear-cut objective of full-spectrum dominance that is inexorably on the wane.

Without question, for Saudi Arabia and others countries in the region, factors including the debacle in Afghanistan, the failure of sanctions and diplomatic pressure, the Syrian and Yemeni crises, and a shift in U.S. focus towards Asia mean diplomacy is the only way forward regarding the situation with Iran. They know that the U.S. can't be trusted and that any country could easily become the next target for the military-industrial complex and the cult of air war.

Despite their ideological differences and not being on the same page in Yemeni and Syrian conflicts, Tehran and Riyadh fully grasp that their reconciliatory negotiations need to continue. They have enormous responsibilities  and the opportunities as well  to ensure that the new diplomatic approach is set up to succeed, which has significant implications for the fate of the whole region.
By Jerry Grey

China Australia Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Australia has joined a new military alliance to avail itself of nuclear submarines which it could never develop alone. There are a couple of reasons why and the most import one is the simplest: the Australian government has a mandate from its people that it will not enter nuclear proliferation. Their own Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website states the following: Australia is committed to the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons and has long championed international nuclear non-proliferation to disarmament efforts.

What this means is that the Australian people have not given permission to their government to introduce nuclear power. And, because coal is such an important industry, it's unlikely that they ever will. There are very few countries in the world producing more coal than Australia. But with a population of less than 26 million, there isn't much domestic need for the 476 million tons they produce. So, a massive 70 percent of this is exported and most of it to China.

The other reason Australia would never develop this technology alone is that due to the policy of non-nuclear proliferation, there are no professors teaching, no students studying, no government scientists or independent businesses working on nuclear physics. The implications of this are obvious, Australia will need to rely on British or American scientists, technicians, possibly even workers building the subs as well as the sailors sailing them. In other words, the subs (which no one knows the price of yet) will be paid for by Australians, but will not add to the economy and may never be used by Australians.

Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister, because of a perceived threat from China, has unilaterally and undemocratically decided to proceed into an industry that isn't wanted by the political lobbyists, the elected opposition or the people of the country.

The question is: Will the people reject this? Moving away from the politics and the controversies that this deal has created to look at a larger picture - there is something vitally important missing in all the rhetoric, the reason they feel a need to defend themselves.

Several Australian politicians, including Andrew Hastie, who served in the now dishonored SAS regiment in Afghanistan, Cassy O'Connor of the Tasmanian Greens and Kimberley Kitching, a Senator who is Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, are involved in an international scheme to denigrate China, they call themselves the "Inter Parliamentary Alliance on China" IPAC. This group includes warmongers and evangelical leaders from around the so-called democratic world and, in Australia, is strongly connected to ASPI, a "think tank," which derives its income from weapons manufacturers.

This alliance claims that China is aggressive, making bold moves to take over regions of the world and this causes Australians to feel threatened. The Alliance seems unable to present any evidence without words like "allegedly, could be, might, are in a position to" and so on, all of which are opinions on what they think might happen. They've alleged restrictions of freedoms in Hong Kong, a territory which recently introduced a National Security Law; they allege China is poised to invade Taiwan when no such invasion is either likely or even threatened; they allege human rights atrocities and even genocide in Xinjiang without ever having visited to establish the facts, which visitors are easily reassured is not the case. In summary, IPAC, supported by military funded "think tanks", and a like-minded media organization, are making claims based on propaganda, widely misunderstood data, biased and bigoted personal opinions.

There is irrefutable evidence that financial incentives are offered to organizations which pursue an anti-China rhetoric and that these organizations are connected to some politicians in Australia. At the same time, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever of aggression toward Australia by its biggest trading partner, only opinions and allegations.

Which brings us to an interesting point: there are two questions every Australian needs to ask themselves. The first being: What is happening with the trade figures between Australia and China?

This is the most interesting aspect of any "war". Historically what happens in the lead up to war has been some disagreements and allegations of wrongdoing on one or the other part, this leads to the tensions, which we are seeing now, but it also leads to a decoupling of trade.

Trade between China and Australia, however, is not only at a record high, it's been growing constantly since the pandemic and is set to continue. Since 2015 there has been a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries and the image from the Australian government's own international trade website demonstrates that, despite one or two well documented disputes, trade is robust and improving.

Even the famed disputes about coal and wine are a ruse. Coal, one of Australia's most important commodities, is still being exported to China. What isn't being accepted there is the wrong type of coal, China wants clean coal, Australia usually sends clean coal but, late last year, they sent the wrong type and it sat on ships off the coast for an extended period of time. While this minor (in the scale of overall figures) trade dispute was going on, the US was increasing its coal exports to China. At the same time, wine merchants from California are taking this opportunity to grow their businesses in China. Surprisingly, to anyone who cares to examine the real data; coal and wine are still being exported and still arriving in China.

The second question Australians should ask themselves is: If our trade figures are so good, why are we treating China as an enemy? And, unfortunately, the answer to that is because one or two bigoted and misinformed politicians propped up by "think tanks" which are financed by weapons manufacturers and supported by biased and hateful media would like you to believe you have a problem you don't actually have.

There's no threat from China, only a perception of a threat - you'll see it when you start looking. The solution is to do what any academic or sensible, intelligent reader does; question the sources. Once you realize that you're being misled, it's a very wise idea to apply the democracy you feel should you have been given and vote for changes to be made.

The author is a British Australian freelance writer who has studied cross cultural change management in China and has lived in the country, traveling extensively for 17 years.
China and Taiwan traded barbed comments Sunday over the future of the island territory, with Beijing pressing for reunification and Taipei engaging in a rare display of its military capabilities after months of Chinese overflights.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said at the territory's National Day celebration, "We will do our utmost to prevent the status quo from being unilaterally altered," under which Taiwan operates as an independently governed state even as Beijing claims the island as part of China's domain.

"We will continue to bolster our national defense and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us," Tsai said.

China's Taiwan Affairs office denounced Tsai's speech, saying it incited confrontation and distorted facts, closing the path toward the negotiations that Taiwan has sought.

Taiwan displayed its military hardware, including fighter jets, tanks, and both imported and domestically made missile systems. The United States, while for decades embracing a one-China policy recognizing China's claim to Taiwan, continues to sell military hardware to Taipei, including US$5.1 billion in arms sales in 2020.
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[ q & a ] 10/10/2021 Stories in My Own Way: A Conversation with Jackson Bliss

A mong the much-deserved, sky-high praise for Jackson Blisss brand-new short fiction collection, Counterfactual Love Stories & Other Experiments (Noemi Press, October 2021), the writer Aimee Bender calls Bliss a human kaleidoscope who creates characters and situations that absolutely ring with aliveness. That very aliveness has made me a longtime fan of his work (Juked published his Pushcart-nominated story The Geography of Desire in issue #17) and this collection is indeed kaleidoscopic: wild and vivid at one turn, astute and contemplative the next, these are stories you tumble inside, bright portals to compelling people and places and circumstances that, like love itself, feel both universal and wholly unique. I was excited to speak with Jackson Bliss and learn more about his writing process, interdisciplinary inspiration, and the challenges of working across different forms (stay tuned for both a novel and memoir coming your way soon!). Ashley Farmer

Ashley Farmer: Could you talk a bit about the conception of this book: where did this project begin? When did you know you were writing a collection of stories?

Jackson Bliss: You know, its interesting because the oldest stories in this collection are like, nineteen years old! And the youngest ones are less than a year. So, when I started writing the first stories in this collection, I definitely didnt know I was writing a collection. Im not even sure if I knew I was writing a story since my generic instincts have always been so conceptual. I made the rookie mistake of just writing whatever felt good to me back in 2002 and figured at the timecorrectly, Id like to point outthat the collection would become clearer to me with time. In retrospect, I wish someone had told me about the importance, the clarity, and the utility of clustering stories together by voice, theme, style, POV, setting, etc., because that would have really anchored the other stories I wrote afterwards, but I did value the creative freedom to just create first and understand later. For writers like me, that method usually works well.

I also could have used more direction the first ten years of my writing career, you know. That said, I started understanding this collection as a collective and intersecting work once I began submitting it to book contests and sending it out to editors whod shown interest in my writing. That was when I was forced to understand what this book was. A couple years later, I stumbled upon Wayne State University Presss Made in Michigan series, which I absolutely love, by the way, and that was the last push I needed to reconsider this collection as not just about mixed-race identity, but also the negotiation of that identity in Michigan and the American Midwest. That geographical and cultural focus really helped me glue everything together I think.

AF: Like other readers, Im certain, I was totally mesmerized by this collections innovative form: there was joy and surprise in simply turning the page. The full title is Counterfactual Love Stories and & Other Experiments: could you speak to experimentation and the role it plays in your work?

JB: Oh, thank you so much for saying that! That really means a great deal to me. My love and my comfort with narrative experimentation comes, I think, first from my deep and unmitigated love for art in general. I was an aspiring concert pianist in high school, I write electronic downtempo music now (google Mizu Space Age if youre feeling masochistic), I love taking photography (even if my talent is questionable), Im pretty taken by the visual syntax of fashion and design, and I find movies, music videos, graphic novels, and video games incredibly inspiring. Sometimes, even more inspiring than books, which I know is anathema to say out loud. And while I absolutely love modernist literature, surrealism, and literature in translation, most of the time I feel like Im wearing someone elses clothes. I look at myself in the mirror and Im just like, Yo, that is not you, bro. So, I think a lot of my experimentation comes from my multimodal background, my creative mind, and my disobedience to rules and genre conventions. Ive always been fascinated by the different ways we can tell stories but also equally invested in literary fiction, which is more of a contradiction than you think.

Also, I find that literary, generic, and stylistic experimentation can be an exhilarating form of play and I believe in the importance of play. Maybe, Im just too artistically childish to grow up. Ive been told a least a half a dozen times that you shouldnt mess with genre and form until youve mastered that genre and form first, but the older I got, the more I realized that argument is total bullshit. Some people like me cant write a story like Yiyun Li to save our fucking lives, even though we love her work. But when I write conceptually, as I like to call it, basing the structure of a story on some specific idea or concept, I feel like I get to warp the rules of storytelling. Its emancipating on one level but also transgressive and exciting on the other. Some writers disagree with me and thats cool, but I did what I did and I do what I do.

AF: So, how about the love part of the title? While these narratives are about so many things, love in its various iterations/possibilities is a current that pulses throughout. Are there any distinct challenges in writing love stories (which, again, are also more than love stories)?

JB: Youre absolutely right, love is the current here. And I think you hinted at precisely the unique challenge of telling a love story originally, which is hard AF to do, lets be honest. I think the basis of most of my writing is in fact, love: love for people, for cultures and communities, for the human experience, for social justice, vulnerability, and idealism, for language and ideas, for romantic love, but also the unwritten kind of love that doesnt get talked about, the broken kind, the unfulfilled kind, the kind of love that fails really hard, the kind that only makes sense looking back. Then, theres speculative love, the love that only exists in our heads, the love that falls apart on the page, the love of this sacred and fleeting experience as humans were not allowed to carry with us to the other side. Love is such just a multifaceted thing that gives so much life to this world and we dont even thank it for what it does. Some writers write their best shit when they channel their rage or their fury or indignation or their pain, all of which I respect and understand. But for me, I tend to write my best work when I write from a place of love for my characters and the various worlds they live in (or create).

AF: Another aspect of craft that I admire is what you do on the sentence level: distinct voices, lines that buzz and spin. Are you consciously thinking about language as you write?

JB: Yeah, I definitely am. I try to take risks with my language in the earliest drafts and then be harsher and harsher with my revisions as they add up until I have something that feels really bright as poetic energy. Dont get me wrong, Im not trying to make every sentence buzz in the readers head, because that would be exhausting, but I feel like there are places on the page where the cadence or the spatialization tells me I need a beautiful line or a moment of stylization at a certain place, so then I just write and rewrite that sentence sometimes a hundred times until it kinda haunts me. I do think of myself as a conceptual formalist and an urban realist, which I know makes no sense! And as a formalist, I know I care as much about how I write as what I write (or what I write about). Like most poets I know, my language is part of my identity. I want readers to stop every so often or enter into a new emotional place, which an original metaphor or the energy in a good riff can do, for example. But like most fiction writers I know, my storytelling is incredibly important. The only difference is, I just wanna tell stories in my own way, which is the best and the worst part of my writing for sure.

AF: There are characters in this collection that will stay with me, like Sola and Yumi, among others. Is there a character or narrative you feel closest to in this collection?

JB: That makes me so happy! Sola definitely sticks with me too. That story, Solas Asterisk about the eight destinies in Chicago, is the oldest short story in this book. I wrote it back in 2002 for my first fiction workshop and I remember the class just looked at me like, Are you fucking kidding me? Granted, the original version was like forty-six pages, which is borderline abusive for workshop, I admit, but also, many of the writers in that class looked at me like I was insane for thinking that was a story. But I knew back then that Sola was for real. Even if the story itself was a commitment and needed like, a hundred revisions before it was finally ready, the one thing that never failed me in that story was Sola. She is larger than life to me. Shes complicated, vulnerable, a little cynical, but very smart, damaged (like all of us), kind, imaginative, flawed, and her mind is really interesting to me. Sometimes, I wanted to be like her in my late 20s. Sometimes, I wanted to meet her IRL in my 30s. And I definitely crushed on her in my mind, which I know sounds weird, but again, its the way my love is connected to my creativity I suppose. Ultimately, Sola helped me understand myself both as a writer and a human being and Im grateful to her for that.

Another character that fascinates me is Kothar. Kothar Shinka is probably the most magical realist story in this collection, a genre I dont write very much, but I was always fascinated by his half-divinity and his gift for essentially recreating the entire world in glass, maybe because I wanted to do the same thing in this book (but also because he predicts many of the other stories in Counterfactual Love Stories in his list, which makes him a bit of a badass). Im also kinda struck by how he never hates the narrator for trying to sabotage his artistry. Like, Id be fucking furious if someone threw a brick at my glass studio, but hes just wired differently than we are and the only way I can understand him is that it must be the divine part of him that forgives (her) so easily. I mean, if youre like an apotheosis, youre kinda the shit of the cosmos. Most of the time, what I love most about the characters Ive created is how deeply human they are (i.e., the antithesis of Kothar) which is where I think love fits best because gods dont love, they can only judge. But maybe, thats why I find him interesting because hes unlike my typical weakness.

AF: What literary or non-literary sources inspired you as you wrote this book? Im thinking of the way other artsongs, records, museums, Chagallshow up in these pages.

JB: I dont wanna repeat too much, but yes, absolutely! I find inspiration in a lot of media, only some of which are books. For example, no one knows this (or they didnt until this interview), but the biggest inspirations for Solas Asterisk were the movies Run Lola Run, Amelie, Thirty Short Films on Glenn Gould, and City of God. As I was writing that story, I was listening to the counterpoint of the Amelie soundtrack on my stereo, the sound of my radiator clicking to life, and the whisper of mist on the windows of my empty Portland studio apartment. And Chagalls American Windows was one of my favorite things at the Art Institute of Chicago. I loved it so much, I wondered if I could fall in love with it. Years later in a second collection Im sending to presses now, I wrote a story about an art student who falls in love with a painting.

Ive also found a lot of inspiration from language-driven writers like Lydia Davis, W.G. Sebald, Gertrude Stein, and Proust, stylized, vocalized writers like Zadie Smith, Rick Moody, and Junot Diaz, structurally and conceptually adventurous writers like Karen Tai Yamashita, Shelley Jackson, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and Carole Maso, old school experimentalists like Michael Martone, Robert Coover, Steven Milhauser, Cali magical realists like Aimee Bender, and also the punk-rock ethos of Murakami who just does whatever the hell he wants whenever he wants to, which is so inspiring! There are video games like Life is Strange, Detroit: Become Human, The Outerworlds, the Fallout, Deux Ex, Final Fantasy, Mass Effect, and Borderlands series, all of which have had such a profound impact on my ideas of characterization, world building, irony, absurdity, dialogue, backstory, and pathos. And then there are hip-hop, dream pop, classical music, acoustic, rock, and electronic albums, just as there are musical videos, that have changed my life and fundamentally changed the way I listen to language and think about storytelling. Ill spare your readers the details before this paragraph gets out of control.

AF: Following the release of Counterfactual Love Stories & Other Experiments, you also have a novel coming out, Amnesia of June Bugs (March 2022), as well as a memoir, Dream Pop Origami (July 2022). Congratulations! Im wondering if you could share a bit about the process of working across various forms. Are there specific risks or rewards, depending on the type of project?

JB: Thank you so much! After coming close so many times with agents, small presses, book contests, and top-shelf literary journals, its honestly still shocking to have three books coming out in the span of nine months, especially after so many near misses and so many years of frustration. Personally, I didnt encounter any major risks writing across genres for the simple reason that I always try to honor my inspirations and write whatever I feel like writing at that moment instead of shaming myself for not writing, which is probably why I dont get writers block. There were times, for example, when I was so fucking tired of revising this collection that I would look to Dream Pop Origami, my experimental memoir, just to give me the space to create language and tell stories about a changing self without feeling locked into the other worlds Id created in my fiction. And there were times when I just wasnt feeling my nonfiction or it felt incredibly stale and tethered to me, so Id look to Amnesia of June Bugs and find consolation there in the fictional characters Id invented and needed in my life back then.

I dont recommend working on four books at a time, which is essentially what I did, because it can get a little confusing at times and you can feel like youre busting your ass off without anything to show for it. Thats a terrible feeling as an artist. And yet, Im sure that if Id had the classic Hollywood ending we all read about, namely publishing your first short story in a premiere literary journal, then getting an agent after theyd read that story, then putting your novel under submission, selling it for a fat advance in an auction, and then going on tour all expenses paid, I would have written just one book at a time. And maybe that would have freed up a lot of space in my lifeemotionally, psychologically, creatively, even financiallyto focus on one project at a time. But I didnt have that option in part because literary agents are weary of conceptual writing until youre literary fiction famous or a celebrity or a viral sensation (or Haruki Murakami), so I started writing other books when it felt like the publishing industry wasnt going to publish the work Id already created. I guess in that way, it is gratifying to see these three books coming out together since they all helped each other and even supported each other along the way. But Id never choose this life for any artist, thats the truth.

AF: What are you working on now?

JB: After pub day for Counterfactual Love Stories, Ill be working on a literary fiction trilogy that centers on three seminal decisions that Addy, the mixed-race protagonist, makes after he graduates from college, one novel for each choice. The first book, We Ate Stars for Brunch explores what happens if he moves to Buenos Aires with his dysfunctional AAPI girlfriend and is written in an eco-stylization, for lack of a better word: the writing is kinda like Bolano in South America, like Carver (ugh, Im really gonna try it) in Chicago, and like whatever the California style is in LA. The second novel, Ninjas of My Greater Self, explores what happens if Addy breaks up with the same girlfriend and moves to Tokyo after graduation, written in a post-modern style (footnotes and all). And the third novel, which I havent really started and which doesnt have a name yet, will explore what happens if Addy breaks up with his girlfriend and goes to grad school after graduation, written in epistolary form. My hope is that these three novels will overlap and diverge in many places, giving dedicated readers a deep and extremely nuanced character arc of the protagonist. At least, thats the idea. Who knows how itll actually turn out since a lot of this is just lucid dreaming at this point.

You can see pretty clearly, though, how that future project intersects with Counterfactual Love Stories and the other two books coming out in 2022: theres still an investment in counterfactual narratives. Theres still this joy in exploring the consequences of the choices we make, the many ways in which our framing of something affects the way understand it, the role that love, language, identity, music, and literature play in my writing and in the evolution of my characters, and also the many different ways we can tell a story. These novels are little less experimental and more stylized, more vocalized, and more character-based, but also every bit as transnational and language driven as the three books coming out between October of 2021 and July of 2022.

Last thing, and I apologize for how long this answer is, Ive also been working on several screenplays about mixed-race/AAPI writers and experimental storytelling. If you think back to movies like Before Sunset, Memento, Amelie, Pulp Fiction, 2046, Lost in Translation, those movies are some of my biggest inspirations and Id like to write screenplays that not only center complicated mixed-race/AAPI stories, but that also use creative and new ways to tell old stories about place, memory, identity, and yes, love! If LA has taught me anything, its that some people get to live off of their art, so why not me? It might take me a couple years to master that particular genre, but I feel like its a toolbox that can be learned. Hopefully the learning curve is faster for me since Im an author.
According to information published by the United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency on October 8, 2021, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission Naval Helicopters, Related Defense Services, and related equipment for an estimated cost of $985 million.

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U.S. Sailors signal an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, attached to the Saberhawks of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77, as it lands on the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Arabian Sea. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

The Government of Australia has requested to buy twelve (12) MH-60R Multi-Mission helicopters as well as associated spare parts, engines, communication systems, and weapons. The MH-60R Seahawk is a multi-mission naval helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft.



This proposed sale will improve Australias capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay. Australia will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.



The principal U.S. contractor will be Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Owego, NY. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

The MH-60R is a naval version of the American-made UH-60 Black Hawk designed and manufactured by the Sikorsky company which is now part of Lockheed Martin.

The MH-60R can be armed can be equipped with a range of weapons on the four weapons stations, including Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire anti-surface missiles. For anti-submarine warfare, the MH-60R can carry up to three ATK mk50 or mk46 active/passive lightweight torpedoes. The side of the helicopter can be fitted with a pintle-mounted weapon station armed with a 7.62mm machine gun.

The MH-60R is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines rated at 1,425kW. It can fly at a maximum speed of 267 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 834 km.
According to a contract released by the United States Department of Defense on October 4, 2021, L-3Harris Technologies Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts, was awarded an $18,420,649 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only contract for the procurement of MK 20 electro-optical sensor systems (EOSS), radar cross-section kits, installation and checkout and on board repair parts kits, engineering support services, and depot spares for the United States Navy.

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L3 Harris Mk20 mod1 Electro Optic Sensor System. (Picture source Navy Recognition)

The MK 20 EOSS (Electro-Optical Sensor Systems) Mod 1 is employed by the U.S. Navy DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-Class guided missile destroyers, CG 47 Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, and the Coast Guard offshore patrol cutters.

L3 Harris current generation MK20 Mod 1 is a single, affordable, multi-purpose EO/IR solution that is designed from the ground up to provide superior operation and surveillance in a light-weight and lower cost package - supporting both Grade A and Grade B shock requirements.

The scalable modular open systems architecture of the MK20 Mod 1 offers a standard interface with bandwidth reserve between director and modules and facilitates mission configurable sensors.

The MK20 Mod 1 has three primary functions - EOSS/GWS integration, automatic target detection and tracking, and day/night video surveillance. These functions effectively support multiple mission requirements for full-spectrum surface detection, identification, surveillance, and target assessment. The MK20 Mod 1 supports operations including anti-surface and anti-air warfare, spotting and damage assessment, target detection and identification, naval gun fire support, safety check-sight, location/track of man overboard, and channel position and navigation.

L3Harris' MK20 Mod 1, and similar international configurations are platform and weapon system agnostic, designed for integration with customer-selected or L3Harris-built fire control, consoles, and ship systems  significantly reducing ship change costs, meeting individual platform shock requirements, and improving overall performance. These Electro Optical Sighting Systems leverage L3Harris expertise to offer a new generation system.
According to a contract published by the United States Department of Defense on October 8, 2021, General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $482,115,887 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for lead yard support and development studies and design efforts related to Virginia-class SSN-774 nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines.

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The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for a scheduled deployment in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility, Sept. 1, 2021. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

The Virginia-class, also known as the SSN-774, is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines, in service in the United States Navy. Designed by General Dynamics's Electric Boat (EB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the Virginia-class is the United States Navy's latest submarine model, which incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems technology.

Currently, the U.S. Navy has a total of 19 Block I to IV Virginia-class submarines and it is planned to acquire 9 Block IV and 10 Block V. Blocks I-III Virginia-class submarines are planned to undergo four depot maintenance availabilities and conduct 14 deployments. Block IV design changes are intended to reduce planned availabilities by one to three, and increase deployments to 15.

Virginia-class submarines displace 7,800 tons, with a hull length of 377 feet and a diameter of 34 feet. With VPM, the submarines will displace 10,200 tons and have a length of 460 feet.

The submarines are capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots and can dive to a depth greater than 800 feet while carrying Mark 48 advanced capability torpedoes, Tomahawk land-attack missiles (TLAMs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV).
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SpaceCast Weekly is a NASA Television broadcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston featuring stories about NASA's work in human spaceflight.

They include the International Space Station and its crews and scientific research activities, and the development of Orion and the Space Launch System, the next generation American spacecraft being built to take humans farther into space than they've ever gone before.

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Star trotter Atlanta made harness racing history in the first stakes event on Sunday (Oct. 10) at The Red Mile, vaulting off cover to win the $81,000 Allerage Farms Filly & Mare Trot.

Driver Yannick Gingras positioned Atlanta in fourth as Felicityshagwell S (Ake Svanstedt) carved out fractions of :27.3, :54.3 and 1:22.1 on the front. Supplemental entry Altar broke stride at the half, prompting When Dovescry (David Miller) out from third with Gingras following that cover for a second-over tow into the stretch.

As the field turned for home, Atlanta was shown clear racetrack and she responded with long and powerful strides. She pulled away from her rivals and hit the wire nearly four lengths the best in 1:49. The mile time matches the overall female trotting mark  co-held by Manchego  and shaved two-fifths of a second off the older trotting mare mark formerly held by Hannelore Hanover. When Dovescry finished second and Hypnotic AM (Brian Sears) was third.

Im just glad I was able to see it here today, said co-owner Michelle Crawford. Were very happy with how shes been managed  weve laid off a little bit when shes been under the weather [or] she hasnt raced up to par for her. The ride over the years has just been amazing. She couldnt give us anymore.

Atlanta (Chapter Seven - Hemi Blue Chip) is trained by Ron Burke for owners Brad Grant of Milton, Ont., Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, New York and Howard Taylor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In her 60th career start, the six-year-old world champion notched her 30th win and lifted her career bankroll to $3,189,538.

She has a growing list of engagements still to come in her career, including another potential spar against male competition in the Breeders Crown Open Trot on October 30 at The Meadowlands.

Yannick just asked if we were going to Sweden, so I said, Hey, Im in, said Crawford, referring to a potential start for Atlanta in the 2022 Elitlopp. Hes booking his ticket, so I guess its something that well talk about with the partners and see how they feel about it. And obviously Ronnie [Burke] too, hes the main decision maker.

Allywag Hanover later navigated traffic in the stretch to come out on top in a 1:46.4 world record equalling performance in the $158,000 Allerage Farms Open Pace.

Allywag Hanover is now the fastest four-year-old in the history of The Red Mile and matched the all-age world record for pacing geldings that is held by Holborn Hanover and Dr J Hanover.

Firing off the gate from the outside post, 8-5 favourite Allywag Hanover and driver Todd McCarthy made the lead early before Nicholas Beach (Joe Bongiorno) moved back out for the retake during a :25.4 quarter.

After Nicholas Beach cleared, Ocean Rock (Dan Noble) tipped out from third and took control at the :51.3 half-mile mark then Ruthless Hanover (Andy McCarthy) advanced uncovered with This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) on his back and Catch The Fire (Scott Zeron) spotted third-over.

Fronting the field through three-quarters in 1:19.1, Ocean Rock held a short lead turning for home, but Allywag Hanover found a clear path, taking the inside route to win going away in record time. This Is The Plan and Catch The Fire came on for second and third.

Trained by Brett Pelling, Allywag Hanover extended his win streak to five and is now nine-for-16 this year.

Hes been a wonderful horse for us, said Adam Bowden, head of Diamond Creek Farms and co-owner of Allywag Hanover through the Allywag Stable. Bretts done a masterful job. I couldnt be more thankful. Todd was brilliant leaving hard, got to the lead and got to follow the good ones. The rest of this year and all of next year and into the future... this is going to be fun for us.

The Captaintreacherous-Anderosa Hanover gelding's 17th career win boosted his bankroll over the $1 million mark.

Allywag Hanover returned $5.60 to his backers.

While the Atlanta team ruminates a try with their mare overseas, a star from overseas in Ecurie D DK debuted a powerful winner in taking the $136,000 E L Titan Allerage Farms Open Trot in 1:50.4.

The five-year-old Infinitif stallion stormed to the top in his North American foray to post a :28.1 first quarter and a :56 half as his stablemate Back Of The Neck, parked from the start, progressed to press for the lead around the final turn. Ecurie D DK held control to three-quarters in 1:23.4 as Back Of The Neck faltered off the turn, leaving Ecurie D DK to his own in the sprint to the finish. He strode the line 2-1/4 lengths clear of Forbidden Trade rallying from the back to take second, with Its Academic finishing third and Beads shooting through a seam at the inside for fourth.

He has been racing very good in Sweden and all of Europe since he was three, and the owner wanted to try something new, said Sarah Svanstedt, wife and assistant trainer to Ake Svanstedt. They know hes good on big mile tracks like this, so that was the main goal to put him here. And now we see what the next mission for him will be.

Ake Svanstedt sat in the sulky behind Ecurie D DK, who he co-owns with Marko Kreivi Stables and Suleyman Yuksel Stables. Ecurie D DK has won 16 of his 22 starts and earned $457,368. He returned a win mutuel of $3.40.

Rocknificent recorded a track record victory in the $73,500 Allerage Farms Filly & Mare Pace when stopping the clock in 1:48.

JK First Lady lunged for the lead from the outermost post in the sextet as Rocknificent pushed from the pylon post to sit second, but promptly vacated the pegs heading to a :27.4 first quarter with Peaky Sneaky following suit. Rocknificent landed a pocket trip to the backstretch with Peaky Sneaky sweeping to the lead and keeping the pace quick to a :53.1 half. Driver Scott Zeron steadily tipped the four-year-old Captaintreacherous mare out of second moving to three-quarters in 1:20.1 and put away her competition with ease through the stretch. She finished 1-3/4 lengths better than Gias Surreal in second, with Peaky Sneaky holding third and Drama Act rallying for fourth.

Owned by Enviro Stables Ltd., South Mountain Stables and Little E LLC, Rocknificent won her third race from 16 starts this season and her 13th from 44 overall, pushing her earnings to $986,854. Linda Toscano trains the $2.60 winner.

For complete coverage of the Kentucky Futurity day card of harness racing from The Red Mile, click here.

(With files from The Red Mile)
Registration to attend the upcoming Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale has closed and organizers have issued a notice with protocols for the 2021 sale, which will take place on Friday, Oct. 8 in Crapaud, P.E.I.

Details from the P.E.I. Harness Racing Industry Association (PEIHRIA) are available below.

The Atlantic Classic Sale would like to thank all members of the harness racing community for their interest in the 2021 sale. Registration for the Atlantic Classic Sale closed on October 1. We are grateful for our partnership with the Provincial government, which has enabled us to host a horse sale during these uncertain times. Sporting events and indoor events on Prince Edward Island are currently limited in size to ensure the health and safety of all participants. In order to ensure a successful sale for all our consignors and comply with gathering limits, we are asking that only those interested in bidding on the horses offered attend the sale this year. If you are attending only to watch the sale, we ask that you view the sale online at www.liveauctions.tv in order to allow space at the sale for those that are interested in buying. If your registration for the sale has been approved, you will be contacted by email or by phone no later than Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m.

In order to comply with the current Public Health guidelines, proof of double vaccination on or before September 24, 2021 will be required to attend this years sale. At check in on sale day, you will be asked to present a piece of government ID and proof of vaccination, which can be a hard copy of your vaccination record from your respective government portal or a digital vaccination pass from your respective provincial government.

Check in for bidders on sale day will commence at 8:30 a.m. There will be two dedicated access lines. Please allow extra time in your travel plans for mandatory testing at the ferry and the bridge as well as check in at the event. At check in, you will receive a coloured bracelet, which will denote your pod for the day.

Masks must be worn at all times in the barn area when viewing horses and the rink. You may only remove your mask when you are seated at your table in the rink. Beverage lineups will be by pod colour and signage will be available to assist you. Social distancing will be required when lining up for food or beverages.

If there has been a change in your travel plans and you are unable to attend the event or you will be watching online, we ask that you send an email to [email protected] that lists the members of your party that will not be in attendance. We look forward to welcoming back all our guests when pandemic restrictions have eased. Let's work together to make this a successful sale for all of our Maritime breeders.

(With files from P.E.I. Harness Racing Industry Association)
Kuwait-headquartered supermarket chain The Sultan Center (TSC) has entered into an agreement with the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) and Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) to restructure KD76.6 million ($254 million) of Sultans debt, achieving a restructure of 92% of the companys total liabilities.



As a result of its restructuring agreement, repaid over ten years, The Sultan Center will significantly rebalance its capital structure, strengthen its balance sheet, and position it to continue growing its core business.



The Sultan Center Chief Financial Officer Haitham Shalaby said: The agreement places The Sultan Center on a path to improve its capital structure and execute its long-term business strategy. We thank our financial partners for their support. Todays agreement is a validation both for our business model and our robust capital position.



This restructuring, coupled with an increase in profitability and a decrease in our current liabilities, provides a sound foundation for growth in the months and years ahead. We now have the operational efficiency and flexibility to fully pursue our ambitions of delivering the most sought-after grocery retail market experience in the region."



The three-phased Kuwait Retail First turn-around plan was tasked with refocusing the company on its core retail business, boosting its balance sheet, and improving cash flow. At the centre of the plan is a commitment to having a consistently strong core retail business. After delivering this turn-around plan, The Sultan Center is set on a new store expansion drive regionally, involving multiple projects that are currently underway that convey flagship concepts providing a unique experience that is tailored to the discerning customer.



Sultans turn-around plan



Launched in 2017, Sultans turn-around plan aimed to refocus the company on its core retail business by exiting non-core assets and non-performing activities on the one-hand, and on the other hand focusing on enhancing its core retail business.



The plan had three main objectives: 1. Exiting non-core activities (successfully completed in 2019), 2. Bolstering the balance sheet and restructuring debt (successfully completed with todays announcement), and 3. Grow retail business (currently in progress and on schedule). Other goals include establishing a world-class and robust corporate governance structure, introducing a leaner business model, stronger supplier relationships, and an omni-channel approach to its business. All of which are striding ahead of scheduled targets.  TradeArabia News Service
UAE developer Aldar Properties has announced that Magnolias, the third phase of its flagship Yas Acres development on Yas Island, has been fully sold out.

This follows the strong demand seen in the first three phases of Yas Acres and the rapid sell-out of the three phases of Aldars adjacent Noya development, said the statement from the Emirati developer.

The sale of the 312 spacious townhouses, duplexes and villas at Magnolias generated more than AED1 billion ($272 million) in sales and demonstrates the continued strong demand in the Abu Dhabi market for well-designed and well-located homes, it stated.

Aldar said it was currently finalising the next phase of Yas Acres with 120 new properties at Dhalias set to be released into the market by year end.

Commenting on the strong sales performance, Chief Commercial Officer Rashed Al Omaira said: "Yas Acres represents one of the most sought-after communities in Abu Dhabi, and the significant demand we have seen for Magnolias cements this reputation."

"The spacious, lifestyle-focused homes represent a compelling opportunity for both investors and owner occupiers looking to make Abu Dhabi their long-term home," he stated.

Construction of Magnolias is due to begin in Q1 2022, with handovers expected to commence in Q3 2024, he added.
UK's Glyndwr University, of which UAEs Capital University College is a partner, has achieved an incredible rise of 41 places in the Guardians Education Guide league table, UK.

According to The Guardian Education Guide 2022, Glyndwr University is ranked 66th in the UK among the top 100 Universities in the UK, jumping more than 40 spots from last year. Having gone from 107th overall in the UK last year, to 66th this year, Glyndwr displayed a phenomenal performance.

The Guardian ranking carefully combines scores for the nine aspects of University life that matter most to students, such as Programme Satisfaction, Teaching Quality, the amount a University spends per student and the percentage of students acquiring a job after 6 months of graduation.

Moreover, Glyndwr University also proudly holds the following titles:

No.1 in Wales & No.2 in the UK for Teaching Quality, The Times and The Sunday Times University Guide, 2022.

No.1 in England and Wales for Social Inclusion, Sunday Times Good University Guide.

No.1 in Wales for Teaching on my Course, Learning Opportunities and Assessment and Feedback, National Student Survey (NSS) 2021.

No.2 in Wales for Student Experience, Sunday Times Good University Guide.

No.5 in the UK for Student Voice, National Student Survey (NSS) 2021.

No.6 in the UK for Teaching on my Course, National Student Survey (NSS) 2021.

Joint 15th in the whole of the UK for Student Satisfaction, Complete University Guide 2022.

Capital University College is elated that its exclusive partner Glyndwr, is also ranked highest in the UK for Adult Nursing for overall student satisfaction in this years National Student Survey (NSS). The survey has revealed that 87% of students at Wrexham Glyndwr University are satisfied with the teaching on their programme.

Partnering with Glyndwr, Capital University College aims to help the UAE diversify its economy and prepare a new generation of young people ready to compete in the global marketplace.

Capital University College, in exclusive partnership with North Wales Business School, Glyndwr University, UK, offers various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that provide degrees from North Wales Business School, Glyndwr University, UK, approved by the QAA, UK, based on the programme chosen.

The programmes offered are BA (Hons) Business, BSc (Hons) Computing and Master of Business Administration (MBA). In addition to these, the University has recently introduced specialised MBAs in Finance, Marketing and Human Resource Management.

Commenting on this milestone, Dr Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja, Co-Founder & Director, Capital University College says: "We are extremely proud of our partner's incredible achievement! In comparing our performance to other local Universities, we certainly outperformed many! Its gratifying to see improvement in the outcomes that matter most to our students and families, which is creating an environment that retains students and keeps them on a path to graduating.

Dr Sanjay Batheja, Co-Founder & Director, Capital University College says: "We applaud our partner Glyndwr for this splendid achievement since last year. Capital looks forward to strengthening our association with it and broadening the spectrum of programmes we offer here in the UAE.-- TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the global platform for accelerating sustainable development, hosted by Masdar, has announced a new collaboration, which will bring elements of the Week to Expo 2020 Dubai.



The ADSW Opening Ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize awards ceremony will take place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre on January 17, 2022, reported state-run news agency WAM.



The announcement was made during Expo 2020s Climate and Biodiversity Week (the first of 10 Theme Weeks that anchor the Programme for People and Planet) which aims to mobilise efforts to take decisive action for the health of world. Bringing ADSWs vital platforms to Expo 2020 will further demonstrate the UAEs leading role in driving action on climate change, at home, in the region, and throughout the world.



ADSW is one of the largest of gatherings of its kind, which welcomes each year more than 45,000 participants from more than 170 countries. The week will return between 15  19 January 2022 and feature a series of high-level in person and virtual events.



Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Chairman of Masdar, said: "Hosting the opening of ADSW together with the ZSP award ceremony at Expo 2020 Dubai will serve to reinforce the UAEs commitment to climate action and sustainability, as key drivers of the UAEs progressive model for economic growth.



The combination of ADSWs experience as a convenor with Expo 2020 Dubais global reach will help expand partnerships, drive innovation and open up new economic opportunities. As the UAE marks 50 years of progress, with the Principles of the Fifty, sustainability will remain a cornerstone of plans for future growth, creating new knowledge, new skills, new industries and new jobs."



The ADSW opening ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize awards ceremony, will bring together more than 600 VIPs from around the world, including heads of state, government ministers, industry leaders and country ambassadors. During the opening ceremony, Dr Sultan Al Jaber will deliver a keynote speech.



Reem Al Hashemy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said, "As one of our three subthemes, Sustainability is integrated across the entirety of Expo 2020 Dubai. We aim to be one of the most sustainable World Expos in history, supporting the UAEs continued efforts to build cleaner, safer, and healthier communities for its people.



As a long-standing platform for sustainability, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week has a legacy of bringing together the global community, facilitating dialogue and accelerating sustainable development. These qualities align with the aims of the Programme for People and Planet at Expo and our goal of catalysing a one-of-a-kind movement to shape the legacy that Expo 2020 leaves the world.



"For the six months of Expo 2020, the worlds gaze will be on the UAE. Holding the opening of ADSW and the Zayed Sustainability Prize awards ceremony at Expo 2020, exemplifies how we can all work together to mitigate climate change, Al Hashemy added.



Since 2008, Abu Dhabi has provided a sustainable platform for the global community that has grown through its initiatives and events to emerge as a thought leader and catalyst that accelerates sustainable development around the world.



The week will bring together policy makers, industry specialists, technology pioneers and the next generation of sustainability leaders to engage in dialogue and take action to advance the global sustainability agenda.



The 2022 programme will include the ADSW opening ceremony, Zayed Sustainability Prize awards ceremony, ADSW Summit, IRENA Assembly, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum, Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) Forum, Youth 4 Sustainability Hub, and the World Future Energy Summit  Exhibitions and Forums.



Launched at the 2008 World Future Energy Summit by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Zayed Sustainability Prize is a tribute to his father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his sustainability legacy.



Over 352 million people have been directly or indirectly impacted by the sustainability solutions and school projects of the 86 recipients of the Zayed Sustainability Prize winners since the first awards ceremony in 2009.



The Prizes $3 million annual fund rewards winners $600,000 in each category; the Global High Schools category is split into six world region winners, with each school able to claim up to US$100,000 to start or further expand their project. The six world regions of the Global High Schools category are The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Europe & Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.



All ADSW events other than its Opening Ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize awards ceremony will take place in Abu Dhabi or will be hosted virtually.
Saudi-based Taiba Investments Company has signed up Al Saad General Contracting Company as the main contractor for its upcoming Riyadh Hotel project being set up in the Saudi capital at an investment of SR378 million ($101 million).

One of the largest real estate investment and development companies in Saudi Arabia, Taiba said the project will be implemented on a 11,073-sq-m plot owned by its subsidiary Al Aqeeq Real Estate in the Al Olaya district of Riyadh, at intersection of Makkah Al Mukarramah and Al Takhassusi roads.

The 17-storey hotel will boast 302 suites, apartments, and hotel rooms, as well as a commercial centre, recreational outlets in addition to a health club and spacious car parking, stated the company in its filing to the Saudi bourse Tadawul.

Taiba had recently signed an agreement with Accor for the operation of its upcoming Novotel Hotel at Madinah.

The Novotel Hotel is being built on aa total area of 1,822 sq m and is located in the western side of the Saudi city. It is likely to be ready for operations in 2025.-TradeArabia News Service
Help India!



Working as a lawyer is not easy in a region like Kashmir, where multiple levels of threat not only impede justice but restrict the work of a lawyer. In this TCN Ground Report from Kashmir, we trace the journey of a young lawyer from Kashmir, who went from being a public prosecutor to fighting UAPA cases, and recount the challenges the lawyers face in the region.

Musheera Ashraf | TwoCircles.net

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KASHMIR  He was shot dead and all he held in his hand was a juice bottle and a small piece of bread. He was taken by the army informers who told him that they were on their way to join a Tableegh, the file read. It was around 1:00 a.m. Everyone is asleep in the house. As was his daily routine, 32-year-old Shafeeq Bhat, a lawyer and a public prosecutor from Kashmir, was busy studying the case for which he was representing the state. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he went through the file. The case was about the murder of a civilian labourer in an encounter. When I read case files like these, it feels as if the situation is transpiring in front of my eyes and I feel guilty that I couldnt help the person, Shafeeq recalled to TwoCircles.net.

He (referring to the civilian labourer) was killed for no fault of his. He had no reason to get killed, Shafeeq said as he discusses the emotional trauma that a lawyer in Kashmir goes through while dealing with sensitive cases like these. As a public prosecutor, you have to fulfil the duty even if it goes against your conscience, he said.

As a prosecutor, you have to prosecute every case whether the accused have been framed illegally or has committed a crime, he said. But as a defence lawyer, you have the right to choose. If you feel that the accused is guilty of the offence, then you have a right not to represent him.

Criminal defence lawyers represent defendants facing criminal charges in state, federal and appellate courts. Their scope of practice includes bail bonds, hearings, plea bargains, trial, revocation, hearing appeals and post-conviction remedies. If a person is working in a conflict area, he has to think twice, Shafeeq remarks.

Since the break out of the armed conflict in 1989, as per human rights groups, more than 70,000 people have been killed in the region and more than 8000 people have been subjected to enforced disappearance with hundreds of cases of torture, rapes, extra-judicial killings etc. The recent change in the status of Jammu Kashmir from a state to Centrally ruled Union Territory after the unilateral abrogation of Article 370 has caused political tensions in the region.

After completing his studies in Pune in 2011, Shafeeq started practising as a lawyer for around one and a half years before he became a public prosecutor to represent the state. He has represented the state in many cases. He has dealt with many high profile murder cases and narcotics cases. I was against the tide. I was against the accused in all these cases, he said.

However, something had to change. After working for 40 months as a public prosecutor, Shafeeq resigned from the post in October 2018.

At present, Shafeeq practices as a defence lawyer dealing with cases of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA), two laws that have been widely criticized for their arbitrariness.

Shafeeq has been a witness to several cases which were later proved as fake cases. Some of the people arrested under these laws were juveniles and I fought their cases, he said.

From witnessing the tears of the affected families to providing them strength and hope for justice, Advocate Shafeeq passionately continues his work.

Need for addressing mental health of lawyers in Kashmir

Lawyers from Kashmir state that there is an urgent need to address the mental issues of the legal community. Although Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the right to life expands to include the right to health but the mental health of the lawyers working on sensitive cases is largely ignored and not talked about.

The mental health of lawyers has never been discussed because when you choose to be a defence lawyer its considered a choice, not an option, Advocate Shafeeq said. If you dont want to get stressed then you cant choose to be a criminal lawyer, he adds.

Though the Bar Association claims to work for the welfare of the lawyers, Shafeeq is not satisfied. The issue of mental health of lawyers has never been addressed in the Bar Association meetings and at higher levels, Shafeeq said.

He said that a lawyer working in Kashmir doesnt have a time-bound job and if he will not give extra time to the case, he cannot represent the case efficiently before the court. If you have to represent you have to rigorously, honestly, essentially prepare a brief, which keeps you involved in the case mentally, he said.

As compared to other professions, lawyers in Kashmir are confronted with traumatic stories of human-induced violence, the situations they see are intense and concentrated.

Advocate Parvez Imroz, Founder and President of Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) while addressing the situation of lawyers in Kashmir in a public meeting in 2017 remarked that when other institutions of the state become dysfunctional judiciary is a facade.

Seeing the accused behind the bars or in custody is stressful for the lawyers. Even as a prosecutor he has to take care of many things including his safety and security, Shafeeq said.

Whatever stress you go through, you share it with the lawyer, a family member of a UAPA accused told this reporter. From custody to bail, to police approaching you, everything has to be discussed with the lawyer.

Not just the freedom of their kin, but the happiness and safety of the family sometimes depends on an individual who is leading their case.

A lawyer is the one on which the family lays their hope. Especially in fabricated cases, the family doesnt know how to deal with such circumstances. Apart from legal help, the lawyer counsels the family which helps the family to deal with the situation, a family member said. Lawyers, who are at the forefront understand the sensitively of the case and their words give us a sense of security and hope, the family member added.

Walking on a two-edged sword

Advocate Shafeeq maintains that working as a lawyer in Kashmir is akin to walking on a two-edged sword. Life of a lawyer in the conflict area is like walking on a two-edged sword. We are doing our professional duty. The family of the opposite side sees the lawyer as an enemy. They wont think that this is a professional duty of the lawyer and he/she is bound by the oath. This becomes very stressful for a lawyer, he adds.

On the other side, when a lawyer represents the accused who has been framed under UAPA he is seen as an anti-national. If you represent the army or state who are accused you will be looked upon as a traitor, mukhbir (informer) by the local populace, he said.

There have also been instances where the lawyer has been called as a separatist lawyer or an anti-national, Shafeeq said.

Shafeeq gets paid for each case. For him, the satisfaction of fighting and acquiring justice for a person brings more happiness. The stress varies from case to case.

Having coffee, listening to music and hanging out with friends helps sometimes. That is the only remedy, he said.

Stringent laws?

When asked why the UAPA and PSA are perceived as draconian laws by the general public, Advocate Shafeeq said, According to the constitution, even the accused in a murder case is believed to be innocent until proven guilty but here a person is treated as if he has been proved guilty, without any trial and any opportunity of being heard, which is against the basic the mandate of our constitution.

Talking about the ordeal of the families whose kin have been arrested under these laws, Shafeeq said it takes months for the accused and sometimes years to take the case to the high court. Till then, they are booked under charges which are not proved against them, he said.

The police have the power to investigate the UAPA cases and this leads to the delay in starting the bail process. The police are given 180 days to investigate and the charge sheet is produced after 180 days. This causes the delay.

In UAPA cases, sometimes the cases are based on manufactured shreds of evidence where they are based on some information from sources, Shafeeq said.

As a prosecutor, Advocate Shafeeq said that he has seen such cases where he straight away told the agencies that a particular person is not involved in the case as per the evidence and facts of the case.

The lawyer is seen as an anti-national element. The same is the case when a defence lawyer represents the accused involved in UAPA cases, he said.

Talking about the case from North Kashmir where a 12th standard student was shot dead during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO), Shafeeq said, That case was very disturbing. The case was not investigated properly. It was a failure of the state machinery, he said, and added, The student was not guilty of any crime. He thought there was a thief in the village, and along with other people from the village he came out to see whats happening but he lost his life.

Every day a lawyer has to be mentally involved for this. We are not able to give time to our families. Lawyers have a less social life, he said.

Post Article-370 situation for lawyers

After the abrogation of Article 370, there has been an increase in the number of people being booked under UAPA and PSA. The Civil code is not maintained. The state machinery is using its powers. They want to show that whoever has resentment is anti-national, he said.

There are instances where the judicial system fails and justice is delayed.

The lack of awareness and lack of approachable agencies for the accused and victims is the reason why people suffer, he said.

If someone files a case, he has to go through trauma at the police station or at court, which discourages the genuine complainant, he added.

The loopholes in the judiciary need to be addressed at a higher level, he maintains.

When asked if providing security to the lawyers in Kashmir will help, Shafeeq is not enthusiastic about it. In particular cases, security can be provided to the prosecutor but in general, it is not the practice, he said.

Talking about a case where a public prosecutor was shot dead by an accused militant, Shafeeq said, Dealing with a sensitive case puts the life of a lawyer at stake. Although he was not a public prosecutor when he was shot dead, the threat and insecurity still exist even if the case is over, he added.
Assyrians and Kurds in Northeastern Syria: More Coexistence Than Togetherness

Billboard and license plate depicting three languages. The 24th annual conference of the Initiative Christian Orient (ICO) was held on September 20-21,2021 in Salzburg under the title Dis-ORIENTation -- Life worlds between Orient and Diaspora. The first day focused on the massive migration of Christians from the countries of Middle East. In addition to expert presentations, representatives of the oriental diaspora churches were provided the opportunity to talk on their personal story of migration, life in the diaspora, and on the relations to their original countries of origin. I has the privilege to be on that panel.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to the question whether there is a persecution of Christians in the Middle East or not? Dr. Thomas Schmidinger, a political scientist and cultural anthropologist was one of the key speakers to talk on the issue with focus on Syria.

Dr. Schmidinger reported that the Syrian regime utilizes the fear of most Christians from Islamist and/or Jihadists to gain them as loyal citizens, and that Church hierarchy (especially Syriac Orthodox, Greek Orthodox Armenian Apostolic Church) is being very loyal to regime. As generally "Christians tend to be urban middle and upper class, they afford to flee and have been able to get asylum in Europe more easily," he continued. He confirmed that there is an increased Christian migration but affirmed that there is "no religious persecution of Christians" in Syria.

Following the conference I had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Schmidinger about the situation of the Assyrians, also known as Syriac-Aramaic speaking Christians belonging to different denominations (Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, Church of the East, and Chaldean Catholic Churches). The interview was conducted in German language and translated; few addition in [] are for clarification and reference.

Dr. Thomas Schmidinger is political scientist, and social and cultural anthropologist. He lectures at the Department of Political Science at the University of Vienna and at the University of Applied Sciences at Upper Austria. Among others, he is also co-founder and Secretary General of the Austrian Society for the Promotion of Kurdology / European Center for Kurdish Studies, editorial board member of the Vienna Yearbook of Kurdish Studies, and on the editorial review board of the international peer-reviewed journal Kurdish Studies.

Dr. Thomas Schmidinger speaking at the ICO annual Conference on September 21, 2021 held in Salzburg, Austria.

Abdulmesih BarAbraham (AB): First of all, thank you for your willingness to accept this interview. You have just returned from Qamishly, northeastern Syria. What is your assessment of the security situation and the situation of Christians in the northeast of the country right now?

Dr. Thomas Schmidinger (TS): Things are quiet in Qamishly, but this is not true for all parts of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria. In the province of Deir az-Zour, the activities of the Islamic State have increased significantly again in recent months. Minor clashes continue to occur along the cease-fire line with Turkish-occupied territory, which also affects the Christian-majority of Tal Tamr, as it lies directly on this cease-fire line. But the relative security in Qamishly and Derik, where there are relatively large numbers of Aramaic-speaking and Armenian-speaking Christians, is also precarious in that people fear a renewed Turkish invasion. It is very questionable whether U.S. troops will be able to remain in the region after the planned withdrawal from Iraq, and such a withdrawal would then be associated with corresponding fears of a renewed Turkish invasion.

AB: According to your observations, what visible impact has the Corona pandemic and the international embargo had on the living conditions of the people in the region?

TS: The economic situation is actually worse than ever. Food prices have risen sharply, and in some cases there are shortages of certain foods. On top of that, there is also a massive shortage of water, which on the one hand is due to the climate catastrophe, but on the other hand is also due to Turkey, which is making water scarce with the large dams on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers; in October 2019 Turkey got its hands on the water supply for al-Hasakah and the surrounding area with the Allouk water station. For al-Hasakah and the Assyrian villages on the Khabur river, this is currently one of the most pressing problems. The Khabur river is currently completely dried-out. As a result, everyday conflicts over water are also on the rise.

AB: During your presentation at the ICO annual conference in Salzburg on September 21, you spoke about the general situation of Christians in Syria and emphasized that there is no persecution of Christians in either regime-controlled or Kurdish-controlled areas. I would agree with that, however, specifically in the northeast, there is ethnically-motivated expulsion pressure against Christians as an indigenous ethnic group. Ultimately, the Kurds are trying to secure this region for themselves at the expense of the Assyrians. How else do you explain the disproportionate rate of emigration of Christians from the country?

TS: I strongly disagree with you. I do not see any ethnically motivated expulsion pressure against the Christians as an indigenous ethnic group, and certainly not against the Assyrians you mention here. First of all, the actual Assyrians in this [Khabur] area are not an indigenous people group, but fled Iraq after the 1933 Semele massacre and then settled along the Khabur river between al-Hasakah and Tal Tamr. Indigenous were these in the Turkish-Iranian border region between Hakkari and Urmia, but there they became victims of genocide in 1915. Their villages on the Khabur river were captured by the Islamic State in February 2015.[1] More than 200 Christians were kidnapped at that time and could only be freed again at the end of 2016 with high ransom payments. The others fled and did not return even after the liberation of the region [from IS] in May 2015.

I also visited these villages this time and many of the villages, such as Tel Hurmuz, remain completely empty and uninhabited to this day. Many of these Assyrians have unfortunately fled abroad and now live in Germany, Sweden or the United States. If the Kurds wanted to take over this area, they would not even have to expel anyone. Nevertheless, they do not do this, but have housed their displaced people from Sere Kaniye / Ras al-Ain in tent camps, because they still hope that the rightful owners will eventually return.

The second [Assyrian-]Aramaic-speaking group, the Suryoye [2] could indeed be called indigenous, since they have lived in their present settlement area on both sides of the present Turkish-Syrian border long before the Islamic conquest of the region. There is no pressure for expulsion against them either. One of their most important parties, the Syriac Unity Party (SUP), is part of the self-administration. Their language is the third official language in the Jezira Canton of the Autonomous Administration, along with Kurdish and Arabic. All public inscriptions are trilingual, and the Autonomous Administration is proud of the regions ethnic and linguistic diversity. Those who are less well integrated are the Armenian Christians, whose language has a much worse status, probably due to the fact that these are two smaller communities in Qamishly and Derik, which date back to survivors of the 1915 genocide and are thus of lesser importance in purely quantitative terms. But even they are not displaced.

AB: In your detailed presentation at the mentioned conference, you described Christians  you explicitly pointed to the leadership of the Syriac Orthodox Church  as generally too loyal to the Syrian regime in the context of the crisis, without addressing what their alternative would have been or is. This view ignores the fact that at the beginning of the crisis Christians, and Assyrians in particular, demonstrated for reforms throughout the country. Is the accusation of loyalty therefore not a superficial one? Moreover, is the position of Christian Churches not understandable in light of the experience of Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood came to power for a short time and quickly wanted to transform Egypt into an Islamic state?

TS: During my presentation, I clearly stated that the support of the church hierarchy for the Syrian regime is not due to any enthusiasm for Assad or Baathism, but due to fear of the alternatives, especially from Islamist forces. This is not an accusation, but a statement of a fact that can hardly be disputed if one looks at the behavior of the leadership of the Syriac Orthodox Church over the past decade.

No one disputes that there are also Christians in the self-government of northern and eastern Syria and in the ranks Etilaf [3]. But these are mostly political activists and groups rather than the clergy. I do not want to judge the behavior of the church leadership morally, as this is an internal matter of the faithful. However, your comparison with Egypt makes the dilemma clear, because the support of many Coptic Christians for al-Sisis military coup has in turn made them more vulnerable to the Muslim Brotherhood.

AB: You also referred to the Sutooro in Qamishly as a regime militia in your lecture in the same context, although it has never been involved in fighting and only guards the central city core, which is inhabited by Christians. True, this guard force has not allowed itself to be integrated into the PYD-affiliated militia. Doesnt this give the impression that the position-based assignments happen across the board and out of sympathy for the Kurdish cause?

TS: I pointed out in my presentation that the Sutoro has split and that the group in Derik operates within the framework of the Autonomous Administration, while the group in Qamishly operates within the framework of the regime. What is wrong with that?

AB: I dont mind at all that you sympathize with the Kurdish cause. I noticed, that you have written several scholarly books and reports on the so-called PYD-led self-administration. It is correct that two Assyrian groups, the SUP (Syriac Union Party) and the ADP (Assyrian Democratic Party), are involved in it. But their supporters form a minority within our ethnic group. To the best of my knowledge, you have hardly mentioned in your reports the oldest Assyrian political party, namely the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO), which was part of the Syrian Opposition from the beginning and co-founder of the Syrian National Council.

TS: I dont know how you arrived at this impression and it seems to me that you haven't read all my texts. In my 2020 anthology titled The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria: Between A Rock and A Hard Place, in which I wrote the only longer scholarly text on the situation of Christians in northeastern Syria, I also discuss all parties, including of course the ADO, its membership in the Syrian National Council [3], and its problems with the Autonomous Administration. Who represents a minority and a majority here is simply impossible to say scientifically. You would then also have to mention those Christians who support the Baath Party ruling in Damascus. The latter still has supporters in northeastern Syria too.

AB: Thanks for the tip on that particular book; Ill certainly read and comment on it. What do you think of the opposition groups involved in the UN-coordinated process to negotiate a new constitution for Syria in Geneva with regime representatives and civilian delegates from the country?

TS: I do not believe that it is my task as a political scientist to formulate my personal sympathies for certain groups. The opposition groups represented in the Etilaf are also too diverse to be lumped together and range from liberal and secular groups to very militant Islamists. What is certainly a problem is the massive Turkish influence on the Etilaf. But these groups obviously have to be part of a peace process, since they also control territory in northwestern Syria under Turkish protection and have a base in parts of Syrias population. The problem with the negotiations in Geneva is rather that important forces that control over a quarter of the country are not involved.

AB: As you certainly know, due to Turkeys resistance, the PYD is not part of the countrys political opposition and therefore is not present at the constitutional meetings in Geneva. Instead, the Kurdish National Council is represented there as an umbrella organization of several Kurdish groups. The National Council is in opposition to the PYD. How do you assess the chances of a rapprochement between the two groups?

TS: Yes, it was precisely the exclusion of the PYD, but also of the other members of the Syrian Democratic Council, from the negotiations in Geneva that I criticized earlier. As you know, there have long been negotiations between the PYD and the Kurdish National Council, mediated by the United States. Unfortunately, there has been little progress here. The parties of the National Council were allowed to reopen their offices in the Autonomous Administration, but there is still no agreement and there are always setbacks. Most recently, the attacks by a PKK-affiliated youth organization on a Kurdish National Council rally last week dealt a massive setback to the reconciliation process. As long as the conflict between Barzani and Qandil does not ease, it will be difficult in Syria because both sides will have to keep checking with their supporters.

Q: How would you assess the future of the Kurdish-led self-administration, which is very dependent on the support of the Americans?

TS: This dependence on the U.S. is certainly a massive problem. Ultimately, the U.S. presence in Syria is certainly limited in time, and for the future of self-government, it will be crucial to find a negotiated solution with the Syrian government until the U.S. withdrawal, which will at least help them preserve some political and cultural rights. There are direct talks, but Damascus has so far rejected any autonomy or federalism.

AB: Again and again, people are arbitrarily arrested by the police of the self-administration (e.g., here and here), and opposition party members are prevented from traveling. Only on September 21, the militia of the self-administration arrested the Assyrians George Yousef Safar and Samer Danho Kouriyeh, members of the Syrian Orthodox Church Council. How do you view the PYDs repeated authoritarian behavior and human rights violations as a non-state militant actor with respect to opposition and specifically against Assyrians in the region?

TS: While the self-government of northern and eastern Syria is less authoritarian than the Regime, the jihadists of Hayat Tahrir ash-Sham, or the pro-Turkish Islamists, that does not mean that there is a functioning rule of law and a thriving democracy here. It is just less bad than in the other parts of Syria, and the abolition of the death penalty is certainly a milestone for the region. But that doesnt mean there arent human rights abuses by the self-government police. Repression, however, is not directed specifically against the Assyrians, but more generally against political opposition that cooperates with Turkey and Barzani or with Damascus. I would even say that the biggest problems there are more for the members of the parties of the Kurdish National Council, ENKS. So this repression is directed more against rival Kurdish parties than specifically against the Assyrians. In any case, it is about politics and not about ethnicity or religion.

AB: How do you see the future of Kurdish-Assyrian relations in the northeast of the country?

TS: On a day-to-day basis, these relations are good, even if there is more of a coexistence than a togetherness. For all religious minorities, however, the question is what the future holds for the region in general. The worst thing would certainly be a Turkish occupation. Then the Christians and Yezidi would probably flee from this region just as they fled from Afrin or Sere Kaniye / Ras al-Ayn.

AB: Dr. Schmidinger, I thank you for your frank answers.

[1] See: Anne Barnard, "More Assyrian Christians Captured As ISIS Attacks Villages in Syria," New York Times, February 26, 2016, http://aina.org/news/20150226171440.htm , and "ISIS Attacks Assyrian Villages in Syria, 4 Killed, Dozens Captured, Churches Burned," Assyrian International News Agancy, http://www.aina.org/news/20150223174904.htm

[2] Suryoye/Suryaya is a self-designation, aka. Syriac

[3] Abdelahad Astepho, a representative of the Assyrian Democratic Organisation, is Vice President the Syrian Opposition groups, see: https://en.etilaf.org/general-body/abdul-ahad-steifo
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Condemning the targeted killings of members of minority communities in Jammu and Kashmir, Supreme Sikh Council UK has urged the Pakistan Government to control terrorist groups operating from Pakistan which target civilians in India.

The Supreme Sikh Council UK, which is the biggest Sikh body in the UK with an affiliation of over 170 Gurudwaras, asked Islamabad to take action against those responsible for killing dozens of civilians every year in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement denouncing the recent killings of Pakistan, India's Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan, the Sikh body expressed concerns over reports of persecution of minority communities in Pakistan and called upon the country's government to protect the rights of minorities.

"We strongly condemn the killing of a pious Sikh doctor in Peshawar in Pakistan last week and further five targeted killings of civilians by terrorists including a female Sikh head teacher, prominent Hindu pharmacist and a Hindu male teacher with an intention to create fear and panic amongst minority community of Jammu and Kashmir," the statement read.

"We call upon the Pakistan government to protect the rights of minorities in Pakistan and to use its influence on the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to uphold the rights of minorities in Afghanistan. Further, we also urge Pakistan Government to control extremist groups operating from Pakistan targeting civilians of J&K and to hold those responsible for killing dozens of civilians each year in J&K," the statement read.

The Kashmir valley has witnessed a sudden spurt in the targeted killing of civilians from minority communities-Hindu and Sikh.

On October 2, terrorists shot dead two civilians -- Majid Ahmad Gojri and Mohammad Shafi Dar -- in separate incidents in Srinagar. Two government teachers including Supinder Kaur from Srinagar and Chand from Jammu were killed on Thursday.

Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit and owner of a pharmacy in Srinagar was shot dead at his shop on Tuesday evening. Just minutes later a street hawker, Virendra Paswan from Bihar, was gunned down in Srinagar. Another civilian, Mohammad Shafi Lone, was killed in Naidkhai in Bandipora on the same day.

The Indian government has condemned the murder of innocent civilians by terrorists and expressed concerns about cross border terrorism.

The Sikh body also expressed concerns with frequent reports of persecution of minority communities in Pakistan including kidnapping, rape, forced conversion and marriages of girls from Sikh and Hindu communities in Pakistan.

Such murders and targeted persecution are designed to create fear and ethnically cleanse areas as was the case leading up and during partition, the body said.

(ANI)

Also Read: Taliban ask US to unfreeze Afghan financial assets
Condemning the recent attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan's Kunduz province, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, and sponsors of terrorism to justice.

"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the atrocious and cowardly terrorist attack in Kunduz, Afghanistan on 8 October 2021," the UNSC said on Saturday.

A bomb exploded at a Shia mosque in Kunduz province during a Friday prayer. The attack was claimed by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), and resulted in more than 150 casualties.

Extending their deepest sympathy, the members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice," the statement read.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

On Saturday, the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) had said that the rights of all Afghan citizens, including the right to life and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, must be respected and most importantly protected.

(ANI)

Also Read: Trump chides Biden's proposed tax changes, says US administration incentivising people to go to China
"He was a leading light in the building of the Illinois Holocaust Museum. He was there from the beginning, before there was even a plan for the large museum that we ended up building," added Pritzker, noting that "it could not have been done without him."
There are two central issues with "The Cheats" at this juncture. One is that it takes far too long for anything to actually happen. I'm all for a slow burn, and there's no question that, once its springs are fully wound, "The Cheats" has some very recognizable scenes of awkwardness and, eventually, a little fire. But you have to stay with these characters a long time to get there, which rather fights with the theme of the work. In the great relationship-cheating arena of real life, burns rarely are slow. People tend to explode  which is, for example, what you can see in Ayad Akhtar's "Disgraced" at the Goodman Theatre.
In late 2018, she was contacted by a recruiter from Facebook. In recent interviews on 60 Minutes and with the Wall Street Journal, Haugen recalled telling the company that she might be interested in a job if it involved helping the platform address democracy and misinformation. She said she told managers about a friend who had been drawn to white nationalism after spending time in online forums, and her desire to prevent that from happening to others.
I think he really enjoys the work that he is doing at the U.S. attorneys office, said Addisu Demissie, a political strategist who met Williams in 2003 when both men worked in Iowa as field organizers on Sen. John Kerrys Democratic presidential campaign. The feeling that you go to work every day and are on the side of good is something that for him is a driving force in his happiness, in his professional career.
China's state reserves authority on Saturday released a total of 150,000 tonnes of copper, aluminum and zinc from the national reserves to alleviate the burden on businesses over rising costs of raw materials.

The National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said it would step up the monitoring of commodity prices and organize follow-up releases of national reserves.

Since the beginning of this year, bulk commodity prices have surged due to factors including the overseas spread of COVID-19 and the imbalance in supply and demand, causing pressure on medium and small firms.

This is the fourth batch of releases to the market. China has previously released a total of 420,000 tonnes of copper, aluminum and zinc to maintain market order.
A mainland spokesperson Saturday refuted Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority's defamation of the mainland's activities marking the 110th anniversary of the 1911 Revolution. The spokesperson said the DPP had a twisted interpretation of the Revolution.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that realizing national reunification and revitalization had been the lofty ideals of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and other pioneers of the Revolution. Ma emphasized that the resolution of the Taiwan question is the common will of all Chinese people.

However, the DPP authority has engaged in constant plotting with foreign forces to seek "Taiwan independence" while disregarding the interests and security of Taiwan compatriots, Ma noted. He added that such vicious deeds are in complete contrast to the mentioned ideals and aspirations.

Ma reiterated that national reunification by peaceful means best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including compatriots in Taiwan.

"The Taiwan question arose out of the weakness and chaos of the Chinese nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality," said Ma.
Seven Chinese authorities have jointly issued a directive to improve vocational education for veterans and help them strengthen their capabilities of starting a career or their own business after leaving the military.

The directive calls for building an education and training system for veterans. It should comprise adaptability training, vocational skills training, formal education with qualifications, and life-long learning mechanisms. Local governments will take their lead and support from this society.

The military should support them to learn vocational skills and acquire certificates in the army. The military should also improve pre-retirement education for them.

Financial support will also be offered for retired military personnel to gain a formal college education with effectiveness and flexibility.

The authorities that issued the directive include the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.








Over 300 scholars and government officials from 14 countries and eight international organizations including the UN attended a forum on advancing global ecological civilization in southwest China's Yunnan Province Saturday.

At the forum themed on jointly advancing an ecological civilization and protecting the beautiful planet, guests said countries in the world are closely linked and it is essential to together face ecological and environmental problems.

Mankind has a shared future in the face of ecological and environmental challenges, said Guo Weimin, president of China Public Relations Association (CPRA), adding it is necessary to carry out international exchanges and communication, explain the concept, progress and achievements of China's ecological civilization advancement, and promote international cooperation.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region also faces serious challenges due to rapid deforestation, extinction of wildlife species, and vulnerability to disasters, said Kung Phoak, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, adding stronger support from key partners, including China, is needed to ensure more sustained efforts to preserve and restore ASEAN's rich natural treasures.

There are four sub-forums at the event, which cover Chinese wisdom of ecological civilization advancement, new opportunities for building corporate image and other topics.

The forum was jointly hosted by China International Publishing Group, the people's government of Yunnan Province, and the CPRA.
 Flash

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced his resignation on Saturday evening, and proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his successor.





In a statement to the media, Kurz said that he wanted to avoid months of chaos and stagnation. "My country is more important to me than my person," he said.





Kurz said that he would return to parliament as the chairman of his conservative party and "use the opportunity to refute the allegations," which he claimed were "false."





Meanwhile, Kurz proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his successor, noting that Schallenberg had the diplomatic skills necessary to rebuild trust between the parties.





Kurz has been facing increasing calls for him to step down, including from his own government allies, as the 35-year-old chancellor and nine others have been under investigation over claims that government money was used in a corrupt deal to ensure positive media coverage.





The opposition has called on Kurz to step down and has planned to take a no-confidence vote against him in parliament next Tuesday.
The lawyer of Brian Houston says the Hillsong senior pastor will plead not guilty to charges of concealing his father's sexual abuse.

Houston was not present at a preliminary court hearing on Tuesday morning but said in August that the charges had come as "a shock" to him and that he was looking forward to clearing his name.

"I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight," he said.

New South Wales police pressed charges against the 67-year-old in August following a two-year investigation into what he knew about his father's abuse and when.

"Police will allege in court [that Houston] knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police," the police said.

Houston has always maintained that he acted properly in regards to the abuse committed by his father Frank Houston, who died in 2004.

A statement released by Hillsong in July said that Houston "sought to honor the victim's multiple requests not to inform the police", and that he had acted in accordance with the law at the time.

"The law at the time granted an exception to reporting a crime of this nature when a person had a reasonable excuse not to report. This state law has since further clarified that this type of situationwhen an adult victim of child abuse explicitly does not want the matter reportedqualified as a reasonable excuse under the law," the statement reads.

The case has gone to court just weeks after Houston stepped down from the board of Hillsong Church.

"I did this so that these boards can function to their fullest capacity during this season. This doesn't change my role as Global Senior Pastor," he said.

The next court hearing in the case will take place on 23 November.



Reposted with permission from Christian Today
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Facial Fat Transfer Market: Information by Target Area (Naso-Labial Folds, Lips, Marionette Folds, Temples, Chin, Under-Eye Area), Treatment (Dermal Fillers, Fat Injection, Others), End-User (Hospitals, Cosmetic Surgery Clinics, Others) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific & Middle East & Africa) - Forecast till 2027

Market Highlights

Facial Fat Transfer Market is estimated to be valued at USD 7789.1 Million by 2025 and is expected to register a CAGR of 11.05% during the forecast period.

Facial fat transfer is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to move fat from an area of the body where it is plentiful and transfer it to the face to restore lost volume. The fat is gently removed using modern liposuction techniques and is then prepared for injecting into the face. Several dermal fillers are available in the market, designed to improve different parts of the face.

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Facial Fat Transfer Market Leaders

Analysis of major players in the facial fat transfer market are based on product launch, agreement & partnership and acquisition & expansion. Players of this competitive landscape include

SciVision Biotech Inc.

Galderma S.A.

Sinclair Pharma

Allergan

Merz Pharma

Valeant

Integra Lifesciences Corporation

Sanofi

Market Drivers and Restraints

Major factors influencing this market are primarily social and cultural in nature. This is because, while the procedure has clinical applications, it is known predominantly for its aesthetic applications. Changing ideals of beauty, influence of contemporary celebrities across the film, music and fashion industries and a stronger adoption of such techniques for anti-aging purposes are key facilitators of growth for this market. Additionally, the use of ones own body fat as opposed to a foreign substance, such as in dermal fillers, makes the procedure safer as there is little to no occurrence of an allergic reaction or rejection of the substance.

Facial fat transfer is one of the few procedures currently available that can be categorized as regenerative medicine. Some practitioners use stem cells to produce a more reliable and visible end result. Another trend that has been observed in this market is the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP), which is used to improve quality of facial soft issue as well as improve final outcomes and recovery time.

It is important to have the procedure performed by an experienced plastic surgeon to achieve a smooth appearance with minimal side effects. Improper administration of the procedure can cause a lumpy appearance, specifically in the perioccular area. A key challenge for this market is the presence of cheaper yet unsafe alternatives that often have undesirable results.

Facial Fat Transfer Market Segmentation

Segmentation of this market has been done on the basis of types, treatment, end users and region. This allows dissection of the market to promote a better understanding of same as a whole.

Based on types, the market has been segmented into microlipoinjection, autologous fat transfer and others. Of these, the autologous fat transfer segment possesses the largest share owing to its wider application that does not limit fat transfer to the face.

Based on treatment type, the market has been segmented into fat injections, dermal fillers and others.

Based on end users, the market has been segmented into pharmaceuticals, medical device company and others

Based on region, the market has been segmented into the Americas, Europe, the Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa.

Facial Fat Transfer Market Regional Analysis

The Americas possesses the largest piece of the market due to the robust demand for facial fat transfer in this region. This is largely due to the adoption of modern cosmetic procedures in the region as well as the widespread use of such procedures for clinical applications as well such as in treating patients who have suffered burns or facial disfigurement.

Europe closely follows the Americas' growth pattern and is projected to be the fastest growing region during the forecast period.

Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a significant rate as the market possesses unrealized scope in this region. With countries such as South Korea becoming popular destinations for cosmetic surgery tourism and the growing acceptance of such procedures in other emerging economies of this region, growth for this market is inevitable and expected to be swift.

The Middle East and Africa region is also expected to contribute to global market growth. However, due to the under developed nature of many African countries growth is limited. The Middle East is expected to be responsible for this regional segments growth due to the strong prevalence and adoption of cosmetic procedures amongst women in the region.

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Invisible Orthodontics Market: By Product Type (Clear Aligners, Braces, Clear Retainers), Age Group (Below 15, 16-35, Above 35), Application (Excessive Spacing, Crowding, Malocclusion, Others), Region (Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa) - Forecast to 2027

Invisible Orthodontics Market Forecast

Invisible Orthodontics Market held a value of USD 2598.8 Million in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of 13.99% during the assessment period of 2019 to 2025.

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Besides, increasing support by regulatory authorities, in terms of investment and product approvals, acts as a significant growth driver for the invisible orthodontics market. Additionally, the rising prevalence of dental diseases fuels the growth of the market, pushing the need for newer treatment options. Moreover, the presence of a large number of players, increasing awareness among consumers, and advancements in dental technology have been driving the invisible orthodontics market.

On the other hand, high costs of invisible orthodontics are impeding the market growth, especially in developing and underdeveloped nations. Also, the emerging grey market for dental distribution, involved in illegal selling of low cost, poor quality products is hampering the growth of the market. In addition, poor compliance of patients with dentists instructions would inhibit the market growth, leading to other complications of using these products.

Invisible Orthodontics Market  Segments

The report is segmented into four main dynamics to widen the scope of understanding,

By Product Type : Clear Braces, Aligners, Retainers, and others.

By Age Group : Below 15, 16-35, and Above 35.

By Application : Excessive Spacing, Crowding, Malocclusion, and others.

By Regions : Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Rest-of-the-World.

Global Invisible Orthodontics Market  Regional Analysis

North America accounts for a significantly larger share in the global invisible orthodontics market. The market is majorly driven by strategic approaches employed by prominent players in the major countries in the region. Besides, major strides in 3D technology and its early implementation in the development of dental products foster the growth of the market. Also, factors such as high per capita healthcare expenditures and the proliferating healthcare sector led by the well-developed economy in the region act as major growth propellers for the market growth.

Additionally, the high GDP allows North America to gain an edge over other regions in terms of every aspect. Resultantly, the overall demographics in these regions take aesthetical approaches for every aspect of life. With the presence of a large aesthetician population, the North American invisible orthodontics market is projected to retain its dominance throughout the predicted period.

Europe holds the second-largest share in the global invisible orthodontics market due to the increasing support from regulatory authorities as well as the large presence of distributors across the regional countries. Besides, well-spread awareness for oral health and efforts that people take to maintain oral health, functions, and appearance, foster the growth of the European invisible orthodontics market. Countries such as Canada, the US, and the UK support market growth on a large scale.

The invisible orthodontics market in the Asia Pacific region is emerging as a lucrative market. Burgeoning industries such as dental treatments and cosmetic dentistry drive market growth, hugely. Direct marketing initiatives by the manufacturers are playing a substantial role in the development of the regional market, increasing the target audience, and thus increasing the market size.

Also, strategic alliances between key players are contributing to the growth of the market. APAC countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia contribute to the regional market growth substantially. The APAC Invisible Orthodontics market is expected to create a considerable revenue pocket over the forecast period.

Invisible Orthodontics Market  Competitive Analysis

Highly competitive, the invisible orthodontics market appears to be fragmented, with several well-established players forming a competitive landscape. These players are adopting strategic initiatives such as mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, and innovations, to meet their business expansion plans. Also, the well-established players involved are vigorously focusing on product approvals to expand their customer base and brace their position in the market.

To ensure their mission success, they acquire promising companies in emerging markets, focusing on optimized situational awareness. They also make heavy investments in R&D activities and build state-of-the-art facilities that can aid in the development of a cost-effective product portfolio and a stable marketing network, which can help them to gain the leadership position in the market.

Major Players:

Players leading the global invisible orthodontics market include 3M (US), Clarus Company (US), Align Technology, Inc. (US), ClearPath Healthcare Services (US), Dentsply Sirona (US), Danaher Corporation (US), DynaFlex (US), Institut Straumann AG (Switzerland), Henry Schein, Inc. (US), and Ormco (US), among others.

Industry/ Innovation /Related News:

January 17, 2020 - Western Dental & Orthodontics (the US), a countrywide leader in accessible, affordable oral healthcare and the leading orthodontics provider, launched new orthodontic aligners  ClearArcto offer affordable care. ClearArc is being rolled out to 233 Western Dental offices in California and Texas in January and in Arizona and Nevada, in February. Developed after extensive research and testing, ClearArc is available for 40% less than the leading brand and offers unique advantages over rivals.

To view the full report, visit at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/invisible-orthodontics-market-8581

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.
New Delhi: Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra, accused of running over and killing farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri, was arrested by the district police late on Saturday after being questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of crime branch. Though the police authorities were yet to make an official announcement about the arrest, sources said that he was expected to be produced in the court late on Saturday night.

Sources also claimed that following his interrogation, the SIT recommended to the district police to add some more sections of IPC in the FIR lodged against Ashish Mishra as they were not convinced with his version of the violent incident that has rocked the entire nation last Sunday.

As Ashish Mishras interrogation continued till late Saturday evening by the six-member SIT, headed by DIG Upendra Agarwal, in the Lakhimpur crime branch office, he reportedly provided videos and affidavits of 10 persons to the police authorities to prove that he was not inside the vehicle that had ploughed into the group of protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri last week.

Ashish Mishra had on Friday skipped summons that asked him to appear for questioning before the SIT in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. Ashish, the main accused in the case, appeared before the SIT on Saturday, before 11 am, the time mentioned in the second summons served to him after he did not turn up.

Earlier on Saturday, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)  an umbrella body of farmers protesting against the contentious farm laws  called for rail roko on October 18 and a mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26 to protest Lakhimpur Kheri violence and demand the arrest of Union minister Ajay Mishra and his son Ashish. Union Minister Ajay Mishra should be removed and arrested as he started this conspiracy, SKM leader Yogendra Yadav said, adding that they will burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah on Dusshera on October 15.

Meanwhile, amid demands by the Opposition to arrest the Union ministers son, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said there will be no injustice with anyone and no action will be taken under any kind of pressure or without evidence. This comes a day after the Supreme Court, while hearing a PIL over the matter, said that it was not satisfied with the steps taken by the UP government to address the issue.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will lead a Kisan Nyay rally in Varanasi on Sunday demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and repeal of the three farm laws.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut too said his party will participate with full force in the October 11 bandh in Maharashtra to protest against the killing of farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. Addressing a press conference along with NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik and state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, Mr Raut said it was necessary to wake people up against the anti-farmer policies of the Central government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should for once express grief in Parliament over the death of around 750 farmers during the months-long anti-farm law protests on Delhi's borders, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said. He slammed the BJP-led Centre over the minimum support price (MSP) issue, and alleged that the government's assurance that the system would continue is "only on paper" and the farmers want it in reality.

Further attacking the Uttar Pradesh government over its handling of the probe in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged it was giving "bouquet" to culprits instead of bringing them to book.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu ended his hunger strike on Saturday. Mr Sidhu had started fasting on Friday at the Lakhimpur residence of late journalist Raman Kashyap, who was among the eight people killed in the October 3 violence, and vowed to continue until Ashish reports to the police or is arrested.

Eight people died after an SUV  Mahindra Thar  owned by Ajay Mishra rammed into a group of farmers holding a peaceful protest as part of the national agitation against the Centre's farm laws. The farmers have alleged Ashish Mishra was in the SUV. Both Ashish and his father have denied the charge.
With the Dasara festival approaching, traders and vendors have started procuring sheep from neighbouring states to meet the demand for the animal. (PTI file photo)

Visakhapatnam: With the Dasara festival approaching, traders and vendors have started procuring sheep from neighbouring states to meet the demand for the animal, which is traditionally sacrificed by the owners of motor vehicles as offerings to the Goddess Durga.

A mega-market will be held exclusively on Monday for the sheep and goat purchasers at Tallapalem in Kasimkota mandal of this district. Nellore district has the states largest market for animals.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, the AP state sheep and goat breeders welfare association president Ganta Sriram said nearly two lakh sheep would be sacrificed by the motor vehicle owners across the state during this Dasara. Many of them could not celebrate the event last year due to the Covid19.

Nearly 50 per cent of the sheep will be brought from Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, the bordering states, to meet the demand for the animal. People prefer sheep rather than goats for offerings on Dasara, Sriram said.

In normal days, each animal is sold at prices ranging from Rs 8000 and Rs 10000. But, during this festival season, the maximum price may go up to Rs 30,000 depending on the demand and the breed, Sriram said.

The state has nearly three lakh lorries. One-sixth of them would celebrate Dasara festival this season to also make up for last years inaction, said Eswara Rao, general secretary of the AP lorry owners association.

Traditionally, the owners of auto-rickshaws, cabs, taxies, small-scale industrial units and businessmen celebrate Dasara in a grand manner.

On the other hand, Adinarayana, president of the broiler chicken traders association here said, The demand for the Nattu Kodi is generally high during the Dasara festival. Since many cannot afford to buy it due to its high price, they take broiler chicken for the prayer offerings. Our business and the festival spirit depend on the climatic conditions. Rumours are doing rounds that there would be a storm in the Bay of Bengal.
HYDERABAD: The full court of Telangana High Court on Saturday bid farewell to Acting Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao of the Telangana High Court, on his transfer to Punjab and Haryana High Court.

In the farewell meeting held through virtual mode, Justice Rao recapitulated the incidents that took him to this position. He thanked everyone from his teachers at St Pauls School to the judges who taught him how to tackle and thoroughly prepare for tough cases.

Sharing his experiences as a judge for nine years in the Telangana High Court, Justice Rao said he had no regrets, decisions taken during this period either in the judicial side or the administration side. Only, the circumstances made him take such decisions with strong will and impartiality.

However, he said he always strived to keep the flag of the institution (High Court) flying high, without any excuses. He said life was to make an impact, not to make money. He advised the High Court Bar Association not to divide into groups on caste basis.

In the farewell meeting, all High Court judges participated. Advocate-General B.S. Prasad and Telangana High Court Bar Association president Ponnam Ashok Goud delivered farewell speeches to Justice Rao.
Arun Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also taking the country to a debt trap. His government has taken loans of the size no other government in the past did. No one is able to question Modi, he said.  DC Image

KAKINADA: Former MP from Rajamahendravaram, Vundavalli Arunkumar, said on Saturday that Andhra Pradesh has been put in a huge debt trap involving a sum of Rs 6 lakh crore, which required a payment of interest at the rate of 7 per cent. This is not a good sign for the state, he said.

He said the state government has lost its credit-worthiness and the banks were demanding that henceforth some 10 per cent of the value should be mortgaged if they were to give loans to the AP Government.

Arunkumar expressed the fear that the government was moving towards insolvency under chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy and urged the government to publish a white paper on the financial condition of the state and how it can repay the loans.

Arun Kumar, who was a close associate of the late chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy, said, The state government is taking loans right, left and centre. When Jagan assumed charge as CM, the outstanding debt was Rs 90,000 crore. In addition to this, the present government has raised Rs 2,500 crore, pledging the circuit house and other assets in Visakhapatnam.

The people can imagine how critical the situation is he said and predicted that even up to March-2022, it may be difficult for Jagan to run the government. What will happen after March, I am afraid to even imagine.

Arun Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also taking the country to a debt trap. His government has taken loans of the size no other government in the past did. No one is able to question Modi, he said.

Meanwhile, AP housing minister Cherukuwada Srirangantha Raju challenged the Opposition to dare say that the welfare schemes introduced by the chief minister should be stopped. Participating as chief guest at the Asara scheme meeting at Penumantra village in West Godavari district on Saturday, Sriranganatha Raju said the Opposition parties are saying that the government is taking loans indiscriminately without considering the repayment capacity. Well, can these opposition parties demand of the government to stop all the welfare schemes? Jagan wants to improve the living conditions of the poor, he stressed.

Raju said paddy would be procured through Rythu Bharosa Kendras. Jagan promised the Self Help Group women to clear the debts of SHGs in four phases. He was fulfilling his promises by crediting the amounts directly to the accounts of the SHGs.
So the present leaders of the AIADMK, most of whom are averse to the idea of letting Sasikala into the fold, will have to come up with a strategy to counter her moves and also make their celebrations related to the 50th year into a show of strength. PTI file photo

Chennai: In a bid to counter the moves of V K Sasikala, who is mobilizing the AIADMK cadre to rally around her, mandarins of the party are going into a huddle on Sunday to discuss the future strategy to be adopted by them.

The meeting, scheduled for 4 pm at the party headquarters in Lloyds Road, will be attended by the top brass, including the two head honchos O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami, besides MPs, MLAs and district secretaries.

One of the major items in the agenda is on cracking down on party functionaries who keep in touch with Sasikala and her supporters who might join her when she visits to the samadhis of M G Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa on October 16, the day prior to the official celebrations of the party entering the 50th year.

Since Sasikala has been using the erstwhile mouthpiece of the AIADMK, Dr Namathu MGR, reach out to the cadre continuously  on Saturday she said no force can stop her  through a series of short write ups, signed as Thyagathalavi Chinnamaa (Martyr Leader Chinnamma), the meeting will also mull over the question of replying to her or not.

Though the AIADMK started its own newspaper, 'Nammadu Puratchi Thalavi Amma,' after the original party organ went into the hands of the family members of Sasikala, who had been using it to promote AMMK, the party launched by T T V Dinakaran, Sasikala's statements were being read by the original followers of Jayalalithaa and MGR.

In the latest statement, she swears by the name of Jayalalithaa and says that her journey was on the path laid down by Jayalalithaa and that anyone crossing the path will be identified by the AIADMK, suggesting that she is in charge of the party.

Jayalalithaas dreams and the fire in her heart should be with the cadre and the dream should be realized at any cost, Sasikala said, adding that no force can stop her from doing it, she has averred.

So the present leaders of the AIADMK, most of whom are averse to the idea of letting Sasikala into the fold, will have to come up with a strategy to counter her moves and also make their celebrations related to the 50th year into a show of strength.

The leaders bank on the possibility of the AIADMK winning substantially in the rural body elections to prove their point that the present leadership only enjoys the support of the people and that the people are not missing Sasikalas authority in the party in any way.

Sundays meeting is also expected to discuss ways to make the 50th year celebrations a success, circumventing Covid-19 protocols that prohibit large gatherings. The leaders want the celebrations to be held all over the State with the crowds limited to the permissible numbers.

Sasikala camp, too, is drawing up a plan to have their parallel celebration the previous day in a similar fashion but to turn it into a clear show of strength, which should impel the present leaders to accede to her demands.
Bengaluru: Months after the departure of BS Yediyurappa from Chief Ministership of Karnataka, two ministers are staking a claim for the post of minister-in-charge of Bengaluru Urban deepening the crisis in the Karnataka BJP even as Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is deliberating on whom to choose.

Senior minister V Somanna slammed R Ashoka and put forward his candidature for the important post in the capital city of Karnataka.

V Somanna, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development, while talking to reporters on Saturday referred to his seniority over R Ashoka, Minister of Revenue.

"Ashoka was just an MLA when I was a minister. I don't know why his father named him Ashoka. He behaves like Samrat Ashoka. He must know I am more senior than him and I have been in politics for last 40 years," said Somanna.

Responding to Somanna's statement, Ashoka said, "I have not demanded any district in charge post. The chief minister's authority is to appoint a minister-in-charge. I am committed to the Chief Minister's decision."

The infighting between the two ministers is leading to the creation of two different camps inside the party, a problem which the BJP Karnataka has been reportedly dealing for some time now. However, most leaders in the state back Somanna over Ashoka for the post.

"Most of the leaders in Bharatiya Janata Party wants V Somanna to be given the responsibility to manage Bengaluru City instead of Ashoka. But at this point of time it is clear that both the ministers are creating two teams to take the responsibility of Bengaluru," said sources in the government.
In another of his unpredictable gaffes, US President Joe Biden made a mistake when he referred to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and calling her 'Mister Mayor.' Many observers have long doubted where the cognitive condition of the president has been allegedly covered up by the media, also the White House.

US President Biden's cognitive condition exposed during speech

The blunder occurred in television engagement in the Democrat-controlled Prairie State to ask employers to require employees who aren't vaccinated.

But, this outing proved disastrous when he could not deliver the speech properly and even got confused about Mayor Lightfoot's gender.

In his statement, Joe Biden, already 78, said, " Mr. Mayor, thank you for the town passport, " reported the Express UK.

He added that he wants to bring someone back to Washington each time he visits the Greater Chicago Area. Remarking, he's done it several times. The person that Biden was indicating could be the Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson.

But, the gaffes went as the words were mumbled and jumbled when he was struggling to call the President of Illinois' State Senate, Don Harmon. President Biden said the Ohio Pennsylvania twice in error. Trying to get it right, he mentioned he is from Pennsylvania until it was right, 'The Illinois President', noted the Swift Headline.

Another confusing statement is that he mixed up television for a telephone, telling viewers about a conversation with a hospital worker. US President Joe Biden said he had a conversation on the telephone with someone in the emergency room that was mixed up.

Read Also: Brexit Minister Tells Joe Biden To Stay Out of Northern Ireland Protocol; Says POTUS Got Own Problems to Solve

Biden allegedly blames those refusing to get the vaccine as a burden to everyone from hospitals, the economy, and other things. But many argue it is a pandemic because the Democrats are using it for leverage.

He then pushed getting vaccinated is important and should be prioritized over everything else. But many do not agree with him at the cost of losing their jobs.

The White House claims that 3,500 organizations and institutions have included some form of vaccine requirement. About one in four businesses and four in ten hospitals have agreed to require their employees vaccinated.

In Illinois, he got more votes, but the Rasmussen poll shows that many have regrets as one crisis after another sinks the US further.

Joe Biden has difficulty even on autocue

According to Sky News Australia, Joe Biden's speech was very incoherent. What made it worst is even with autocue, it still went awry.

The president's Elk Grove speech was not the best, with rambling on, getting genders mistaken, and even his message about vaccines was very unsophisticated and faulty.

Generally, the president's delivery is allegedly obscure and did not address concerns adequately. Another thing is that Biden seemed to lose track and was confused when mentioning Mayor Lightfoot and Don Harmon.

US President Joe Biden has obvious difficulties when speaking, calling her 'Mister Mayor' even on autocue that is not appropriate for the leader of the United States.

Related Article: Does the Special Relationship Between the UK PM and US President Still hold after Zero Agreements in Several Meetings?

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A possible nuclear leak is suspected when a US submarine hits a mysterious object under the South China Sea, says Chinese sources. Precisely what details were and at what depth the collision occurred was unknown, except the submarine was intact enough to forgo evacuation and the nuclear reactor is unbreeched.

The US Navy (USN) reported that the USS Connecticut Seawolf nuclear attack submarine struck an object while cruising in international waters in the South China Sea.

No one was reported seriously injured, with 11 crew hurt, while two suffered moderate injuries and no reports of radiation leaks on the submarine.

China warrants the US Navy to give details on the incident

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had a serious concern about the underwater collision when Zhao Lijian, foreign ministry spokesperson, said in the Global Times that the US should reveal the details of the incident, noted the Express UK. Why the submarine was there and the purpose of cruising at what depth, which led to the underwater collision.

Mr. Zhao stated that concerns are serious enough to warrant the US Navy to give details if there is a potential nuclear incident under the depths of the South China Sea.

U.S. nuclear submarine USS Connecticut damaged in underwater collision with unknown "object" in South China Sea https://t.co/t53nyeNibC  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 8, 2021

Last Thursday, US Pacific Fleet officials released a statement that the USS Connecticut is safe and stable.

The incident happened on Saturday, October 2, and the status of the attack submarine and how extensive damage it incurred have not yet been checked. Still, officials will assess the hull and systems.

ABC News said that the unknown object struck in the South China Sea was not another underwater vehicle. USN officials added that USS Connecticut is headed to Guam and can operate but needs to be inspected by the navy for operational status. If the nuclear leak suspected when the US submarine hits a mysterious object happened, no one is saying in the navy.

Read Also: Taiwan on the Edge After Chinese Warplanes Invade Controlled ADIZ; Presence of US, UK Carrier Groups Rattles PLA Forces

The Connecticut incident comes after the US has been exposed to be running a cadre of officers training the Taiwanese military covertly for twelve months.

US stressed support to Taiwan

Beijing is now on the move to take steps and prepare China for possible war. The Chinese Foreign Ministry asked the US not to give any form of military support to Taipei.

It is seen as a provocative step by the US that a pronouncement was said the People's Republic of China will do anything to protect its interests.

Furthermore, the US should be more careful about dealing with Taiwan, stick to the one-China, no more arms sales to Taipei, and no more direct meddling via the military. These are potentially damaging to China-US relations, also will impact the situation in the straits.

The Wall Street Journal made the report that almost 24 special operations commandoes and unknown numbers of marines are giving training to the Taiwanese forces. It was the Trump administration that sent the US specialists covertly but was exposed recently.

From 1979, American troops have not been sent to the island, the same year Washington formalized international relations with Deng Xiaoping in the administration of Jimmy Carter.

Pentagon representative John Supple would not directly comment about the report but stressed US support for Taiwan in its bid to stay independent from the mainland communists.

Learning of the US-Taiwan military pact, China's state council condemned the military activity on the island enclave last Friday, cautioning Taipei that their actions are bringing the situation into a disaster.

Moreover, the Chinese express concern over the suspected nuclear leak when the US submarine hits mysterious object has not been confirming details of what happened.

Related Article: US Nuclear Powered Attack Submarine Collided With Unknown Object in the South China Sea While Underwater

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Thousands of protesters marched down Rome's famed Via Veneto and other streets on Saturday, breaking their way into a union office and fighting with police in a show of opposition to Italy's new "Green Pass" vaccination requirement for workers to access their workplaces.

Mandatory Vaccination Begins on October 15

In a recently published article in MSN News, beginning October 15, certification will be required in both public and private employment. Noncompliance may result in penalties for both workers and employers. If a public employee fails to show up five times without a Green Card, they may be fired.

In Italy, the pass is a requirement to access museums, theaters, gyms, and indoor restaurants, as well as to travel large distances by rail or bus or to fly domestically. Additionally, The passes indicate that a person has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination, has recovered from the virus in the last six months, or has tested negative in the previous 48 hours.

Read Also: Joe Biden's COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Heads For Trouble In Court; Top Immunologist Regrets Voting Him For President

Thousands Protest Against the Vaccine Mandate

The protestors began with a loud, legal demonstration in Rome's Piazza Del Popolo on Saturday. Then, in an illegal march, they exited the huge plaza and fought with police as they marched through Villa Borghese Park and along the Via Veneto, according to a published article in US News.

A small group of protestors split off and proceeded along a street in Rome's ancient central retail area, which leads to Premier Mario Draghi's office in Chigi Palace. The police established a line supported by police vehicles and sprayed water to prevent access to the Italian government's seat.

According to a published article in Associated Press, the police wielded batons at several protesters. As they faced up with police on the front lines outside of Chigi Palace, several protestors raised their arms in a nonviolent gesture. Others screamed "Freedom!" while raising clenched fists or waving Italian flags. "Get your hands off (our) job," said one placard.

Some Protesters Armed with Metals and Sticks

According to Rai State TV, in a published article in Detroit News, Demonstrators numbered at least 10,000, but organizers claimed 100,000. According to RAI, at least one demonstrator was wounded. Proponents of the extreme right-wing party Forza Nuova were among the protestors.

Some demonstrators forced their way into the offices of CGIL, a left-leaning union, and destroyed its office with sticks and metal bars. The Green Pass requirement has been backed by Italy's major labor federations to keep factories and other workplaces safe during the epidemic, which has wreaked havoc on the Italian economy.

Government Credited the Impact of 'Green Pass'

In a statement, Draghi said that the freedom to express oneself must never devolve into acts of violence or intimidation. He called any kind of harassment against unions, which he characterized as "a basic bulwark of democracy," intolerable.

Draghi's administration has attributed a recent increase in vaccinations to the Green Pass requirement for businesses. As of Saturday, 80 percent of Italians aged 12 and above who were eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination injection had received one.

Related Article: Vaccine Mandate: Biden Administration Releases New Guidance That Terminates Federal Employees If They Refuse To Get Inoculated

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After the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed Friday that it was canceling a slew of Trump-era border wall contracts in Texas, Republicans in Congress reacted angrily.

Department of Homeland Security Cancels Remaining Border Wall Contracts

In a recently published article in Newsweek, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it was canceling remaining border contracts in the Laredo and the Rio Grande Sectors of the United States Border Patrol (USBP).

According to the Department of Homeland Security, instead of building a border wall in Texas, the government will begin coordinating operations that will involve new biological, cultural, and natural resource assessments for project areas where no data has been gathered before.

Meanwhile, the Biden Administration also repeated its demand for Congress to cancel any outstanding border wall contracts and instead finance more competent border security measures like border technology and land port modernization, which are more successful at enhancing border safety and security, according to a published article in Yahoo News.

Read Also: Donald Trump Slams Joe Biden for Turning the Southern Border Into a 'National Disaster'

Republican Representatives Criticized the Recent Action

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) was one of the high-profile GOP lawmakers who responded angrily, asking for DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to be impeached. During a border crisis, he tweeted that DHS Secretary Mayorkas was canceling border wall contracts, and he emphasized the need to "impeach Mayorka."

Crenshaw called the decision a "dereliction of duty" in a second tweet, citing high numbers of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border. "The RGV [Rio Grande Valley] is usually the most affected, routinely dealing with more than 10,000 interactions each week," he said on Twitter, according to a published report in Digichat.

Furthermore, Since President Joe Biden took office in January, Republicans in Congress have protested to the Department of Homeland Security's activities along the country's southern border, calling for a review of border-related projects.

Title 42 and Migrants in the Borders

As hundreds of Haitian migrants have lately arrived at the southern border, the issue of border security has become a heated subject. After being driven out of Haiti by a slew of political instability, natural disasters, and the murder of the country's president, the majority decided to seek shelter in the United States.

Critics of President Biden's border policy, in particular, have objected to the continuing use of Title 42 expulsions. Title 42, an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump in response to COVID-19, enables US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to deport border crossers without allowing them to present their case in immigration court.

The continued use of Title 42 deletions has sparked debate, with opponents of the order calling it unethical. Even as late as September, the Biden Administration defended its use in court, according to a recently published article in Daily Advent.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security's decision comes amid a surge in migrant arrests at the border. Last month, a caravan of over 30,000 Haitian migrants stormed the border in Del Rio, Texas, overwhelming border officials. Despite Biden's administration's promises that they would not let mass migrants into the United States, Mayorkas acknowledged that over 12,000 of those illegal immigrants were released into the interior to have their asylum applications evaluated at a later date.

Related Article: Republicans Urge Biden To Recognize Threat at Southern Border Amid Reveal of 10-Point Plan To Address Situation

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A Republic Airlines Flight was forced to make an emergency landing after some passengers expressed concern over one person's behavior. However, no injuries were reported.

According to NBC New York, Republic Airlines 4817 safely landed at Queens airport following a security incident.

Unruly passenger in custody for questioning

The passengers reported suspicious behavior after noticing that he was unruly. When one of the flight attendants confronted the passenger, he said he had a device aboard the plane. But after officials swept the plane, they said that it's clear from any potential threat.

All 80 passengers on the flight together with the crew deplaned onto the tarmac. The suspect, on the other hand, was taken into custody for questioning.

Several onlookers shared videos of officers pinning the suspect to the ground. Since a massive crowd of people started to flock to the scene, an officer asked them to move away.

As of late, the suspect's identity is still being kept under wraps, and it is still unclear if he will be fined.

Unruly passenger cases on the rise this year

But in August, CBS News reported that fines for unruly passengers in 2021 already topped $1 million.

Unruly passengers are defined as individuals that assault other passengers and crew members, as well as those that threaten to kill other people while onboard the plane. Those that refuse to wear masks may also be fined.

Read Also: Passenger Seen Snorting White Substance, Acting Erratically on Plane Forces JetBlue Landing

At the time, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would request $531,545 in fines against 34 passengers that exhibited suspicious and rude behavior while on the plane.

One passenger was previously fined $45,00 for throwing his carry-on luggage at other passengers, for lying on the aisle and refusing to get up, and for grabbing a flight attendant and putting his head under the crew's skirt. The incident took place on May 24 while onboard a JetBlue flight from New York to Orlando. The incident resulted in the plane making an emergency landing in Virginia.

On May 16, another passenger was fined $42,000 for refusing to wear a mask, threatening another passenger, snorting what appeared to be cocaine, and throwing a playing card at another passenger. Police officers were forced to remove the passenger from the flight after it diverted to Minneapolis on its way to San Francisco.

On Jan. 3, one passenger was fined $30,000 for trying to climb the flight deck after it arrived in New York. The passenger also assaulted two flight attendants and threatened to kill one of them after they refused to open the door.

Stricter penalties, criminal charges may be imposed

Last month, the House Subcommittee on Aviation listened to the testimonies of flight attendants, airline officials, and airport representatives following a spike in unruly passenger cases on flights, according to Spectrum News.

Their testimonies came in the heels of lawmakers deciding whether they should enact harsher penalties such as criminal charges for those who will engage in disruptive behavior while on the plane.

Rep. Eddie B. Johnson, D-Tex, encouraged the Department of Justice to speed up and conduct criminal investigations to help lessen these kinds of incidents.

Related Article: Self-Defense Training For Flight Attendants to Resume Amid Surge of Unruly Passenger Behavior

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On Saturday, the Taliban said they would not collaborate with the US troops and government to combat extremism in Afghanistan.

Taliban To Address Problem with ISIS-K Independently

In a recently published article in Newsweek, the Taliban stated on Saturday that they would be able to deal with the Islamic State independently and would not cooperate with US authorities to stop the terrorist group from ramping up assaults in Afghanistan.

Suhail Shaheen, a political spokesperson for the Taliban, told a news source that the organization could fight Daesh on its own, using the Arabic name for the terrorist group.

The Taliban's announcement came a day after the Islamic State of Khorasan, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for a mosque assault in Afghanistan that left 46 Shiite Muslims dead and scores more injured. In Afghanistan, the organization has regularly attacked Shiite Muslims, according to a published article in Associated Press.

Read Also: Kabul Drone Strike: Biden Administration's Devastating Attack Kills Innocent Children, US Admits Affecting Civilians in Afghanistan

Shiite Community Leader in Afghanistan Released a Statement

According to Sayed Ahmad Shah Hashemi, a Shiite community leader in Afghanistan, this tragic event has created anguish among Shiites and other sections of society. According to Hashemi, the bombing or the blast killed more than 70 individuals.

Following the suicide bombing in the Afghan city of Kunduz, Shiite religious authorities chastised the Taliban. They demanded that worshipers be better protected against the deadly attacks, according to a recently published article in US News.

According to a national news outlet, it was ISIS-K's second attack on the mosque in as many days and the organization's bloodiest since an attack on the Kabul airport in August. Around 170 civilians and 13 American soldiers were killed in the assault, which occurred as the US withdrew from the nation.

ISIS-K Tried to Undermine Taliban regime in Afghanistan

In a recently published article in CBS News, Afghanistan's new Taliban leaders instructed its commanders to perform a thorough background check on all militants in late September. Concerns that other extremist organizations had entered the Taliban's ranks motivated the unexpected action.

The head of ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), a renowned terror operator whose name has remained a secret for years, is thought to be among the infiltrators, according to senior officials of the previous Afghan government and one high Taliban official presently in a security position. On the condition of anonymity, the officials told a news outlet.

Although some Taliban foot troops are said to have defected to ISIS-K or al Qaeda, choosing a more radical and violent interpretation of Islam, these sources claim that the ISIS branch is trying to undermine the Taliban's authority from inside and beyond the organization, which poses dangers not just to Afghanistan but also to the US and its allies.

ISIS-K has carried out some of Afghanistan's worst assaults since its formation in 2015. The organization did not immediately claim responsibility for the deadly explosion that struck a mosque in Kunduz on Friday, killing dozens of people. On the other hand, ISIS-K has a long history of targeting Afghanistan's Shiite Muslim minority, and Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karimi informed a news outlet that ISIS-K was responsible for the slaughter.

Related Article: Taliban Rule in Afghanistan Forces Fanatics To Join the ISIS-K Leading to Islamist Conflict Between the Militants

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The Cumbre Vieja volcano eruption continues to intensify. According to reports, rivers of lava engulf several buildings near the volcano, and the red-hot eruption merged with flashes of lightning in recent days.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano, located on the Spanish island of La Palma, started erupting on Sept. 19. Since then, it has already destroyed more than 800 buildings and has forced thousands of residents to evacuate.

Four more buildings destroyed following latest volcanic eruption

On Saturday, the magma destroyed at least four more buildings in Callejon de la Gata. And lightning flashes were also seen near the eruption.

Other than the 800 plus buildings, the lava from the volcano has also destroyed 150 hectares of farmland and banana plantations in La Palma. This destruction will impact their economy because crop accounts for 50 percent of the island's source of income.

Following the eruptions, La Palma decided to close down its airport. However, nearby islands were also affected by the ash cloud from the eruption.

Read Also: La Palma Volcanic Eruption Update: Officials Worried Molten Hot Lava Could Bring Acid Rain To Canary Islands

Flights, salt flats affected by the volcanic eruption

On Friday, flights on the neighboring island of Tenerife were disrupted for several hours due to the ash cloud. The ash also covered salt flats on the island.

"When the ash fell we were about to collect the salt, but it completely covered everything creating a crust on top and we cannot separate the salt from the ash. It has completely penetrated the grain. It's impossible to separate," Andres Hernandez, a La Palma resident said via Al Jazeera.

Landowner Jose Roberto Sanchez said that the red hot lava has also engulfed the land that he inherited from his parents. However, it has not yet reached his house, and he hopes that the eruption would end before it could destroy more properties, according to Reuters.

Residents saw gravity waves following volcanic eruption

According to AccuWeather, the latest eruption forced the air above the volcano to move upwards. This was followed by circular ripples spreading out of the volcano, also known as gravity waves.

Gravity waves typically occur when air is displaced from a calm state. AccuWeather meteorologist Renee Duff explained that as the air is pushed upward, it wants to sink back down to maintain equilibrium immediately. However, it could take several up and down waves before gravity waves can exist.

The Cambre Vieja volcano erupted on Sept. 19. At the time, local government officials asked some residents to evacuate. They also guided the elderly and those with disabilities during the evacuation process.

At the time, there were predictions that the volcanic eruption would last for a couple of weeks or even months. After all, previous eruptions also lasted for quite some time.

But unlike those previous eruptions, no one anticipated that the Cambre Vieja would erupt because they didn't notice any activity on the volcano. However, authorities detected more than 22,000 tremors around the volcanic region.

Prior to last month's eruption, the last time that the Cambre Vieja volcano erupted was in 1949.

Related Article: La Palma Residents Urged To Evacuate Following Massive Volcano Eruption; No Injuries Recorded

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
One US city considers a stimulus check scheme by giving specific households $500 monthly for the next three years.

$500 Monthly Stimulus Checks

In a recently published article in BGR, the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been considering several possibilities for spending more than $24 million in federal stimulus money received as part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan legislation enacted earlier this year. A universal basic income scheme is one possibility being considered.

Based on financial necessity, the city would choose 100 Ann Arbor households. It would also pay them $500 each month for the next three years. In addition, the city would collaborate with academics to examine the program's effect on both beneficiaries and the community.

Officials in the city are hoping to model this after a similar pilot program in Stockton, California. This initiative provided $500 checks to 125 people of the region, most of whom were low-income. Because of the program, participants were found to be "healthier," with "reduced sadness and anxiety" and "improved well-being," according to a published article in Los Angeles Times.

Read Also: Fourth Stimulus Check Worth $5,000 Coming To Selected Americans; Who Will Get One?

Other Plans of Ann Arbor City

However, this isn't a done deal just yet. Other ideas being considered in Ann Arbor on how to spend its COVID funds include spending $1 million on social service programs, $3.5 million on property purchases to support affordable housing, $2 million on community policing, $7 million for solar on city facilities, and $4 billion for a new bikeway downtown, according to one local news report.

The city will give the public an opportunity to weigh in on all of this. The municipal council will make the final decision in the area. However, the prospect of a new stimulus check program serves as a reminder of how popular this perk remains, according to a published article in Finger Lakes1.

The City of Chicago Wants To Do The Same

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has proposed a $31.5 million monthly payment scheme for low-income households, which she claims would be the "largest" in the nation, according to a published article in Chicago Tribune.

The "first of its type" trial initiative would provide financial assistance to 5,000 families worth $31.5 million. It's part of a $16.7 billion spending plan that the federal government will fund. The first-term Democrat said that universal basic income will assist "hard-hit, low-income families in need of extra-economic stability."

After similar pilot programs in New York and California, it would be the nation's biggest publicly-funded guaranteed income pilot. If granted, Mayor Lightfoot claims it would be the biggest financial assistance in American history. It will focus on poor people, depending on their salaries and where they live in Chicago.

The city's budget department stated that it would "be targeted on extremely low-income people who have been economically hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic." More money for police, more affordable housing, attempts to clean up empty areas, and the planting of 75,000 trees are all part of the mayor's new spending plan. More information about how the initiative would work was not immediately available.

Related Article: Worth $1,100 Stimulus Check Coming Tomorrow To Some Americans; Here's What More To Expect

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The headquarters of National Pension Service located in Jeonju / Yonhap



By Anna J. Park



A lawmaker noted Sunday that an increasing number of foreign nationals living in Korea are relying on the National Pension Service (NPS), the country's state-run pension operator, for funding during their retirement.



According to documents given to ruling Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Seo Young-seok, an additional 512 foreign nationals working here decided to increase their contributions to the NPS  on top of their compulsory monthly premiums based on their income  last year, which totaled 3.58 billion won ($2.9 million).



The number is five times more than the 98 people who made additional premium payments in 2016. The additional contributions received by the NPS from such people soared from 500 million won in 2016 to 1.78 billion in 2019, and the 3.58 billion won last year.



Given that only about 7,800 foreign residents here can claim pensions from the NPS, the number of additional premium payments is impressive. The fast-rising number also reflects that a significant portion of them are increasing their dependence on the NPS to guarantee their retirement in Korea.



Through the voluntary additional premium system, adopted in 2016, those contributing can see a greater return in pension payments from the NPS.



Foreigners aged over 18 and under 60 are subject to mandatory subscription to the national pension plan if they work for companies enlisted with the NPS. However, if foreigners' home countries do not provide pension plans for Korean nationals, they're excluded from the plan on the principle of reciprocity.



The premium is 9 percent of an employee's monthly income, half of which is paid by the company.



Last year, 7,796 foreigners received pension payments from the NPS totaling 31.1 billion won, more than double the 14.7 billion received by 3,835 foreigners in 2015.



The number of foreign nationals showing increased confidence in the NPS is in contrast to the low level of trust among Koreans. According to a recent survey, only 20 percent of Korean employees responded that they trusted the national pension system.




North Korea held a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on Sept. 9, to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the country's founding, shown in this photo released by the North's state media organization, the Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



North Korea did not mark the 76th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party with a military parade, Sunday.



Instead, the totalitarian state was focused on bolstering ideological education in what seemed to be a move to tighten leader Kim Jong-un's grip on power.



According to military sources, the North Korean regime showed no signs of preparation for the military parade, which has been a fixture on official memorial days, where new or updated versions of the country's missiles, strategic weapons and other military hardware are usually shown.



However, speculation that Pyongyang might skip a military parade had been widespread, as traditionally, it has celebrated the anniversary in a larger manner in years ending with a five or zero.



Plus, North Korea previously staged a toned-down midnight military parade on Sept. 9 to mark the 73rd anniversary of its founding, further lowering the possibility of the military event occurring.



"A military parade requires months-long preparation, enabling the South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities to detect it, but there had been little chance of the North holding a military parade in the lead-up to the Oct. 10 anniversary," said Park Won-gon, an associate professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University.



"In addition, it would not be easy to conduct a military parade for the second straight month."



While skipping a military parade, the Rodong Sinmun, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, rallied support for Kim and highlighted his efforts in helping people recover from economic challenges, such as recent flooding and the closure of the border due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



However, Park said there was still a chance that North Korea may opt for a military provocation in the near future.



"While promoting its five-year military plan, the North has tested its newly developed weapons after Kim doubled down on his ambitions to develop more sophisticated military assets during January's party congress," Park said.



"For example, North Korea may announce the rollout of its 3,000-ton submarine, unveiled in July 2019, among others."



According to the intelligence authorities, North Korea is believed to have completed the construction of the new submarine and it is expected to be capable of carrying three submarine-launched ballistic missiles.



"North Korea is in an aggressive mode to pressure the United States for more concessions ahead of their nuclear talks," Park added.



In September, the Kim regime launched missiles on four occasions, including a newly developed hypersonic missile.



"Something could still happen in October," he added.


A medical worker guides people for COVID-19 testing at a public health center in Seoul's Mapo District, Sunday. Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



The government is moving to expand home treatment for COVID-19 patients as part of measures to shift to the "living with COVID-19" phase next month, under which the social distancing measures stand to be eased and health authorities plan to focus more on managing critically ill patients rather than all cases.



The move comes amid a growing need for the country to be prepared for a "new normal" in which people might have to live with the permanent presence of the coronavirus while returning to their normal lives.



"As the country's vaccination program has been gaining speed, the number of critically ill patients and the fatality rate have decreased," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, Friday.



"Considering these changes, the government will expand home treatment for COVID-19 patients in preparation for returning to normal life in phases."



So far, home treatment has been applied on a limited basis to minors and other virus patients displaying only minor symptoms or who are asymptomatic.









Home treatment will be expanded to patients under the age of 70 who do not require hospitalization. But those who live in places where they are likely to come into contact with others or those who have difficulties in using mobile apps, which will be used to manage patients undergoing home treatment, will be excluded.





People wait to see if they show any abnormal reactions after receiving COVID-19 vaccine shots at a vaccination center in Seoul's Seodaemun District, Thursday. Yonhap




South Korea said Sunday it will set up a committee this week for a strategy on the "New Normal" of "living with COVID-19," with the vaccination campaign picking up speed.







The government plans to hold the inaugural meeting of the committee later this week, presided over by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, according to health authorities.







Private sector experts are expected to participate in the meeting with government officials to discuss ways to carry out the envisioned transition in the economic, education, security, coronavirus control and quarantine sectors.







Based on the discussions, the government plans to come up with a road map to get people's virus-hit lives back to normal on a gradual basis.







The government has considered a gradual shift to a phase of living with COVID-19 starting Nov. 9, under which the virus will be treated as an infectious respiratory disease, like seasonal influenza, with social distancing regulations eased.







The government stated earlier that 70 percent of the country's 51 million population needs to be fully vaccinated to return to normal life.







As of Sunday, 39.92 million people, or 77.7 percent of the population, have received at least the first shot of COVID-19 vaccines. The number of fully vaccinated people stood at 30.43 million, or 59.3 percent. The country began its inoculation campaign in February. (Yonhap)






The Seoul city government has prohibited South Korea's major umbrella labor group from staging street rallies this month in accordance with a law on preventing the spread of infectious diseases, an official said Sunday.







The measure came in response to a formal report submitted by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on its plan to hold outdoor rallies in some areas of the capital on Oct. 20. The KCTU stated it will carry out a general strike on the day.







City authorities, however, sent an official document to the KCTU notifying it of a decision to forbid such rallies. The city government plans to maintain a ban on street rallies as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, with stringent social distancing restrictions in place.







It raises the possibility that KCTU members will again push for "guerrilla-style" illicit rallies as they did in downtown Seoul in July that led to the arrest of the labor organization's leader, Yang Kyung-soo.







Under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, the Seoul mayor is empowered to prohibit rallies in the city. (Yonhap)






By Jun Ji-hye







Starbucks Korea baristas and other employees who have been protesting against the coffee chain over excessive workload have drawn a line between themselves and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), making it clear that they do not want intervention from one of the two major umbrella labor groups.









A staff member who identified himself as a leader of the protest organized by Starbucks Korea's employees wrote on the Blind app, "This is our official response. We do not want the KCTU to intervene in our protest. We do not need your help. We are not a union."







Blind is an online community forum app that enables employees of a company or people working in the same industry to upload instant messages and communicate anonymously.







The staff member also asked the KCTU not to attempt to use Starbucks Korea employees' protest as a means to benefit itself.







Starbucks Korea employees mobilized two trucks to express their complaints over the excessive workload during their protest, which took place in Seoul on Thursday and Friday.







The protesters called on the company to improve their working conditions, complaining about too frequent marketing events and the lack of manpower.







The first-ever protest organized by Starbucks employees in Korea came after a recent promotional event that drew many customers to line up for hours.







After learning of Starbucks Korea employees' plan to organize their first collective action ever, the KCTU issued a statement, Oct. 5, saying "We recommend that Starbucks employees form a labor union. We can support you at any time."


Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, gives thumbs-ups to supporters and members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), after winning the Seoul regional primary held at the Olympic Park in the capital's Songpa District, Sunday, to become the ruling party's final presidential candidate. Joint Press Corps



Governor urged to clarify land development controversy to expand support base



By Jung Da-min



Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung has become the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) presidential candidate after winning the 11th and final regional primary in the country's capital, Sunday.



In the Seoul primary, the 56-year-old won 45,737 votes of the total 88,893 cast, or 51.45 percent, followed by former DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon with 32,445 votes, or 36.5 percent, to represent the ruling party in the presidential election, scheduled for March 9, 2022. The main opposition People Power Party is now finalizing its candidate to face off against the governor.



Lee Jae-myung accumulated 719,905, or 50.29 percent, of all the votes cast in the eleven regional primaries, as well as three separate rounds of polling open to the general public and DPK members, while Lee Nak-yon garnered 560,392, or 39.14 percent.



The other two contenders, former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and two-term lawmaker Rep. Park Yong-jin, finished the race ranking third and fourth, respectively, with support of 9.01 percent and 1.55 percent.



In the third and last voting by the general public and party members, the results of which were also announced Sunday, Lee Nak-yon won over Lee Jae-myung by a large margin  155,220 to 70,441  but this was not enough for the former prime minister to turn the tables.



The Gyeonggi governor swept all of the regional primaries, except one in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province late last month, and the last vote by the general public and DPK members.



On Saturday, in the governor's political "home ground" of Gyeonggi Province, Lee Jae-myung won 56,820 votes of the total 95,841 cast, or 59.29 percent, while Lee Nak-yon garnered 29,248 votes to rank second with support of 30.52 percent.



After being elected as the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Lee vowed to carry out stern reform policies in the country's real estate sector, if he wins the election slated for March 2022. "Once elected as president, I will eliminate the country's dishonor of being a republic of unearned revenue," Lee said. The governor said the next presidential election is a battle against the corrupt privileged class.





Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, the front-runner in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) presidential primaries, gives a thumbs-up to his supporters during the Seoul regional primary held at the Olympic Park in the capital's Songpa District, Sunday. He was later nominated as the presidential candidate of the ruling party, winning support of 51.45 percent in the final primary. Joint Press Corps
This image, provided by the National Assembly press corps, shows Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung making thumbs-up signs in the air after winning the regional primary vote in Incheon, Oct. 3. Yonhap



Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung won the ruling Democratic Party's nomination for president Sunday, a widely expected victory for a man championing universal basic income and other sweeping welfare programs amid concern a deepening corruption scandal involving a close aide could dog him through the race.



The 56-year-old human rights lawyer-turned-politician won 50.29 percent of all votes cast in the course of the party's 11-round primary since early last month, followed by former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon with 39.14 percent.



Ex-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae won 9.01 percent and two-term lawmaker Park Yong-jin won 1.55 percent.



Lee held a comfortable lead throughout the primary even as the corruption scandal surrounding a 2015 land development project in Seongnam, south of Seoul, he pushed for when he was Seongnam's mayor threatened to engulf him.



He eventually secured a majority of the votes needed to avoid a runoff.



In the March 9 presidential vote, Lee is expected to be pitted against either former Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl or five-term lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo, the leading candidates in the main opposition People Power Party's presidential primary.



The scandal remains a source of a potential political firestorm for Lee's presidential run.



It centers on revelations that a previously unheard-of asset management firm, Hwacheon Daeyu, and its seven affiliates reaped profits of more than 1,000 times their investments after the firm was selected as a civilian partner for the 2015 project.



One of Lee's associates has been arrested on charges of playing key roles in the selection process as well as designing the profit distribution arrangements in a way that benefits the firm while inflicting losses on the city.





This photo, provided by the National Assembly press corps, shows Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the People Power Party, on a protest march at the National Assembly, Oct. 6, calling for a special counsel probe into a development corruption scandal. Yonhap
More supports needed for small businesses reeling from pandemic



The government will compensate micro-enterprises for up to 80 percent of their losses caused by its COVID-19 social distancing measures. Last Friday, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups decided to expand compensation payments to small businesses and set the reimbursement rate at 80 percent of losses. It is a uniformly applied rate regardless of the social distancing levels, such as restrictions on business hours and the numbers of customers they were allowed to serve, that were applied to them. However, there is a lot of resistance from businesses that are calling for a 100-percent reimbursement.



Officials also set the basis day for compensation to July 7 because the related law that passed the National Assembly in July failed to stipulate retroactive application. They said the 80 percent compensation rate reflects sales declines that "naturally" occurred due to COVID-19. The amount of compensation for individual businesses will be determined by multiplying the average daily loss compared to 2019 by the implementing period of restrictions and the compensation rate.



The business community says it is unfair to compensate only three months' losses, pointing out that the restrictions had existed long before the law's enactment. On the same grounds, self-employed people and small business owners are calling for 100 percent compensation. Considering that losses began to occur from the first quarter of 2020 when the spread of COVID-19 hit its peak here, even 100-percent indemnification falls far short of covering actual damage. However, the government maintains that it cannot adjust the rate out of expediency, as the standard will be applied to similar examples in the future.



Still, the government should work out two additional steps. First, it needs to develop other assistance aside from legal compensation to beef up the insufficient reimbursement. Policymakers could strengthen existing support, such as extending low-interest loans and providing tax cuts, while easing restrictions at an earlier date. Second, they ought to devise remedial plans for businesses  such as travel agencies  that cannot be compensated for their losses.


Time to step up efforts for carbon neutrality



The Moon Jae-in administration has drastically ramped up the country's greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030 to 40 percent from 26.3 percent of levels emitted in 2018. The move is part of the country's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.



On Friday, the government presented the higher reduction goal, or nationally determined contributions (NDC), during a meeting of the presidential committee on carbon neutrality and related ministries. It plans to announce the new target at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 12 in Glasgow, the U.K., after finalizing it in a Cabinet meeting this month. The administration will then seek to submit the enhanced figure to the U.N. in December.



We positively estimate the measure which reflects the Moon government's strong determination to cut greenhouse gas emissions that are producing global warming. The 40 percent target is higher than the minimum 35 percent set by the Carbon Neutrality Act passed by the National Assembly, Aug. 31.



The heightened goal calls for South Korea to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 727 million tons in 2018 to 436 tons by 2030. This means the country needs to cut a further 100 tons from its previous target of 536 tons. In other words, we have to curtail emissions by an annual average of 4.17 percent. It is an ambitious target to help fight climate change.



Now the question is how to realize this goal in such a short period. Critics and industrialists argue that the expanded target is unfeasible. They point out that local industries are unable to meet the target, given their heavy reliance on manufacturing and low level of carbon reduction technology. They also raise concerns about some side-effects such as lower economic growth and job losses.



However, it is wrong to call for a cut in the reduction target. The business sector should be better prepared for the international trend of moving toward carton neutrality through stricter environmental regulations. The country cannot achieve sustainable growth if it remains a "climate villain." That's why environmental groups demand the target be raised to 50 percent so that Korea can do more to help limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.



The government should step up cooperation with industries to meet the strengthened reduction goal. To that end, it needs to work out more concrete and comprehensive measures to decrease carbon emissions. It must significantly reduce thermal power generation using coal and other fossil fuels to speed up our energy transition to renewables, although it is inevitable to hike electricity rates. The administration should also consider introducing a carbon tax to cover costs for net zero. Most of all, it is urgent to build a national consensus on a stepped-up fight against climate change.


Gwanghwamun in the early 1900s / Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



Korea in the mid-1890s was rapidly changing. The 1894-95 First Sino-Japanese War had ended Chinese dominance in the kingdom's politics and replaced it with Japanese reforms and interference. Nowhere were the changes more evident than in Seoul, as people from all over the country sought opportunities. People with initiative, courage and ability were able to find lucrative positions with the various new businesses, government organizations and industries being developed.



However, not all opportunities were legal. Seoul was awash in crime, and walking the streets at night could not only deprive a person of their hard-earned money but also their life. Many of the perpetrators were from the eastern provinces  the northerners tended to sympathize with the Russians, while the southerners tended to align themselves more with the Japanese. One of these southerners was Pak Seon.



Pak Seon was a young street thug from the Fusan (modern Busan) area who specialized in assuring debts were paid. According to one source, he "was scarcely more than a boy" while another source indicates he was 26 years old.



Unlike most Korean men, Pak did not have a sangtu (topknot). He kept his hair short and wore Western or Japanese clothing  and, allegedly, passed himself off on occasion as Japanese. It was fairly easy for him; having grown up in the Fusan area, he frequently associated with Japanese people and spoke the language fairly well. He did not go unnoticed by his fellow Koreans who denounced his manners as "peculiar."





A street in Seoul in the early 1900s / Robert Neff Collection



In November 1895, a female resident of Seoul  known only as Ms. Kim  was owed a large sum of money by a man who seemingly refused to pay. Ms. Kim was determined to get what was owed her and, seeking advice from friends, was told to hire a goon. She was assured that hired muscle with connections to the Japanese authorities would facilitate her efforts to get what was rightfully (?) hers.



Somehow she was introduced to Pak and the young man  perhaps in a bid to strengthen his street credence  boasted that he could summon 50 Japanese soldiers and 50 Japanese policemen whenever he needed help. Kim believed the brash young man and readily hired him to recover her 60,000 cash (about $24 in Seoul using the February 1895 exchange rate)  and for his services he would receive half.



It is unclear how  probably not through the use of Japanese police or soldiers  but Pak soon collected Ms. Kim's money and was promptly paid. With a large sum of money at his disposal, he went out and celebrated with copious amounts of alcohol, which he likely shared with his hired female companions. Soon, Pak was out of money and, armed with a sword and emboldened with alcohol, went to Ms. Kim's house and demanded more money.



He reportedly told her that he was a great man and had killed many people  including women  who were a hundred times more influential than she was. He threatened to kill her, too, if she did not pay.





Circa 1927, Asodang, the residence of Heungseon Daewongun, which once stood near today's Mapo Station on Seoul Metro Line 5. / National Institute of Korean History



Apparently she was not very convinced so he told her that on Oct. 7  the previous month  he had gone to the residence of Heungseon Daewongun, the king's father, (the residence, known as Asodang, was located near today's Mapo Station on Seoul Metro Line 5), and advised him of the state of the kingdom and provided him with guidance as to what course the country should take. As if this boast was not grand enough, Pak went on to tell Ms. Kim that after his visit to Daewongun, "he went to the Palace gate, cut down and killed General Hong with a sword, and had then gone into the Palace, seized the Queen, killed her and burned the body."



This horrific confession seems to have worked and Ms. Kim likely handed over a large sum of money so that he would leave her in peace. Pak would pay a horrible price for his drunken threats.



Shortly afterwards, Pak was arrested on some minor charges  unrelated to Ms. Kim  and placed in the city's prison. A high-ranking official from the law department arrived at some point and began to examine the prisoners, taking great interest in the young street thug. This attraction proved fatal for Pak.



Pak was taken from the cell and interrogated over the murder of the queen  the facts of the case seem to have been provided primarily by Ms. Kim.



It was alleged that, early on the morning of Oct. 8, Pak was seen with a number of Japanese rioters near Gwanghwamun. He was spotted by Hong Kei-hun (an officer of the Palace Guard and staunch supporter of the queen) who denounced Pak as a traitor or rebel. Enraged, the young man struck down the Korean officer and rushed past him into the palace to the queen's apartments.



"There he seized her by the hair and dragging her out to the veranda, he stabbed her in the breast. Then he wrapped the corpse in a black blanket, and pouring kerosene oil over the whole, he set it on fire."



Pak vehemently denied the charges. He claimed that on the night of Oct. 7 he was on the other side of the city  drunk  and did not wake up until he heard gunfire from the palace area and stayed where he was throughout the day, probably still suffering from a hangover. He provided names of witnesses who, when questioned by the authorities, supported his alibi. Pak was guilty of many crimes, but not the murder of the queen. However, for him, it was too late  the narrative of guilt had already been decided: "The fiction that the deed had been committed by Koreans disguised as Japanese was still to be kept up, and Pak Seon answered this purpose"





A cell in a jail or prison in Seoul in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection



Allegedly (by a later investigation), Chang, the minister of law, gave orders for Pak to be tortured until he admitted guilt. Twice Pak endured the brutality of the court but refused to confess. But his lack of confession did not save him from his fate.



He, and two other defendants  Lieutenant Yun Suk-woo, 40, and former Vice-Minister of War Yi Joo-hoi, 52,  were tried and found guilty for their roles in the murder of the queen. According to the verdict, Yun's motives for being in the palace were suspicious and even more damning was his audacity of daring to move the charred remains of the "sacred corpse"  so that he could "devoutly bury them" instead of throwing them into the pond as he had been ordered to do so by his superior. Yi was found guilty of giving incredible explanations for his presence in the palace.



Following their convictions, the three men were hastily executed. One account claims they were hanged, while another account claims they were strangled. I am inclined to believe they were hanged, as the latter method seems exceedingly cruel and was said to be a punishment for thieves. According to an 1893 description:



"[The prisoner] is bound and made to kneel on the floor of the prison room. A rope is then tied round his neck the end of which is carried out through a hole in the bottom of the wall, whereupon the gaolers outside pull hard and the prisoner inside is strangled in a short time. His body is then thrown into a sack and is carried on the back of a coolie outside the East Gate where it is deposited and left to rot."





Prisoners executed by hanging, circa 1900s / Robert Neff Collection
By Mark Peterson





Recently I have discovered a case of Korean adoptees in America finding each other through DNA testing. We hear of such cases  often twins are not adopted by the same family and then they find each other years later. But the case I am referring to has four siblings finding each other. Four. This has to be one of the most astounding cases in the history, short as it is, of DNA science.



There were four children from the same mother, each with a different sperm-donor (I won't use the word "father"  that's a desecration of a sacred term). There were three daughters and one son  a daughter born in 1977, a daughter born in 1982, a son born in 1988, and another daughter born in 1990.



I have a personal connection to this story. The daughter born in 1990 is my daughter; we adopted her while we were living in Korea at that time.



All of them purchased a DNA test to look into their health history. An adopted child doesn't have a genetic mother and father who can tell them about parents or grandparents who had cancer or heart disease or Alzheimer's or other diseases known to have a genetic link. Each of these adopted Korean Americans were looking for answers to health questions and got so much more  they found siblings.



The oldest, Jenessa was first and her results were sitting in the 23andMe files, when the second-oldest, Melissa, entered the scene. Melissa saw the message first and contacted Jenessa. Neither could believe it! Jenessa traveled to Iowa to meet Melissa and they spent a week bonding together.



Then the two of them thought they would double-check the testing by trying another DNA company, Ancestry. And there they discovered Laurel. Laurel is my daughter, and I remember the day she called and said she has two sisters. We were shocked but delighted. Melissa and Laurel met, but Jenessa and Laurel were planning to meet when the COVID crisis slowed all travel down.



Then earlier this year, unbelievably, there was more news from 23andMe. There was a brother! Later, Jenessa said, it was like winning the lottery  not once, not twice but three times. Steve was shocked, as was everyone else, but at least the sisters had been through this before. For Steve it was something completely new  three sisters out there.



They finally all met up recently in Washington, D.C., and the overall conclusion was that they were indeed siblings. They talked and laughed and "caught up" and compared life stories and similarities in each of their stories. The words each kept using were that it felt "comfortable" and "natural." They all just fit together.



Coincidences: Two of them have a mother named Carol, two of them have a father named Joseph, and there is an uncle Joseph, two married men named Jonathan, and two have a son named Aiden. And all four of them feel like they have a new family  Melissa called it a "bio-family."



Each of them can be categorized as a successful adoption case. All are happy with their adopted families and say, "that is my family." They have mothers and fathers that they love and all but Melissa have siblings.



What is a "real" family? For them, each one of them, it is the family that raised them. Who is your "real mother" and who is your "real father"? For them the mother that fed them, nurtured them, took care of them when they were sick  that is the "real mother." The father that held them as babies, took them to their first day at school, who attended their concerts and sporting events, who taught them how to drive  that is the "real father."



Adoptive fathers get a little testy when some asks, "Who is the real father?" The response is: "I raised her, I took care of her, I was there for her, I loved her  you are looking at the "real father." If you mean, "Who is the biological father?"  my answer is always, "I don't know who the sperm donor was, but I am the real father."



These four "children"  now adults with children of their own (Steve just got married and has one on the way)  have not had much thought of finding their birth mother  until now. Since there are four of them from the same mother  the DNA says  they have some mild degree of curiosity about her. None of them has had that yearning to know about the birth mother that you sometimes hear about in adopted kids. But at this point, they would like to meet her.



I, as the adoptive father, have a greater desire to meet the biological mother than all the four children combined. I want to thank her. Thank her for giving life to four wonderful babies, one I raised, and three others I have only met recently, and for two of them, only online. But thank you to the birth mother, and to all birth mothers, who give life and in their own way give love to these children to be raised by "real parents" who love them dearly.





Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.






By Baek Byung-yeul







SK hynix will jointly invest a total of $310 million together with Chinese companies to create a semiconductor industrial complex in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, where its DRAM memory chip plant is located.







According to the Hong Kong-based news outlet, The South China Morning Post, on Oct. 8, the local government of Wuxi began construction of the new industrial complex, adding that there were no details about the facilities to be built on the site or its completion date.







SK hynix has joined the local government's project in an effort to strengthen cooperation with local companies and communities, as well as improve its supply chain. The investment will be used to build semiconductor infrastructure in the complex and SK hynix elaborated that the investment will not be used to expand its existing plant there.







In Wuxi, SK hynix has operated a chip-manufacturing plant since 2006. The company added another DRAM manufacturing plant there in 2019, investing 950 billion won. With the new factory, called C2F, SK said that it can increase its monthly-production capacity to 180,000 wafers. Wafers are used in the chip-making process as a substrate for chips.







The industrial complex development plan is gaining attention, as the project was announced at this time when China is focusing on attracting investments by offering various benefits, including tax credits and subsidies.







The South China Morning Post said that the development project "reflects the continued massive investment in semiconductor-related initiatives, as Beijing is determined to increase the nation's self-reliance amid a fierce tech rivalry between China and the United States, as well as a global chip shortage."


LG Energy Solution engineers inspect the company's battery products at its Ochang factory in North Chungcheong Province. Courtesy of LG Energy Solution



By Baek Byung-yeul



LG Energy Solution's mega-billion-dollar initial public offering (IPO) is expected to be go ahead as planned this year, after the electric vehicle (EV) battery maker said its recall negotiations with U.S. carmaker GM will be concluded this month, industry sources said Sunday.



Last year, LGES was spun off from LG Chem and unveiled a plan to make its KOSPI debut in October this year. Investors have paid keen attention as LGES's market value is estimated at around 100 trillion won ($83.57 billion) and the company will be able to raise around 10 trillion won in capital through the IPO, which would be the largest-ever listing in Korea.



However, the IPO was paused when GM decided to expand its battery recall after a number of its Bolt EVs caught fire in the U.S. in July. GM initially recalled only about 69,000 of the EVs, powered by LGES batteries and produced between 2017 and 2019, but later expanded it to the latest production volume. On Aug. 20, GM said it would expand the recall to all Bolt EVs equipped with LGES batteries, adding this would cost $1.8 billion.



Industry sources said LGES is planning to announce details of its provisions for the GM recall, and the time line of the IPO process this month, soon.



The sources added GM and LGES were discussing how much LGES and LG Electronics will each pay for the recall. LG Electronics supplied the battery modules that are made with battery cells from LGES to GM.



An announcement is expected to be made Oct. 12, the same day LG Electronics will reveal an earnings statement, or at the latest on Oct. 25 when LG Chem will release its earnings.



Although the pre-listing review process was delayed due to uncertainties caused by the recall, the review process can be completed by year's end if LGES pushes forward to list the company this month.



In regard to the IPO, a company official said an official announcement will be made within this month. "Negotiations on the battery recall with LG Energy Solution and GM are going smoothly," the official said. "We have said that we will release details of the listing in October."



LGES is one of the top EV battery makers. According to market tracker SNE Research, the company had the second-largest share of 24.5 percent in the global market between January and August this year, following CATL of China that had a 30.3 percent share. SNE Research said the company retained its market share thanks to rising sales of EVs from Tesla, Volkswagen and Ford.


Taliban fighters get out of a vehicle as they take a day off to visit the amusement park at Kabul's Qargha reservoir, at the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 8. Reuters-Yonhap



The Taliban warned the United States not to "destabilize" the regime on Saturday during their first face-to-face talks since the U.S. withdrawal, as a deadly sectarian bombing raised further questions about their grip on power.



As mourners in northern Afghanistan buried their dead from an attack on a Shiite mosque that killed 62, a Taliban delegation told US officials in Doha that any weakening of their government could cause "problems for the people".



Scores more worshippers were wounded in Friday's blast in Kunduz, which was claimed by the Islamic State group  who appear to be attempting to further shake Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.



"We clearly told them that trying to destabilize the government in Afghanistan is good for no one," the Taliban's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told the Afghan state news agency Bakhtar after the talks in the Qatari capital.



"Good relations with Afghanistan are good for everyone. Nothing should be done to weaken the existing government in Afghanistan which can lead to problems for the people," he said, in a recorded statement translated by AFP.



The Taliban are seeking international recognition, as well as assistance to avoid a humanitarian disaster and ease Afghanistan's economic crisis.



A State Department official said the US delegation would press the Taliban to ensure terrorists do not create a base for attacks in the country.



It would also pressure Afghanistan's new rulers to form an inclusive government and to respect the rights of women and girls, the official said, stressing the meeting did not indicate Washington recognized Taliban rule.



"We remain clear that any legitimacy must be earned through the Taliban's own actions," the official said.





Men react while they sell Taliban flags of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in front of a mural with the same flag, in front of the former U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 8. Reuters-Yonhap
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a cabinet meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Benett in Jerusalem, Sunday. AP-Yonhap



Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged on Sunday that her country would preserve its post-Holocaust commitment to Israel, which hailed her as a "moral compass" for Europeans at times divided over its Middle East conflicts.



Merkel, making her eighth and final visit to Israel as she concludes her 16-year term, met Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and was scheduled to tour the Yad Vashem memorial to the six million Jews killed by the Nazis during World World Two.



Germany has been a leading postwar European ally of Israel and Merkel has sought to cultivate security and economic ties, though she has differed with Israel on policies concerning the Palestinians and Iran.



"I want to use this opportunity to emphasize that the topic of Israel's security will always be of central importance and a central topic of every German government," she told Bennett at a private meeting, according to a transcript issued by his office.



Attending a later session of Bennett's cabinet, Merkel added: "It is a gift of history, to which Israel contributed much, that Germany can sit here at a table with you today since the history of the Shoah (Holocaust) is a singular event for which we continue to bear responsibility in every phase of history, including in the future."



Bennett praised his guest for fulfilling a special role in a relationship that rests on an enormous historical wound.



"Those who preserve neutrality in the conflict between Israel and countries like Iran and groups like Hamas and Hezbollah have lost their moral compass. And you, chancellor, have for years served as moral compass for the entire European continent in promoting an uncompromising tack of backing Israel."



Bennett, a nationalist atop a cross-partisan coalition, opposes Palestinian statehood, putting him at odds with Western powers such as Germany.



"We sometimes disagree on questions such as whether there should be a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but we agree, I think, that there must always be a vision of a lasting democratic Jewish State of Israel," Merkel told Bennett's cabinet.



The visit had been planned for late August but Merkel postponed the trip, citing the tense situation in Afghanistan.



Following an inconclusive Sep. 26 election, Germany's Social Democrats are courting smaller parties to form a coalition that would replace a conservative grouping led by Merkel's Christian Democrats. Merkel, 67, plans to step down once a new government is formed. (Reuters)




Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who is under investigation on suspicion of corruption offences, arrives to give a statement at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Oct. 9. Reuters-Yonhap



Austria's Sebastian Kurz on Saturday announced he was stepping down as chancellor following pressure on him to resign after he was implicated in a corruption scandal.



His announcement in a televised media statement caps a spectacular rise in politics and a tumultuous four years as chancellor, in which his government already collapsed once.



Kurz  who in 2017 became the world's youngest democratically elected leader  said he wanted to "make space to prevent chaos".



"We need stability," the 35-year-old conservative said, adding it would be "irresponsible" to allow Austria to "slide into months of chaos or gridlock" while the EU member of almost nine million fights the pandemic.



Pressure on Kurz to resign, including from his own junior coalition partner the Greens, started after prosecutors on Wednesday raided several locations linked to his People's Party (OeVP).



They announced that Kurz and nine other individuals were under investigation over claims that government money was used between 2016 and 2018 in a corrupt deal to ensure positive media coverage.



Kurz has denied any wrongdoing, reiterating on Saturday that allegations against him were "false."



"I will be able to clarify it; I'm sure about that," he said calmly.





People cheer outside the chancellery following Austrian Chancellor Sebastian rsignation in Vienna, Austria, Oct. 9. EPA-Yonhap
Pope Francis waves to faithful during the Angelus noon prayer in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday. AP-Yonhap



Pope Francis on Sunday launched a two-year worldwide consultative process that could change the way the Roman Catholic Church makes decisions and leave its mark long after his pontificate is over.



Proponents see the initiative called "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission" as an opportunity to change the Church's power dynamics and give a greater voice to lay Catholics, including women, and people on the margins of society.



Conservatives say the three-stage process is a waste of time, may erode the hierarchical structure of the 1.3 billion member Church and in the long run could dilute traditional doctrine.



At a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Francis said Catholics should have a open mind about the process.



"Are we prepared for the adventure of this journey? Or are we fearful of the unknown, preferring to take refuge in the usual excuses: 'It's useless' or 'We've always done it this way'"? Francis said in his homily.



In the first stage, Catholics in parishes and dioceses around the world will discuss issues such as whether the Church listens enough to young people, women, minorities, and those on the margins of society.



They also will discuss how to identify stereotypes and prejudices in their local communities and what type of Church they think God wants in today's world.



Following discussions at national and continental levels, bishops will meet at the Vatican for a month in 2023. They will prepare a document and then the pope will write an Apostolic Exhortation giving his views, suggestions and perhaps instructions on various issues.



"Let us not soundproof our hearts; let us not remain barricaded in our certainties. Let us listen to one another," the pope said at the Mass attended by about 3,000 people.



Francis has said that while there should be more consultation and mutual listening among the various parts of the Church, only popes can take the ultimate decisions on doctrinal matters.



In his homily on Sunday, he said synodality, which comes from the Greek and means roughly walking together on a common path, could not become "a Church convention, a study group, a political congress or a parliament, but rather a grace-filled event, a process of healing guided by the Holy Spirit."



Writing in the conservative U.S. Catholic journal First Things, which has often been critical of the pope, theologian George Weigel said it was unclear how "two years of self-referential Catholic chatter" would address problems such as diminishing Church attendance.



The progressive U.S.-based National Catholic Reporter newspaper praised the initiative as a chance for more inclusiveness.



"It may not be a perfect process, but the Church is more likely to address the needs of the people of God with it than without it," an editorial said. (Reuters)






Description



System ID 737883

Category Facilities

Relocation Type Yes - According to Grade

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

You are a strategic, innovative facilities leader ready to help clients optimize their business. Sodexo Facilities Management is hiring a Facilities Director for a large food manufacturing plant in Willard, Ohio. Are You the One? Our clients depend on your expertise to help them to optimize their business. If you are a Strategic Facilities Director with the ability to develop innovative technical solutions while successfully managing key performance indicators to drive strong business results, this may be the opportunity for you! Key Responsibilities: Plan and direct the facility building operations and maintenance systems, equipment, and policies designed to create a controlled and engaging environment

Coordinate the activities of the building operations and maintenance systems to provide daily work order response and preventive maintenance, and ensure the reliability of the facility's equipment and systems

Direct and manage the Financial management, vendor management, diversity management and Life Safety Programs; Support other disciplines as required by the facility

Research methods of continuous improvement and innovation of the account for cost savings and quality improvements

Interface with local client Point of Contact and provide contract compliance at local level

Interface with Sodexo Transversal Support Organizations and Youngstown Command Center

Cooperate with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies, as required

Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies

Participate in the Safety and Capital committees

Conduct monthly staff meetings that incorporate the use of safety and technical training sessions, presenting material in a manner that fosters understanding and willingness to learn by the participants

Keep department overtime to a minimum; use it for snow removal and emergency calls

Communicate clearly with other departments to carry out projects effectively, with little disruption to the affected department

Maintain operations within the approved budget

Maintain projects within the approved budget and established time frame

Ensure completion of corrective work orders within allotted time frames as agreed upon with the Client

Ensure completion of Preventive Maintenance on all critical equipment and life safety systems within time frames established by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and agreed upon with the Client

Ensure smooth operation of capital renovations and plant upgrades

Ensure continued education of the department staff through trades training for their specific trade

Analyze trends and data to ensure operationally sound systems and equipment

Update and write policies and procedures clearly and concisely in a timely manner, evidenced by few questions or misunderstandings regarding new policies and procedures

Objectively evaluate employees' performance and competencies and provide constructive feedback

Foster and encourage teamwork among associates

Make decisions and solve problems within broad latitude, often without guidance or feedback from others

Research and review options thoroughly

Assume accountability for final decisions

Attend facility-sponsored training in Fire Safety, Right-To-Know, and Chemical Hygiene

Daily interaction with hourly staff and SPOC

Supervise hourly staff and is the first line of response for customers

Focus on emergency work orders and safety

Implement SDX procedures/programs to achieve operational goals/performance in managing - mechanical - Hard FM - Electric, plumber, HVAC, and mechanical; carpentry

Day to day management of the maintenance operations of the account

Oversight communication workflow management; Building trades and mechanical trades - electrical, plumbing, carpentry, HVAC (Hard FM) Is this opportunity right for you? We are looking for candidates who have: a proven track record of successful Facilities Management leadership experience as demonstrated by articulated results and accomplishments;

strong technical knowledge of the following: mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, structural, safety systems, architectural, landscape and energy management;

demonstrated business and financial acumen with a strong P&L understanding;

exceptional customer service, relationship building and communication skills;

strong Leadership skills with a focus on staff development and team building;

Certified Facilities Manager (CFM) is a plus; and

a bachelor's degree in engineering or related fields is preferred. Learn more about Sodexo's Benefits Not the job for you? At Sodexo, we offer Facilities Management positions in Corporate, Schools, Universities, Energy and Resources, Government and Agencies, Health Care and Senior Living locations across the United States. Continue your search for Facilities Management jobs. Working for Sodexo: How far will your ambition, talent and dedication take you? Sodexo fosters a culture committed to the growth of individuals through continuous learning, mentoring and career growth opportunities. Make an Immediate Impact. Sodexo is the North American leader for Quality of Life Services. More than 150,000 Sodexo employees work to improve the quality of daily life for our 13,000 client sites in North America. Sodexo partners with clients to help them attain their strategic vision by developing Facility Management service solutions that increase the effectiveness of their people, enhance their business processes and optimize their infrastructure, which deliver tangible outcomes. Our client portfolio spans multiple markets across the nation including education, corporate services, health care and government services, which means we can offer a career full of variety, challenge and tremendous growth opportunities.

Position Summary

The Director of Facilities Operations is responsible for directing facilities maintenance operations of building(s) and property at a single unit. The Director of Facilities Operations manages the preventative maintenance and reactive repair of skilled trades, e.g., HVAC, plumbing, electrical, utilities; and manages the hiring, training and supervision of staff, professionals and management. The Director of Facilities Operations manages a safe and efficient working environment, essential to the performance of the business. The Director may oversee minor construction work and manage other core Sodexo services, and or logistics of business/operations services, e.g., grounds keeping, laundry, food, security, inventory, mail, and concierge services.

Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience Basic Management Experience - 5 years Basic Functional Experience - 5 years Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description






Description A Customer Experience Banker is a Financial Concierge for our walk-in customers. You are responsible for retaining and growing consumer and business customer relationships by proactively identifying financial goals and needs and recommending appropriate deposit, loan and other banking products and services. You will process customer transactions accurately and efficiently in order to provide exemplary customer service while educating customers on bank products, services and technology. Your responsibilities include: Providing excellent customer service and effectively resolving customer issues.

Being proficient in understanding and educating customers on consumer deposit products and consumer lending.

Proactively identifying opportunities to grow customer relationships through a disciplined sales process, new customer follow-up program, outbound calling, and sourcing referrals from customers and partners. Engaging and sourcing non customers in both breezeways and aisles.

Educating and referring customers to other areas of the bank to deepen relationships and build a strong partnership.

Adhering to all operational, security, risk and regulatory policies and procedures.

Demonstrating acumen in sales, customer service, relationship management, banking, consumer lending, business banking, business lending, communication and presentation. Required Qualifications: High School Diploma

1 year customer service in banking, financial services or goal driven retail sales. Can include military service in an administration, contracting, civil affairs, or similar role OR Bachelor's Degree Preferred Qualifications: Career minded individuals that want to join an organization where they can gain experience and build a career. Huntington provides career paths and development plans to get you where you want to go

Bachelor's Degree

Cash handling skills preferred but not required

Comfort with technology such as mobile services and online banking services is a plus EEO/AA Employer/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Tobacco-Free Hiring Practice: Visit Huntington's Career Web Site for more details. Agency Statement: Huntington does not accept solicitation from Third Party Recruiters for any position

Category



Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Education



High School or Equivalent

Job type



Full time




Topaz Asset Management was formed because we wanted to provide an excellent customer service experience for everyone. We provide our team members with a work environment that will help them grow in their career, help them obtain your personal goals, use their talents to contribute to the team, and to have FUN!!Topaz was recently awarded NAA's Best Places to Work for 2021! Leasing Consultant - Part-time We are seeking an experienced, bilingual, part-time Leasing Consultant to join our growing team! You will handle all leasing activities at an apartment community. Competitive Salary. MUST HAVE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. Please note that all screening questions must be answered to be considered for the position. Responsibilities: Market the community in the area

Show and lease apartments

Provide excellent customer service

Prepare lease paperwork Qualifications: Familiarity with property management leases

Excellent customer service skills

Marketing experience a plus

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

ResMan, Knock, and Sightplan experience a plus Benefits: Associates who are regularly scheduled for and work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for company-sponsored benefits the 1st day of the month, following completion of 60 continuous days of employment. Benefits offered include medical (one offering is available at no cost to employee), dental and vision coverage, as well as 401K and life insurance. Regular, full-time associates are eligible to accrue paid time off (PTO) and holiday pay. EEOC: Topaz Asset Management is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.


Can US Save Taiwan From China? Taiwan Strait Naval Battle - PLA vs 7th Fleet War Game Simulation

China over the past week has been ramping up it's incursions into Taiwanese air space culminating with Emperor Xi Jinping reiterating that Taiwan is a province of China and will reunify with the mainland either by peaceful means or by force. Whilst recently the US deployed 3 carrier groups accompanied by Britain's sole aircraft carrier near Taiwan though not in the Straits.

This war game simulation pits the Chinese PLA Navy against the US 7th Fleet that comprises 70 war ships including 2 air craft carriers, also deployed is a third carrier group with the objective of deterring the Chinese Navy from attacking Taiwan.

Remember to subscribe to our youtube channel for new videos and visit http://www.walayatfamily.com for even more.

By N Walayat

http://www.walayatfamily.com

Copyright  2005-2021 Marketoracle.co.uk (Market Oracle Ltd). All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




The Republic of Mauritius has launched a new streamlined digital solution to help visitors to the country navigate their travel document requirements with ease.

Ever since Mauritius began reopening its borders earlier this year, arrivals to this Indian Ocean island nation have had to fill in no fewer than five official forms before landing, including three new documents relating to Covid-19 regulations.

In addition to the existing Disembarkation card and Health Declaration form, incoming passengers also have to each fill in the Public Health Passenger Locator form, the Public Health Covid-19 Passenger Self- Declaration form and the Covid-19 Laboratory Request form.

Aware that this procedure can be tedious or confusing for travellers, the Mauritian government launched the Mauritius All in One Form project on Friday 8 October to make the whole process far simpler. Rather than filling out five separate forms, passengers can fill out just one form and their details will be automatically and seamlessly used to fill out the necessary documents. All travellers will have to fill in the required personal details such as their flight number, date and time of arrival and place of embarkation. They will then receive a PDF of all the completed forms, which they can print and sign, as well as a PDF to retain for their own records containing all the information they have submitted. This can all be done before the traveller even gets to the airport, meaning they will be free to enjoy their flight with complete peace of mind.

All five forms will be available on the websites of ATOL (www.mauritiustravelform.com), Air Mauritius (www.airmauritius.com), MTPA (www.mauritiusnow.com and www.mymauritius.travel) and also on the mobile application mymauritius launched jointly by ATOL and MTPA.

Those who wish to do so can continue to fill in the forms manually during their flight. However, this initiative will allow tourists, foreign nationals and Mauritians to embark on their journey to Mauritius safe in the knowledge that they have already completed all the required documents in a move will also make the disembarkation procedure at the airport more fluid.

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: zhangwuji778 (zhangwuji778), : Military

 : Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimaki Motegi kneels and licks the United States uncondition

: BBS  (Sat Oct 9 05:51:22 2021, )



Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi: No matter what the

result is, we will work hard to strengthen relations with the United States.

In November 2020, the Japanese and South Korean media censored the high-

ranking officials of the U.S. Cabinet who made Japan and South Korea their

first visit. It was rare but like the U.S. public announcements that they

would directly target China militarily. According to "Foreign Minister

Toshimoto Motegi Shimbun" report, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimoto Motegi

Shimbun reported that on the 15th, in a defense at Nikkatsu, he stated that

the partner of the US foreign minister and "2+2" secretly "will discuss

issues about China."

He said: "In Biden's strength did not appear, reports said that the US chief

used Japan as a place for foreign visits for the first time, an unshakable

opportunity for the world's Japan-U.S. alliance." That is to say, even

though the total military power of the United States far exceeds that of

China, But if the U.S. and China clash in the Asia-Pacific region, will the

U.S.'s (military) superiority over China be shaken? According to the report,

the Japanese Self-Defense Force has broken out multiple security

inspections and government deductions. Japans emergencies and various

situations when something happens, but the results show that the Indo-

Pacific and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces combined have disadvantages

against China. This has made Japan extremely vulnerable. Big shock.

--

 :WWW  mitbbs.com [FROM: 45.]


International

Afghan girls return to schools in 3 provinces

KABUL, OCT 10 (IANS) | Publish Date: 10/10/2021 10:57:12 AM IST

For the first time since the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan, girl students returned to schools in the provinces of Kunduz, Balkh and Sar-e-Pul, said a media report.

The head of Balkhs provincial department of education, Jalil Sayed Khili, said that all girl schools have opened, TOLO News reported. We have segregated the girl students from the boys, he was quoted as saying. Girls in Balkh were happy to be allowed to return to school. Sultan Razia, a female student in Balkhs capital Mazar-e-Sharif where there are over 4,600 students and 162 teachers, said: Initially, there were a few students but the number is getting larger and the lessons are good.

Another student at the school, Tabasom, said: Education is our right, we want to improve our country and no one can or should take the right of education from us.

According to the statistics of the Balkh educational department, over 600 schools are active in the province with around 50,000 students.

Last month, the Taliban appointed Education Ministry had announced that only boys schools will reopen, and only male teachers can restart their jobs. The Ministry however, did not say anything about female teachers or girls returning to school.

Based on numbers of the Education Ministry, currently 14,098 schools operate in Afghanistan, of which 4,932 are schools with students from grade 10-12, 3,781 from grades 7-9, and 5,385 from grade 1-6.

According to the statistics, out of the total schools, 28 per cent of grade 10-12, 15.5 per cent of 7-9, and 13.5 per cent of grade 1-6 are girls schools.

Saeed Khosti, a member of the Cultural Commission of the Culture and Information Ministry, said: There are technical problems.There are problems that should be solved fundamentally and there is a need to make a policy and framework. In this framework, it should be established how our girls should continue their lessons. When these problems are solved, all the girls can go to school.

The female students said that although the Taliban has repeatedly said it has changed, their recent decision is disappointing and causes the girls and young women to fear a further loss of rights.
State

Naga issue: NSCN (I-M) cautions against misleading statements

DIMAPUR, OCT 10 (NPN) | Publish Date: 10/10/2021 1:00:53 PM IST

Expressing happiness that the Indo-Naga political talks had picked up pace after a gap of nearly two years, with the focus on the contentious issues of Naga national flag and constitution (yehzabo), NSCN (I-M), however, cautioned that the misdeeds of some unscrupulous persons were floating on social media groups that could dampen the atmosphere of Indo-Naga political talks.

NSCN (I-M) through its MIP said that misleading statements were seen on social media that Government of India had accepted the Naga flag and yehzabo (constitution) to signify the Naga political identity and sign the Naga solution at the earliest. When nothing is official yet on these sensitive issues, no wild conjecture should be made out of the Indo-Naga political talks. Anything official on the talk outcome will be issued by the MIP, it satted.

Meanwhile, MIP said that government of India representatives led by AK Mishra and NSCN (I-M) team led by its general secretary Th Muivah were leaving no stone unturned to find a way out of the imbroglio.

Till then no one should comment on the Indo-Naga political talk results in equivocal manner and jump to conclusion when the matter is under negotiation with all seriousness and sincerity, the statement emphasised.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-09 22:29:22|Editor: huaxia

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A reception marking the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 is held at the auditorium of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 9, 2021. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the event. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- A reception was held in Beijing on Saturday to mark the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attended the event at the auditorium of the CPPCC National Committee.

Presiding over the reception, Zhang Qingli, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, called for solidarity among every member of the Chinese nation and pulling together to build a strong modern socialist China. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 01:22:32|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 outlook in the United States has improved a lot in recent weeks, with cases, hospitalizations and deaths all declining, but tens of thousands of Americans are still getting sick every day, and a top health official hesitates to predict an end date of the pandemic.

According to The New York Times (NYT) data analysis, the 7-day average of confirmed cases of the pandemic stood at 97,933 nationwide on Friday, with the 14-day change striking a 20-percent fall. COVID-19-related deaths were 1,770 on Friday, with the 14-day change realizing a 14-percent decrease.

In particular, "case numbers have plummeted in the South, the region that had the worst outbreak this summer. Florida is averaging fewer than 4,000 new cases a day, down from more than 20,000 a day at the end of August," reported NYT.

On the other side of the coin, the country surpassed 700,000 total deaths last week and continued to average more than 1,700 newly reported deaths a day, with the vast majority of people dying from the virus were unvaccinated.

Alaska led the country in recent cases per capita. "Hospitals in the state have been overwhelmed, forcing doctors to make wrenching decisions about who should be offered the most advanced care," said the report.

Meanwhile, infections are rising in some Midwestern states that avoided the worst of the summer surge. New case reports in Minnesota are up 36 percent over the last two weeks, it added.

END DATE

It is hard to predict when the COVID-19 pandemic will end. It largely depends on human behavior, and that might be a problem, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky told reporters on Thursday in a session organized by the Health Coverage Fellowship, a health journalism program.

"We have a lot of the science right now; we have vaccines. What we can't really predict is human behavior. And human behavior in this pandemic hasn't served us very well," she said, adding that with the current vaccination rate, there is not enough immunity in the United States to fight off the more contagious Delta variant.

"With the Delta variant, the R-naught is 8 or 9," Walensky said. R-naught, or the basic reproduction number, signifies the average number of people to whom an infected person will spread the virus. "That means we need a lot of protection in the community to not have disease."

On Saturday, the CDC updated that 216,573,911 people had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, making up 65.2 percent of the whole U.S. population. Fully vaccinated people stood at 186,917,921, accounting for 56.3 percent of the total. A total of 7,284,455 people, or 3.9 percent of the fully vaccinated group, received booster shots.

During the session, Walensky emphasized that there are still pockets of unvaccinated people in the United States, who are not protected. "The virus isn't stupid. It's going to go there," she said.

The director said the pandemic has been divisive, and the nation's ability to end it depends on the ability of people to take collective action. "We are battling with one another and not battling with the common foe, which is the virus itself," she added.

OPTIMISTIC PROSPECTS

In a sign of improving COVID-19 conditions, as long as the numbers of newly confirmed infections and patients being admitted to hospitals remain stable and low, San Francisco in California will lift indoor masking requirements on Oct. 15, not only in offices and gyms, but also in indoor college classrooms, places of worship, employee commuter vehicles and other gatherings of people who meet regularly but don't exceed 100 people. Everyone inside those places must be vaccinated.

The move would make San Francisco the first slice of the Bay Area to significantly relax the public indoor face covering requirements imposed in midsummer in response to the recent Delta surge. Employers or hosts must ensure that rooms are properly ventilated, children under 12 and guests are not present, and there have been no recent COVID-19 outbreaks, according to Mayor London Breed, who characterized the move as "an important step forward."

"When I talk to office workers and business leaders, one of the things I continue to hear is that they're anxious to get back to a more normal routine at work where they can interact with their colleagues," said the mayor in a statement. "Our economy is bouncing back, the city feels like it is coming alive again, and this is yet another milestone in our recovery."

Another positive sign is that the national number of people eligible for vaccinations could also soon increase substantially: Pfizer and BioNTech on Thursday asked federal regulators to authorize emergency use of their coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, a move that could help protect more than 28 million people in the United States.

Rupali Limaye, a behavior scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who studies vaccine hesitancy, told NYT that parents' getting their children aged 5 to 11 vaccinated would be a "huge game changer" because they represent a large proportion of population.

In the meantime, as the country nears colder temperatures that will push many people indoors, Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious disease expert at Stanford University, was quoted as saying that the next few months would be critical, but that the combination of increased vaccinations and natural immunity from infections could prevent another catastrophic wave like the one that struck last year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 02:54:06|Editor: huaxia

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Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (C) is pictured in Vienna, Austria, Oct. 10, 2021. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced his resignation on Saturday evening, and proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his successor. (Photo by Georges Schneider/Xinhua)

VIENNA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced his resignation on Saturday evening, and proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his successor.

In a statement to the media, Kurz said that he wanted to avoid months of chaos and stagnation. "My country is more important to me than my person," he said.

Kurz said that he would return to parliament as the chairman of his conservative party and "use the opportunity to refute the allegations," which he claimed were "false."

Meanwhile, Kurz proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his successor, noting that Schallenberg had the diplomatic skills necessary to rebuild trust between the parties.

Kurz has been facing increasing calls for him to step down, including from his own government allies, as the 35-year-old chancellor and nine others have been under investigation over claims that government money was used in a corrupt deal to ensure positive media coverage.

The opposition has called on Kurz to step down and has planned to take a no-confidence vote against him in parliament next Tuesday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 03:18:19|Editor: huaxia

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People visit the Lincoln Memorial at the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States, on July 24, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

The pandemic has been divisive, and the nation's ability to end it depends on the ability of people to take collective action, said Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. CDC. "We are battling with one another and not battling with the common foe, which is the virus itself," she added.

NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 outlook in the United States has improved a lot in recent weeks, with cases, hospitalizations and deaths all declining, but tens of thousands of Americans are still getting sick every day, and a top health official hesitates to predict an end date of the pandemic.

According to The New York Times (NYT) data analysis, the 7-day average of confirmed cases of the pandemic stood at 97,933 nationwide on Friday, with the 14-day change striking a 20-percent fall. COVID-19-related deaths were 1,770 on Friday, with the 14-day change realizing a 14-percent decrease.

In particular, "case numbers have plummeted in the South, the region that had the worst outbreak this summer. Florida is averaging fewer than 4,000 new cases a day, down from more than 20,000 a day at the end of August," reported NYT.

On the other side of the coin, the country surpassed 700,000 total deaths last week and continued to average more than 1,700 newly reported deaths a day, with the vast majority of people dying from the virus were unvaccinated.

A COVID-19 testing van is parked at Times Square in New York, the United States, Oct. 2, 2021. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Alaska led the country in recent cases per capita. "Hospitals in the state have been overwhelmed, forcing doctors to make wrenching decisions about who should be offered the most advanced care," said the report.

Meanwhile, infections are rising in some Midwestern states that avoided the worst of the summer surge. New case reports in Minnesota are up 36 percent over the last two weeks, it added.





END DATE

It is hard to predict when the COVID-19 pandemic will end. It largely depends on human behavior, and that might be a problem, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky told reporters on Thursday in a session organized by the Health Coverage Fellowship, a health journalism program.

"We have a lot of the science right now; we have vaccines. What we can't really predict is human behavior. And human behavior in this pandemic hasn't served us very well," she said, adding that with the current vaccination rate, there is not enough immunity in the United States to fight off the more contagious Delta variant.

"With the Delta variant, the R-naught is 8 or 9," Walensky said. R-naught, or the basic reproduction number, signifies the average number of people to whom an infected person will spread the virus. "That means we need a lot of protection in the community to not have disease."

Rochelle Walensky (R), director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is sworn in before testifying at a hearing of U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 15, 2021. (Susan Walsh/Pool via Xinhua)

On Saturday, the CDC updated that 216,573,911 people had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, making up 65.2 percent of the whole U.S. population. Fully vaccinated people stood at 186,917,921, accounting for 56.3 percent of the total. A total of 7,284,455 people, or 3.9 percent of the fully vaccinated group, received booster shots.

During the session, Walensky emphasized that there are still pockets of unvaccinated people in the United States, who are not protected. "The virus isn't stupid. It's going to go there," she said.

The director said the pandemic has been divisive, and the nation's ability to end it depends on the ability of people to take collective action. "We are battling with one another and not battling with the common foe, which is the virus itself," she added.





OPTIMISTIC PROSPECTS

In a sign of improving COVID-19 conditions, as long as the numbers of newly confirmed infections and patients being admitted to hospitals remain stable and low, San Francisco in California will lift indoor masking requirements on Oct. 15, not only in offices and gyms, but also in indoor college classrooms, places of worship, employee commuter vehicles and other gatherings of people who meet regularly but don't exceed 100 people. Everyone inside those places must be vaccinated.

The move would make San Francisco the first slice of the Bay Area to significantly relax the public indoor face covering requirements imposed in midsummer in response to the recent Delta surge. Employers or hosts must ensure that rooms are properly ventilated, children under 12 and guests are not present, and there have been no recent COVID-19 outbreaks, according to Mayor London Breed, who characterized the move as "an important step forward."

Customers wearing face masks visit a shopping mall in San Francisco, the United States, Aug. 3, 2021. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)

"When I talk to office workers and business leaders, one of the things I continue to hear is that they're anxious to get back to a more normal routine at work where they can interact with their colleagues," said the mayor in a statement. "Our economy is bouncing back, the city feels like it is coming alive again, and this is yet another milestone in our recovery."

Another positive sign is that the national number of people eligible for vaccinations could also soon increase substantially: Pfizer and BioNTech on Thursday asked federal regulators to authorize emergency use of their coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, a move that could help protect more than 28 million people in the United States.

Rupali Limaye, a behavior scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who studies vaccine hesitancy, told NYT that parents' getting their children aged 5 to 11 vaccinated would be a "huge game changer" because they represent a large proportion of population.

In the meantime, as the country nears colder temperatures that will push many people indoors, Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious disease expert at Stanford University, was quoted as saying that the next few months would be critical, but that the combination of increased vaccinations and natural immunity from infections could prevent another catastrophic wave like the one that struck last year. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 04:10:00|Editor: huaxia

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Asylum-seekers gather in front of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Al-Sarraj, Tripoli, Libya, on Oct. 9, 2021. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Saturday provided medical assistance for a group of asylum-seekers after they escaped from a detention center in Tripoli. Thousands of asylum-seekers fled a detention center in Tripoli and headed to the Community Day Center of UNHCR, of which services were recently suspended due to the security situation. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Saturday provided medical assistance for a group of asylum-seekers after they escaped from a detention center in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

"UNHCR and partners helped asylum seekers outside Community Day Center in Tripoli who were injured escaping from detention get medical help in hospital," UNHCR tweeted.

"We call for end to arrests of asylum seekers and urge respect of human rights for all," UNHCR said.

Thousands of asylum-seekers fled a detention center in Tripoli and headed to the Community Day Center of UNHCR, of which services were recently suspended due to the security situation.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

The rescued and arrested ones live in overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close the centers. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 10:00:20|Editor: huaxia

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Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend a commemorative meeting marking the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at a commemorative meeting on Saturday marking the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911.

Noting the speech is insightful and inspiring, overseas Chinese have vowed to emulate and carry forward Dr. Sun Yat-sen and other revolutionary pioneers' lofty spirit of working with unshakable resolve to revitalize China, saying they will unite and strive to contribute to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Xi's speech is encouraging, said Wang Junxiao, president of the Brazilian Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, adding that overseas Chinese had made important contributions to the cause of national liberation, and will carry forward the great spirit of the pioneers of the Revolution of 1911 and strive for the great cause of the national reunification and the early realization of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Xi's speech is insightful and inspiring, said Wu Hao, president of the Federation of Overseas Chinese Youth in Russia and secretary-general and executive vice president of the Federation of Overseas Chinese.



Descendants of the pioneers of the 1911 Revolution are invited to attend a commemorative meeting marking the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Overseas Chinese must carry forward the lofty spirit of revolutionary pioneers like Dr. Sun Yat-sen, actively promote the great cause of the national reunification, and contribute wisdom and strength to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Wu said.

Liu Kai, president of the Promotion of China Re-Unification Society in U.K., said that the Communist Party of China has been seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, uniting and leading the Chinese people to make great achievements and the Chinese nation to stand rock-firm among nations of the world.

He urged overseas Chinese to carry forward the lofty spirit of revolutionary pioneers like Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and make contributions to realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Wei Ming He, honorary president of the Committee to Promote the Reunification of China San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, said he has been greatly encouraged by Xi's speech.

The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the common aspiration of all Chinese people at home and abroad, who, being bound in honor and sharing a common destiny, will surely uphold stronger unity, he said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 10:31:44|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) is set to kick off in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Monday and is expected to draw a blueprint for future biodiversity conservation.

On various occasions, Chinese President Xi Jinping has expounded on his Thought on Ecological Civilization, which has served as a guiding principle for a China striding towards creating a green economy while promoting equitable biodiversity governance across the world.

The following are some highlights of his recent remarks on the topic.

Sept. 21, 2021

In his speech at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Xi called on all parties to stay committed to harmony between human beings and nature.

"We need to improve global environmental governance, actively respond to climate change and create a community of life for man and nature. We need to accelerate a transition to a green and low-carbon economy and achieve green recovery and development," Xi said.

He reiterated China's targets for peak carbon and carbon neutrality, and further announced that China will step up support for other developing countries to develop green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

Sept. 9, 2021

When addressing the 13th BRICS Summit, Xi called for promoting common development, following a people-centered philosophy of development and fully implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"We need to actively respond to climate change based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, promote the transition to green and low-carbon development, and jointly build a clean and beautiful world," he said.

June 5, 2021

In his congratulatory letter on World Environment Day events held in Pakistan, Xi said the international community should work together with unprecedented ambition and action to strive for a fair and reasonable system of global environmental governance featuring win-win cooperation and promote the sustainable development of humanity.

As a participant, contributor and trailblazer in global ecological conservation, China is firmly committed to putting multilateralism into action and defending the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law in order to enhance global governance on the environment, Xi said.

April 22, 2021

When addressing the Leaders Summit on Climate on this year's Earth Day, Xi said that faced with unprecedented challenges in global environmental governance, the international community must act with unprecedented ambition and action.

"We need to act with a sense of responsibility and unity, and work together to foster a community of life for man and nature," he said.

Dec. 12, 2020

At the Climate Ambition Summit, Xi made three proposals for future global climate governance. First, to create a climate governance that features win-win cooperation. Second, to foster a new architecture of climate governance where every party does its part. And third, to pursue green approaches to climate governance.

"China always honors its commitments. Guided by our new development philosophy, we will promote greener economic and social development in all respects while pursuing high-quality development," he said.

Sept. 30, 2020

When delivering a speech at the UN Summit on Biodiversity, Xi called on all parties to adhere to ecological civilization and increase the drive for building a beautiful world, saying biodiversity affects the well-being of humanity and provides the very basis for the human race to survive and thrive.

As the host country of COP15, China is happy to share with all parties its experience in biodiversity governance and ecological progress, he added.

Sept. 22, 2020

In his speech at the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, Xi said that China will scale up its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by adopting more vigorous policies and measures.

"We aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060," Xi said.

"We call on all countries to pursue innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all, seize the historic opportunities presented by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and achieve a green recovery of the world economy in the post-COVID era, thus creating a powerful force driving sustainable development," he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 14:53:46|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a stronger sense of national confidence and concerted efforts to realize national rejuvenation and continue with stable and peaceful development.

Xi made the remarks at a high-profile meeting held here on Saturday to mark the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 that ended the thousands-year-long absolute monarchy in the country.

The following are some highlights of his address.

-- The past 110 years have shown us that to realize national rejuvenation, we need not only a stable and united domestic environment but also a peaceful and stable international environment.

-- Aggression and hegemony are not in the blood of the Chinese people. Our people hope to successfully realize national development, but they also hope to see all peoples of the world leading happy and peaceful lives.

-- On the journey ahead, China will always fly the flag of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, strive to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, and endeavor to improve the global governance system.

-- We will promote the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, work to strengthen solidarity with the peoples of all other countries, and engage in common efforts to oppose hegemony and power politics.

-- China will remain a champion of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order, and we will do our very best to make even greater contributions to humanity.

-- The Taiwan question arose out of the weakness and chaos of the Chinese nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 18:37:33|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2021 shows a damaged vehicle at the site of a car bomb in Aden, Yemen. A massive explosion struck a convoy of high-ranking Yemeni government officials in the country's southern port city of Aden on Sunday, a security official told Xinhua. According to the local official, the city's governor and the minister of the agriculture survived the bombing attack unhurt. An official of Aden's local authority confirmed to Xinhua that five soldiers in charge of guarding Aden's governor were killed and a number of others wounded. (Photo by Murad Abdo/Xinhua)

ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A massive explosion struck a convoy of high-ranking Yemeni government officials in the country's southern port city of Aden on Sunday, a security official told Xinhua.

"A booby-trapped vehicle exploded in Aden's district of Tawahi, targeting a traveling convoy carrying a number of government officials," the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

The car bomb attack targeted the motorcade of Aden's governor Ahmed Lamlas and other officials of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, he said.

According to the local official, the city's governor and the minister of the agriculture survived the bombing attack unhurt.

Witnesses said that columns of black smoke were seen rising from the bombing site in Tawahi.

An official of Aden's local authority confirmed to Xinhua that five soldiers in charge of guarding Aden's governor were killed and a number of others wounded.

No group has claimed responsibility for the car bomb attack yet. However, Yemeni government officials blamed terror groups such as al-Qaida for the bomb explosions during the past months.

Local authorities are trying to maintain security and stability in the strategic Yemeni port city considered as the country's temporary capital.

However, sporadic bombing incidents and drive-by shooting attacks still occur in Aden, where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has been based since 2015.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognized government of Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 18:58:07|Editor: huaxia

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Visitors take photos of samples containing germinated seeds at an exhibition held by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 10, 2021. Ahead of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, CAS held an event on its biodiversity preservation and study, as well as achievements on biodiversity research. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 22:36:13|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Experts and scholars across the world have spoken highly of Chinese President Xi Jinping's important speech at a commemorative meeting on Saturday marking the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 that ended the thousands-year-long absolute monarchy in the country.

The speech of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expounded on what the past 110 years have shown to the Chinese people, and stressed on rallying the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad to work together to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, both of which are of great significance, they said.

The experts and scholars expressed the belief that under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people will follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and will make more important contributions to world peace, development and prosperity.

Samer Khair Ahmed, a Jordanian writer and expert on Arab-China relations, said Xi's speech "is of high importance."

Socialism with Chinese characteristics "succeeded in combining the best economic practices that encourage productivity, work and economic growth with preserving social justice," and "preserved the rights of the people and their dignity in life," he said.

"It was proven with evidence that the Chinese approach in implementing socialism is successful," he said, adding that China has provided the whole world with experience in implementing socialism.

Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, said "the realities on the ground have proved that socialism with Chinese characteristics has not only led to inclusive social and economic growth ... (such as the) eradication of poverty within a very short period of time, but it has also transformed the world ... in a variety of ways."

Praising China as a leading advocate for multilateralism, Moshi said the country has boosted the development of many developing countries, including those in Africa, through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, among others.

Stressing the importance of Xi's speech, Oleg Timofeyev, associate professor at the People's Friendship University of Russia, noted that China has turned into a prosperous country and one of the world's leading economies.

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said 110 years after the Revolution of 1911, China has eliminated extreme poverty and achieved building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects, and its effort to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process.

He said he looks forward to China's continuous promotion of regional and global stability and development, as well as common prosperity for all.

Hassan Ragab, director of the Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University in Egypt, hailed Xi's speech as both "important" and "comprehensive."

It has shown that "China is going on the right path," Ragab said.

"Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a distinctive feature of China, because it stems from reality, and ... (is) based on sharing and bringing benefits to all people," he said.

China, led by the CPC, has successfully tackled great challenges including rural poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic, among others, he said.

China has also made great contributions at the international level, such as helping developing countries, including Egypt, he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 15:49:29|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sixteen people were killed and seven others hospitalized after an L-410 aircraft crashed in Russia's Tatarstan on Sunday, Sputnik news agency reported. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 21:13:53|Editor: huaxia

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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (R) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a joint press conference at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Oct. 10, 2021. Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel kick-started her visit to Israel on Sunday morning, marking her final official trip to the country before she leaves office. (Photo by Yoav Dudkevitch/JINI via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel's security will be central to every German government, outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday during her farewell travel to Israel.

Merkel, in Israel on her last visit as a chancellor before the end of her 16-year term, met Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem.

"I want to use this opportunity to emphasize that the topic of Israel's security will always be of central importance and a central topic of every German government," she said in joint remarks.

Bennett, for his part, thanked Merkel for the warm relations with Israel that she has cultivated during her term, expressing his new government's wish to strengthen the ties "even more in business relations, science, education, health and of course, in security."

Merkel met Bennett for a private meeting, in which they discussed regional issues, including Iran, according to Bennett's office.

She also participated in a special cabinet meeting and has scheduled meetings with Israel's President Isaac Herzog and hi-tech entrepreneurs. She will also pay a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

Merkel arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv late on Saturday as a guest of Bennett, who ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year rule this June. Enditem
THE Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) bomb disposal unit and the Bulawayo Fire Brigade had to be called in after a grenade exploded at a Bulawayo school during a routine burning of grass and rubbish.

The incident that occurred two months ago has been indicated as one of the fires of interest by the Bulawayo City Council, with councillors expressing concern over issues to do with safety and the need to investigate the origins of the grenade.

According to the latest council report, ground workers at Ntshamathe Primary School in Old Magwegwe where clearing the grounds and decided to burn the grass and rubbish after, when the bomb exploded.

The school workers had cleared the school ground at Ntshamathe Primary School and in the process of burning the grass and rubbish, the fire went out of control and spread to the rest of the ground.

While the fire was burning a very loud explosion was heard from the grounds and a dark cloud was observed with trembling of nearby houses. It was later discovered after the ZNA bomb disposal unit had attended that a grenade had exploded.

This is one of the risks that our fire-fighters face in the process of fighting bush fires, reads the report.

Commenting on the incident, during a full council meeting last Wednesday, Ward Four Councillor, Silas Chigora said while the incident appeared to be isolated there was a need for council to take it more seriously and engage the army to check public places and assure the public of their safety.

This happened in a school, which in itself is scary. The question is are we really safe in Bulawayo? Where did this grenade come from, how did it end up in the school grounds? Is it a grenade from the times of the liberation struggle? Something really has to be done to make sure that our public places are safe, if possible let us invite the army to generally go through all the schools and public places. We really have to assure the publics safety, said Clr Chigora.

Meanwhile, councillors have commended the local authority for coming up with the consolidated fire by-laws which among other things has made it a finable offence for property owners not to display their house numbers. Last month, the local authority updated its Fire Brigade by-laws which among other provisions made it a Level Three offence for home owners not to display their house numbers at their premises.

The level offences are benchmarked to the Government levels where Level Three is attracting a fine of $5 000. Debating during the full council meeting, councillors commended the local authority for coming up with the by-laws and further encouraged the putting up of street names so as to further improve property identification.

Alderman Siboniso Khumalo applauded the Fire and Ambulance Department for coming up with a good move to fine residents who did not display their property numbers. He urged the relevance development to also anchor street names as they would also make identification of a property/house easier in case of emergency. He wanted to know if the system was in use and also reliable, reads the report.

The Chamber Secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, revealed that the by-laws had been advertised for comments from stakeholders before finalisation and gazetting. Sunday News
Zimbabwe is in perpetual election mode because of disputed poll outcomes, analysts have said, as political parties start to run visible campaigns ahead of the 2023 contest.

Both the ruling Zanu PF party and the mainstream opposition MDC Alliance have launched mobilisation campaigns as they seek to upstage each other in what could be a hotly contested election.

A Zanu PF faction loyal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been organising structures to endorse him as the partys presidential election candidate amid growing factionalism in the ruling party.

Blessing Vava, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition director, said the Zanu PF factional fights have thrust the country into election mode.

Election results in Zimbabwe have always been contested and have largely failed the credibility test, Vava said.

So, Zanu PF is continuously on the ground through orthodox and unorthodox means to influence electoral processes.

Equally so, the opposition has been reactive and hence creating the electioneering vicious cycle.

The factional fights within Zanu PF have also plunged the country into a perpetual election mode.

So, even internal party processes that take place after each and every election create another cycle of electioneering within political parties.

During the late former president Robert Mugabes last days in power, Cabinet ministers and other government officials would spend time attending Zanu PF youth rallies that were ostensibly meant to prop up a faction loyal to the then first lady, Grace Mugabe.

At one of the campaign events named youth interface rallies, Mnangagwa was allegedly poisoned.

Mugabe also used one of the rallies to announce his intention to fire Mnangagwa, a threat he carried out, but incidentally sparked a chain reaction of events leading to his ouster in November 2017.

Bulawayo-based commentator Effie Ncube said the contested nature of the countrys election results often meant the fights went on continuously through other platforms until the next election.

Under normal circumstances and in normal countries, once an election is held, the nation moves together and rallies behind those who have been elected.

The focus shifts away from election to governance, from the ballot box to the State House, parliament and city halls

But Zimbabwe is not a normal society, where democratic rules are adhered to, Ncube argued.

From election to another election, Zanu PF pays lip service to the bread and butter priorities of the poor, but focuses on trying to destroy the opposition.

In such a situation, you cant have a self-respecting opposition party being loyal to an outcome of a rigged election.

In the circumstances, very little attention is placed on collectively dealing with pressing economic and social challenges.

Zanu PF has been accused of dining with the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T in the fight for the heart and soul of the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa allegedly to destroy the opposition.

Mwonzora recently laid claim to the MDC Alliance name.

It is because our politics is too contested.

The reason why it is so contested may be due to issues like unemployment, which has led to the rise of political entrepreneurs of all types and kinds.

People are investing time with the hope of earning a living out of politics, South Africa-based scholar Khanyile Mlotshwa said as he tried to explain why the country was always in election mode.

This divides the nation and all these political entrepreneurs seem to be pushing diverging and divergent visions of what should happen.

If they were competing or campaigning through service delivery, maybe it would have been better.

But they are competing through empty rhetoric, sometimes divisive.

A new political culture that puts emphasis on service is needed to ensure nation building and the economy does not suffer, analysts said.

Vava said civic society had a huge role to play in resisting manipulation and doing away with polarisation.

There is a need to do away with political polarisation that has largely worked against efforts towards nation building, he said.

The above challenge is a call for CSOs [civic society organisations] to mobilise citizens to coalesce towards nation building and ultimately a better Zimbabwe for all.

Citizens must be united for a common cause and this certainly means coming together regardless of political or religious beliefs.

Ncube added: Also, free and fair elections and a governing party that adheres to democratic norms and standards will bring the people together and minimise the over-focus on elections.

Independent election observer missions released a number of recommendations after the 2018 harmonised elections, but there has been little movement towards implementation to ensure the 2023 elections pass the legitimacy test.

Economic commentator Stevenson Dhlamini said the economy had suffered too much over the years owing to the countrys toxic politics as he urged business to invest in political risk assessment strategies ahead of the next elections.

As we move towards elections, markets will react, Dlamini said.

Business needs to invest in political risk assessment. It needs to place a finger on the political pulse of the country and not base their long term strategies on the prevailing political environment, but it should invest a lot in actuarial services to anticipate any changes of the political risk in our economy.

Otherwise, we can never hedge away the political risk, especially in a country that is characterised by high political risks like our country
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Several thousand demonstrators took part Sunday here in a demonstration against the exceptional measures taken by President Kais Saied, described by his critics as a "putsch" against the Constitution
New York, US (PANA) - As the world marks World Mental Health Day on Sunday, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is calling on the international community to boost quality mental health support for refugees, internally displaced and stateless people
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Blaming the Centre over the ongoing coal crisis row, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday said the Centre is running away from the issue of shortage of power production. Referring to the oxygen crisis during the peak of second wave of Covid-19, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that the Central government always neglects real issues. "The coal situation is similar to the Oxygen crisis. However, the Centre won't accept it," he said. Criticising Union Power Minister R.K. Singh, Sisodia said he is sad on the 'irresponsible approach' of the Minister. Several states, including Rajasthan, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, have been raising concerns over the power shortage, Sisodia said. He said that Chief Ministers including Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, have already written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. With the country running low on coal, power plants in Uttar Pradesh have stopped functioning, but the Central government is turning a blind eye towards it, he slammed. Notably, Kejriwal on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the prevailing coal shortage situation that has struck the national capital for the third month in a row, affecting power generation in the city. The problem that has been continuing since August "has affected the power generation from the major Central Generating Plants supplying power to NCT of Delhi", the chief minister wrote. However, R.K. Singh had stated on Sunday that Delhi will not face any energy crisis as sufficient fuel is being provided to power plants supplying the national capital, after reviewing the coal stock position in all thermal power plants. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said it is strange that the AAP government is repeatedly spreading fear of ensuing power cuts in Delhi but is not telling what alternate arrangements it has made to ensure proper power supply in the national capital. This is despite the Union Power Minister's assurance that there is no shortage of fuel for power plants and the Centre will ensure proper power supply for Delhi, he added. Blaming the Centre over the ongoing coal crisis row, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday said the Centre is running away from the issue of shortage of power production. Referring to the oxygen crisis during the peak of second wave of Covid-19, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that the Central government always neglects real issues. "The coal situation is similar to the Oxygen crisis. However, the Centre won't accept it," he said. Criticising Union Power Minister R.K. Singh, Sisodia said he is sad on the 'irresponsible approach' of the Minister. Several states, including Rajasthan, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, have been raising concerns over the power shortage, Sisodia said. He said that Chief Ministers including Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, have already written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. With the country running low on coal, power plants in Uttar Pradesh have stopped functioning, but the Central government is turning a blind eye towards it, he slammed. Notably, Kejriwal on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the prevailing coal shortage situation that has struck the national capital for the third month in a row, affecting power generation in the city. The problem that has been continuing since August "has affected the power generation from the major Central Generating Plants supplying power to NCT of Delhi", the chief minister wrote. However, R.K. Singh had stated on Sunday that Delhi will not face any energy crisis as sufficient fuel is being provided to power plants supplying the national capital, after reviewing the coal stock position in all thermal power plants. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said it is strange that the AAP government is repeatedly spreading fear of ensuing power cuts in Delhi but is not telling what alternate arrangements it has made to ensure proper power supply in the national capital. This is despite the Union Power Minister's assurance that there is no shortage of fuel for power plants and the Centre will ensure proper power supply for Delhi, he added.




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The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Omar Ottley extends his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sint Maartens 69th COVID-19 victim, who has passed away. Peace and healing go out to the family during this time.

As of October 8th, there were eight (8) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however eight (8) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to one hundred twenty two (122). The total number of confirmed cases is now four thousand four hundred three (4403).

The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring one hundred sixteen (116) people in home isolation. Six (6) patients remain hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to sixty nine (69).

The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to four thousand two hundred twelve (4212). Ninety two (92) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.

The total number of persons tested is 53,105.

As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.

Special thanks to VMT for their assistance at the community COVID-19 vaccination pop-up today. Your hard work and dedication is appreciated.
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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

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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(0x7f3fdd14eac8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd5a44c0)', '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(0x7f3fdd14eac8)') 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(0x7f3fdd5a44c0)') 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(0x7f3fdd157d68)') 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(0x7f3fdd5a44c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd5a44c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdcc77b58)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd44c248)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd44c248)') 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(0x7f3fdd45a328)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd3e5d40)', '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(0x7f3fdd45a328)') 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(0x7f3fdd3e5d40)') 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(0x7f3fdd584928)') 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(0x7f3fdd3e5d40)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd3e5d40)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdcc76f00)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd6fa730)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd6fa730)') 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(0x7f3fdd5e6898)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd6fb990)', '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(0x7f3fdd5e6898)') 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(0x7f3fdd6fb990)') 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(0x7f3fdd60c3b8)') 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(0x7f3fdd6fb990)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd6fb990)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdcc77560)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd5797b0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd5797b0)') 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



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New DARC online HAMgroups include LoRaWAN Germany's DARC is creating online amateur radio groups to enable hams to share their specialist knowledge



A translation of the DARC post reads:



Radio amateurs are characterized by their enormous specialist knowledge and skills in the field of experimental communication. In order to promote the transfer of knowledge among the DARC members, the board is planning various HAMgroups. A LoRaWAN group was founded as the first network.



The group participants meet in the HAMgroups - regardless of their place of residence - predominantly online on the DARC server. This is where radio amateurs come together who are interested in a specific topic. This means that niche topics for which there would be too few interested parties at the local level can be taken up supra-regionally and filled with life.



You can get an overview at

https://www.darc.de/der-club/hamgroups/



Source DARC https://darc.de/
The Mourning Woman

Written by: Steven M. Roth

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.StevenMRoth.com

Four years have passed since the events in MANDARIN YELLOW when Socrates Cheng's Chinese heritage pulled him into the mysteries of his oriental roots. Socrates now is a wiser and more cynical investigator.



In the time that has passed since MANDARIN YELLOW, Socrates' father has died and his mother has returned to her Greek origins, moving into a condominium populated by elderly Greek immigrants, including one woman who is reputed to be the direct descendant of the ancient Oracle at Delphi. And that is where Socrates' problems begin as Socrates, skeptical at first of the old woman's powers, soon learns the hard way that her dire prophecies sometimes have a disquieting and deadly way of coming true.
RUNAWAY FEVER/BLACK DRESS TRILOGY VOLUME 1

Written by: Kenneth James Taylor

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.kennethjamestaylor.com/

Molly McCrackens husband does not return from the war. She flees unprepared with her beloved sister from the onslaught of the 1836 invasion of Texas. Along the boggy road to safety her friends and neighbors bury their loved ones where they fall. Attempting to save her niece, she risks it all and fails. Her life spins out of control and her survival becomes uncertain until a Ranger tries to help.
UNSTRUNG / A Blanchard House Mystery

Written by: Cynthia Morrow

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.cynthiamorrowmysteries.com/

Althea Stewart has had it with Hollywood. Fed up with the dog-eat-dog life of a classical musician, her alcoholic ex-husband, and the shallow dating pool know as LA, Althea heads north to Kirkland, WA. She soon convinces her best friend, cellist Grace Sullivan, to join her in opening a private music school in a historic property known as Blanchard House where music meets murder.
The Blood Archive : Book Two, Russian Trilogy

Written by: Minerva Taylor

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://thebloodstiller.com

A KGB killer hunts for a lost archive, worth billions, destined to change the course of history. Katya Marston, a refined English woman and Roo Yoder, a Midwestern sheriff, hold the key to locating the archive, linked to the brutal murder of the Romanovs in 1918. The mismatched couple race between London, New York and the French Alps to find the treasure and escape death at the hands of the KGB.
On Thursday, Sept. 30, six professors were honored at the 2021 Installation Ceremony for Endowed Chairs and Professorships. Each of these faculty members were installed in named chairs or professorships which have been established by alumni donation to honor Grinnellians of the past and facilitate support for the faculty to teach the Grinnellians of the future.

Held in the Herrick Chapel, the organ bellowed and light streamed through the stained-glass windows as the professors walked down the center aisle to the stage to begin the ceremony. The ceremony was conducted with an aura of richness and reverence for those being honored and the work they have done.

Anne Harris welcomed an almost full crowd, saying Today, we are gathered to celebrate several faculty members who are passionate teachers, proven scholars and prodigious contributors to countless academic pursuits that benefit our students, and many disciplines, and communities.

The six professors honored are: Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant, now the Louise R. Noun Chair in Gender, Womens, and Sexuality Studies; John Fennell, now the Wendell F. Miller Professor of Philosophy; Leslie Gregg-Jolly, now the Douglas Johnson `77 Professor of Biology; Leslie Lyons, now the Luther and Jenny Erickson Professor of Chemistry; Elizabeth Prevost, now the Frederick Baumann Professor of History; and Hale Utar, now the Sidney Meyer Chair in International Economics.

At some colleges and universities, chairs or professorships like these are rotated every couple of years. At Grinnell, however, these titles are to be held by these professors until they retire or leave the College.

For the honorees, this marks a big step in their careers, and each professor expressed a deep gratitude towards the College for their support.

In truth, [this named professorship] is only the latest in a steady and generous stream of support that Grinnell has given me through the years, and that I hope I can give back to my own students, said Prevost said in her remarks.

Each professor emphasized their gratitude for the community they said exists at the college.

Thank you for [introducing]  me to new and interdisciplinary ways of knowing through allowing close connections with faculty from disparate fields. And thank you for the good, smart, curious students you bring to me, and the talented and dedicated staff standing behind me, and holding me up for our students, said Gregg-Jolly.

Lyons and Beauboef-Lafontant both expressed gratitude at why they view as support for diversity at the College.

Thank you to the Colleges long standing support of diversity, [which] brought me and so many other woman faculty to the college in the early 1990s, in part why so many of todays honorees are women, said Lyons.

I revel in what becomes possible when students can see and hear each other in classrooms, when they coin poignant phrases to name the realities that theyre seeing anew, and yes, when they come to office hours to share aspects of who they are becoming, said Beauboef-Lafontant.

Elaine Marzluff, the Interim Dean of the College and the Breid-McFarland Professor of Science emceed the ceremony, and concluded by reminding the audience, Endowed chairs, fundamentally, enrich the institution, not only in the present, but in ways that resonate for generations to come.
SULB, a major steel producer serving international markets, has announced the opening of the newly-constructed wharf.

The new private port facility, located at Salman Industrial City in Hidd, will significantly enhance the companys supply chain and deliver strong environmental and economic benefits for Bahrain and its customers.

Developed at a cost of $20 million, the facility is 230 m long and can accommodate ships up to 180 m LOA, 40,000 DWT. Now in operation, it will allow for a strong reduction in SULBs usage and dependance on Bahrains public roads and port network.

A major player in the region, SULB is 51% owned by Foulath Holding, the Bahrain-based investment vehicle for the metals industry across the Middle East region.

Foulath was established by the six GCC countries through their investment holding company Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC). It is 49% owned by Yamato Kogyo, a Japanese global major in structural steel production.

Shipping directly by sea to customers, nearly one million tonne of SULBs product will be taken off Bahrains roads each year.

This is equivalent to 40,000 trailers annually, which will not only significantly reduce traffic in the Kingdom and wear and tear on roads, but is also expected to result in a substantial reduction in its post-production greenhouse-gas emissions nearing 18,000 tonne per year.

To commemorate the launch, SULB was presented with the Port/Private Jetty Operator License by the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications Ports and Maritime Affairs in the presence of senior officials including Bader Hood Al Mahmood, Assistant Undersecretary for Ports Affairs.

With its own shipping facility, SULB said it has now effectively secured its supply chain bolstering business continuity for the company and its global customers.

Savings and the securing of its strong forex contributions to Bahrains economy will also be supported by the new facility through reductions in the companys cost of exporting and a greater return of earned dollars, it stated.

On the new facility, Al Mahmood said: "We are delighted to see private sector initiatives and investments that support greater efficiency, Bahrains position as a leading regional exporter and which contribute to the Kingdoms plans and policies to see the economy operate in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner."

The new facility will help SULB save 30% on its annual Freight on Board (FOB) charges while also helping customers reduce their procurement fees by up to 20% as a result of SULBs onsite loading and shipment capabilities.

SULB currently exports 99% of its products annually to customers in more than 25 countries located across the broader Mena region, South East Asia, Americas and Europe.

Today, nearly 50% of all structural steel sections used in the GCCs infrastructure development are manufactured by the company in Bahrain, he stated.

The inauguration of the facility was followed by a water salute executed by members of the SULB team and two ships are expected to arrive at the facility within the first month of its operation.

The first will arrive to load for export 13,000 tonnes of Made in Bahrain steel beams and the second ship with 32,000 tonne will be loaded by months end.

SULB produces 1.7 mtpa of direct reduced iron from iron ore pellets manufactured by sister-company Bahrain Steel, 1.2 mtpa of steel and delivers almost 800,000 tons of finished beams, angles and channels along with its sister company in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

CEO Ravi Singh said: "This is a win-win proposition for the kingdom, our company, our customers and our community. The new facility will help us operate more efficiently."

"It significantly strengthens our export supply chain for the benefit of our customers, the kingdoms economy and our position as one of Bahrains largest exporters and net forex earners," he added.
Batelco, a top telecom group based Bahrain, has introduced a Higher Education Scholarship in partnership with the American University of Bahrain (AUBH), the Kingdoms first American-style University, to sponsor a 4-year university education of one Bahraini student.



The student was selected on merit from one of the Kingdoms government schools.



The scholarship has been created as part of Batelcos CSR strategy to support education in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This opportunity offering a scholarship for a Bahraini student falls under the umbrella of Batelcos main pillars which are Education and Youth &Sports, and is in line with the UN Sustainability Goal of Quality Education.



This first recipient of the scholarship is Ahmed Rahimi, who underwent a series of assessments by AUBH and Batelco. Ahmed, accompanied by his parents, was officially awarded with the scholarship at the AUBH campus in Riffa, in the presence of Batelco CEO, Mikkel Vinter, Shaikh Bader Al Khalifa, General Manager, Corporate Communications and CSR at Batelco, and the AUBH Chief Operating Officer, William D Hurt and AUBH Director of Student Affairs, Amal Alawadhi.



Mikkel Vinter said: It gives us pleasure to be able to support a young Bahraini student in pursuing his dream of completing a Multimedia degree and we are glad to collaborate with AUBH to provide this international education, and help to make his dreams a reality.



The high-calibre education provided at AUBH offers students a chance to excel at an international level, opening doors for their future careers, he added.



William D Hurt said: We are proud to work in partnership with Batelco to provide opportunities for students to thrive in the community and receive an education that prepares them for the future. We hope to continue such partnerships as we develop young minds through higher education, for a lifetime of success.  TradeArabia News Service
Bahrains Information & eGovernment Authoritys (iGA) BeAware Bahrain app has won the Covid-19 Innovation Award at the Smart Cities Summit 2021. The app has played a crucial role in helping the kingdom combat the pandemic.

The award was received by iGA Chief Executive, Mohammed Ali AlQaed. The event, now in its fifth year, started under the patronage of the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Eng Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf.

The two-day event, which opened on October 10, was held at the Gulf Convention Centre. It saw the participation of 250 representatives of public and private sector entities and international organisations, most notably from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

The award recognises the apps effectiveness in supporting frontline workers and making all pandemic-related services available to the public on a single platform.

AlQaed attributed the BeAware Bahrain applications success to the directives of Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who leads the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus.

He also praised the support and cohesion maintained by all public and private sector stakeholders, who helped the kingdom implement the policies necessary to make the BeAware Bahrain project a success.

AlQaed added that the app is an important step in Bahrains digital transformation journey.

Meanwhile, iGA Geographical Information Systems Director, Shaikha May bint Mohammed Al Khalifa provided the Minister a detailed explanation of the Benayat system updates and how it was supportive during the pandemic.

Benayat also provides infrastructure services covering electricity, water, and sanitation, and a geo-navigator service that allows property owners to check building requirements and whether road, electricity, water and sewage services are available at their locations.

Shaikha May emphasised the system's role in speeding up the building permit process for investment, residential, industrial and commercial projects, including the main services provided to licensed engineering offices, such as permit applications, status enquiries, and services related to building licences, fees, and more.

iGA eServices and Applications Development Director, Abdullah Ali Al Jowder will participate in a panel discussion on the second day of the event giving the summit audience a look into the The Story of BeAware, during which he will cover the apps inception and development as team Bahrain, in cooperation with other government entities.

He will also outline how the iGA will address challenges presented by the application, and how the kingdom intends to share its experience regionally and internationally.

iGA Change Management and Business Process Reengineering Director, Donia Faisal Sarhan will participate in a panel discussion entitled Opportunities for Smart Cities During and After Covid-19, where she will discuss the benefits of deploying digital solutions and new ICT practices during the pandemic, and how this is encouraging Bahrains cities to become smarter and more sustainable as the kingdom returns to normalcy.

The summit featured more than 20 speakers who reviewed global smart city transformation practices, the challenges facing countries in the transition to smart cities, and the best strategies to overcome them. It included 10 panels discussing smart city initiatives, systems and projects, including the lessons learned and plans for the continued transformation of smart cities in the short and medium terms. Topics covered included smart city solutions, future technologies, waste management, community partnerships for monitoring the environment, implementing sustainable development goals in cities, the future of sustainable energy, and smart police applications.

The iGA also participated in the accompanying exhibition, where it showcased several projects, most notably a geographic information system initiative; the updated version of the National Portal, bahrain.bh, which was launched in early July; and key eServices provided via the portal and other channels.-- TradeArabia News Service
The Saline Water Conversion Corporation and Cummins Saudi Arabia Company has signed a memorandum of understanding on developing a hydrogen gas production plant, on the concluding day of Wetex 2021. The Corporation intends to implement this project in the context of its commitment to developing innovative sustainable solutions for the water industry sector globally.

This initiative is in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 of adopting clean energy in its projects and diversifying its economic resources to lead the world in the production of alternative energy.

With the financial ability of Cummins to deploy large-scale hydrogen projects, backed by global presence, mass production facilities, and the active participation in different global energy councils (such as hydrogen councils), makes the company a trusted player to meet the needs of the growing hydrogen economy.

The deal was signed by SWCC Executive Director of Investments Issam bin Abdullah Al Jarba and Cummins Arabia Managing Director Amit Deshpande on the final day of Wetex in Dubai.

It comes in line with the Kingdom's approach to cooperate in the production of clean hydrogen and establish a joint fund to innovate related technologies. A step to activate the circular carbon economy, to support strategic efforts and an outstanding commitment to confront climate change and reduce carbon emissions.

The memorandum, which came on the sidelines of Dubai Expo 2020, included strengthening cooperation in engineering and research consultancy, and training in renewable energy.

This is within the framework of Desalination's direction as an industrial entity active in economic development - to tackle the challenges posed by global climate change by innovating practical solutions that employ modern and promising technologies and reduce carbon emissions; developing hydrogen gas production facilities and adopting hydrogen as an energy source; and to support the transformation of the water industry into a safe industry that is more committed to the environment and at a lower cost for the industrial and civil sectors.

The MoU moves the economy one step closer to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 with large projects that adopt hydrogen energy for carbon-free sustainable societies.

And departments like Saline Water Conversion Corporation supporting the development of hydrogen as a source of energy is a contributing factor in reshaping global energy chains and helping energy production in an environmentally friendly manner by reducing emissions.-TradeArabia News Service
Swiss-based Endress+Hauser has invested about 46 million euros ($53.22 million) to expand its production of level and pressure measurement technology in Maulburg, Germany.

The project, which took nearly two years to complete, includes a new production and office building with more than 17,000 square feet of space, plus a parking garage.

With roughly 2,000 employees, Maulburg is one of the Endress+Hauser Groups largest locations.

The new buildings will allow us to cope with the growth stemming from previous years, said Dr Peter Selders, Managing Director of Endress+Hauser Level+Pressure in Maulburg at the dedication of the new facilities.

A generous amount of space and a modern infrastructure will help meet the demand for quality and efficiency.

The new multistorey building was completed in 2020 and contains 11,000 sq ft dedicated to production. The design placed considerable value on energy efficiency and features a photovoltaic system on the roof and a cogeneration unit that supplies electricity and heat.

Endress+Hauser measurement technology monitors the flow of energy. The Maulburg campus also boasts a new, nearly 17,000-square-foot parking garage with 700 parking spaces.

Still under construction in the basement of the new building are two measurement sections that will be used for the precise calibration of level measurement instruments with radar technology employed in large tanks and silos.

At 55 metres each, these measurement sections are the longest of their kind in the world. Customers have a keen interest in calibration given that the smallest measurement deviations can lead to a high degree of uncertainty when monitoring inventories.

The new buildings were officially dedicated in a small gathering on October 8, 2021 in the presence of guests from government and industry, business partners and employees.

Although the spaces were occupied in early 2020 after construction was completed, the dedication ceremony was delayed until now due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the past year we shifted a lot of things to the virtual environment, but we wanted to celebrate the opening together with people here in our new building, albeit in a small group due to the Covid restrictions, emphasised Selders.

As a symbol of sound cooperation, Matthias Altendorf, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group, unveiled a mural from German artist Britta Schmidhauser as a gift for the Maulburg location that consists of multicolored rectangles made from fused glass.

If one of the rectangles was missing, the picture would be incomplete, said the CEO of the Group during the handover of the artwork. This idea is easily transferred to various Endress+Hauser locations around the world and also applies to all employees.-- TradeArabia News Service
The Red Sea International Film Festival has launched Cinema Al-Hara, a first-of-its-kind community outreach programme consisting of outdoor master classes and film screenings in various Jeddah neighbourhoods.

The proactive approach of the programme was inspired by the idea to take the festival to the heart of the city of Jeddah and straight to the people.

Cinema Al-Hara will feature six screenings in four different neighbourhoods in Jeddah. The programme will run from October 9 until October 30, 2021.

Red Sea International Film Festival aims to make the film industry accessible to people of all ages. With this community outreach programme, the company is targeting the Saudi youth specifically to inspire the next generation of filmmakers who might otherwise not have considered filmmaking as a career.

However, the programme is open for all Jeddah residents to engage and participate in the programmes masterclasses and films.

Edouard Waintrop, Artistic Director of the (RedSeaIFF) said: Saudi Arabia is rife with untapped talent, and it is among our priorities to enable our local talents to fulfil their potential. With our Cinema Al-Hara community outreach programme, we have taken the film industry to the streets of Jeddah in an effort to educate, empower and spark an interest in the youth by giving them the tools to succeed and fostering their talent. Red Sea International Film Festival aims to be a pioneer in Saudi Arabia and globally, not just for the festival activities, collaborations and competitions, but also for the impact we leave on the future generations with our community outreach programmes.

Cinema Al-Hara will have six directors and three actors from around the kingdom who will participate in the project, owing to the great support of the local filmmaking community.

The format of the master class will consist of shooting a scene in front of a live audience with guidance from the directors and actors present. The audience will be immersed in an experiential journey, as three to five audience members will be chosen based on their ticket numbers to participate in filming the scene as extras or as part of the crew.

Red Sea International Film Festival will provide movie screenings along with complimentary refreshments and snacks, open to the audience. The films that will be screened at Cinema Al-Hara include Book of Sun, Baghdad Messi and Bekas; which were selected due to their appeal among the youth.-- TradeArabia News Service
Saipem, an Italian multinational oilfield services company, has been awarded new onshore drilling contracts in the UAE with a duration of approximately 15 months.



In South America, Saipem has been awarded the extension of two contracts in Colombia and one contract in Peru, as well as two new contracts in Bolivia and Peru.



All these new contracts, worth a total of $70 million, further strengthen the long-standing relationships with local and international clients in these geographical areas and represent a positive sign of the gradual recovery of demand in the drilling sector and investments in the Oil and Gas market. - TradeArabia News Service
The Czech Republic pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has attracted visitors with its futuristic initiatives in the sustainability district.

The pavilion celebrated Czech Tourism Day on October 5 by hosting a workshop for travel partners in the Middle East. Organised in co-operation with the Czech Embassy in the UAE, the workshop focused on the 'Wellness Tourism' industry in the country.

It attracted more than 60 top travel stakeholders in the market, followed by a tour for the media and concluded with a networking gala serving Czech delicacies.

Opening the workshop, Czech Republic Ambassador Jiri Slavik said: We are excited to be a part of this global event as our country is a popular destination amongst UAE citizens. We have eased travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers keeping in mind safety as the major factor to welcome tourists.

In 2019, Czech Republic welcomed 30,000 tourists from the UAE for an average length of stay of around 3-4 days and over 27,000 travellers from Saudi Arabia for a maximum length of stay of around 5-6 days.

On the plan for tourism ahead, Deputy Minister of regional development David Koppitz said: Our post-pandemic strategy is to be more sustainable, innovative, digital and resilient. We are hoping that we gradually reach the numbers of 2019 in the coming year as the tourism industry regroups from the pandemic keeping in mind the safety of the traveller.

"The Czech Republic has received the international Safe Travels Stamp awarded by the World Tourism & Travel Council (WTTC). Also, we have been doing our utmost to preserve and support further development of our spas  they are part of our national heritage and they have much to offer.

During the workshop, Czech Tourism CEO Jan Herget said: "The Czech Republic is a preferred spa and wellness destination for travellers from the Middle East and I am proud that UNESCO awarded us with the great spa towns of Europe recognition. This market is of high potential and of strategic importance for incoming tourism to the Czech Republic.

"In 2022, the marketing strategy will be focusing on Traditions of Czech Republic as it has places being listed on UNESCO World Heritage. Christmas in Czech Republic is one of the most immersive and magical period to experience.

We are promoting the country as a premium destination targeting families, experiential travellers, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) and leisure travellers through various B2B and B2C activities like destination workshops, e-learning and joint collaborations with travel agents, airlines and media.

Visitors will also encounter an immersive virtual reality experience at the pavilion. Czech Tourisms 'Czech Therapeutic Landscape' is the first exhibition at the pavilion. The Oculus Rift VR goggles will virtually transport them to some beautiful places in the country, such as the Spa town Marianske Lazne, the Moravian vineyard or the Bohemian Paradise.

At the entrance is a structure made of steel pipes that represent clouds and water. Called the Czech spring, the pavilion addresses the challenge of water scarcity in barren lands through a Czech invention - S.A.W. E.R. This technology uses solar energy to produce drinkable water from the air. Based on condensation techniques, the system can extract water from dry air.

The glass industry in the Czech Republic has gained worldwide recognition for its high-quality and artistic craftsmanship. The essence of this art is reflected in the installation of designer glass at the pavilion. Furthermore, a professional conference will be held on November 18 to discuss Czech glass designs and provide an interactive platform for industry professionals.-TradeArabia News Service
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the opening ceremony of the national day of Turkmenistan at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai as part of his working visit to the United Arab Emirates.

The ceremony took place in the central square of the Al Wasl Expo Center. It was also attended by the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Expo 2020 General Director Reem Al Hashemi. The President of Turkmenistan viewed the Turkmen pavilion that presents Turkmenistans achievements in all key areas of the national economy. The national pavilion under the motto "Travel to culture with Akhal-Teke horses" is one of the most visited at Expo 2020.

The head of state also visited the pavilion of the United Arab Emirates and held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Expo 2020 Reception Center. During the talks, the sides discussed the pace of development of bilateral relations in the trade, economic and investment spheres. Following the talks, a package of bilateral documents was signed to promote the development of economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UAE.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) The heart of the national capital echoed with calls for justice over the spate of killings of minority community members in Kashmir as hundreds of people thronged the streets of Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place on Saturday evening to protest against the targeted killings by Pakistan-backed terrorist groups.

The protesters, mostly belonging to the displaced Hindu Kashmiri community, gathered at Jantar Mantar where they began the agitation. It ended later with them holding a candle march across the inner circle of Connaught Place in the heart of the capital.

'We Want Justice', the protesters chanted, in reference to the killing of seven civilians in the past few days including four from the minority community.
New Delhi, Oct 10 (UNI) The 13th round of Corps commander level talks between India and China were held at Moldo Garrison, across the LAC from Chushul on Sunday to discuss further disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.

The talks, which were held after a gap of around two months, started around 1030 hours, and finished around 1900 hours. It comes as Chinese buildup across the LAC has increased and over 50,000 PLA troops are said to be deployed along the border.

India and China have so far disengaged from the areas of Pangong Tso and Gogra, however, frictions remain over the areas of Depsang and Demchok.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman conferred on top India-born hotelier in Maldives

New Delhi, Oct 7 (UNI) The prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2021 was conferred on Salil Panigrahi, Founder, Atmosphere Resorts, in acknowledgement of his pioneering work in the tourism industry in the Maldives.

This is the first time that an Indian from the Maldives is being given the coveted award.

The award was presented by Indian High Commission Charge d Affaires Rohit Rathish, on behalf of the President of India.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 15:31:26|Editor: huaxia

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NANNING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 3rd China-ASEAN TV Week will be held from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the radio and television authority said Saturday at a press conference.

The China-ASEAN TV Week will hold a series of activities including an opening ceremony, a young hosts camp, a short videos contest, and a summit on audio-visual communication. Outstanding Chinese TV series will be screened through mainstream media and online platforms in Laos and Indonesia.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN. The TV Week will focus on the fruitful achievements of China and ASEAN countries in overcoming the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and deepening audio-visual cooperation, said Yan Ni, an official of China's National Radio and Television Administration. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 18:24:03|Editor: huaxia

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Vials are seen during the fill and finish operation for Sinovac vaccines at Malaysian pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- In a low-rise building of Malaysian pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga Life Sciences (PLS) on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the fill and finish operation is going on for the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine.

The unassuming site has run non-stop -- 24 hours a day and seven days a week -- as a crucial part of Malaysia combating COVID-19. It also marks the close cooperation between the Southeast Asian country and China in time of the COVID-19 crisis.

Manufacturing head Mohd Saharuddin Othman was still excited when recalling the arrival of first Sinovac vaccines from China on Feb. 27.

"It was a very emotional moment when the first bulk arrived ... in our warehouse, I think the team was all motivated, to start to do the fill and finish," he said, "The team knows this is our responsibility. This is our key moment ... to support the government in fighting this COVID-19 pandemic."

Sinovac and Pharmaniaga in January signed the agreement on cooperation in localizing the fill-and-finish process of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine, a move marking a milestone in Malaysia's pharmaceutical industry.

Production manager Mohd Ridhwan Kalantar Mastan has overseen the Sinovac vaccine fill and finish operation at Pharmaniaga from the very beginning.

"The moment that we find out that we will be part of this collaboration with Sinovac was a moment of relief," said the manager. "Knowing that we can be able to produce vaccine locally, and this vaccine can be used for our people and our nation, a lot faster than what we would have if we don't have Sinovac and Pharmaniaga to help us to do this."

"So a very great sense of relief and a very great sense of pride and I'm proud as well to be part of this core team, to help the nation, to save lives and also even our family's lives as well," he said.

The coronavirus epidemic in Malaysia has worsened since the beginning of 2021, recording a daily high of 24,599 new cases on Aug. 26. As protracted restrictions took heavy tolls on economy and livelihoods, the Malaysian government has pinned its hope on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mohd Ridhwan and Pharmaniaga workers have been racing against time to make sure the CoronaVac doses are available for the national inoculation program.

No public holidays for the non-stop production, Mohd Ridhwan said while observing the workflow.

They never lacked the will in preparing the vaccine for Malaysians' fight against COVID-19, and took pride in their role in the efforts towards ending the pandemic.

"I take this role very seriously, as well because as a pharmacist, and production manager, our role is to ensure that the products being produced are safe at all times, and they are effective at all times," he said.

Their efforts paid off. The locally fill-and-finish Sinovac jabs have been in use since getting regulatory approval in April.

They have completed some 14 million doses ahead of schedule as of July, according to the manager.

The Malaysian government earlier approved the Sinovac vaccine for the use for teenagers aged 12 to 17 from Oct. 1.

As of Oct. 10, 90 percent of the Malaysian adult population have been fully vaccinated.

Mohd Saharuddin said the cooperation with Sinovac and its willingness to be engaging and open in technology transfer, enables Pharmaniaga to successfully build its CoronaVac operation on the Chinese technology and expertise on human vaccines.

He said the two sides have overcome in the collaboration many difficulties due to COVID-19, especially travel restrictions by using the digital and video conferencing technology, in addition to the language barrier.

A grateful Mohd Ridhwan was proud of making the vaccine fill-and-finish process happen.

"I think this transfer of technology of COVID-19 vaccine is a big, monumental technology transfer between country to country. We can also show and prove already that it is able to be done when we have the necessary guidance, and advice and technology source, then we can also replicate that in a different factory, with the collaboration of all the people," he said.

The smooth collaboration was noted in the phone conversation between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on Sept. 29.

Saifuddin thanked China on the vaccine collaboration and Wang also pledged continued support from China for Malaysia's pandemic response including for the vaccine collaboration, as well as joint efforts in tackling post-pandemic challenges. Enditem


Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 18:36:52|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is the founder of Pakistani nuclear program, passed away over lung problems on Sunday at the age of 85, his family confirmed to local media.

Khan's health condition started deteriorating on Saturday night, after which he was rushed to the Khan Research Laboratories Hospital in the capital Islamabad, according to his family members.

Earlier in August, the nuclear scientist was admitted to the same hospital after testing positive for COVID-19. He had been moved back home after being successfully treated for the coronavirus disease, according to government officials.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his condolences to the family of the nuclear scientist, saying on Twitter that he was loved by the nation because of "his critical contribution in making Pakistan a nuclear weapon state."

"For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon," the prime minister said.

Pakistani President Arif Alvi said in a tweet that the nuclear scientist has helped Pakistan "develop nation-saving nuclear deterrence, and a grateful nation will never forget his services in this regard." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 20:23:43|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- India boasts about 70 percent of the world's tiger population with its tigers' headcount rose to 2,967 in 2021 from 2,226 in 2014, according to a government survey.

Last week one more tiger habitat was added in India's list of over 50 tiger reserves nationwide. The latest is the Guru Ghasidas National Park located in the northern area of the central state of Chhattisgarh, which, along with the adjacent Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary, has been declared as a tiger reserve.

The newest tiger habitat is the fourth of its kind in Chhattisgarh, after the Udanti Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati tiger reserves.

India has established many wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, with a track-record of conservation and dedicated care of over 100,000 wildlife species.

India has made efforts over the years to conserve biological diversity, which bore fruits in terms of increasing the headcount of several species that were endangered and once on the verge of extinction.

For example, the "Save the Tiger" campaign began in 2010 after serious concerns were raised over the dwindling numbers of the big cats in this South Asian country. The campaign's main aim was to build public awareness about saving the wild beast.

Similar campaigns have been conducted in India to keep up wildlife conservation, particularly for those species declared as being endangered or faced with extinction over the past decades.

In a bid to save the one-horned rhino, a rare species found in India, nearly 2,500 rhino horns were burnt and destroyed in the eastern state of Assam recently to mark the World Rhino Day.

Official data showed that as of March 2020, India had a total of 688 animal species and 428 plants included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable categories, as compared to 646 species in 2014, and 413 in 2009. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-10 21:07:48|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has managed to increase forested areas and the population of endangered animals, tigers and one-horned rhinos in particular, in its efforts to preserve biodiversity over the years.

The forested areas in the country have reached 45 percent of the total land area. "This is a significant jump from less than 30 percent in the early 1990s," Megh Nath Kafle, spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests and Environment, told Xinhua.

A network of 20 protected areas covers nearly 24 percent of the total forest areas and manages over 243 watersheds, according to the ministry.

Nepali officials and experts attribute the success mainly to the community-based forest management system.

In 1957, the Nepali government nationalized the privately-owned forest resources and continued to expand governments' role in forest protection and management till early 1970s. In late 1970s, a community-based forest management system was introduced, and there are over 22,000 forest user groups now across the country which have been proved to be vital in preserving forest resources.

"The preservation of forest resources under the community-based forest management system, the migration of people from hilly areas to plain areas leaving forests to grow, and the increasing use of cooking gas instead of fire woods have all contributed to the growth of the areas covered by forest," said Prabhu Budhathoki, an expert on biodiversity conservation.

According to the Forests Ministry, Nepal boasts an ecologically diverse landscape which is home to many different species of flora and fauna. The South Asian country has as many as 35 different vegetation types and 118 ecosystems.

"The community-based forest management system has played an important role not only in expanding the forested areas, but also in preserving biodiversity and wildlife in forests managed by community forestry user groups," said Bharati Kumari Pathak, chairperson of the Federation of Community Forestry Users in Nepal.

She highlighted the preservation of certain species of trees, including Shorea robusta, locally known as Sal, Acacia catechu, locally known as Khair, and Dalbergia, locally known as Sissoo.

For the protection of vulnerable wildlife species, small zoos have been developed inside community forests, she said.

Besides notable progress in forest protection, Nepal has also made efforts in preserving tigers and one-horned rhinos, both endangered species.

When the Nepali government declared in 2018 that the tiger population in the country had reached 235 from 121 in 2009, it put Nepal ahead of other countries on track to meet the international goal of doubling the tiger population by 2022.

In 2010, Nepal, along with other range countries, endorsed the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation. Since then, the country has been conducting a four-year periodic assessment to track the progress toward reaching the national target of 250 tigers.

In April this year, Nepal declared that the number of one-horned rhinos had increased to 752 from 645 in 2015. The Himalayan country is among a few countries where the greater one-horned rhinos occur.

The conservation efforts in both Nepal and India are lauded, as one-horned rhinos were once on the verge of extinction with just 200 living by 1900s, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

"Nepal has set an example in the conservation of tigers and one-horned rhinos, and is ahead of any other country in increasing the tiger population," said Budhathoki, a former member of the National Planning Commission. "The international community should help Nepal continue the preservation efforts as the county, despite being one of the poorest in the world, has invested heavily for the preservation of important species."

Poaching for illegal trade in rhino horns has remained the biggest threat, and Nepal has mobilized its army to fight the poaching, noted Budhathoki. Enditem
El presidente @PedroCastilloTe envio una misiva al Secretario General de la @OCDE_fr, Mathias Cormann, en la que ratifico la firme aspiracion del Peru de incorporarse como miembro de esta organizacion, a fin de elevar los estandares en la implementacion de politicas publicas.
Limitar la cuestion de confianza es limpiar el camino para la vacancia presidencial. Romper el equilibrio de poderes es acabar con la democracia. Por el bien de la gobernabilidad, el Congreso debe actuar responsablemente.
#VacunateYa! | Un lote de 1 245 900 dosis de la vacuna contra la #COVID19 fue recibido por el ministro de Salud, Hernando Cevallos, quien anuncio que se fortalecera la vacunacion en regiones y que este lunes se incluira a un nuevo grupo etario en Lima Metropolitana y Callao. pic.twitter.com/MRgMBQGjii
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with his Israeli and United Arab Emirates counterparts next week to discuss progress made on the so-called Abraham Accords as well regional security, the U.S. State Department said on Saturday.

Blinken will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed on Wednesday in separate bilateral meetings and in a trilateral setting, the State Department said in a statement.

"They will discuss progress made since the signing of the Abraham Accords last year, future opportunities for collaboration, and bilateral issues including regional security and stability," the State Department said.

Blinken last month pledged to encourage more Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel as he hosted a virtual meeting with Israeli and Arab counterparts to mark the first anniversary of the set of landmark diplomatic agreements.

The leaders of Israel, the UAE and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, widely seen as a diplomatic success for former President Donald Trump, at the White House in September of last year.

Israel and Sudan announced in the following month that they would normalize relations, and Morocco established diplomatic ties with Israel in December, after President Joe Biden defeated Trump in the U.S. election.

Biden has backed the deals since taking office in January, and senior aides have said they were working to get additional Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel after decades of enmity.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Alistair Bell)
PORT BYRON  What was Brenda's is now Brian and Bonnie's.

The former Brenda's Diner on Route 31 in Port Byron reopened Oct. 1 as Potters Farm to Fork, a restaurant under the management of longtime business partners Brian Potter and Bonnie Buonomo.

Potter, a native of Weedsport, worked on his family's dairy farm before getting his first "real" job at the Old Erie Restaurant in the village, where he worked for 15 years.

Those two passions are represented by the name of the new restaurant, he told The Citizen on Wednesday in its rear dining room.

"The name is about my journey, growing up on a dairy farm where you learn hard work and what it takes to make a dollar. It isn't easy, nor is the restaurant business," he said.

If you go WHAT: Potters Farm to Fork WHEN: Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays WHERE: 1951 Route 31, Port Byron INFO: Call (315) 776-3300 or visit facebook.com/eatatpotters

"But there is something very satisfying about making people happy and feeding people."

Potter left Weedsport for Phoenix, Arizona, where he lived and worked in food service for years before returning to the area. He met Buonomo at the University of Rochester. They worked at a campus hotel until March, when the owner of their company passed away. He was going to support their opening of a restaurant on campus, but without him, they decided to set out on their own.

Potter and Buonomo looked at restaurants in Rochester, and then one in the Thousand Islands, but felt those markets were too saturated and seasonal, respectively. So they started looking in Potter's hometown. The Old Erie, which he tried to buy in 2005, had deteriorated to the point of being a money pit, he said. They also looked at Devaney's Riverside Grill in Weedsport.

After visiting Devaney's, Potter and Buonomo happened to go to Brenda's Diner for lunch. When they learned that owner Brenda Hirsch was looking to sell her business, Potter was hesitant at first.

"I've never been passionate about breakfast," he said with a laugh. "I'm not a morning guy, so that part of it scared me. I'm a lunch and dinner guy. I like having a bar, and we don't have a bar here."

What won Potter and Buonomo over, though, was the space at the Route 31 restaurant. Along with the traditional diner counter and seating, it has a dining hall several times bigger in the back, as well as a private room that can be used for banquets and other events. With the Old Erie and Devaney's closed, he and Buonomo saw an opportunity to become the new destination for those events.

The partners bought the restaurant in July. They spent the next few months replacing its kitchen equipment and decor, and renovating the building with the help of family.

The menu, Potter said, is "a more approachable version of farm-to-table." The restaurant sources local ingredients when it can, like beef and pork from Rosencrans Local Market in Auburn and produce from Owen Orchards in Sennett, whose hard cider is used in a popular Drunken Pork Chop entree. But Potters doesn't fully meet the definition of farm-to-table, and that's by design.

"Farm-to-table can scare people away with pricing, then you get into the organic stuff," Potter said. "To me, it's more about having it be fresh and local, and keeping it affordable for families."

Similarly, Potters isn't a diner by name, but its owners said they aren't offended to be called one. Diners are "quintessentially American," Potter said, and celebrate farmers and other blue-collar workers like his and Buonomo's restaurant. They also celebrate the community, which Potters does by giving agricultural workers lifetime 15% discounts, and serving Panther and Warrior loaded baked potatoes. Customers select between the Port Byron and Weedsport mascots when they order the potato, and $1 from the sale is donated to that school district's parent-teacher association.

"That's what makes a small town tick," Potter said. "Everybody helping each other out."

Lake Life Editor David Wilcox can be reached at (315) 282-2245 or david.wilcox@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @drwilcox.

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Since 1972, October in the Catholic Church has been referred to as Respect Life Month. Some people immediately jump to the conclusion that this is just another anti-abortion message. Yes, the Catholic Church certainly does not support abortion, but "Respect Life" is not only about the unborn child, but about all issues that pertain to human life.

As a gift of God, every human life is sacred from conception to natural death. For the Catholic Church, there is no distinction between defending human life and promoting the dignity of the human person. Pope Francis summarized Respect Life best when he said: Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of Gods creation, made in Gods own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.

Some wonder why the Catholic Church is so concerned about life issues. After all, are not all these issues very personal, and should they not be left up to peoples ability to make their own choices? Of course, people should make their own decisions. But personal decisions should be informed decisions. These personal issues have ethical and moral dimensions, and have a profound effect upon society and the common good.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote in his Encyclical Caritas in Veritate that "The Church forcefully maintains the link between life ethics and social ethics, fully aware that a society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized. (No. 15).

Currently, the Catholic Church is in the midst of celebrating the Year of St. Joseph. So, this year, we are looking to the witness of St. Joseph as a defender of life. He didnt hesitate to follow Gods will of faithfully caring for and protecting Jesus and the Blessed Mother. St. Josephs example reminds us that we also are to care for, protect, and defend the lives of our brothers and sisters. In the Bible, we see that St. Joseph makes sacrifices out of his love for Jesus and Mary. Over and over, he shows himself to be a faithful protector of them both.

After an angel of God appeared to St. Joseph in a dream, Joseph welcomed Mary into his home, even though her pregnancy was mysterious. On the long road to Bethlehem, Joseph guided and provided for Mary and the unborn Christ child. He welcomed Jesus as his own son in a humble stable and loved him with a fathers heart. When the infant Jesus life was threatened by Herod, Joseph left the comfort and familiarity of his homeland and fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to protect Him. And as Jesus was growing up, he learned from Joseph to do the will of the Father. In every circumstance, St. Joseph cared for, defended and protected the gift of life that had been given by God.

During this Respect Life Month, we can start to become more like St. Joseph by asking ourselves a few questions and reflecting on them: Do we realize how precious every person is? As we go about our daily activities, do we treat people respectfully? How can we help those in our society who are struggling to welcome new life, like moms who are pregnant or parenting in difficult circumstances? How can we reach out to those having a hard time seeing the worth of their own life? How do we reassure those at the end of life who are afraid they are a burden or feel like their lives dont have meaning?

At times, we may feel like we cant make a difference, or that were unequipped for what God is asking of us. But St. Joseph teaches us that faith in God includes believing that he can work even through our fears, our frailties and our weaknesses. When human life is threatened, when our brothers and sisters need support welcoming or embracing life, may we lovingly respond with the faithfulness of Joseph.

The Rev. Frank E. Lioi is pastor of St. Marys Church and SS. Mary & Martha Parish (St. Francis and St. Hyacinth churches) in Auburn, Our Lady of the Snow Parish (St. Joseph Church, Weedsport, and St. Patrick Church, Cato) in northern Cayuga County, and dean of the East Region (Cayuga and Tompkins counties) of the Diocese of Rochester. He can be reached at flioi@dor.org.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has plans for the electric-car plant near Berlin to start producing vehicles as early as next month even as the company is still awaiting final approval due to various legal challenges, Bloomberg reported.

Tesla's Germany factory will manufacture Model Y electric sedans in November or December, Musk said during his visit to the facility in Gruenheide, where Tesla hosted thousands of locals at a county fair.

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The factory will likely source batteries for electric vehicles from Teslas facilities in China until a battery cell factory in Germany is completed.

(Also read | In Tesla vs California, EV giant is shifting its headquarters to Texas)

Musk also highlighted that starting of volume production will be the hard part, adding that Tesla has targets of making between 5,000 and 10,000 electric vehicles vehicles every week at the factory by the end of next year. We are going to need a lot of talented, hardworking people to get there," he said, as quoted by Bloomberg.

The factory is in its final stretch of construction but is still awaiting final approval for the project that is key part of its European expansion plans. With Tesla's new facility, Germany will benefit from new jobs.

(Also read | No 'Made-in-China' Tesla for India: Nitin Gadkari bats for local production)

Progress of Tesla's Berlin factory has not been smooth as the carmaker has been struggling with lawsuits from environmental groups concerned about water use and wildlife. This has even led the construction and production of the plant to get delayed by several months. Tesla eventually plans to make as many as 500,000 vehicles at the factory, alongside production of battery cells.

Locals alone have filed more than 800 complaints against the factory that are currently being discussed via an online consultation process that will last until October 14. The regions environmental authorities have vowed to make a decision on final approval only after that process ends.
After 17 years of growth, China's divorce rate has registered a precipitous decline. About 966,000 couples divorced in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. That is a nearly 40 percent decline year-on-year or a 52 percent plunge compared with the same period in 2019.

The statistical about-face came after China's first Civil Code took effect this year. A new rule in the code's family and marriage chapter requires couples to go through a monthlong cooling-off period before a divorce can be granted.

The delay, as legislators have explained, is intended to stave off impulsive decisions by young couples and it does not apply in split-ups involving domestic violence. But some maintained the rule can also delay divorces for victims as domestic violence is hard to prove in court.

Ding Jianlue, an associate professor of psychology at Jilin University, sees the new rule as the immediate cause for the downtick. But he doubts if the trend will continue.

"It's possible that couples calm down and decide to call off their divorce, but they can only calm down temporarily," he said. "I suspect that divorces will increase in the coming years."

Figures from a number of registration offices pointed to the effectiveness of the new rule, with large numbers of couples who filed for divorce earlier this year not going ahead with the decision after the cooling-off period.

For example, more than 1,200 couples visited such offices in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, in January to dissolve their marriages, but only one-third followed through with their decisions. Nearly 60 percent of applicants did so in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province.

Wan Fei, who heads an anti-domestic violence group in Hubei, said the new rule means a couple needs to visit registration offices at least twice, making it harder for those living in separate cities to proceed.

"It's very inconvenient, making people postpone a divorce indefinitely," he said.

His theory is relevant given that about 376 million people, or one in every four people in the Chinese mainland, were classified as migrants in the latest census data published in May. It's not uncommon for husbands to work all year long in coastal factories where they can earn considerately more than in their hometown, while their wives care for their children in rural areas.

The husband's enlarged social circle and the readily available dating apps have all made long-distance relationships less stable, said Wan, a retired police officer.

Reformed process

Couples in China can divorce by agreement, and in that case husbands and wives can go directly to registration offices to file for a split-up. Divorces can also be granted by a court if couples cannot reach an agreement on issues related to property and children.

When China scrapped a monthlong approval process for divorce in 2003, the nation had what some experts have called a very streamlined divorce process. In most cases, divorces were granted on the day of application.

That led the number of divorces by agreement to soar. In 2001, roughly 42 percent of divorces were by agreement, and by 2015, the ratio was 82 percent, according to the ministry.

Now with the cooling-off period in place, Wan feared more couples are heading to courts.

Apart from the prolonged divorce process, Zhang Jing, a family development researcher at Beijing University of Technology, said the easing of epidemic-control measures may also have played a role in the downtick.

Early last year, stay-at-home mandates were widely introduced to control the COVID-19 contagion. The confinement strained faltering relationships, according to many relationship experts. A surge of divorce applications inundated registration offices nationwide, ranging from northwestern China's Shaanxi province to the central province of Hubei and Shanghai on the wealthier eastern coast.

Now that the world is well into the second year of the pandemic, "Chinese people have psychologically adapted to the virus and know how to better deal with relationships amid the recurring restrictions," she said.

The sharp drop in divorces came as the central authorities have emphasized the role of the family in social governance and the central authorities are moving to bolster marriage and fertility rates to decelerate the aging process.

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in November 2019 passed a resolution to bolster modern social governance, which said the family should play a large role in community-level governance and serve as a vehicle for moral education.

Officials say that the family is the basic unit of society, and given these circumstances, divorce is discouraged in policymaking, said Ding from Jilin University.

Many researchers said measures aimed to let couples think twice before deciding on a divorce are particularly relevant in China, where the family plays a large part in caring for the young and old.






Today marks the 152nd year anniversary of Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address. Here are five facts about one of historys most famous  and famously brief  speeches:

1. The Gettysburg Address was not written on the back of an envelope. Despite the popular legend that Lincoln wrote the speech on the train while traveling to Pennsylvania, he probably wrote about half of it before leaving the White House on November 18.

2. Much of the language and thematic content of the speech had been used by Lincoln before. The radical aspect of the speech was Lincolns assertion that the Declaration of Independence  and not the Constitution  was the true expression of the founding fathers intentions for their new nation.

3. There are five different versions of the speech. The most widely quoted one is the oldest.

4. Now regarded as one of the great speeches of history, the address was initially greeted with criticism by many newspapers. The Democratic Chicago Times called the address a perversion of history so flagrant that the extended charity cannot regard it as otherwise than willful.

5. God is the only proper name mentioned in the speech. The name of the battle is not mentioned.
Elon "Pedo Guy" Musk, once sued over his name-calling of a helpful person, suggests he was so enraged by a California Assemblyperson's mean tweet that he is moving his headquarters.

Daily Beast:

Tesla founder Elon Musk indicated Friday that his decision to relocate the company to Texas was prompted by a California lawmaker's mean tweet. In May 2020, when the pandemic was raging and Musk opened Tesla's factory in defiance of local restrictions, California Assemblywoman Lorena S. Gonzalez tweeted "F*k Elon Musk." In subsequent tweets, she said California had highly subsidized a company that had "always disregarded worker safety & well-being, has engaged in union busting & bullies public servants." On Friday, shortly after Musk announced the move, a Tesla fan site tweeted a blog post titled, "Tesla Moved its HQ to Texas Following Explicit Offer from California Assemblywoman," to which Musk replied, "Exactly."
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 9, 2021) - For 175 years, the Associated Press has provided the world with accurate and fast news reporting of the most important events around the globe. With fearless staff and news bureaus in 250 locations in 100 countries, AP journalists have covered moments of great joy, scientific breakthroughs, achievement, and accomplishment as well as moments of loss, despair and agony.

AP is dropping a unique, curated collection of its rare, archived news reporting of the most memorable moments in recent world history. To release this unique series of collectibles, AP is collaborating with Metalist Lab and the collection will drop on the Binance NFT marketplace on October 19th, at 12pm UTC.





Project Official Announcement

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The collectibles feature AP's coverage over the past 100 years of milestones in space, global conflicts, science and discovery, and human freedoms and advancement. The news reporting at the core of this collection consists of high-resolution images distributed around the world by AP at the time of the events.





Wedding of the Century

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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In addition to this historic photojournalism, the collection also includes rarely seen digitized copies of the most important "News Wire Flashes" transmitted by AP with urgency to newsrooms around the world. Such flashes were the first word on events such as the moon landing and the end of WWII in Europe. In fact, AP was the first news agency in the world to report the end of that conflict.





Normandy Landing

o view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The collectibles also include some of the news agency's most beautiful images, such as the super blue blood moon photographed by AP in 2018, an event that's only occurred once in 152 years.

Story continues





Super Blue Blood Moon

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The Associated Press believes that facts belong onchain and distribution of this historic news reporting to the blockchain is nothing short of vital for the preservation of world history.

About Metalist Lab:

Metalist Lab is based in Australia, and is a world-leading publisher of NFTs. It brings countless outstanding NFT designers together with the top names in encryption technology, and has worked with game companies such as NetEase, news and communications agencies such as the Associated Press, as well as many high-level artists and their IPs. Recently it's been distributing NFTs for NetEase's globally-popular game Naraka: Bladepoint, as well as the The AP Unique Moments NFT series.

Media Contact

Company Name:Metalist Lab

Contact: Sharona Lee

E-Mail: Rona@metalist.io

Telephone:+61-0401029450

Official websitehttps://metalist.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99138
HANOI, VIETNAM --News Direct-- Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 9 October 2021 - VinUniversity Global Case Competition (VGCC) is an annual competition organized by VinUniversity with support of Cornell University. This annual competition confronts participating teams with global business problems, based on real challenges facing real businesses/sectors. The competition asks teams of students from diverse educational and ethnic backgrounds to work together in order to maximize their chances of winning.

VGCC 1: Prof. Rohit Verma, Provost of VinUniversity and Mr. Michael Lohscheller, CEO of VinFast Global shared with students during the webinar introducing the competition. The Organizing Committee is currently receiving registration before 11:59 am (GMT + 7) on October 17, 2021.

According to plan, each year VGCC will collaborate with a business to come up with a realistic case study. The theme of VGCC 2021 is "VinFast  Go Global": How can VinFast  a young Vietnamese business  lead the "green" movement and establish a permanent presence in the US market with its electric vehicle models. The competition's methodology and case were designed with the consultation of Cornell University, a world-class Ivy League institution.

Just 8 weeks after its inauguration, the competition received approximately 2.000 applications from Vietnam and other world-leading universities around the world, such as the University of Oxford (UK), Duke University (USA), Nanyang Technology University (Singapore), Warwick University (UK), among many others.

The electric vehicle industry has gained increasing attention around the world. "We see that around the world, climate change is obviously one of a key topics and sector in term of automobile is supporting this change. Therefore, electric vehicles play a key role." - shared Mr. Michael Lohscheller, CEO of VinFast Global in the conference introducing the competition.

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Furthermore, electric vehicles will open up opportunities for the development of a myriad of other supporting industries and technology, such as Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, which would improve living standards and customer experience.

The biggest appeal of this year's theme is the inspirational story of VinFast, with its pioneering and "borderless" approach. "VGCC is a bold and outstanding move from a Vietnamese university and an ambitious Vietnamese enterprise. VinFast, with its "Make in Vietnam" brand, brings the desire to lead and promote the global 'green' revolution. VinUni, a fledgling university, has pioneered in its call for global students to participate in solving the question of expansion into the US market, one of the most fiercely competitive markets in the world. Unprecedented stories tend to have a great appeal and arouse participating teams' desires to conquer", shared Prof. Rohit Verma, Provost of VinUniversity.

Through VGCC, students from various disciplines, such as business administration, engineering, or computer science, have to join forces and put their knowledge into practice. Students will be trained in teamwork, research, analytical skills, in addition to problem-solving and leadership skills. Such "real learning  real practice" activities contribute to the attraction of VGCC and demonstrate VinUni's educational philosophy, preparing students for the real world post-graduation.

VGCC is held virtually from October 4th to November 14th, 2021 with a total prize value of nearly 400 million VND (equivalent to 17,000 USD), including the First Prize worth more than 200 million VND (10,000 USD). Each participating team consists of 3-4 members, who can come from different universities or countries. Team registration must be completed on the program's official website https://vinuni-globalcase.com/ before 11:59 AM (GMT+7) on October 17th, 2021. The top 10 teams will be selected to move on to the final round, which is scheduled to take place in November 2021. In addition to the First Prize, the winning team will have the chance to work directly with the business and carry out their solution.

About VinUniversity (VinUni)

VinUniversity (VinUni) is an excellent, private, not-for-profit university established by Vingroup. VinUni aspires to develop talents for the future, to make a breakthrough in Vietnam higher education and to become a world-class university. With the goal of becoming one of the top 50 young universities of the world, VinUni has built strategic partnership with two of the world top 20 Universities, namely Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania.

About VinFast

VinFast is a member of Vingroup - one of Asia's largest private corporations. With a vision to become a leading smart electric vehicle brand, VinFast has recently opened its branches in the US, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The company is also actively preparing for the global launch of its electric vehicle models.

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View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/vinuniversity-launches-global-case-competition-300025599
Speaker / Lectures

Robert Owen, Harmonic Passions and the Practice of Happiness

Join Dr. Matthew Roberts as he examines Robert Owen's definition of happiness.

Universal happiness was the goal of Robert Owens new moral world or the rational system of society, and he promised to eradicate bad passions. If Owens story is well known, much less has been said about what, exactly, he meant by happiness. In Owenite formulation, happiness meant something quite specific and tended to be used relatively: in short, happiness denoted the absence of negative feelings, and was to be achieved in quite prescriptive ways. As this presentation will show, the feeling of happiness for Owenites was inseparable from its practice. Focusing on the tensions and contradiction in Owens formulation of happiness  and feelings more generally  sheds new light on the reasons why Owenism failed on both sides of the Atlantic.

Matthew Roberts is an Associate Professor in Modern British History at Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom. He is a historian of nineteenth-century Britain and the Anglophone Atlantic World, and works mainly on the history of popular politics and protest, the visual and material culture of politics and more recently the history of emotions. His book Chartism, Commemoration and the Cult of the Radical Hero was published by Routledge in 2020, and is now available in paperback. His talk on Robert Owen arises from his current book project, Democratic Passions: The Politics of Feeling in British Radicalism, 18091848, which will be published by Manchester University Press in May 2022.

Please register in advance for this program. To do so visit usi.edu/250virtual. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  Actor Jake Cuenca was arrested by authorities on Saturday after he tried to evade arrest following a traffic incident that led to a police chase from Mandaluyong City to Pasig.

Authorities said the incident began at around 8:30 p.m. on the corner of Pantaleon and Silangan Streets in Bgy. Barangka Ibaba, Mandaluyong City, where Cuenca's off-road vehicle accidentally hit another vehicle owned by police officer.

But instead of stopping, Cuenca allegedly tried to flee the scene, hitting a steel barrier, the police said. The actor also ignored a police checkpoint in the ensuing chase.

The police report said authorities were forced to shoot at the tires of Cuenca's vehicle before he was cornered along Shaw Blvd., Barangay Kapitolyo in Pasig City.

A bystander was hit with by a stray bullet in the incident and was immediately brought to the Rizal Medical Center for treatment.

Cuenca was brought to the Mandaluyong Police Station where appropriate complaints against him were filed.

A separate investigation on the stray bullet incident is being conducted, the authorities said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  A Filipino nurse in the United States died on Sunday (Philippine time) after she was assaulted by a mentally disturbed homeless man in New York City, the Philippine Consulate General in New York said in a statement.

The assault caused head trauma to 58-year-old Maria Ambrocio from Bayonne, New Jersey, which led her to be placed on life support in a hospital, the consulate general said in a statement.

The diplomatic mission said the life support was later removed.

Maria was walking with a kababayan near Times Square after visiting the Philippine Consulate General when she was struck by the suspect who was reportedly being chased after grabbing a mobile phone from someone, the statement read.

The consulate general added that many Filipinos, most of them senior citizens, have been violently assaulted by individuals with mental health issues since January.

We have joined calls for authorities to take the necessary steps, including heightened police visibility, to protect the public after we noted the surge in anti-Asian hate incidents that targeted some of our kababayan, it said.

We also supported calls for authorities to take the necessary measures to address mental health issues, especially among the homeless.

Last March, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed that a note verbale was sent to the US State Department calling for action on the rising criminal acts against Asian-Americans in various states.

US President Joe Biden in May signed into law the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, which seeks to counter hate crimes against Asian-Americans during the pandemic.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  The country received its first ever surface-to-air missiles that will be used for the Philippine Navys two missile-capable frigates.

The Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles that will be placed on Philippine Navy frigates BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna arrived at the Subic Bay International Airport on Oct. 8.

The arrival of these missiles will greatly capacitate our frigates in the conduct of their maritime operations, said Commander Benjo Negranza, director of the Philippine Navy naval public affairs office.

Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado, Philippine Navys flag officer in-command, confirmed it is the first time that the country acquired such kind of missiles.

This is a game changer. We are becoming modern and multi-capable, said Bordado.

The Asia Pacific Defense Journal said in a report that the Philippine Navy acquired the missiles for 10.69 million euros (equivalent to some P625.95 million) through a negotiated deal with French missiles firm MBDA.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also welcomed the arrival of the new missiles.

"The procurement of missile systems is cost-effective and a reliable addition to a layered defense system, capable of denying enemy intrusion and deterring future attacks by external threats," said AFP spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala.

The Mistral surface-to-air missiles are expected to be fired from the two Navy frigates' Simbad-RC twin mount remote firing system, which can be used against low-level aircraft or anti-ship missiles.

The procurement of the Mistral surface-to-air missiles is part of the Philippine Navy's Frigate Acquisition Project, which seeks to modernize the country's naval force to boost its maritime defense and development, the Navy said.

BRP Jose Rizal, the countrys first missile-capable warship, was delivered to the country in May last year while the BRP Antonio Luna arrived last February.

CNN Philippines correspondent David Santos contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Araneta City, the City of Firsts, joins the worldwide celebration of Mental Health Awareness Day on Sunday, Oct. 10, through an online discussion about the timely issue of mental health.

As the spread of COVID-19 persists, the impact of the health crisis continues to take a toll on everyone's well-being.

Mental health challenges remain a crucial issue as more people experience stress, anxiety, and other pandemic-triggered mental health woes.

Two mental health advocates  Binibining Araneta City 2021 Francesca Taruc and registered psychologist JB Bacaoco  engage in a motivating discussion to shed light on the issue of mental health.

Among the topics to be discussed include:

- Managing someone with mental health needs;

- Overcoming your own mental health battles;

- Facing other people and the usual everyday activities when you know you are not okay;

- Understanding and embracing what you are going through; and

- Turning mental health struggles into something positive.

This special virtual talk will air for free on Araneta City's YouTube channel at 4:00PM.

Keep informed and mind your mental health. Dont miss this chance to learn some tips that may help you or your loved ones!
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan, the running mate of Vice President Leni Robredo, has called on Filipinos to make their presence felt in the 2022 general elections as the Philippines continues to suffer from its "worst crises", involving the economy and health.

Pangilinan, who was supposed to seek reelection, said he is considering next year's elections as the "fight of our generation".

"Ito ay laban ng ating henerasyon. Dun sa mga nakikinig at naniniwala, ano pa ang choice natin? Tumaya na tayo at ilaban natin," he said Sunday during Robredo's weekly radio show, where the senator was a guest.

"Masasabi natin na nung panahon na may pinakamatinding krisis sa ekonomiya in the last 40 years, at pinakamatinding krisis sa kalusugan in the last 100 years, at least masasabi natin na nanindigan tayo," Pangilinan added.

[Translation: This is the fight of our generation. Those who listen and believe, what choice is left for us? Lets stand for what we think is right. At least we could say that when the country experienced the worst economic crisis in the last 40 years, and the worst health crisis in the last 100 years, we gave everything we could and stood our ground.]

Late in September, estimates from the state's top economic policy body showed that while the Philippine economy may hit its pre-pandemic level by the end of 2022, it will continue to bleed losses amounting to a whopping 41.4 trillion due to restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

READ: PH losses from pandemic may hit 41.4 trillion over the next 40 years  NEDA

The country's battle against the virus, meanwhile, is far from over as only 23 million Filipinos are fully protected against COVID-19. But the government keeps its optimism to vaccinate 50% to 70% of its target population by end-2021 amid the current flow of fresh vaccines.
(CNN) -- A dispute over wearing a face mask led to the stabbing of an Apple Store security guard Friday, a spokesperson with the New York City Police Department told CNN.

The suspect remains at large.

Officers responded to the West 14th Street location in Manhattan about 6:20 pm ET, Lt. Thomas Antonetti said.

The victim, a 37-year-old male whose identity was not publicly disclosed, did not suffer life-threatening wounds and was sent for treatment to Bellevue Hospital, Antonetti said.

A witness, Roberto Monticello, said he saw the victim and the police responding, telling CNN affiliate WABC, "I saw him when they took him out on a stretcher, two paramedics followed by about five or six policemen, but I did see cops running in and running to the back."

According to Antonetti, the suspect was last seen entering a subway station on 14th Street, and no weapon was found left behind at the scene.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Apple Store security guard stabbed over face mask dispute in NYC".
(CNN) -- More than 140,000 US children have lost a parent or grandparent who takes care of them to Covid-19, CDC researchers reported Thursday, which is as many as one in 500 US kids.

Children from racial and ethnic minorities were far more likely to lose such a caregiver, the CDC-led team found.

"The findings illustrate orphanhood as a hidden and ongoing secondary tragedy caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and emphasizes that identifying and caring for these children throughout their development is a necessary and urgent part of the pandemic response -- both for as long as the pandemic continues, as well as in the post-pandemic era," the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which helped pay for the study, said in a statement.

National Center for Health Statistics data through June showed children of racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 65% of those who lost a primary caregiver, while White children accounted for 35%, even though minorities account for just 39% of the US population.

"During 15 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, 120,630 children in the US experienced death of a primary caregiver, including parents and grandparents providing basic needs, because of Covid-19-associated death. Additionally, 22,007 children experienced death of secondary caregivers, for a total of 142,637 children losing primary or secondary caregivers," the researchers wrote in the journal Pediatrics.

Secondary caregivers included mostly grandparents who provided love, security, or basic care, researchers said.

Worst hit were kids in Southern border states, where Hispanic children accounted for anywhere between 50% and 67% of affected children.

In southeastern states, up to 57% of affected children were Black, and in states with tribal territories, American Indian/Alaska Native children accounted for up to 55% of kids who lost a parent or other primary caregiver to Covid-19.

"Beyond parents, grandparents are increasingly indispensable, often providing basic needs. In the US from 2011 to 2019, 10% of children lived with a grandparent and in 2019, 4.5 million children lived with a grandparent providing their housing. Black, Hispanic, and Asian children are twice as likely as White children to live with a grandparent," the CDC's Susan Hillis and colleagues wrote.

"Loss of parents is associated with mental health problems, shorter schooling, lower self-esteem, sexual risk behaviors, and risks of suicide, violence, sexual abuse, and exploitation," they added.

"Yet, there is hope. Safe and effective vaccines can stop Covid-19-associated orphanhood and death of caregivers from negatively impacting children and families."

Even losing one parent or grandparent can be devastating for children, especially those in marginal situations where they stand to lose their homes, be abused or simply fall into poverty.

"Children facing orphanhood as a result of Covid is a hidden, global pandemic that has sadly not spared the United States," Hillis said in a statement.

"All of us -- especially our children -- will feel the serious immediate and long-term impact of this problem for generations to come. Addressing the loss that these children have experienced -- and continue to experience -- must be one of our top priorities, and it must be woven into all aspects of our emergency response, both now and in the post-pandemic future," Hillis added.

The researchers said government need to pay close attention to the affected children.

"We must ensure children who have lost a parent or caregiver have access to the support services they need, and that this additional impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is comprehensively addressed in both our rapid response and our overall public health response," said Charles Nelson, who studies the effects of adversity on development at Boston Children's Hospital.

In July, Hillis and colleagues published a study in the Lancet medical journal which showed 1.1 million children globally had lost a parent to Covid-19 by April, and 1.5 million had lost either a parent or a grandparent or other relative who helped care for them.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Covid-19 has taken the parents or grandparents of 140,000 US children, and minorities were hit harder".
(CNN) -- Amid the growing prospect of more Covid-19 booster shots becoming available, an expert has suggested that some people could receive a dose of a different vaccine from the one they initially received.

"I hope that when the FDA and CDC review data around Moderna and Johnson & Johnson that they will allow a mix-and-match approach," CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen said Friday.

Vaccine advisers for the US Food and Drug Administration will meet October 14 and 15 to discuss applications for booster doses from Moderna and J&J's vaccine arm Janssen. And on October 20 and 21, vaccine experts with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are slated to discuss the same course of action.

A Pfizer booster shot received emergency use authorization in late September for people 65 and older, people at high risk of severe disease and people whose jobs put them at risk of infection.

Wen, also the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore, said allowing the mix-and-match option is more convenient to those who initially received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in the event either booster shot isn't available where they go for their shot.

"The mRNA vaccines really should be interchangeable," she said.

Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines both use genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA) to deliver immunity, but they use differing doses and slightly different formulations. J&J's Janssen vaccine uses an inactivated common cold virus called adenovirus -- a viral vector -- to carry genetic instructions into the body.

But Wen cautioned that people who received the J&J vaccine may need to consider the risks associated with taking its booster dose.

"We know that there is an association between the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and a very rare --but extremely serious blood clotting disorder-- in women under the age of 50," Wen told CNN. She added while she was fully vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, she'd rather get a different vaccine booster.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said late last month that "mix and match" studies are underway.

"The mix-and-match study in which you look at Moderna as the boost against the other three, those data are now available," Fauci had said at a White House Covid-19 briefing.

The data has not yet been published or submitted to the FDA.

Already, CDC data shows more than 6 million fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose. An average of 417,237 people are getting a booster shot each day, while only 282,317 people are starting their vaccination series each day and 295,072 people are becoming fully vaccinated each day.

Plus, certain people who are immune-compromised can get a third dose, although it's not technically considered a booster because it's likely they did not fully respond to the first two doses.

Overall infections are down, but experts warn against complacency

Still, experts caution that the primary public health focus must remain on getting initial vaccine shots into the arms of the millions of Americans who aren't vaccinated at all.

"As a country, we are definitely trending in the right direction -- finally," Wen said. "The problem, though, is that people really need to look at where they are. Because while there are some places that are really doing very well with high vaccination rates and low infection rates, there are also other places that are still trending in the wrong direction."

Coroanvirus cases and hospitalizations, after jumping in the early summer as the highly contagious Delta variant took hold, have been dropping in recent weeks.

The country averaged 95,917 new cases a day over a week ending Friday -- down 44% from a peak average in the Delta-driven wave reached in mid-September, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The number of Covid-19 patients in US hospitals -- 67,321 as of Friday -- is down 35% from a Delta-wave peak reached in September, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

But experts, including Wen and US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, are warning against complacency as there are still areas showing upward trends in deaths and hospitalizations.

"We're thankfully seeing cases and hospitalizations come down, but it's not a reason for us to take our foot off the accelerator or to relax our guards," Murthy said earlier this week.

In Alabama, infections have decreased in recent weeks, but people are still dying from the disease at high rates, a top state health official said Friday.

"Very thankfully, we've had declines in our number of hospitalizations. ... We're down to just over 1,000 in-patients in the state," State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. He acknowledged that the number was still high, "but it's about two-thirds less than we were seeing a month or so ago."

He added: "We have not really seen a change in the number of deaths, unfortunately."

And Pennsylvania reported the highest number of Covid-19 hospitalizations since February, a spokesperson for the state's health department said. Of the 3,001 people in hospitals with the virus, 680 were in intensive care units Thursday, officials said.

Covid-19 racial and ethnic disparity gap narrows but remains wide

Meanwhile, Black and brown communities have been bearing the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic. Racial and ethnic minority groups had higher rates of hospitalization for Covid-19 and sought emergency department care for Covid-19 more when compared to White people, according to CDC studies published in April.

A new analysis published Friday by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows the difference in Covid-19 cases and deaths between Black, Hispanic and White people is narrowing.

KFF researchers found that while disparities are still present across different racial groups, the gap is improving for Black and Hispanic people, based on an analysis of case and death data from CDC last month. But Covid-19 infections remain high in American Indian and Alaska Native people.

The most recent data included in the report, from September 25, shows a case rate of 96.1 Covid-19 infections for every 100,000 White people. In Hispanic people, this number was 90.8; in Black people, it was 92.7.

The American Indian and Alaska Native communities saw the highest case rate per 100,000 people, at 181. Asian people had the lowest case rate: 42.9 per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, a report from the CDC on Thursday showed that children from racial and ethnic minorities were far more likely to lose a parent or grandparent who takes care of them.

National Center for Health Statistics data through June showed that children of racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 65% of those who lost a primary caregiver, while White children accounted for 35%. That's even though minorities account for just 39% of the US population.

This story was first published on CNN.com "With more Covid-19 booster shots on the horizon, one expert says mixing and matching doses may be an effective approach".
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National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has sold more than 80 percent of seats on domestic flights after ticket sales opened Oct. 10.

Flights between Hanoi and HCMC, and HCMC and the central localities of Thanh Hoa and Hue, Hanoi and Da Nang, have been the most booked.

Flights on these routes are almost full on Oct 10-12, according to a Vietnam Airlines representative. One way tickets on the Hanoi - HCMC and HCMC - Thanh Hoa routes cost VND3.5 million ($154) each; HCMC- Hue and Hanoi - Da Nang, VND2.4 million each.

"I have tried to book a flight back to Hanoi, but the Vietnam Airlines website informed me seats have already been fully booked till Oct. 13," Bui Ngoc Quang, a quality assurance officer at the HCMC University of Social Sciences and Humanities, told VnExpress International Saturday afternoon.

Quang said he wants to fly back to his hometown, a village in Hanois outskirts, as soon as possible, because his wife had recently given birth to a girl baby, their first child, but he has been unable to meet them for weeks. In late August, aviation authorities had instructed airlines to stop selling tickets until further notice as the Covid-19 outbreak raged.

"Tickets for later flights, from Oct. 14-20, are still available, but a one-way fare more than doubled to over VND7.6 million ($334.48), too costly for me," he said.

The government has approved a pilot reopening of several domestic air routes from Oct. 10-20 with further adjustments being made later. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, assigned to resume Hanoi-HCMC flights, runs only one return flight a day, with most tickets sold out due to high demand.

A little bit luckier than Quang, Nguyen Thi Hang, a public servant in the northern city of Hai Phong stuck in HCMC due to strict social distancing in August and September, managed to book a single ticket with budget carrier Vietjet Air at a total of VND3.1 million.

"I have accessed Vietjet Air numerous times, but tickets for flights I want, either several days after Oct. 10 or before Oct. 20, were sold out. Eventually, I succeeded in booking a flight on Oct. 17," she said.

Aviation authorities have decided to restart flights on 19 routes on Sunday after the government approved a 11-day pilot resumption plan.
The survey, carried out in September by Vitas, Lefaso and a working group on public-private partnership, found nearly half of the respondent firms saying they had delivered goods late because of prolonged social distancing.

It took goods 80 days, instead of the previous 40 days, to be shipped to the U.S. from Asia, they noted.

As a result, some foreign customers shifted their orders to other countries, and such shifts can continue over the next five months, said Do Quynh Chi with the Research Center for Employment Relations.However, the shift was temporary and related to serving orders and meeting shopping demand later this year in Europe and the U.S, she added.

Garment and textile exports fell 9 percent month-on-month in September to $3 billion. The figure for the year-to-date was $29 billion. Vietnams footwear exports plunged 44.2 percent year-on-year to about $700 million in September, according to the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso).
Many expats who helped people during the recent lockdowns with food and other items are relieved that things are returning to normal.

Bophathom Vann, 23, has finally returned to Can Tho after spending weeks helping healthcare workers in Ho Chi Minh City take care of Covid-19 patients and collecting test samples from local people.

Now at a quarantine facility, the Cambodian student of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy cannot hide her relief that her volunteering finished last week after HCMC lifted its lockdown and started resuming socio-economic activities.

"My volunteer work is done, but I am happy because life has gradually returned to normal and the outbreak in HCMC is contained."

Sharing her relief are many other foreigners living in HCMC and neighboring localities who were supporting people struggling during the prolonged lockdown.

Robin Deepu (first from right) and his friends deliver food kits to the needy in HCMC, Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Robin Deepu

For them relief and happiness come from the fact that many people around them have survived the lockdowns reasonably well.

"Many people and hospitals in town have told me they can easily access food now, and their lives are slowly getting better," Robin Deepu, owner of three Indian restaurants named Babas Kitchen in HCMC and Hoi An, tells VnExpress International.

"When fewer people are in dire need, life is going back is where it used to be."

During the four-month lockdown the Indian man and his staff delivered up to 1,000 meals a day to local hospitals and people living in locked-down areas across the city.

Deepu spent around VND30 million ($1,319) a day to buy ingredients and cook the food, and did not sack any of his employees either.

In a Facebook post on Sept. 30, the last day of the lockdown, he said he has cooked and distributed over 150,000 meals and more than 4,000 food kits to people in HCMC.

"Today will finally be our last day of serving those most in need in the lockdown... Our gratitude goes to everyone involved in this journey," he said, adding many friends had supported him and his team in their philanthropy works.

Daniel Payne of Thu Duc City, who often provided free meals to people in need together with his Vietnamese friends, says: "Many people have called and told us they can go out to get food or get support from the authorities, so we have happily stopped doing charitable works since the end of the lockdown."

Last weekend the Briton wound up three months of charitable work by checking on a Philippine family in District 8 to whom he regularly sent food before driving around the city and "feel the return of normalcy."

"I have learned that the best thing about helping others is seeing them get better and overcome difficulties."

Bophathom Vann takes nose swabs from a motorbike taxi driver in HCMC, Sept 2021. Photo courtesy of Bophathom Vann

Back to work

Now many expats have plans for their own businesses.

Deepu has reopened his restaurant in District 2, which is only allowed to serve takeout and delivery, but has yet to open the others in District 1 and Hoi An.

He hopes things would soon return to normal and he can fully reopen his business.

"Many people have left Vietnam and schools and some businesses are still closed, so my restaurant in District 2 is slowly recovering.

"I hope people strictly follow Covid instructions, then we will be allowed to serve dine-in customers soon".

In quarantine in Can Tho, Vann has spent time revising her lessons.

"What I want to do most is return to Cambodia to visit my family because I have not met them for two years," she says.

When they knew their daughter was working as a volunteer in Covid epicenter HCMC, her parents, worried for her safety, had objected strongly.

"They knew I was doing meaningful work with support from my Vietnamese friends. So they later agreed."

Some others have opted to leave Vietnam after months of struggling with the pandemic.

Percy Smith, an English teacher in Binh Thanh District who delivered thousands of meals to poor people during the lockdowns, will leave for his hometown in the U.K. next weekend.

Working with a friend named Nguyen Quoc Bao in District 10, he delivered the food to those in need across the city.

"My income has been severely hit by the pandemic and the recent lockdown, but I try to stay positive and spread it to others in town".

He hopes to deliver some more meals this weekend before leaving.

But he promises to return to Vietnam and continue to do charity.

Deepu, saying he will distribute free meals to hospitals twice a month, also says he will never stop his philanthropy journey even after the pandemic is over.

"When doing charitable works, I am supported by lots of kind people in Vietnam. I will keep helping those in need until I cannot."
Passengers check in before boarding at the domestic terminal of Hanois Noi Bai International Airport Sunday afternoon. There is only one flight on Sunday, so the check-in counters were empty.

Starting Oct. 10, aviation authorities have decided to restart flights on 19 routes after the government approved an 11-day pilot resumption plan. From HCMC there would be flights to Binh Dinh, Da Nang, Hue, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Hai Phong, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Phu Quoc, Rach Gia and Gia Lai, the Ministry of Transport said.

Accordingly, there will be flights to HCMC, Da Nang and Can Tho from Hanoi. From Da Nang, flights can be taken to Can Tho City and Buon Ma Thuot in the Central Highlands; and from Thanh Hoa, a flight will take off for Lam Dong Province, home to Da Lat.
A worker from southern Binh Duong Province enters Hai Van Tunnel in central Da Nang City to travel to his hometown in northern Yen Bai, Oct. 6, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

All localities should stop travelers and provide temporary accommodation to keep them safe from the impacts of storms Lionrock and Kompasu, Deputy PM Le Van Thanh has ordered.

At a meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Sunday morning, Thanh said that while storm Lionrock has weakened into a tropical depression, storm Kompasu is likely to hit as thousands of migrants are returning to their hometowns amidst a pandemic.

"It will be very dangerous if we let people go hungry or travel without preparation," Thanh said.

The Deputy PM suggested that the committee assigns responsibilities to localities, requiring them to be careful, noting: "...if the storms hit locations where people are traveling, how will they have shelter?"

He said localities need to carefully discuss solutions amid the flow of people moving around in pandemic times.

Localities may have made some plans, but if they are not careful, they may miss on other possible solutions needed, he added.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep said at the meeting that he has asked provinces and cities including HCMC, Long An, Dong Nai and Binh Duong to inform people about disaster risks in the central province of Ha Tinh and other northern localities over the next ten days, especially in flood-prone spots on National Highway 1 that connects the north and south of the country.

The aim is not to prevent people from returning to their hometowns, but to help them proactively make plans needed to remain safe. Localities that National Highway 1 runs through need to establish stations helping travelers go through flooded areas, Hiep said.

Senior Colonel Nguyen Hong Nguyen, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Ministry of Public Security, said that the police have recorded about 26,000 workers returning to their hometowns from southern provinces on National Highway 1 and Ho Chi Minh Road.

"The flow of people returning home will continue. We have instructed provincial police to stop all movement of people from the south amid storms impacts," Nguyen said, suggesting that provinces use communal houses to shelter people.

Provincial police forces have now mobilized 3,000 soldiers and 8,000 vehicles to monitor more than 2,000 critical traffic points and support people returning to their hometowns.

This morning, storm Lionrock weakened into a tropical depression, according to Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting.

From now until the end of Oct. 11, the storm turned depression will cause downpours in the northeast region and Thanh Hoa Province with average rainfall of 150-200 mm that can go up to more than 250 mm in some locations. The northwest region is likely to receive rainfall of 50-100 mm. Provinces from Nghe An to Quang Binh should expect 100-150 mm of rain, and over 150 mm in some places.

Meanwhile, on the morning of Oct. 12, Kompasu will become the eighth storm to enter the East Sea.

Khiem said that Kompasu will move fast, at about 20-25 kph.

"When passing through the Paracel Islands, due to the influence of cold spell, the storm will weaken before entering the sea near Vietnam. The highest probability is that the storm will hit the Red River Delta and north-central region on Oct. 13-14," Khiem said.
Monday 11 October is a federal holiday in the United States.

Traditionally, the second Monday of October is celebrated as Columbus Day. However, in more recent years, a growing population has opted to shift focus to Indigenous people, the primary victims of European colonization.

This year, President Biden became the first president to release a proclamation marking the holiday as Indigenous People's Day. During the statement released, he called upon the population to honor Americas first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. However, on the same day an additional proclamation to celebrate Colombus Day was also signed by the President, meaning that at the federal level, both celebrations are seen as legitimate.

What will be closed?

All federal offices will be closed as the date is one of eleven federal holidays, including the post office.

Additionally, Colombus Day is celebrated as a paid holiday in:

Alabama

Arizona

Colorado

Connecticut

Georiga

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Utah

Virginia

West Virginia

In these cases, all public offices will be closed with normal operations opening on Tuesday.

Banks and Businesses

Most banks do offer the date as a holiday to their employees. However, most ATMs should be open. However, most supermarkets and retailers will remain open as they do not offer the holiday to their employees. Historically, banks have opted to follow a federal holiday schedule as their operations are more closely linked to the government, and they rely more heavily on the Federal Reserve.

Which states have shifted from Colombus Day to Indigenous People's Day?

Twelve states (Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Wisconsin, and Vermont) and the District of Colombia have remained the holiday since 1990.

South Dakota was the first state to has celebrated Native Americans Day since 1990. Oklahoma observes both holidays on the same day.
Photo for illustration (Source: baodautu.vn)

However, the Southeast Asian nations shipments accounted for only 5 percent of Russias total imports, it said.



In the first 7 months of this year, Vietnam's processed vegetables and fruits imported to Russia reached 30,000 tonnes, valued more than 30 million USD, up 13.8 percent in volume and 51.2 percent in value.

The value of processed vegetables and fruits imported from Vietnam to Russia rose sharply and had a much higher increase pace than the growth in volume thanks to a surge in import prices.

In the 7-month period, the average import price of processed fruits and vegetables from Vietnam to Russia was 1,011.2 USD per tonne, up 32.8 percent over the same period in 2020.

According to the Department of Imports and Exports under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam is the first partner to sign the Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. Under this agreement, nearly 90 percent of tariff lines are cut or reduced, of which 59,3 percent are removed.

This is a good opportunity for Vietnamese exports, including processed fruits and vegetables, which are Vietnam's strong products shipped to Russia./.




Photo for illustration (Source: MoH)

Thuan unveiled the plan when replying to voters' opinions on the issue at an online voter meeting held by the delegation of National Assembly deputies from Ho Chi Minh City.

A large amount of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will come to Vietnam in the near future, the health official said, adding that following a request made by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his recent visit to Cuba, Vietnam is now waiting for Cuba's sending of a dossier on child vaccines for consideration.

Thuan said there will be no shortage of vaccine resources between now and the end of the year, with a minimum of 120 million doses expected to arrive. It is estimated that in 2021, Vietnam will see over 70 percent of its over-18-year-old population injected with one vaccine dose.

The nation has so far distributed 56 million doses of vaccines. As of October 8, some 51.4 doses had been administered, with the number of people aged 18 and older getting one shot reaching 52.3 percent./.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir revealed on Sunday that Ethiopia would have started the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations in October but has delayed it till now due to the war in the Tigray region.

Kiirs statements were given in a press conference that was held in the presidential palace after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi earlier on Sunday.

I was promised by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that he would start negotiations this month on the GERD, but it did not happen because of the war against the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, Kiir said.

According to Kiir, The Ethiopian prime minister is not in a good position now to move forward despite all his capabilities, adding that Ethiopia is facing two problems with Egypt and Sudan in addition to its problem with the Tigray.

For his part, President El-Sisi stated that he reiterated in his talks with his South Sudanese counterpart the necessity of reaching a legally binding agreement on the operation and filing policies of the GERD.

Reaching a legally binding agreement on the GERD will boost stability in the region for all and will open new ways of cooperation between the Nile basins countries, he said.

El-Sisi also stated that he expressed Egypts full support and solidarity with South Sudan, especially with the challenges it is facing from the pandemic, floods, and food shortages, as well as implementing the 2018 peace agreement.

He added that Cairo supports Juba in all development fields, especially in irrigation, health, education, and economy.

During the presser, Kiir praised the Egyptian companies in South Sudan and their contributions to its infrastructure and development projects, from highways networks, electricity grids, telecommunications, and agriculture projects.

According to Kiir, South Sudan is looking forward to fostering this kind of development and providing support to these Egyptian companies as an appreciation for their work in the past few years.

The South Sudanese president also stated that he discussed the latest developments in Sudan how to tackle them.

Egypt and South Sudan should start consultations on how to support Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan to avoid the return of clashes between opposition groups, Kiir said.

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Egypt condemned a terrorist attack that targeted a convoy carrying a number of government officials in the southern port city of Aden in Yemen on Sunday, leaving several people dead and injured.

The Egyptian foreign ministry extended its heartfelt condolences to the victims families as well as the people and government of Yemen in a statement, voicing its solidarity with the sisterly Arab nation in its war on terror.

It also called on all parties involved in the conflict in Yemen to abandon violence and give priority to national interests.

Aden Governor Ahmed Lamlas and Agriculture Minister Salem Al-Suqatri survived the car bomb attack on the motorcade, Yemen News Agency SABA reported.

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Austria's top diplomat Alexander Schallenberg on Sunday said an "enormously challenging task" awaited him after embattled Chancellor Sebastian Kurz named him as his successor in a spectacular leadership change in the EU member.

Kurz -- at age 35 one of Europe's youngest leaders and long celebrated as a "whizz kid" -- announced late Saturday that he was stepping down as chancellor, bowing to pressure to resign after he was implicated in a corruption scandal.

Saying he wanted to "make space to prevent chaos," the conservative -- who has headed two governments over the last four years -- has suggested foreign minister Schallenberg to take over the chancellery.

- 'Crisis over' -

President Alexander Van der Bellen said he would swear in Schallenberg on Monday so that "the work for our country can continue".

"This government crisis is over," he said in a televised national address after a flurry of talks.

In brief comments before meeting the president earlier in the day, Schallenberg spoke of an "enormously challenging task and time, not easy for any of us".

"But I think we are showing an incredible degree of responsibility for this country," the 52-year-old told reporters. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler of the Greens, who had separate meetings with the president and Schallenberg on Sunday, hailed "a new chapter in the government coalition work".

The 59-year-old had already indicated late Saturday that his party would support Schallenberg to keep the conservative-Greens coalition in government.

Pressure on Kurz to resign, including from the Greens, started after prosecutors on Wednesday raided several locations linked to his People's Party (OeVP).

They announced that Kurz and nine other individuals were under investigation over claims that government money was used between 2016 and 2018 in a corrupt deal to ensure positive media coverage.

Kurz has denied any wrongdoing, reiterating on Saturday that allegations against him were "false" and that he would seek to clear up the matter while he continues as party leader and as a lawmaker in parliament.

- 'Place holder' -

Analyst Thomas Hofer said Kurz would, for now, continue to be "the most influential person in the People's Party on the national stage".

"In Kurz' view, Schallenberg is a place holder... Kurz made his move in such a way that he still is in control of the party and the government team on his side," Hofer told AFP.

The opposition has blasted the continued conservative-Greens coalition given the graft investigation, with Social Democrats (SPOe) leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner saying even on the back benches Kurz would remain a "shadow chancellor".

The OeVP-Greens coalition -- a first at a national level -- entered office in January 2020 and has already been put under strain several times by the fallout from other corruption scandals and differences over questions such as refugee policy.

In the latest scandal, prosecutors' core allegation is that between 2016 and 2018 finance ministry resources were used to finance "partially manipulated opinion polls that served an exclusively party-political interest".

This correlates to the time period in which Kurz, already a government minister, took over the leadership of the OeVP and later that of the Alpine nation at the helm of a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe).

Prosecutors allege that payments were made to an unnamed media company -- widely understood to be the Oesterreich tabloid, which was also raided on Wednesday -- in return for publishing these surveys.

In 2019, Kurz's first coalition with the FPOe collapsed after his ally became engulfed in a corruption scandal dubbed "Ibizagate".

But fresh elections once again saw Kurz's OeVP come out on top, leading him to form a coalition with the Greens from January 2020.

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Abdul Qadeer Khan, celebrated as the father of Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme but accused of smuggling technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya, died on Sunday at 85.

The nuclear scientist, who spent the last years of his life under heavy guard, passed away in the capital Islamabad, where he had recently been hospitalised with Covid-19.

Khan had long been hailed a national hero for transforming Pakistan into the world's first Islamic nuclear weapons power and strengthening its clout against rival and fellow nuclear-armed nation India.

But he was declared by the West a dangerous renegade for sharing technology with rogue nuclear states.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan joined a rapidly building chorus voicing grief at the news, lamenting that the country had lost "a national icon".

Arrangements were quickly made for a state funeral Sunday afternoon at Islamabad's Faisal Mosque, with all government ministers and armed forces officers asked to attend. Flags were also ordered to fly at half-mast.

According to Islamic tradition, burials should take place as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours of death.

Just hours after news of Khan's death broke, an orange mechanical digger was busy clearing a grave as mourners began arriving for the service at the giant mosque -- the sixth-largest in the world.

It began raining heavily as Khan's coffin, draped with a Pakistani flag, was carried through a sea of black umbrellas.

Amid tight security, a massive crowd gathered to bid him farewell, with many making videos and snapping pictures as the coffin was carried into a tent-covered area accommodating Khan's family members, ministers and other top officials.

Nearby, thousands of members of the public crammed into an uncovered enclosure, getting soaked as they prayed in the downpour.

- Black market -

Khan was lauded for bringing the nation up to par with India in the atomic field and making its defences "impregnable".

But he found himself in the international crosshairs when he was accused of illegally sharing nuclear technology with Iran, Libya and North Korea.

He confessed in 2004, after the International Atomic Energy Agency -- the UN nuclear watchdog -- put Pakistani scientists at the centre of a global atomic black market.

Pardoned by the nation's military ruler Pervez Musharraf, he was only put under house arrest for five years.

"I saved the country for the first time when I made Pakistan a nuclear nation and saved it again when I confessed and took the whole blame on myself," Khan told AFP in an interview in 2008.

After his house arrest was lifted, he was granted some freedom of movement around the leafy capital, but always flanked by authorities, who he had to inform of his every move.

On Sunday, journalists gathered behind barriers blocking off the street leading to his home in the capital as a procession of cars entered and left the property.

- Best deterrent -

Born in Bhopal, India on April 1, 1936, Khan was just a young boy when his family migrated to Pakistan during the bloody 1947 partition of the sub-continent at the end of British colonial rule.

He did a science degree at Karachi University in 1960, then went on to study metallurgical engineering in Berlin before completing advanced studies in the Netherlands and Belgium.

His crucial contribution to Pakistan's nuclear programme was the procurement of a blueprint for uranium centrifuges, which transform uranium into weapons-grade fuel for nuclear fissile material.

He was charged with stealing it from the Netherlands while working for Anglo-Dutch-German nuclear engineering consortium Urenco, and bringing it back to Pakistan in 1976.

On his return to Pakistan, then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto put Khan in charge of the government's nascent uranium enrichment project.

By 1978, his team had enriched uranium and by 1984 they were ready to detonate a nuclear device, Khan later said in a newspaper interview.

He maintained that nuclear defence was the best deterrent.

After Islamabad carried out atomic tests in 1998 in response to tests by India, Khan insisted Pakistan "never wanted to make nuclear weapons. It was forced to do so".

None of the controversies that dogged Khan's career appeared to dent his popularity at home.

Many schools, universities, institutes and charity hospitals across Pakistan are named after him, his portrait decorating their signs, stationery and websites.

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Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that Egypt believes that finding a political solution is the best way to end the crisis in Yemen in a meeting with his Yemeni counter Maeen Abdulmalik in Cairo on Sunday.

According to a statement released by the Cabinet, Madbouly stated that Egypt supports all efforts aiming to reach a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis in a way that guarantees the unity, sovereignty, and independence of Yemen.

Egypt welcomes a political solution based on the Gulf Initiative, the outcomes of the national dialogue in 2013, and the UN Security Councils related resolutions, especially Resolution 2216.

The Egyptian premier also said that Egypt welcomed the formation of the new Yemeni government in accordance with the Riyadh Agreement under the auspices of Saudi Arabia.

Concerning the situation in the Arabian Gulf and Bab Al-Mandab strait, Madbouly stressed that Egypt rejects any attempts to impose a fait accompli by force as well as attempts to undermine the freedom and security of navigating it.

The Egyptian Prime Minister added that Egypt is keen to coordinate efforts between the countries that border the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in securing navigation within the strait.

Madbouly also expressed his concerns about the repercussions of the oil leaks of the floating oil reservoir SAFER that threatens the environment and marine navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, asserting the need to mobilise efforts to confront this environmental disaster, expressing Egypts readiness to provide all necessary technical support in this regard.

Mostafa Madbouly stated that Egypt will continue to provide all kinds of possible support to the Yemeni government, including technical support and training as well as its support for Yemeni citizens on the humanitarian level, in addition to providing equal treatment to Yemenis in Egypt in the education and healthcare sectors.

For his part, Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik expressed his appreciation for Egypts support, expressing how he looked forward to boost cooperation in different fields with Egypt.

The Yemeni PM discussed cooperating with Egypt in oil, gas, electricity, and telecommunication. He also mentioned Egypts successful experience in developing its postal services.

Additionally, Abdulmalik spoke about the SAFER oil reservoir and stated that Yemen would like to benefit from Egypts experience in the field of oil and gas.

He also spoke about inviting Egyptian companies to contribute to restructuring and developing Yemeni ports as well as how Yemen was looking forward to benefiting from Egypts experience in the Decent Life Initiative to develop the countryside.

The meeting at the Cabinets headquarters was attended by the Ministers of Oil, Planning and Economic Development, International Cooperation, Health, and Telecommunication, and their Yemeni counterparts.

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Around 23 million students started their school year on Sunday amid tightened coronavirus restrictions with hopes of keeping coronavirus infections to a minimum throughout the year.

Schools in Egypts 27 Egyptian governorates have opened their gates to students for daily attendance, with the state exerting its utmost effort to maintain in-person classes after adopting a virtual education system for the past year and a half due to the pandemic.

With attendance obligatory for all students from the first day of school, students were seen wearing face masks during morning assemblies and maintaining social distancing.

Tackling parents concerns, the education ministry has assured that all sanitisation tools are available in schools and almost all teachers and administrative employees have been vaccinated.

This comes as part of a mandatory vaccination campaign the state has launched for all those above 18 years of age in the education sector, including university students, staffers, and instructors.

In crowded schools, the school day will be divided into shifts, Minister of Education Tarek Shawky said.

Schools nationwide have thermometers and rooms for isolation and are also equipped with sanitisation gates.

Inspection committees will be visiting schools to ensure coronavirus preventive measures and other education standards are consistently applied, the minister added.

All those in charge of the education process in Cairo have received the coronavirus vaccine, Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal said on Sunday.

Abdel-Aal said the capital has around 5,624 schools, including 2,900 public ones, comprising about 2.5 million students.

The governor affirmed that the state has taken all measures required to protect the students health, including vaccinating all those in charge of the education sector in Cairo to provide the maximum level of safety for students.

Until earlier this month, up to 70-80 percent of school staffers nationwide have already received the vaccine, Health Minister Hala Zayed said in a press conference on Monday.

The health ministry is also considering including high school students  who are younger than 18 years old  in the country's vaccination plan.

Universities and high institutes also started a new academic year on Saturday amid strict coronavirus restrictions during in-person classes.

In a joint press conference on Saturday, Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said 3 million students have returned to public and private Egyptian universities nationwide.

He said the country has vaccinated more than a million higher education students and will vaccinate the rest within a few days.

During the conference, Cairo University President Mohamed El-Khosht said the university has implemented all preventive measures against the coronavirus in all faculties and at the highest levels.

He said the university has allocated 19 clinics for vaccination purposes.

Abdel-Ghaffar stated in late September that only vaccinated students will be allowed to live in university dorms.

The rate of vaccination among university staffers stands at 90 percent, while around 35 percent of university students have received jabs, Zayed said in a press conference on Monday.

Zayed also affirmed her determination to continue the academic year, arguing that the high vaccination turnout among students, workers, and employees in the education sector will be a helpful factor.

Abdel-Ghaffar, however, has said in recent televised remarks that the ministry has an alternative plan to move to a hybrid system of remote learning and in-person classes to handle any possible surges in infections.

The education ministry also announced procedures to be taken in case coronavirus cases were detected inside classrooms, including possible closures of a classroom, school, school complex, and even schools in a governorate or a village, according to the scale of infections.

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Gunmen from gangs of cattle thieves and kidnappers have opened fire on a market in northwest Nigeria, killing at least 19 people, officials and local residents said Sunday.

Northwest and central Nigeria are plagued by criminal gangs of cattle thieves and kidnappers for ransom called bandits, who raid villages, killing and abducting residents as well as looting and burning homes.

The gangs have been targeting schools where they abduct students.

Officials and local residents said the gunmen Friday raided a market in Unguwan Lalle village in Sabon Birni district of Sokoto state, near the border with Niger.

"They attacked the market in the afternoon, killing 19 people," said Aminu Al-Mustapha Gobir, a local lawmaker representing the district in the Sokoto parliament.

Several people injured in the attack were taken to a hospital in Sabon Birni town, said Gobir, who attended the funeral of two of the victims in the state capital Sokoto.

One trader who escaped the attack, Abubakar Shehu, said around 20 people were killed and many others badly injured.

"They came around around 3:00 pm after everyone had returned from Friday prayers," he said.

He said the attack could be a reprisal for the killing of 11 bandits by local vigilantes fighting the gangs at a market in nearby Mamande village on Thursday.

News of the killings was slow to emerge due to the shutdown of telecommunication services in the area.

For several weeks troops have been conducting air and ground operations on bandit camps in neighbouring Zamfara state where authorities have shut down telecom services to disrupt communication between the gangs.

Bandits fleeing the military operation in Zamfara have set up camps in Sabon Birni district from where they raid villages.

The influx of bandits from neighbouring Zamfara state prompted authorities in Sokoto to suspend weekly markets and shut down telecom towers in areas on the border with Zamfara, including Sabon Birni.

Sokoto state internal security commissioner Garba Moyi confirmed Friday's attack, blaming non-observance of a government ban on weekly markets in the area.

"We have observed non-compliance with the suspension of markets in areas prone to bandits attacks including Sabon Birni," Moyi said.

Last month 17 Nigerian security personnel were killed when gunmen raided their base in Sabon Birni's Dama village which the military blamed on Islamic State-aligned jihadists.

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Greece's police minister on Sunday said 250 additional guards would be deployed on the country's land border with Turkey, where thousands of asylum-seekers tried to enter last year.

'We are ready and we are further increasing (security) forces by hiring 250 new border guards to support Greek police,' Citizens' Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos said during a visit to the border area of Kastanies, according to a ministry statement.

In February 2020, tens of thousands of migrants surged towards Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would let migrants seeking to reach the European Union pass through.

Days of clashes with asylum seekers on the border ensued, with Greek police accusing their Turkish counterparts of firing tear gas against them.

In the aftermath of the incident, Greece invested in a new anti-migration arsenal including cameras, radar and a 40-kilometre (25-mile) steel fence over five metres (16 feet) high, to cover part of the 200-kilometre border region crossed by the river Evros.

The Greek civil aviation authority on Saturday also said a tethered balloon known as an aerostat, equipped with a long-range thermal camera, had been deployed at Alexandroupolis airport in August to assist border surveillance.

A Zeppelin operated by EU border agency Frontex is also active in the area, state agency ANA said Sunday.

Greece has said it will examine claims of illegal pushbacks of migrants trying to enter from Turkey, made in a major investigation published Wednesday by media from several European countries.

Athens has consistently denied any wrongdoing, including claims of migrants saying they were beaten, stripped and robbed before being forced back across the land border with Turkey.

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Government forces have detained at least 500 people in a sweeping crackdown in Indian-controlled Kashmir, local officials said Sunday, following a string of suspected militant attacks and targeted killings in the disputed region.

Assailants fatally shot three Hindus and a Sikh person in the region's main city of Srinagar this week in a sudden rise in violence against civilians that both pro and anti-India Kashmiri politicians widely condemned.

Local police blamed the spate of killings on militants fighting against Indian rule in the region for decades. Officials said they had detained in the last three days over 500 people across the Kashmir Valley for questioning, with the majority of detainees from the main city of Srinagar.

Police say militants belonging to The Resistance Front, or TRF, rebel group have shot and killed seven people since last week, pushing up the death toll from such attacks this year to 28 people. While 21 of those slain were Muslims, seven of them belonged to Hindu and Sikh minority communities.

Speaking with reporters recently, the region's top police officer Dilbag Singh described the killings as a ``conspiracy to create terror and communal rift.''

On Thursday, TRF in a statement on social media claimed the group was targeting those working for Indian authorities, and was not picking targets based on faith. The rebel group's statement could not be independently verified.

Indian officials say TRF is the local front for Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group that is based in Pakistan. The cell was formed after India stripped in 2019 the region of its semi-autonomous status, scrapped its statehood, and undertook a massive security and communications lockdown for months. Kashmir has remained on edge ever since as authorities also put in place a slew of new laws, which critics and many Kashmiris fear could change the region's demographics.

This last week's killings appeared to trigger widespread fear among minority communities, with many Hindu families opting to leave the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley. Those killed included a prominent Kashmiri Hindu chemist, two schoolteachers of the Hindu and Sikh faiths, and a Hindu street food vendor from India's eastern state of Bihar.

According to police, those detained in the ensuing crackdown include members of religious groups, anti-India activists and ``overground workers,'' a term Indian authorities use for militant sympathizers and collaborationists.

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan. Both the nuclear-armed arch-rival powers claim it in its entirety.

Rebels in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

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Less than two years after Facebook hired Frances Haugen to help correct dangerous distortions spilling across its platform, she had seen enough.

The idealism she and countless others had invested in promises by the world's biggest social network to fix itself had been woefully misplaced.

The harm Facebook and sibling Instagram were doing to users was rivaled only by the company's resistance to change, she concluded. And the world beyond Facebook needed to know.

When the 37-year-old data scientist went before Congress and the cameras last week to accuse Facebook of pursuing profit over safety, it was likely the most consequential choice of her life.

And for a still-young industry that has mushroomed into one of society's most powerful forces, it spotlighted a rising threat: The era of the Big Tech whistleblower has most definitely arrived.

``There has just been a general awakening amongst workers at the tech companies asking, `What am I doing here?''' said Jonas Kron of Trillium Investment Management, which has pushed Google to increase protection for employees who raise the alarm about corporate misdeeds.

``When you have hundreds of thousands of people asking that question, it's inevitable you'll get more whistleblowing,'' he said.

Haugen is by far the most visible of those whistleblowers. And her accusations that Facebook's platforms harm children and incite political violence backed up by thousands of pages of the company's own research may well be the most damning.

But she is just the latest to join in a growing list of workers from across tech determined to speak out. Nearly all are women, and observers say that's no coincidence.

Even after making inroads, women and especially women of color remain outsiders in the heavily male tech sector, said Ellen Pao, an executive who sued Silicon Valley investment firm Kleiner Perkins in 2012 for gender discrimination.

That status positions them to be more critical and see ``some of the systemic issues in a way that people who are part of the system and who are benefiting from it the most and who are entrenched in it, may not be able to process,'' she said.

In recent years, workers at companies including Google, Pinterest, Uber and Theranos, as well as others from Facebook, have sounded alarms about what they say are gross abuses of power by those in control.

Their new outspokenness is ruffling an industry that touts its power to improve society, while earning billions. Workers, many well educated and highly paid, have long embraced that ethic. But for a growing number, faith in the company line is fading.

Still, there is a difference between stewing about your company's failings and revealing them to the world. There is a price to be paid, and Haugen certainly knew that.

``It absolutely is terrifying, terrifying to get to the point of doing what she did. And you know that the moment you start your testimony, your life is going to change,'' said Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive who blew the whistle on his own industry's practices.

Since coming before Congress Tuesday, Haugen has receded from public view. A representative said she and her lawyer were unavailable for comment.

The Iowa-born daughter of a doctor and an academic turned pastor, Haugen arrives in the spotlight with sparkling credentials, including a Harvard business degree and multiple patents.

Long before she became a whistleblower, Haugen was something of a local wunderkind.

Raised near the University of Iowa campus, where her father taught medicine, Haugen was a member of a high school engineering team ranked in the country's top 10. Years later, when the local newspaper wrote about Haugen's landing at Google, one of her elementary school teachers recalled her as ``horrifically bright,'' while not at all self-conscious.

In the fall of 2002, she left for the newly established Olin College of Engineering, outside Boston, to join its first class of 75.

Many had declined offers from top universities, attracted by Olin's offer of a free education to the first arrivals, and the chance to join in creating something new, said Lynn Andrea Stein, a computer science professor.

But the school couldn't get its accreditation until it began producing graduates, making it a non-entity in the eyes of some employers and presenting a hurdle for Haugen and others like her.

``The Google folks actually threw out her application without reading it,'' Stein said.

Stein helped persuade the company to change its mind, sending an email that described Haugen as a ``voracious learner and an absolute can-do person'' with terrific work ethic and communication and leadership skills.

At Google, Haugen worked on a project to make thousands of books accessible on mobile phones, and another to help create a fledgling social network.

Google paid for Haugen to get a graduate business degree at Harvard, where a classmate said even then they were having deep discussions about the societal effects of new technology.

``Smartphones were just becoming a thing. We talked a lot of about ethical use of data and building things the wrong way,'' said Jonathan Sheffi, who graduated with Haugen in 2011. ``She was always super-interested in the intersection of people's well-being and technology.''

Sheffi said he laughed when he saw social media posts in recent days questioning Haugen's motivations for whistleblowing.

``Nobody puts Frances up to anything,'' he said.

While at Harvard, Haugen worked with another student to create an online dating platform to put like-minded mates together, a template the partner later turned into dating app Hinge.

Haugen returned to Google, before moving on to jobs at Yelp and Pinterest, at each stop working with the algorithms engineered to understand the desires of users and put them together with people and content that fit their interests.

In late 2018, she was contacted by a recruiter from Facebook. In recent interviews on ``60 Minutes'' and with the Wall Street Journal, Haugen recalled telling the company that she might be interested in a job if it involved helping the platform address democracy and misinformation.

She said she told managers about a friend who had been drawn to white nationalism after spending time in online forums, and her desire to prevent that from happening to others.

In June 2019, she joined a Facebook team that focused on network activity surrounding international elections. But she has said she grew frustrated as she became more aware of widespread misinformation online that stoked violence and abuse and that Facebook would not adequately address.

She resigned in May, but only after working for weeks to sift through internal company research and copy thousands of documents. Still, she told congressional investigators, she is not out to destroy Facebook, just change it.

``I believe in the potential of Facebook,'' she said during her testimony last week. ``We can have social media we enjoy, that connects us, without tearing apart our democracy, putting our children in danger, and sowing ethnic violence around the world. We can do better.''

Maybe, but those who know the industry say Facebook and other tech giants will dig in.

``There's going to be a clamp down internally. There already has been,'' said Ifeoma Ozoma, a whistleblower at Pinterest now trying to encourage others in tech to expose corporate misconduct.

``In that way there's a chilling effect through the increased surveillance that employees will be under.''

Within the larger community of whistleblowers, many are rooting for Haugen, praising what they see as her gutsiness, calm intellect and the forethought to take the paperwork that reinforces her case.

``What she did right was she got all her documentation in a row and she did that up front. ... That's going to be her power,'' said Eileen Foster, a former executive at Countrywide Financial who struggled to find another job in banking after exposing widespread fraud in the company's approval of subprime loans in 2008.

Sophie Zhang, a former Facebook employee who last year accused the social network of ignoring fake accounts used to undermine foreign elections, said she was surprised the company had not caught Haugen when she was going through company research. Fierce denials by its executives now betray their unwillingness to change.

``I think they've fallen into a trap where they keep making denials and hunkering down and becoming more incendiary,'' she said. ``And this causes more people to come forward.''

Still, Haugen's actions could well make it impossible for her to land another job in the industry, said Foster. And if Facebook goes after her legally for taking documents, it will have the resources for battle that a lone employee can never hope to match.

Foster recalls how her boss at Countrywide, an ally, begged her to give it up.

``He said `Eileen what are you doing? You are just a speck. A speck!' And I said, `Yeah, but I'm a pissed-off speck,''' Foster said.

Years later, after enduring villainization by colleagues, rejections by employers and a lengthy court battle over her claims, she knows better.

But she does not regret her choices. And she senses a similar conviction in Haugen, though their whistleblowing is separated by a generation.

``I wish the best for Frances,'' she said.

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Britain has rescued or intercepted a total of 1,115 migrants attempting to cross the English Channel over just two days, the country's interior ministry said on Sunday.

Rising numbers of Channel crossings by migrants in small boats have contributed to growing tensions between the UK and France following Britain's departure from the EU at the start of this year.

On Saturday, British authorities said they had recovered 491 people in 17 operations and 624 people in 23 operations on Friday, while French authorities prevented 414 migrants from reaching the UK over the same two days.

Dan O'Mahoney, who heads the Home Office team looking to curb the number of migrants reaching the UK, said the government was "determined" to tackle what he called the "unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings".

"Working with police and international partners, there have been nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions related to small boat criminality and our targeted efforts have prevented more than 13,500 migrant attempts so far this year," O'Mahoney said.

According to a count by Britain's domestic news agency PA, more than 17,000 migrants have made the crossing to Britain in small boats since the beginning of the year, more than double the figure for the whole of 2020.

During a visit on Saturday to Loon-Plage in northern France, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called for a migration treaty between the EU and the UK.

He also asked the British government to honour its commitment to pay France 54 million (62.7 million euros) to finance the reinforcement of French police forces on the coast.

"We are asking the British to keep their promises of financing because we are holding the border for them," Darmanin said.

After promising to take back control of the country's borders following Brexit, Britain's ruling Conservative party has proposed legislation to overhaul asylum rules.

It wants stricter jail terms for people smugglers and, controversially, migrants themselves.

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Every writer has a major weakness. Mine is a reluctance to write about other writers whom I knew personally on the occasion of their anniversary their birth or their death. If I plan to write at all, I generally wait a while before putting pen to paper. I read and listen to what other friends and colleagues have to say, contemplate how they express their praise, affection, dedication to the deceased and reverence for what they stood for. This was the case a couple of weeks ago when many writers and journalists paid tribute to Mohammed Hassanein Heikal on the occasion of the anniversary of his birth on 23 September 1923. The institute he founded, the Heikal Foundation for Arab Journalism, commemorated the occasion with its annual presentation of awards for journalistic excellence to young journalists in the Arab world.

When I and other journalists of my generation embarked on our careers, Arab journalism was in the era of Heikal's unparalleled preeminence. He was the "guru." Although I entered Al-Ahram a year after he left, there was no question in anyone's mind that the guruship belonged to him alone. It was also clear that, despite how much the times had changed, he still commanded widespread loyalty and untold thousands continued to await his weekly column "Frankly Speaking" like an addict awaits his fix.

I personally was a great admirer of his professionalism, writing style and analytical skills. My admiration never dwindled, even though my first attempts to meet him were unsuccessful. The first time occurred in February 1968, after the student protests against the overly lenient verdicts handed down against Egyptian airforce leaders for their role in the 1967 defeat. At the time, I was a student at the Faculty of Economy and Political Science in Cairo University and the chairman of the Society for Socialist Thought. I went to Al-Ahram, which was still in its old building on Mazloum Basha St., and asked his secretary, Nawal al-Mahalawy, to deliver our invitation to the university so we could meet with him. She returned with the message that Heikal would be glad to meet a group of members of our society, but in his office instead of the university. Back at the university, I asked my political science professor, Dr. Ibrahim Saqr, how to proceed. He had an important lesson to impart: Cairo University goes to no one; others come to it. I taught myself another lesson at the same time: I had to draw a line between my intellectual faculties and my great admiration for the most celebrated journalist in Egypt and the Arab world. The catastrophic defeat in June 1967 had made it imperative to rethink many things.

I eventually did meet Heikal, albeit about 20 years later. I called on him in his office on the Corniche el-Nil near the Sheraton to give him books from his brother Fawzy Heikal whom I got to know when I was a visiting scholar at the Brookings Institute in Washington in 1987-1988. That meeting marked the beginning of an acquaintance and a professional dialogue that lasted until 2003, which was when he retired from public life. He marked this transition with a series of articles dedicated to his readers in Al-Ahram, although the substance was primarily a lengthy critique of President Anwar Sadat and his policies during and after the October 1973 War. Heikal's opinion of Sadat was well known. What I could not understand was why he would choose that occasion to vent his spleen against a victorious president who was no longer around to defend himself. As my PhD dissertation was on the 1973 war, I knew that Heikal's accusations against Sadat were unfounded. This did not prevent him from reiterating these charges on Al Jazeera TV and on another programme in Egypt in which he recited passages from Thirteen Days in September (Lawrence Wright, 2014) that he felt were insults President Carter delivered to Sadat during the Camp David talks but that the Egyptian president had left unanswered. Heikal's presentation was an exercise in cherry picking and insinuation. More importantly, what was left unmentioned was that the meeting ended with a promise from the US president to support the Egyptian view which called for the evacuation of all Israeli settlements, not to mention the evacuation of all Israeli air bases in the Sinai. Heikal had turned the facts upside down.

Once I spent a full day at his place in Hurghada with the purpose of identifying the discrepancies between the strategic thought of the maestro for generations of Arab journalists and the modern strategic thought that emerged with the end of the Cold War and the rise of the third technological revolution. Heikal's was a consummately classical political worldview. It was informed by extensive readings of the memoirs of Western leaders during World War II, such as Churchill and Charles de Gaul, and by the writings of the military historian Liddell Hart on the "indirect approach" in military strategy. He was a walking encyclopaedia on 20th century world history and the history of this region up to, perhaps, the 1980s. His journalistic experience brought him close to many major events, such as the 1948 war in Palestine, the Korean war, the coup against Mosaddegh in Iran and the Greek civil war. But his analytical abilities had chronological limitations. He was not even able to appreciate the strategic abilities of a leader such as Anwar Sadat. Once when I pointed out that Anwar Sadat was a master strategist, Heikal fully agreed. But when I asked why he didn't write about that aspect of Sadat, he answered that his was a task for other historians.

We certainly had our share of differences and they were not limited to approaches to handling the Arab-Israeli conflict. They extended to the Gulf War and much that has happened since. When Illusions of Triumph appeared, I felt duty bound to respond with a book of my own: The Gulf War and Arab Thought: A Critical Study of Mohamed Hassanein Heikal's Book.

Still, by and large, our differences did not spoil the space for friendship. My admiration for him, his commitment to writing and argument, not to mention his love for reciting poetry which he did until his nineties, never died. More importantly, he had compassion. When I came under  sometimes very vicious and hurtful  attack for my opinions on the question of Arab-Israel peace, he phoned me to express, not his support for my views of course, but his sympathy. He also refused to be lured into an interview to voice an opinion against me.

Personal feelings aside, his status and contributions to journalism and political writing in Egypt and the Arab world are undeniable. Any tribute to him, whether in commemoration of his birth or death, should inspire a deep and much merited reexamination of his prolific writings in both Arabic and English. We should simultaneously recall that he was also a consummately political person. Once, during a discussion on his book about the Thirty Years War, I asked him a question he often put to others: Was he a journalist or a participant in the decision-making process, a message bearer or a political player? I was an advocate of awarding him the Order of the Nile, not least for having persuaded Nasser to change his mind about having Shams Badran take over as president after the June 1967 defeat.

Heikal was more than an extraordinary person and prolific writer, which is all the more reason he merits not just praise but a full appraisal of his life and work.

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25 years after I wrote my memo to Clinton, we have arrived at this sorry state of affairs. Israel, acting with impunity born of the neglect of Palestinian rights and the enabling hand of successive US presidents and Congresses

A quarter century ago, when the two-state solution was still possible and we were optimistic that there was a path to get there, I was co-chairing Builders for Peace (BfP), a post-Oslo project launched by then Vice President Al Gore. It was created to support the on-going peace process by promoting economic development and employment in the Occupied Palestinian lands. As we repeatedly made clear, our goal was not to substitute economic progress for peace, but to create the prosperity and hope needed to sustain the process until the "final status negotiations" that were to occur at the end of a five-year transitional period.

After frequent trips to the region in those early years after Oslo, I became deeply concerned that things were not going well. New hardships were being created for Palestinians by the closures and expanded checkpoints Israel put in place after a Jewish extremist massacred Palestinians at al Ibrahim Mosque. The brutal and demeaning behaviors exhibited by Israeli soldiers at checkpoints and in Hebron were deepening animosity. American businesses that had initially expressed interest in investing in Gaza or the West Bank gave up after realizing that Israelis weren't interested in allowing Palestinians to freely import raw materials or export finished products. Nor were the Israelis allowing Palestinians access to resources in the territories. Meanwhile, settlement expansion was continuing at a rapid pace.

At one point, I met President Clinton and he asked me how Builders was progressing. I told him that honestly we weren't doing well at all. After relaying my observations and concerns to him, I said, "Since Oslo, Palestinians have become poorer, less employed, less free, and have lost more land to settlements. They aren't experiencing the benefits of peace and are losing hope." What troubled me most, I told the president, was that his negotiators were ignoring our entreaties to take seriously these Israeli-imposed impediments to Palestinian prosperity and freedom. They saw our work as a nuisance and a distraction from their "important peace negotiations."

If this mindset of ignoring Palestinian rights and the impediments being created by the Israelis continued, I warned Clinton, Palestinians would lose trust in us, the process, and the hope that they would ever be free of the occupation. President Clinton was upset by my report and asked me to write him a detailed memo  which I did. Nothing, however, was done to correct this downward spiraling trajectory  which has continued until the present day.

I have been prompted to write these reflections because of two recent developments.

The first is a discussion taking place in Israel following the meeting between Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz and PA President Mahmoud Abbas, followed by reports of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's plan to "shrink the conflict" by offering economic palliatives to improve life for Palestinians under occupation. Instead of the Oslo formula of "land for peace" the "new" idea (actually, it's an old idea) is to exchange "economic benefits for security." This turns the initial logic of the peace process upside down. Instead of ending the occupation, the Bennett/Gantz proposition is to make life easier for Palestinians so they will accept its continuation. "Shrinking the occupation" is merely a cynical ploy to mask Israel's consolidating control over the lands occupied in 1967.

The second development that prompted me to recall what the US failed to do in the post-Oslo period is a bill  the "Two-State Solution Act" (TSSA)  being introduced by a number progressive members of Congress. It is difficult to find fault with much of what's in TSSA, other than the fact that what it proposes is 25 years too late to make a difference. It calls for conditioning US aid to Israel in order to stop settlement expansion (which TSSA affirms are illegal) and violations of Palestinian human rights. These are all well-intentioned gestures, but as the saying goes, proposing them now is like "closing the barn door after the horses have all escaped." TSSA ignores the ugly realities that have been created by decades of US neglect that have allowed Israel to run roughshod over the occupied lands resulting in what Human Rights Watch calls an apartheid regime.

There are well over 650,000 Israelis living in strategically located West Bank settlements. They are connected by Jewish-only highways and protected by checkpoints that carve the territory into pieces. The TSSA may make its sponsors feel good that they've taken a principled stand for human rights, and I salute their courage  since I know pro-Israeli groups will make every effort to punish them. At the same time, I must also acknowledge the sad truth that a viable two-state solution is no longer possible given the immense settler presence in the occupied lands  placed in locations specifically designated to make it impossible to allow for an independent viable Palestinian state. Given that reality, it's pointless to try to give a transfusion to a cadaver that's been eaten up by cancer.

And so, 25 years after I wrote my memo to Clinton, we have arrived at this sorry state of affairs. Israel, acting with impunity born of the neglect of Palestinian rights and the enabling hand of successive US presidents and Congresses, is cynically proposing to make Palestinian life better as it consolidates its hold over the occupied lands. Meanwhile, some members of Congress, thinking they are doing the right thing, are proposing a bill (that will never pass) that tries to save the two-state solution (that is beyond saving). Its all both sad and maddening  because it didn't have to be this way.

* The writer is president of the Arab American Institute.

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Popular Egyptian rock band Cairokee will give a concert at Hyde Park, New Cairo on 22 October, where they will sing a selection of their favourite songs.

The organisers describe the event as one of the biggest concerts of 2021.

Related Cairo Jazz Festival to launch 2021 edition this month

Founded in 2003, their first big success came in 2011 with their hit single Sowt El-Horreya ("The Voice of Freedom").

They then cemented their popularity with a number of albums including El-Sekka Shemal ("An Indecent Path"), Naas Wi Naas ("People and People") and Nota Beida ("Drop of White"), in addition to their latest Abnaa Al-Battah Al-Sawdaa ("The Ugly Ducklings").

The band is among the most popular music performers in Egypt.

Programme:

Friday 22 October at 8pm (gates open at 4pm)

The Events Arena at Hyde Park, New Cairo

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Egyptian pop star Mohamed Hamaki will give a concert this Thursday at the British University in Egypt (BUE), where he will sing a selection of his favourite songs that will include most of his 2021 album Ya Fateny.

Hamaki has been among the most trending topics in Egypt last week after releasing his 2021 late summer album Ya Fateny that was listened to by millions across all platforms.

Related Cairo Jazz Festival to launch 2021 edition this month

The multi-award-winning Hamaki, who started as a composer, gained widespread fame after his first album Khalina Naesh was released in 2003.

Programme:

Thursday 14 October at 8pm

British University in Egypt, Al Shorouk City, Cairo

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KYODO NEWS - Oct 10, 2021 - 19:44 | World, All

Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, known for transferring nuclear weapons technology to North Korea, Iran and Libya through a black market he built, died Sunday of complications of the lungs, government officials said. He was 85.

Dubbed the "father of Pakistan's nuclear program," Khan, who had a destabilizing influence on the global nuclear nonproliferation regime, also played an instrumental role in the South Asian country's nuclear weapons development.

In 1998, Khan led Pakistan to become the first Muslim nation to successfully conduct a nuclear test. In February 2004, he confessed on state TV to providing nuclear technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran through the nuclear arms black market run by him, and apologized.

After the revelation, Khan was pardoned by the government but placed under house arrest at his home in the capital Islamabad. He was later granted limited freedoms but his movements were closely monitored.

"He was loved by our nation (because) of his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state," Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted. "This has provided us security against an aggressive much larger nuclear neighbour. For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon."

Khan was hospitalized for weeks after contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, in August, and continued to have health issues even after he was released from the hospital, a family friend said.

The scientist was brought to an Islamabad hospital on Sunday morning after he suffered breathing problems at home, a government official said, adding that as his condition worsened, doctors found bleeding from the lungs.

Khan was born in Bhopal in central India on April 27, 1936. He later migrated to Pakistan and, while at an international consortium in the Netherlands, acquired the technology to enrich uranium with centrifuges.

After returning to Pakistan in the mid-1970s, he engaged in the country's nuclear development as an expert in uranium enrichment, at such institutions as Khan Research Laboratories, which he led.

Khan underwent surgery for prostate cancer in September 2006.
New Delhi:

Manohar Parrikar, the Goa Chief Minister, lost the long battle to pancreatic cancer on Sunday. He breathed his last at 8:05 pm. The original aam aadmi of Indian politics, who was seen with nasal drip due to his treatment, had vowed to work for Goa till his last breath. In a moving account of his last days, Goa Cabinet Minister Vishwajit Rane has now spoken about the very last file that Parrikar signed from Panaji hospital. "Despite being unwell, despite having tubes and bags attached to his body, he continued working. But I never really understood the extent of his dedication until I went to visit him in the hospital recently," Rane was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Talking about the last file Parrikar had signed, Rane said that he visited Parrikar for his signature on a file on hospital care and nutrition. This happened to be very last file that Parrikar had signed. "When a man who's so close to death calls you into his room and says that he wants to carry on working, it becomes evident that he is somebody who thinks of the poor and people in general," the NDTV report quoted Rane as saying.

The first-ever IITian who became an MLA, Parrikar was known for his down to earth ways. While speaking to a regional channel, Vasant Vasant Limaye, his fellow student at the IIT-Bombay said, "There used to be separate groups among students at IIT-B, those fluent in Marathi and those strong in English. But Manohar could deal with students from such diversified background perfectly," he said. Parrikar had earlier promised his wife that he would quit politics, but after her death, he decided to continue with his political life, Limaye recalled.

"At the time of my book release couple of years ago, I had invited him. Later, I learnt that his son was admitted to a hospital so I assumed that he would not come to my event in Pune. But once he was informed that his son was discharged from hospital, Parrikar attended his Assembly session and reached Pune. I was shocked to see him but was thrilled with his commitment," he said.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi:

With sudden demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar this evening, the Goa Board HSSC or Class 12 examinations scheduled for Monday, March 18, has been postponed, according to reports. The Goa Board HSSC Exam, which started on February 28 for class 12 students, is scheduled to end on March 26.

Going by the Goa Board HSSC Exam time table, the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) was scheduled to conduct the Banking(601), Logic(552), Computer Science(705), and Co-operation(651) examinations on March 18. With the Government of India announcing national mourning on Monday, authorities have decided to postpone all the examinations scheduled for the day.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said the national flag will fly at half-mast in the national capital, the union territories and the state capitals. A meeting of the Union Cabinet will be held on Monday at 10 am and state funeral will be accorded to Parrikar.

Parrikar, 63, breathed his last at his private residence at Dona Paula near Panaji, after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, on Saturday evening.

However, the GBSHSE is yet to release the revised date sheet for the Goa Board HSSC or Class 12 examinations which were scheduled to be held on Monday. For more details the candidates are advised to keep a tab on the official website of the GBSHSE that is www.gbshse.org.
New Delhi:

A day after the Congress announced it will leave seven seats for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday said that the former was free to contest on all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Mayawati said: Congress party is absolutely free to contest on all 80 seats independently in UP. Our alliance formed here (with SP) is strong enough to defeat BJP. Congress must not spread wrong impression by leaving seven seats vacant in UP for SP, BSP and RLD.

Soon after, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav backed her remarks, saying that the SP-BSp-RLD alliance is capable of defeating the Congress. "SP-BSP- RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh is capable of defeating BJP. Congress should not create any confusion," he tweeted.

To woo allies in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, the Congress on Sunday announced that it will leave more than a dozen Lok Sabha seats for other parties, including seven seats for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance in the state.

Apart from this, the grand old party of India also announced that it will leave two seats for the Apna Dal, and entered into an electoral agreement with the lesser known Jan Adhikar Party.

"The Congress is leaving seven Lok Sabha seats in the state for the SP, BSP and RLD alliance. These include Mainpuri, Kannauj and Firozabad. Apart from this, the party will not field any candidate on seats from where BSP chief Mayawati, RLD chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary are likely to contest or may contest," said Raj Babbar.

"The alliance has left the seats of Rae Bareli (held by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi) and Amethi (held by Congress president Rahul Gandhi). In a reciprocating gesture, we are leaving seven Lok Sabha seats for them," he added.

In January this year, the BSP and SP had announced their alliance for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, while elbowing out the Congress. Later, the Grand Old Party forged alliances with smaller parties like Mahan Dal and Jan Adhikar Party.
Lucknow:

Asserting that Priyanka Gandhi's entry into politics will make "no difference" to the BJP's prospects in the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday dubbed it an "internal matter" of that party. He also dismissed as "false alarm" the SP-BSP alliance and claimed that it was already embroiled in dispute.

"The Congress has made her (Priyanka) the party general secretary (in-charge of eastern UP) this time. It is an internal matter of that party as to how it will utilise her services.

"Earlier too, she had campaigned for the Congress. And this time too she is the party's campaigner and it will make no difference (to the BJP)," he told PTI in his first interview after announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule on Sunday.

Asked as to what extent the SP-BSP alliance could dent the BJP's prospects in the hustings, Adityanath said, "The fledgling SP-BSP alliance is already embroiled in dispute." He was referring to reports of hard bargaining between the two parties over certain seats.

"It (alliance) is nothing but a 'hauaa' (false alarm)," the chief minister said in his exclusive interview during which he touched upon various key issues including the IAF airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Ram temple. The 46-year-old saffron robed monk-turned-politician said in general elections state-level local issues hardly matter.

"People will vote for that person and party in whose hands the country is safe, secure and prosperous," he said, adding the voters know this very well.

"An effort is being made to whip up an unnecessary confusion and 'hauaa'," the BJP hardliner said, adding the current polls will present a "golden opportunity" for his party, which will come out with flying colours.

Referring to the IAF air strikes targeting terror camps inside Pakistan on February 26, Adityanath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken "bold steps" as and when needed in the interest of the country.

After the Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, all accused were eliminated by India, catapulting the nation to an elite club of countries that are capable of giving a befitting reply to its enemies, he said.

"This is the sign of an efficient and competent leadership."

"Modiji began with smashing insurgent hideouts in the northeast (Myanmar border) and followed up such strong measures in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack demolishing terror bases across the LoC in one go," Adityanath said.

He said by carrying out the pre-dawn anti-terror airstrikes on February 26, India has isolated Pakistan in the international arena and also made New Delhi's strategic prowess felt all over the world.

"We can say that India has emerged as a global superpower under the strong leadership of PM Modi," Adityanath said.

Asked whether these national security issues will be relevant among people in rural areas, who form a bulk of the electorate, he said every section of the society was aware of issues such as "development, good governance and nationalism".

On whether the anti-terror airstrikes in Pakistan's Balakot have overshadowed the Ram temple issue in Ayodhya, he said, "Every child knows the importance of Lord Ram and considers him a role model."

"Everybody needs prosperity as well as security."

People have realised that things which were impossible for parties such as the Congress, SP, BSP, RJD and the TMC, have become possible for the BJP under Modi's leadership, the chief minister said.

"What was impossible earlier, is possible now," he said, adding "Modi hai to mumkin hai" (Modi makes it possible).

Exuding confidence that the BJP will come up with flying colours in the Lok Sabha elections across the country on the basis of Prime Minister Modi's 'naam' (name) and 'kaam' (work), Adityanath said, "In 2014 Lok Sabha polls it was Modi's 'naam', and in 2019 it is both 'naam' and 'kaam'."

He expressed confidence that the BJP will improve its tally in Uttar Pradesh and win over 74 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

On why voters did not favour the BJP in the recent assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Adityanath said in states where a particular party is in power for a considerable amount of time, as long as 15 years, certain anti-incumbency factors crop up.

"Our vote share has gone up in Madhya Pradesh and we fared well in Rajasthan despite odds. We will do well in the Lok Sabha polls in these states as the Assembly elections were fought on local issues, whereas this is an election for the nation," he added.
New Delhi:

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be in Lucknow today to review the poll preparations in the state. During her visit, Priyanka Gandhi is also expected to meet party candidates who fought the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. BJP president Amit Shah is slated to head a core committee meeting of the party on Sunday to finalise the list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party top brass is likely to brainstorm on candidates for Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa and Rajasthan. Stay tuned for all the latest news from around the world.

10:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress has released its seventh list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabah elections. The party has left Srinagar constituency for National Conference.

Check out the complete list here:



Congress has released another list of candidates for #LokSabhaElections2019 The party has left the Srinagar constituency for @OmarAbdullah's National Conference.

Here is the complete seventh list of candidates: https://t.co/anSm5ZIF8k

 News Nation (@NewsNationTV) March 23, 2019



16:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Former Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman KS Radhakrishnan has joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

15:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Indian Navy: Nuclear submarines along with other assets were also used for operational deployment by the Navy during the escalating tensions with Pakistan. Indigenous INS Arihant and INS Chakra are the only two nuclear-powered submarines in the Indian inventory.

15:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In UP Congress chief Raj Babbar: We have reached an agreement on 7 seats with Jan Adhikar party (JAP), out of those 7, JAP will fight on 5 and we will fight on 2.

12:53 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui to ANI: Regarding Masood Azhar we fully understand and we fully believe this matter. We understand Indias concerns and are optimistic this matter will be resolved.



11:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In

Congress General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrives in Lucknow, to hold meeting with party workers today. She will take a 3-day, 140 km long 'ganga-yatra' on a steamer boat, starting tomorrow, from Chhatnag in Prayagraj to Assi Ghat in Varanasi.













11:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In YSR Congress party has announced a list of 175 candidates for assembly elections and a list of 25 candidates for Lok Sabha elections, in Andhra Pradesh.

11:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In NDA leaders of Bihar will hold a press conference later today at JD(U) office in Patna for the announcement of seat sharing in Bihar. Congress General Secretary for UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrives at the party office in Lucknow.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Bathinda:

A local court has sentenced a former Indian Air Force sergeant to death for the murder of a 27-year-old corporal in February 2017. Additional District and Sessions Judge Kanwaljeet Singh Bajwa sentenced Sailesh Kumar to death for the murder of Vipin Shukla of Uttar Pradesh when both were posted at Bhisiana Air Force Station. The verdict was pronounced on Friday, officials said.

The court also sentenced Kumar's wife to five years rigorous imprisonment for destruction of evidence.

The corporal had gone missing in February 2017. After thirteen days, his body was found chopped and packed in polythene bags, as per the police's investigation.

The sessions judge observed the accused, a member of the armed forces, should have shown courage in some other field, "in place of butchery".

He said, "It would be a mockery of justice and the conscience of society would be shocked, if the death penalty was not awarded to him as his act was abhorrent and dastardly. This is surely a case which falls within the category of rarest of rare cases."

According to prosecuting advocate Sunil Tripathi, "We had sought it to be marked as rarest of rare case during the arguments to which the judge acceded."

According to the prosecution, the victim's wife told the police that Vipin left home at the Bhissiana Airbase on February 8, 2017, but did not return. She and her father-in-law began searching for him.

On February 21, they overheard two youngsters saying a stench was emanating from the sergeant's residential quarters and alerted the police.

The police found body parts packed in plastic bags kept in the refrigerator and wardrobe. As per the police, Shukla had illicit relations with Kumar's wife and had planned to kill the corporal.

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Gunshots have been heard after Indian security forces launched a cordon, search operation in Ganderbal village of Kulgam in Kashmir on Saturday. The incident came even as a woman special police officer (SPO) was shot dead by terrorists at her home in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The ultras shot SPO Khushboo Jan from close range at her home in Vehil in Shopian district in afternoon, a police official said. The official said the injured SPO was shifted to a nearby hospital where she succumbed. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the assailants, he added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Lucknow University has started the application process for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses 2019. Candidates can visit the official website of the university i.e. lkouniv.ac.in to apply for their desired course. The detailed guidelines and admission procedure were uploaded on LU website on Thursday evening.

Admission coordinator Anil Mishra said, ''The application process will be completed in six steps - registration, filling of personal details, qualification, uploading of scanned photograph, signature, preview and fee submission.''



Admissions to around 3,500 UG and 4,500 PG seats will be done through entrance tests. First time applicants are required to register first and then login to apply for UG or PG courses by entering the required details. Counselling for PG candidates will be done on LU campus followed by document verification and fee submission.

On the other hand, the UG counselling for BA/BA (Hons) will be conducted by LU through online mode itself. This is for the first time that online counselling will be done for UG students. The entrance test for UG courses is scheduled to start from April 15 and will end on May 1. For the PG students, it will begin from May 8th and will end on May 15, 2019.




New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader and former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat on Sunday left for Delhi amid speculations that he may join the BJP to become the chief minister in wake of Manohar Parrikars deteriorating health. Although the Congress leader denied any such move, speculations were rife that he may be inducted into the BJP and given the chief ministers post.

Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress. The senior Congress leader, who held reigns of the state from 2007 to 2012, left for Delhi on Sunday. "I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport.

However, Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo confirmed that Kamat's name was indeed discussed during the BJP MLAs meeting but said that a final decision will be taken by the central leadership. "Last evening, at BJP MLAs meeting, a discussion was held over Digambar Kamat joining BJP. The decision on whether he will be the CM will be taken by the central leadership," ANI quoted Lobo as saying.

Meanwhile, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat. This is a game plan of the BJPs dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress, he said.

Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations. Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party, he added.

On Saturday, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar wrote to Governor Mridula Sinha asking her to dismiss the BJP-led state government and invite the Congress, which is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly, to form the government.

"Consequent upon the sad demise of Francis D'Souza, MLA, who belonged to the BJP, it is humbly submitted that the incumbent BJP-led state government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of the people and now also lost strength in the House," Kavlekar said in a letter to the Governor.

"It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to dismiss the state government led by the BJP to ensure that the Indian National Congress, which is the single-largest party in the House and is presently enjoying the majority, be called to form government," he said.

Currently, the Congress has 14 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly, while the BJP has 13 lawmakers. The BJP government has the backing of the Goa Forward Party and MGP. Both parties have three MLAs each. After D'Souza's demise, three Assembly seats in Goa remain vacant.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and described him as "one of Goa's favourite sons". He said Parrikar was respected and admired across party lines and had bravely battled his illness for over a year.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief(sic)," Gandhi said on Twitter.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year.



Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goaas favourite sons.



My condolences to his family in this time of grief. a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17, 2019

The Congress on its official Twitter handle also said, "We condole the passing of former Union Minister & Chief Minister @manoharparrikar. We hope that his family finds strength in their moment of grief".

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. My heartfelt condolences to his family members..May his soul rest in peace".

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Sad to learn about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa. He was a cordial man, who was admired across party lines. My deepest condolences to his family and friends".

Parrikar died at his private residence near Panaji on Sunday. He was 63. The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
London :

Actor-supermodel Cara Delevingne says she aims to inspire and motivate girls who find it difficult to fit in. The Paper Towns star said she wants to connect with her fans and share her ups and downs with them through her social media accounts. "I think it's important to express yourself. I hope I can be an inspiration to girls who aren't normal or feel like they (don't) belong, because I definitely don't a lot of the time," Delevingne told Elle magazine.

The actor also revealed that despite being successful, she at times, suffers from self-doubt.

"Sometimes I'm the most awkward person in the world in my body and my skin. Sometimes I'm far too confident. I think it's a constant journey," she said.
New Delhi :

The Australian gunman charged with murder for allegedly killing 50 people in mass shootings at two New Zealand mosques has dropped his court-appointed duty lawyer and will represent himself. "He wants to be self-represented in this case," Duty lawyer Richard Peters, who represented him during the preliminary court hearing, said.

Wearing handcuffs and a white prison shirt, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, an Australian right-wing extremist, appeared at Christchurch District Court where the judge read out only a single murder charge against him.

Tarrant, the former fitness instructor and self-professed fascist smirked and made white power gesture as media persons present in the courtroom clicked photographs during the brief hearing that was held behind closed doors for security reasons. He did not request bail and was taken into custody until the next hearing on April 5.

Peters said that during the hearing in court, he appeared "rational" and aware of the situation. The way he presented was as a rational and someone who was not suffering any mental disability. That's how he appeared. He seemed to understand what was going on," Peters said.

As many as 50 people, including five Indian nationals, were killed and 42 others sustained serious injuries after Tarrant rampaged two Christchurch mosques - the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Masjid Mosque. The gunman live streamed the horrific attack as he shot victims at Al Noor Mosque.

The gunman had 37-page 'manifesto' to 30 people, including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, nine minutes before he stormed two city mosques and killed as many as 50 worshippers. Ardern said that the mail from the attacker didnt include a location or any other specific details and that the police had little time to react.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kolkata: The state government has issued a terror alert in the state due to the puja, which hinted that West Bengal could now be a new terrorist target. Though senior police officers are yet to arrive at any outcome, the arrests made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Kolkata Special Task Force (NTF) in the last few months show the activities of terror modules in the state.

According to NIA, these terrorist operatives use Bangladesh's Zarzara border to enter the country. An alert issued by the state home department has asked Durga puja organisers to set up a system to monitor the movement of crowds. They have been asked to work closely with the local police station to install CCTV camera watch towers near puja pandals.

At the same time, the notice also mentions that the immersion of all the idols is to be completed between 15th October (Dashmi) and 18th October in consultation with local police stations. The statement said, "In order to disturb the country, you are advised to be most vigilant in connection with the crises prevailing by divisive terrorist groups in order to create law and order problems.'' The notice further suggested, community puja organisers should be asked to take care of the movement of suspects inadequate statistics in puja pandals.

This country is not the estate of BJP functionaries, this country belongs to you: Priyanka Gandhi

Indore: 7 injured in two-party dispute, Muslim family falsely accused!

'People don't expect justice in BJP govt,' said Priyanka Gandhi at Rally
Workforce

TSA head says more union rights coming to airport screeners

Transportation Security Administrator David Pekoske told lawmakers on Wednesday that addressing low pay for airport screeners is a top priority and that he'd soon sign a directive extending full collective bargaining rights to screeners.

"I would note that we have made attempts and we have made some progress increasing pay, but it's not good enough," Pekoski said at a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee. "We spend a lot of money with people that come into TSA, and  the number one reason they leave is because of pay. It's very expensive to recruit and retain people without an adequate pay structure."

The agency, which has long struggled with low morale, high turnover and pay dissatisfaction among its screening workforce, was initially pushed by the Department of Homeland Security in June to give enhanced bargaining rights to transportation security officers and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees. AFGE currently represents TSA screeners, but their bargaining rights are limited.

DHS also ordered TSA to work on a plan to pay airport screeners rates in line with the general schedule.

When the agency was initially created, it was given broad power to make its own personnel system, but Democrats on Capitol Hill and AFGE have been pushing to move the TSA workforce into Title 5.

This conversation about pay at the agency comes days after frontline TSA screening employees received appeal rights at the Merit Systems Protection Board thanks to an agreement between the two agencies.

The new MSPB rights will cover all full-time and part-time transportation security officers who aren't in a trial period, Pekoske said in a message to the TSA workforce. They'll be able to file appeals, and the MSPB will issue decisions for adverse action appeals in the same way as it does for other feds.

Next up is a directive giving full collective bargaining rights for screening workers. It's coming "very shortly," Pekoske said.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the committee, said he will continue to pursue legislation to would move TSA screeners into Title 5, a category that covers much of the federal workforce and also guarantees access to whistleblowers protection and the general schedule salary plan.

"[A] change in the law and significant funding will be needed to provide TSA workers with the workplace rights and the competitive pay they deserve."

In the past, Republicans had expressed reluctance to take away the flexibility currently afforded to the agency and move workers to the general schedule.

Committee ranking member Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) cautioned Pekoske, saying that "since I've been in Congress, we've been talking about getting better pay for the frontline workers, and we've made minimal progress in that regard." He added that if "we don't get that issue fixed," a Title 5 bill might be needed.

"So let that be a warning that if we don't get that issue fixed, I'm going to support it going forward," Katko said. "It's well past time for us to institutionalize that salary for them."
(New throughout, adds comment from Bayer)

By David Alire Garcia and Adriana Barrera

MEXICO CITY, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Mexican health safety regulators have rejected a new variety of GMO corn for the first time, according to German conglomerate Bayer which makes the grain and blasted the decision, saying it was looking into its legal options.

Mexico, birthplace of modern corn, has never permitted the commercial-scale cultivation of GMO corn but has for decades allowed such varieties to be imported, mostly from U.S. farmers and overwhelmingly used to fatten livestock.

Mexican regulators did not confirm the decision and also did not reply to several requests for comment. Regulators must approve each new variety developed by seed companies before crops grown from them can later be imported.

In late August, heath regulator Cofepris rejected a permit for a new GMO corn variety sought by pharmaceutical and crop science giant Bayer, according to data from Mexico's National Farm Council (CNA) later confirmed by the company.

The regulator determined that the new seed variety was designed to tolerate weed-killer glyphosate, adding it considers the widely used herbicide dangerous and said its rejection was based on a "precautionary principle," the data showed.

The Cofepris ruling was never publicly disclosed, and its press office did not respond to requests for comment.

CNA President Juan Cortina said in an interview that Mexican corn importers will begin to feel the impact from the rejection as soon as next year.

"This is the first obstacle, which isn't immediate, but it's coming," he said, pointing to seven other pending GMO corn seed permits that have been waiting from between 14 to 34 months for a resolution. He said he believed the decision violated the USMCA North American trade agreement.

Neither Mexico's economy ministry, responsible for international trade, or the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Washington, immediately responded to a request for comment on Cortina's allegation.

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While regulators worldwide have determined glyphosate to be safe, Bayer agreed last year to settle nearly 100,000 U.S. lawsuits for $9.6 billion, while denying claims that the herbicide caused cancer. In February, it struck a $2 billion settlement to resolve future legal claims that glyphosate causes cancer.

In a statement sent to Reuters, Bayer said it was disappointed by the regulator's decision which it described as "unscientific." The company said regulatory delays and the possibility of additional permit denials could have a "devastating impact" on Mexican supply chains.

Bayer said GMO crops have undergone more safety tests than "any other crop in the history of agriculture" and have been judged safe.

In the past, the Mexican government has approved some 90 GMO corn varieties for import, among nearly 170 total approvals for GMO seeds including cotton and soybeans. But under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in late 2018, no GMO seeds have been approved by Cofepris.

Last year, Mexico imported more than 16 million tonnes of corn from U.S. suppliers, almost all of it grown from GMO varieties.

Cortina said this year the country was poised to import "more than 19 million tonnes," which would mark an all-time record, even as the government pledges to boost domestic production.

Mexico is mostly self-sufficient in its production of white corn, which is used to make the country's staple tortillas, but depends heavily on yellow corn imports for both livestock feed as well as numerous industrial uses like making cereals and sauces.

Lopez Obrador issued a decree late last year that seeks to ban by 2024 both glyphosate and GMO corn for human consumption, but officials have yet to clarify if the ban would apply to livestock feed or the industrial demand.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Victor Suarez, an influential backer of the decree, said last month that the government is now aiming to cut corn imports by half by 2024.

"Right now, I don't think it's going down," said Cortina, referring to the country's demand for imported corn.

He pointed to official agriculture ministry data showing that domestic corn production is down more than 5% during the first six months of this year. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia and Adriana Barrera; Additional reporting by David Lawder in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio)
RESTON, Va., Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's leading e-permitting software for local government building departments, Cloudpermit, has chosen Reston in Fairfax County, Virginia, as its North American Headquarters.

Cloudpermit empowers local governments with simple and online development processes. It takes users from application to approval and encourages collaboration among government staff, applicants, homeowners, builders, designers, third-party agencies, and all those involved in each permit. The cloud-based software was created for, and with, North American local governments to help communities thrive.

"We're proud to have our North American Headquarters in Fairfax County, Virginia," said Jan Pawli, Cloudpermit's CEO.

"Virginia has the highest concentration of tech talent in the U.S. and thousands of tech companies have made Fairfax County home, so we are delighted to join this incredible and growing business hub," shared Jan Pawli, Cloudpermit's CEO. "We are proud to have our North American Headquarters in Reston as it is a fantastic opportunity for Cloudpermit to expand and help even more local governments digitalize development processes."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority were involved in Cloudpermit's decision to establish its North American Headquarters in Fairfax County, Virginia.

"We are proud to welcome Cloudpermit to Fairfax County and Northern Virginia for its continental headquarters," said Victor Hoskins, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. "A company like Cloudpermit has many options for a North American base. Choosing Fairfax County is an important vote of confidence in our business climate, our assets for company success and the kind of talent it can find here  whether the company is from the U.S. or another country."

Close to 500 local governments across Europe and North America prioritize efficiency and simplicity by adopting digital and cloud-based development and permitting processes with Cloudpermit.

"Virginia is a leader in tech jobs, and we're happy to announce it has brought another company to the Commonwealth as Cloudpermit, a global leader in e-permitting software, has chosen to establish its U.S. headquarters here," said Governor Northam. "Virginia's continued growth in the software sector creates jobs, spurs innovation, and supports our booming economy. Virginia and Fairfax County have a diverse roster of international companies, and we are pleased to welcome Cloudpermit to their new home in Virginia."

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Cloudpermit has just under 10 employees working out of its Reston office and is planning to double its team by the end of this year.

"Our decision to select Virginia for our North American Headquarters was easy after meeting with Governor Northam and delegation this spring in Germany," Pawli explained. "The personal involvement from key leaders in Virginia and learning how other businesses are thriving in Fairfax County from the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority gave us the confidence we needed to choose Reston as the base for our growing team."

Cloudpermit will join other successful businesses in Fairfax County and help establish more communities as easy places to build for builders, citizens, and businesses alike.

"We welcome Cloudpermit to Fairfax County and are excited to see the company join Virginia's rapidly expanding software sector," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. "This is an ideal location for the company to expand into U.S. markets, and the company's decision demonstrates our strength as a software industry leader. We look forward to building a strong partnership with Cloudpermit."

About Cloudpermit: Cloudpermit empowers local governments with simple and online development processes. It takes users from application to approval and encourages collaboration among government staff, applicants, homeowners, builders, designers, third-party agencies, and all those involved in each permit. The cloud-based software was created for, and with, North American local governments to help communities thrive.

Cloudpermit Contacts:

Anna Rolnicki

Head of Marketing, North America

289-208-0930

anna.rolnicki@cloudpermit.com

Carly Thackray

Marketing and Communications Manager, North America

437-882-0292

carly.thackray@cloudpermit.com

Some of the Cloudpermit team in Reston, Fairfax County, VA.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cloudpermit-proudly-names-reston-in-fairfax-county-virginia-as-north-american-headquarters-301377036.html

SOURCE Cloudpermit Inc
New South Wales, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 9, 2021) - Recently, EZZ Life Science Holdings Limited announced that its NMN product line has been rolled out to COSTCO stores in Australia and Taiwan, China, where it has seen good sales growth even as the pandemic has hit the Australian retail industry hard.





Fernando Rodriguez, CEO of EZZ

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7987/99135_4734c2ddd4728afc_001full.jpg

Fernando Rodriguez, CEO of EZZ, said: "EZZ is pleased to confirm that EZZ brand NMN products are now available in 13 Costco stores in Australia and 13 Costco stores in Taiwan, China.

On September 27, the reporter walks into a COSTCO store in Sydney. In a core shelf area near the entrance, a product with a silver exterior takes center stage. The reporter finds that from time to time there would be customers carrying the products into their shopping carts. The EZZ NAD STAY YOUNG item is the only NMN on sale at COSTCO. A person at the scene tells the reporter. "In February, COSTCO enters into a strategic partnership with EZZ and confirms that EZZ would be listed as COSTCO's brand. Since the brand is a listed company in Australia, it has been selling well."





Ezz nmn is available in Costco

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7987/99135_4734c2ddd4728afc_002full.jpg

The reporter learns that COSTCO is the largest membership chain supermarket in the world, which is characterized by only receiving members, strict selection of brands, and large package sales. The extremely strict selection standards make the title of "COSTCO cooperative brand" become an invisible trophy. In this collaboration, COSTCO goes through a long process of brand selection before deciding to cooperate with EZZ, the industry's sales leader.

The strong strength of EZZ is the reason why COSTCO chose EZZ as the only brand in the NMN industry among many NMN brands. It is reported that EZZ was listed on the main board of the Australian Stock Exchange in March 2021. EZZ is a gene-centered life science research company, which is committed to life science research in four fields: NMN, HPV, Helicobacter pylori and weight management. Through the research results of the Gene Research Center of the Auckland University of Technology, EZZ provides health solutions based on genes and enzymes and NMN products are jointly developed with New Zealand Gene Research Center and Auckland University of Technology Gene Research Center, and are sold in 23 countries and regions around the world.

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"Joining forces with COSTCO in a foreign market will help NMN expand rapidly in the global market, which I think is more important for EZZ as a multinational public company. "Analysts says.

Media Contact

Company Name: EZZ Life Science Holdings Limited

Contact: 0478798563

Email: info@ezz.co.nz

Website: www.ezz.co.nz

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99135
Indra Nooyi set certain corners of the internet abuzz this week with comments the former PepsiCo CEO made about asking for a raise in a Q&A with the New York Times Magazine.

Nooyi said that she had "never, ever, ever asked for a raise" and had in fact even turned one down during the financial crisis. When asked why, Nooyi, who regularly ranked as one of Fortunes Most Powerful Women in business, said, I find it cringeworthy. I cannot imagine working for somebody and saying my pay is not enough.

The quote was widely shared on Twitter, with some users contrasting Nooyi's high pay as a CEO with the earnings of the average worker or wondering how Nooyi responded when her former employees asked for raises of their own.

Nooyi felt like some of the social media promotion of the piece had taken her out of context and wanted to clarify. In an interview with Fortune yesterday, she responded to the online firestorm. I was speaking the truth about my cultural upbringing and why it stopped me from asking for certain things, she says. I talk about the immigrants fear. Ive been honest about talking about myself. This is part of that whole package.

Nooyi, who was born and raised in Chennai, India, and moved to the U.S. for graduate school, says that she and her husband were both brought up to never ask for anythingthat they were taught if they did a good job, everything else would come with it. I wish we were not that way. I wish we had the courage to go ask for it. She added that since they didnt come from much, whatever we had we thought was a lot.

Nooyi says that she never implied others should not ask. You can't take the cultural upbringing out of me, she says. This was unique to me. This is not what Im preaching at all, not what I'm suggesting, not what I'm recommending.

Nooyi stressed that she supports equal pay and that if youre paid less than someone else in the same job, you should ask for pay parityadvice that she says she also gives her two daughters. She says that if someone brought a pay case to her when she was CEO of PepsiCo, she was particularly sensitive if it was a woman because she knew that some of them might have been hesitant to ask.

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As Bloomberg reported, in Nooyis final year on the job in 2018, she did not rank close to the top for executive pay at public U.S. companies. When asked if she should have been paid more, she told Fortune she didnt know. My board she treated me fairly, she says, adding that if we start ratcheting up the pay structures, itll just become a race to the top.

When asked if CEOs are paid too much, Nooyi said that was up to the boards and compensation committees. CEO jobs are well-paying jobs, she says, but the responsibilities are very, very heavy too.

Nooyi, who sits on the board of Amazon, says that companies should be doing a pay equity analysis every year, and focus on the details rather than totals and averages across a company. These general pay studies get everyone worked up, but they dont get to a solution, she says. Companies need to analyze the data to see where the problem is, how it should be addressed, and how soon, she added. I'm all for analysis leading to results.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gas Detectors market will register an incremental spend of about USD 0.71 Billion, growing at a CAGR of 5.88% during the five-year forecast period. A targeted strategic approach to Gas Detectors sourcing can unlock several opportunities for buyers. This report also offers market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gas Detectors Market Procurement Research Report

Download free sample report

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices.

Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation on pros and cons of prevalent pricing models.

Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers.

Get a free sample report for more information

Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers:

Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for the Gas Detectors market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Gas Detectors pricing levels, pros, and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfil their category objectives.

For more insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers, www.spendedge.com/report/gas-detectors-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

Key Drivers and Trends Fueling Market Growth:

The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers.

Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by the constant monitoring of price influencing factors. During the forecast period, the market expects a change of 5.00%-9.00%.

Identify favorable opportunities in Gas Detectors TCO (total cost of ownership).

Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes.

Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities.

To get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment.

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Some of the top Gas Detectors suppliers listed in this report:

This Gas Detectors procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Emerson Electric Co.

RIKEN KEIKI Co. Ltd.

ABB Ltd.

Get the Details That You Are Looking for:

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Changing market landscape with yearly forecast till 2025.

Analyze the market's competitive and vendor landscape.

How much marketing budget to set aside for geographical market expansion.

Understanding the most adopted procurement strategies by buyers across industries.

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Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contacts

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

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SOURCE SpendEdge
RADNOR, Pa., Oct. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP alerts investors of Cassava Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAVA) ("Cassava") that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of those who purchased or acquired Cassava securities between September 14, 2020 and August 27, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period").

KTMC (PRNewsFoto/Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check)

Deadline Reminder: Investors who purchased or acquired Cassava securities during the Class Period may, no later than October 26, 2021 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. For additional information or to learn how to participate in this litigation please contact Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP: James Maro, Esq. (484) 270-1453; toll free at (844) 887-9500; via e-mail at info@ktmc.com; or click here.

Cassava is a clinical stage biotechnology company. Its lead therapeutic product candidate is called simufilam (formerly PTI-125) developed as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Simufilam purportedly targets an altered form of a protein called filamin A ("FLNA") in the Alzheimer's brain and reverts it to its native, healthy conformation, thereby countering the downstream toxic effects of altered FLNA.

The truth regarding simufilam began to emerge after the close of trading on August 24, 2021, when it was disclosed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") had received a so-called Citizen Petition commencing an administrative action to "halt two ongoing trials of the drug Simufilam . . . pending a thorough audit by the FDA." As detailed in the Citizen Petition, "[i]nformation available to the petitioner . . . raises grave concerns about the quality and integrity of the laboratory-based studies surrounding this drug candidate and supporting the claims for its efficacy."

On August 25, 2021, before the market opened, Cassava issued a response to the Citizen Petition, claiming that the allegations regarding scientific integrity are false and misleading. Among other things, Cassava claimed that the clinical data, which the Citizen Petition stated had been reanalyzed to show simufilam was effective, had been generated by Quanterix Corp. ("Quanterix"), an independent company, suggesting that the reanalysis was valid.

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On August 27, 2021, before the market opened, Quanterix issued a statement denying Cassava's claims, stating that it "did not interpret the test results or prepare the data" touted by Cassava. That same day, Cassava responded to Quanterix's statement, stating that "Quanterix'[s] sole responsibility with regard to this clinical study was to perform sample testing, specifically, to measure levels of p-tau in plasma samples collected from study subjects." Following this news, Cassava's share price fell $12.51, or 17.6%, to close at $58.34 per share on August 27, 2021.

The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, the defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) data underlying the foundational research for Cassava's product candidates had been manipulated; (2) experiments using post-mortem human brain tissue frozen for nearly 10 years was contrary to a basic understanding of neurobiology; (3) biomarker analysis for patients treated with simufilam had been manipulated to conclude that simufilam was effective; (4) Quanterix, an independent company, had not interpreted the test results or prepared the data charts for the biomarker analysis for patients treated with simufilam; (5) as a result of the foregoing, there was a reasonable likelihood that Cassava would face regulatory scrutiny in connection with the development of simufilam; and (6) as a result of the foregoing, the defendants' positive statements about Cassava's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

Cassava investors may, no later than October 26, 2021 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed as a lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country involving securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of state and federal law. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP is a driving force behind corporate governance reform, and has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of institutional and individual investors from the United States and around the world. The firm represents investors, consumers and whistleblowers (private citizens who report fraudulent practices against the government and share in the recovery of government dollars). The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.

CONTACT:

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP

James Maro, Jr., Esq.

280 King of Prussia Road

Radnor, PA 19087

(844) 887-9500 (toll free)

info@ktmc.com

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SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
Seattle, Washington--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2021) - Zoic Capital: A Venture Capital Team claims its investment strategy in life sciences and MedTech shall revolutionize the world of venture funding. Zoic Capital is a venture firm like no other. The company's founder, Neal Mody, previously founded Ambature--a materials science company. Founded based in a space most had never heard of, based on an idea written on a cocktail napkin, the company's patent portfolio has grown to a value of over $400 million. Using a unique IP strategy they began with filing 3,400 patent claims in the field of superconductors and own over half the patents in the field today. Armed with this experience, they decided to add value at crucial inflection points to founders, by starting a venture fund, Zoic Capital. With Zoic, they honed in on the untapped market of med tech in the US and Canada, investing at the seed stage for devices that they believe will become widespread.

Zoic Capital



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As observers of the evolution of high tech companies, they were always surprised to see companies like GE and Siemens not prioritising investing into transformational technology. This left a lot of room for hard science investors like Zoic Capital to found their venture fund on the premise of finding such transformation technologies. Zoic is the embodiment of Zoic's founder, Neal Mody's, personal mission to help build companies that change the world through technologies that will become ubiquitous.

"You know, it's funny! Originally, we were throwing around names for this investment firm and the name came out when we were brainstorming, and came around to the theme of how to impact 2 billion people on the planet...Focusing on the problems of healthcare...would have made a significant impact on humanity."

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It took Zoic Capital three years to make their first investment. And some might think taking that long to make a deal indicates a waste of time. But they don't see it that way. Building the right team, looking at deals, and coming to an understanding takes time. They were never in a hurry. They saw being in the fund business as a long journey which should not be rushed. As one looks at investments from a variety of perspectives, one learns to work as a team, becoming more like a single brain analysing problems together. That level of trust and teamwork takes one's work to new levels.

People have questioned why a group of guys who have never invested in venture capital would start a fund to invest in venture capital. The simple truth is, it never occurred to them to quit. Zoic Capital exists to have a positive effect on humanity by investing in innovative healthcare technology. Sure, they've experienced hard days, but they keep their minds focused on where they want to go, not where they are. They wake up ready to face any unique challenge the day may bring, with a supportive mindset. With a culture free of division, such a rank, race, or religion, the entire Zoic team gives value to each other and listens intently to everyone's ideas.

The Zoic team believes that people looking to start a business should not do so. People have to have something inside them that is totally unreasonable, that doesn't meet normal expectations to want to start own business. For the average high schooler, it's better to take a path and go get a job. As an entrepreneur, a person has to push forward at all times, especially during financial uncertainty. Med tech innovators and PhDs, however, have already put in much of the work needed. A person, kind of have an obligation of duty, not just to do great science, but impact the world.

The biggest obstacle will be the person themselves. Getting in their own way, clouded judgment, and misinterpreting fear can all create stumbling blocks along the road. Fear is just a signal, usually of the momentum a person is building. To process it, they may need to slow down and get perspective, but it's not something to be avoided. In fact, by not avoiding fear, Zoic Capital has managed to help 2 billion people while returning capital to their investors at the same time. They see entrepreneurs, investors, and the team as a whole succeed and know they've done something great for humanity.

Zoic Capital may not be a conventional venture fund, but they are a force to be reckoned with. Whatever they do, matters to them deeply. They've built such a successful fund because they bet on their team and those they work with. Even if it's not easy, Zoic Capital knows, whatever they get their hands on will always go well for everyone.

Media Contact:

Email: me@nealmody.com

Phone: +1 (602) 799-5575

Website: https://zoiccapital.com

Address: 113 Cherry St. PMB 29813, Seattle, WA 98104

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99190
- Over 85 million bottles with the iconic image of the series will hit the market before the premiere of volume 2 of part 5 on December 3 on Netflix.

- It is a special edition that will have international reach, with distribution in 60 countries.

- Estrella Galicia is a Spanish brewery with over a hundred years of history that shares the values of "La Resistencia" with the Netflix series.

CORUNA, Spain, Oct. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The brewery Estrella Galicia will dress its new special edition with labels that pay homage to La Casa de Papel (Money Heist), the Netflix series that has captivated viewers around the world.

The brewery Estrella Galicia will dress its new special edition with labels that pay homage to La Casa de Papel (Money Heist)

In the next few days, 85 million bottles of Estrella Galicia with this image will reach the brand's international market. Consumers in a total of 60 countries around the world will be able to get hold of the special La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) edition.

The brewery points out that "Estrella Galicia has lived the success of the Netflix series as our own. The integration of the brand has been on a large scale and the fans of La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) have fully identified with the values of La Resistencia, the motto of our brand."

This action is another step forward in the notoriety and global positioning strategy of Estrella Galicia, launching powerful differentiating proposals, such as this launch of the special edition which pays tribute to La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) by Netflix.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1655811/Estrella_Galicia_Beer.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1655810/EG_Especial_logo.jpg


New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 9, 2021) - Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Camber Energy, Inc. ("Camber" or the "Company") (NYSE: CEI). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Camber and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On October 5, 2021, Kerrisdale Capital released a report alleging the Company "has failed to file financial statements with the SEC since September 2020, is in danger of having its stock delisted next month, and just fired its accounting firm in September." The report further alleged that Camber only has one real asset, a 73% stake in an OTC-traded company with negative book value. Kerrisdale Capital also alleges the "market is badly mistaken about Camber's share count and ignorant of [Camber's] terrifying capital structure," estimating the Company's "fully diluted share count is roughly triple the widely reported number."

On this news, Camber's stock price fell $1.56 per share, or 50.49%, to close at $1.53 per share on October 5, 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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CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 7980

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99189
Tesla's long-in-the-making German Gigafactory is close to manufacturing its first electric cars. As Bloomberg reports, company chief Elon Musk told those at an October 9th event that the Berlin-area factory should start production of Model Y crossovers in November or December. The challenge, as Musk explained, was bringing production up to healthy levels.

The CEO estimated that the Berlin Gigafactory would produce 5,000 to 10,000 vehicles per week, but only by the end of 2022. The facility will likely source batteries from China until a German cell plant is ready, he added. Don't expect this latest factory to play a meaningful role in Tesla's earnings for a while.

That's also assuming the Gigafactory moves forward as planned. Tesla is still facing complaints and lawsuits over the impact of the plant, particularly on the environment, and a public consultation process won't wrap up until October 14th. There's a chance officials might deny final approval or require further promises.

Tesla has vowed to offset the impact of the factory by planting more trees than it removed, not to mention minimizing water use. Whether or not that's enough to please authorities, it's clear Tesla's European plans have reached a turning point. The next several weeks could decide whether Tesla surges in the region or struggles against reinvigorated incumbents.
A roundtable discussion between the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP and law enforcement officials will take place Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Caroline County Community Services Center in Milford.

The half-day summit will include Col. Gary Settle, superintendent of the Virginia State Police, as well as police chiefs and sheriffs from around the region.

The event is not open to the public.

The intent of the gathering is to bring law enforcement agencies together to share how theyve approached challenges in their profession since the death of George Floyd at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020.

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According to a press release from the Virginia NAACP, a development of strategies, practices and policies that promote positive interactions between law enforcement and those they serve will be discussed. The aim is to decrease negative outcomes and to proactively work to improve relations between the police and minorities.

Robert Barnette, president of the Virginia NAACP, said the organization remains committed to continuing dialogue and community engagement to impact change. He said he is grateful the Virginia State Police and other leaders in law enforcement are willing to have the discussion.
The race for the Board of Supervisors seat in Stafford Countys Aquia District pits a seasoned Republican businessman against a minister and newcomer to the political field who is gaining attention as a community activist.

Candidate profile: Monica Gary Monica Gary, who is running as an Independent candidate in the Aquia supervisor race, is a native Virginian and has over 12 years experience in ministry. She has lived in Stafford for six years.

I discovered activism only goes as far as supervisors are willing to listen, said independent candidate Monica Gary. I dont see theres adequate representation for our citizens and a board that will really listen to the needs of the community, so I decided to run.

Candidate profile: Paul Milde Paul Milde, a 33-year resident of Stafford County, is a Republican businessman running for the Aquia seat on the Board of Supervisors. He was first elected as Aquia supervisor in 2005 and went on to serve three consecutive terms in that seat.

In November, Gary will face Paul Milde, a 33-year resident of Stafford County who was first elected as Aquia supervisor in 2005 and went on to serve three consecutive terms in that seat. Milde did not run for reelection in 2017, making unsuccessful bids for the House of Delegates instead, but soundly defeated incumbent Cindy Lamb in the Republican primary in June in an effort to return to the board.

Stafford County has literally blown up in the last three or four years since Ive been [out of office], said Milde, who feels growth in the county has become unsustainable and has to be brought back under control.
First, she falsely stated that the Hyde Amendment is something that the majority of the country does not support. Then, when asked specifically whether she wanted reconciliation bill spending to go toward abortions, she bizarrely said that none of the dollars here are going for that.

But of course thats precisely what would be allowed in a Medicaid look-alike program, for example, without explicit Hyde protections.

Jayapal doubled down on the Pod Save America podcast, saying that Hyde doesnt need to be included in a reconciliation bill because its already the law. But Jayapal should be well aware that the Hyde Amendment applies to annual appropriations bills, which are entirely separate from the new spending in the reconciliation bill at hand.

Americans on both sides of the debate surrounding abortion and pro-life protections care deeply about the issue, but thoughtful debate requires truthful discourse.

The Hyde Amendment is longstanding, broadly supported, life-saving policy. Policymakers should respect Americans consensus on this issue and not use federal spending measures to bypass Hyde protections.

And media outlets should accurately report the enduring support for the Hyde Amendment as these debates unfold.

Melanie Israel is a policy analyst in the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation. This commentary was distributed by the Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
But the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors went with Patriot Highway, and rejected a request by the NAACP, which claimed that the new name was politically divisive, to change it to Veterans Highway instead. Meanwhile, Caroline County supervisors voted 4-2 to eschew any new names and just call the road U.S. Route 1, which was their prerogative.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board has to approve all these name changes next month, and is likely to do so.

The multiple names will be confusing for motorists who find themselves on Richmond Highway, Cambridge Street, Emancipation Highway, Patriot Highway and U.S. Route 1while still driving on the same road. For that reason, any new street signs in each jurisdiction (except for Caroline County) that opted for a name change should include the busy highways numerical designation.

However, one of the benefits of different names is that visitors to the region will be able to know exactly where they are just by the street signs. If theyre on Richmond Highway, theyre in Stafford. If the road becomes Emancipation Highway, theyve entered the city limits.
ON A FALL day in 1974, I walked into a Russian language course at Hunter College, one of the Manhattan campuses of the public City University of New York system. In New York for back-to-back college internships at the Paris Review literary magazine and the New York Times, I chose Hunter because it offered evening classes.

As editor of my high school newspaper outside Detroit, Id had a strong interest in current events, and no ongoing story was bigger or more consequential than the global superpower rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.

But what brought me to that nighttime class at Hunter was less weighty: Id just read Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment. So brilliant was his monumental novel about a misguided young man who becomes a murderer, I vowed to someday read it in Russian.

Little did I know then that the decision to master Russian would lead, 15 years later, to my assignment as a Moscow correspondent covering the collapse of the Soviet Union. By then, I was fluent enough to conduct interviews with Russians in their native tongue.
Watch Cole/Durant debate before you cast your ballot

I recently watched the Sept. 25 Mary Washington University- sponsored debate between Tara Durant and 28th District Del. Joshua Cole on YouTube.

Cole made many statements that I find somewhat alarming for someone allegedly trying to unite this area, but Ill focus only on his opening statement, when he claimed, My opponent ... wants to focus on the issues that divide us. Shes going to try to convince you that Im too extreme for this district. Shes going to attack me. Shes going to attack my record, and I dont want you to fall for it. Dont fall for the lies. Dont fall for the lies. Dont fall for the misdirection.

Are these the words of a leader? Of a uniter?

During the debate, Durant did not personally attack nor demean Cole once, but rather stuck to what her beliefs were and what she would do if elected.

Cole, on the other hand, personally attacked Durant for her beliefs on numerous occasions. Dont take my word for it; watch the video.

We can all agree to disagree on the best ways of approaching issues going forward.
There are elements in the community pursuing an unworkable agenda for the city in the current election. One of the candidates for the Ward 3 City Council seat has the following proposal on his website:

As your Ward 3 council person, Rene [Rodriguez] will work with council members to build consensus and realign the oversight of the Office of Economic Development and Tourism (EDT) to fall under City Council.

This is not a good proposal for the city. We have a city manager form of government. A number of years ago, the Committee for 7 organized a referendum approved by the community to reduce the size of the City Council, to eliminate a committee system for all aspects of our government dating back decades in which council members managed certain aspects of it, and to create the modified ward system we have today.

Eliminating council members elected at large gave voters a more efficient government. The community supported a city manager form of government with that action.

I have worked on business opportunities for the city. I always kept an arms-length distance between the city and such efforts as a good business practice. We do not need a new fund to attract businesses. We need to create an economic development plan targeting economic sectors we want to develop so that we can rebuild our economy.
A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear-weapons program, has died in Islamabad at the age of 85.



Pakistan's PTV state broadcaster announced on October 10 that Abdul Qadeer Khan had died after being taken to hospital with lung problems.



Earlier it had been reported that Khan had contracted COVID-19.



Khan was considered a national hero in Pakistan for making the country the Islamic world's first nuclear power.

Pakistan conducted its first successful nuclear-weapons test in May 1998. Regional rival India conducted its first nuclear-weapons test in 1974.



Pakistani President Arif Alvi posted on Twitter that "a grateful nation will never forget his services."



Prime Minister Imran Khan described A.Q. Khan as "a national icon," adding that he was loved by our nation.



Defense Minister Pervez Khattak posted on Twitter that he was "deeply grieved" by Khans passing, calling it a "great loss" for Pakistan.



Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed told GeoTV that a state funeral would be held for the scientist.



Khans career was dogged by accusations that he was involved in selling nuclear secrets to countries including North Korea, Iran, and Libya.

In February 2004, he appeared on Pakistan state television and confessed to running a proliferation ring. He was subsequently pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf.



In December 2006, the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC) ruled that Khan could not have acted "without the awareness of the Pakistani government."



In 2008, Khan blamed the proliferation scheme on Musharraf, calling him the "big boss" of the deals.



Khan was born on April 1, 1936, in Bhopal, India. He migrated to Pakistan in 1947. He acquired his nuclear engineering degree in the Netherlands in 1967 and later earned a doctorate in metallurgical engineering in Belgium.



He was the laureate of three Pakistani presidential awards.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, GeoTV, and Gulf News
The Taliban says it will not cooperate with the United States to rein in Islamic State (IS) affiliates and other extremist groups in Afghanistan.

"We are able to tackle Daesh independently," Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the Associated Press on October 9, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

U.S. officials and senior Taliban representatives are meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha, on October 9 and 10 in the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides since the Islamist group took over Afghanistan following the withdrawal of Western troops.

There was no immediate word from U.S. officials on the talks.

Since their takeover of Afghanistan, Taliban leaders and others have been subject to deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the local IS affiliate of IS.

In the bloodiest attack, IS-K claimed responsibility for a suicide blast inside a Shiite mosque in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz that reportedly killed and wounded more than 100 people on October 8.

Representatives from both sides have said key issues include reining in extremist groups, and the U.S. side has pressed the Taliban to not hinder the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans who wish to leave the country.

A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity told AP that Washington will seek to hold the Taliban to its commitment to allow Americans and other foreign nationals to leave Afghanistan, along with Afghans who worked for the U.S. military or government and other Afghan allies.

U.S. officials have said the direct talks in Doha do not mean that Washington is ready to officially recognize the Taliban government

Doha-based Al-Jazeera English cited Ameer Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban-appointed foreign minister for Afghanistan, as saying the Taliban had asked the United States to lift its ban on the reserves of the Afghan central bank.

Following the Taliban takeover, the United State froze nearly $9 billion worth of assets in the country, leading to a shortage of currency and a massive rise in the price of basic food items and fuel.

Separately, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman has completed a trip to Islamabad for talks with Pakistani officials that focused on Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials urged Washington to engage with the Taliban as Afghanistan's new rulers and called for the release of the billions of dollars in international funds to help prevent an economic disaster.

Pakistan also urged the Taliban to become more inclusive and to respect human rights and the rights of minority ethnic and religious groups.

With reporting by AP and dpa
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Briargate residents will decide in November whether to resolve a long-standing property tax inequity issue in their neighborhood.

A "yes" vote on question 6B will create a new general improvement district for the neighborhood to care for common areas, such as medians and parks, and ensure that all residents served by the district are paying property taxes. A "no" vote on the question will leave the current special improvement maintenance district in place and it will continue to tax about 75% of the 10,000 homes in Briargate.

If passed, the question would create a new district that would cover all the homes and tax each property owner the same amount as the existing district charges  4.409 mills or about $32.50 per $100,000 of property value, according to the city. Residents will not be double taxed if the question passes, said City Councilman Randy Helms, who represents the area.

Residents may also pay homeowners association fees to care for common areas and those help take care of areas outside of the district's responsibility and are not related, Helms said.

If the new district is created, an expected additional $300,000 in tax revenue will ensure that the parks and recreation employees can start caring for neglected areas within Briargate, Helms said.

"That will significantly increase the maintenance of the areas, especially the blighted areas that need to have attention," he said.

The district currently operates on about $1.1 million, a city presentation from earlier this year showed.

The city and developers are likely responsible for certain areas of Briargate getting left out of the existing maintenance district in the 1980s and not paying the taxes, he said. A citizens group has been working for three years on a way to rectify the problem and backs this ballot question.

Those interested in more info can attend two town halls on the question at 6 p.m. on Oct. 21 and Oct. 27 at Library 21c at 1175 Chapel Hills Drive.
Monument voters in November will have a chance to extend a streak that has allowed city officials to retain revenue beyond statutory limits.

If approved, ballot measure 2E would empower officials to retain funds exceeding a legally established revenue limit and put the money toward road construction and maintenance. The measure would not raise taxes but would allow the city to spend excess funds it collects between the 2021 and 2028 fiscal years. If the measure does not pass, the town would be required to refund any excess revenue collected during those years.

Town leaders had earlier considered a 12-year timeframe for the measure before settling on eight years, meeting minutes show.

The ballot language says the town can retain the revenue "without regard to the limitations" of Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and the state's legal code. The two elements of Colorado's complex fiscal system limit the amount of tax revenue local governments can collect.

Approved by voters in 1992, TABOR requires governments to refund taxpayers any revenue they collect above a certain limit. The amendment capped government spending growth and requires residents to approve tax raises.

Monument voters have freed town coffers from TABOR on at least six occasions since 1996, allowing town leaders to retain excess funds.

Counties across the state have freed their revenues from the restrictions for established periods of time, and some have passed broader bypasses of the law, presentations to Monument trustees showed. Since TABOR was adopted, more than 85% of the ballot measures brought by local governments asking to retain funds were approved by voters, according to the presentations.

Fifty-one counties have broadly decoupled their finances from TABOR, and another 34 have asserted narrower independence from the statute, presentations show. Governments have brought fewer TABOR-related issues to voters over time.
Famed local sculptor Michael Garman, whose art gallery has been a fixture in Old Colorado City for decades, has died, according to a message from his family. He was 83.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Michael Garman, a true icon of the Pikes Peak region, the family announced on Facebook.

We ask for your thoughts, prayers, and privacy for the family as they grieve the passing of a beloved father and grandfather.

Garman died Friday evening, according to the message. A cause of death was not given, but the artist had been in poor health in recent years.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1938, Garmans passion for sculpting went back to early childhood, when the 8-year-old entertained himself by making little men out of pipe cleaners. He later honed his talent at the School of Fine Arts in Santiago, Chile.

Garman came to Colorado Springs in 1971. In 1985, he opened Magic Town, a 3,000 square-foot miniaturized neighborhood with hand-made buildings and sidewalk scenes. The Michael Garman Gallery and Magic Town Museum, on West Colorado Avenue in Old Colorado City, boasts more than 500 Garman sculptures.

The artist turned over the operation of his company, Michael Garman Productions, to his daughter, Vanessa, when he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2008.

The museum and gallery announced the facility would close over the weekend to commemorate Garmans passing.

Condolences flooded social media upon the news of the artists death.

This saddens me and I hope that his art never goes away, wrote Chris Luper. I have several of his sculptures.

Condolences to the family, wrote Tracy Rogers. He was truly a brilliant artist.

Services are pending, the family said.
The Town of Monument will again ask voters this November to increase the local sales tax rate to fund police services, a move proponents say would help local law enforcement meet growing public safety needs.

Voters on Nov. 2 will decide whether to raise the towns sales tax by half a percent, from 3% to 3.5%, to fund police services. The tax increase would generate about $1.65 million a year for town police and create a dedicated funding source for the department.

Monuments population increased by 34% in the last 10 years and police calls have gone up 53%, town staff have previously said. The department said it plans to use the money to hire eight more officers, fix or replace patrol cars and hire a sexual assault detective. Monument Police also plan a special unit to combat vehicle break-ins, drugs, residential burglaries and human trafficking, according to officials.

Voters struck down a similar ballot measure last November, with more than 57% of residents opposed.

Monument Police Chief Sean Hemingway told town trustees in July residents have told him they voted against the measure last year because they were confused by the ballot language, and it wasnt clear whether the funds would go solely to the police department.

A town survey of 563 registered voters conducted in the spring found 60% would support a local sales tax increase supporting police services, with 27% opposed and 13% undecided.
When Monument voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 2 special election, they will decide whether the town should move to municipal home rule  and in the same election select members to serve on a nine-person Home Rule Charter Commission that would be tasked with drafting a new town charter.

If voters approved the move, it would give residents more say in how local government is run, town leaders have said. But the biggest impacts would be on community development and the towns overall financial well-being.

Under home rule, Monument would also have more flexibility with its land use standards, zoning and economic incentives for incoming businesses, Mayor Don Wilson has said. There are also more opportunities for revenue because the town could, with voter approval, adopt taxes on visitors and tourism  like lodging tax and some new user fees.

Without home rule status, towns like Monument fall under rules set by the Colorado General Assembly and cant set ordinances that conflict with state laws, the 2018 Colorado Local Government Handbook states.

Voters will also select nine members to serve on the Charter Commission in the same election. Nine candidates are on the ballot: Jennifer Coopman, Matt Brunk, Brandy Turner, Sana Abbott, Ashley Watt, Janet Ladowski, Shannon Clark, Steve King and Joel Lusby.

If voters favor moving to home rule, the Charter Commission would have six months to draft a new town charter and would hold at least one public hearing before submitting the proposed document to the Monument Board of Trustees next spring.

Voters would ratify or reject the new charter in a future election, Town Attorney Andrew Richey has said.
Facing an expanding coverage area and aging equipment, the Security Fire Protection District is asking for a new tax increase in the Nov. 2 coordinated election to pay for "proper" fire protection.

The tax hike, if passed, would raise more than $2.4 million this year at a tax rate of 6.4 mills, or $45.76 annually per $100,000 of a resident's property's value, in order for the district to hire new personnel, replace aging equipment and fund new stations that would help bolster its coverage area. A mill levy is a tax rate applied to a property's assessed value.

That coverage area, which Security Fire Department Chief Dave Girardin said was recently expanded to include Lorson Ranch, included roughly 16,000 homes, putting the department on track to reach 6,600 calls in 2021.

To handle the call volume  which Girardin said was second in the county, behind the Colorado Springs Fire Department  the department plans to hire roughly a dozen new personnel: six firefighters and six emergency medical responders.

Tax revenue from the measure is also slated to help address the department's upcoming and future facility needs, including a fourth fire station, which is in the works, as well as a future fifth station to help with coverage.

Those stations are needed, Girardin said, to help redistribute resources throughout the department's 55 square-mile coverage area.

The ideal goal is to reduce response times. Get to your house quicker, safer, and be able to help faster, Girardin said.

Security firefighters and emergency medical responders, Girardin said, average response times of a little over seven minutes. For Lorson Ranch, their newest coverage area, and the one furthest from any of the departments stations, that response time is closer to nine minutes.

Part of the reason the department needs to replace equipment, including at least two fire engines, is because much of the equipment was purchased in the early and late 1990s and is now approaching the 20-year equipment retirement age the department uses to keep their gear in good condition.

But for personnel, who Girardin said often treat positions at the department as stepping stones to higher-paying jobs in Colorado Springs, the problem isnt just about replacing staff who leave.

We're losing probably nine EMTs and firefighters and paramedics mixed, not one more than other, Girardin said. So we're trying to get the guys and gals raises as well with this measure to keep and retain our qualified, skilled firefighters.

We're one of the lowest paid fire departments in El Paso County right now.

In 2020, the departments budget clocked in at $4,955,965. Over 55% of that went to paying staff, which according to 2021 proposed budget figures filed in late 2020 amounted to the departments largest expense.

Many of the people surveyed by the district shared the departments concerns about their ability to respond to people and emergencies within their coverage area, and spoke in favor of the measure.

Many of us truly appreciate what you do  and know you do it with a minimum, one supporter surveyed by the district said.

I think with growth we see, we should all be proactive to increase the protection Security Fire Department affords us, wrote another.

Others, however, were concerned about the proposed property tax hike, with the measure coming in on the heels of another one-cent per dollar tax increase for property in the area for 2021.

The new tax, the measure says, wouldn't be subject to a state-imposed 5.5% limitation, according to Division of Local Government correspondence with the district, that normally restricts how much properties can be taxed.

Some people surveyed questioned the transparency of the districts spending.

I believe the cost and monthly electric bill (plus) future maintenance of the new marquees posted at the current (Security Fire Department) stations ... is a waste of funds. Monies should have been allocated toward equipment (and) personnel, wrote one respondent.

Also on some Security-Widefield residents minds was the fact that their incomes havent adjusted with recent tax increases.

Fixed income, live only off social security. Every dollar is needed. Though we need the extra service, (we) can't afford to pay more taxes to pay for it, one person surveyed said.
Michael Fields is one of the sponsors of Amendment 78 Scott Wasserman is the president of the Bell Policy Center in Denver.
The Colorado Attorney General is investigating a Denver-based company that is the nations largest provider in a federal community-based home health program for frail, elderly patients, initiating the probe after the company paid back $13.6 million this year to Colorados Medicaid program amid audits by state and federal regulators.

InnovAge disclosed the audits and the Colorado repayments in its Sept. 23 annual report to the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.

In that filing, the company also disclosed that it complied with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weisers civil investigative demand for documents regarding Medicaid billing, patient services and referrals.

We have been fully cooperating with the Attorney General and are producing the requested information and documentation, the company said it its SEC filing. We are currently unable to predict the outcome of this investigation.

Last month, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services barred InnovAges Sacramento, Calif., operations from enrolling new Medicare-funded patients. The agency said an audit found problems including that the firm failed to provide medically necessary items and services to participants needs, and that those failures adversely affected or had the substantial likelihood of adversely affecting its participants.

Maureen Hewitt, who was paid $1.6 million in 2020 as InnovAges chief executive officer, declined requests for interviews, and referred questions to company spokesman Mark Corbae.

In a statement, Corbae said the companys repayment to Colorados Medicaid program was part of an annual reconciliation, which resulted in a "reduction in accounts receivable of $17 million including $13.6 million related to Medicaid." He said the company does not expect adjustments related to the reconciliation to be significant in future periods.

As a healthcare provider in a highly regulated industry, InnovAge has established protocols to cooperate with and fully support regulatory and oversight measures, Corbae said. Our primary concern is always the health and safety of our participants.

The company provides home-based services to more than 6,800 patients in the states of Colorado, California, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia and plans to expand into Florida and Kentucky, according to corporate filings.

Final findings from audits conducted in May by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing in coordination with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are pending, Corbae said. He said the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services initiated its own audit in June. Final findings from federal and state audits are expected in 2022, the company said in its annual report.

Colorado generated half of InnovAges $635 million in revenue for the fiscal year that ended this June, records show.

The firm operates two affordable senior housing complexes in Denver. The company generated nearly $44 million in losses for the recent fiscal year, but a $26 million profit in the previous fiscal year, according to the annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in September. More than 99% of the company's revenues come from government health programs under Medicaid and Medicare.

InnovAge is a participant in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, offering in-home care services and in-center services aimed at keeping elderly patients out of nursing homes. The program pays providers set fees per patient from Medicare and Medicaid.

In corporate filings, InnovAge stated that it is the largest provider for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly in the United States and operates 18 centers under the program.

One former company executive said in an interview that InnovAge grew dramatically in recent years, through plans including recruitment of homeless residents for enrollment as patients. But promised services were not provided, and people got hurt, said the former executive, who asked for anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matters involved. Its a horror show, the person said.

InnovAge's Corbae disputed allegations that the company struggled to provide adequate patient care.

We take a measured and pragmatic approach to our growth strategy, he said. Our primary concern is the health and safety of our participants and staff in every market we serve. All of our participants have access to experts across at least 11 disciplines as required by ... regulations.

The accusations from the former InnovAge executive mirror earlier allegations brought in a now-dropped 2019 federal lawsuit filed by the companys former western region chief operating officer who claimed her advice was consistently ignored while company officials actively hid the depth of its noncompliance from the government.

That whistleblower lawsuit from Karen Lapcewich accused the company of preying on Medicare and Medicaid programs at the expense of quality care for elderly patients.

The litigation's allegations referenced emails and internal company auditing showing instances of thousands of elderly patients waiting, sometimes over a year, for promised services and medications. Delivery of medications stalled due to a lack of transportation couriers and because prescriptions werent sent to pharmacies, the lawsuit stated.

In one instance, a patient needing an orthopedic consult never got one and resorted to medication to alleviate the pain, according to that lawsuit, which Lapcewich dropped in 2020.

In another instance, according to company emails referenced in the lawsuit, a patient waited more than a year for evaluation and treatment of poor vision due to cataracts.

The original order to help this participants vision was not done timely, stated an email from a corporate director of clinical care that was used in the lawsuit. It was not realized the ophthalmology appointment is essential to the participants vision and mobility.

Lapcewich, who resigned from the company in October 2017, claimed in her lawsuit that example of a lack of care was one example of many that left patients suffering from additional injury, pain or exacerbation of chronic conditions.

They needed care and were entitled to it  but InnovAge did not provide it, her whistleblower lawsuit stated.

Hewitt, InnovAges chief executive officer, in 2016 converted the company from a non-profit provider to a for-profit company. Corporate filings state that company revenues have more than doubled since then. Along the way, the company awarded Hewitt more than $4 million in stock options.

The lawsuit from Lapcewich stated that of the 74 Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly organizations audited by federal regulators in 2017, only seven were for-profit operations. InnovAges California and Colorado PACE operations both had federal audit scores that year that were among the 10 worst in the nation, the lawsuit stated.

Each year we develop an annual quality plan that outlines how we will meet the requirements of state and federal regulators ... , InnovAge's Corbae said. The plan evaluates performance against a robust set of measures, including the safety and effectiveness of all services delivered to participants.

He said InnovAge is pursuing certification of its centers as Patient-Centered Medical Homes, which are defined by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as "accountable for meeting the large majority of each patients physical and mental health care needs, including prevention and wellness, acute care, and chronic care."

InnovAge's centers were recertified by the National Committee for Quality assurance in 2020 for the third time, Corbae said.

InnovAge went public in March of this year, raising $350 million in an initial public stock offering. Its board members include Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, and Ted Kennedy Jr., a former Connecticut state senator and son of former U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy. The company also tapped actor Susan Sarandon to work on its behalf as a spokeswoman.

Tracy Miller, who worked for three months as clinical director of an InnovAges program in San Bernardino, Calif., said that despite all the corporate glitz, the company failed to provide adequate care to its elderly patients when she worked for the company.

Miller said she resigned after company officials failed to correct problems she identified. Miller said she personally observed some orders for doctor care and follow-up were not carried through, with patients left to languish while they waited for care.

They didnt seem to like to hear from people actually telling them about stuff, like lack of staff, Miller said. She added that she absolutely believed the company had failed to provide adequate care to many patients.

From my experience, it came from the top, Miller said. It was more about making money in my opinion than about patient safety.
Iowas oft-hailed nonpartisan redistricting process sure didnt feel nonpartisan this week.

The Iowa Legislature met to vote on the first proposed set of new maps. That vote and the fallout were anything but nonpartisan.

Lets try to cut through the noise and make sense of what happened and where this process is headed.

First, the prerequisite background: Every 10 years, U.S. states redraw their political boundaries to reflect shifts in the population. This is called redistricting.

Iowas process is widely praised for limiting partisan political interference. Unlike many other states where the elected officials draw the maps, Iowas maps are drawn by the states egislative Services Agency, a department of nonpartisan legal and data analysts. Guided by state law that does not allow for political considerations, LSA draws the maps, and state legislators approve or reject them.

If lawmakers reject the first proposed set of maps, as they did this week, LSA draws up a second batch. If lawmakers reject the second batch, LSA draws a third.

If the process reaches that point, lawmakers must accept those third maps. However  and heres where the process is vulnerable to partisan political shenanigans  lawmakers are allowed to amend those third maps. So if one party has a majority in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature  as Republicans do  they could put their finger on the scale and redraw some districts more to their liking.

They would still be bound by some criteria set forth in state law, but the process does allow them an opportunity to use the map-drawing pencil.

That is what Iowa Democrats are warning against.

To be clear, what the Democrats are warning against remains a hypothetical: that statehouse Republicans plan to push this process to the third and final stage. That could still happen, but it doesn't mean this weeks vote to reject the first set of maps violated the spirit of the states redistricting process.

In voting to reject the first maps, Senate Republicans did nothing illegal or even unseemly. Their vote wasnt even unprecedented. Previous Iowa legislatures also rejected the LSAs first set of proposed maps in 1981 and 2001. In 1981, legislators also rejected the second set of maps, then approved the third maps without amending them.

But this weeks step in the redistricting process was anything but nonpartisan. All Republicans voted against the proposed maps, while all Democrats voted to accept them. Then Democrats said Republicans "took a big step closer to rigging Iowa elections," "one step closer to rejecting the principles of our nonpartisan process to manipulate our maps," and "chose politics over the common good."

Again, that is all hypothetical and could turn out to be hyperbole. Republicans may approve the second set of maps, or the third, without amendment. If that happens, Democrats warnings will have been as accurate as Chicken Littles.

Shortly after this weeks vote, I asked Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, if indeed Democrats warnings are rooted in a fear of the unknown.

"Yeah. Look, we are in uncharted territory. Were here in a special session I believe for the first time ever for redistricting," Wahls said. "I think that people want fair maps and we dont want to have any thought prospect of amendments that would be gerrymandering. Today we had the opportunity to put those concerns to rest. And obviously we saw on a party-line vote Republicans rejected the plan.

But just because Republicans rejected the first maps does not automatically mean they are headed toward a gerrymander.

That said, Senate Republican leaders did not say anything that would assuage the concern of anyone who is genuinely concerned about Iowa remaining true to the nonpartisan spirit of its redistricting process.

Senate President Jake Chapman, R-Adel, declined to rule out any possibility over the next steps. And when I asked Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, what he would say to anyone who has concern that Republicans could take this process down a partisan political path, he said Republicans are staying true to the process.

"Were using (state law) as its written. And part of that process is an up or down vote on Map 1. We took the vote to not accept Map 1. Were going to Map 2," Whitver said. "Were using that process."

The only problem with that answer is the process does allow for some partisan political influence at that third step. So Whitvers answer does not rule out statehouse Republicans putting their thumb on the scale.

If anyone is looking for some hope in Whitvers response, he also noted the time crunch legislators are operating under. The redistricting process is already months behind because Census data was delayed by the pandemic. The Iowa Supreme Court granted legislators an extension until Dec. 1, but LSA has 35 days to produce each set of maps, and if it takes the full 35 days, there will not be enough time before Dec. 1 to even get to a third set of maps. (On Wednesday, LSA said it intends to submit a second plan by Oct. 21.)

All these questions will be answered soon enough. Meantime, heres hoping the next steps feel more nonpartisan than did this weeks.

Erin Murphy is the editor of the Lee Des Moines Bureau. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @ErinDMurphy.
Retired Brig. Gen. Larry Wright, a Danville native, is set to be inducted into the Georgias Veterans Hall of Fame for Valor.

Wright was born in Danville in 1938. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from the University of Maryland in 1960 and a Master of Arts degree (cum laude) from the University of Colorado in 1972. The general graduated from the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., in 1977. He is also a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College and Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He received a second masters degree from The Citadel in 1988.

He was commissioned in 1960 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Maryland as a distinguished graduate and was recognized by the American Legion as the outstanding graduate of 1960. Wright completed flying training at Craig Air Force Base, Alabama.

In June 1962, he was assigned to Travis Air Force Base as a C-133 pilot and instructor and and toward the end of his career he was the vice commander of the 22nd Military Airlift Command at Travis Air Force Base.
In recent weeks, the commonwealth made major inroads on two medical fronts. In Southwest Virginia, Northam announced Monday that Blue Star NBR and American Glove Innovations plan to create 2,500 jobs over the next three to five years making PPE at Progress Park in Wythe County. Per a release from the governors office, the $714 million project would produce billions of gloves per year for health care, government, retail and hospitality clients.

We felt that there was a very timely opportunity to not be dependent on the whims of Asia when we have right here, in America, all the skills, capabilities and intelligence to be market-leading, self-sufficient and highly competitive, Blue Star-AGI Co-Chief Executive Officer Marc Jason said in a statement.

This economic development deal was aided by $8.5 million in infrastructure upgrades by the state to Progress Park. These investments include a $3 million expansion of the Fort Chiswell Wastewater Plant, a $1.5 million extension of public sewer infrastructure and $4 million for a new water tank, all of which should boost future potential to land more manufacturing jobs, the release added.
For most puppies flying to their new owners, the trip is also their first time away from their first home, mother and littermates, Brooke noted. And while dogs flying as cargo must remain in their crates between check-in and arrival, a puppy nanny can take the dog out of the carrier for snuggles and exercise while waiting to board, or during layovers.

On delivery day, the sisters check in with airline staff to confirm the puppys carrier will fit under a seat and that veterinary records ensure its healthy and has up-to-date shots. At the airport, the puppies attract a lot of attention, especially when the sisters recently delivered two littermates to different cities and departed MSP around the same time. We went through security together and to get coffee together and people were ogling the puppies the whole time, Brooke said.

Puppies must remain stowed in their carrier during the flight, but if they show any signs of distress, the sisters are prepared with toys, bones and soothing techniques. Its a big day for them, Brooke said. But for the most part, once the plane gets in the air, they fall asleep.

As Hope prepared to board her plane at MSP, she texted a photo of the puppy to its new owner, Wendy Castano of Newington, Conn.
We are operating on a tight timeline, said Republican Rep. Destin Hall, who chairs the House redistricting committee. Thats going to be our goal, to get these things done by the end of the month.

And since both the House and Senate have to pass their own proposed maps and then come to an agreement on which version to use, leaders in both chambers have said they want to finish their initial maps in the next week or two.

One thing that wont be standing in the way is the Democrats.

They can participate in the redistricting process, and Republicans might choose to listen to them, but Democrats have very little leverage since the state constitution forbids the governor from vetoing any redistricting plans.

Democrats have already tried protesting the GOP plan not to consider racial data, saying that will make the maps inherently unconstitutional. But legislative leaders were unconvinced and went ahead with their plans not to use either racial or political data. Republicans said its unnecessary to consider race since they dont believe there needs to be any majority-minority districts.
Updated at 1:53 p.m.

MAYODAN  School officials ordered a lockdown at McMichael High School on Oct. 4 after a threatening phone call to the school. But security was relaxed by midday after authorities assessed the threat as benign.

The incident marked the second time since Sept. 8 that McMichael had heightened security. On that day, another concerning call prompted officials to enact a secured perimeter at the school. The status means no students may leave campus buildings and no one may enter.

"We received a concerning call and are currently working with the Sheriffs (sic) Department," the school district posted on Facebook Monday morning. "All students are safe.''

Lt. Kevin Suthard, spokesman for the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, said it "was quickly determined not to be a credible threat," but that the school was put under (lockdown, then) secured perimeter in an "overabundance of caution." He said the investigation is continuing and that charges may result from the incident.

The Sept. 8 incident appears to have been a prank call traced to Northern Virginia, school officials said. The investigation is continuing in that case and there have been no arrests, according to Suthard.
Dr. Kinlaw is vice-chair of the Legislative Committee. He brought us right to the end-zone (as past chair), Stith said. There are some very critical issues from budget stabilization to IT modernization  and were receiving very strong support from our legislature and our governor in [the area of] faculty and staff salaries. If were going to recruit  and more importantly, retain top talent, we have to become more competitive. And were working to do that. Its not going to happen in one legislative session. We are working with the Presidents Association to pass a three-year strategic plan, and the cornerstone of that is faculty and staff salaries.
MARTINSVILLE, Va.  The holiday shopping season is about to begin, and Radial, a local warehouse for online orders, is adding Santas helpers to check off peoples Christmas lists and ship out those gifts.

Radial is recruiting for approximately 1,000 seasonal jobs in Martinsville to meet increased eCommerce holiday demands.

The company announced the job offers through Twitter on Tuesday.

Peak is a crucial time for our clients; year-over-year, the demands on ecommerce increase, making the jobs we are looking to fill absolutely essential, Radial Vice President of Human Resources Sabrina Wnorowski stated in a release. We pride ourselves on the fun and engaging culture we create at each site and our people truly are the greatest assets at Radial.

We are pleased to be able to open so many positions for season employment in the community and look forward to having local talent join our team during such an exciting time of year, the release states.

Workers are needed to process online orders including picking, sorting, packing and shipping, although the release did not make clear what new workers would be paid.
Gunn-Nolan described how the vaccine activates an immune response.

Its one job is to enter your body and when that one arm enters it, your body knows, well thats different, thats not something thats usually there, and starts to recruit an army, Gunn-Nolan said.

So, it has the blueprint to make that little COVID arm, your body recruits the army, gets the army ready to fight, she said. Before the army is even ready to fight, that MRNA that started that blueprint is already dead.

She also shot down false claims that the vaccine causes infertility.

No vaccine, ever, has affected fertility, she said. This vaccine is not going to prevent you from having children. It cant do that. This vaccine is not going to mutate your DNA, it cant do that.

There are patients at the hospital under 50  and under 20  who will be on oxygen the rest of their lives if they survive COVID-19, she said.
EDEN  Officers responding to a call early Saturday about a suspicious person found a women seriously injured with a gunshot wound, according to a news release from Eden police.

The victim, Angela Williams, was taken to a local trauma-care facility and was in serious but stable condition, police said.

The incident at 209 Mill Ave., which occurred at about 1 a.m., was domestic related, according to the release.

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Investigators identified Donald Ray Newman of Danville, Virginia, as a suspect. At the time of shooting, there was an outstanding domestic violence protective order (50b) against Newman, authorities said.

Officials located Newman, who was admitted to a Virginia hospital at approximately 6 a.m.

After consulting with the Rockingham County District Attorneys Office, investigators secured an arrest warrant for Newman for attempted first-degree murder and first-degree burglary.

The incident is still under investigation and no other details will be released, according to the release.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective Aubrie Stoneman at 336-589-5014 or Sergeant Anthony Lovings at 336-623-9240, ext. 3246. Anyone wishing to provide information and remain anonymous is asked to call Rockingham County Crimestoppers at 336-349-9683.
EDEN  The return of the Vietnam Traveling Wall to Eden will be the focal point of a weekend of activities honoring Vietnam Veterans and other war heroes, according to David Turner, Commander of American Legion Post 254.

The post is coordinating the wall under the sponsorship of the City of Eden.

Although activities surrounding the wall begin on Wednesday and continue through the closure of the wall at 3 p.m. on Oct. 17, the highlight of the weekend will be the Heritage & Heroes: A Celebration of Our Nation event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Freedom Park in Eden. They will be in the ballfield parking lot across from wall. This event is sponsored by Armor Express, said Edens Marketing and Special Events Manager Cindy Adams.

Headlining the program will be the All American 82nd Airborne Division Band from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Adams said. The band will be Telling the Army Story in support of soldiers and their families, community and recruiting initiatives and music education programs.

A number of military vehicles and other exhibits will displayed throughout the day. Children can participate in a number of kids activities, and visitors can reminisce with veterans at the Veterans Speaker Tents.
WINSTON-SALEM  Everyone knew and no one did anything about it.

That is the main allegation at the center of a lawsuit that was filed at the end of September against UNC School of the Arts, one of the top arts schools in the country.

Seven UNCSA alumni who attended as high school students in the 1980s filed the lawsuit in Forsyth Superior Court and and also filed seven individual lawsuits with the N.C. Industrial Commission. The lawsuits paint a sordid picture of UNCSA as a place where teachers regularly and repeatedly had sex with high-school age students and administrators ignored and failed to do anything about the abuse.

Everyone knew and no one did anything about it.

Thats the refrain that comes across in the 51-page lawsuit filed in Forsyth Superior Court as well as the ones pending with the Industrial Commission. And according to the lawsuits, these students left the Winston-Salem campus broken. Decades later, as adults, they are still dealing with their trauma in self-destructive ways such as drug and alcohol abuse. In some cases, they have attempted suicide. Dreams they once had of dancing professionally were dashed due to the abuse they suffered, the lawsuits allege.
Thats what brings me joy, Blackmon said.

Blackmon said she had long hoped to do travel nursing but originally thought she would get two or three years of experience as a staff nurse first. But the stress of working in that COVID unit accelerated her plans. Almost two months ago, Blackmon left the hospital and went to work for a travel nursing agency. In her first placement, shes working in Charlotte and is enjoying the reduced stress.

I would also like to go to Texas, Florida, California, Blackmon said. Im just open.

Travel the world

In her new job, Norton said, she didnt want to travel too far right away because she has two teenage children at home. So she took an assignment at the same hospital where she started her nursing career, Scotland Memorial in Laurinburg.

Norton usually works three 12-hour shifts a week. She makes the 90-minute drive from her home before the first shift, stays two nights with family or friends in the area, and drives back to Cary after the last shift.

Next summer, she said, when her kids are out of school, Norton would like to take them with her on a travel nursing assignment in Hawaii.

And once they graduate, we could just sell the house, get an RV, take travel assignments and just travel the world. Thats something weve never had the time or the money to do.
The candidates are vying for the seat of Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, who is not running for reelection. Who wins will play a key role in which party controls the Senate for the remainder of Joe Bidens presidency.

Primary elections are scheduled for March, with a general election in November 2022.

Beasley was also the top fundraiser in the second quarter, and her campaign said she would report doubling its amount of cash-on-hand to nearly $1.7 million for quarter three.

Her endorsements include those of U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, who represents Charlotte and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. With the quarter three fundraising numbers, her total will increase to about $2.7 million.

North Carolinians are throwing their support behind Cheri because they know that shes the candidate who can win and will deliver real progress for our state, Travis Brimm, her campaign manager, said in a statement.

Neither Jackson nor Beasley have given loans to their own campaigns, and both campaigns say third quarter reports will again show that.

Jackson, a 39-year-old lawmaker with a commanding social media presence, has drawn crowds at universities, cities and in small towns along the campaign trail. So far, he has raised nearly $3 million.
Conservatorships are legal arrangements that give a third party control over someone else. They can be imposed only by a court, and only a court can terminate them. The person put in charge of the persons affairs is called the conservator, or the guardian in some states.

Conservatorships have been around for centuries and are critical legal mechanisms to help people  often older persons with dementia or other neurocognitive disorders  who are considered unable to care for themselves or their finances.

Conservators are subject to court oversight and are typically required to submit annual reports to the court. And California law  which is similar to the rules in most states  requires the court to monitor each conservatorship to protect against abuse and ensure that the conservator is acting in the best interests of the subject.

Broad powers

Jamie Spears was appointed as conservator by a California court in 2008. Since then, hes reportedly received at least $5 million in fees.
Fourth was the fact that comments had to be submitted in a kind of vacuum. Sure, a lot of good people showed up at the public hearings to speak, but for most, this was an exercise in voicing generalities or very specific demands about their home neighborhoods. Without concrete proposed maps to assess, critique or endorse, most comments could be easily ignored.

And then there is how the Republican lawmakers running the show have mastered the art of public double-talk. Former State Rep. David Lewis made an infamous admission a few years back that the only reason Republicans had drawn the congressional map to assure a 10-3 GOP advantage was because they couldnt figure out how to draw one that would produce an 11-2 result. This time, its unlikely such a blunder will be repeated, but GOP legislators will still try to gerrymander the maps as much possible. In front of journalists or the public, however, they will offer empty platitudes about transparency and public input.

All of which serves to highlight the biggest elephant in the room when it comes to the flawed 2021 redistricting process  namely, the utter hypocrisy of the people running it.
America prides itself on being the land of opportunity and equality  but our education systems fail to realize that promise. By placing children in schools based on where they live rather than their unique needs and gifts, we so often keep them in the cycle of poverty and squander their potential.

Consider, for instance, that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are five times more likely to drop out from high school, and students who attend high-poverty high schools are less than half as likely to earn a postsecondary degree within six years of graduating.

Black and Latino students suffer uniquely from these disparities, completing high school at lower rates than their white peers. For all that our public school system purports to foster autonomy and opportunity, the numbers tell a different  and far sadder  story about our students.

While theres no one program that can eliminate these disparities, North Carolina has recently made some remarkable strides toward a more equitable system. The Opportunity Scholarship enables students from low-income backgrounds to attend the school best suited to their unique learning needs. It awards students from qualifying families up to $4,200 per year, or $2,100 per semester, to attend a private school.
A member of our family had health conditions. Her doctor  a respected physician  told her that both the life of the fetus and her own life were in jeopardy. I can tell you this was an agonizing and traumatic decision for the young couple, but in the end they chose life ... the mothers life. It left an emotional mark, but they were glad they made that decision, because later they had healthy babies.

In cases of rape or incest there is no moral or religious reason why a woman should be forced to have the baby. And there should be no legal reason, either.

Two main questions surround this discussion.The first involves when a fetus is viable. Texas new law is absurd. Some women dont even know they are pregnant at six weeks. Studies indicate that 99% of abortions occur before 21 weeks. Later-term abortions are generally made because of threatening medical conditions.

The second is to answer what is considered excessive restrictions? When the U.S. Supreme Court opened its new session last week one of the cases before it concerns whether to uphold Roe v. Wade or declare it unconstitutional. Previous courts have consistently upheld the 1972 law supporting a womans liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. The question is: What is excessive?
And a local refugee resettlement agency, the N.C. African Services Coalition, as well as Church World Service and World Relief Triad, are coordinating the arrivals of Afghan refugees locally. As many as 20 more Afghan refugees were expected to arrive here last week, including a family of six.

All told, about 1,200 Afghan refugees are expected to resettle in North Carolina over the next 30 days. Nationally, tens of thousands will enter the U.S. over the next several months.

But this is the least we can do. Afghans who risked their lives to aid U.S. troops during the 20-year war faced reprisals and possibly death at the hands of the Taliban.

As for that first family to arrive here, neither the exact location of the house or the names of the family have been released to preserve their privacy and allow them time to adjust.

But you should know their story and you should know why bringing them to safety here is the only right and decent thing to do.

Even though still in his 20s,the husband arrived at Piedmont Triad International Airport in a wheelchair. He struggles to walk because he was shot twice in the legs while serving with U.S. troops. They had come under fire along a dark road during a Taliban ambush that cost one of the Americans his life.
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The Syrian Observatory said that the Turkish occupation forces established a new military point in the town of Afes near the city of Saraqib and the M4 highway, east of Idlib, where the new point contains two tanks, 4 personnel carriers, 3 armored vehicles and nearly 50 soldiers.

According to Observatory, this point came after the messages sent by Russia to Turkey previously to evacuate the Turkish points in the area between the cities of Saraqib and Idlib, adjacent to the M4 highway, east of Idlib.

This coincides with the arrival of military conveys of the Damascus government forces to the city of Saraqib, after which the Turkish occupation reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles on the entire contact lines surrounding the city of Saraqib, Jabal al-Zawiya and the western countryside of Aleppo and raising the full readiness of the soldiers with their equipment.

SOHR monitored today, Sunday, the entry of a new convoy of the Turkish occupation forces into the so-called de-escalation zone, where more than 100 vehicles, including armored vehicles, personnel carriers, and trucks loaded with military and logistical equipment entered the Kafr Losin border crossing with Iskenderun, north of Idlib, and headed Towards the military points of the occupation in the southern sector of Idlib countryside.

These developments indicate that Russia and Turkey failed during the recent Sochi talks to resolve the Idlib complex, especially the opening of the M4 international road.

After these talks, Russia and Damascus demanded that Turkey withdraw from Idlib. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Damascus, Faisal Miqdad, said today that it is time for Turkey to leave the northwest of Syria and did not talk about Turkey's occupation of other areas in the northeast of Syria.

Despite the mutual reinforcements and escalation between the two parties, it is not expected that matters will reach a direct confrontation. Rather, it is possible that this escalation will be the beginning of a future understanding between the two parties, and this is what Miqdad said during his speech today, in which he said, It is time for Turkey to withdraw from the north. the western side of Syria, and that it would allow for a solution that guarantees normal relations between Syria and Turkey after the end of this occupation.

A

ANHA
The member of the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Newroz Ahmed, spoke in dialogue with ANHA agency; On the second anniversary of the occupation of Gire Spi/ Tal-Abyed and Serekaniye/ Ras al-Ain north and east of Syria, by the Turkish state and its mercenary factions.

The text of the dialogue read:

* Two years have passed since Turkey and its mercenary groups, Gire Spi/ Tal-Abyed and Serekaniye/ Ras al-Ain and other rural areas, were occupied under the pretext of the "safe zone." This came after American-Turkish talks; and the announcement by the President of the United States of the sudden withdrawal from Syria, how do you evaluate this agreement?

In its beginnings, 2019 saw intense talks between us and the Americans, as well as between the Turkish and American sides. The discussions were about what Turkey calls the safe zone, Turkey sought to remain in NE, Syria and establishment observation posts in cooperation with US and the pullout of SDF.

Turkish occupation demands are totally rejected, because we have never posed a threat to the Turkish state. Our people, who suffered woes by keeping pace with Turkey, did not accept that. The goal was to strike the security and stability of the region.

We have made numerous proposals to block the escalation, including the deployment of Global Coalition forces in the region, the return of Syrian IDPs without any hindrance and even the contribution of support to them.

We have not reached any understandings in that regard, and that is what Turkey wanted the talks to reach an impasse. Their intentions were clear from the outset, with the consent of the United States, the Turkish aggression against the two cities began after the withdrawal of the Global Coalition forces.

* The Turkish aggression, under the preoccupation of your forces to fight ISIS cells with the support of the Global Coalition, came after the announcement that ISIS control in NE, Syria would be geographically terminated. Was the aggression motivated to activate those cells and threaten security in the region?

In fact, the battle against ISIS in al-Baghouz town was not the end of the matter. For years, their stay in the areas they controlled in the desert formed their rule over that geography, they were carrying out attacks and operations in different areas in the form of cells.

Our forces have been very busy eliminating the outposts of these cells and achieving security in the southern regions. When Turkey launched its offensive, it was necessary to transfer fighters in large numbers to confront the occupying power, and this greatly affected the fight against ISIS cells.

ISIS cells benefited from this by bringing in their members from inside Iraqi territory, organizing them and working according to new tactics. It can be said that the Turkish aggression has greatly revived the activity of ISIS again after our forces were close to ending that danger.

*During the campaign to liberate the city of Raqqa in October 2017, Kirkuk was handed over to the Popular Mobilization Forces, and months after its liberation, the Russian forces withdrew from Afrin and occupied Turkey after a historical resistance to your forces, and after the liberation of Baghouz, America withdrew from Serekaniye and Gire Spi. What can we conclude from that? Especially that the aggression began on the anniversary of the international conspiracy?

Targeting the Kurds in the first place is the goal of the Turkish state, and it is no secret to anyone that; Turkey's intentions are clear regarding the Kurdish issue, they are determined that there is no solution to this issue.

Basically, if we delve a little deeper into the accelerating events in Syria, we can understand the reasons for Turkey's move to the mercenary groups and its great support for them, who called themselves the Free Army. In addition to al-Qaeda and ISIS, the attacks of these groups were part of a Turkish plot.

When these groups failed to achieve tangible results on the ground, Turkey began entering this war with its army and its advanced equipment. And after each victory of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the defeat of these groups; Turkey saw this as death for them and they would not accept that.

That is why they attacked Afrin, and in a regional plan, they captured Kirkuk; This was in the context of targeting the Kurdish people, especially since the Kurds are playing a pioneering role in the democratic nation's project with the participation of all Syrian components, and this is what Turkey sees as a threat to its plans. Also, authoritarian regimes see this project as a threat to them, and the peoples' union is destroying all existing conspiracies and schemes.

Choosing the 9th of October as the day to start the aggression is a Turkish message to remind that the conspiracy and the liquidation process are continuing, as we all know that the international conspiracy plotted against the leader Ocalan on that day did not achieve the desired results for Turkey.

Although with collaboration of Global Coalition to defeat ISIS, ISIS had been defeated strongly, which was threatening the entire world, they ignore the great role that we played on behalf of the world. We witnessed alliances with the Turkish state against the regions of NE, Syria, and they turned into part of the Turkish scheme. I would like to point out here an important thing, which is that Turkey is not alone in carrying out all these plans. When Afrin was occupied, there was close cooperation with Russia and the approval of the latter.

* After the Turkish aggression, the Syrian Democratic Forces reached an agreement with the Russian government to deploy the military police and units of the Damascus government forces on the frontlines with the Turkish occupation. Are these forces fulfilling their duty as a guarantor of the ceasefire process?

Let us remember here that the Syrian Democratic Forces and our people wrote heroic epics in confronting the Turkish occupation, even though the United States announced its complete withdrawal from Syria, and then returned and stationed in certain areas. Moscow has entered the line; To observe the ceasefire, the forces of the Damascus Government and the Russian military police were deployed on the frontlines between our forces and the Turkish occupation forces.

The continuous Turkish attacks on the region are carried out before the eyes of the guarantor parties, to the extent that they have suffered human losses as a result of the Turkish bombing of their positions. Besides, Turkey committed massacres and killed many civilians on the front lines.

Turkey was arguing that it would not accept the presence of the People's Protection Units and the Women's Protection Units in the front lines and close to its borders, but today the forces of the Damascus Government are deployed there, so why not stop the bombings targeting civilians?

These arguments continue today; It is also promoted by the Turkish media machine. There is always talk about the infiltration of our forces on the battlefronts and that their forces are responding. All of these are fabricated events that Turkey plans and publishes to public opinion, and they are baseless.

It seems that there are undeclared concluded agreements between the Russian and Turkish sides. Russia can stop the Turkish attacks that target our areas on a daily basis. They can stop the massacres committed against civilians. Why haven't they done that yet? They do not even state a clear and explicit position on their role as a guarantor power in the region. This creates the impression that there are Russian goals behind the silence.

Our people are fed up with these practices, and we are a military force compelled to respond militarily to Turkish violations, and we have done so many times. This creates a state of insecurity and many violations in light of the Russian position, in addition to the silence of the United States and the countries of the Global Coalition.

* The leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces spoke earlier, that dozens of ISIS are fighting the Syrian Democratic Forces, under the supervision of mercenary groups affiliated with Turkey in the occupied areas, and footage of raising ISIS flags in the center of the city of Serekaniye after its occupation and the burning of flags of the Global Coalition forces showed that not Is this a danger to be ignored by the international community?

In fact, this is basically the Turkish goal. They are talking about a safe zone, and this safe zone is densely crowded with ISIS and criminals, and Turkey has sought to turn these occupied areas into a focus for these groups, and it keeps them inside Syrian territory, that is, outside its borders. The cooperation of the Turkish state and mercenary groups such as ISIS/ Daesh and Jabhat al-Nusra is no secret to anyone.

The Turkish state has admitted, according to its claim, that it has enabled some families in Ain Issa and other camps to escape. Let us ask here, who are those who fled to those occupied areas and which Turkey intervened to smuggle? indeed they are the families of ISIS, it happened before the eyes of the world. Can anyone deny that? We have evidence that those who are fighting the battles today against us in Ain Issa and other areas are ISIS. We have published documents on this and provided them to the countries of the Global Coalition.

During the attack on Tel Abyad and Serekaniye, ISIS symbols and flags were present, even the tactics of the attack, the method of committing crimes and the mutilation of corpses, all belonged to ISIS, they were fighting alongside the Turkish occupation army.

Today we face a threat similar to ISIS; Turkey is working in the occupied territories to restructure these groups of ISIS remnants under different names, which will pose a threat to the entire world. Here it has sent mercenaries to Libya and Azerbaijan, and the worsening situation in Afghanistan. All these indicators are sufficient to understand the Turkish role that operates under the Islamic cloak.

*Some photos have proven that mercenary groups affiliated with Turkey are using NATO weapons in the battles taking place in Ain Issa and Tal Tamr against your forces; Which is an effective force in the Global Coalition to eliminate ISIS, how can the Turkish role be read here?

Those who train the mercenary groups from the remnants of ISIS are the officers of the Turkish army. The weapons that Turkey has are weapons made by Western countries, despite the Turkish propaganda that they are developing and manufacturing weapons locally, but this is not true; The Turkish state does not have the ability to do so, so it largely uses the equipment and weapons of NATO countries.

The Turkish occupation, as well as the mercenary factions, used these advanced weapons and equipment in their aggression against Afrin canton. In Serekaniye, they used chemical weapons and white phosphorous to bombard the city, all of these weapons belong to NATO.

NATO should take a tougher stance on these practices, and on countries that supply Turkey with these weapons and that claim to be concerned about human rights in Syria; To realize that they are helping Turkey in displacing and killing innocent civilians.

* Speaking about the future of Serekaniye and Gire Spi regions, can the tensions in Syria between the active forces lead to the process of liberating the two regions soon by the Syrian Democratic Forces?

I would like to say that we owe it to our martyrs who sacrificed their blood as well as to our steadfast resistance people, this occupation on this land cannot be accepted. Meanwhile, our fighters are resisting the Turkish occupation on different fronts. Our diplomatic and political missions do not stop at the meeting of the active forces. We will not stop at this point. It requires us to raise the pace of the struggle to liberate Serekaniye, Gire Spi and Afrin.

Damascus Government has to play its role as well. We must work together to end the occupation of Syrian territory. Today we face two fronts; On the one hand, we are fighting ISIS cells in different regions, and on the other hand we are facing Turkey and its occupying ambitions.

To end the activity of mercenary groups in Syria, we must fight the occupation. In order to end emigration abroad and the return of the IDPs, we must also fight the occupation. To liberate the regions and get the whole of Syria out of the quagmire, we must all fight the occupation.

T/S

ANHA
" " Many adults don't find out until much later that they are allergic to one food or another. twomeows/Getty Images

A lot of attention has been given to the increasing number of American kids with serious food allergies, now believed to be one in every 13 children (8 percent). School cafeterias have largely banned peanut butter  peanuts are one of the top triggers  and savvy parents know to quiz sleepover guests on allergies to other common foods like milk, eggs or wheat.

Childhood food allergies are a big deal, because a bad reaction could lead to anaphylactic shock, which if untreated by an epinephrine shot, could be fatal. But kids and their parents aren't the only ones who need to be educated about food allergies and how to respond to a severe allergic reaction. According to a new study, adults have it even worse.

More than 10 percent of American adults now have one or more food allergies, according to the largest in-depth survey of the prevalence of food allergies among adults. Of the 40,000 adults surveyed, 10.8 percent were determined to have a legitimate food allergy to things like shellfish, milk and peanuts (the top three allergies), severe enough to cause telltale symptoms of anaphylaxis like hives, swelling, throat tightening and trouble breathing. And nearly half of the allergies developed as adults.

"One in 10 adults with a food allergy is a lot of adults," says Dr. Ruchi Gupta, lead author of the study and director of the Science & Outcomes of Allergy & Asthma Research program at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "This is a significant problem."

What worries Gupta, a pediatrician and researcher who previously focused on childhood food allergies, is not only the surprisingly high prevalence of food allergies among adults, but the fact that only half of the adult food allergies identified by the survey had been diagnosed by a doctor. Even more alarming, less than a quarter of adults with a bona fide food allergy carried an epinephrine pen, the only way to halt a deadly reaction.

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Food Allergy or Food Intolerance?

Clearly more Americans need to take food allergies seriously by talking with their doctors about avoiding certain foods and having an emergency response plan in place. But a second surprising finding that came out of Gupta's study is that a separate and nearly equal cohort of American adults believe they have a legitimate food allergy, but actually don't.

When asked if they were allergic to any foods, a full 19 percent of survey respondents said yes. But when prompted to list the symptoms of their most severe reactions, only 10.8 percent met the standards of a "convincing food allergy" like difficulty swallowing, chest tightening or vomiting. The rest of the respondents cited symptoms like diarrhea, belly pain and itching, which are signs of a food intolerance or other conditions, but not a true allergy.

The confusion stems from a general misunderstanding of what is and is not a food allergy. For example, many Americans (31 percent according to a 2015 survey), believe that the only difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance is the severity of the reaction. Or that people with food allergies can eat small amounts of the offending food without triggering a reaction.

" " This illustration shows the prevalence of food allergies among American adults. JAMA Network Open

A true food allergy means that consuming any amount of the allergen, even a tiny sip or crumb, will trigger the immediate and overactive immune response known as anaphylaxis. The severity of the reaction depends on the severity of the allergy. People with a food intolerance, on the other hand, can sometimes eat or drink small amounts of the troublesome food without triggering symptoms. And even when the symptoms are at their worst, they are usually confined to the gastrointestinal tract.

Gupta doesn't blame the nearly 9 percent of Americans who falsely believe they have a food allergy. In addition to food intolerances, which can make people feel absolutely lousy, there are a host of other conditions with symptoms that overlap with true food allergies.

A common one is oral allergy syndrome, in which certain fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts trigger an itching sensation in the mouth and throat, and swollen lips. It looks like a food allergy, but the reaction is actually triggered by common pollen allergies and the symptoms go away quickly. But if your throat tightens and your lips blow up like balloons every time you eat a peach, you could be forgiven for thinking you had a food allergy.

In the food allergy survey, Gupta and a panel of allergists were trying to be as conservative as possible when deciding if a certain bundle of symptoms qualified as an allergy, which means their figure of 10.8 percent of adults with food allergies could be low. The only way to know for sure would be to test each and every person who reported a food allergy, either through a skin prick test or the more dramatic "food challenge," in which an individual ingests a potential allergen in a doctor's office to gauge their immune response. But with a sample size of 40,000, that's not practical.

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Not Sure If You Have an Allergy? See a Doctor

Gupta thinks that the key takeaway from the food allergy survey is the importance of talking to a doctor to figure out if your specific set of food-related symptoms is a true allergy or something else. "Because some of [these conditions] are treatable and some of them are life-threatening, so it's important to know what you're dealing with," says Gupta.

And if it turns out that you don't have a true food allergy, that's great news! It means you don't have to spend your life anxiously avoiding certain foods.

"I live with this in my own house," says Gupta, whose daughter has a food allergy. "Avoiding foods is so challenging. I don't want people to live in fear if it's something that could be treatable."

For example, oral food syndrome can often be avoided by cooking the offending fruit or vegetable instead of eating it raw. And people with lactose intolerance  rather than a true milk allergy  can enjoy lactose-free dairy products without giving up the pure joy of an ice cream cone on a hot summer day.

So if you've experienced unpleasant reactions to certain foods, don't suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor or make an appointment with an allergist to get tested. Knowledge is power.

Learn more about food allergies in "The Food Allergy Fix: An Integrative and Evidence-Based Approach to Food Allergen Desensitization" by Sakina Shikari Bajowala MD. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale.

Now That's Interesting Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder marked by a severe intolerance to gluten, is also not a true food allergy, since the autoimmune response does not result in anaphylaxis. It still sucks, though.
" " But if we take spanking away from parents, you ask, how will they manage their children's behavior? Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

You had a feeling you shouldn't spank your kids, but now it's official: Don't hit children  it's bad for them, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The AAP has not issued an official statement regarding corporal punishment in 20 years, since the organization released a report discouraging spanking at home, while taking a hard line against corporal punishment in schools. Now the AAP, which represents about 67,000 doctors nationwide, advises parents against spanking, defined as "noninjurious, openhanded hitting with the intention of modifying child behavior." The reason? Not only is the time-honored tradition cruel, it's also ineffective as a means to change a child's behavior, and can lead to even more extreme behavior, which then leads to more severe physical punishment.

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The AAP based its statement on 20 years of research the organization didn't have back in 1998, like a 2016 multi-study analysis that concludes there are no behavior benefits to spanking. Other studies have found spanking actually increases the occurrence of bad behavior, and one small MRI study even found adults who had received severe corporal punishment as children had less gray matter volume in the portion of their brains responsible for social function, as well as lower performance I.Q.

But if we take spanking away from parents, you ask, how will they manage their children's behavior? Well, the purpose of discipline is to teach children what to do so they can grow into emotionally and socially healthy adults, not to provide adults with a way to blow off steam. The AAP suggests a few alternatives for disciplining children on their parenting website, HealthyChildren.org, including rewarding good behavior, using timeouts when a child needs to unwind and establishing a clear relationship between bad behavior and the consequences that come with it.

The good news is that the 21st century has seen a marked decrease in the numbers of parents who admit to spanking their children. According to the AAP press release, "young adults, regardless of race and ethnicity, are far less likely to endorse the use of corporal punishment than were parents in past generations."

Now That's Interesting The AAP report also advises against verbal shaming of children.
For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors
After more than a year of battling COVID, employers are in for another fight: finding and hiring great talent and keeping the great employees they already have.

Recruiting and retaining talent is at the heart of the Montana Top Workplaces program, which is underway for the second year.

Any organization with 35 or more employees in Montana is eligible to compete for 2022 Top Workplaces recognition. The program identifies the best employers in the state as determined by the people who know best: the employees. Its an ideal way for employers to stand out in the job market, and its a way to make sure employers and employees are on the same page.

Nomination deadline is Nov. 12. Anyone can nominate any organization, whether it is public, private and nonprofit, a school, or even a government agency. To nominate an employer, just go to https://topworkplaces.com/nominate/montana or call (406) 206-9789.

Workplaces are evaluated by employees using a short 24-question survey that takes about five minutes to complete. Before surveying employees, Energage contacts employers to verify they choose to participate. Montana companies will be surveyed from October to February. Energage, the Pennsylvania-based survey partner for the project, conducts Top Workplaces surveys for media in 59 markets nationwide and surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 8,000 organizations in the past year.

After gathering data from employee questionnaires, Energage crunches all the numbers from across the state and informs those employers who have earned the distinction of being named a Montana Top workplace.

Through the Top Workplaces survey process, organizations get the data they need to recruit the right talent and the insights they need to retain that talent, said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. If COVID taught us anything, its that asking questions and listening to employees is critical to navigating this new world of work. More than ever, you need to be more intentional about your culture.

In 2021 we spotlighted 12 companies as Top Workplaces in Montana. In 2022, the top companies will again be honored in a virtual event broadcast statewide and featured in a special print section that will be inserted into the Helena Independent Record, the Billings Gazette, the Montana Standard in Butte, the Missoulian and the Ravalli Republic.

More than 2,700 employees were invited to survey last year, and 1,846 responded. For the 2022 campaign, the results will be published mid-year.

Why participate? Its more than just the well-deserved bragging rights that come with the honor, though impressing your clients  and competitors  is a great benefit. Being selected a Montana Top Workplace also will raise an employers profile and serve as a strong recruiting tool.

The survey reveals the passion of employees for their jobs and gratitude for their employers. Here are some examples:

I work for a company that shows appreciation for the people in it. I love the people I work with, and look forward to the time when we can be together again. I love my job because we had the opportunity to continue working at home during this worldwide pandemic. -- An employee from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana.

Everyone works as a team and looks out for one another. The work environment is so positive, and everyone helps team members learn from mistakes. Everyone is so caring, and it makes work feel more like home. -- An employee from Missoula Bone & Joint and Surgery Center.

PureWest has given me the opportunity to have a work/life balance that I never had before and I appreciate the flexibility of the company to work with its employees on any matter. -- An employee from PureWest Christie's International Real Estate of Montana.

The honor allows winners to celebrate that recognition with its employees, building their pride in their workplace.

Love where you work? We welcome your entry. Its time for Montana to spotlight its best.

Anita Fasbender is president of the Independent Record.

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When someone who rigs his fly rod backwards promises you that he supports our public lands, think twice. I choked on my coffee when I saw Ryan Zinkes campaign piece lying about his record on public lands in saying he led the charge against the sale or transfer of public lands.

The truth is that Zinke has  through his statements, actions, votes and policies  joined the assault on Americas public lands and the strong drive to transfer or sell the lands that support out hunting, fishing, and outdoor culture.

Zinke seems to think that Montanans will forget his support for multiple public land giveaways in his checkered political past. Well, we havent.

Here are a few highlights from Zinkes real record on public lands:

 As a Montana state senator, Zinke signed a pledge showing his support for transferring public lands to the states, leading inevitably to the sale of Montanas public lands to private interests.

 On Zinkes first day in Congress, he voted to change House rules to make it easier to transfer federal public lands to the highest bidder.

 At the Interior Department, Zinke oversaw the administrations largest reduction of public lands ever by shrinking the Bears Ears National Monument & Grand Staircase Escalante by nearly 2 million acres. The management plans also included selling off hundreds of acres while prioritizing oil and gas development.

Time and time again, his cozy relationship with oil and gas has come at the expense of our public lands. When given the choice, he always throws our public lands under the bus. He is currently under investigation for a sweetheart real estate deal backed by the chairman of Halliburton, Americas largest oil-services company  all ironed out while he was at the helm of the Interior Department. Ethics experts call this a classic conflict of interest: the one benefiting financially from an energy company also regulates that industry on behalf of the American people.

And lets not even get into how he proposed doubling National Park entrance fees (while he faced ethics investigations for spending more than $12,000 on a private jet flight from Las Vegas to Whitefish).

Zinke has long branded himself as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican  false advertising. Teddy Roosevelts great-grandson publicly rebuked this claim.

Whether its the altitude of flying high on taxpayer dollars or the odor of the swamp, Zinke seems to be in a fog that makes him forget that Montanans have a long memory when it comes to our public lands. Make no mistake: Zinke has a consistent record of supporting federal transfer of public lands and supporting their sale to private interests. His fly rod is rigged wrong once again.

Jock Conyngham of Evaro is board chair of Montana Conservation Voters.

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DECATUR  Police said of two men who fled from a Decatur traffic stop, one was an armed member of the Gangster Disciples street gang and the other was already facing a charge for his second offense of being a felon in possession of a weapon.

A sworn affidavit from the Decatur Police Department said both men had been pulled over for traffic offenses the night of Sept. 19 by what was described as a two-man proactive unit working patrol duties.

The 28-year-old driver of the car, later identified as the gang member, had taken off running, according to the affidavit, along with his passengers: the 33-year-old man already facing the weapons charge and a woman aged 25.

Officer Philip Ganley, who signed the affidavit, said the driver was chased down and caught after he failed to jump over a fence. And while police were dealing with him, they saw the two passengers reach back into the vehicle to retrieve something before fleeing themselves and eventually being chased down.

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A Macon County Sheriffs Office police dog called Maco was brought in to search the flight path of the passengers and led police to recover a satchel with a loaded 9mm handgun lying nearby. Ganley said the satchel contained a drivers license, Social Security card and other information identifying it as the property of the driver.

Ganley said the driver then lied about his name while he was being questioned. (He) provided this name numerous times while advising he is from Chicago and has never been arrested, Ganley added.

Once the mans true identity was discovered, Ganley said his association with the Gangster Disciples was revealed. His record shows he was also on parole after pleading guilty to a charge of armed violence in Macon County Circuit Court and being sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2015.

Ganley said the 33-year-old male passenger has a previous list of convictions that include aggravated robbery and drug dealing.

Both the passenger and the driver were booked on new preliminary charges of being armed habitual criminals. The driver was also charged with obstructing justice and resisting/obstructing police and the male passenger with resisting/obstructing police. The woman was booked on a charge of resisting/obstructing police.

A check of Macon County Jail records Sunday showed the driver remains in custody with bail set at $500,000, meaning he must post a bond of $50,000 to be freed. The passenger is free after posting a $50,000 bond on $500,000 bail. The woman is also free after posting a bond of $2,000 on bail set at $20,000.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state's attorneys office.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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I didnt know what kind of crowd to expect when I showed up on a Sunday, but I already had a story made up in case anybody sniffed me out as a member of the meddling news media and wanted to rough me up. I was ready to tell them I was an award-winning journalist from Scantily Clad Biker Women Illustrated and invite them to our next photoshoot in Fayetteville if they didnt punch me in the throat.

But the crowd was overwhelmingly friendly and well behaved.

The only trouble I had was being cornered by an overly enthusiastic fellow from Cleveland, Ohio, who approached me out of nowhere to compare and contrast strip clubs in different parts of the country.

Each time I tried to politely ease away, he grabbed me and said, Wait a minute, man, lemme tell ya about this show I saw in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The most entertaining part of the entire bike and tattoo show was tattoo alley where 10 or 12 booths were set up along a wall of the convention center.

People were lined up three or four deep at each booth waiting to get their bodies adorned.
The Appalachian region typically never has a poor or average year of fall colors.

Its either good, better or best, Seiler said.

The diverse range of trees in the region keeps the colors bold and vivid, such as the oaks, maples and hickories that Seiler looks for. If one tree is hurt by hot weather in the summer, he said other trees will likely not suffer.

Our mountains offer constantly changing elevations and aspects, which lead to a higher biodiversity, which leads to a greater mixture of fall color, he said.

Leaves are expected to be at their peak between Oct. 11 and Oct. 28, according to Seiler, as well as the Farmers Almanac. So plan trips accordingly, especially when the sun is out because the colors look a lot better when theres sunshine, he said.

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The Virginia Department of Forestry reported this week that the highest elevations of Southwest Virginia have already seen about half of the trees begin to change color.

All in all, its a great weekend to check out the mountains, the department said.
Virginia has put many safeguards in place to ensure that students in different subgroups have equitable access to meals, special curriculums, Governors Schools, and even in SOL performance and growth. For example, by increasing the contribution to the At-Risk Add On, the commonwealth has made modest strides in ensuring that high-poverty students have more educational resources. Unfortunately, the only safeguard that students have in regard to building quality, safety, health and accessibility is the VDOEs Guidelines for School Facilities. These guidelines recommend certain standards be met when old schools are renovated, or new schools are built. Just like Virginias constitution only requires that the General Assembly seek to fund an adequate education, these facility guidelines fall short of guaranteeing all students have adequate schools and classrooms. Furthermore, a locality must have the capacity to build or renovate to even consider the recommendations in these guidelines.

School divisions in Virginia have an interesting dilemma in how to respond to school infrastructure issues. School boards are responsible for cleaning, maintaining, renovating, and replacing school buildings. However, school boards have no control over the amount of money they receive. Additionally, most of the funding school boards are given are restricted through state and federal mandates.
HICKORY  The Catawba Valley Community College Fine and Applied Arts Music program will be hosting its second concert of the fall at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 24.

The concert will take place at at Bethany Lutheran Church, located at 1644 Main Avenue Drive NW in Hickory. Admission is free with love offerings being accepted.

"It brings such joy to perform together  to transcend a page of notes to create musical moments, said Caroline Simyon, CVCC Director of Music, Department of Fine Arts. We would love to share these moments with you, and we look forward to an exciting afternoon of music and your attendance.

This concert will be a mix of solo and choral singing starting with a traditional South African freedom song, Tshotsholaza, which translated means Go Forward. This piece is referred to as the unofficial anthem of South Africa, and it is a song of freedom and celebration.

The CVCC chorus will also perform the beautiful American art song Homeward Bound featuring four hands on the piano along with a penny whistle  a woodwind instrument.

Also being performed by CVCC chorus students will be Eric Whitacre's Glow and spiritual songs City Called Heaven and Soon Ah Will Be Done.
Eastern tiger swallowtail

These butterflies are commonly found across the state, but that doesnt detract from their charismatic beauty. It is also North Carolinas state butterfly. Unlike the monarch, they have myriad host plants, including black cherry, tulip poplar, and willow trees. These caterpillars are unique because when newly hatched, they are described as resembling bird poop. Thats a great way to keep predators at bay. This is an opportunistic moment to mention that caterpillars are a very popular food item for other animals. If you have songbirds in your yard during the summer, you likely have hungry baby birds. Caterpillars are the primary food source for those babies, so being camouflaged as bird poop is an effective way to stay safe. These butterflies do not migrate, but instead overwinter as a chrysalis. This is a great reason to skip yard work this fall. Chrysalides of many species may resemble dead leaves and fall to the ground in the fall. If you rake your leaves, you are likely to damage and/or kill those chrysalides. So, in the name of butterfly conservation, leave those leaves!
" " Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) is shown holding a globe in a detail from a painting by Peter Johann Nepomuk Geiger in the throne room of Miramare castle in Italy. DeAgostini/Getty Images

Don't believe everything you learned in elementary school. Our rose-colored image of Christopher Columbus, daring discoverer of America, is largely based on Washington Irving's 1828 biography, "A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus," much of which was invented. The real history of Columbus is far more complicated, controversial  and interesting.

Let's dispel some of the most pervasive myths about the divisive figure of Christopher Columbus, starting with how people viewed the world in the 15th century.

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1. Columbus Set Out to Prove the World Was Round

Contrary to what Irving wrote in his biography, Columbus was not a solitary geographical genius surrounded by a bunch of flat-Earthers. The fact that Earth is round was well-established in 15th-century scientific circles. What was still unknown was the size of the planet.

Columbus's gamble was that the Earth was really small. He calculated that the distance from Spain to Japan, sailing West, was only 2,400 miles. In fact, it's closer to 11,000 miles and there are two continents in the way. Not only was Columbus wildly wrong about the circumference of the Earth, but he thought it was pear-shaped instead of a sphere.

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2. Columbus Was Italian

This is a touchy subject, since Italian-Americans are some of Columbus's greatest supporters and defenders. But if we're going to be historically accurate, Columbus couldn't have been Italian, because Italy wasn't a thing until 1861.

Columbus was born in Genoa, a port city in the northern region of Liguria in modern-day Italy. But the Kingdom of Italy wasn't unified until 1861, more than 350 years after Columbus sailed to America. In Columbus's day, Genoa was an independent republic with its own language and currency. Complicating matters was that Columbus left Genoa early and made his name in Portugal and Spain.

Italian-Americans latched on to Columbus in the late 19th century to combat virulent discrimination against Italian immigrants. Italian-American communities in cities like San Francisco began holding annual Columbus Day parades to celebrate an American hero with Italian heritage, and to promote Italian contributions to American society and culture.

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3. Columbus Discovered America

Ask any random first-grader, "Who discovered America?" and they'll proudly tell you it was Christopher Columbus. Heck, ask most 50-year-olds and they'll give the same answer. But there are several serious problems with that claim.

" " Christopher Columbus lands at Guanahani, now known as San Salvador, island of the Bahamas, 1492. Kean Collection/Getty Images

Even if we ignore the fact that millions of indigenous people had lived in the land now known as North America for more than 10,000 years before Columbus "discovered" it, Columbus was still not the first European to make landfall in the New World. Historians and archeologists agree that Viking explorers and possibly Leif Erikson himself established colonies along the eastern coast of Canada as early as the 10th century.

But even if you ignore both the indigenous issue and the Viking claims, you're still stuck with the fact that Columbus never set foot in North America. Columbus's first expedition landed on a small island in the Bahamas Oct. 12, 1492. Subsequent expeditions came ashore in Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola, among other islands. While these islands are most certainly part of "the Americas," none of Columbus's expeditions found what most Americans would consider "America."

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4. Columbus's Ships Were the Nina, Pinta and the Santa Maria

Well, this one is only half false. Columbus and his crew may have called the three ships the Nina, Pinta and the Santa Maria, but those were probably just nicknames.

The Nina was not the ship's official name. The small caravel-style vessel was originally called the Santa Clara, but dubbed the Nina ("girl" in Spanish) by the sailors in homage to the ship's owner, Juan Nino. No one knows what the original name of the Pinta was, but some historians speculate that nickname was short for la pintada or "the painted lady," a possible reference to a prostitute.

For the Santa Maria, one story is that it was a name given by Columbus to a ship originally called la Gallega or Santa Gallega because its owner was from the Spanish region of Galicia. The more colorful explanation is that the "saintly" name is another nod to a favorite prostitute named Maria Galante.

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5. Columbus Thought He Had Discovered a New Continent

Nope. Columbus had no idea that he had accidentally found the edge of two massive continents equaling nearly 40 percent of the world's total landmass. Instead, he died convinced that he had discovered a Western sailing route to Asia or the "East Indies." That's why he called the local indigenous tribes "Indians," of course.

" " This German map traces the four voyages of Christopher Columbus to the West Indies and the Caribbean Sea. The first voyage is represented with a dark unbroken line. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Instead of thinking that he had discovered some truly unknown "New World," Columbus believed that he had merely landed on some Asian islands that hadn't been described by Marco Polo. Incredibly, Columbus came this close to being the first European in South America, but he mistook the coast of Venezuela for mainland China and wasn't interested in pursuing it further.

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6. Columbus Was a Genocidal Murderer

In recent decades, Columbus has been vilified by critics who blame him for the eventual deaths of millions of native people who contracted European diseases or fell to the sword of conquistadors and colonists. While that's a lot of death to place on the shoulders of one man, Columbus's direct interactions with the Taino natives on Hispaniola were also disastrous.

It's estimated that 300,000 Taino lived on Hispaniola in 1492. Just 16 years later, that number had dwindled to 60,000. By 1548, only 500 remained, according to Columbus biographer Laurence Bergreen. As many as 50,000 are believed to have committed mass suicide rather than to live under Spanish rule.

Columbus's fiercest critics label him a murderer who willfully committed genocide. Kris Lane, a historian of colonial Latin America, disagrees. Lane recognizes Columbus's personal crimes, which included rounding up and selling natives as slaves, and working some Taino to death in gold mines. But he doesn't believe that Columbus was intent on wiping the Indians out, even if that was the result.

"Was Columbus an active protector of Native Americans?" wrote Lane in the Washington Post. "No. Did he wish to eliminate them? No. Did genocide directly result from his decrees and his family's commercial aims? Yes."

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7. Columbus Was a Respected and Beloved Leader

It wasn't just American Indians who suffered under Columbus. Even if we include the caveat that he was "a man of his time," it's hard to dismiss the evidence that he was a tyrannical and even cruel leader who often imposed his will on his Spanish subjects through violence and fear tactics.

In "Columbus: The Four Voyages," author Lawrence Bergreen published firsthand accounts of Columbus's oppressive methods as the leader of the Spanish settlement on Hispaniola. He was fond of public beatings and whippings, cutting out a woman's tongue for "speaking ill" of Columbus and his brothers, hanging other Spaniards for stealing bread, and ordering vicious lashings for crimes as petty as not properly stocking Columbus's pantry.

When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella sent an officer of the Spanish crown to assist Columbus, the man found a colony devolved into rebellion and chaos. When Columbus refused to follow the officer's orders, Columbus was arrested and sent back to Spain in shackles.

Now That's Cool The movement to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day started back in 1977 at a United Nations International Conference on Discrimination against Indigenous Populations. At least eight states and 130 cities have now made the switch.
I wasnt saved in a church, so one of the first persons I went to see after I accepted Christ was my pastor. You should do the same. Be sure your pastor knows about the change in your life.

When I talked with my pastor about my own salvation experience, I confessed to him that while I had never been a very good student of the Bible, I now had a hunger for Gods Word. He suggested starting with the Gospel of John. Youve just experienced a miracle in your life, he told me. Read John, and I think youll be amazed at the other miracles Jesus can do!

He was right. The words jumped off the page. It was one of the first times I realized that something was very different about me.

But I have some other advice for the new Christian. This is something that I once heard my former pastor tell my daughter, Lauren. He told her, There are thirty-one days in most months and thirty-one chapters in the Book of Proverbs. Read a chapter each day. He was right, too. If you want to learn how to apply divine wisdom to the daily problems life will bring your way, youll find out how in Proverbs.

Bible study is important. People often lament about how difficult it is to figure God out. I can tell you from personal experience that hes not nearly as hard to figure out, if you read what he has to say!
Like with much in the public sphere these days, the truth gets murkier and murkier as pundits and talking heads repeat the same old tired nonsense day after day.

The column referenced above is dismissive of the passion others have demonstrated in refusing the vaccine. There are numerous examples of people putting their careers at stake over their refusal to be vaccinated. That alone should speak volumes about the perceived risk associated with the vaccine. That is not misinformationit is caution born of risk calculation.

Yet the columnist bid good-bye and good riddance to those who have surrendered their careers rather than get vaccinated. He continued:

Not to minimize any of this. A few weeks ago, a hospital in upstate New York announced it would have to pause delivering babies because of resignations among its maternity staff. So the threat of difficult ramifications is certainly real. But on the plus side, your quitting goes a long way toward purging us of the gullible, the conspiracy-addled, the logic-impaired and the stubbornly ignorant. And thats not nothing.

If someone has concerns about the vaccine, commentators have no moral obligationor expertiseto condemn that individual. The columnists flurry of gibberish should have been an embarrassment to his editors.
CHARLESTON  This years homecoming season was a special one for many people, including the former students of Charleston High School.

Since the pandemic has prevented many from traveling, gathering and having parties, homecoming festivities took a major blow.

So when Noris Lopez-Sanchez, who lives in Panama, received an invitation to attend the Charleston High School Class of '71s 50th Reunion, she was thrilled  and disappointed.

And then I said, I wish the pandemic was over,' said Lopez-Sanchez. It would have been a pleasure to go, but I turned it down because I really wasn't ready to travel.

Lopez-Sanchez was a foreign exchange student at the high school 50 years ago. While she has not been back to Charleston for years, she has been close with the family that hosted her while she was here. She and the Rundle family have attended weddings and several other life events together for years.

What eventually prompted her to come back to the United States was the internment her host mother's ashes. Her host mother, Vesta, died in January, and the internment would take place the same week as the reunion. Lopez-Sanchez wanted to return to be with her host brother and sister, Bob and Janice, who now live in Missouri and California, respectively.

If I'm going to take the risk, I might as well stay for the reunion, said Lopez-Sanchez. And that's how I ended up here.

Were excited to have her back

Lopez-Sanchez  though when she attended CHS her last name was simply Lopez  is fondly remembered among her classmates.

One of those friends was Glendia Crease, then Glendia Lee, who hosted Lopez-Sanchez this week for the short time she was staying in Charleston.

It was just exciting to know she can get back up here after the pandemic and all the other stuff weve been through, said Crease. Were excited to have her back.

She was always sweet, even for a teenager  and sometimes, you know, teenagers can be quite mean, said Sally Bock, a fellow member of the class of 71. And she was outgoing enough to make a lot of friends."

Being outgoing would be important for Lopez-Sanchez for years to come as a mechanic and manager with the Panama Canal, where she became the first journeywoman to ever work for the canal.

Something new for me

Charleston High School, when Lopez-Sanchez attended, had something her high school in Panama didnt offer: a drama and theater program.

At the high school, she played the role of Bloody Mary when the school put on a production of "South Pacific."

I enjoyed that very much, said Lopez-Sanchez. That was something new for me.

The skills she gained during her theater experiences ended up being important for years to come.

I needed those abilities to talk in public and to be in a large group, giving speeches, so that was wonderful, said Lopez-Sanchez. I made my career there going up the ladder, and I ended up as a manager for years. After 40 years, that was something I really enjoyed. It let me develop everything I love in life.

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP)  When a Colorado woman found out her hospital wouldn't approve her kidney transplant surgery until she got the COVID-19 vaccine, she was left with a difficult decision pitting her health needs against her religious beliefs.

Leilani Lutali, a born-again Christian, went with her faith.

Even though she has stage 5 kidney disease that puts her at risk of dying without a new kidney, Lutali, 56, said she could not agree to be vaccinated because of the role that stem cells have played in the development of vaccines.

"As a Christian, I can't support anything that has to do with abortion of babies, and the sanctity of life for me is precious," she said.

UCHealth requires transplant recipients to be vaccinated because recipients are at significant risk of contracting COVID-19 as well as being hospitalized and dying from the virus, spokesman Dan Weaver said. Unvaccinated donors could also pass COVID-19 to the recipient even if they initially test negative for the disease, he said.

"Studies have found transplant patients who contract COVID-19 may have a mortality rate of 20% or higher," he said.

It's not clear how common this type of policy is.

The American Hospital Association, which represents nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems and networks in the United States, said it did not have data to share on the issue. But it said many transplant programs insist that patients get vaccinated for COVID-19 because of the weakened state of their immune system.

While any type of surgery may stress a patient's immune system and leave them vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 later, organ transplants recipients are even more at risk because they have to take a powerful regime of drugs to suppress their immune system to keep their body from rejecting the new organ, which is seen by the body as a foreign object, Nancy Foster, AHA's vice president for quality and patient safety policy said in a statement.

"Further, if patients were to wait to get their vaccine until after the surgery, it is unlikely that their immune system could mount the desired antibody reaction given that they are taking anti-rejection medications," she said.

Transplant centers in Washington, Vermont, Massachusetts and Alabama have polices requiring that recipients be vaccinated, according to news reports.

Cleveland Clinic recently decided to require COVID-19 vaccinations for both transplant recipients and living donors, the organization said in a statement.

Some health care systems recommend or strongly encourage vaccination for transplants, including the Mayo Clinic and Sentara Healthcare, two of the nation's largest. The University of Alabama Birmingham's School of Medicine transplant program only recommends that living donors receive a vaccine, but it does not require it for the donation process.

The best time to get a COVID-19 vaccine is before an organ transplant. If time allows, patients should get their second dose of the available vaccines at least a couple of weeks prior to transplant "so that your body has a good immune response to the vaccine," said Dr. Deepali Kumar, the American Society of Transplantation's president-elect and an infectious disease physician.

Many major religious denominations have no objections to the COVID-19 vaccines. But the rollout has prompted heated debates because of the longtime role that cell lines derived from fetal tissue have played a role, directly or indirectly, in the research and development of various vaccines and medicines.

Roman Catholic leaders in New Orleans and St. Louis went so far as to call Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 shot "morally compromised." J&J has stressed that there is no fetal tissue in its vaccine.

Moreover, the Vatican's doctrine office has said it is "morally acceptable" for Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines that are based on research that used cells derived from aborted fetuses. Pope Francis himself has said it would be "suicide" not to get the shot, and he has been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer formula.

To Lutali, a recruiter for tech companies, it seems like her hospital was so insistent on saving her from COVID-19 that it is willing to let her possibly die by blocking her transplant surgery.

Lutali, who does not belong to a denomination, said she does not live in fear of dying because of her belief in the afterlife. She is searching for another hospital, possibly in Texas or Florida, where she could get a transplant without being vaccinated.

"I have hope that something will come along that is something I can live with in terms of my choices," she said.

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A major crisis may have been averted, but the short-term gain will lead to a much greater long-term cost.

Congress recently narrowly avoided another government shutdown after contentious back-and-forth between Democrats and Republicans and first failing to pass a federal funding bill. The potential shutdown would have affected key government services such as the certain health care programs, food stamps and national parks.

Preventing the shutdown with mere hours to go may seem like a political victory but, to be sure, no one is winning.

Yes, vital services have been given the lifeline to continue but at a high cost. The measures assure they will have enough funding to sustain through Dec. 3rd, at which point another spending measure must be secured or a government shutdown will occur.

The major issues and conflicts that led to the partisan divide in the first place are far from resolved. Instead of meeting the deadline with resolution and newly recommitted compromise, policymakers hastily made short-term deals. They valued speed over quality and disregarded compromise.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently warned of the implications that failing to increase the debt ceiling could have, citing the potential for "widespread economic catastrophe." Even by narrowly avoiding the government shutdown, the country is faced with potentially defaulting on its debt as it approaches the national debt limit.

The United States usually spends more than it takes in and that tradition requires outside loans to make up the difference. Defaulting would waver the confidence of creditors and could usher in a series of steep political consequences, from future financial security to diplomacy with current and former allies.

The quick fix to avoid shutting down the government is not likely to impress U.S. creditors or offer much promise in addressing the arguably greater financial crisis in the debt ceiling limitations.

Understanding how it got to this point is easy. Debt accrues when debits outweigh credits. Necessarily expanding the role of government, especially in the last 19 months of COVID has only added to the costs, estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to be more than $2.4 trillion.

Yet identifying who is responsible becomes a far greater challenge. Some Democrats argue that both parties proposed policies that have led to this point while many Republicans have repeatedly said they will not pass a measure that will support policies they don't back. These include some items in the more liberal social agenda negotiated within the Democratic Party.

Recent polling indicates Americans generally agree with Republicans and subscribe blame to Democrats  as the party has enjoyed unified power in both houses of Congress and the White House since the last election.

With the congressional midterm elections looming next year, it is a political hot potato that no single party or politician wants to hold. And after seeing how leaders struggled to address government shutdown, the debt ceiling proves to be a far greater political challenge.

To be sure, the government has shut down 10 times in the last four decades but the circumstances have never been more dire and simultaneously avoidable.

Without congressional compromise to fund government agencies and avoid defaulting on credits by extending the national debt ceiling, the nation will face a substantial financial catastrophe. This would be the greatest challenge to the administration since President Biden took office in January.

Americans need compromise and strong leadership more than ever before.

This is the urgent season of change every American needs to witness.

Laura Merrifield Wilson is an associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis and a public voices fellow at The OpEd Project.

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MONDAY: The babysitters are back! Season 2 of The Baby-Sitters Club picks up at the end of summer and business is booming as the new school year begins. Of course, there also are new relationships, new personal journeys and important new life lessons to be learned. (Netflix).

TUESDAY: Wanna play? That demented killer doll from the Childs Play slasher flicks makes his way to TV in Chucky. Franchise veterans join newbies in the series that sees an idyllic town rocked by a series of brutal murders that begin to expose its hidden secrets. (10 p.m., Syfy).

WEDNESDAY: Its a night of super heroics as DCs Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman kick off new seasons. In the opener, the Legends find themselves stranded in 1925 Odessa, Texas, with a destroyed Waverider. Later, Batwoman continues doing everything she can to keep the streets of Gotham safe. (8 and 9 p.m., The CW).

WEDNESDAY: The Sinner returns for its fourth season with a new mystery to solve. Still traumatized from a previous case, the now-retired detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) travels to Hanover Island in Maine for a relaxing getaway. But he soon is drawn back into action when a tragedy involves the member of a prominent island family. (10 p.m., USA).
Saturday vaccinations at the health department will be held from 9 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of the month, the health department said.

Booster shots are available to people who have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine for at least six months and are at least 65 or older or in a long-term facility, or are over 18 with an underlying condition or at increased risk of exposure due to occupation or institutional setting.

People can receive their booster shot from participating providers and dont need to get it from the same provider they received their first two doses, the health department said. Third doses for people with compromised immune systems who received two doses of Moderna are also available.

Vaccinations are free and no identification or insurance is needed, the health department said.

The single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine for people 18 and older is available as is the two-dose Pfizer vaccine, for children 12 and older, and Moderna for people 18 and older.

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I see a very exhausted young dancer in the back of my car as we went back to the school, she said.

When Foster came to UNCSA, she had already been sexually assaulted at a school she attended elsewhere, and now, she said, she was at a school where sexual abuse was happening around her. Foster said she wasnt a victim of sexual abuse at UNCSA.

But being exposed to the abuse around her was difficult to process, she said, especially when the teachers tried to normalize it as something necessary for becoming successful in the arts. According to the lawsuits, Kuch and Gain constantly told high-school age students that they had to have sex in order to be good dancers.

Were dealing with people in power who have the power to put you on stage or put you in the wings, Foster said. We were just abused and preyed upon and they ****** with our minds all the time.

According to Foster and other sources, the latest lawsuits came as a result of conversations on a private Facebook group for 1980s UNCSA alumni. Graduates would come to the Facebook page to reminisce about their time at the Winston-Salem arts school.

Then in February, one former female student who later became a plaintiff in the lawsuits wrote on the Facebook page to share her experience of sexual abuse.
When Frank Dulin retired as an assistant administrator at Reynolds Health Center, he wished he had pursued a career as a doctor.

If I had my life to live over again, I believe I would have studied to be a doctor, Dulin told the Winston-Salem Journal in February 1992. Im thankful things turned out as well as they did.

Dulin began his career as the office manager at the Kate Bitting Reynolds Memorial Hospital in October 1953. At that time, it was a segregated hospital for Winston-Salems Black population.

Dulin was in charge of everything from patient accounts to ensuring that someone was there to answer the phone, the Journal reported.

Dulin moved up to the top administrative spot at the hospital in 1966. Four years later, the hospital closed and its patients moved into Reynolds Memorial Hospital, in the same building that housed Reynolds Health Center.

I am glad to see some form of medical care in the East Winston community, Dulin said about the Reynolds Health Center. I would love to see a hospital in East Winston, but it would be costly.
On May 5, 1884, just after breakfast, Ernistina (Anna) Reid, 54, was beaten to death on the family farm, near where Bowman Gray Stadium is now located, where she lived with her husband, Harrison, and three of their six children.

Anna Reids murder led to the only reported lynching in the history of Forsyth County.

Moments before she died, Anna whispered the name of her attacker: Henry Swaim.

Henry Swaim, a laborer who lived and worked on the Reid farm, was described in one of the three local newspapers as intensely ignorant and was, when captured later that day, unable to realize what death was or how near he was to it.

His mental limitations notwithstanding, Swaim was dragged from the Winston jail by fifty or sixty disguised men, taken to the top of a hill beyond a bridge near Salem  where UNC School of the Arts is located  and hanged.

He was given an opportunity to confess, which he did, and allowed a final prayer. Then he said he wanted to leave his banjo and shotgun to his brother and his boots to a man from whom he had stolen something.
Hilgers Graben PLLC is pleased to announce an expansion of its Lincoln, Nebraska, office with the addition of attorneys: Adam Nyenhuis, Evan Hall, and Samuel Settle to its fast growing litigation team.

Adam Nyenhuis is an associate who has substantial experience with breach of contract and fraud cases, mergers and acquisitions disputes, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. He has clerked at the Supreme Court of Delaware and the Supreme Court of Alabama. Nyenhuis graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law (cum laude) and received his undergraduate degree from University of Minnesota (with distinction).

Evan Hall is a senior associate who has complex litigation experience representing a variety of clients, ranging from individuals and small, private companies to publicly held corporations. He graduated from Cornell Law School (cum laude) where he served as an editor for the Cornell Law Review and worked for the schools Capital Punishment and Labor Law clinics.

Samuel Settle is a litigation associate who just completed a clerkship with the Honorable Jonathan Papik of the Nebraska Supreme Court. Settle is a graduate of Harvard Law School where he acted as the communications editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. He received his undergraduate from Harvard University.
Countdown Bin Laden: The Untold Story of the 247-Day Hunt to Bring the Mastermind of 9/11 to Justice by Chris Wallace with Mitch Weiss, Avid Reader Press, 257 pages, $30.

The 20th anniversary of the destruction of the twin World Trade Center towers in New York on 9/11 featured multiple solemn commemorative events. It also inspired the release of Fox News personality Chris Wallaces second book, Countdown Bin Laden. His first book, Countdown 1945 was reviewed favorably in this space July 5, 2020.

Wallace and his collaborator, Mitch Weiss, seem to be using ex-colleague Bill OReilly and Martin Dugards formula for their Killing books by choosing a significant historic event to create a best-selling book which is then marketed vigorously.

This book, like those of OReilly, employs pithy chapters and easily legible print, skips between multiple characters and locations, and faithfully documents its numerous sources.

Relevant photos are inserted into the prose, although a map of the area involved in the raid would have been helpful. The authors undoubtedly hope to begin a similar Countdown series of guaranteed successes. Unfortunately, this book merely left the reviewer with a disappointing sensation of deja vu.
Hospital staff and tribal leaders decided to move vaccinations from the cramped clinic to the spacious school gymnasium where, starting Jan. 6, they offered shots each Wednesday.

There, they vaccinated an average of 150 people each week through the spring and early summer until almost every adult was vaccinated. More recently, they have moved vaccination back to the clinic, where they still average about 25 newly vaccinated people per week.

The elders showed the importance of the vaccine to Winnebago, Zuffante said. At one of the tribes first clinics, one woman worried that she was too old to get the vaccine. But she decided to go through with it, because she wanted to hold her baby granddaughter after not being able to hold her for most of 2020.

At another mass clinic, Zuffante watched the elders who had been vaccinated earlier in the day lingering together in a corner of the gym. The senior center was still closed. Some hadnt spoken in months.

It was so powerful, because you could tell how much they missed each other. ... I asked a nurse how long she told them they had to stay after receiving their shots. 15 minutes, she said. What time was that? An hour. I was going to kick them out.

Nah, Zuffante said. Leave them be.
"That's a good life lesson to have in a lot of areas," he continued. "Don't do anything in your life that you wouldn't want to see on the front page of the newspaper."

The student told police the posts were intended to net laughs and upvotes on YikYak, according to the affidavit. He consented to a digital download of his phone's contents, where police found that he told a group of his friends he'd been banned from the app for making too many "sus posts"  slang for suspect or alarming  according to the warrant.

It's unclear if the student will actually be charged with a crime. Fehringer declined to comment directly on the case, instead speaking in generalities about what the app's prominent role on campus means for the police department  and for the students who use it.

Fehringer said UNL police don't monitor the app  or any social media channels  with any degree of regularity, in part because staff levels don't allow for it. He said they investigate threats and internet-based concerns only when they're first reported to the department.
At Tuesday's board meeting, the district will approve sending out requests for proposals from a number of superintendent consulting firms to assist in the search. The deadline for those search firms to reply is Oct. 22.

Zein Saleh, a senior at Lincoln North Star High School and member of LPS' equity cadre, would like to see a diverse pool of candidates who value equity. Antwan Wilson, the former head of Washington, D.C., schools and a Nebraska Wesleyan University graduate, comes to Saleh's mind.

Wilson, who is Black, resigned from his Washington position amid a controversy over the district's competitive school lottery process. He's now listed as an assistant professor of education at Wesleyan on the school's website.

"I think he would make a good candidate," said Saleh, who has helped facilitate the Joel town halls and advise the district on its equity goals.

Saleh believes LPS has made progress under Joel, but would like to see more work done in the schools themselves. Oftentimes, he said, equity is only discussed at the district level and not translated to the classroom.

That will require gauging student feedback on the search for LPS' next superintendent and ensuring that students  and especially students of color, like himself  have a seat at the table, Saleh said.
They rolled the race car into his garage a few years ago, and Jim Schuman took stock.

It was incomplete. Chassis, rear end, front axle and hood. Some parts in boxes, some parts missing.

But what remained was familiar to Schuman.

Four decades ago, hed used this same car to help inaugurate a new class of sprint car racing at the speedway near 27th and Superior streets. The sport had needed a resurrection at the time; Schuman had watched it peak in Lincoln in the late 1970s, but then crash and burn.

It was becoming an arms race, but not all owners could afford aluminum wheels and heads, fuel injectors, bigger stroker motors.

Racers are so competitive. There was always somebody willing to spend more money, Schuman said. We thought we could make an economical sprint car class. You could buy the old parts for little or nothing.

One night, over beers, he and his friends schemed up a set of rules that favored low-budget builds. Iron heads, steel wheels, 360-cubic-inch maximum motor size.

And it caught on. They started the 1981 season with a dozen so-called 360 Sprint cars, ended it with 25 and started the next season with 40. The Mecca of sprints  Knoxville, Iowa  added 360s to its lineup the year after that.

It ended up going nationwide. Its one of the biggest classes of races in the country. But most people dont know it kind of started by accident, and that it started in Lincoln.

But before any of that could happen, Schuman needed a car to prove his point  that he could make an affordable sprint car using available, castoff parts. The very first 360.

He found an old roller in southern Minnesota, hauled it to his home in north Lincoln and built it with his own two hands.

And 40 years later  his long-lost No. 77 back in his garage  he rebuilt it with just his left hand.

* * *

The last time Schuman used his right hand, he signed his will from his hospital bed.

He was 40 in 1989. Hed just closed his racing shop  and had started the job of building the new museum at Speedway Motors  when the trouble surfaced.

His hand was opening and closing by itself.

He dismissed it as muscle cramps, maybe from running a surface grinder all day. But his girlfriend was a nurse, and she was concerned.

She asked her doctor and her doctor said, No. It sounds more serious. I need to look at him.

A neurologist diagnosed an arteriovenous malformation in his brain, a birth defect; the capillaries connecting his veins and arteries were knotted up like a nest and ripe for rupture, setting him up for a stroke.

The neurologist planned to operate that Friday afternoon, but Schuman  recently divorced and with custody of his son  wanted a will first, and insisted on waiting through the weekend to see an attorney.

He nearly made it, but the stroke caught up to him that Monday morning at his lawyers office.

I stood up and my legs wouldnt support me. I was conscious, I told them I had to sign my will before I leave. They brought the will for me to sign in the hospital.

He woke from surgery with no use of his right side. He couldnt talk. He couldnt read. He couldnt know what lay ahead.

They tell you its going to come back. But they cant tell you how soon, or how much.

* * *

In his basement art studio, Schuman is seated at a small desk, his right hand resting on his legs, his left clutching a narrow paint brush.

Almost every inch of the walls surrounding him is draped with his drawings, sketches and paintings. Race cars, mostly, but a couple of nudes, animals, pastoral scenes.

He stares at his canvas  a 15-inch-by-30-inch pane of glass that will sell at auction to benefit the Nebraska Corvette Association  and makes a few strokes.

Then he breathes, relaxes, stares again and makes a few more.

To do a painting like this exhausts me more than a day of labor, he said. The level of concentration I need to do that is not a natural thing.

Schuman grew up with one foot in the art world, the other on a race cars gas pedal.

His mother, Gerry, was an artist. And she started me drawing as soon as I could hold a pencil. We sat around and drew in the evenings all the time.

His father, Bill, raced cars. But his mother tried to keep her son off the track. She didnt want me racing. Dad said, Let him try it; it will get it out of his system.

His father sold his own stock cars to buy Schuman a 2.5-horsepower quarter midget to race around near 14th Street and Cornhusker Highway. And as an 11-year-old, he was named Lincolns 1958 quarter midget champion. He went on to race motorcycles, stocks and, occasionally, sprint cars.

He started building cars for others, opening Blue Engineering near 17th and O streets in 1975.

Everything that came out of that shop was a work of art, said Ed Bowes, who raced Schumans cars after his friend retired from the drivers seat. Sometimes hed make the thing so pretty, I didnt feel right about driving the thing. I worried I was going to hurt it.

In 1988, Schuman built a record-setting car for Bonneville Salt Flats legend Big Daddy Don Garlits. And two decades later, he was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

Racing had won out, though hed never abandoned his art. Hed pursued it in college after serving a year in Vietnam but dropped out. He was already trying to juggle a full-time job at the phone company and his racing career, he said, and something had to give.

He painted and lettered his own cars, and then others. He filled his studio walls with his drawings. Before his stroke, he enrolled in a college art class.

One of the assignments: Go home and sketch something with your off hand.

Schuman wasnt naturally ambidextrous, but years of working on cars  wrenching and welding and pinstriping and painting  had given him control over his left hand.

The instructor was skeptical. When I turned it in, the professor didnt believe me. He had me draw it again in class.

So he sat down and, with his teacher watching, redrew a picture of his perfectly good right hand, using his left.

* * *

His therapists at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital told him hed need to find a new profession, encouraged him to collect disability.

Before the stroke, hed just started working for Bill Smith, building what is now the 150,000-square-foot museum at Speedway Motors. He started from scratch.

When he hired me, it was just a pile of motors on pallets in the warehouse.

After the stroke, Smith was good to him, Schuman said. He would let Schuman work when he wanted, where he wanted  building the museum at Speedway, or building its motors in his garage.

He said, I hired you for your knowledge, not your skills. Youve got a job at Speedway for life.

Schuman appreciated the time and the flexibility. He needed it. He was starting over.

It was a challenge. You dont remember learning how to walk, but I do. You dont remember learning how to talk, but I do.

Everything was new, different  and more difficult from what it had been. Hed try to read, but his eyes raced ahead of his brain. It was gobbledygook. My brain was trying to comprehend each word.

Bowes had worried about his friend at first. But then he didnt.

Hes human. When he lost the use of his arm, of course it was a big blow to him. He knew he couldnt do a lot of the things he had done before. But watching him train his left hand to do what his right had done was fun.

Klara Schuman, his girlfriend and future wife, watched Schuman try to make sense of physical therapy sessions designed for men twice his age.

Most people would have given up, she said.

But Schuman didnt. Instead, he grew tired of waiting for his right hand to refire and started learning with his left. Hed leave Madonna under the guise of getting lunch with his father so he could see yet another therapist, and squeeze in even more rehabilitation. He made annual, weeklong visits to a stroke-recovery specialist in Wisconsin.

Schuman retaught himself the tasks two-handed people take for granted. Opening a twist-top. Tying his shoes. Tightening a nut and bolt.

Or just zipping your pants. Its not like anybodys going to help you do that. Oftentimes, it takes me longer to figure out how to do a job than to do it.

Still, he developed a series of tricks and hacks to get through his day. A rubber-padded table vise for jars and bottles. Duct tape, Vise Grips and clamps to thread a bolt through an unseen nut. Leaning against a wall to tug a zipper.

But just getting through his day wasnt enough. He wanted some semblance of his old life. He modified a motorcycle to all left-handed controls  both brakes, clutch, throttle and shifter  and nearly crashed it on his inaugural ride through his neighborhood.

More importantly, he continued creating. Building cars, picking his paintbrushes back up. He learned his brain  not his hand  was the tallest hurdle, and he taught himself how to clear it.

* * *

Ed Bowes was driving down West O a few years ago when he saw a familiar figure in a roadside field.

I just knew the shape of it and how it was built. It was a bare frame, but I spent enough time in the car that I knew what it looked like.

He stopped, talked to the owner and, after paying $1,100, reunited with the first 360. Here was the prototype Schuman built to launch a new class of sprints, the car Bowes raced in 1981 and 1982 before his friend built a second.

It was all apart. We rummaged around. The parts were in three or four buildings out there.

Bowes hauled it home and started the rebuilding process, sanding and powder-coating the frame. But then it all ended up in Schumans garage.

It had been used pretty hard. It was tired; lets put it that way. It took a lot of restoration. We welded up broken stuff and kind of got it pretty much back together.

But not right away. The car sat in Schumans garage  a project in need of progress  for several years, until the COVID-19 lockdown. Schuman took the virus seriously because of his preexisting conditions.

For more than a year, he didnt go anywhere, except to his garage.

He estimated he started with about a fourth of his original car, and he had to toss even more parts too worn to save. But he disassembled what remained, cleaned and polished it all, and started the rebuilding process.

He had to make it perfect, because its eventually headed to Speedways museum.

He fabricated some components  like the kick-up bars and bumpers  himself. He scoured the country for others. And that was hard, in part due to the pandemic, but also because he was looking for parts from the 1950s and 1960s.

Those parts were already old when we started, so finding them now was tough, and trying to find them during COVID was twice as tough.

But he slowly gathered what he needed: rotors from New Mexico, pitman arms from Illinois, hubs from Pennsylvania, the fuel tank from Tulsa.

His friend and former driver, Bowes, drove down to Oklahoma to pick that up. He also helped with the two-handed TIG welding. But beyond that, he just watched Schuman coax the old car back to life.

When he had both arms, it was just absolutely incredible, Bowes said. But what hes doing with one hand is beyond belief.

The first time Schuman built this car, he had it ready to race after about 300 hours. His recent one-handed build took more than 1,200, he estimated.

Hes used to that now. Everything takes more time. Before he lost the use of his right hand, hed spend a day or two on a painting. Now, he holds the brushes for up to 100 hours to get it right.

But he still gets it right. Id say, almost everything I do, I do better than what I did right-handed. Before, I just did it. Now, left-handed, I have to think about it.

Toward the end of summer, after he finished the sprint car in his garage, it was time to see it in the sunlight. With his left hand, he started moving all of the obstacles between the car and the garage door  the floor jacks, a small work table, a chair.

His wife Klara had to help steer while Schuman shoved, his right arm dangling.

But once it rolled onto the driveway, he stepped back. He liked what he saw.

Thats pretty good, he said to himself.

He took another moment to take it all in. The baby-blue and white paint, delicate pinstriping and lettering, his own history resurrected, single-handedly.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter

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What do we want Nebraska's future to look like?

That might be a good guiding light in choosing projects and programs that will be funded by a billion dollars in federal pandemic recovery assistance.

Targeted new development at designated water resource, recreation and tourism sites; creation of a national agricultural research center at UNL's Innovation Campus focused on flooding, drought and the impact of climate change on agriculture; creation of a rural health complex at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Those might be the kind of proposed new statewide initiatives that are really designed to help shape the future.

Gamechangers.

Think big, Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln urged Nebraskans last week.

Those proposals appear to meet that test  and there may be more of them.

There are plenty of other worthy ideas and proposals on the table now that would help build the state's future: increased investment for workforce development, expansion of rural broadband, funding assistance for shovel-ready construction projects and more.

But they seem more like ongoing state funding priorities.
The design, designated U.S. Patent No. 2,093,579, was basically an all steel car in two initial sizes. The 55 foot car seated 64 and a 70 foot model seated 105 with both having 42 inch wheels.

The car itself was pointed on the front end and rounded on the back, designed around a racing yacht, and scientifically designed from Berlin-Zossen airfoil experiments which gave it the appearance of speed even when siting idle. The exterior design, before the word "aerodynamic" existed, was termed wind-splitter and originally painted maroon and aluminum. Integral in the design was an entrance step which extended below the cars floor level giving easy access and a series of round, portal-like, dust and waterproof windows, perhaps also borrowing from the racing yacht plan. The interior featured wood paneling and acetylene-powered lighting.

The physical motor for the gasoline internal combustion engine was furnished by a Standard Motor Works, redesigned, water-cooled nautical engine. Because it was water-cooled, the water could be circulated through the walls of the car to provide interior heat in winter months.
In the end, Nebraskas redistricting method largely worked in 2021, with compromise maps making few people, if any, giddy, while most accepted the outcome as tolerable.

But the special session we just witnessed  which Speaker Mike Hilgers threatened to end without a solution after partisan squabbling nearly derailed the entire process  demonstrated why Nebraska needs to take the drawing of maps out of the hands of elected officials dependent on the outcome.

The Nebraska Legislature has proved in recent years that it has no interest in reforming a system that helps determine who stays in office, so the people  Nebraskas second house  must craft a petition that will end this partisan gamesmanship in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.

As last month proved, when politics enter the equation, you have travesties like some that Nebraska will have to deal with for the next decade.

A more densely populated area of central Nebraska gave up a seat to a rural area, one thats hemorrhaged population, to end a standoff. Meanwhile, Lincolns growth didnt result in a new seat; rather, the city was carved up and given to rural Republicans to appease a renegade group of rural senators who believed their constituencies are more important than others.
Both of Colleen Schwanke's hands are full when she takes her dog, Buddy, out to the bathroom at night in her backyard.

In one hand, she's got Buddy's leash held tight. In her other hand, a can of hornet spray that'll go a whopping 27 feet.

"I'm not comfortable with this. I don't like doing this," she said. "If I'm surprised in my backyard, that coyote's going to have a problem trying to get my dog."

Schwanke was among a half-dozen residents at the Mount Pleasant Village Board meeting on Sept. 27 who spoke of their recent encounters with coyotes. They're not alone  reports of coyote sightings were made earlier this year in the Village of Elmwood Park and throughout the year in other parts in the county.

It's nothing new. The primarily carnivorous mammals are native to Wisconsin. But the predators are always a concern to pets and livestock, and can seem scary to humans even though there have been exactly two documented killings of humans ever by coyotes in North America: a child in California 40 years ago and a 19-year-old woman in Canada in 2009.

Experts are suggesting the best way to handle coyotes is to learn what to do and what not to do, since it's unlikely that they'll be eradicated. One expert is even researching ways coyotes can help semi-urban environments like those in Racine County.

We are the invaders

Coyotes were here before us. They have lived in America for more than a million years. Since humans have shown up, they've moved closer and closer to residential areas as their habitat has been built over.

"You can't put an ordinance on a coyote," one board member said during a Mount Pleasant Committee of the Whole Meeting on Sept. 13 after concerns were brought up by residents. It was at least the third time in five years Village Hall has been used by residents to voice coyote concerns.

Mount Pleasant Police Sgt. Jason Vaccaro, the point-person for coyote-human interactions in the village, said "If you really think about it, we're the ones that are on their territory first, right? We took away their habitats."

In 2016, the University of Washington's Conservation Magazine reported that coyotes live in almost all U.S. cities. Three-quarters of those cities also have coyote-human conflicts, or incidents where coyotes behave aggressively or physically attack a person or a pet.

In Wisconsin, coyote attacks on humans are exceptionally rare, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

R.I.P., Max

Vonda and Roger Sczepanski of the Rolling Hills Estates neighborhood in Mount Pleasant reported one of their six Yorkshire terriers missing after a late-night coyote attack in July. Roger was out with the dogs on a potty break when their only male Yorkie, Max, was snatched by a coyote.

Since moving into their house in the late 1990s, Vonda said, they have only seen coyotes in the recent years. She theorized that growing commercial development moving in to the area (the Sczepanskis live about 1.5 miles from the Foxconn site) and clearing out much of the land has pushed coyotes closer to the neighborhoods.

Not a threat, but an ally

Dr. Stanley Gehrt of Ohio State University is one of the leading, and few, researchers studying how coyotes can be beneficial to different environments as part of the Urban Coyote Research Project in the Chicago area.

He has researched how coyotes thrive in places like Chicago, and can actually be of benefit to urban and semi-urban environments like Racine County. For example, coyotes can keep invasive populations in check, such as rabbits, woodchucks or even white-tail deer.

"They control those animals," he said.

Those living in southeastern Wisconsin have more to fear from deer than coyotes in terms of the motor-vehicle collisions that occur annually, Gehrt said.

As for geese, another nuisance animal, coyotes "are the only effective predator of Canada geese in Chicago," Gehrt said, noting that they often go for goose nests.

Don't feed them; protect your pets

In Caledonia, a resident reported a coyote within 6 feet of their patio door in March. Caledonia Police Lt. Gary Larsen said he'd even seen one the other day, running across the road, when a Journal Times reporter called him on Tuesday.

The CPD hadn't had any recent complaints as of that Tuesday phone call; as for how often they do get reports, Larsen said: "It's a time or two a year."

"There's coyotes in Caledonia," Larsen said. "They typically stay away  it's a wild animal, you can't control what they do." Larsen did acknowledge that if the problem grows larger in the area, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will be contacted.

One of the biggest questions concerned Racine County residents have is: Are coyotes becoming more bold?

"We don't see any large-scale patterns of that (boldness), but it can be a localized issue," said Gehrt, the Ohio State researcher.

What may be causing coyotes to be more active in the area is their newly learned lack of fear for people  in other words, they've become habituated to humans.

"If they're getting fed, either intentionally or unintentionally, they'll associate people with food or rewards," Gehrt said.

The DNR classifies coyotes as nuisance animals, but neither the DNR or Mount Pleasant will remove nuisance wildlife.

It's the landowner or lessee's responsibility to manage coyotes, but municipal codes in Mount Pleasant prohibit shooting or trapping animals, according to a village fact sheet. Marty Johnson, a wildlife biologist for the DNR's Sturtevant Service Center who spoke at a recent Mount Pleasant Committee of the Whole meeting, recommended checking local municipal codes, since they may differ depending on the environment of the municipality.

Instead of eradication efforts, it's widely agreed that educating coyotes that humans are not their friends will keep them at bay.

In Elmwood Park, for example, signs are being put up on the bike path near Durand and Rosalind avenues warning pedestrians of coyotes, said Christopher Jenkins, the village's administrator/clerk/treasurer.

"The best thing I think we continue to do is to be educated with our residents, continue to push the information out, make them aware of it, and and assist as best we can. I mean, there's no perfect solution," said MPPD Sgt. Vaccaro.

Tips for Living With Urban Coyotes With the right knowledge, living with wild, urban canids like coyotes and foxes can be safe, enjoyable and rewarding. Here are some tips from the project to make your yard safer when living with these wild neighbors: Dont feed them: Animals that associate people with food become more curious and dependent on humans, while losing their natural fear. Feeding pets indoors and properly containing trash is crucial to avoiding conflict with canids. When bird-feeding, regularly collect fallen seed to avoid attracting rodents, a favorite prey item of fox and coyotes. Monitor pets: Keep an eye on pets while outdoors and do not let them off-leash in areas known to hold wild canids, especially coyotes. Dogs should be monitored while outdoors, especially at night. Cats should always be kept indoors. While dangerous conflict between pets and wild canids is rare, it is a real possibility, especially during breeding/pupping season. Haze them: It is important that urban canids maintain their natural fear of humans. If an animal is not behaving normally, hazing techniques  such as yelling, clapping, and throwing objects in the direction of (not directly at) the animal  can minimize the chance conflict, and help naturally instill a fear of humans. Respect them: Mutual respect is the best way to peacefully coexist with urban coyotes and foxes. Most people live in close contact with canids their whole lives without knowing it. Our actions shaped their adaptation to this urban landscape and will continue to shape them going forward. A video showing how to haze coyotes can be seen at uwurbancanidproject.weebly.com/living-with-foxes-and-coyotes.html.  According to the UW-Madison Urban Canid Project (uwurbancanidproject.weebly.com)

The DNR's Johnson said residents should continue to follow the tips and guidelines for avoiding and encountering coyotes.

"The hope is over time, the more you do it, the more (coyotes) get educated to stay away," he said.

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Maybe you can get away with murder elsewhere in the country, but not so much here in the Badger State.

Data from the Murder Accountability Project, a national nonprofit which tracks homicides in the U.S., shows Wisconsins clearance rate on murders over the past decade was one of the top ones in the country.

Wisconsin posted a clearance rate of 72 percent from 2011-2020, the eleventh best in the country, according to an analysis of the MAP data by the Badger Project, a nonpartisan, non-profit journalism organization. And in states that recorded more than 1,000 homicides during that period, Wisconsin ranked fourth  behind only Minnesota, Nevada and North Carolina.

In most cases that meant charges were filed by law enforcement, although clearance can also include cases where the offender died or extradition was not possible.

Even better, the clearance rate here in Racine County surpasses the state percentage. Racine County had a clearance rate of 87.5 percent  solving 42 of the countys 48 homicides over that 10-year period.

Wisconsins numbers would have looked even better had it not been for the city and county of Milwaukee  and that comes as no surprise to southeastern Wisconsin residents who almost daily read news reports of mayhem in the states largest city.

The Badger Project analysis said Milwaukee County had a homicide clearance rate just under 64 percent, well below the state average. Moreover, the number of homicides there dwarf the rest of the state. According to the MAP data over the past ten years, Milwaukee County had 1,229 murders. The total for all of Wisconsin was 1,900  meaning Milwaukee County accounts for more than 64 percent of all murders in the state.

That trend in Milwaukee is not declining  the county posted a record 190 murders last year and has already had 148 homicides so far this year and is on track to pass that this year. Clearly, there must be a concerted effort to blunt that trend.

Wisconsins high ranking in murder clearance rate and the even better numbers for Racine County are testimony to the hard work and dedication of local law enforcement officers throughout the county and to their determined efforts to bring killers to justice. That clearance rate can only deter murderous actions and it should help country residents sleep a little easier at night.

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1. Yes. Council members appear to have taken time to review each section carefully.

2. Yes. The council has set up town halls and a public hearing to inform the residents.

3. No. The council should have set up a charter review committee, including residents.

4. No. Some of the items proposed so far benefit the council more than the community.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say until after the public has had more opportunities to weigh in.

Vote

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On Tuesday, October 19, Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston will host a community blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the hospital community room.

Anyone looking to donate is strongly encouraged to make an appointment by midnight the night before the drive. Doing this allows the Blood Center of Wisconsin to know how many people are expected.

Requirements for being a blood donor:

Be at least 17 years old (16-year-olds may donate with parental consent)

Feel well on day of donation

Be free of major cold and flu symptoms

Not have had hepatitis after age 11 years

Not have had any risk factors/behaviors associated with HIV/AIDS

Donors are asked to bring along photo identification, drink plenty of fluids prior to and following the donation and avoid strenuous physical exercise until the day following the donation.

To schedule a donation appointment, call the Blood Center of Wisconsin at 1-877-232-4376 or visit donate.wisconsin.versiti.org and search for Mile Bluff in the mobile drives.

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When U.S. Army veteran and Viterbo University student James Michael saw the Remembering Our Fallen memorial for the first time at Western Technical College this past July, he was particularly struck by one aspect of the photos of the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Looking into their eyes, it really hit me, Michael said. Every one of them said goodbye to their loved ones for the last time and never came back. I cant imagine how painful that was for their families.

Remembering Our Fallen is a national traveling memorial consisting of 34 Tribute Towers with the photos of more than 5,000 members of the military who perished during the War on Terror since Sept. 11, 2001.

Michael was so moved by the experience he made it his mission to give even more people the opportunity to view it. He met with Viterbo President Rick Trietley, also a veteran who served in Afghanistan, about hosting the memorial at the university. Michael felt that with the recent withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Afghanistan and Veterans Day approaching, the timing seemed especially appropriate. Trietley quickly expressed his support.

Remembering Our Fallen will be on display in Viterbo Universitys Assisi Courtyard Wednesday, Oct. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 24. An opening ceremony will be held at noon Oct. 20. The exhibit will close with a blessing at 5 p.m. Oct. 24. Everyone is invited to attend both events or view the memorial anytime during daylight hours.

Michael, who will graduate from Viterbo in May with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, served as a combat medic with the 1st Battalion 66th Armor Regiment in Afghanistan. He stressed the memorial is not about anyones personal feelings about the War on Terror, the Afghanistan withdrawal, or anything to do with politics.

IF YOU GO WHAT: Remembering Our Fallen Memorial Exhibit WHEN: Oct. 20-24 during daylight hours. Opening ceremony at noon Oct. 20. Closing blessing at 5 p.m. Oct. 24. WHERE: Viterbo University Assisi Courtyard COST: Free and open to all

What I care about is bringing the community together to honor these brave soldiers, and hopefully provide some healing and closure to their loved ones, Michael said. Its just the right thing to do. I want these families and our veterans to know how much they are respected and appreciated. No matter our opinions or background, as soldiers we answered the call.

Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar type memorials, Remembering Our Fallen is designed to travel and includes both military and personal photos. It is the hope of the creators that the names of the fallen heroes will be spoken in remembrance and bring comfort to their family members.

Viterbo University is privileged to honor all U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation during the Global War on Terror by hosting this incredible monument, said Trietley. This powerful and moving exhibition captures the pride, spirit and the human toll of warfare as told through the loving memories of families, loved ones, and friends. There is no better time to pause, remember and honor these amazing individuals as our community is currently engaged in offering safety, hospitality, and the hope of a better life to thousands of Afghan refugees at nearby Fort McCoy. Please join us to pay tribute to these heroes  we will never forget.

Remembering Our Fallen has been displayed across the U.S. since it was unveiled at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 2017. For more information, visit www.RememberingOurFallen.org.

About the series Campus Connection appears Sundays in the La Crosse Tribune to spotlight student and faculty achievements at the UW-L, Viterbo and Western Technical College. The campuses provide these features on a rotating basis.

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Over 80% of the U.S. population is currently eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, and yet just 65.8% of those 12 and older are fully inoculated despite the vaccine rollout starting nine months ago.

While transmission rates dropped last spring despite vaccine rates slowing, the delta variant has led to a spike in infections, hospitalizations and deaths in addition to, though less common, breakthrough infections. Yet, while vaccines are proven to greatly reduce chance of illness in general and severity of symptoms among those who do become infected, a sector of the population remains adamant they will not willingly be vaccinated, whether due to concerns about the science, timeline, or risks of the vaccine. For some, the reason is political or religious.

The overwhelming majority of reputable medical organizations and entities, including the CDC, FDA, American Medical Association, American Hospital Association and Wisconsin Department of Health, strongly advise vaccination for all those eligible, and data has shown severe side effects or fatalities potentially associated with vaccination are miniscule.

More than 396 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered nationwide as of Oct. 4, and from Dec. 14 to Oct. 4 the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System received 8,390 reports of death, the equivalent of 0.0021%, among those who received a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC notes not all of these deaths are in fact due to the vaccine, with no established casual link.

In contrast, coronavirus deaths have exceeded 707,000 nationally, 8,090 statewide and 100 in La Crosse County.

Local death rates increasing faster than vaccinations

Data on COVID-19 deaths is beginning to mirror what the Coulee Region experienced in the fall of 2020, when the area saw a spike in severe cases after a lull during warmer months. This could signal the region is on the brink of seeing another deadly, tragic winter.

In the last four months while vaccinations in the region have been slowly creeping along, deaths from COVID-19 have been increasing at a faster rate.

Between Aug. 11 and Sept. 8 vaccine rates in the region increased by just over 2%. But deaths increased by 6% after seeing largely no fatalities over the summer. And from September to this past Wednesday, deaths increased by 5%, and vaccinations saw their lowest increase since the summer.

In total, 7% of the 606 virus deaths in the region occurred in the last month alone.

This data comes as news broke last week that the 2021 deaths in the United States from COVID-19 have surpassed that of 2020.

Its unclear if this trend of rapidly increasing deaths will continue in the region, as across the nation there appears to be a downward trend in cases and hospitalizations after a weeks-long surge.

The highest death rates in the last month in the Coulee Region occurred in some of the larger counties, with 11 deaths in Chippewa County and nine in La Crosse County. But its sweeping through some of the more rural areas as well, and in Vernon County officials have reported six deaths since Sept. 1  11% of its total deaths from the virus.

Meanwhile, all but three of the 11 counties the River Valley Media Group has been monitoring in the Coulee Region have surpassed vaccinating 50% or more of their population, with some of the most rural areas still lagging in handing out shots. Only Trempealeau and La Crosse counties have surpassed vaccinating 60% of its residents.

Here are the vaccination rates and death totals for the 11 counties as of Wednesday, Oct. 6. Vaccine rates are based on the amount of residents 12 and older with at least one shot. (No death totals by county available for Minnesota):

Chippewa:

112 deaths

52.5% vaccinated

Crawford:

22 deaths

52.1% vaccinated

Dunn:

43 deaths

44.9% vaccinated

Eau Claire:

133 deaths

56.9% vaccinated

Jackson:

31 deaths

45.4% vaccinated

La Crosse:

105 deaths

62.3% vaccinated

Monroe:

54 deaths

45.3% vaccinated

Trempealeau:

52 deaths

61.3% vaccinated

Vernon:

54 deaths

50.4% vaccinated

Houston:

58.1% vaccinated

Winona:

53.8% vaccinated







La Crosse County, Wisconsin viral transmission rates remain very high

La Crosse County COVID-19 cases rates continue to be rated very high, with 66% of infections occurring among those who havent been inoculated.

For the seven-day period ending Oct. 3, the La Crosse County Health Department reported COVID-19 infections among those who have either not had the shots or have not completed the vaccine series to be 544.7 per 100,000 per week, compared to 184 per 100,000 per week for the fully vaccinated.

From to Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, 381 cases were added, for an average of 54 per day. In the months of August and September, over 60% of cases were attributed to public or large group gatherings/events.

In Wisconsin, coronavirus activity is rated very high for the two-week period ending Oct. 5. The states case burden was 715.5 per 100,000, with no significant change in trajectory.

La Crosse County is also categorized at very high, with a burden of 672.7 per 100,000 and no significant change in trajectory.

Seventeen counties have reached critically high status, and no county is in the high, medium or low category.

The state as of Oct. 7 had a seven-day average of 2,651 new cases per day for an 8.7% positivity rate. A total of 8,092 deaths were confirmed as of Thursday, including 103 in La Crosse County. Statewide, there were 745,802 confirmed cases total, with 15,556 among La Crosse County residents.

Per DHS data, in the month of August infections among the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated were at a rate of 1,413.7 per 100,000, with hospitalizations 98.5 per 100,000 and deaths 11.7 per 100,000. For those fully vaccinated, those rates were 360.7 per 100,000; 11.5 per 100,000; and 1.1 per 100,000, respectively.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported 1,162 current COVID-19 hospitalizations as of Oct. 8, including 307 ICU patients. In the Western region, those numbers were 67 and 13, respectively. For the two-week period ending Oct. 5, DHS reported change no significant change in overall hospitalizations, including in Western Wisconsin. Statewide 53.7% of hospitals had their ICUS at peak capacity, and 23.5% of ventilators were in use.

La Crosse County youth coronavirus rates

The La Crosse County Health Department for the week ending Sept. 29 put COVID cases among those in the K-12 age range at 67.69 per 100,000 per day. The previous week, the daily rate was 61.09 per 100,000.

The School District of La Crosse reported for the week ending Oct. 5 a case rate of 37.2 per 100,00 per day. In total that week, 25 cases were confirmed, with 16 currently active. A total of 228 close contacts due to in-school exposure were reported. A total of individuals of 84 were required to quarantine.

The district continues to offer on-site testing for symptomatic students at all school buildings and hosts daily testing at select locations for students, staff or student families regardless of symptom status.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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The local Boy Scout organization would pay $1.05 million into a trust to help compensate tens of thousands of Scouts nationwide who were sexually abused, including 86 in Lancaster and Lebanon counties in past decades, a recent court filing shows.

This proposed cash payment by the Pennsylvania Dutch Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which covers both Lancaster and Lebanon counties, would be a minuscule part of the trusts total funding -- approximately $2 billion -- that would go to 82,000 former scouts across the country who say they were molested.

The number of local victims and the councils proposed monetary contribution were disclosed last month in a filing by the Boy Scouts of America as part of its ongoing bankruptcy reorganization, into which the national Scouting group entered in February 2020 to settle the deluge of suits.

Whether the proposed financial terms get approved remains to be seen.

Bob Pontz, a Lancaster bankruptcy attorney and member of the Pennsylvania Dutch Councils executive board, said the trusts level of funding is intended to fairly compensate the victimized Scouts while leaving councils enough of their assets to stay healthy and functional.

The goal, Pontz said, is to achieve a positive ending, which is somehow resolving  a terrible wrong that has happened over the years, in a way that allows a very important organization for our young people to continue.

Pontz hoped that even if the proposed contributions and compensation are not to everyones complete satisfaction, they are something that everybody can live with.

Of the 86 local victims, 78 say all their abuse occurred while a Scout in the Pennsylvania Dutch Council. The remainder say they were abused both during their time as a Scout in the local council and during their time when they were a Scout in at least one other council.

The oldest incidents addressed by the bankruptcy plan occurred in the 1950s, said Matt Adams, the Pennsylvania Dutch Councils CEO and executive director.

The most recent claim by a Scout of abuse in the local council involved an incident in 1999, Adams said. Most claims stem from incidents in the 1960s and 1970s. Criminal background checks and thorough training of adult volunteers, plus strict adherence to safety protocols during Scout gatherings of any kind have kept abuse at bay for decades, according to Pontz and Adams.

The steps include always having two adult leaders present  never just one  when there are interactions with a Scout or Scouts. That rule applies not only to adult/Scout interactions within the local council, which had nearly 4,000 Scouts before the pandemic, but to such interactions within any council.

The safety measures have been extremely successful throughout our organization nationwide, Adams said. Many other youth-serving organizations have modeled their youth-protection guidelines off of what the Boy Scouts have established because theyve been so successful.

Compensation options

Scouts who claim they were molested would be able to pursue compensation in one of two ways, Pontz explained.

They could take a flat $3,500 and not have their claim examined. Or they could have their claim evaluated and, if the claim is validated, get compensated by the type of abuse they suffered.

According to the disclosure statement, the trust would determine the payment amounts by using a scale of six categories of abuse. The lowest would be verbal sexual abuse, which would pay a base amount of $3,500 and a maximum of $8,500, if aggravating factors were present. The highest would be anal or vaginal penetration by an adult, which would pay a base amount of $600,000 and a maximum of $2.7 million, the court filing says.

Aggravating factors would include the duration and/or the frequency of the abuse, use of force or violence, stalking, the number of perpetrators involved in the abuse and the impact on the victims mental and physical health, the filing says.

Some 25 people who were Scouts in the local council, either exclusively or during part of their years in Scouting, would be in line for the maximum compensation, as they allege they were sexually penetrated, according to the filing.

Sixteen say they were the victims of oral sex. Nineteen say they were the victims of masturbation by an adult perpetrator. Another 19 say they were groped. Six say they were touched sexually while unclothed. One says sexual touching occurred while clothed.

The filing does not name the victims or specify where the victims lived at the time they were abused. Currently about 60% of Scouts in packs and troops in the two-county council live in Lancaster County, Adams estimated.

Councils ante up

The local council, based on Janet Avenue, is one of 251 councils nationwide that would contribute at least $600 million in the aggregate, including $300 million in cash, to a trust that would pay the abused Scouts, according to the 406-page filing.

Thats the price tag for resolving all existing claims of sexual abuse, barring any fresh claims of sexual abuse, stemming from incidents that occurred before the Boy Scouts of America entered bankruptcy on Feb. 18, 2020.

The amounts paid by the councils would range from a low of $11,500 from the Rocky Mountain council in southeastern Colorado to a high of $13 million from the council in Orange County, California, anchored by the city of Anaheim outside Los Angeles.

Each councils amount was determined by three factors, Pontz explained: the councils share of the 82,000 total claims, the statute of limitations on sexual abuse claims in the state where the council operates and the councils finances.

Most councils, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch Council here, would pay their amounts entirely in cash, the filing shows. But about a third (86 of the 251 councils) would pay some or all of the amount by giving real estate to the trust.

Among that third are 17 councils which would pay their entire amount in real estate, including the councils for Orange County, Denver (which would contribute real estate worth $6.0 million), San Diego ($2.7 million), Greater Yosemite ($2.2 million) and Greater Niagara (in Buffalo, $1.5 million).

Pontz, though, said the Pennsylvania Dutch Council would make its $1.05 million payment in cash by tapping the proceeds of its investments over the years.

A million dollars for any organization, even larger ones than us, is certainly a significant expense that we would have much rather not had to make, Pontz said.

But in the interest of the Scouting movement and compensating victims to the extent any of them suffered under our council in years gone by, it can be made without adversely affecting our ability to deliver scouting to our youth and families going forward, he said.

Donations from supporters of local Scouting would not be used to fund any of the payment, Pontz emphasized.

No part of the contribution is from any donor-restricted funds; its not from donated funds at all. We felt it is very important to do this in such a way so that no one who ever donated money to support the Scouting program would feel like instead their money is being diverted to deal with this old problem, he said.

What's next? The dollar figures and the other stipulations of the proposed settlement are not final. They are part of the national Scouts fifth version of their reorganization plan, which is subject to a complex approval process thats underway. The reorganization plan cleared its first hurdle Sept. 30 when U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein of the bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware, where the Boy Scouts of America filed its bankruptcy petition, approved a key document prepared for the approval process. The document is called a disclosure statement. Its prepared by the debtor (in this case, the Boy Scouts of America) to explain its bankruptcy reorganization to parties who will vote on whether to approve the plan. Since Silverstein decided that the document is sufficiently informative, the statement and balloting materials are being sent to the parties who are eligible to vote on the plan, a group that includes abuse victims and other creditors. The voting deadline is Dec. 14. If creditors accept the plan, then Silverstein will be asked to do the same at a Jan. 24 hearing.

Ample cushion

The council has ample financial resources to cover its contribution to the trust.

The contribution represents just 13.9% of the councils total net assets of $7.6 million, according to a financial snapshot of the council taken Feb. 28 that was included in the court filing. (See graphic for more details.)

And that figure for net assets appears to be quite conservative.

The snapshot, which values the councils Camp Mack at $3.6 million, was taken months before the council consummated a 2018 plan to sell the least valuable third of the Brickerville-area camp earlier this month. The price: $2.88 million, as LNP | LancasterOnline recently reported.

The two-thirds of the camp property that the council retained  which includes Camp Macks aquatic center, camp sites, dining hall and other features  is certainly worth more than the undeveloped third that got sold.

Pontz stressed that the councils sale of the camp acreage was put in motion two years before the national Scout organization filed for bankruptcy. The land sale is unrelated to the councils need to make a payment into the trust, he said. The council already had enough money on hand, without the land sale, to do so comfortably, Pontz indicated.

The recent (sale) provides our council with some liquidity at an opportune time. But unlike some councils, who have been forced to liquidate assets in order to pay into the bankruptcy settlement, our council is fortunate not to be in that position, Pontz said.

Local councils arent the sole source of funding for the trust, however.

The national organization itself, its liability insurers and a church that formerly was its largest troop-sponsoring organization would be making sizable contributions too. The Boy Scouts of America would contribute $220 million, Hartford Insurance, $787 million and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, $250 million. Other insurers and chartering organizations are likely to make contributions as well.

Pandemics punch

While the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy and sex-abuse claims are major stories nationally, the far greater deterrent to Scout membership locally is the pandemic.

Its definitely been a challenge more so because of the pandemic than the bankruptcy, Adams said. We dont find that too many of our families know too much about the bankruptcy.

With the pandemic closing schools for much of calendar 2020, the packs lost the prime recruiting season of fall 2020. Fall usually is a time when the councils packs add about 750 new Scouts. And with the pandemic eliminating, then curtailing in-person activities, many Scouts  especially the youngest, the Cub Scouts, lost their reason to participate, Adams explained.

As a result, the number of Scouts enrolled across the councils packs plunged from 3,920 to 2,500.

You can only do so much virtually with first-through-fifth grade kids, Adams said. Its just hard to deliver programming virtually.

In contrast, enrollment of Scouts in sixth grade through age 18 fared relatively well, Adams said, as they were able to meet outside and do outside activities.

With the reopening of schools this fall and the return of in-person activities for all ages, recruiting is solid once again, according to Adams. Some 200 have joined so far this school year, making council leaders optimistic theyll have a total of close to 3,000 scouts by year-end.

They expect that momentum to carry into next year, making council leaders hopeful of once again having close to 4,000 scouts by year-end 2022.

Even with the pandemic and all its obstacles, Pontz said, we still have young people who want to participate (in scouting) and who are getting tons of benefit and life experiences out of it.
This story contains links that will take you to our archives site on newspapers.com. This content is free for LancasterOnline subscribers who are logged in. Click here for more information about how to subscribe.

Excerpts and summaries of news stories from the former Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News that focus on the events in the countys past that are noteworthy, newsworthy or just strange.

25 years ago

In 1996, the fastest-growing beverage category in the country was bottled water - and a local business was expanding to help meet the demand.

Cloister Spring Water Co. had just completed its new $5 million headquarters along Route 283 in East Hempfield Township after three years of work.

The 100,000 square foot complex combined corporate offices, a distribution center and a state-of-the-art bottling plant at one location. The company's operations had previously been spread between multiple locations in Leola and Ephrata.

The new facility could bottle 200 million gallons of water a year, and also had a plastic bottle-making facility on site through a partnership with Reid Plastics of California.

In the headlines:

Approval near for walk on tightrope over Niagara Falls

Gulf War syndrome debunked

Deficit smallest since '81

Check out the Oct. 10, 1996, Lancaster New Era here.

50 years ago

It's bad enough to have your life savings stolen, but to then have them literally thrown in a river? That's exponentially worse.

But that's just what happened to 74-year-old Joseph Carroll of Marietta in 1971, when a group of 5 teenagers broke into his Front Street home and stole nearly $17,000 worth of government securities and bonds, as well as a watch and $40 in cash.

The documents represented the vast majority of Carroll's life savings, and the teens promptly dumped them into the Susquehanna River along with the watch. They kept the cash.

However, all was not lost for Carroll, who was a World War I veteran. Police were able to recover the documents and the watch - but the Sunday News did not report how long they had been in the river or how much water damage they sustained.

In the headlines:

Baltimore wins World Series opener, 5-3

Ex-convict hijacks Boeing 727 to Cuba

VA hospital being saturated with drug-addicted veterans

Check out the Oct. 10, 1971, Sunday News here.

75 years ago

In the wake of World War II, military technology was beginning to filter out into the civilian world, and a Lancaster factory was a part of the efforts.

RCA demonstrated a new aircraft guidance system that combined radar and television technology to display "road maps" of the airways to pilots via in-cockpit screens showing the location of the pilot's plane, as well as any other aircraft in the area.

The new technology, dubbed "teleran" by RCA, was in early testing and expected to be widely available in two to three years. Prior to the new system, pilots had to calculate their position from instrument readings.

The local connection? The picture tubes for the teleran screens were being manufactured at Lancaster's RCA plant.

In the headlines:

Parley adopts Trieste proposal

Emergency action by Truman in meat shortage is hinted

Police battle angry mob at Italian palace

Check out the Oct. 10, 1946, Intelligencer Journal here.

100 years ago

The classic "fish story" may have no place in the newspaper - unless your fish story involves a species previously unseen locally.

In October 1921, Ira Mellinger caught two large fish - nearly two feet long and each weighing about 20 pounds - in the Conestoga River. He was unable to identify them, and when he showed them around, other local fisherman were equally stumped.

Guesses included halibut, a cross between different types of carp, and even some kind of young shark.

The fish were ultimately identified by the Mettfett Company, purveyors of seafood, as Bonita Mackeral, a species typically seen in oceans. Further study would be conducted to see if more Bonita Mackeral were living in the Conestoga, as well as to see if it would be feasible to seed local waterways with the new species to improve local fishing.

In the headlines:

Yanks capture fifth series game, defeat Giants 3-1

Damaged vessel sunk by ship coming to rescue

Check out the Oct 10, 1921, Lancaster Intelligencer here.
Despite the outrage many parents have displayed at school board meetings across Lancaster County since the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced its school mask order at the end of August, the number of approved mask exceptions is relatively low at local school districts.

Except at least one.

At 11 of the 12 county school districts that provided data to LNP | LancasterOnline this week, 7% or less of the student body requested a mask exception. Meanwhile, seven of the eight school districts that shared specific data regarding exception approvals reported 2% or less of their student population were approved for mask exceptions.

In both cases, Eastern Lancaster County School District was the exception.

Data was unavailable for Donegal, Lancaster, Lampeter-Strasbug, Manheim Central and Octorara Area school districts.

At Elanco, the only county school district allowing parents to file for a mask exception without a doctors note, 1,391 of 2,823 students have requested a mask exception. Every parent who submits an exception request is approved. That means nearly 50% of the entire student body is allowed to attend school without a mask.

Elanco has also been the leader in COVID-19 cases throughout the 2021-22 school year. Since the first week of school, when it reported five cases, Elanco has reported 31, 56, 81, 55 and 38 active cases per week, respectively, since then.

The masking is probably part of that, Superintendent Bob Hollister said of the high number of cases, adding that Elancos low vaccination rate is another contributing factor.

Elanco started the school year allowing parents to decide whether to quarantine their children if they were sick or considered a close contact of someone who had COVID-19. That policy was reversed in recent weeks. That, plus a more strict masking approach for students without an exception, might help lower case counts, Hollister said.

I cant just take their word for it

According to a letter the Pennsylvania Department of Education sent to school administrators Sept. 10, a school entity simply permitting a parent's sign-off without evidence that the student has a medical or mental health condition or disability that precludes the wearing of a face covering is not in compliance with the Order.

Other than Elanco, all Lancaster County school districts are requiring a doctors note before proceeding with the mask exception process.

If a parent comes to a school administrator and says their kid has severe anxiety and needs an exception, I cant just take their word for it, said Theresa Kreider, Penn Manor School Districts director of student services.

Kreider, who is helping process Penn Manors 80 mask exception requests, said if an exception is given without any additional medical documentation, theres a chance that student could go on to fail because the school district didnt explore potential accommodations -- under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the Individuals with Education Disabilities Act -- when they were notified of the students impairment.

One, its not the appropriate thing to do, she said of not trying to help the student, and, two, it doesnt follow IDEA or Section 504 procedures.

At Penn Manor, which has about 5,400 students, 500 students initially requested a mask exception, but a significant number dropped off after the districts grace period ended -- in other words, when the deadline came for providing a doctor's note.

Pequea Valley, a small, rural school district with 1,450 students, received 100 exception requests; of those 20 have been approved, and the district is still working with 80 other families who have failed to obtain a doctors note but claim their students have anxiety, depression or other concerns that should preclude them from wearing a mask, Superintendent Erik Orndorff said.

Orndorff said he thinks families would rather send their kids to school wearing a mask than to be forced into the districts online program  a consequence most county school districts have put in place for noncompliant students.

Still, he said, parents unable to get a note from their doctor has been an issue. Parents speaking at school board meetings across the county in the last month have expressed the same concern. Thats why school districts, like Pequea Valley, established grace periods where students didnt have to wear masks as long as their families submitted a doctors note by the grace periods end.

Doctors afraid of mask exceptions?

At the Sept. 16 school board meeting, Pequea Valley parent Ashley McDonnell said she couldnt find a doctor to sign off on an exception for her kids who are struggling with anxiety and depression not because of COVID, she said, but because of masks. Later in the meeting, board member Steve Riehl suggested doctors are afraid of requesting mask exceptions for patients.

Thats not the case, according to Drs. Heidi Kistler and Kirsten Johnsen Martin, who both see school-age patients at different Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health locations.

Both doctors said their offices policy is to only offer mask exceptions for children 2 and younger  the states mask order doesnt apply to that age group anyway  or if there are extreme cases in which children physically cannot safely put on or remove a mask.

For students with severe anxiety or asthma  two popular reasons parents have expressed for seeking a mask exception  a better alternative to not wearing a mask is a face shield, they said. If a child is really struggling with a physical or mental health condition, they said, its better to treat the condition rather than to eliminate one of the most reliable ways to prevent the spread of COVID  a face covering.

If someone feels like they cant breathe  theres probably more we should be doing to treat their asthma, Kistler said, adding that asthmatic patients have a higher risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms.

What makes some requests more suspect is if a child went to school all of last year with a mask and are just now seeking an exception, they said.

Notice problems?

Email the Lancaster Watchdog at watchdog@lnpnews.com, or go to LancasterOnline.com/watchdog and tell us about it.
THE ISSUE

As LNP | LancasterOnlines Nicole C. Brambila reported last week, Lancaster County commissioners voted 2-1 on Wednesday to create a health advisory council tasked with providing data analysis and recommendations to detect, prevent and respond to illnesses that pose a public health threat to residents. The move stops short of creating a local health department  something county leaders, organizations and health officials have for decades pushed for  and instead creates an advisory council that cannot make public health statements on behalf of the county. Additionally, the council can recommend strategies only at the commissioners request. It is for these reasons that (Democratic) Commissioner Craig Lehman said he could not support the health council, which commissioners Tuesday said could be implemented by January.

Weve been calling for the creation of a county health department because Lancaster County has been winging it through this pandemic, with no agency to advise local school districts or long-term care facilities on how to handle outbreaks, no agency to gather essential data, or to counter disinformation, or to lead public messaging, or to continue contact tracing, or to make difficult decisions.

As Alisa Maria Jones, president and CEO of Union Community Care, told LNP | LancasterOnline last November, a county health department could have developed and implemented a countywide response at the outset of the COVID-19 crisis. When we dont have that professional, accountable, countywide perspective, then we waste time formulating a response, Jones said.

In an email Friday, Jones said that a health advisory council is a step in the direction of more coordinated planning that she hoped would be informed by what we lack the most  data. However, its not the most critical step, which is the establishment of a health department with experts in epidemiology and public health. She said the creation of a health advisory council will create overdue momentum that should continue to be built upon to create a more equipped and accountable health department that takes into account all individuals in the county  including the unseen and the unheard.

That is what is truly needed.

Jones point about the lack of data here is a particularly strong one. Lancaster County, which ranks fourth worst among Pennsylvania's 67 counties for our rate of children with elevated blood lead levels, does not have access to the timely and specific health data that counties with public health departments receive.

A health advisory council is a poor alternative to a health department. And we mean poor in more ways than one: According to its charter, The Advisory Council shall not have the authority to expend or encumber County funds, enact or enforce policy or procedures, endorse programs or policies, or speak on behalf of the County.

So it will be basically a volunteer effort that will leave untapped the $106 million in American Rescue Plan funds that Lancaster County has received.

The health advisory council was proposed by Republican county Commissioner Ray DAgostino, who said last week that he will not vote to study, much less establish, a county health department. Apparently, the 18 months he spent developing the advisory council convinced him that he knows more than the physicians and public health experts who believe that Lancaster County needs a county health department.

As Brambila reported, DAgostino provided few details on how members  particularly those with expertise to provide recommendations on health issues  will be appointed. Instead, he referred to the councils charter, which states, in part, that members may include knowledgeable community health representatives.

"May is not the same thing as shall.

May suggests that public health will be politicized, controlled by partisan commissioners guided by ideology rather than medical knowledge. Shall would indicate a willingness to rely on recognized health experts to deal more capably with public health issues.

Why are we skeptical about this advisory council? Let us count the additional ways.

Politicians and public health

Oddly, despite the fact that there was little public notice that a fully formed proposal for a health advisory council would be unveiled at the commissioners work session Tuesday, supporters of the idea happened to be in attendance  with prepared statements in hand.

DAgostino said plainly that the council proposal was meant to be a workaround to the 1951 Local Public Health Administration Law, which authorizes the creation of local health departments in Pennsylvania.

Under the (1951) law, once a Board of Health is established theres no local oversight as the Board of Health  would have complete autonomy, almost, DAgostino said last week.

What he clearly meant is that such a department would be out of the control of the board of commissioners. Which is unpalatable, obviously, because it might have its own ideas about how to curb a lethal pandemic like COVID-19. Or how to address lead exposure in children. Or how to handle Lancaster Countys serious air quality problems. Or how to prepare for the next pandemic. Or how, as Penn State College of Medicine Drs. Thomas Godfrey and Sangeeta Saxena wrote in this newspaper in February, public health expertise could be linked with clinical medicine resources, so that we no longer would be at the mercy of what fate has to throw at us.

It is a bad idea for politicians to make public health decisions without the input of medical experts who can offer advice free of political consideration. Josh Parsons, chairman of the Lancaster County commissioners, continues to give us examples why.

Thursday, he tweeted out the letter that acting state Health Secretary Alison Beam is sending to families whose children are required to quarantine after a COVID-19 exposure or infection. Our question to the Pennsylvania Department of Health  what in the world were you thinking? Parsons tweeted.

He and DAgostino sent a letter to Beam, demanding that she cease threatening and bullying children in Lancaster County.

The Department of Health letter warns that failing to heed a quarantine directive could result in court-ordered confinement in an appropriate place  to make certain that you are not able to infect the public, and to make certain that you receive proper care. (State Sen. Scott Martin, a Republican from Martic Township, has been kicking up a fuss about the language, too.)

Its language is harsh, and we would have advised the state Department of Health to tone it down. But its a boilerplate as far as public health quarantine letters go, because they are meant to convey the seriousness of infectious illness. In no way do these notices constitute bullying. Which Parsons might know if he actually had public health training. But he doesnt, which is why he filters his views on masking, vaccination and other COVID-19 mitigation measures through a political prism.

Seen, but not heard

DAgostino said officials at all four health systems in Lancaster County  Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, Penn State Health, UPMC and WellSpan Health  support and would participate in the council. Were sure they would, because their interests lie admirably in advancing public health, however incrementally  and this health advisory council would merely be an incremental change, if that.

We are open to considering all efforts that seek to measurably improve the health and well-being of our community and look forward to learning more about the Councils work, Lancaster General Health spokesperson John Lines said in an email to LNP | LancasterOnline.

The italics are ours, because measurably is the key. We are at a loss as to how this council will measurably improve the health of Lancaster County residents. It will not be able to disseminate public health messages that might be politically unpopular, but are nevertheless imperative. It will be the Victorian child of county government  seen, but not heard by the public.

The councils charter states that it will conduct outreach and provide recommendations at the request and consent of the Board of Commissioners. (Again, the italics are ours.)

It will: At the Commissioners request recommend strategies, grounded in consensus, to deal with emergent health threats to achieve positive outcomes. Grounded in consensus? Should that not read grounded in medical data and scientific research?

It also will prepare and participate in community education programs on health matters as directed and approved by the Board of Commissioners. The council will not be permitted to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Health unless the commissioners grant prior approval.

The commissioners will appoint the councils nine to 13 members. The council wont even be permitted to choose its own chairperson  Parsons will make that call.

According to the latest census numbers, Lancaster County has more than 552,000 residents. As the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners pointed out in a Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline column in March, of the largest seven Pennsylvania counties, all but Lancaster County and Delaware County have public health departments, and Delaware County is preparing to launch one.  Its time we join the other large population centers in our state to support the health care of our citizens.

Indeed. This countys residents deserve more than a toothless advisory council that will be subject to the whims of partisan elected officials.

Ernest J. Schreiber, retired executive editor of the predecessor of LNP | LancasterOnline, supports the advisory council. At the commissioners work session Tuesday, he maintained that it takes the best of what health department advocates want and avoids the excesses that critics dislike, and is a true Lancaster County solution  logical, local and low-cost.

It is low-cost, for sure. And local. But logical? Only if the aim is to ensure that the commissioners can continue making public health decisions that are in keeping, above all, with their personal political views.

County residents deserve better.
A letter in the Oct. 3 Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline (Biden bad for US) criticizes President Joe Biden for his immigration policies and charges that he essentially began opening our southern border on the first day of his presidency.

The writer says that, because of this, we may have tons of dangerous drugs pouring into our country, and that those immigrants who find work may take jobs from American workers. He suggests that some migrants have small children who might drain limited medical and welfare resources, and warns there are likely terrorists  crossing the unprotected border, too.

Some of these statements are demonstrably false. No, President Biden has not essentially begun opening the southern border; we wouldnt be hearing stories of agents on horseback chasing migrants if the border were open. And, no, immigrants crossing the border illegally do not take welfare benefits from American citizens; these individuals dont qualify for welfare benefits under U.S. law. Other statements, such as whether there are terrorists crossing the border, are pure speculation.

The writer produces no evidence to support his accusations about illegal immigration. Throughout the letter, the writer hedges by using qualifying language (may and might); that is evasive and misleading. We are dealing with some innuendo here.

The writer ends by asking Do you feel safe? and seemingly encouraging us all to be afraid. We have the option of letting fear rule us, of course. Or we can follow the way of Jesus Good Samaritan and ask: How are these desperate human beings our neighbors? And what is our responsibility to act?

Barry Stoner

Elizabethtown


The Chair is a new program about life at an American university that might be of interest to foreign students coming to the United States.

The main actor in the show is Sandra Oh. In The Chair, Oh plays Ji-Yoon Kim, an English professor at a fictional college in the northeastern U.S. When the show begins, Kim is in her first days as the leader, or chair, of her department. She is the first woman to have the job.

Kim oversees a group of professors and also talks often with another official of the university, a dean. They discuss many issues. These include: how to increase the number of students in English classes, how to add more professors of different races and ethnic groups and whether older, unpopular professors should keep their jobs.

The show brings up problems facing college professors and their leaders in 2021. It talks about how Black professors feel while working at schools where the students and teachers are mostly white. It talks about whether universities should change the system of offering tenure to professors. And it asks if professors should have the freedom to teach the way they believe they should.

It also looks at the trouble Kim has dealing with her job and her home life. She is a single parent of a young, adopted daughter and has a retired father who lives in the same town. Ohs character speaks Korean with her father and tries to teach the language to her daughter.

All the issues come up in just six programs. The show is not real and is a comedy. It is not trying to be a real record like a documentary. But it does present real problems at colleges.

So, how well does The Chair show life on a college campus in 2021?

Jay Belsky is a professor of Human Development at the University of California-Davis. Belsky started his work in higher education in the 1970s when he completed degrees at Cornell University in New York.

He said the stories presented by The Chair are close to life on a college campus in 2021. However it is unlikely all the difficult events would happen at once.

In addition, Belsky said Pembroke, the fictional college of The Chair, only represents the environment at a small number of U.S. universities.

While some of the woke-ness and political correctness is at all of them, its probably a lot more intense and apparent and all-encompassing at those elite of elite schools.

Shera Bhala is in her final year of study at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Dartmouth is one of the oldest colleges in the U.S. and an Ivy League school.

Bhala wrote about The Chair, for The Dartmouth, the student newspaper.

In her report, she wrote that the show captures the peculiarities of life on a college campus and noted that it balances being a comedy with tragic realities. She also commented that the outdoor scenes from The Chair reminded her of Dartmouth although the show was mostly filmed in Pennsylvania.

Is The Chair good to watch for a student considering study in the U.S.? Bhala thought of her mother, who grew up in Malaysia. She said her mother often asked whether life at an American high school and college was like the life shown in movies and television.

Yeah, I think for a student from Asia or anywhere outside America, I think it could be a very interesting show to watch.

Bhala approved of the shows attempt to show an Asian woman as a university leader. She noted that U.S. universities are currently having really important conversations about diversity.

Ohs parents came to Canada from South Korea in the 1960s. Speaking to the Associated Press, she said it was important that her character had a Korean first name. Her best-known television characters have been named Cristina and Eve.

To be actually able to put a Korean name and have all the characters say your name. It really appealed to me, Oh said.

The Chair is the first movie or television show in a number of years to tell a story about a professor at an American college. Some critics said it is the first to do so since The Wonder Boys. That film came out over 20 years ago.

The Chair shows two sides of Kims life: as a university leader and as a single parent.

While Bhala is a young person, she has experience with academia because she followed her father, who is a professor at the University of Kansas.

She said she is glad the show tries to show current college life.

The show definitely has kind of this current perspective which was refreshing to see in a show about academia.

Belsky, the Human Development professor, said it is important to remember that Kim leads the schools English department. He proposed that a show about engineering or chemistry might be very different.

So, I think you really have to make a distinction between the humanities and social sciences versus the rest of the campus.

Belsky also proposed that while the show is getting noticed, it is possible that it may only connect with a small percentage of Americans. Not many people in the U.S. attended schools like the one in The Chair.

Bhala thought one part of the show was overstated: The idea that older professors are out of touch and unable to connect with the current college students.

Ive been really lucky to have professors who are energetic, brilliant and like on top of any new developments in their fields.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on original reporting and material from the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

Have you seen The Chair yet? Are there television shows based at colleges where you live? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - Does The Chair Show What American University Life Is Like? Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fiction n. written stories about people and events that are not real

tenure n. the right to keep a job, especially the job of being a professor at a college or university, for as long as you want to have it

adopted adj. a child who is legally the child of parents other than the birth-parents

character n. a person or being who appears in a story, book, play, movie or television show

comedy n. a play, movie, television program, book, that is meant to make people laugh

campus n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school or similar organization

woke adj.(political) a feeling of knowing that social and racial problems exist and that they are important

political correctness n. agreeing with the idea that people should not use language or behave in a way that could offend a group of people

elite adj. the people who have the most wealth and highest position in a society

academia n. the life, community, or world of teachers, schools, and education

perspective n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as an issue or life in general)

humanities n. areas of study (such as history, language, and literature) that relate to human life and ideas

brilliant adj. much more intelligent than most people
Ten years ago, scientists were shocked when a huge amount of seaweed appeared in tropical waters in the Atlantic Ocean. The area where it was found usually lacks the nutrients to feed such growth.

Years later, a group of U.S. researchers has identified one of the leading causes for the event: city and farm runoff carried by rivers to the ocean. This nutrient-charged outflow is just one of several likely suspects fueling an explosion of seaweed in warm waters of the Americas.

Scientists around the world say they suspect the cause involves a complex mix of climate change, Amazon rainforest destruction and dust blowing west from Africas Sahara Desert.

"There are probably multiple factors" driving the growth, said Ajit Subramaniam. He is an ocean expert at Columbia University.

"I would be surprised if there is one clear villain," he added.

Seaweed is a kind of plant that grows in the sea. The dark-brown seaweed is also known as sargassum.

A recent study examined the chemistry of sargassum from the 1980s up to 2019. The results of the study offered the strongest evidence yet that water coming from sewage and agricultural runoff played a major part in the expansion of the so-called Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. The area now stretches for nearly 9,000 kilometers.

Nitrogen runoff

The study found that sargassum recently collected in coastal waters from Brazil to the southern United States contained levels of nitrogen that were 35 percent higher than in samples taken more than 30 years ago.

The study's findings appeared earlier this year in the publication Nature Communications.



Nitrogen is found in human and animal waste and in fertilizers. The results suggest that runoff flowing into rivers throughout the Americas and into the ocean is feeding sargassum growth. Ocean flows, or currents, carry much of this seaweed to the Caribbean Sea.

The researchers found that changes in the Amazon River have played a big part in the seaweed growth.

Brian Lapointe is one of the writers of the recent study. He is with Florida Atlantic University. He told Reuters that stronger rainstorms over the Amazon have led to more extreme flooding. This, he said, is likely pushing more nitrogen-rich runoff out to sea.

Experts note that extreme Amazon River flooding pushes a large amount of nutrients hundreds of kilometers out to sea during March and April. That is also when sargassum blooms appear. From there, currents push the seaweed around the coast of Venezuela into the Caribbean Sea. Sometimes, the seaweed makes it farther north into the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate change is also fueling stronger hurricanes. The ocean storms can pull more nutrients up from the seabed to possibly fertilize sargassum.

African dust and ash

Scientists have also suggested that dust from the Sahara Desert, along with smoke and ash, could play a part in the seaweed boom. As the particles are blown west over the Atlantic Ocean, they run into clouds. They then get rained down as iron and phosphorus deposits in the water.

It will take many more years of research to prove exactly how much each of these conditions may be contributing to sargassum's growth. But scientists say there are still things governments can do to make a difference.

"This phenomenon will continue until there is a change in public policy," said Carlos Noriega. He is an oceanographer at Brazil's Federal University of Pernambuco. Brazil, for example, could slow deforestation, which has led to a rise in cattle ranching. Raising cattle leads to loose soil, waste and fertilizer washing into rivers.

Noriega also noted the rising human population in Brazil's Amazon area. The five largest cities in the area have grown by nearly 900,000 people since 2010. Much of the region lacks effective sewage treatment.

"Treating sewage and stopping deforestation, Noriega said, that's the only way to control it.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Reuters news agency reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_______________________________________

Words in This Story

tropical - adj. of, relating to or happening in the tropics

multiple - adj. more than one, several

villain - n. someone or something that is blamed for a specific problem

sewage - n. waste material

sample - n. a small amount that is taken to get information

fertilizer - n. a substance that is added to soil to help plants grow

hurricane - n. an extremely large and powerful storm

phenomenon - n. something interesting that can be observed and studied

region - n. part of a country or world that is different than others in some way
While these types of adaptations may benefit the species under study, climate change is likely negatively affecting many more which cannot adapt fast enough to keep up. For example, Scotlands feral sheep have become smaller due to warmer weather in the winter that no longer necessitates larger, thicker coats. And polar bears, which have evolved thick fur coats and layers and layers of fat to keep them warm out on the Arctic tundra and swimming between ice floes, are likely another evolutionary loser in the age of climate change. As ice caps melt and ice floes become fewer and farther between, these majestic white guardians of the Arctic are unlikely to adapt quickly enough to keep up with the fast-moving changes to their environment and are thus likely headed for extinction unless we can turn things around ASAP.
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Q: Peter Ash, the main and recurring character, is an ex-Marine with PTSD that causes him to become very claustrophobic. What was your inspiration for him and how has he evolved?

A: The inspiration for Peter came when I was running a home inspection business. After the surge in Iraq, a lot of those veterans were coming home and buying houses in Milwaukee. They were my customers. I dont know what it is about me, but strangers tell me the craziest things. ... It broke my heart to hear some of these stories. It was really moving to me. Thats where Peter came from. This person who had come through that particular wringer and trying to figure out what comes next. I want to be clear, Im not a veteran myself. Im writing about these folks Ive met and talked to along the way.

Q: Now that you write full-time, do you miss being a home inspector?

A: I didnt think I would miss it. It was really demanding work. (However) I really do miss it. I miss the people.

Q: The book, while suspenseful, is not without humor. I especially love the character Fran, whos 98 and survives on booze and Girl Scout cookies. Is it important to add levity to these stories?
The west side of Madison is probably the most different, with new combinations of neighborhoods and more compact districts instead of ones that are longer, McDonell said.

Theres no perfect map, McDonell said. It doesnt exist.

Standing said map C has five competitive districts for minorities and keeps much of the UW-Madison student-focused district together. It also has the fewest ward splits and has been favored by most of those who have testified so far on the maps, McDonell said.

Compared to the other two options, map C also pits the fewest incumbents against each other, according to an analysis by Alex Wagner, a Madison resident who has been involved in the redistricting process and created another one of the three finalist maps.

Sups. Chuck Erickson and Shelia Stubbs are together in a district that has much of Stubbs current territory and new areas as well, the analysis shows. Sups. Carousel Bayrd and Cecely Castillo are in a district thats fairly different from the other districts. Miles and Sup. Blaire Adkins are together in a McFarland-area district similar to Miles current area. And Sups. Steven Peters and Alex Joers are together in a district that includes much of Peters current district.
Daughter of a young widow

As a young widow in Afghanistan, Royas mother, now 37, had struggled to support her children with a job cleaning floors at a hotel. Her daughters salary had lifted the family out of poverty until the Afghan government crumbled. It took them four harrowing attempts to cross into Pakistan.

It was the familys second turn as refugees. Royas mother and father first met as teenagers when both of their families had fled the Taliban into Iran. They eventually returned to Afghanistan, but when Royas father could not find work there, he paid a human smuggler to help him return to Iran to find a job. A week later, he was found dead.

Royas mother was urged to abandon her children and start her life over with a new husband rather than struggle as a widow and a single mother. She refused.

Today, in the safe house in Pakistan, the family shares a single bedroom and sleeps on mats on the floor. In all, there are 13 children, eight women and six men living there, and at first none dared leave the house, Schumaker said. He hopes eventually to find sponsors for all of them.

The people in this house were all part of our team, he said, and they got left behind.

More than 200,000 portraits
BOISE  Idaho ranks near the bottom of states in the country for number of active primary care physicians, and 49th for active physicians overall. According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, nearly every corner of Idaho, or 98%, has a shortage of primary care physicians, and every county has a shortage of mental health care professionals. Approximately 94% have a shortage of dental health care workers.

Thats one reason the University of Idaho is launching its first phase of a fundraising initiative called Brave. Bold. A Promise to Idahos Students today that will prioritize funding scholarships for students, with a particular focus on the universitys medical school.

The Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho Regional Medical Education Program, known as WWAMI, is Idahos only medical school that is partially funded by state dollars. Its also the medical school that produces the most rural physicians for the state, with incentives available for those who decide to practice in a rural area of Idaho.

The program is part of the University of Washingtons School of Medicine and is a top medical school for family medicine and rural medicine training, according to U.S. News & World Report. Every applicant who joins the Idaho branch of the program is an Idaho resident, said regional dean and director Jeff Seegmiller, which right now is about 40 students per year.

Its logical to assume medical school applications might be down during a global pandemic, especially in Idaho where health care professionals have been targeted by protesters and blamed for COVID-19 deaths. But Seegmiller said the school has seen an increase of about 20% in applications, which Seegmiller said could be linked to Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Now more than ever we need your talent, your energy, your resolve and your character, Fauci told a group of new medical graduates in May 2020.

The whole school of medicine has seen an increase, and medical schools across the country, Seegmiller said.  It couldnt be a better time to support medical students. During a worldwide pandemic, we need people to think about going into medicine and not worry about the cost.

That cost at the University of Idahos program is about $80,000 per year, with state support covering roughly half of tuition and leaving $40,000 per year on the student. And thats just tuition  many more dollars are spent on supplies, internships and other associated activities.

Its very expensive to go to medical school, and so the idea and the opportunity is that we can defer some of the cost of medical school so that a student that chooses to go into medicine can actually have options, so the debt is not determining where they have to practice, Seegmiller said.

Endowment established by Idaho resident will fund scholarships in perpetuity

The initiative has already raised $12 million for scholarships through one donor named John Huckabay, who has lived in Coeur dAlene for many years but graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in chemical engineering.

Huckabays family owned a chemical company that sold for a large sum decades ago, and for the better part of 40 years, he has been donating to the University of Washington and the University of Idaho. All told, he has donated over $40 million to the Idaho medical program and supported scholarships for more than 1,000 medical students.

Up until about three years ago, I knew pretty much every student that was impacted by it, Huckabay said. Because of COVID and other factors, he isnt as in touch with them anymore, but he still sees the importance of supporting those students.

We really focus on need-based (scholarships), so ones that are need-based are usually the students that are very grateful for the support, so you have a tremendous amount of contact with them, Huckabay said. Sometimes he has provided additional financial support on top of the scholarships, particularly to students of color.

Huckabay has established the largest single endowment with the University of Idaho called the Durward and Susan Huckabay WWAMI Endowment, which is named after his grandparents. Durward Huckabay was his grandfather, who graduated from Tulane University and worked as a rural primary care physician in the South.

Weve always been focused on family care, Huckabay said.  We have a lot more chronic, long-term illnesses, and family care practitioners are very much needed for that.

About half of graduates from the multi-state medical program become family care doctors, pediatricians, internal medicine doctors or general medical practitioners.

Some of the other universities are in the 14% to 15% range, so its in the top in the nation for family practices. Of the students weve supported, its 70% to 75% going to family practices, Huckabay said.

University of Idaho Chief Marketing Officer Teresa Koeppel said the endowment is invested, which will have a long-term effect on students.

Proceeds from those investments are what funds those scholarships, so it will spin off scholarships in perpetuity, Koeppel said. So hes not just benefiting students today, it will be benefiting students for generations. Its a true lasting legacy.

University of Idaho president: In the absence of state funding, scholarships are key

Scott Green, president of the University of Idaho, said he hopes the Brave. Bold fundraising campaign increases the number of students across Idaho who choose to pursue higher education and go on to work for Idaho businesses.

Weve held five industry summits over the course of the last year or so, and in our discussions with businesses and leaders around the state, they all really said the same thing to us, which is more than ever they need student graduates who are ready to work, who are ready to meet growing demand, Green said. Most of our businesses here in the state recognize this is a great place for them, but theyre very concerned about (the) workforce and their ability to remain in the state if we cant provide that workforce.

In addition to scholarships, Green said large businesses across the state have been asking for more programs that would help connect students with internships and jobs at various companies, especially engineering businesses. The university is also planning to revamp its career services department to better match students with jobs where they are most needed, and increase its experiential learning opportunities.

Its really in almost every discipline you could imagine, Green said. One of the things that became clear in our discussions is the need for soft skills as well, like the critical thinking that is developed here.

The university has had a declining number of out-of-state applicants, Green said, and that has resulted in lower enrollment numbers, but in-state applications for freshmen classes are up.

Historically, the University of Idaho has always done pretty well with bringing students in and graduating them, and we really want to make sure were lowering those barriers to entry, Green said.

In addition to Huckabays medical program donations, the university has received $3.2 million in donations from Clint and Kim Marshall, Gary Michael and Mel and Charlotte Van Dyke to help with what the university calls The $5,000 gap, which is the average dollar amount students fall short of meeting yearly for the costs of attendance. The university had a 59% graduation rate in 2020, which Green said in a press release is the highest of any public university in Idaho, but extraordinarily unacceptable.

Green said the university has not increased tuition for the past two years and is doing everything possible to keep costs down, but in the absence of more support from the state, fundraising will be needed to avoid further tuition hikes. Given recent battles in the Idaho Legislature over funding for higher education institutions, Green said they have to look to other options.

Weve got a lot of friends in the Legislature, and I really believe most of them want to do the right thing for higher education, Green said. But weve been underfunded for decades now, and weve made up for it with raising tuition. We really want to shift that to scholarships. Thats where were going to be focused for the next few months. Well deal with the Legislature and look forward to working with them when they come back into session.

The university will celebrate the launch of the campaign at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the new Idaho Central Credit Union Arena in Moscow, with Gov. Brad Little, alumni and students. The event will be livestreamed.

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For nearly six hours on Monday, the world experienced a forced break from Facebook's social networking tools.

We lived to tell the tale. But how did we feel in the process?

Although relatively short, the Facebook outage showed "how reliant we are on social media in different ways to distract ourselves, to escape, to connect, to cope with anxiety and stress," according to Ian Kerner, a marriage and family therapist.

When people can't scroll and post as they usually do, Kerner said they can become bored and vulnerable to difficult emotions and stressors  sometimes without knowing how to cope with them.

"People find that they are alone with their own thoughts. And they're a little bit of a stranger to themselves in a way. Prior to social media, I think we were much better at being on our own, finding ways to engage ourselves and remain curious," Kerner added.

A sense of relief

The collective nature of the outage had some of Kerner's clients feeling liberated, he said.

"People definitely have a fear of missing out," Kerner explained. Losing or breaking a phone, or having a phone die can cause folks to panic, he said, as it prevents them from knowing what's happening and being connected to others.

The outage, conversely, "provided a great sense of relief, because everybody was experiencing it. So people didn't feel as alone or as isolated or as panicked," Kerner said.

Therapist John Duffy reported having similar conversations with his clients on Monday.

"Once people realized, 'Oh, these networks are almost all down,' there was this bizarre, but very clear sense of relief. The feeling was 'I don't have anything I have to keep up with. I'm not missing out on anything,'" Duffy said.

During the outage, "people realized in real time the importance of face-to-face relationships, and the relative emptiness of a connection that takes place solely via Facebook or Instagram," he added.

Clients that expressed relief during the outage took concrete steps to connect with others in real life, Duffy said. "One took a friend out for coffee. Another took a walk with a friend," he said.

Some have come away from the experience with the realization that their fear of missing out was unjustified, and they could approach the apps with more moderation.

"I think some of us realized yesterday, 'I'm way over-involved and invested in social media in my life'," Duffy said. People realized that "maybe I can check this once or twice a day instead of 20 or 30 times a day."

Social media and the brain

Most people are guilty of spending too much time scrolling and posting.

Seven in 10 adult Facebook users in the U.S. say they visit the site at least once a day, and 49% report visiting several times a day, according to Pew Research Center 2021 data. Some 59% of people visit Instagram at least once a day, with 38% visiting several times daily.

But if some of us felt relieved when social networking apps went quiet for a while, why is it difficult to stop checking our feeds so frequently?

Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, and the Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, looked at the brain for answers.

In her book "Dopamine Nation," she explored how the overabundance of easily accessible stimuli is affecting our brain chemistry and our happiness.

"The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation," Lembke wrote.

While "social media addiction" is not currently included in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," Lembke said she believes social media can be addictive, based on her clinical experience and her knowledge of how human connection and dopamine release are tied.

"We can verifiably show that human connections stimulate dopamine release, which is how they are reinforcing, and anything that stimulates dopamine in the brain's reward pathway has the potential to be addictive," Lembke explained.

The Facebook outage was something of an "accidental en masse experiment that hopefully revealed to people just how addicted they've become," Lembke said.

How to develop healthier digital habits

Therapist John Duffy said some of his clients spend four or more hours in a day on social media  double that amount in some extreme cases.

"The people who are on (social media) the most tend to be the loneliest, because they aren't feeling connected. Even if they're messaging people, even if they're commenting on people's posts, even if they're posting themselves, there is something lacking in that connection. It truly is digital, and it is not directly interpersonal," he said.

To clients who could benefit from it, Duffy recommends a month-long "digital detox" to develop a more intentional relationship with social media. "People I work with now will simply voluntarily remove social media apps, news apps, and every other unnecessary app from their phone for a month-long cleanse."

"I find if people take a month-long break, they spend maybe a third of the time they used to on social media as a result. I also see a rise in self-worth and self-esteem that corresponds with that," Duffy said.

Marriage and family therapist Ian Kerner often assigns homework to his clients that involves curbing the use of devices during time spent with partners and family members.

"The No. 1 complaint that I think I hear from couples is that he or she is always on their phone," Kerner said.

Lembke hopes the outage "will encourage people to actually intentionally plan to abstain from social media, and maybe their phones altogether, for a period of time."

She recommends laying off social media completely  whether that means selected apps or putting the phone away altogether  for one month, enough time for the brain's reward pathways to reset themselves.

To be successful, Lembke said, it helps to plan ahead.

"You would do it maybe together with a friend or a family member, which is easier than doing it alone. You'd have some kind of message or alert or automatic response that lets people know that you're offline for that period of time, so people know they don't have to wonder where you are, what happened to you," Lembke advised.

During the month-long break, you should plan activities to provide you with "an alternative source of dopamine," such as spending time in nature.

"When people go back to using (social media), often just realizing how addicted they've become is motivation to use differently," Lembke said.

Some of those changes might include eliminating alerts, switching to a grayscale display, or setting time limits or specific days of the week to check our feeds, she advised.

Fostering meaningful connections online and offline

All the experts CNN connected with emphasized how social networking tools have many positive effects on society, allowing people to stay connected to distant loved ones and helping them fare better emotionally during a long, exhausting, isolating pandemic.

"It's important to say that the ways in which these technologies allow us to be social online is very powerful and can do very good," Lembke said.

Also, not all online connections are negative, just like not all real-life connections are positive, Lembke said.

"There are instances when our online connections can be more intimate, more positive and more powerful in good ways than real-life connections. If you go to a cocktail party and have nothing but superficial conversations, that's not going to make people feel good, either," Lembke said.

As some struggle with social anxiety while in-person life slowly resumes, we have an opportunity to rethink how we engage with one another in the real world.

"As a society, we need to establish digital etiquette and tech-free spaces, where we intentionally leave our phones at home and really make an effort to be present in the moment in real life with each other," Lembke said.

The-CNN-Wire &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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Q: Can someone with a permit to carry have their gun on in a school? Are teachers allowed to have a gun at school if they have a license/permit?  Sandy

A: No, having a concealed weapon permit does not allow persons to carry firearms into schools. There are some exemptions to that rule so lets talk about those.

Idaho code 18-3302(d)(4) explains what personnel are allowed to carry while in schools. It reads: The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following persons: (a) A peace officer; (b) A qualified retired law enforcement officer licensed under section 18-3302H, Idaho Code;  A person who lawfully possesses a firearm or deadly or dangerous weapon as an appropriate part of a program, an event, activity or other circumstance approved by the board of trustees or governing board; (d) A person or persons complying with the provisions of section *19-202A, Idaho Code; (e) Any adult over 18 years of age and not enrolled in a public or private elementary or secondary school who has lawful possession of a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon, secured and locked in his vehicle in an unobtrusive, nonthreatening manner; (f) A person who lawfully possesses a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon in a private vehicle while delivering minor children, students or school employees to and from school or a school activity; or (g) Notwithstanding the provisions of section *18-3302C, Idaho Code, a person or an employee of the school or school district who is authorized to carry a firearm with the permission of the board of trustees of the school district or the governing board.

As you can read, if the school district allows a teacher to carry concealed firearm, then that teacher could carry concealed in school.

Although adults are not subject to search for weapons on school grounds, students are.

Idaho code 18-3302(D)(3) reads: For purposes of enforcing the provisions of this section, employees of a school district shall have the right to search all students or minors, including their belongings and lockers, that are reasonably believed to be in violation of the provisions of this section, or applicable school rule or district policy, regarding the possessing of a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon.

The penalty for violating this chapter is: Persons who are found guilty of violating the provisions of this section may be sentenced to a jail term of not more than one (1) year or fined an amount not in excess of $1,000 or both. If a violator is a student and under the age of 18 years, the court may place the violator on probation and suspend the juvenile detention or fine or both as long as the violator is enrolled in a program of study recognized by the court that, upon successful completion, will grant the violator a general equivalency diploma (GED) or a high school diploma or other educational program authorized by the court. Upon successful completion of the terms imposed by the court, the court shall discharge the offender from serving the remainder of the sentence. If the violator does not complete, is suspended from, or otherwise withdraws from the program of study imposed by the court, the court, upon receiving such information, shall order the violator to commence serving the sentence provided for in this section.

Officer down

Please put these officers, killed in the line of duty, and their families in your prayers. They fought the good fight, now may they rest in peace. God bless these heroes.

Senior Corporal Arnulfo Pargas, Dallas Police, Texas

Corporal Charles Wayne Catron, Carroll County Sheriff, Virginia

Senior Deputy Phillip Barron, Jr., Victoria County Sheriff, Texas

Police Officer Anthony Christopher Testa, West Palm Beach Police, Florida

Deputy Sheriff Matthew Locke, Hardin County Sheriff, Tennessee

Deputy Sheriff Joshua Moyers, Nassau County Sheriff, Florida

Corporal Robert Wayne Nicholson, Clark County Sheriff, Indiana

Police Officer Gregory Lynn Triplett, Waverly Police, Tennessee

Trooper Eric T. Gunderson, Washington State Patrol

Patrol Officer Howard K. Smith, III, Owasso Police, Oklahoma

Sergeant Joshua Wayne Stewart, Sullivan County Sheriff, Tennessee

Sergeant Michael Todd Thomas, Griffin Police, Georgia

Sergeant Logan Davis, Iron County Sheriff, Missouri

Captain James Anthony Sisk, Culpeper County Sheriff, Virginia

Sergeant Nick Risner, Sheffield Police, Alabama

Police Officer Darrell Adams, Memphis Police, Tennessee

Have a question for Policeman Dan? Email your questions to policemandan@cableone.net or look for Ask Policemandan on Facebook and click the like button. Mail to: Box 147, Heyburn, Idaho, 83336.

Dan Bristol is the Heyburn chief of police.

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Gov. Brad Little gave a preview of some items likely to be included in his proposed budget for next year, and he focused on two areas which have long needed attention in Idaho: childcare and housing.

The governor is not the only one whos raised these issues in recent months. Business leaders and economic development people have long associated both issues with the need to grow the state economy.

Without childcare, working parents and particularly single moms, cant afford to enter the workforce or to return to work. And without affordable housing, lower income folks are priced out at ever owning a home, a major step in the development of a viable middle-class.

To some extent both problems will be solved in the private sector. As wages rise, childcare becomes more affordable, but if its out of reach, its hard to make it work financially.

The childcare industry is a relatively low margin one. Childcare providers struggle to find good help by raising wages, but just as prices rise, more people can no longer afford it. And with wages in Idaho being relatively low, potential workers today can do better in other fields. A continuing labor shortage has thus heightened the issue.

On the housing front, low-income housing, particularly in carefully selected areas, would enhance community downtowns and fill in what are now often vacant lots.

Developers cant afford to build this low-income housing if they cant make it work financially. So they focus on higher-end properties, such as single dwelling homes in subdivisions where the margins are better and there are usually fewer restrictions on zoning, etc. Thats an area where local governments can help by reducing or eliminating red tape and superficial zoning restrictions.

Both issues are on the radar county governments, to whom Little outlined his thoughts at the end of September. He didnt put any numbers out there nor did he prioritize these goals with others. But it was clear from his remarks at the Idaho Association of Counties annual meeting that he wants to give both topics more attention.

Of course, the usual anti-Little naysayers in the House will object to both ideas. Taking their orders from the Idaho Slavery Foundation, theyll spout the usual we- cant-do-that line. Thats their line if any idea comes from Little.

When it comes to child care, this group is stuck in the past in which mothers stayed home with their children and didnt need to work. Its a picture from the past. As we all know thats no longer the case.

When it comes to housing, theyll oppose it too if for no other reason than its Littles and thus will be framed as another government intrusion into what should be private sector decisions in every case. They will not put it quite this way, but what theyre really saying is that people should not have government assistance in these areas. Its a dog-eat-dog world, a modern version of social Darwinism. Cant afford housing or pay for child care? Get a better job or dont have kids.

Oddly, the loudest opponents in the House are a handful of angry, strident women who wrap many issues in so-called family terms. Their extremist ideology puts them against a government role in just about everything.

But these malcontents shouldnt deter Little from raising both issues. The legislature in its budget setting and policy process should give both ideas consideration. They should tell the Slavery Foundation that they shape policy, not the tiny group of noisy, big-money oligarchs from out of state and their candidate puppets.

This of course will require political courage. Its an election year and no one wants to be thrown into the maw of Wayne Hoffmans insidious attacks. But its time for legislators and the public to send Hoffman and his ilk to the trash heap of Idaho political history.

On childcare, Little said he envisions support for more training for childcare workers in positions that are notoriously hard to fill. One idea he mentioned was to incentivize small businesses to work in small groups to provide quality daycare to attract young people as employees.

Again, he didnt throw out any specifics. Those will come later as he prepares the states proposed budget for the Legislature in January.

Its not unusual for governors to float trial balloons ideas in advance of legislative sessions, and thats what Little is doing here. There have been other attempts to look at both issues and with the state now sitting on a solid economic future and a large surplus, it would seem the time is right to address both childcare and low-income housing.

Stephen Hartgen, Twin Falls, is a retired five-term Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives, where he served as chairman of the Commerce & Human Resources Committee. Previously, he was editor and publisher of The Times-News (1982-2005). He can be reached at Stephen_Hartgen@hotmail.com

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In the 1954 race for Texas governor, the corporate powers were panicking. It looked like the incumbent  right-wing millionaire Allan Shivers  might be upset by his union-endorsed rival, progressive firebrand Ralph Yarborough. To portray the sheer awfulness of that possibility, the moneyed interests had bought TV airtime for The Port Arthur Story, a political ad that played like a docudrama, with voice-of-doom narration. Thus, television sets across the state were soon afire with an alarming piece of raw fearmongering linking Yarborough to a communist dominated plot by eastern and northern labor bosses to invade (and) ... take over Texas industry.

Along with Beaumont and Orange, Port Arthur is one of three small industrial cities touted as The Golden Triangle, referring to the black gold of toxic crude oil refined here by the multiple sprawling and spewing factories. At the time, the Triangle was also a stronghold of union organizing and progressive activism. And thats the horror the TV ad played on.

A year ago, (Port Arthur) was a thriving city, the narrator solemnly intones.

Today it is deserted. Children dont play anymore. Women dont shop. ... Nobody smiles, he declares as the camera pans across closed shops on eerily empty streets.

Nobody knew it was coming, but it did ... They give no warning. You dont realize the importance of it all until it happens. Then its too late. The ominous it, he reveals, is a foreign invasion of grasping control, including union-organized African Americans, led by out-of-state CIO labor leaders (who) poured into Port Arthur ... to personally supervise the death of a city. And Ralph Yarborough, the ad explains, is right in bed with them.

You might find it hard to imagine that any strong, self-respecting Texan would be hornswoggled by this obvious Chicken-Little nonsense. But as were witnessing today, such incendiary political fabrications can spread like wildfire and burn truth to the ground. Thats what happened in 1954 Texas when the states Shivers-supporting newspaper establishment eagerly picked up the ads story, ran with it as factual and stoked statewide fearmongering.

Only after the election, which Yarborough lost by six points, was the real reason for those deserted streets revealed: The ad was filmed at 6 a.m. on a Sunday.

I had heard the Port Arthur story years ago, and this summer it suddenly came back to me as I was making the long drive from my Austin home right into the heart of the Triangle.

I was headed to a labor event, and parallels between that old fearmongering corporate political ploy and the focus of my trip sprang to mind. Beto ORourke and I were on the way to Beaumont to rally with members of the United Steel Workers (USW) at their union hall and then proceed to the front gate of ExxonMobils massive oil refinery (North Americas largest) in a show of support for a USW picket line.

This was no ordinary picket. Call it The Beaumont Story, for just like 1954s moneyed interests, todays Exxon executives have ambushed Golden Triangle unions. In a little-reported maneuver, they launched a crude attack this spring on the Steelworkers, attempting to bust the union, disempower the middle-class workforce and entrench corporate autocracy in the oil industry. Whats occurring in Beaumont is not a union strike, but a corporate lockout  and its still going on five months later.

Exxons contract with the union was set to expire in May, but the company rejected USWs attempts to negotiate a new agreement with cold recalcitrance. Union members were not even proposing increased pay or benefits but were primarily seeking greater plant safety for workers. Turning oil into gasoline, kerosene and other combustibles is an innately explosive process, and U.S. refineries have notoriously shortchanged protections.

Yet, aloof Exxon executives, sitting out of harms way in faraway corporate headquarters, continued to stonewall, adamantly demanding that USW accept concessions that would undermine safety. When the union proposed a one-year extension of the old contract so that negotiations could continue, Exxon slammed the plants gate shut, locking out more than 650 refinery workers. Making the slap in the face even more stinging, the gate-slamming took place on May 1, International Workers Day!

This $179 billion oil giant has cut off the paychecks and healthcare benefits of its Beaumont workers, but we can show the company that it cant cut our support for fairness or ignore the basic need for workplace safety. The Texas AFL-CIO has set up a donation page for the locked-out workers and their families, whore making a stand for all Americans being knocked down by corporate greed. All donations go directly to buy food, water and necessary supplies for them. To help, go to actionnetwork.org/fundraising/donate-locked-out-tx-usw/.

Populist author, public speaker and radio commentator Jim Hightower writes The Hightower Lowdown, a monthly newsletter chronicling the ongoing fights by Americas ordinary people against rule by plutocratic elites. Sign up at HightowerLowdown.org.

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According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Justice, the United States imprisons 419 people for every 100,000 residents. (We use rates to account for differences in population.) This incarceration rate is among the very highest in the world, about five times higher than comparable democracies such as England or Canada. The unusually high rate by todays international standards is also historically extraordinary for the country.

Until the 1970s, Americas incarceration rate had been no more than a quarter its current size for as far back in time we can measure. Today, many policy makers are concerned that America locks up too many of its citizens. They recognize that U.S. penal policy constitutes mass incarceration.

States vary greatly in their incarceration rates. They range from a low of about 135 (Maine) to a high of 695 (Louisiana). How does Montana's incarceration rate of 354 per 100,000 stack up?

In 1978, the nations incarceration rate was 135; Montanas was 87, or about two-thirds the national rate. In the 40 years since then, incarceration rates in both Montana and the nation rose rapidly. Montanas increases have outpaced the nations, however, by almost one-third, so that today Montanas incarceration rate is much nearer to the national rate. A main reason for this is that nationally, the imprisonment rate has dropped 17% in the last decade, while Montanas prison numbers have stayed roughly stable. Thus, the incarceration boom that overwhelmed the nation in the last 40 years has been even more pronounced in Montana. But the signs that mass incarceration is waning elsewhere have yet to emerge in Montana.

Incarceration patterns are regional  the Southeast has the highest incarceration rates; rates in the Northeast are much lower. How does Montanas pattern of incarceration compare with its contiguous states  Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Idaho?

All states in the region followed the historical pattern over the last 40 years. Montanas 1978-2019 growth ratio (4.0) is the smallest in the region, compared to Wyoming (4.3) Idaho (4.9) South Dakota (6.0) and North Dakota (10.4). Notably, although North Dakota has grown tenfold in 4 decades, it started the era with an extremely small incarceration rate (21) and remains among the lowest incarceration rates in the nation (219). North Dakota is clearly an exception in the region. Excluding North Dakota, Montana has an incarceration rate that is about one-fourth lower than its other neighbors.

So, does Montana incarcerate too many of its citizens?

Of course, in many ways the answer to that question is subjective. Montanas pattern of incarceration closely follows that of other states in the Mountain West. And the states overall incarceration rate is close to the national average. In that sense, Montanas incarceration policies are not remarkably out of sync with the rest of the country.

At the same time, a compelling case can be made that Montana has incarceration rates that are too high. Its pattern of incarceration matches those in a nation whose incarceration rates are widely seen as too high. Historically, Montanas rate of confinement is the highest it has been in a generation. Moreover, while much of the rest of the nation is seeing a substantial drop in the number of people in prison  especially so during the COVID pandemic  Montanas incarceration rate continues to grow.

Unless this trend can be reversed, Montanas incarceration rate will become even more out of line with what it should be.

Akshay Gukul is a high school senior living in New Jersey. Todd Clear is a professor of criminology at Rutgers University and lives in Whitefish.

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The Oct. 3 editorial by Steve Ellis, a retired Forest Service and BLM employee, titled Wildfire Requires Forest Management," suggests that we need more forest management to preclude large blazes and protect homes.

While there is nothing inaccurate in his commentary, there is much left unsaid that provides context.

I agree with his opening statement: "More work is needed to address many issues within the wildland-urban interface (in which people live in proximity to forestlands).

However, the science suggests fuel treatment more than a hundred feet or so from a structure provides little additional benefit. An inconvenient truth that most logging advocates ignore.

Next, the author suggests reducing fuels by thinning forests followed by prescribed burning  especially in our western mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests  is essential.

I would dispute whether such treatments are essential, but leaving that aside for the moment, mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests make up a small percentage of the acreage burning in wildfires annually. For example, some of the largest fires in California have ignited in chaparral. The largest blazes in the Great Basin are in sagebrush.

In northern Idaho and Western Montana, lower-elevation forests of ponderosa pine and mixed conifer make up only 4% of the forest type. Much of the acreage burning in the Rockies is higher-elevation lodgepole pine and subalpine fir forests that have long fire rotations of hundreds of years and have not been influenced to any great degree by fire suppression.

Furthermore, fuel treatment often enhances fire advancement by increasing the fine fuels (needles, branches, grass growth) on the surface. Plus, opening the forest stand by thinning can lead to greater drying and wind penetration, both major factors in fire spread.

The advocates for thinning continue to ignore that most large fires around the West, including those in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine, have occurred in lands under "active forest management." That includes the Dixie and Bootleg fires, which were among the two largest blazes this past summer in California and Oregon.

For instance, 75% of the Bootleg fire, which burned over 400,000 acres, had previously been "treated" by some form of "fuels management" with no discernible effect on fire spread.

While the author quotes a fire commander managing the Caldor Fire by South Lake Tahoe, who suggested fuel reductions reduced the fire flames in one area, we don't know the circumstances of the situation. Did the wind die down? Was the fire backing down a slope? These are among the many factors that can slow a fire spread that has nothing to do with thinning.

Anecdotal quotes are not evidence. However, there is plenty of proof from numerous fires where active forest management had no apparent effect on fire behavior or fire spread.

A review of 1,500 fires across the West found that as a generalization, areas under "active forest management," which includes thinning and prescribed burning, tend to burn at higher severity than lands like wilderness areas where "fuel treatments" are prohibited.

I do not want to imply that anyone advocating active forest management is purposefully misleading the public. However, most people associated with forest management are embedded in the "Industrial Forestry Paradigm" that influences what you see and how you interpret the situation.

The quote attributed to Sinclair Lewis says it best: Its difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on him not understanding it.

George Wuerthner is an ecologist who has studied wildfires for decades and authored two books on the subject.

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I write on behalf of a group of 38 Missoulians who meet weekly to discuss local and national issues.

Our group  to a person  was stunned by the naked bigotry expressed by our lone representative to the U.S. House of Representatives, Matt Rosendale, when he posted on Twitter his opposition to the resettlement of 75 Afghan refugees in Montana.

Missoula has always been a welcoming community, especially to new immigrants. We sent the following letter to Mr. Rosendale to express our distress over the tweet, urging him to walk back his comments, which we believe do not reflect our Montana way of life.

Rep. Matt Rosendale:

We are a group of civic-minded citizens of Missoula who meet weekly to discuss matters of local and national importance. Your recent tweet regarding the resettlement of 75 Afghan refugees caught our attention.

Your blanket rejection of asylum and resettlement of these people  many of whom offered assistance and protection to American armed forces in Afghanistan  is shameful on its face for the bigotry it expresses and in its tone as a rejection of the American tradition of hospitality shown to immigrants.

The United States is a mosaic of cultures, races and religions. Our country offered special immigrant visas and resettlement to thousands of Afghans who were fleeing the oppressive rule of the Taliban. Those who will be resettled in the Missoula area surely will follow in the footsteps of scores of Hmong refugees from Laos at the end of the Vietnam war who resettled here. The Hmong in the Missoula area have shown themselves to be productive, peaceful and contributors to the fabric and economy of our city and state.

We expect our new Afghan neighbors will be, as well.

The xenophobic sentiments you expressed in your tweet are anathema to the vast majority of your constituents. We urge you to walk back those comments and step forward as a member of Congress to assist in any way you can to help welcome and integrate these newest members of our community.

Its the right thing to do.

Jim Gray is a retired chef and culinary instructor. Prior to his work in food service, he worked as a television news anchor, White House correspondent for a financial newswire and general assignment reporter for the Pittsburgh Press.

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Missoulians deserve a local government that will do everything it takes to ensure our community is equitable, affordable, and green. My name is Daniel Carlino, and I am running for city council to ensure every Missoulian has access to affordable, secure housing, to address our rapidly growing climate crisis, and to give our citizens more voice in city council decisions.

The lack of government action on the affordable housing crisis has slowly eroded working-class Missoulians access to affordable, adequate, and secure housing. In the past decade the median housing price in Missoula has increased 57%, leaving the median home price at over $320,000. Currently the vacancy rate in Missoula is about 0.3%, leaving Missoulians struggling with high rental costs and even fewer choices. All Missoulians who rent are intimately aware of our housing crisis, and I am running as the only working-class renting candidate to give a voice to these renters and to those in our community struggling to find affordable, secure housing. If we allow this trend of rapidly increasing rent and housing prices to continue, Missoula will no longer be the beautiful and diverse city that we all know and love.

Not only are Missoulians being priced out of our community by the rising cost of housing, we also face a crossroads for protecting the natural beauty of Montana. Northwestern Energy has building plans for four new gas plants in our beautiful state. Last year, when I ran for the Montana Public Service Commission (the entity which regulates Northwestern Energy) my campaign was the lone political voice against Northwesterns plans to drill and frack in Montana. Our community demands better from our politicians  no drilling and fracking in our state.

We have the technology, resources, and policy options to tackle the affordable housing and climate crises, but we need people with the political will to do so  both politicians and caring citizens (of which this city is full). In fact, my work with a variety of social justice and environmental groups in Missoula has taught me that we need a community-led government. On the city council, I will increase our public involvement in local government decisions by creating new citizen oversight committees and granting these bodies more decision-making power. We must also create a public commenting system that creates dialogue between our council members and constituents, where Missoulians may leave their contact information when public commenting so that their city council representative can reach out to them. I will host weekly office hours where anyone can stop in to discuss city concerns, and I will continue community dialogue through social media, email updates, and more letters to the news to give insight on city council processes.

As your candidate for city council, I have the political will to keep Missoula green and affordable for all of us, and I pledge to use all of my resources and experience to do so. Together, lets use our voices and our votes to ensure the Missoula way of life is preserved.

Daniel Carlino is a Missoula City Council candidate for Ward 3.

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DOMINICK REUTER

Right-wing firebrand Allen West on Sunday followed up the previous days news that he contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized with an off-the-rails Twitter rant against vaccination.

The former congressman, who is not vaccinated, wrote that he and his wife Angela received monoclonal antibody treatments at an emergency room in Dallas on Saturday. The results were immediate, he claimed before noting that his wife, who is vaccinated, was allowed to go home while he stayed at the hospital due to concerns over COVID-related pneumonia and low blood oxygen levels.

The far-right figure, who has increasingly adopted QAnon-adjacent rhetoric and recently quit his post as Texas GOP chairman, praised the hospital for not forcing any harmful protocols on me and for making me grits for breakfast!!!

And then, despite the burden placed on hospital staff by people like West who refuse to get vaccinated, he pivoted to attacking vaccines.

Unvaxxed Allen West Has COVID, Pneumonia, and Low Oxygen

I can attest that, after this experience, I am even more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandates, he tweeted. Instead of enriching the pockets of Big Pharma and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, we should be advocating the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy. (Monoclonal antibody treatments, of course, are largely manufactured by pharmaceutical giants like Regeneron and GlaxoSmithKline.)

Wests anti-vaccine rant included fact-free claims about the shot and somehow also found a way to fearmonger about migrants: Instead of jabbing Americans, and not illegal immigrants, with a dangerous shot which injects them with these spike proteins...guess what? I now have natural immunity and double the antibodies, and thats science.

The Tea Party star also took a moment to tout his Texas gubernatorial candidacy, claiming he will vehemently crush anyone forcing vaccine mandates including the progressive socialist jackasses who must be saved from themselves.

Story continues

Aside from his anti-vaccine nonsense, West has previously pushed unproven, potentially dangerous COVID treatments popularized by anti-vaxx contrarians, like anti-parasitic drug ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial medication. Neither drug has been proven to treat the coronavirus, despite Wests assertions.

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In the Hollywood blockbuster made money, but didnt tell the whole truth category, the Titanic didnt sink because it hit an iceberg. Although people have long been fascinated with the tragedy of the unsinkable ship that hit an iceberg in 1912, it turns out it may not have been the iceberg that took the Titanic down in the North Atlantic, but a roaring fire. In a recent analysis of photos found in an attic that were taken by the ships electrical engineer, experts have determined there was a fire burning in the ships hull unnoticed for three weeks before the collision. It took 12 men to try to contain the flames, but to no avail. By the time the Titanic hit the iceberg, the damage to the hull was too far gone and ships lining was torn open.

In the 2017 documentary Titanic: The New Evidence, journalist Senan Molony said, The official Titanic inquiry branded [the sinking] as an act of God. This isnt a simple story of colliding with an iceberg and sinking. Its a perfect storm of extraordinary factors coming together: fire, ice and criminal negligence.
Congratulations to Montana Republicans! In the November 2020 elections you had the largest Republican victories in the history of Montana. Republicans won control of all 5 statewide offices for the first time, elected only the 3rd Republican US Senator in our history, and the largest Republican majority in the Montana legislature ever.

Montana Republicans rightly celebrated as they entered 2021, the year to start governing. But in the last 10 months they must have discovered some very nefarious deeds in their election as they now suggest it was fraudulent. How could that be?

The people who run Montana elections are Republican by large majorities. The Secretary of State, who oversees all Montana state local elections, was and is Republican. Most of the County chief election officers are Republican. More Republicans volunteer as election monitors in Montana than Democrats. There surely couldnt have been an election fix or steal that Republicans have discovered, could there?

But, I am sure that most of Montana, including grassroots Republicans, must have been shocked when they found that 88% of their elected Republican Montana legislators have signed a letter to investigate the integrity of this historic Montana election of theirs. Do they know something that we dont know about how they won such a historic landslide victory? Do they know of operatives who are crooked in the Secretary of States office or the County election offices? Are they accusing our good Republican neighbors, those who volunteer at local election offices, guilty of corruption?

Some or most of these legislators must have enough information or evidence of wrongdoing to ask the people of Montana to pay large sums of taxpayer public money to investigate their Republican historic election victory. Yet, they have provided no details in their letter.

But, Republican legislators must have plenty information about who was crooked, who was improperly elected, or they surely wouldnt be trying to launch an expensive, taxpayer-paid investigation into their own record Republican victory. Therefore, I propose that all the Republicans who were elected illegally resign immediately, confess their own misdeeds and reveal which other Republicans who work or volunteer in our election offices cheated, so that they, too, can be arrested.

OR Maybe these legislators are just looking for an excuse to reconvene in Helena so that they can all belly up to public money trough and get the taxpayers to pay them salaries while they play political games on your dime/dollar. Or, maybe they want to be filled up again with more thick steaks and old whiskey paid for by lobbyists who curry their favor.

Brian Schweitzer, Democrat from Seeley Lake, was Montanas 23rd Governor, serving two terms from 2005 into 2013, when he was term-limited out.

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A few weeks ago, a young mother in Bozeman called me deeply concerned about the decision of her childs school to mandate mask wearing for children. As she explained to me, what troubled her most wasnt the mask requirement but her realization about how few options parents really have in Montana when looking for an education thats the right fit for their kid.

This Bozeman mom is certainly not alone in her frustrations about the current state of education. Our schools have become battlegrounds for pandemic culture wars. School mask mandates have sparked massive protests in Billings and lawsuits in Missoula. On the other hand, an emergency rule from Gov. Greg Gianforte urging schools to consider parental concerns when adopting mask mandates sparked a sharp rebuke from the left. All the while, Montana kids have been caught in the crossfire.

The public-school educators I know have been heroic throughout this pandemic, attempting to make the best of the very worst circumstances. But for the last year it seems like every decision made by a public school simultaneously pleases one side while infuriating the other: masking or no masking, critical race theory or no critical race theory. Its time to recognize the fundamental problem driving these conflicts is the states insistence that we force one answer for education on everyone. The fact is, one school system can never serve everyones diverse needs.

Freedom in education is the obvious solution: Let educators choose how to teach and parents choose the best education for their kids. For parents who want their school to require masks, allow them to choose schools that embrace such policies. And give other parents concerned about the effects of masking their kids the same choice.

The problem for most Montana kids is the available education is still determined by their ZIP code. While some privileged parents can afford tuition to private schools and others can homeschool, most working families in Montana have one option in the local public school system  funded by their hard-earned tax dollars. Its understandable why parents might feel so passionately about how that school system educates their children.

With public schools simply not able to satisfy everyone amid pandemic politics, support is growing among Democrats and Republicans for more freedom in education. A recent national poll showed 76% of Democrats supported allowing parents to take their childs state-funded education dollars elsewhere to a private or home school if their public school system does not mandate masks. This spring, polling closer to home showed 65% of Montana parents agree they should be able to choose the type of school best for their child.

Policymakers in states like Florida have responded by allowing parents concerned about their schools mask mandate to use state-funded education dollars to transfer their child to another public school or a private school that serves them better. West Virginia went even further this spring by authorizing a program to allow state education funding to follow all students, allowing families to pay for education expenses of their choice, whether thats private or public school tuition, curriculum, special needs therapy or transportation.

As political battles in our public schools continue, its unlikely the pressure from parents for a greater choice in their childs education will decline. Hopefully, lawmakers in the next legislative session will listen to parents and adopt measures to bring more freedom in education to Montana.

Kendall Cotton is the president and CEO of the Frontier Institute, a Helena think tank dedicated to breaking down government barriers so that all Montanans can thrive.

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Claims don't add up

I need help understanding why our Legislature is requesting a review of the Montana 2020 Presidential Election. I have been seeing other states seeming to fall in line with this request.

I, like fellow Montana constituents, have monitored what has taken place in the great United States of America since the 2020 election. I never thought in my lifetime I would see such chaos, such division, such hatred, such uncertainty. Disregard for our elections is jeopardizing our future, for the state and nationally.

Former President Trump states that the election was stolen from him. I cannot wrap my head around how this could happen. How could this be even remotely possible? I do realize that each state has their own election processes, but the end result should be the same. Each state has their own Secretary of State who certifies elections. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do not recall any Secretary of State challenging the certification of their elections until the former President called on them to do so.

I do recall reading that some Montana counties had officials calling foul on their elections. I do not recall our Secretary of State supporting any fraud or criminal activity voiced by the counties. The Legislature should submit their election concerns to the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders? Elections are their job.

The former Presidents fraud claims have been rejected by Republican and Democratic judges, his own Justice Department, numerous recounts and audits. A Montana legislator emceed an event where speakers publicly stated hackers infiltrated voting machines and databases. How could this happen? The machines are not connected to the internet.

The Legislature needs to illustrate solid evidence to support an audit. I truly believe that this crusade is not only incited from someone within our own shores, but also incited by someone beyond our shores, and this alarms me. Am I wrong?

Cathy Frey, Butte

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A man walks past a No Entry traffic sign near the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China on Sept. 26, 2021.
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In photo, seated from left, are Department of Public Lands Secretary Sixto K. Igisomar, Hyatt Regency Saipan General Manager Nick Nishikawa, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios following the signing ceremony for a new land lease contract between Hyatt and the CNMI government at Hyatts Miyako Restaurant on Friday. Behind them are other administration officials and lawmakers.
Pope Francis welcomes U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as they meet at the Vatican on Oct. 9, 2021.
The Tinian High School Stallion Battalion cadets stand at attention during their Change of Command Ceremony on Oct. 4, 2021.
BCs Tales of the Pacific | Why everyone is talking about submarines
iSAT South Africa CEO, Rory Pearton, has been interdicted from threatening, harassing, defaming, and abusing Dimension Data and its staff, reports the Sunday Times.

This was the latest battle in a war between iSAT and Dimension Data following the latters major system failure in March 2019.

Dimension Data said that Pearton has embarked on a campaign to threaten and harass Dimension Data and its employees.

This was said to be evidenced in emails sent by Pearton to former Dimension Data CEO Grant Bodley, where he told Bodley that he was ready to launch a website about the situation.

Based on Dimension Data having no defence, please tell your attorneys not to send me any documents, they will just be deleted by me, I will not waste my time on nonsense. If they do annoy me, I will increase my minimum settlement amount, said one email by Pearton.

Dimension Datas lawyers responded by highlighting material inaccuracies in Peartons letter, and Pearton made good on his threat by increasing iSATs minimum claim by 10%.

Judge Mandela Makaula found Peartons conduct objectionable, the Sunday Times reports.

The only suitable remedy is to interdict [Pearton] from harassing, threatening [Dimension Data and NTT] and [their] employees and to disseminate defamatory matter of [them], ruled Makaula.

He also ordered iSAT to pay Dimension Datas costs.

The spat between Pearton and Dimension Data dates back to March 2019 when Internet Solutions  which has since been integrated into Dimension Data  suffered hard drive failures that caused its Consumer Virtual Machine (CVM) platform to suffer two weeks of downtime.

Once the platform was up again, Internet Solutions said there had been issues reinstating some customer data.

Regrettably, a portion of data could not be reinstated to a consistent state  i.e. attaching the data back to the original virtual machines, said Internet Solutions.

The data still exists within the environment and we have advised affected clients of the alternative methods to retrieving their data.

However, iSAT said it had experienced total data loss and could not retrieve its data.

Owing to gross corporate negligence, Internet Solutions/Dimension Data lost key iSAT business data, including data from a project that iSAT had been working on for more than 4 years, and was about to be released nationally and internationally, iSAT said.

Due to the loss of historical data the entire project had to be cancelled. The project needed the historical data, gathered over years, for predictive analysis. A core part of the base product to be released.

iSAT contacted Internet Solutions to request an explanation and R21 billion in compensation. Through these communications, iSAT claimed that Dimension Data effectively admitted corporate negligence by confirming it was running an outdated version of Openstack on its CVM platform.

Dimension Data denied negligence by arguing that Pearton had been told how to back up iSATs data but chose not to use this service.

It also argued that Pearton was aware that he should store backup data in several locations and that the CVM platform was not designed to run business workloads.

Pearton sent a statement to MyBroadband acknowledging the verdict.

He said iSAT would be forwarding details of the situation to the Hawks for further investigation.

Nothing has changed. Dimension Data and NTT Ltd have still been negligent and refuse to accept accountability, and South Africans and people in other countries where Dimension Data and NTT Ltd operate need to know the risks, said Pearton.

Pearton also highlighted the recent cyber attack on the South African judiciary system and connected it to the situation between Dimension Data and iSAT.

He said that these breaches are often caused by software not being maintained properly, and believes that Dimension Datas lack of responsibility has served to create and sustain an environment in South Africa where IT negligence is acceptable, and lack of accountability is the norm.

Pearton also called for SITA to immediately blacklist Dimension Data and NTT Ltd from competing for contracts. It should also oversee and preferably replace these companies on any existing contracts, he said.
The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has dismissed a complaint from MTN that Vodacoms Further together advertising campaign exploits goodwill MTN generated through its Good Together concept.

Vodacom launched its Further together campaign in April 2021, which included a television commercial and a social media campaign using the hashtag #FurtherTogether.

Further together is about our relentless spirit to progress. Its about asking the questions that take us all further, Vodacom said.

MTN argued that Vodacoms campaign relied on the construct of leveraging technology and collaborative efforts to advance humanitys endeavours.

MTN added that during 2019, it embarked on a massive Were Good Together initiative to demonstrate how the transformative power of digital inclusion could be achieved through efficient and collaborative partnering.

MTN said the inherent similarity between its Were Good Together campaign and Vodacoms Further together tagline constitutes a breach of the advertising code.

Vodacoms Further together tagline imitates elements that are clearly recognisable and are likely to diminish the advertising value MTN sought to generate, MTN argued.

MTN added that it had established goodwill in the collaborative message Were Good Together and its derivative taglines We Good Together and Good Together.

The Vodacom tagline Further together unduly exploits this goodwill for its commercial gain, causing confusion among consumers, MTN said.

Vodacom hit back, saying MTN is attempting to monopolise the use of the word together in an advertising campaign within the telecommunications industry.

It is impossible for any telecommunications company, including MTN, to lay claim to the use of the word together, or the concept of togetherness, in advertising, Vodacom said.

Vodacom further explained that its parent company Vodafone unveiled its global Together we can brand in March 2021.

Vodacom was unable to secure trademark protection for Together we can in South Africa and therefore adopted the derivative tagline Further together.

The ARB disagreed that MTN tried to lay claim on the use of the word together or the concept of togetherness.

It said MTN has demonstrated that its concept of being good together is distinctive and crafted in the South African mobile telecoms space.

Even though MTN created a distinctive good together concept, the ARB said Vodacoms Further together tagline is sufficiently conceptually different to MTNs tagline.

Further together is more of an aspirational concept, whereas MTNs concept is more celebratory of the present, it said.

The ARB there found that Vodacoms Further together tagline is not an imitation of MTNs good together concept.

It also rules that Vodacoms use of Further together does not exploit any advertising goodwill that MTN has generated in its good together concept.

Now read: Big blow to Vodacom
Technologies such as long-range wide area networks, radioactive isotope injections, and the Postcode Meerkat detection system are helping to reduce rhino poaching in South Africa.

Rhino poaching reached a high in 2014, with poachers killing 1,215 animals.

Conservation efforts, including implementing the technologies listed below, have resulted in rhino poaching declining yearly, with 394 rhinos killed in South Africa during 2020.

South Africa is world-renowned for its wildlife species and tourist-attracting national parks, but animals such as African rhinos are under threat  and have been for some time now.

The good news is that the country has seen significant advancements in conserving this highly-poached species and has received generous donations from international players to assist with their protection.

Previously, the measures taken to protect rhinos removed most of the horn and positioned security teams to deter poachers.

These measures were not entirely effective as many poachers would still kill the rhinos to get what little bit of horn was left and ensure they didnt have to track a hornless animal again.

The following technologies have helped reduce poaching in South Africa without removing the rhinos horn.

Long-range Wide Area Network Masts in uMkhuze Game Reserve

Game rangers at uMkhuze Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal work relentlessly to protect the rhino population within the reserve.

Protecting rhinos from the threat of poaching is no easy task, and the Covid-19 pandemic made it more difficult than ever by impacting budgets and recruitment.

These rangers cover vast distances daily to keep rhinos safe from poachers.

The addition of seven long-range wide area network (LoRaWAN) repeater masts this year have made their job more manageable, and more importantly, safer.

Numerous white rhinos have been fitted with horn transmitters, and in combination with camera traps, the LoRaWAN system helps track rhino movements.

Radioactive Isotope Injections

A new approach to curb rhino poaching that uses nuclear techniques to inject radioactive isotopes into horns has been launched in South Africa.

The Rhisotope Project will investigate the techniques efficacy to reduce the demand for rhino horns and increase detection at international borders.

With over 10,000 radiation detection devices installed at various ports of entry across the globe, experts are confident that this project will make the transportation of horn incredibly difficult and will substantially increase the likelihood of identifying and arresting smugglers, Rosatom said.

The project began on 13 May and saw the injection of harmless stable isotopes into the horns of two rhinos, which will be monitored to determine how the isotopes affect the horn and the animal.

The technique and training will be made freely available to conservation groups wishing to protect rhinos against poaching once proof of concept has been established.

Postcode Meerkat detection system in the Kruger National Park

The solar-powered Postcode Meerkat detection system is guarding the Kruger National Parks wildlife against poachers.

The detection system is the outcome of a three-way partnership between South African National Parks (SANParks), the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) and the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research).

Primarily funded by Dutch, Swedish, and the United Kingdoms postcode lotteries, the system consists of several radars, cameras, and sensors, including an infrared sensor to detect incursions at night.

Postcode Meerkat has been curbing poaching within the park for five years, and the PPF has indicated that it has almost eliminated rhino poaching in high-risk areas where the portable system is in use.

Overall, more than 95% of poacher activity in Meerkats deployment areas is detected, 65% of suspected poachers were arrested and 80% of rhino poaching incidents were disrupted, the PPF said in a statement.

Rangers noted increased rhino numbers in hotspot areas.
Apple Inc. is angling to delay making the most significant change to its App Store business model since the platform was launched in 2008, an overhaul that could cost the tech giant a few billion dollars annually.

The iPhone maker gave notice Friday that will appeal a judges ruling in its fight with Epic Games Inc. ordering the Cupertino, California-based company to stop blocking developers from letting users complete in-app purchases on the web. It also asked the judge to put her Dec. 9 deadline for App Store rule changes on hold during the appeal, which if allowed could keep business as usual for Apple for at least a year.

The Sept. 10 ruling largely vindicated Apples business model that charges commissions on developers for App Store transactions, but the judge said Apple must allow direct communication between users and app makers and permit links to the web to complete transactions.

Bloomberg Intelligence has said that pressure on Apple to lower its commissions, which currently run as high as 30%, could squeeze revenue by $2 billion to $4 billion in a worst-case scenario.

Apple said in its filing that it wants to maintain the status quo as theres no reason to expend resources on App Store changes during the appeals process. It also argued there could be unintended downstream consequences for consumers and the iOS platform if the judges order goes into effect Dec. 9. A postponement would give the company time to address concerns in a way that could potentially do away with the need to let developers allow consumers to make web purchases, Apple said.

Apple is working hard to address these difficult issues in a changing world, enhancing information flow without compromising the consumer experience, the company said.

A hearing on Apples stay request has been set for Nov. 16, but the company said in a briefing its seeking to move the proceeding to Nov. 2. If U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers refuses to grant the stay, Apple said, the company could go to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

When the ruling came out, following a three-week trial in May, Apple hailed it as a victory because the judge didnt find that the company violated federal antitrust law. Tim Sweeney, Epics founder and chief executive officer, said in a tweet the ruling isnt a win for developers or for consumers and his company promptly filed notice that it will appeal.

Epic declined to comment on Apples appeal Friday but Sweeney tweeted an image of Agent Peely, a banana action figure in Epics popular battle-royale game Fortnite who briefly became a source of controversy in the trial.

Apple has announced that it plans to keep Fortnite off of the App Store until appeals are exhausted, a process that could take as long as five years if the fight goes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

While Gonzalez Rogers said Apple can no longer ban developers from pointing users to the web to complete transactions  bypassing the App Stores in-app-purchase system  the judge didnt state outright that Apple cant collect its commissions.

That has led some observers to believe that Apple could still take its cut of revenue via other means, but lawyers and analysts say doing so poses logistical hurdles and risks political blowback.

Paul Gallant, an analyst at Cowen & Co., has said Apple would want to put off changing App Store rules because things could get messy if developers get to do workarounds starting in December. Gallant said in a research note last month that Apple has a good chance of winning a stay at the Ninth Circuit.

That would prevent developers from using non-Apple payment mechanisms (and avoiding the 30% commission) until at least late 2022, he wrote.

Before the September ruling, Apple announced two App Store changes in settlements with small U.S. developers and the Japan Federal Trade Commission. Both concessions are similar to the courts injunction.

Apple is letting developers directly communicate with users about alternative payment methods, and next year it will begin allowing so-called reader apps  those that deal with media like video, photos, and news  to point users to the web to subscribe, bypassing Apples fees. The company highlighted those changes in Fridays filing.

The case is Epic Games Inc. v. Apple Inc., 20-cv-05640, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).
TikTok is an app that started in 2016 but it did not get popular until 2018. On this app, people watch comedy videos, dancing videos, cooking videos, anything you want.

But recently there has been a TikTok trend where you do a TikTok challenge every month. These are challenges that you do at school.

Viral Devious Licks challenge incites vandalism at St. Helena schools St. Helena educators are hoping an uptick in vandalism doesnt escalate into something more serious as a viral craze challenges kids to cause mayhem at school.

The challenges are very inappropriate and they include: vandalize school bathrooms, jab a breast, deck the halls with graffiti and trash, spray a neighbors fence, smack a staff member, make a mess in the courtyard or cafeteria, and mess up school signs.

This month is vandalize school bathrooms and at my school, Robert Louis Stevenson, the boys bathroom has had to be locked and they have had to use the offices bathroom instead.

The vandalism has included removing the soap dispenser from the walls and drawing on things in the bathroom. All around the world, this is happening at schools and some of those people at the other schools are doing way bigger things like stealing the teachers supplies. For example, people have been stealing their teachers projectors and computers.

It is really unfortunate that this is happening around the world. If you ever see this happening at our school or another school please tell a teacher or your guardian. This will help keep our schools clean and safe.

Frances Harvey

6th Grade Journalism Class

RLS Middle School

St. Helena
My husband has his undergraduate degree in psychology. He thinks there is a phobia for almost everything. Most people would describe phobias as a fear, but I guess the word phobia sounds more scientific.

So what is microphobia? Is there really such a thing? Well, yes, sort of. It maybe not be recognized as a mental condition, but it exists. It is a fear of microphones. It might just be fear of speaking in public, which many people have. However, there are some people who love to speak in public but still either fear microphones or do not know how to use them.

Years ago, we visited a Rotary meeting for lunch in New Mexico. The president announced at the beginning of the meeting, I dont need to use this darn thing and slammed the microphone down on the table. We couldnt hear a word he said for the entire meeting. At that moment, I knew I wanted to write this column.

Everyone has attended events when the person at the microphone has no idea how to use it. We sit there bored and frustrated. We often miss the message or even part of it. Heaven forbid if you are sitting in the back of the room. Many members of the audience might be thinking, "How can I get out of here gracefully?"

It is not fun watching speakers just move their mouths. At times like this, I often wonder why those in charge of setting up the sound system, a club member or even a guest in the back does not raise their hand or come forward to inform the speaker. The audience would certainly appreciate this and not be concerned about the interruption. Please, just fix it.

I have signaled my husband a few times when he is speaking at an event. I point to my ear or I hold my fist in front of my mouth. Even though he is an excellent speaker and knows how to use a microphone from his college days of running their radio station, these little silent little moves can remind a person to shape it up. It can happen to any speaker as they get caught up in their subject.

Often we have seen a speaker hold the microphone at their waist. Sometimes they move their head from side to side and their mouth does not speak directly into the microphone. Others will swing their arms with the microphone in their hands, away from their mouth too.

And then, many people do not articulate clearly, or they might speak too softly. A lady once confessed to me that she did not like the sound of her voice so she is hesitant about using the microphone. Maybe she should stop giving talks to audiences.

How does this small town column writer know about using a microphone? I was a cheerleader in high school. When leading yells in front of a grandstand or running a rally in the auditorium I needed to be heard. I learned to project my voice, speak slowly and hold the microphone near my mouth.

Later, I was trained to use the public address systems on the airplanes for all the announcements. Those experiences helped me then. But now, when I am a member of a suffering audience, I want to jump up and help fix it. But I keep quiet; that would probably only embarrass my husband.

I would highly recommend students develop microphone skills early in life. Join the debating team; be active in leadership positions, drama or singing on a stage. It will be a skill that will last a lifetime and might come in handy with their chosen profession.

A friend of mine, Maren, joined Toastmasters and is an outstanding speaker. It has served her well as the president of a major club in Napa.

She has offered a few suggestions:

1. Test the microphone before your audience arrives.

2. Ask the audience in the back of the room if they can hear you.

3. Hold the microphone close to and in front of your mouth to speak.

4. Never move the microphone until you are done speaking.

5. Only move the microphone to cough, sneeze or clear your throat.

6. AND, always turn off the microphone if you are going to make a private comment.

If you cannot overcome your microphobia, get a megaphone.
A pink princess tea cart. A pair of silver oxford shoes. A partial set of Limoges bone china plates. Halloween costumes, clothing, housewares, and even an Abe Lincoln-style top hat.

Such are just some of the treasures found at the Napa Methodist Women's Thrift Shop.

After a 17-month closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the store reopened for business this past Tuesday. It's located at 625 Randolph St.

Word of the reopening seemed to have spread, because on that Tuesday morning a small group of shoppers had lined up near the store entrance adjacent to the church.

June Burruss of Napa was one of the first customers inside. Staffed by volunteers, the thrift store is only open once a week: Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Its kind of exciting, Burruss said of the reopening. Id like to look for Blue Willow China, she said, and anything else that catches her eye. Burruss recently moved to Napa from Scottsdale, Ariz., a city with way more bargain shopping choices. For her, another Napa thrift store, and something with quality items, is a welcome addition.

I love these gals, and the shop, said Stephanie Cole of Napa. I always come by. Its just like a hunting expedition. You never know what awesome find youre going to get.

Its good to see things go back to relative normal, added Cole.

Karen Perry of Napa was also happy to find the store open.

I just moved here in April from Half Moon Bay, and I love thrift shops, said Perry. And so when I saw that they were going to reopen here, I was just thrilled. Perry bought a piece of vintage Tupperware, a bag of cookie cutters and a Pyrex pie dish.

The thrift shop features three main rooms. One holds clothing, neatly hung on hangers and racks. A second room has more clothing, linens, toys, pillows, shoes and other items. A third room has a selection of glassware, knickknacks, dishes, china and more.

We have lots of new things, said volunteer Pat Davis. Everything is new. Nothing is left over, from before the shop closed in April 2020.

Napa Methodist Women's Thrift Shop The shop is located off the garden courtyard at 625 Randolph St. in Napa and is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Masking, hand cleansing and social distancing required. The Thrift Shop opens on the first Tuesday of February and closes on the last Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Most items are $5 or less. Donations accepted at the church or thrift shop on Tuesdays.

Martine Patrick has been the manager of the Napa Methodist Women's Thrift Shop for more than 20 years.

It feels great to be open again, Patrick said. Were hoping that we have the same customers, returning once again to buy.

The church and shop regularly accept donations which are then curated by the volunteers. We get so much stuff, said Patrick. Some items are passed on to Goodwill. The rest is put out for sale.

In a normal year, the shop generates about $8,000 to $10,000 a year, said Patrick. From that, money is donated to Methodist missions across the U.S. and world.

We're here to help the community, the homeless, said Patrick.

Volunteer Pat Parker helped manage admission to the shop this past Tuesday morning. For social distancing purposes, a limited number of shoppers are allowed inside at any one time.

Were so excited about opening because we want to be able to serve people who need our items and be able to donate what we make to our missions, said Parker.

Pre-pandemic, Parker said that the store would have as many as 50 shoppers. We have a lot of people that come here every Tuesday, she said.

We have a great shop with a lot of wonderful, interesting objects, said Patrick. Everything you need in your household. Please come and stop at our little, big shop.

You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com

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Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) meteorologists were monitoring a potential weather system on Saturday that could bring dry, gusty offshore winds to portions of Northern California beginning Monday morning.

Given this offshore wind event, combined with extreme to exceptional drought and extremely dry vegetation, PG&E is sending two-day advance notifications to approximately 44,000 customers in targeted portions of 32 counties and seven tribes where PG&E may need to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines.

PG&E alerted 2,207 Napa County customers of a potential PSPS event.

Customer notifications via text, email and automated phone call began Saturday. Customers can also look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at pge.com/pspsupdates.

With the potential PSPS two days away, conditions may change. PG&Es in-house meteorologists, as well as its Wildfire Safety Operations Center and Emergency Operations Center, continue to closely monitor conditions. PG&E will share additional customer notifications as conditions evolve.
PG&E is notifying tens of thousands of customers that it may shut off their power Monday due to potentially dry, windy conditions that could create an increased fire risk.

The utility announced Saturday that 44,000 customers in parts of 32 counties - including Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties - may lose electricity Monday. PG&E is sending these customers two-day notices. Seven tribes also may be affected.

According to PG&E, its meteorologists are monitoring a potential weather system that could bring dry, gusty offshore winds to parts of the northern, central and southern regions of the company's service area beginning Monday morning. The potential weather system combined with extreme to exceptional drought and extremely dry vegetation, could pose an increased fire risk, PG&E said.

Despite the potential for rain in some areas this weekend, PG&E is notifying customers of the possible outage, described by the utility as a Public Safety Power Shutoff, in case it doesn't rain or forecasted wind speeds still pose a wildfire risk.

The potential Monday morning shutoffs could begin in portions of the North Valley, Sacramento, and San Joaquin Foothills. Potential shutoffs for the Northern Sierra Foothills, North Bay, North Coast regions, Bay Area hills and the Central Valley could begin Monday evening, depending on the timing of the wind event, the utility said.

Notifications via text, email and automated phone call began Saturday, the utility said.

Customers can also look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at pge.com/pspsupdates. This emergency website is now available in 16 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Farsi, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Punjabi, Japanese, Thai, Portuguese, and Hindi.

"Many counties will only have small portions of expected outages, some fewer than 100 customers," the utility said in a news release. PG&E also noted that conditions could change.

Solano County is the Bay Area county with the most customers who could be affected by the outages, according to PG&E. In Solano County, 4,559 customers and 423 Medical Baseline customers could be affected.

In Napa County, 2,207 customers and 107 Medical Baseline customers could be affected. The utility said 601 customers and 40 Medical Baseline customers could be affected in Contra Costa County, while 134 customers and 10 Medical Baseline customers could be affected in Alameda County.

The utility said 87 customers in Sonoma and one Medical Baseline customer could be affected.

PG&E activated its Emergency Operations Center on Friday to support the potential weather event.

If customers enrolled in the company's Medical Baseline program do not verify that they have received notices, PG&E employees will conduct individual, in-person visits, the utility said.

In August of this year, PG&E faced questions and criticism about its power shutoff policies during a public briefing with the California Public Utilities Commission.

The briefing was the third in a series of meetings with California electricity companies to discuss their efforts to reduce the frequency and impact of the PSPS events.

Throughout the briefing, CPUC President Marybel Batjer pressed PG&E's senior vice president and chief risk officer Sumeet Singh on specifics of PG&E's work to limit the number and scope of PSPS events, stressing the commission's position that shutting off energy to customers should be an absolute last result.

"Unlike other mitigation strategies, these PSPS events have very real and very direct impacts to customers. It is trading individual risk to customers for reducing wildfire risk," she said. "At risk in a PSPS event are people's lives and their livelihoods."

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One of PG&E's measures for the shutoffs, Singh told the group, is updated guidance for when to resort to a PSPS event and new machine modeling. Previously, PG&E based their PSPS decision-making on the likelihood of a large fire happening due to factors like wind speed, low humidity and nearby dry fuel.

The updated modeling incorporates historical weather data and local outage trends to determine the likelihood of igniting a catastrophic fire. It also allows the utility to determine the likelihood that trees nearby will fall over on to power lines, potentially causing a fire.

In April, a federal judge overseeing PG&E's criminal probation recommended the utility do exactly that -- to take into account what PG&E now calls their "tree overstrike criteria" when deciding whether to schedule a PSPS event. According to Singh, the new criteria would have reduced the number of PSPS events occurring between 2017 and 2019, though the number of events in 2020 would have stayed the same.

The utility was placed on probation in 2016 after a federal court found that PG&E neglected to keep accurate and complete records or address potential threats in its natural gas pipelines leading up to a 2010 fatal gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno.

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At a congressional hearing on Tuesday, former Facebook Inc. product manager Frances Haugen didnt need to convince lawmakers that the company has a big problem. Republicans and Democrats were, for once, united on her side, at several points even calling her a hero. What they needed was direction. Luckily, Haugen gave that to them.

Throughout the hearing she used the term engagement-based ranking to synthesize the complexities of Facebooks problems into a single, neutral term. The lawmakers tried saying it themselves. Weve learned  that Facebook conducts whats called engagement-based ranking, Sen. John Thune said.

He was correct. Facebooks success as a business boils down to algorithms that bump the most titillating content to the top of users newsfeeds. These formulas are fundamental to Facebooks success in engaging users but also contribute to the propagation of conspiracy theories on the site and to drawing teenage girls to eating disorders on Instagram. In one powerful moment, Haugen pointed out that, years from now, women would effectively suffer from brittle bones and infertility because of Facebooks choices.

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As a witness, she exuded credibility, refusing to be drawn into personal attacks on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg or thorny issues around free speech, admitting when she didnt have an answer and using clear language.

All the more devastating for Facebook was how the cool-headed testimony started to sound like an intervention. Facebook had been hiding its problems, Haugen said, and like people often do when they can hide their problems, they get in over their heads. Congress needed to step in and say, We can figure out how to fix these things together.

Previous Facebook scandals have pulled lawmakers in different directions  squabbling with Zuckerberg, for example, over whos truly being censored  and ultimately resulted in inaction. But their united support and understanding now marks a turning point.

So, here are four things Congress could do based on Haugens guidance:

1. Order Facebook to stop, or drastically reduce, engagement-based ranking algorithms.

Remove the nicotine that drives people back to Facebook and Instagram. Haugens alternative is chronological ranking with a little bit of spam demotion. That means going back to what Facebook looked like in the early days, where newsfeeds were simply ordered by time. Algorithms could still go in to remove spam, though what that entails will be up to debate, but time and people  rather than machines  would be the ultimate curators of what people see. This will hit Facebooks profits hard, and Zuckerberg may have resisted such a move because of his fiduciary obligation to shareholders. Thats why Congress needs to step in.

2. Order Facebook to spend more on content moderation.

Haugen says Facebook should not be broken up. That would starve safety teams across the empire of resources and the ability to work together. It would cut the problem into more, smaller problems. Instead, she suggests human-scaled social media. With Facebooks AI often falling short in finding harmful content, humans already do much of the work spotting and stopping it. But Facebook keeps that work at arms length, outsourcing it to third-party vendors. One fix advocated by a recent study by New York Universitys Stern School of Business was to double the number of Facebooks content moderators to 30,000 and make many of them full-time staff members.

3. Establish an agency to audit Facebooks algorithms and features.

Haugen called for a federal regulatory agency that could analyze Facebooks internal experiments with software and share that information with its Oversight Board. The board already has a system in place to advise Facebook but has complained that Facebook is not forthcoming with the data needed to make decisions. Raw internal research  like the kind exposed in Haugens document dump  could lend greater weight to its directions (or orders from a new agency) to make Facebooks sites healthier. For instance, it could order Facebook to elevate authoritative news sources, as it did after the November election; add a feature requiring users to click a link before sharing something; or make time-off prompts for the most addicted users.

4. Mandate regular disclosure for researchers.

Facebook should be required to release data on whats happening on its site (with the right privacy protections) such as what posts are most shared or what political ads are being clicked on. Only then can academics outside the company analyze its systems and report on their findings.

None of these ideas are particularly new. And that will sting for the civil rights and privacy advocates whose suggestions until now have been met with silence and inaction from politicians. But their work has laid a critical foundation for Haugens testimony to finally gain momentum. Lawmakers will want to hear what they think of her ideas, and hopefully when they reach out to such groups for feedback they will hear some consensus.

Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. She previously reported for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes and is the author of "We Are Anonymous." Tae Kim is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. He previously covered technology for Barron's, following an earlier career as an equity analyst.
Employers say they cant find workers while job seekers say they cant find work. According to the California Employment Development Department, Julys unemployment rate is 5.7% lower than the same time last year. Meanwhile, the U.S. Labor Department reported a record-high 10.9 million job openings in early August. So why arent Californians filling them?

Multiple factors are discouraging would-be job seekers from filling open positions. Extended unemployment benefits from the federal government and justifiable concern over COVID-19 exposure in a workplace are two main drivers. In addition, a large number of would-be workers chose to retire  with 2020 seeing a 50% increase in those choosing to hang up the spikes.

Just as there is no one reason jobs are going unfilled, there are multiple forces that could encourage workers off the sideline. Here are three ways to fill unfilled positions in California:

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First, pay people to return to work.

Over the past year, the state of California and the federal government extended benefits to those who are unemployed, providing a small cushion for benefit recipients to consider their next move. In an era of uncertainty, why not extend payments for a period of time to newly employed persons?

Unlike a guaranteed income program, return-to-work pay could take the place of expiring benefits, pay a cash supplement and help Californians establish themselves in a new position. Over the longer term, it could also help raise people out of poverty. Already promising pilot programs are putting cash in the hands of Central Valley farmworkers who are famously underemployed. This and other programs like it should be tested and expanded.

Second, fix childcare for working parents.

School closures and child-care shortages are cited by job seekers as the primary hurdle to accepting work. Schools and parents form a critical, if not formal, contract in which parents entrust the education system for six to eight hours a day, five days a week. Therefore, a disruption to the education schedule is a disruption to a work schedule. To be certain, a balance between safety risks and open schools needs to be maintained, however, reopening schools doesnt appear to meaningfully increase the level of risk faced by teachers or students.

And while government officials should take more steps to open classrooms, companies should also allow flexible work schedules to accommodate potential employees who are parents.

Third, expanding training opportunities for high-wage, long-term jobs.

According to consulting firm McKinsey & Co., to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 crisis, companies need to immediately reskill their workforce. Already individuals are seeking to enhance skills on their own accord.

Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, for example, experienced a 55% increase in applications across all MBA programs during the 2020-21 admissions cycle compared with the previous year.

California companies are also doing their part. Googles online Career Certificate program  which equips people for in-demand jobs with no experience or degree required  is available in select community colleges and high schools across the state. More than 50% of certificate graduates are Black, Latino, women or veterans.

With a staggering $75.7 billion surplus, the state of California has the opportunity to make significant investments in workforce training and public-private partnerships.

At the heart of getting California back to work is creativity.

Businesses, especially small businesses, can give paid time off for vaccinations and offer flexible schedules for parent-employees. State legislators can focus on policies that help businesses such as Assembly Bill 80, a $6.2 billion tax cut signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in April. And state legislators should abandon policies that hurt businesses such as the restaurant-job killer Assembly Bill 257. Congress infrastructure plan could also produce a massive number of higher-wage jobs.

Im optimistic these forces can help make California the job-creating, opportunity-providing machine it is for employers and employees with long-term benefits.

David M. Smith is a professor of economics at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. He wrote this for CalMatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias Capitol works and why it matters.
Opposition MP: Granting corridor to Azerbaijan through Syunik Province will be gravest crime against Armenia

US Department of State representative says why Azerbaijan is not invited to Summit for Democracy

Armenian human rights activists to submit letters to ECHR regarding soldiers captured and considered missing

Armenia FM stresses importance of addressable response to Azerbaijan's actions during talk with Greek counterpart

Ex-ruling party official: Armenia authorities found reason for MOD's resignation after his visit to Karabakh

Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson: Nikol Pashinyan gave a confessional testimony in parliament yesterday

Armenia President talks about states' collective responsibility at Bloomberg New Economy Forum

Turkish website reports poisoning of Fetullah Gulen

Armenia FM holds phone talks with Cypriot counterpart, presents situation created after Azerbaijani attack

Mirzoyan, Zas discuss CSTO's possible actions to stabilize situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border, if necessary

Mothers of deceased servicemen demand Armenia PM's resignation

Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire at tractor in Armenia's Verin Shorzha village

Putin: Events unfolding on Armenia-Azerbaijan border attest to fact that situation has not calmed down in the region

Lithuania supports Armenia's territorial integrity

NEWS.am daily digest: 18.11.21

Ex-ruling party official: Incumbent authorities created deliberately organized chaos in Armenia

Armenia Prosecutor General's Office to examine news about 6 Azeri servicemen captured and then secretly returned

Dollar goes up in Armenia

Armenia MOD planning training camps for reservists

Sergey Lavrov, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to discuss assistance to resolve situation in Karabakh

High-tech industry minister receives Chinese recipient of Armenia State Prize for global contributions to IT sector

Eurasian Intergovernmental Council's narrow-format session kicks off in Yerevan

Pashinyan views Eurasian integration as one of Armenia's priorities

Two Armenian citizens found in Afghanistan

Armenian health ministry gets $ 2.5 million to fight COVID-19

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office has telephone conversation with Jeyhun Bayramov

Deceased Armenian soldier Taron Sahakyan's brother refutes news that he was captured and tortured to death

Armenia seeks to develop cooperation in food safety within EEU

Armenia Ombudsman, UNICEF Representative discuss problems with right of children of borderline villages to education

Armenia allocates AMD 462 mln for 4 subvention programs ahead of local self-government elections

Major incidents not recorded in Armenia's border zones as of 2 p.m., operative situation is under army's control

Armenia parliament approves several legislative amendments

PMs discuss prospects for development of Armenia-Kyrgyzstan collaboration

Turkish Nationalist Movement Party gifts Erdogan a map of Turkic World, with a part of Russia 'seized'

Man, 49, found dead inside truck near Armenia village sand mine

Armenia emergency ministry uses off-road vehicles to provide for needs of Syunik Province border villages, says minister

There is investment activeness in Syunik Province, says Armenia economy minister

Russia PM arrives in Yerevan

Minister on Armenia economic growth: We are from optimistic realist to optimist

Armenia President, Singapore deputy PM discuss avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation

Ombudsman: Armenophobia, propaganda of enmity have reached extremist fascism in Azerbaijan (VIDEO)

Russia peacekeepers carry out round-the-clock monitoring of ceasefire in Karabakh

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh

Armenia premier: There is no Syunik Province settlement that is under blockade

Office of Armenia commissioner for diaspora, SADA Global Delivery Center sign memorandum of cooperation

Armenia government approves 2021-2026 action plan

Armenia PM: Russia MOD made proposals on preparatory phase of border delimitation with Azerbaijan

1,019 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Senator calls for end to US military aid to Azerbaijan

Armenia is elected to UNESCO Executive Board

Whose body is brought from Baku to Yerevan by Russian Southern Military District deputy commander?

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan opened random fire at some directions of Tavush Province late Wednesday evening

World oil prices still dropping

Newspaper: Armenia has set task to change its foreign policy vector, Russia analysts say

Newspaper: Coronavirus death statistics in Armenia are incomplete

Armenian immigrant couple in California sentenced to prison for $20M fraud

EEU countries PMs to arrive in Yerevan for intergovernmental council meeting

Armenian army commander: Azerbaijan wants corridor, leader of Armenia gave consent to that, but refused later

Armenia FM holds phone conversations with Russian counterpart, Karen Donfried and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office

MTS launches inspection of its 'daughter' operations in Armenia upon request of U.S.

Armenia MOD: Defense minister receives Rustam Muradov, who brought body of deceased Armenian soldier to Yerevan

Taliban call on US Congress to ease sanctions and unfreeze Afghanistan's assets

Armenia PM: The meaning of being captured and the circumstances of captivity need to be investigated

Moscow, Ankara agree to not release details about joint manufacturing of S-400s

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan after Russian mediation

Armenia Ombudsman discusses Armenian captives' issue with acting Head of ICRC Delegation

Armenia PM refutes possibility of giving order 'to not open fire' when it comes to homeland defense

Armenian PM tries to clarify situation regarding use of names "Eyvazli" and "Chayzami"

IAEA Director General to visit Iran

Armenia PM: Our goal is to sign a peace treaty

Rustam Muradov brings body of one Armenian serviceman

Reuters: UAE's high-ranking delegation to visit Tehran soon

James Langevin: Azerbaijani government again unleashed a volley of unprovoked violence against Armenia

Ambassador to the Holy See: Armenia calls on its international partners to condemn Azerbaijan's actions

Armenia President provides Singapore PM with information about Azerbaijan's aggressive actions

Armenia PM: Trilateral task force's work is not interrupted

Armenia Police's Educational Complex has new head

Jackie Speier: We're witnessing Aliyev's attempted land grab in real time

Mass media: Rustam Muradov bringing bodies of Armenian soldiers to Yerevan

Yerevan to host subsequent session of Eurasian Intergovernmental Council

Earthquake hits Turkey

Zakharova on possibility of enforcing Armenia-Russia Treaty, says consultations are being held

NEWS.am 17.11.21 digest: Latest on Armenia-Azerbaijan border situation

European People's Party issues statement on recent hostilities on Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Opposition 'Armenia' Alliance MP: Resistance movement will help get rid of this catastrophe, namely authorities soon

Armenia PM explains why he appointed new defense minister

Opposition MPs remind Armenia PM about treason, get into dispute with ruling party deputies

Armenian PM: There are territories of Soviet Azerbaijan that are under Armenia's control

Armenia ruling party MP Andranik Kocharyan continues to talk about creation of professional army

Armenia and Russia Security Councils' Secretaries discuss regional security issues

Armenia Security Council Secretary: Azerbaijan fails to maintain ceasefire and isn't implementing reached agreements

Cavusoglu blames Armenia 'for terrorist attack against Azerbaijan'

Opposition 'Armenia' Alliance: Authorities' goal is to stay in power through ongoing concessions

Armenia PM: Our proposals are in effect, including proposal for start of delimitation and demarcation

Resident of Armenia's Shaki village panic when they hear the Azerbaijanis' gunshots

Armenia ruling party MP: Enemy can't achieve any success in Syunik Province

Armenia PM and ministers answering MPs' questions (LIVE)

Ambassador: Armenia Security Council Secretary will probably have separate meeting with Nikolai Patrushev

Armenia health minister: Kapan and Goris will have additional SUVs for paramedics

Armen Sarkissian presents situation on Armenia's borders at Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore
During his visit to Italy, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and his wife, Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian attended the 2021 Aurora Prize Ceremony at St. Lazars Island in Venice, one of the major hearths of Armenian cultural and religious heritage, the Presidents Staff reports.

The annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was granted to human rights activist Julienne Lusenge during the sixth annual award ceremony.

During the official dinner following the award ceremony, President Sarkissian expressed gratitude to the founders of Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, noting that the latter has become not only a major event, but also a major institution in only a few years since its establishment.

I express my gratitude to those who launched this. The establishment of the Initiative is already a major achievement. I also take pride in the fact that the movement was launched by three Armenians, including Ruben Vardanyan, Noubar Afeyan and Vartan Gregorian. All three have achieved great heights in their careers, but they did a special job by establishing the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, Sarkissian said, adding that even though Vartan Gregorian passed away in 2021, his legacy lives on and will always live on.

Talking about the holding of the award ceremony at St. Lazars Island, President Sarkissian said this place is important and symbolic for the Armenian people. More than 300 years ago, a small group of Armenians settled here without anything in order to avoid the Ottoman Turks persecutions, but they were Armenians, who had survived and were strong. Coming to St. Lazars Island, they did the impossible. In some sense, it is safe to say that they created the first offshore zone, which served the people by consolidating educated people, creating resources and enhancing Venice and the Congregation. As a result, here at the Congregation we have one of the richest collections of Armenian manuscripts and exclusive samples of arts, Sarkissian said.

President Sarkissian also stated that one of the halls of the presidential residence in Armenia will be converted into a library and will be named in memory of co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, longstanding Savior of the New York Public Library and President of the Carnegie Corporation Vartan Gregorian.
Kishida rules out changes to capital gains tax

Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has vowed to tackle the wealth gap in the world's third largest economy. File photo: AP

Japan's new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, said on Sunday he won't seek to change the country's taxes on capital gains and dividends for now as he intends to pursue other steps for better wealth distribution, such as raising wages of medical workers.



Kishida, who has vowed to rectify wealth disparities, had previously said reviewing those taxes would be an option in addressing income gaps.



Kishida took the top job in the world's third-largest economy on Monday, replacing Yoshihide Suga, who had seen his support undermined by surging Covid-19 infections.



"I have no plan to touch the financial income tax for the time being ... There are many other things to tackle first," Kishida told a news programme on commercial broadcaster Fuji Television Network.



"Misunderstanding is spreading that I may do it soon. That will give unnecessary worry to people concerned if not dispelled firmly."



Some investors have expressed concern that the new premier may press ahead with capital-gains tax hikes, signalling a turnaround from investor friendly economic policies pursued by Japan's longest-serving premier Shinzo Abe from 2013 to 2020.



Japan's benchmark Nikkei average has declined 7 percent since Kishida won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election late last month, practically securing the post of premier by virtue of the LDP's parliamentary majority. (Reuters)
Cathay crew member tests positive for Covid overseas

Health officials have asked people who have stayed in Block 2 of Seaview Crescent in Tung Chung to get tested. Photo: RTHK

Health officials on Sunday said they were investigating an overseas Covid-19 case involving a cabin crew member who had tested negative before flying out of Hong Kong.



The 54-year-old woman, who works for Cathay Pacific, tested positive for coronavirus in Australia on Thursday. She had tested negative in Hong Kong the day before departure.



The patient did not show any symptoms. She received two doses of the BioNTech vaccine earlier this year.



Health authorities have asked people who have stayed in Block 2 of Seaview Crescent in Tung Chung, where the patient lived, to get tested.



The Centre for Health Protection did not report any new Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong on Sunday.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Cole Bassett, Michael Barrios and Lucas Esteves scored late goals to give the 10-man Colorado Rapids a 3-1 comeback victory over Minnesota United on Sunday.

After falling behind on Adrien Hunous first-half and losing Danny Wilson to a red card in the 57th minute, Colorado (14-5-9) scored three times in the final 20 minutes  with substitute Barrios involved in all three.

Bassett tied it on a penalty kick in the 73rd after Barrios was taken down in the box. Barrios put the Rapids ahead in the 84th, and Esteves completed the scoring in extra time.

Minnesota dropped to 10-10-8.
NEW YORK  First responders swarmed LaGuardia Airport on Saturday when a New York-bound flight made an emergency landing due to a passengers suspicious behavior, officials said.

American Airlines Flight 4817 from Indianapolis  operated by Republic Airways  landed at LaGuardia just after 3 p.m. after a security incident, the Federal Aviation Administration and Port Authority Police Department said.

People aboard the craft reported suspicious and erratic behavior from a passenger in the air, said Port Authority spokesman Tom Topousis.

The pilot then radioed air traffic control to clear the runway for an emergency landing.

Passengers disembarked the plane by emergency slides onto LaGuardias Runway 4 just short of the planes intended gate, Topousis and other officials said.

As the plane was evacuated, firefighters attended to a man facedown on the runway as confused travelers mulled about the tarmac, video shot by a passenger and posted to Twitter shows.

Port Authority officers responded to the airport and cleared the situation. All 78 passengers and four crew members were safely removed from the aircraft, officials said.

There were no injuries.

The suspicious passenger was taken into custody and was still being questioned late Saturday, authorities said.

Port Authority police are investigating the incident, officials said.


Oct. 10Schofield Barracks, until now, would send about 5, 000 soldiers annually to Fort Polk, La., for culminating training to certify an infantry brigade's combat readiness for war.

The 240, 000-acre Joint Readiness Training Center is one of the Army's premier proving grounds, but Fort Polk is not jungle and ocean, like Hawaii is, or part of the Pacific where the 25th Infantry Division would fight its next fight.

With that logic in mindand a cost savings that will likely run into the millions of dollarsthe Army intends to break the paradigm and set a new precedent by holding the first-ever Home-station Combat Training Center evolution, in this case in Hawaii.

For fiscal 2022, which started Oct. 1, the Army as a whole is planning 20 combat center rotations for brigade-sized formations, but for the first time, it will have one focused on jungles and maritime in Hawaii, and another in Alaska to boost Arctic capabilities.

The Joint Pacific Multinational Training Center will run Tuesday through Oct. 28 on Oahu and Hawaii island focusing on training for the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Schofield, which has about 4, 000 soldiers, alongside about 200 Indonesian and Thai soldiers.

All Hawaii active-duty forces are now focused on training to deter China from invading Taiwan or expanding elsewhere militarily in the Western Pacific. The Army is retooling to become a missile-firing force.

Training staff from the Joint Readiness Training Center will come out to Hawaii to participate in the large-scale exercise.

"We will be the firstand we will learn a lot through this iteration, " said Lt. Col. Jamie Dobson, a spokeswoman for the 25th Division, adding the model likely will be repeated in the future.

"I think we'll try to do it again because I think we'll find that having this realistic training environment, having the amphibious assault exercise, being able to work with our partners and the joint force here in this environment, we're going to see a lot of benefit, " Dobson said.

Story continues

A full 60 % of the approximately 12, 000-soldier 25th Infantry Division is expected to participate in one way or another between the force getting the trainingthe 3rd Brigadeand opposing force and additional enablers such as helicopters, logistic and artillery.

Last fall, the division deployed 5, 500 soldiers, 37 helicopters, 346 containers and 1, 671 vehicles to Louisiana for the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team's culminating train-up, the Army said.

A much more staggered approach is being taken for the upcoming large-scale training in Hawaii to keep community impact to a minimum.

The exercise approach falls within the Army's new Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model, or ReARMM, that seeks to better balance the need to project power with scheduled times for modernization and training, which is supposed to give soldiers and families more predictability.

"In the future, a unit's rotation through a combat training center might not be the only requisite for mission readiness as leaders acknowledged the value of specialized training, " the service said in March.

The Hawaii experiment also comes with the Army |in May releasing a $173 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2022 reflecting a $3.6 billion reduction from last year's enacted budget.

The Army said its budget would "ensure readiness by funding home station training and 20 combat training center rotations."

Those combat training centers are at Fort Polk, at Fort Irwin National Training Center in California, and at Hohenfels Training Area in Germany.

"We have not cut any (JRTC rotations )two have moved to exportable, " Maj. Gen. Sean Swindell, assistant deputy chief of staff, said in a June Army release. "We recently published our Arctic strategy, and we are going to come up with an Arctic rotation in fiscal 2022. We are also looking at a (U.S. Indo-Pacific Command ) exportable rotation out in Hawaii."

The Association of the U.S. Army said the Arctic training would occur in Alaska.

The 25th Division said in a release that the new Home-station Combat Training Center effort in Hawaii "will save significant resources and time while maximizing training in the challenging jungle and maritime environment."

The big exercise also takes the place of Lightning Forge in Hawaii, an annual brigade-level precursor to the rotations through the Joint Readiness Training Center, officials said.

Training will include the use of blank ammunition and explosive simulators during day and night hours at Dillingham Army Airfield, Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa Training Area and in Helemano and Schofield Barracks East Range.

Additionally, Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island will be used. The Army did not want to reveal the exercise's amphibious components to ensure soldiers get the full training benefit, but one possibility is the use of Army Logistics Support Vessels at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

The big transport vessels are used to make equipment runs to Hawaii island and have been increasingly tested in Hawaii and the Pacific to offload missile-firing trucks that could strike adversary ships at sea in the event of conflict in the Western Pacific.

In a throwback to World War II, both the Army and Marines are training in Hawaii to become 21st century island-hopping forces. Long-range precision missiles and artillery are the Army's No. 1 modernization priority.

Between 1943 and 1947, the Army acquired 2, 545 acres in Kahana and Punaluu valleys for training, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Part of the push came after Guadalcanalwhere the 25th Division earned its "Tropic Lightning " nicknamedemonstrated the need for jungle training. A big camp was set up in Kaaawa.

Basic jungle warfare was conducted at the "red " and "blue " courses. Advanced jungle warfare training and instructor training took place at the "green " course. The Army Corps said Japanese villages and pillboxes were built along with temporary barracks, a mess hall, a bakery and shower facilities.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said more than 300, 000 soldiers learned to live off the land and construct rope bridges for stream crossings. Live-fire training included rockets, machine guns, flamethrowers, rifles and grenades.

The facility was so big, comedian Bob Hope paid a visit in 1944, firing a belt-fed machine gun from the hip.

More recently, an Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft landed in 2020 on a newly refurbished airfield on Angaur island in Palau and offloaded U.S. Army Pacific soldiers for training.

Two days after that, the Army Logistics Support Vessel LTG William B. Bunker out of Hawaii pulled up on the beach there carrying two High Mobility Artillery Rocket System trucks to practice "force projection and expeditionary sustainment, " the Army said.

Hawaii residents can expect an increase in helicopter and unmanned aircraft flights and convoy traffic during the upcoming exercise, the Army said.

"The 25th Infantry Division appreciates the community's understanding and continued support for local military training, " the serv ice said in a release. "While sometimes loud, the sounds of training represent how the military ensures the nation's service members are ready to accomplish the mission and return home safely."
Oct. 10Philip Way is in his third year as the 37th president of Athens State University and believes his biggest accomplishment is the number of programs he has been able to add, and adding more programs will continue to be a priority.

Before landing at Athens State, Way was a provost and vice president for academic and student affairs and served for almost a year as the interim president in Pennsylvania at Slippery Rock University.

Prior to that, he was senior associate dean of arts and sciences, provost for undergraduate programs, and concurrent professor of the school of business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Way spent more than 20 years at the University of Cincinnati, first as an assistant professor, and then mostly as a faculty member in the department of economics.

Question: What do you believe has been your greatest accomplishment as Athens State's president?

Answer: New program development. ... I think what was distinctive about what we've done over the last two years is those programs. Up until 2016, we couldn't offer grad programs. Then we got permission to offer three and then a year and a half ago, they gave us permission to offer as many as we wanted to, as long as they were niche programs; things that weren't duplicative of other universities' programs... They're not huge yet, but they will be huge over time. It's not going to happen in only one year, but normally, when you have a new program, you try to get it to be successful over five to seven years. I'm trying to beat that time frame. I want them to pay off in two to three years.

Q: What do you plan to accomplish in the next two years?

A: The simple answer is to continue to introduce new programming. Listen to the employers and find out exactly what they want, and if it's not that they want degree people, let's talk about certificates, non-credit programs. In higher education, there's a shift happening. I wouldn't say away from degrees, but in addition, teaching other ways to learn. And in this economy  where technology is changing, product markets are changing  people need to be reskilled or upskilled and sometimes, they don't need a degree ... So, program development, credit/non-credit, enhance our marketing even more, and try to increase student success, that's a major objective of mine. We do pretty well, actually, in terms of job placement and retention. But there's always room for improvement. And the more we can do to make our students more successful helps with our recruitment in a sense. ... We're heavily involved in economic development, helping to bring new businesses to town. When they come and have a look at the area, they'll ask to talk to local colleges and universities to find out if they'll be able to get the workforce.

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Q: What will your No. 1 priority be?

A: Student success. Retention, graduation, and getting a job that pays well.

Q: What is your long-range vision for the Alabama Center for the Arts?

A: I want to increase in terms of the kinds of things we have here. ... One of the big areas we have is graphic design. We have a nice program in conjunction with Calhoun. ... There are all types of design, communication design, interior design even, product design, industrial design. ... I think we need to grow musical theatre. I'm sorry it wasn't introduced from the get-go. ... People in the community just love musical theater. I think we can do a great job there. ... We're hoping the master's in fine arts will be approved in time for fall of '22. And I hope the residence halls will mean people will come to Decatur. ... I'm hopeful the residence hall will help us increase our numbers. I mean, the signs are good. Both our numbers are up, both Calhoun's and ours are up for the ACA this semester, which is great to see.

Q: What do you like about Athens State's partnership with Calhoun Community College?

A: They're highly cooperative, very positive people. ... We have very good relationships in certain areas; we've got a great relationship with their education people. We have a seamless transitioning to Athens State. We just need to make sure we have more and more seamless transitions, and that's up to both of us. ...

Q: What needs to be improved?

A: The students at Calhoun have a right to go anywhere. We need to make sure we're competitive in terms of our scholarships, in terms of our programs, the hours that they have to complete. I'm not saying we're uncompetitive, I'm just saying we need to be that consistently.

Q: How will having dorms impact the future of the ACA?

A: I think it will enable us to improve our recruitment because we'll be able to say, "We have housing here and waiting for you, and it's housing at a competitive price." And you can't beat that. If you compare us to the available housing in Decatur, you'll find the quality is higher and the prices better for you. So, you shouldn't fear about coming to the university because we'll take care of you, not just in the classroom, but out of the classroom, too.

Q: How many students are currently enrolled at ASU?

A: As of today, we have 2,794 enrolled.

Q: How many from each county?

A: Roughly 10% are from Morgan County, just over 3% from Lawrence, and 12% from Limestone. If you ask, where do the rest come from? Mainly Madison (County).

Q: What is Athens State doing for Limestone, Morgan and Lawrence counties?

A: Well, obviously, providing education. We're probably most renowned for our education program. ... I would say it's probably our education students who have the biggest impact in the local counties. There's a concern in the state that people who come to Alabama for their education go out of state for employment. We have the highest retention rate in the state, out of any university in the state of Alabama. Our people tend to stay in the state. ... Well over 80% stay in the state, and most of those in the northern half of Alabama. ... We're populating the schools with teachers, and even if you're not a teacher, you're working locally, helping businesses grow, etc. ... So, it's a profound impact on local counties.

Q: What do you plan to do to reverse declines in overall student enrollment?

A: We basically reflect what happens to community colleges. We get two-thirds of our students from community colleges, and one-third are returning adults. ... The issue for us is, how can we help the community colleges? ... You can start off at Calhoun and then take the two years at Athens State. ... If it benefits the community college, it's going to benefit us later on. That's the idea here. And we're working with the community colleges directly to encourage their students to come to Athens. Even though they've got these declining numbers, they've got great programs. ... We have a program in whatever you desire and as a result of that, people will want to come here. We're also putting more resources into marketing, particularly at the grad level because we know the grad level is where the growth is going to be. ...

Q: What new programs does Athens State need to offer to meet the needs of the local workforce?

A: I would say the emphasis needs to be on health-related programs. And I'm not saying we're going to have a medical school, because we'll never have a medical school. ... If you look at the data, some business areas are short, involving like business analytics, the more quantitative disciplines. But I would say health is the main one. And safety and security. Cybersecurity is massive.

Q: What is the future of Athens State offering online classes?

A: We have been a leader for decades. I think a lot of the universities have caught up to some degree. But that's not truly what they're about. I think they will go back to more in-person kind of modality unless we get another COVID wave or two. ... At Athens State, some people learning on-ground have learned how to do online effectively. They see that some of their classes can be put online and right now I'm seeing a growth in hybrid, where courses are partly online ... and then they're meeting in person for interactive learning things that are very important. We're also introducing more classes which are high flex, our faculty's calling them active flex. But it's where you teach in a room with some people face-to-face, there are some people synchronously online, like in a Zoom meeting, and it's recorded so people can get it later if they were unable to be in-person or online at the same time. ... That's growing, we just need to get more faculty on board.

Q: Conversely, what is the future of on-campus instruction at Athens State given that so many classes this fall are virtual?

A: I think you're going to see a gradual return to on-ground. But I think it'll be sporadic, so they won't be on-ground two days a week. They'll be on the ground once every two weeks, or something like that. It depends on the discipline. If you take accounting, for example, students prefer to be there, in person, because it's technical; they want help straight away, to call the professor over if they're working on a problem. So, things that tend to involve numbers, we find students prefer to be there in person. ... But if it's easy to learn online, relatively, then they're OK with online learning. So, I think you're going to see that shift. But remember, we're introducing more health programs. Those are going to require more practicums, of various kinds. Those people are going to have to come to campus. ... So, we imagine as we're introducing more and more of these health programs, we're going to need to bring them to campus, to either come to some labs for physical therapy, occupational therapy, whatever the program happens to be. ... For our accreditation, we have to pick a topic every five years, and our topic for the coming five years is experiential learning. And while a lot of our students have had experiences, like internships, we want to increase the number of experiences that they'll have while in the program. We believe that will prepare them for jobs. They'll get more and different kinds of skills.

Q: What is Athens State's niche in higher education in this area, given that the University of North Alabama, University of Alabama in Huntsville and Alabama A&M are nearby?

A: Quality, online learning. I'm not saying they don't have quality education; I just think that our niche is online because we've been doing it for so long. I think we've been able to reach a level of quality that is hard to get to. I mean, we have some places to improve, it's not perfect, but I think we're in reasonably good shape, simply because we've had a lot of time to perfect it. ... So, I think that's our niche. But I think increasingly it's going to be graduate education online. That's what we'll be known for. And we're going to do some things online that most other places only do in-person.

Q: What is your favorite part of being Athens State's president thus far?

A: Graduation. It's always my favorite day... To see them complete their bachelor's degree or master's degree and walk across that stage with families whooping and hollering, I love that. I love the enthusiasm; I love the celebrations I see in the courtyard afterward. ... It's the happiest day of each semester, as far as I'm concerned. And it's the most meaningful because it's a sense of completion and a beginning of a new episode of their lives, hopefully one that will lead to increased economic and social stability.

erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.
Austria's conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced he was resigning Saturday to end a government crisis after his coalition partner said he was unfit for office because he has been placed under investigation on suspicion of corruption.

"You have all over the last couple of days followed that there are criminal accusations against me. Those accusations stem back to the year 2016. They are not true and I will be able to clear things up. If I am very much certain."

The move by Kurz, who denies wrongdoing, satisfied the demand by his junior coalition partner, the Greens, that he go even though he plans to stay on as his party's leader and become its top lawmaker in parliament, positions from which he can continue to influence government policy.

Kurtz proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, a career diplomat backed by Kurz's party, take over as chancellor, whom the Greens soon made clear they accepted.

A star among Europe's conservatives and known for his hard line on immigration, 35-year-old Kurz became one of the continent's youngest leaders when he took over as chancellor in 2017 at the head of a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday they had placed Kurz and nine others under investigation on suspicion of breach of trust, corruption and bribery with various levels of involvement.

Starting in 2016 when Kurz was seeking to take over as party leader, prosecutors suspect the conservative-led Finance Ministry paid for advertisements in a newspaper in exchange for manipulated polling and coverage favorable to Kurz.
SheKnows

While the Cambridges and the Sussexes have been going about their royal duties and philanthropic endeavors like business as usual, there still seems to be some lingering tension between the two royal couples. But with Prince William and Kate Middletons upcoming 2022 trip to America for the continuation of the Duke of Cambridges Earthshot Prize, []
WASHINGTON  President Biden will address the nation on Thursday, the White House said, laying out a six-pronged strategy to combat the coronavirus pandemic throughout the fall. The speech will likely mark a stark departure from the upbeat announcements of last spring, as vaccination rates rose and infection rates declined.

The Delta variant frustrated Bidens plans for a summer of freedom. With cold weather approaching and children returning to school, he faces a challenge in telling Americans that the end is still in sight  but that he, and they, must do more to bring the pandemic to its conclusion.

President Biden speaks to local leaders in Hillsborough Township, N.J., on Tuesday. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

Americans confidence in Bidens handling of the pandemic is waning. A new poll from Gallup found that only 40 percent of Americans say the president is communicating clearly on the pandemic; 42 percent say he lacks clarity. This is the first time Americans have not been more positive than negative about his communication, as a presidential candidate or president-elect in 2020 or as president this year, Gallup senior editor Jeffrey M. Jones wrote of those results on Tuesday.

A senior administration official disputed the idea that the president is frustrated by the trajectory of the pandemic. Biden is focused on getting more people vaccinated and putting an end to this virus, the official said.

Thursdays speech will come almost exactly six months since the president put the nation on a war footing against the coronavirus. Were making some real progress now, he said during that address, delivered during primetime from the East Room of the White House.

Since that day, 142 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, a monumental achievement by any measure. But that figure accounts for only slightly more than half of the nations entire population  53 percent  which has given the Delta variant plenty of opportunity to spread. Vaccinations are rising again, to an average of about 950,000 per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But deaths from COVID-19 have been rising, too, to more than 1,300 per day. By contrast, deaths had fallen to below 300 per day in mid-June.

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Nurse Anita Huang gives a vaccine shot to Justin Mataalii on Sept. 1 at Rio Hondo College in Whittier, Calif. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

His administration will pull every lever to get the pandemic under control, the White House said in a statement. Biden will not, however, issue a national vaccine mandate. Speaking to reporters traveling with the president aboard Air Force One, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the federal government does not have the authority to issue such a rule.

Absent such a dramatic move, the president will have to resort to piecemeal measures that both entice the unvaccinated and make life increasingly uncomfortable for them. In July, French President Emmanuel Macron made vaccination mandatory for dining and travel, as well as for health care workers in France.

The White House would not say what the new initiatives announced on Thursday will be, only that they would reach across the public and private sectors. The president has frequently touted vaccine requirements issued in recent months by private corporations. And he has issued focused mandates, including for employees of the federal government and nursing home workers.

Another contentious issue Biden will need to address is that of booster shots for recipients of the two-dose mRNA vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna. Data from Israel showed declining protection from the Pfizer vaccine against the Delta variant. Regulators in the United States are divided about whether to administer booster shots, and when.

Psaki told reporters that the administration would take advice and counsel from the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC, even as public health officials in the U.S. closely watch how the pandemic progresses in Israel, which has a high vaccination rate and a robust scientific establishment that collaborates frequently with American researchers and institutions.

Well base it on our own health advisers, Psaki said.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
By Lidia Kelly

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Sydney was set to reopen after months in lockdown, officials said on Sunday, with businesses readying themselves to welcome fully vaccinated residents from Monday.

New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, reported 477 new coronavirus cases and six deaths on Sunday, in an outbreak that has kept 5 million people in state capital Sydney in a lockdown for 100 days.

But as the state has met the threshold of 70% of its people fully vaccinated, New South Wales was ready to ease some restrictions and reopen many businesses, said state Premier Dominic Perrottet.

"It's a big day for our state, and to everyone across the New South Wales: you've earned it," Perrottet said. "It's been a hundred days of blood, sweat, no beers, but we've got it back in action tomorrow."

When asked what would be the first thing he does on Monday, Perrottet said, "I am going to get a haircut."

Local media reported that hair and beauty salons have been fully booked for weeks to come.

"We have stretched their days and have opened up extra times in their diaries so that we can book our clients in as soon as we possibly can," Joseph Hkeik, who runs several All Saints skin clinics in Sydney, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Many social distancing restrictions, however, and limits on public gathering will remain for weeks, Perrottet said.

The New South Wales government is also working out details to resume international travel as of the beginning of November, two weeks ahead of the mid-November date envisaged by the federal government.

According to a national plan, once 80% of eligible Australians are fully vaccinated, the borders, which have been closed since March 2020, will gradually reopen. Nearly 62% of all Australians 16 and older have received two vaccine doses.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was backing the New South Wales' plans to "accelerate" the reopening of the borders.

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"Australia, it's been a battle of our generation. It's been long, it's been tough, there have been so many sacrifices, but we are well and truly getting there," Morrison said in a video he posted on his Facebook page.

Victoria, with its capital Melbourne in lockdown since early August, reported 1,890 new cases and five deaths on Sunday. The state is expected to reopen late in October, once 70% of its residents are fully inoculated.

The Melbourne Cup, Australia's most famous horse race, will go ahead on Nov. 2 with crowds of up to 10,000 people, the state government said.

"We're going to normalise this virus," said Victoria's premier, Daniel Andrews. "We're going to open up and we're going to be back doing what we do best."

Australia's COVID-19 cases, however, remain far lower than many comparable countries, with just over 127,500 infections and 1,432 deaths in a country of just under 26 million.

Neighbouring New Zealand, which was largely virus-free until a Delta outbreak in mid-August, reported 60 new local cases on Sunday, up from 34 the day before.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by William Mallard and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Migrant workers queue to enter a screening centre for their rostered routine testing swabs in Singapore on 9 October, 2021. (PHOTO: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday (10 October) confirmed 2,809 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, bringing the country's total case count to 126,966, as well as nine more deaths due to the disease.

Sunday breaks a five-day streak of over 3,000 new daily cases reported in the city-state.

"The fall in the number of cases today is likely due to fewer swabs being done over the weekend at public health preparedness clinics and polyclinics, and is not indicative that the epidemic curve is bending," said the MOH.

Sunday also marks the 21st day in a row with fatalities from COVID-19 reported here, with a total of 61 people here having succumbed to it thus far this month.

Singapore's 154th through 162nd fatalities were all Singaporeans: eight men and one woman aged between 70 and 88.

Among them, four had been unvaccinated against COVID-19, three had been partially vaccinated and two had been fully vaccinated. All of them had various underlying medical conditions.

Of the new cases, 2,807 are local infections: 2,176 are in the community and 631 reside in the migrant worker dormitories. The remaining two are imported.

Two active COVID-19 clusters in Singapore are also being closely monitored, said the MOH.

Four new cases were added to the cluster at the ASPRI-Westlite Papan Dormitory, totalling 237 infections.

One new case was added to the cluster at nursing home United Medicare Centre at Toa Payoh, totalling 74 infections. Of them, 13 are staff members, 60 are residents, and one household contact.

JUST IN: Breaking 5-day streak, Singapore reports 2,809 new COVID cases, 9 deaths https://t.co/dbnVpnjAqE pic.twitter.com/Rv4fGWTIhI  Yahoo Singapore (@YahooSG) October 10, 2021

292 require oxygen supplementation; 41 in ICU

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As of Sunday, 1,613 cases  or 7.8 per cent  are currently warded in hospital, most of whom are well and under observation. A total of 15,837 cases  or 76.6 per cent  are undergoing home recovery, while 2,941 cases are in community care facilities, and 350 are in COVID-19 treatment facilities.

There are currently 292 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation and 41 in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Apart from the 162 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

Over the last 28 days, of the 55,096 infected individuals, 98.5 per cent had no or mild symptoms, 1.2 per cent required oxygen supplementation, 0.1 per cent required ICU care, and 0.2 per cent has died.

Among those who required oxygen supplementation and ICU over the same period, 48.8 per cent were fully vaccinated and 51.2 per cent were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Among those who have died, 29.8 per cent were fully vaccinated and 70.2 per cent were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

As of Saturday, about 9.43 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under the national vaccination programme. Some 4.6 million have received at least one dose of the vaccine, with some 4.54 million having completed the full vaccination regimen.

To date, about 600,000 eligible individuals have been invited to receive their booster doses  411,447 of them have received their booster shots while another 74,000 have booked their appointments.

Separately, 212,622 doses of other vaccines recognised in the World Health Organizations Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) have been administered as of Saturday, covering 112,381 individuals.

This means that 83 per cent of the population have completed their full regimen, or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and 85 per cent have received at least one dose.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in Parliament on Monday while the government is ramping up healthcare capacity to handle up to 5,000 cases, it is already planning how to handle 10,000 infections.

Co-chair of the multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce Lawrence Wong last Saturday said many people in Singapore will end up catching COVID-19, and there is no need to be fearful or embarrassed about it.

But the Finance Minister also said the current rise in COVID cases may not be "the last wave" in Singapore.

On Saturday, the COVID-19 multi-ministry taskforce announced that vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) will be opened for fully-vaccinated travellers from eight more countries to Singapore from 19 October: Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and the US.

This is in addition to the previously announced VTLs for fully-vaccinated travellers from South Korea, Brunei, and Germany.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
Lemons

The recommended daily intake for vitamin C should be doubled, scientists have claimed as current levels were informed by a shocking Second World War study.

The World Health Organisation advises a daily intake of 45mg of a day based on a study conducted in 1944 by The Sorby Research Institute. The NHS advises a similar dose of 40mg.

The now-defunct research facility responsible for the guidelines was created to assess the nutrition levels of British citizens at a time when food supplies were short.

Scientists at University of Washington have now revisited the research which informed the current guidelines and described the methods as shocking.

The current guidelines for vitamin C intake are not based on maximising overall health, but staving off scurvy, scientists say.

Modern scientists and health professionals have failed until now to comprehensively re-examine the 77-year-old research according to the university which said recommended dosages should now be upgraded.

In findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, lead author Professor Philippe Hujoel said: "The vitamin C experiment is a shocking study.

'It would never fly now'

"They depleted people's vitamin C levels long-term and created life-threatening emergencies. It would never fly now.

"The findings of the re-analyses of the Sorby data suggest that the WHO's recommendation is too low to prevent weak scar strength.

He added: Robust parametric analyses of the trial data reveal that an average daily vitamin C intake of 95mg is required to prevent weak scar strength for 97.5 per cent of the population.

"Such a vitamin C intake is more than double the daily 45mg vitamin C intake recommended by the WHO but is consistent with the writing panels for the National Academy of Medicine and (other) countries."

Vitamin C which is found in citrus fruits and some vegetables helps to protect cells and maintain healthy skin, bones, blood vessels and cartilage. It also aids the healing of wounds.

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Experiment based on just 20 volunteers

Prof Hujoel said: The failure to reevaluate the data of a landmark trial with novel statistical methods as they became available may have led to a misleading narrative on the vitamin C needs for the prevention and treatment of collagen-related pathologies."

The 1944 research was headed by the British-German biologist and nobel-prize winner Sir Hans Adolf Krebs.

At the time, researchers conducted an experiment that controlled and monitored vitamin C consumption of just 20 volunteers who refused to join the military.

The conscientious objectors were each given varying amounts of vitamin C, which helps the body to produce collagen - and given wounds to observe how quickly their scar tissue healed.

The research aimed to ascertain how much vitamin C navy members living off of rations required in order to prevent them from developing the life-threatening condition scurvy, rather than how much is needed to boost health overall.

Scurvy was prevalent at the time, with some figures suggesting more members of the Navy were killed at sea by the disease than by the enemy.

Re-examining the research, University of Washington academics used modern statistical techniques designed to handle small sample sizes, which would not have been available at the time of the experiment.

The method - known as the "eyeball" - proved that data assessment used at the time was insufficient and misinterpreted.
Liam Smith produced an eight-round stoppage (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Liam Smith stopped Merseyside rival Anthony Fowler with an eighth-round knockout to win their WBA international super-welterweight title showdown in Liverpool.

Former WBO world champion Smith had been cut under his left eye in the opening round, but after being on the back foot again in the third, the 33-year-old regained composure to find his own range.

Fowler was himself cut in the fourth and then another big hand from Smith sent him down in the next.

Smith knocks Fowler down for the second time to win the Battle of Liverpool #SmithFowler pic.twitter.com/X8ukKHieao  DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 9, 2021

Although bravely trying to force his way back into the contest, another sweeping left from Smith sent Fowler down to the canvas again in the eighth round.

Although Fowler got back up to his feet, the referee waved the contest off, as Smith jumped on the ropes to celebrate a memorable victory in front of a home crowd.

Earlier on the undercard, Shannon Courtenay surrendered her WBA bantamweight title to Jamie Mitchell by majority decision  97-93, 96-94, 95-95.

Bermondsey fighter Ted Cheeseman lost his British super-welterweight title to Troy Williamson after being stopped in the 10th round.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on October 09, 2021 in Des Moines, Iowa Scott Olson/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump inaccurately accused Democrats of killing babies "up until the moment of birth" at a rally in Iowa.

He also falsely claimed that Virginia's governor supports executing babies "after birth."

Fact-checkers have noted that both of these assertions are false.

Speaking to thousands of supporters at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, former President Donald Trump baselessly accused the "far-left" of aborting babies right up until the moment of birth and misleadingly alleged that one Democrat governor supports infanticide.

Trump told the crowd that the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, officially known as the Build Back Better Act, would force "taxpayers to fund the far left's extreme abortion agenda."

The bill, he said, would abolish the Hyde amendment. This controversial provision bars federal funds from being used for most abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the pregnant person's life is in danger.

There is a lack of consensus among Democrats about including the Hyde amendment in the reconciliation bill. Some moderates, including Sen. Joe Manchin, demand that it be a part of the package.

Progressive Democrats, like Rep. Pramila Jayapal, have said that they would not support a bill that includes the Hyde amendment, and President Joe Biden told reporters that he would sign it either way.

The abolition of the Hyde amendment, Trump claimed at the rally, would see Democrats "ripping babies from their mother's womb, right up until the moment of birth."

The amendment's focus is on funding and accessibility to abortions and does not refer extreme late-term abortions.

Trump has repeated the claim several times at campaign rallies that Democrats "rip" babies from the womb at the "moment of birth," and fact-checkers have consistently noted this as false.

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Most abortions are performed in the earlier stages of pregnancy, with a minuscule percentage (about one percent) happening after the fetus reaches the point of viability. "The president is describing something that rarely happens and that no Democrat is calling for anyway," said The Washington Post.

At the Iowa rally, the former president went on to make an even wilder assertion about Democrats and their abortion positions. He said that some Democrats are "killing babies after birth," and falsely alleged that Virginia Governor Ralph Northam supports infanticide.

"You saw that?" In Virginia, the governor of Virginia, after birth," Trump told the crowd.

The former president previously made the misleading assertion during his State of Union address in 2019 and at a 2019 rally in El Paso, Texas, but fact-checkers have repeatedly debunked it then.

The accusation refers to Northam's comments on "third-trimester abortions" that are done in cases "where there may be severe deformities. There may be a fetus that's nonviable," Reuters said.

Northam, a physician, never said he would sanction the execution of newborns, according to Politifact. The fact-checkers said: "What he did say is that in rare, late-pregnancy cases when fetuses are nonviable, doctors deliver the baby, keep it comfortable, resuscitate it if the mother wishes, and then have a 'discussion' with the mother."

During the rally, Insider reported that Trump also spread misinformation about widely disproved claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A new report says the labor shortage is extending to emergency responders. Martyn Goddard / Getty Images

The EMT industry is facing an increasingly difficult labor shortage, NBC News reports.

The industry has long dealt with high turnover over burnout and low pay, and it's only worsened.

Now, the short staffing fallout from the pandemic could jack up 911 call response times.

Emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, are the latest group to contend with an increasingly worsening labor shortage - and civilians who need medical assistance could feel the impact, NBC News reports.

It's not a new problem, but it's a shortage that's only gotten worse throughout the pandemic, where EMTs have been out on the frontlines. American Ambulance Association President Shawn Baird told NBC News that the "magnitude" of shortages "has really blown up after the last few months," and said that there aren't enough workers to cover calls in many different areas.

"When you take a system that was already fragile and stretched it, because you didn't have enough people entering the field, then you throw a public health emergency and all of the additional burdens that it put on our workforce as well as the labor shortages across the entire economy, and it really has put us in a crisis mode," Baird told NBC News.

All across the economy, industries are struggling to hire and retain workers. Economists have told Insider that may be due to workers staying home over virus concerns, and that businesses may need to offer higher wages and better working conditions and benefits to lure them back. That's true for many of the workers who have been dispatched to serve on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Emergency personnel had already been facing down a shortage prior to the pandemic, Insider's Dave Mosher and Rhea Mahbubani reported in April 2020. At the time, New York City-based lieutenant EMT Vincent Variale said that EMTs faced heavy turnover, with some leaving the field over low pay and lack of funding for the program compared to their peers. When the pandemic hit, ambulance workers also became infected at high rates - exacerbating staffing issues and forcing remaining personnel to work longer shifts, with some putting in 16 hours a day for continuous days.

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In 2018, the CDC released a set of tips for emergency responders to cope with burnout. One self-care technique included limiting shifts to be under 12 hours.

Fewer workers also means greater delays for ambulances and response times, something that can potentially have a big impact on patient outcomes.

Now, NBC News reports that the "pandemic has made a bad labor problem worse," as workers leave over the strain of working during the pandemic, and the remaining responders have to work longer (and then leave over it) - creating a continual cycle of turnover. Courses to train new workers were also put on pause by the pandemic.

One Michigan provider, Ken Cummings of Tri-Star Hospital EMS, told NBC News that the state has 1,000 open positions.

Some areas are turning to new initiatives to train EMTs and get them out into the field. The Bronx Times reported on "Earn While You Learn" program launching in New York City; according to the program's website, trainees will be paid a training wage throughout the program and all fees are paid for by Global Medical Response. The Bronx Times said that the program aims to graduate 80 paramedics. In 2019, the New York Post reported that shortages in the city were a "crisis."

Read the original article on Business Insider
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)  Jacorey Howard ran for three touchdowns, including a 4-yard score with 39 seconds to play, and Texas Southern beat Southern 35-31 on Saturday night at Global Life Park in the Arlington Football Showdown.

Freshman Andrew Body was 28-of-35 passing for 338 yards and added 16 carries for 85 yards for Texas Southern. LaDarius Owens had 59 yards rushing and two TDs on five carries.

TSU (2-3, 1-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) beat the Jaguars for the first time since 2011.

Devon Benn had 151 yards rushing and a score to lead Southern (2-3, 1-1). Kobe Dillion ran for 96 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and Marquis McClain scored on a 65-yard run. Glendon McDaniel was 20-of-29 passing for 207 yards with an interception and his 2-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter gave the Jaguars a 31-28 lead.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
Ian Baraclough highlighted the camaraderie among his players (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Ian Baraclough may have been fuming at the referee come full-time in Saturdays pivotal 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Switzerland but he was full of praise for the way his players handled adversity in Geneva

Jamal Lewis hugely controversial 37th minute sending-off overshadowed the game  with Baraclough biting his tongue when asked his opinion on Slavko Vincics decision to show a second yellow card for time-wasting, apparently without first warning the Newcastle left-back.

Northern Ireland already effectively had one arm tied behind their backs at the Stade de Geneve, having seen seven players  including Jonny Evans, Corry Evans Ali McCann and Shayne Lavery  ruled out of a defeat which all but ends their hopes of reaching Qatar next year.

And there was hard luck in how they conceded the first goal  with more than one fortunate bounce in the build up to Steven Zubers opener in first-half stoppage time before Christian Fassnacht added a second in stoppage time.

In between times, Northern Ireland had defended stoically  Bailey Peacock-Farrell made a string of impressive saves while those in front of him threw themselves in front of pretty much everything Switzerland had.

You cant knock the spirit or the camaraderie, the togetherness of the team, Baraclough said. We knew we had to dig in for long periods, maybe nick something on the counter or from a set-piece, to stay in the game until 70 or 75 minutes.

You can't knock the spirit or the camaraderie, the togetherness of the team

Ian Baraclough

Then we talked about going two up top and trying to be some sort of force, to send in Josh Magennis and get in and around them.

We knew we would leave gaps the longer the game went on but theyve given absolutely everything, theyve put bodies on the line and put us in a position going into the last few minutes.

Baracloughs men were so close to reaching half-time without conceding, potentially giving the manager time to regroup, but a deflection and a lucky bounce allowed Breel Embolo to play in Zuber to score the opener with what proved the last kick of the first half.

Story continues

Wed tried to get information on to get to five at the back and get us to half-time, Baraclough added. Again, I thought we did so well. Weve got leaders, organisers on the pitch who at times had to make those decisions and did exactly what weve spoken about.

Jamal Lewis saw red in Geneva (PA) (PA Wire)

You need those leaders. It was a bitter blow to concede right on the stroke of half-time. In the second half we knew we were going to leave gaps the more we tried to push on to get some kind of result out of it.

But Id much rather lose by two or three than to not have a go and try and do something about the one goal.

Defeat leaves Northern Ireland six points adrift of second-placed Switzerland in Group C. With only three games left to play  starting with Tuesdays trip to Bulgaria  there seems little chance of earning a play-off place.

Weve got to try and lick our wounds now and get ready for Tuesday, Baraclough said.

Weve put ourselves in a position where if the Switzerland slip up, they have to play Italy still, there have been other surprise results so we have to be putting ourselves in a position to capitalise on any mistakes the Swiss make.
Jackson County prosecutors on Saturday charged an Independence man in a fatal shooting that had taken place earlier this month.

Myles Blesz, 36, has been charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon for possessing a firearm with a controlled substance in the death of Waylon Williams, the Jackson County Prosecutors Office announced. Williams was found shot to death inside a residence on Huttig Avenue on Oct. 5.

Independence Police Officers responded the morning of Oct. 5 to a reported suicide, according to court documents. Police found Williams dead at the residence. A friend told police that Williams had shot himself.

The detectives searched the residence and, a few blocks away, found two guns and Williams cell phone in the woods.

There were shell casings found inside the residence that matched one of the guns found in the woods.

A nearby residence reported hearing an argument before hearing gunshots, according to court records.

A different witness then told police that he heard a pop when he was the only one in the room with Blesz and Williams. The witness then helped Blesz toss the guns in the woods.

Blesz later told detectives that he shot Williams but didnt mean to do it, according to court records.
A flight attendant on an airplane. Matej Kastelic/500px/Getty Images

A Tennessee man says he was kicked off of an airplane for bringing his dialysis machine on a flight.

The man and his wife were flying home to Knoxville when the pilot "kicked us off in front of everybody."

The man received an apology from the airline and eventually made it back home.

A Tennessee man says he was removed from a regional SkyWest-operated flight for bringing a dialysis machine onboard, WBIR reported.

Adron Mccarter says he was flying from Denver, Colorado, to Knoxville, Tennessee, when a pilot learned Mccarter had a dialysis machine, a device used for kidney disease, and refused to fly the aircraft, WBIR reported.

Mccarter was flying with his wife back home after visiting his newborn granddaughter for the first time in Spokane, Washington.

Before the flights, Mccarter told WBIR he received the needed paperwork to bring the machine on a plane.

But on his flight back home, Mccarter said their flight was delayed. Then, the pilot "came across the microphone and said I was trying to bring something on the plane that wasn't allowed and then kicked us off in front of everybody," Mccarter told WBIR.

Mccarter told WBIR this would be both his first and last flight after the way he was treated.

"It made me sad. I had a full-blown panic attack and it made me infuriated at the same time. You can't treat people that way," Mccarter said. "I'm having to do treatment now. We had to do two in a row so we can get caught up and that's hard on your body and hard on your heart. So overall, it was one of the top three worst experiences of my life."

Mccarter said the airline apologized, offered his family food, and a place to stay for the night.

"A passenger was rebooked from SkyWest flight 5423 due to a misunderstanding about the approved medical device with which they were traveling," a spokesperson for the airline told Insider. "We apologize for the inconvenience and are following up with our crew to prevent a similar situation in the future."

Read the original article on Insider
Supermodelme. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

The Asian-based television phenomenon SupermodelMe Revolution begins on 11 October, 2021, on AXN Asia, with 12 stunning new models from nine Asian nations ready to strut their stuff and hopefully kickstart a sparkling career.

Supermodel and actress Cindy Bishop will host the show, joined by a panel of experts and judges including Yu Tsai, Hanli Hoefer, Ase Wan and Catriona Gray.

Before the show begins, get to know the personalities behind the stunning faces:

Cassandra. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

CASSANDRA

Philippines

The owner of a new Japanese restaurant where she handles marketing, operations and sales, Cassandra is an established businesswoman as well as a passionate model. Her favourite saying is: "No matter what life throws at you, you can still be strong and face it head-on."

Claire. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

CLAIRE

Singapore

Although shes only been modelling for three years, Claire is decisive, objective, ambitious and is focused on grabbing every opportunity. Adding to her understanding of modelling is her creative background as a freelance graphic designer and jeweller.

Hannah. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

HANNAH

Singapore

Modelling runs in Hannahs family - yes, she is the youngest sister of Aimee Cheng-Bradshaw, one of Singapores top models, but Hannah is out to prove that she is more than just Aimees sister, and she already has a strong portfolio of modelling work to show for it. Hannah can be described as adaptable, driven and a people person. She also loves to cook.

Isabelle. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

ISABELLE

China

Isabelle has already worked with a number of international brands like Tom Ford, Vivienne Tam and Glam Glow, but she wants to really break into professional modelling with her distinctive editorial look. Isabelle believes that as long as you believe in yourself and persevere, your dreams can come true.

Jenifer. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

JENNIFER

Thailand

Half Thai and half Swedish, Jennifer has already established herself in the swimwear and fitness modelling scene but wants to push further into editorial work. Jennifer is open-minded and ready for anything, and loves a challenge, describing herself as empathetic and understanding.

Story continues

Melanie. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

MELANIE

Philippines

Outgoing, adventurous and driven, Melanies background on the National Youth Volleyball team has suited her commercial modelling work, but now she wants to move into the world of high fashion and editorial work. While modelling is her focus, Melanie is also studying to be a journalist.

Nikki. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

NIKKI

Philippines

Although she is the youngest model on the show, Nikki already has a bunch of experience working in television commercials and on the runway. Shes described as being goofy, talkative and spontaneous, which doesnt stop her from being professional and ambitious.

Prisca. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

PRISCA

Malaysia

She might not have any experience as a model, but Prisca has determination and brains. The half-French and half-Malaysian model works as an Assistant Portfolio Manager in the largest European asset management firm in Paris, and is super confident. She wants to show that women can be both beautiful and smart.

Quhyn Ahn. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

QUYNH ANH

Vietnam

Shes walked runways at Seoul Fashion Week and been flown to Paris to be the face of the Miss Saigon fragrance campaign, so nothing fazes this experienced and bold model. Her experience in other modelling competitions will give her a leg up in claiming the top prize.

TJ. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

TJ

Hong Kong

Appearing on billboards all over Hong Kong was just the first step in TJs march to the top of the modelling world. Not just a model, TJ is also an apprentice tattoo artist and says that she will take this competition as a challenge to grow a bigger audience for herself.

Wiwi. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

WIWI

Vietnam

With a family involved in the fashion industry, Wiwi is comfortable both behind and in front of the camera. Finishing her Fashion Merchandising degree has not stopped her from also walking the runway and booking shoots. She is determined to prove to the world the global potential and commercial viability of Vietnamese models.

Zeline. (PHOTO: AXN Asia)

ZELINE

Indonesia

Already a full-time model, Zeline has learned to ignore the haters and just be herself, but she says she will do anything to win the competition to boost her career. She is described as being hyperactive and chirpy with a fun personality and positive disposition.

For more information about the show, go to www.supermodelme.tv

To watch:

AXN ASIA | Monday 11 October 2021

7:55 PM SG/PH/MY/HK | 6.55PM VN/TH/ID
Spencer Platt / Getty Images

It seems like a good idea -- getting that membership to Costco so you can save lots of money on groceries and household products. But if you're on the fence about whether a membership would be right for you, take some time to check out Costco's online site to see what products it has that you're interested in, or visit a location in person to look around.

Budget: 20 Ways to Pay Less at Costco

More: 34 Dollar Store Secrets You Need To Know Before You Shop

You can get a Costco membership for as little as $60 per year, which averages out to about $5 per month. If you shop once a month, do you think you can rack up at least $5 in savings during a single trip? To help you gain perspective and see how much you can potentially save with a Costco membership, here's a look at the price of 10 Costco signature products versus the price of 10 similar products at Kroger with the savings calculated for you.

Last updated: July 12, 2021

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates

Olive Oil

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $2.73

Olive oil can be expensive and quality matters. Plus, according to the experts, Kirkland's Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is high-quality olive oil. A two-liter bottle of Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive oil is just $13.49 at Costco. To compare, a 51-ounce bottle of Simple Truth Organic Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil at Kroger costs $12.49. In terms of price, the Simple Truth product is $1 less than Costco's brand, but you get 16 ounces less product. The Costco product costs $6.76 per liter or $0.20 per ounce, while the Kroger product costs a bit more than $0.24 per ounce. Even though there's not a huge cost saving here, in terms of quality, the Costco product may more than make up for it.

Read: Costco and 7 Other Popular Companies That Dont Waste Money on Advertising

Costco

Mixed Nuts

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $4.21

Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts are $15.99 for 40 ounces of almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts and pecans. Kroger Deluxe Sea Salt Mixed Nuts are $16.99 for only 32 ounces or 2 pounds of cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and pecans. (Note that the Kirkland product features macadamia nuts, while the Kroger product features hazelnuts.) When you do the calculations, you're paying around $0.40 per ounce for the Kirkland product and $0.53 for the Kroger product, which is a difference of $0.13 per ounce.

Story continues

Wages: Costco and 17 Other Companies That Raised Their Minimum Wage to $15 (or More)

Costco

Paper Towels

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $4.14

You can get a really good deal when you buy Kirkland Signature Create-a-Size Paper Towels with 140 2-ply sheets per roll in a 12-count pack for $19.99. To compare, a pack of six-count Kroger Select-A-Sheet Double Paper Towels with 110 2-ply sheets per roll is $9.99. So, you could buy two six-packs of the Kroger product for around the same price as Costco's product, but you'd get 30 fewer sheets per Kroger roll, which can add up. Kirkland paper towels cost about $1.66 per roll, and the Kroger paper towels cost the same. The only difference is you're losing 360 sheets (30 sheets X 12 rolls) -- or about 2 1/2 rolls (there are 140 sheets in each roll of the Kirkland product) -- if you buy the Kroger product.

Learn More: The 37 Mistakes We Make When Shopping at Costco, Amazon, Target and Walmart

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates

Maple Syrup

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $4.41

There's nothing like pure maple syrup on your pancakes. You can get Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup for $12.49 for 33.8 0unces or $0.37 per ounce. To compare, Private Selection 100% Pure Grade A Amber Maple Syrup at Kroger is $15.99 for 32 ounces or almost $0.50 per ounce. Plus, the Kroger brand is not organic but the Kirkland brand is.

Find Out: 45 Stars Who Shop at Costco, Target and Walmart

Amazon

Dishwasher Detergent Tabs

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $19.75

At Costco, Kirkland Signature Platinum Performance UltraShine Dishwasher Detergent Pacs, 115-count, are $11.30 or $0.04 each. At Kroger, Finish Powerball Quantum Dishwasher Detergent Tabs, 50-count, are $13.49 or about $0.27 each. This is where you can really rack up the savings and pay for almost one-third of your Costco membership just by the savings you'll reap from buying this one Costco product.

Tips: 24 Ways To Make Money Off Your Shopping

Costco

Animal Crackers

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $8.35

If you have children or if you just like having something simple, yet sweet, to satisfy your sugar craving without going overboard, animal crackers may be something you'd buy. A 4-pound quantity of Kirkland Signature Organic Animal Crackers is $11.49 or around $0.18 per ounce. In comparison, two 8-ounce packages of Simple Truth Organic Animal Crackers from Kroger are $4.98 or $0.31 per ounce. If you're into animal crackers, you can really save at Costco.

See: 30 Things You Should Never Buy Without a Coupon

Costco

Plastic Wrap

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $11.37

Kirkland Signature Stretch-Tite Plastic Food Wrap is $11.29 for two boxes of wrap that are 758 square feet each or 1,516 square feet total, which equals about $0.0074 per square foot. In comparison, Kroger Tight Seal Cling Wrap is $2.99 for 200 square feet or about $0.01495 per square foot. The savings you can get by buying over seven times more plastic food wrap at a time may surprise you.

Be Aware: Supermarket Buys That Are a Waste of Money

Costco

Kitchen Trash Bags

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $20.70

Kirkland Signature Flex-Tech 13-Gallon Scented Kitchen Trash Bags, 200-count are $18.99 or $0.10 per bag. Kroger Tall Kitchen Super Flex Bags, 34-count, are $5.49 or $0.16 per bag. By buying the Kirkland trash bags, even though you have to buy more up front, you can save over $20. That's more than one-third of the price of the $60 Costco membership.

Find Out: How Well Do You Know How Much These Common Items Cost in the US?

Costco

Weight Control Cat Food

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $11.81

Overweight kitties need a solution, and weight control cat food can help. Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight Cat Food is $27.99 for 20 pounds or $1.40 per pound. IAMS ProActive Health Chicken & Turkey Indoor Weight & Hairball Care Adult Dry Cat Food is $13.99 for 7 pounds or $1.99 per pound. Not only is the Kirkland formula cheaper but it also doesn't contain any corn, wheat or soy.

Find Out: Best and Worst Things to Buy Generic

Costco

Absorbent Pet Pads

How much you could save by buying the Kirkland product: $3.00

If you're potty training an indoor puppy, absorbent pet pads are good to have. And you'll get a lot more value from Costco's offering. Not only are the pet pads cheaper, but they're also larger than what you can get at Kroger. You can get Kirkland Signature Extra-Large Absorbent Pads, 100-count, for $16.99 or $0.17 per pad. Kroger offers Pet Pride Super Absorbent Training Pads in a 100-count package for $19.99 or around $0.20 per pad.

Check Out: 50 Purchases Buyers Almost Always Regret

ARTYOORAN / Shutterstock.com

Is a Costco Membership Worth It?

If you bought every item on this list instead of buying the similar products from Kroger, you could save $90.47 in just one trip to Costco, which more than makes up for the $60 membership fee. And that's just one trip. The membership fee is due once every year, so think about how many more opportunities you'll have to save. Yes, a Costco membership is worth it -- as long as you use it.

[rock-component slug="more-from-gobankingrates"]

Methodology: It's difficult to find the same size of similar products at Costco and Kroger. In instances where the Costco product contained more ounces, pounds or units than the similar Kroger product, the "how much you could save by buying the Kirkland product" was determined by calculating how much the Costco quantity of the product would cost at the Kroger price and then subtracting the Costco price from the new Kroger price.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Does a Costco Membership Really Save You?
Gregory Lavon Curtis was laid to rest six months ago at a national veterans cemetery in South Florida.

A Navy honor guard played taps at his funeral, presenting a folded American flag to the family of the 54-year-old Navy veteran.

Devoted son and father, said the epitaph on the white headstone, also mentioning Curtis service in the Persian Gulf.

But a day after Curtis burial, cemetery officials learned that he was the accused shooter in a murder-suicide nearly 1,000 miles away, in Newport News.

Police detectives say he shot and killed Courtney Renee Dwyer  a 28-year-old mother of three  during a chance encounter in the parking lot of a residential apartment complex off Old Oyster Point Road. Then, police say, he turned the gun on himself.

Investigators say the two had not met before that day.

Until recently, the effort by Dwyers family to have Curtis remains exhumed and removed from the South Florida National Cemetery appeared to have failed.

In late April, the Newport News police told the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that if Curtis were still alive, he would have been charged with second-degree murder in Dwyers death. Under federal law, that charge isnt enough to strip a veteran of a military burial.

But all that changed in recent months after Newport News top prosecutor, Commonwealths Attorney Howard Gwynn, weighed in. He told the VA he would have charged Curtis with first-degree murder, Virginias highest criminal charge, punishable by up to life in prison.

The facts of this case will not change, Gwynn said Wednesday. This is a first-degree murder case.

The prosecutor said the evidence  including video footage obtained from Ring cameras  shows Curtis shooting Dwyer in the back seat of a car from which she was retrieving items. Then, Gwynn said, Curtis took a step back, fiddled with his gun for approximately 25 seconds, and shot Dwyer a second time before shooting himself.

In Virginia, first-degree murder is the willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder of another, Gwynn wrote in an email to the VA in September. The murder of Ms. Dwyer certainly fits that definition.

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Those grounds are sacred

A Veterans Affairs attorney told Gwynn in an Aug. 30 email that based on the prosecutors analysis of the case and his upgrading it to first-degree murder, the federal agency has decided to disinter Curtis remains from the Florida burial grounds.

Though a VA spokesman said the decision isnt final, the preliminary recommendation has spurred elation from Dwyers family and a last-ditch appeal from Curtis family to keep him where he is.

Those grounds are sacred, said Dwyers step-grandmother, Lynn Jones, who has spearheaded the push to move Curtis remains. Theyre for our national heroes. And I dont feel like somebody who commits murder is a hero.

Jones, 63, the daughter of a 94-year-old World War II veteran, has volunteered for decades to lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere.

When she learned of Curtis burial at the Florida veterans cemetery, she launched a website  preservesacredgrounds.org  and petition to bar the national graveyards from interring those who have committed second-degree murder.

She was a mother, daughter, sister and granddaughter whose life was taken violently and needlessly by her assailant, the petition said of Courtney Dwyer, with 937 people signing it as of Saturday morning.

Its still a kick in the gut to know that this person had a folded flag, that the taps were played, and that he was buried in a national cemetery among all the veterans that are so deserving to be there, Jones said. We cant unfold the flag, and we cant unplay the taps ... The only thing we can do is to fight to have him removed.

Curtis mother, Luedell Curtis, of Broward County, said Thursday that she was too distraught to talk about the possibility of her only son being disinterred.

Im very heartbroken about this, and I dont want to discuss it, said Luedell, 76.

She referred a reporter to the attorney handling the familys appeal, Michael Shawn of Miami Beach. He did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Les Melnyk, a spokesman for the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the VA, said its very rare for the agency to disinter a buried veteran, though the numbers on how often it happens werent immediately available.

Melnyk declined to say where the Curtis case stands.

NCA can confirm that it is taking appropriate action in accordance with (federal law) in reviewing the interment of Gregory Lavon Curtis at South Florida National Cemetery, he wrote in an email Friday. A formal decision has not yet been made.

The ultimate decision, Melnyk said, will be made by Matthew Quinn, the VAs under secretary for memorial affairs.

Veterans Navy service

Gregory Lavon Curtis served 20 years in the service, the Navy said last week. He retired in 2005 as a Lithographer 1st Class, a non-commissioned officer of the E-6 rank.

The Florida native served on two aircraft carriers, the USS John F. Kennedy and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, among other warships, the Navy said. He worked at the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command in South Carolina and other duty stations.

Curtis was awarded 27 medals and decorations over his 20 years, to include a Navy Commendation Medal, four Navy Achievement Medals, and five Good Conduct Medals. The Navy also listed him as a pistol expert.

Information on the South Florida National Cemeterys website lists Curtis as serving in the Persian Gulf war period.

After leaving the Navy, Curtis worked for 10 years for the Defense Logistics Agency, and then for the Army Publishing Directorate, his obituary said. A coworker who wrote on his obituary page described him as nice and easygoing, fun to be around, and dedicated to his job.

Curtis had one son, who is now 21.

Lynn Jones said she understands the Curtis familys loss. I get that theyre in pain, she said. Theyre innocent in all of this. But at the same time, its not going to discourage me from my mission.

Murder-suicide in Newport News

Courtney Renee Dwyer grew up mostly in Naples, Florida. She was 14 when she came to Newport News with her family, and attended Menchville High School. She had three children who are now 11, 6 and 2, her family said.

Her mother, Karen Dwyer Jones, 47, of Newport News, said Dwyer tended bar at Headlights, in northern Newport News, and was living temporarily with her boyfriend at a local motel.

In late March, Jones said, Dwyers boyfriend parked his car in a neighborhood not far from the hotel: The Willow Green North neighborhood, off Old Oyster Point Road and near the York County line.

When the couple got into an argument on March 23, Jones said, two of Dwyers friends drove her to the car to retrieve some clothes. But as Dwyer was moving items in and out of the sedan, police said, Curtis  who lived a few apartments down  walked up.

Our assumption is that he thought she was taking something out of the car that she shouldnt have been, or asking her why she was there, Jones said. (Neighbors told Jones later that Curtis kept to himself, but also closely monitored who was coming and going in the neighborhood).

One of Dwyers friends, who was waiting for her in a parked car, told Jones that she witnessed a brief but tense exchange between Curtis and Dwyer, though she couldnt hear how the conversation began.

 You better watch out, little girl, you dont know whos suicidal,  the friend alleges Curtis said at one point as he pulled out a gun.

If you shoot me, youll go to jail forever, Dwyer then replied, according to the friends account. Then Curtis shot her, paused, and shot her again.

Police responding to 911 calls just after 6:30 p.m. found Dwyer face-down in the back seat of the sedan. Not far away, Curtis was found shot on the ground  a handgun with an extended magazine nearby. Detectives told Jones they believed Curtis was drunk, with the whole crime scene smelling like liquor.

Police withheld shooters name

Newport News Police released Dwyers name to the public a couple weeks later. But the department would not release the shooters name  either publicly or to Dwyers family  with a police spokesman citing a department practice not to identify suicide victims.

That frustrated Dwyers family. It felt like this just went by the wayside, and nobody cared that this happened, Karen Jones said in June. At least put a name to the person that murdered my child for no reason.

Gwynn called the police departments decision to withhold Curtis name from Dwyers family unfortunate. I think thats what got this whole thing rolling, he said.

I get that you want to protect the victims family in a suicide and not expose their grief publicly, Gwynn said. But this was a murder-suicide. And for me, that was quantitatively and qualitatively different.

The Daily Press learned Gregory Curtis name in publicly filed search warrant affidavits in Newport News Circuit Court. A reporter relayed his name to Karen Jones on April 13  the same day Curtis was laid to rest in Florida  with the family expressing relief at getting the information.

Though Curtis name didnt ring a bell, Jones said, the family soon learned from Internet searches that he was buried at the South Florida National Cemetery, south of West Palm Beach.

Lynn Jones called the cemetery on April 14, with a director there telling her they didnt know anything about the March killing in Newport News.

If the police had released Curtis name, the Dwyer family contends, the VA would have learned of the murder-suicide before the burial, which they believe would have put the interment on hold.

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew met with Dwyers family in late April, saying his department would re-examine their practice on naming suicide victims. The chief told the Daily Press later that the normal rules on shielding the names of suicide victims should not apply to those who commit murder first.

If someone takes their own life after they have taken someone elses, I think that the community and the public should know that, Drew said.

Rules on veterans memorials

After the Daily Press ran a story about the case in June, Gwynn got in touch with the family through a reporter, telling them hed help as much as he could. Lynn Jones gave him contacts to call at the VA.

But quite frankly, before I reached out to anybody, I got an email from the General Counsels Office at the VA, Gwynn said. They wanted to know what my opinion was about the situation.

According to the Veterans Affairs website, burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

But a federal law, passed in the late 1990s to block Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh from a military burial, bars former service members who have committed state or federal capital crimes from veterans cemeteries.

A state capital crime, the federal statute says, includes the willful, deliberate, or premeditated unlawful killing of another human being for which a sentence of imprisonment for life or the death penalty may be imposed.

With Virginia having abolished capital punishment earlier this year, Gwynn pointed out that first-degree murder is now the most serious charge on the states books.

If the objective is to prohibit a military member from being buried in a military cemetery who has committed the highest form of homicide in any particular state, then first degree murder should qualify for that, he said.

Preventing future issues

Karen Jones said she has appreciated Gwynns involvement. I was blown away because he didnt have to do any of that, she said. He didnt have to help us, or speak on our behalf.

Lynn Jones, for her part, is confident Curtis remains will be disinterred in the coming months. But, she said, theres far more work to do to remedy such problems going forward.

Shes planning to meet with federal lawmakers  and hoping to testify before House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees  about adding second-degree murder and other crimes to the prohibition list for veterans cemeteries.

This needs to never happen again, Jones said. I dont want to leave wreaths on the graves of murderers and rapists and child molesters.

Peter Dujardin, 757-247-4749, pdujardin@dailypress.com
Oct. 9For city attorney Kelly Zier, working for North Augusta was the easiest decision he ever made.

"It's been rewarding because I've been able to be involved in everything going on," Zier said.

Zier, celebrated 50 years as the city's attorney during a council meeting on Oct. 4. Zier started his work in North Augusta on Oct 1. 1971, which coincidentally matches Walt Disney World's opening.

Zier has lived in North Augusta for the majority of his life. Moving to the CSRA from Indiana as a toddler, he went to Furman University and UofSC Law School and saw an ad in the paper for the job in North Augusta.

He accepted the position and also created his own law firm out of the 506 Georgia Avenue building.

Zier has said working alongside good people over the course of 50 years has been wonderful. During his tenure, he has worked under seven mayors, five city administrators and several city clerks.

He has helped preside over the creation of the North Augusta community center, Riverview Park Activities Center, North Augusta Municipal Building, and Riverside Village.

"It's been good, I've had a good family behind me, I've had good people to work with and you can't ask for much more and I've enjoyed my 50 years," he said. "When I get to the point where I don't enjoy it or can't do it anymore, I'll look for something else but for right now I'm enjoying it and planning to continue."

Many of his colleagues, from over the years, agree.

"Kelly kept us out of trouble and got us out of trouble," former North Augusta mayor Lark Jones said. "...but the fact that you've got representatives, senators, former administrators, former council members, former mayor, that says we think a lot of you."

"I truly appreciate all the time and effort that Kelly has given the city over his 50 years as city attorney," former North Augusta council member Ken McDowell said. "While the city may get a new attorney one day, Kelly will never be replaced. The city of North Augusta has been fortunate to have him on our team."

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"I've talked to Kelly more in the last 5 months as mayor than the previous 25 years I've known him," North Augusta mayor Briton Williams said. "I did not know what the dynamic of what a mayor and city attorney relationship is, and Kelly has been amazing. He has been open to listen to my ideas and very politely correcting me on what we can't do so I don't get myself and the city in legal trouble. But Kelly has been a great confidant."

Zier received a resolution written by his son, Patrick Zier, for his 50 years of service. He also received drafts of resolutions from the South Carolina House and Senate by S.C. Rep Bill Hixon, R- North Augusta and state Sen. Tom Young, R  Aiken.

"I wanted to thank you as a citizen and as an elected official for what you do for North Augusta and I hope you do many more years of this," S.C. Rep. Bill Hixon, R- North Augusta, said.

Over 50 years, Zier has created his family practice alongside his son Patrick and seen the growth and development in North Augusta. He hopes to stay involved as the years go on.

"I have been lucky to work with good people and that goes not just for the mayor and council, city administrators and staff and the general city workers," Zier said. "It's been a lot easier for me than a lot of city attorneys at a lot of places. If i had the choice to make it all over again, I'd do the same thing."

"At my retirement party in about 15 years, I'll say a little more," he said.

Samantha Winn covers the city of North Augusta, with a focus on government and community oriented business. Follow her on Twitter: @samanthamwinn and on Facebook and Instagram: @swinnnews.
B&M European Value Retail S.A. (LON:BME), is not the largest company out there, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the LSE over the last few months, increasing to UK6.00 at one point, and dropping to the lows of UK5.40. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether B&M European Value Retail's current trading price of UK5.65 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at B&M European Value Retails outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for B&M European Value Retail

What's the opportunity in B&M European Value Retail?

Great news for investors  B&M European Value Retail is still trading at a fairly cheap price according to my price multiple model, where I compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. Ive used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because theres not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stocks ratio of 13.22x is currently well-below the industry average of 23.41x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. B&M European Value Retails share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once its there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.

Can we expect growth from B&M European Value Retail?

Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. Though in the case of B&M European Value Retail, it is expected to deliver a negative earnings growth of -6.0%, which doesnt help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.

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What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Although BME is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the adverse prospect of negative growth brings about some degree of risk. I recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to BME, or whether diversifying into another stock may be a better move for your total risk and return.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on BME for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you dig deeper into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for B&M European Value Retail you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in B&M European Value Retail, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
A passenger was detained after a plan made an emergency landing at LaGuardia airport in New York City on Saturday, CBS New York reports. The Republic Airways flight landed safely shortly after 3 p.m. ET.

"A Republic Airways aircraft, operating as American 4817, declared an emergency and landed at New York's LaGuardia Airport without incident in response to passenger behavior near the end of the flight," the airline said in a statement. "Upon exiting the active runway, the aircraft stopped on a taxiway and conducted a precautionary emergency evacuation. Our crew responded to the situation in accordance with our procedures and with professionalism and a concern for safety of all aboard. Law enforcement and first responders met the aircraft and the passenger involved in the incident has been taken into custody. We apologize to our passengers for this disruption to their travels."

Videos on social media appear to show authorities searching and restraining a man who is facedown on the tarmac.

So the end of our flight got interesting pic.twitter.com/gdJSUUG906

 Laura (@lbrgdl) October 9, 2021

The pilot had alerted authorities on the ground near the end of the flight after fellow passengers reported the man who was taken into custody, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.

"This was in response to reports by passengers of suspicious and erratic behavior by a fellow passenger," Port Authority spokesperson Thomas Topousis told CBS New York. Other passengers who were sitting near the individual were also interviewed by authorities, CBS New York reports.

In an email to the Associated Press, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said "nothing harmful was on the aircraft."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that "there is no reason to believe there is any danger to New Yorkers at this time."

There were 76 passengers and six crew members on the American Airlines-operated flight arriving from Indianapolis. No one was injured in the incident, the airline said.

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Pretty sure this is the flight. No visible fire. Hopefully everyone is safe and sound. pic.twitter.com/Ha0GvTwOWQ

 Merge Jones (@MJayWrite) October 9, 2021

The investigation is ongoing.

LaGuardia airport said in a statement shortly before 7:30 p.m. that the incident "has been resolved, and the airport is operating normally."

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On Friday, an advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration recommended authorizing a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine solely for recipients who are 65 or older or face high risk of severe COVID-19. It declined to recommend boosters for other recipients ages 16 or older, as both Pfizer and President Biden have urged the FDA to do.

Yet nearly three-quarters of vaccinated Americans say they would get a booster if it were available to them, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll  a number that holds across nearly every age group and not just among older, more vulnerable Americans.

It remains to be seen how the overwhelming majority of vaccinated Americans who are open to boosters react to Fridays vote and the FDAs pending decision on authorization. (The agency is not obliged to follow the panels recommendations, but it typically does.) Last month, the president announced a plan to make coronavirus booster shots available to most U.S. adults starting Sept. 20. He is almost certain to miss that deadline.

At the same time, the Yahoo News/YouGov survey of 1,610 U.S. adults  which was conducted from Sept. 14 to 16, immediately before the FDA advisory vote  also found Americans deeply conflicted over the possibility of getting a third shot before most of the rest of the worlds population has gotten their first, which could temper any disappointment.

Asked whether domestic booster shots or first shots for developing nations is more important, less than one-third of U.S. adults (32 percent) say offering booster shots to as many Americans as possible. A greater number (38 percent) say offer first shots to as many unvaccinated people in other countries as possible, and nearly as many (30 percent) say theyre not sure. Among fully vaccinated Americans, the share who want to prioritize boosters ticks up a bit (to 39 percent), but so does the share who think people abroad should get a shot first (45 percent).

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This tension between the personal and public health dimensions of boosters was on vivid display at Fridays meeting. Citing data from Israel and elsewhere on waning vaccine effectiveness against infection  especially from the hypercontagious Delta variant  the Biden administration has argued that it would rather not wait for hospitalizations among the vaccinated to rise in the U.S. before moving to boost immunity.

Biden officials have also flagged Israels recent decision to offer boosters to all residents over age 12  as well as the U.K.s new policy of offering boosters to everyone 50 and over, along with clinically vulnerable residents and health care staff  as a sign that the U.S. should follow suit. In its application, Pfizer asked the FDA to authorize boosters for all vaccine recipients six months after their second dose.

Yet some scientists balked. Two FDA vaccine experts announced plans to resign over what they felt was undue pressure from the White House to green-light booster shots, then went on to co-author an article in the medical journal the Lancet this week arguing that early evidence of waning immunity against infection does not justify booster shots for all Americans because the vaccines still offer strong protection from severe illness, hospitalization and death  and because less than 2 percent of residents of developing countries have received at least one dose so far.

Nurse Joy Platchek prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Berks Community Health Center in Reading, Pa. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

Its unclear that everyone needs to be boosted, other than a subset of the population that clearly would be at high risk for serious disease, said Dr. Michael Kurilla, a committee member and official at the National Institutes of Health.

As Delta  which can infect and spread among vaccinated people  has driven huge surges in recent months, more vaccinated Americans have expressed interest in shielding themselves with boosters. In mid-July, roughly 6 in 10 (62 percent) told Yahoo News and YouGov they would get a booster if it were available to them; now 73 percent say they would. Vaccinated seniors are both the most vulnerable and the most interested, with 79 percent saying theyd receive a third shot, but that number remains nearly as high among vaccinated Americans ages 45-64 (74 percent) and 30-44 (72 percent). It drops to 63 percent among vaccinated adults under 30, likely reflecting the lower risk that COVID poses to their health. But even then, just 12 percent of these younger Americans say they wouldnt get a booster  right in line with the 10 percent of vaccinated 30- to 64-year-olds and 8 percent of seniors who say the same.

Yet as vaccinated Americans personal openness to boosters has risen, so too have concerns over global equity. Over the past two weeks, the number of Americans who say its more important to offer first shots to as many unvaccinated people in other countries as possible has risen 4 percentage points, while the number who say its more important to offer booster shots to as many Americans as possible has fallen by the same amount. That shift has been even more pronounced among fully vaccinated Americans, who have gone from preferring boosters for Americans by a 7-point margin (45 percent to 38 percent) to preferring first shots for other countries by roughly the same amount (44 percent to 39 percent).

A health care worker administers a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a senior living facility in Worcester, Pa. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

These trends likely reflect two competing, but not necessarily contradictory, realities: that boosters could do some good in the United States but that getting the whole world vaccinated benefits Americans too. On the one hand, boosters would strengthen protection for individual Americans, and might even help slow the spread of the virus in the U.S. as a result. An Israeli public health official warned the committee Friday that 60 percent of severely or critically ill patients and 45 percent of those who died during that countrys fourth surge this summer were fully vaccinated. She added that after offering boosters to all vaccine recipients, Israel is now averaging about half the number of severe or critically ill patients that it anticipated.

On the other hand, surges in developing nations  like the one that recently ravaged India, where Delta was first identified and where just 1 percent of the population was vaccinated when the variant took off  could still kill many more people. Ultimately, that increased transmission of the coronavirus could allow more dangerous, even fully vaccine-resistant, variants to emerge.

The Biden administration, for its part, has been adamant that the U.S. has enough vaccine supply for both booster shots and global donations. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that the White House has reached a deal to purchase hundreds of millions of additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine to donate to the world, on top of the 500 million it purchased in June. The administration also plans to host a virtual summit of world leaders on Wednesday, during which they will set a new target of vaccinating 70 percent of the worlds population by next September.

________________

The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,610 U.S. adults interviewed online from Sept.14 to 16, 2021. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as 2020 presidential vote (or non-vote) and voter registration status. Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 2.6 percent.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
When a witness testifies in court, they take an oath to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Laws also prevent a witness from being persuaded to give inaccurate testimony or commit perjury. Arizona, for example, makes it a felony to attempt to influence the testimony of a witness.

As I found out, however, if you work for the government, your superiors can't be held financially responsible for ordering you to change your testimony and retaliating against you when you refuse.

I worked as a forensic scientist for nearly 40 years in a variety of agencies and medical laboratories, including the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Scientific Analysis Bureau, which I ended up suing.

I regularly testified in court about the results of defendants' blood-alcohol samples.

A USA TODAY Opinion series: Faces, victims, issues and debates surrounding qualified immunity

Greg Ohlson retired from the Arizona Department of Public Safety in 2017.

At the Arizona Department of Public Safety, samples from multiple defendants were analyzed in batches. The department preferred to give criminal defense attorneys only their defendant's sample. I told my supervisors that the most fair and objective method was to provide defense counsel with the entire batch of samples, so they could better review and determine the results. I considered that a best practice and within my professional discretion.

Told to change testimony in court

In 2016, I testified in two DUI cases that the disclosure being provided to defense attorneys was incomplete. I was asked whether there was any scientific reason not to disclose the information. I said no. I was asked whether the undisclosed data could demonstrate that there was a problem in the blood run. I said yes, based on my professional opinion.

Then all hell broke loose.

I was informed by my superiors that I was required to change my testimony in court.

I said I would not change my testimony. I was then suspended  locked out of my computer and had my key card taken away. After months of being isolated from my work and my team, it was determined that I had been insubordinate and I was fined. I felt I was being forced to retire.

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For Arizona DPS, the concern was never to make sure the state didnt convict innocent people.

My son was killed by a park ranger.But I may never see justice.

Greg Ohlson in Arizona on Sept. 20, 2021.

I brought suit in federal court for the violation of my First Amendment right to free speech. Everyone I talked to, including many lawyers, said, They cant do that. The government cant order you to change your testimony, then punish you if you still tell the truth.

Unbelievably, they were wrong.

Qualified immunity trumped my rights

The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona agreed there was a violation of my free speech rights but granted the defendants qualified immunity, which means they won't have to pay monetary damages.

The court ruled that the law was not "clearly established" on whether government employees had a First Amendment right to be free from discipline for in-court testimony offered as part of their job.

Qualified immunity: 8 myths about why police need it to protect the public

I appealed the court's decision. In August, a panel of three judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that I couldn't recover my financial losses because the court had not previously carved out an exception to qualified immunity that protects government employees from discipline by their employer for telling the truth in court. In short, my First Amendment rights weren't "clearly established" by the district court.

How is that possible?

According to qualified immunity, even if the government's conduct was illegal, because there is no case saying government supervisors cant punish an employee for truthful testimony in court, my supervisors weren't on notice that this kind of conduct could create civil liability for them.

It doesn't make sense.

Im a scientist, not a lawyer, but I cant understand why any supervisor would need a court to tell them that you cant punish someone for truthful testimony. I fear for government employees. That they can be punished for telling the truth, and end up having to leave their job because of it, doesnt feel like justice.

Qualified immunity robbed me of my shot at justice. It must be abolished.

Greg Ohlson retired from the Arizona Department of Public Safety in 2017.

This column is part of a series by the USA TODAY Opinion team examining the issue of qualified immunity. The project is made possible in part by a grant from Stand Together. Stand Together does not provide editorial input.

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Qualified immunity let Arizona punish me for telling the truth
Demonstrators protesting the military takeover of Myanmar flash the three-fingered symbol of resistance in Yangon, Myanmar, on April 4. Electoral disputes have led officials to shut off internet service, censor social media platforms and digital news outlets, and physically assault internet users. (Associated Press)

Around the world, governments are challenging the immense power of Big Tech, causing politically motivated showdowns between their officials and tech companies to become increasingly commonplace.

In mid-September, just as voting began in Russias parliamentary elections, Apple and Google capitulated to ongoing government demands to remove from their online stores a smartphone app created by allies of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. To channel support away from the Kremlins preferred candidate, the app improved strategic coordination among voters and advised them about which candidates were most likely to defeat those backed by the ruling party.

The companies alarming decision fits a larger, global pattern. Governments around the world are increasingly wielding their regulatory power to subdue free expression online and gain greater access to private information. To respond to the immense power of the tech industry without emboldening digital repression by the state, regulations must make human rights and democratic values a priority.

The use of regulation for political ends was on full display in Russia, as state authorities coerced the two California-based tech titans into censorship amid tightly controlled elections, limiting the ability of opponents of Vladimir Putins government to organize.

Set against the backdrop of an 11-year decline in global internet freedom and a 15-year decline in overall democratic rights worldwide  as identified in Freedom Houses research  the question of how much and what kind of regulatory power governments should have over technology companies is both urgent and delicate.

In a recently released Freedom House report on internet freedom, we found that 48 of 70 countries surveyed pursued at least one form of regulatory action on online content, personal data or competition against technology firms over the last year. More than a dozen new laws threaten the future of free expression online. More governments are pressuring companies to remove broad swaths of content, often under the pretext of protecting users from misinformation, incitement to hatred or material that is harmful to minors. Their true aim is to suppress anti-government speech, investigative reporting and expressions of LGBTQ+ identity and other posts that may be politically disfavored.

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Some government leaders have taken the opposite tack and attempted to ban platforms from moderating content, which could allow for the proliferation of false or hateful propaganda and threats of violence to drown out authentic discussion and debate. Only in a few cases do laws require companies to be more transparent over their content moderation, advertising practices and use of algorithms, and provide content producers with an avenue for appeal when their content is restricted.

Dozens of laws introduced to regulate corporate data management are also ripe for government exploitation. Many require companies to undermine end-to-end encryption  a security method that prevents data from being accessed by anyone other than sender and recipient  in their products, or mandate that user data be stored on servers located within the country. In practice, weakened encryption and domestic data storage expand government ability to access peoples most intimate information. Even laws that ostensibly enshrine the rights of users to control their data often contain vague surveillance exemptions for national security.

More positively, industry regulators around the globe have also displayed a zeal for cracking down on anti-competitive and abusive commercial practices, and for fining major tech firms for failing to protect data and exploiting their market power. A few countries, such as Germany, have introduced measures that would prohibit companies from denying interoperability and data portability.

But competition policy also can be crafted and used for political gain. For instance, Chinese regulators have been among the most aggressive in addressing monopolistic practices by the countrys tech giants. However, their interventions  such as forced company restructurings and politicized pressure on business leaders  have raised concerns that the government is more interested in reining in these companies autonomy and influence than in fair competition and consumer protection.

The global drive to control Big Tech is occurring in tandem with a historic crackdown on internet freedom. In 56 of the countries covered by our report, officials arrested or convicted people for their online speech over the last year.

Governments suspended internet access in at least 20 countries, and 21 others blocked access to social media platforms, most often during times of political turmoil such as protests and elections. Authorities in at least 45 countries are suspected of obtaining spyware or data-extraction technology from private vendors, giving themselves unprecedented, extrajudicial access to private communications.

Some of the most illustrative cases of digital repression in the last year occurred in Myanmar, Belarus and Uganda, where electoral disputes led officials to shut off internet service, censor social media platforms and independent digital news outlets, and physically assault internet users.

With so many aspects of our lives moving online, new internet regulations are likely to have a lasting impact on our ability to express ourselves freely, share information across borders and hold the powerful to account.

We need to ensure that regulation does not become a tool for governments around the world to exert greater control over the digital sphere. Advocates for a free and open internet  including those from governments, civil society and the private sector  should push for new laws that prevent power from accumulating in the hands of a few dominant players, whether in the private sector or the state. That means making free expression a priority in content moderation and requiring platforms to be far more transparent and accountable when they do remove speech.

Data privacy laws should provide users with control over their information, institute safeguards against government surveillance and protect encryption. And policies that govern competition should foster innovation to allow people to make informed decisions about their online experiences.

Regulation is not a panacea, but well-designed rules and incentives can ensure the internet retains its emancipatory power, with all its potential to drive personal and societal progress.

Adrian Shahbaz is director for technology and democracy at Freedom House. Allie Funk is senior research analyst for technology and democracy at Freedom House. They are co-authors of Freedom on the Net 2021: The Global Drive to Control Big Tech.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Navy engineer accused of hiding restricted information about nuclear-powered submarines in a peanut butter sandwich faces espionage-related charges, according to federal court documents unsealed Sunday.

The man, Jonathan Toebbe, 42, was arrested Saturday in West Virginia on suspicion of conspiracy to communicate restricted data and other crimes, federal prosecutors in the state's northern district said in a statement.

His wife, Diana Toebbe, 45, a teacher in Maryland, was arrested on allegations that she assisted him.

A criminal complaint alleges that Toebbe  who began working with the Navy in 2012  sent a package containing military documents and other files to a military intelligence agency in the country he was trying to establish a relationship with.

The package wound up with an FBI attache in the country, which is not identified, the complaint says.

Beginning in February, an undercover FBI agent began emailing Toebbe  who is alleged to have used the moniker "Alice"  through an encrypted messaging service, according to the complaint, which says that in the following months, he provided the agent with documents containing restricted details about Virginia-class submarines, which are nuclear-powered fast attack warships.

On June 26, FBI agents watched Toebbe leave what was alleged to be an SD card that had been wrapped in plastic and placed in a peanut butter sandwich at a "dead drop" location in West Virginia, according to the complaint. During a separate drop, he used a Band-Aid wrapper and a plastic bag to hide an SD card, it says.

The documents accuse Diana Toebbe of helping conduct surveillance to determine whether they were being followed.

By Aug. 28, the FBI had paid Jonathan Toebbe $100,000 in Monero, a cryptocurrency, the documents say. The next day, he sent an email thanking the person he believed was a foreign agent for their partnership, the documents allege.

"One day, when it is safe, perhaps two old friends will have a chance to stumble into each other at a cafe, share a bottle of wine and laugh over stories of their shared exploits," he is alleged to have written, adding: "I will always remember your bravery in serving your country and your commitment to helping me."

It wasn't immediately clear whether the Toebbes have attorneys. Federal court records did not list them.

The couple are scheduled to appear in federal court Tuesday in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will keep bolstering its defences to ensure nobody can force them to accept the path China has laid down that offers neither freedom nor democracy, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Sunday, in a riposte to Beijing that its government denounced.

Claimed by China as its own territory, Taiwan has come under growing military and political pressure to accept Beijing's rule, including repeated Chinese air force missions in Taiwan's air defence identification zone, to international concern.

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to realise "peaceful reunification https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-xi-says-reunification-with-taiwan-must-will-be-realised-2021-10-09" with Taiwan and did not directly mention the use of force. Still, he got an angry reaction from Taipei, which said only Taiwan's people can decide its future.

Addressing a National Day rally, Tsai said she hoped for an easing of tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and reiterated Taiwan will not "act rashly".

"But there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure," she said in the speech outside the presidential office in central Taipei.

"We will continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us," Tsai added.

"This is because the path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people."

China has offered a "one country, two systems" model of autonomy to Taiwan, much like it uses with Hong Kong, but all major Taiwanese parties have rejected that, especially after China's security crackdown in the former British colony.

Tsai repeated an offer to talk to China on the basis of parity, but Beijing, responding some nine hours after she spoke, offered condemnation, saying the country must be "reunified" and that seeking independence closes the door to talks.

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"This speech advocated Taiwan independence, incited confrontation, cut apart history and distorted facts," China's Taiwan Affairs Office said.

"The independence provocation by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities is the source of tension and turbulence in cross-strait relations and the greatest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," it added, referring to Tsai's ruling party.

'COMPLEX' SITUATION

Beijing has refused to deal with Tsai, calling her a separatist who refuses to acknowledge Taiwan is part of "one China", and does not recognise Taiwan's government.

She says Taiwan is an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name, and that she will not compromise on defending its sovereignty or freedom.

Still Taiwan's goodwill will not change, and it will do all it can to prevent the status quo with China from being unilaterally altered, she said.

Tsai warned that Taiwan's situation is "more complex and fluid than at any other point in the past 72 years", and that China's routine military presence in Taiwan's air defence zone has seriously affected national security and aviation safety.

She is overseeing a military modernisation programme to bolster its defences and deterrence, including building its own submarines and long-range missiles that can strike deep into China.

The armed forces were a major part of the National Day parade Tsai oversaw, with fighter jets roaring across the skies above the presidential office and truck-mounted missile launchers among other weaponry passing in front of the stage where she sat.

Taiwan stands on the frontlines of defending democracy, Tsai added.

"The more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China. So I want to remind all my fellow citizens that we do not have the privilege of letting down our guard."

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Editing by William Mallard, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Raissa Kasolowsky)
The U.S. will send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan even as the Biden administration continues to withhold formal recognition of the Taliban, the group's leaders announced on Sunday, AP reports.

Of note: State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in an emailed statement that the two sides discussed the U.S. providing "robust humanitarian assistance, directly to the Afghan people" during talks in Qatar that concluded Sunday.

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The U.S. delegation stressed that the Taliban "will be judged on its actions, not only its words," Price added.

Why it matters: Since the takeover, the U.S. has faced a conundrum as to how to aid Afghan people, who are facing a humanitarian crisis, without inadvertently enriching the Taliban.

This was the first in-person meeting at a senior level conducted between the two sides since the U.S. withdrawal.

What they're saying: Price said the U.S. delegation focused during this weekend's Doha talks "on security and terrorism concerns and safe passage for U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals and our Afghan partners, as well as on human rights, including the meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society."

For the record: The Taliban has been vocal throughout the weekend, including announcing on the first day of the talks that it would not be working with the U.S. to contain the extremist elements in the country.

In contrast, U.S. representatives have mostly remained quiet.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Axios' request for clarification on whether the U.S. officials had reached an agreement to send aid, or whether this was just discussed.

Go deeper: Taliban won't work with U.S. to rein in extremist groups

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Price.

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A shootout inside a St. Paul bar early Sunday morning left one victim dead and 14 others injured.

The St. Paul Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls alerting them to a shooting inside a bar at 12:15 a.m. Upon arriving at the scene, police secured the scene and offered aid to those who needed it. The department later arrested three suspects involved in the shooting and are holding them in custody, according to SPPD's Facebook page.

SUSPECTED SCHOOL SHOOTER BULLIED FOR BEING WEALTHY, FAMILY SAYS

"I continue to be incredibly impressed and thankful for the outstanding work Saint Paul's police officers and investigators pour into every case, for every victim, every time," said Police Chief Todd Axtell. "I hope these arrests bring a modicum of peace to all who've been affected by this morning's tragedy."

A woman in her 20s was pronounced dead by the department. Axtell mourned the woman's death, saying he spoke with her family on Sunday morning. The Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office will conduct an autopsy on the woman to determine the exact cause of death and positively identify her, the SPPD stated.

The three suspects, Terry Lorenzo Brown Jr., 33, Devondre Trevon Phillips, 29, and Jeffrey Orlando Hoffman, 32, are in the hospital, being treated for injuries suffered during the shooting. Once they are discharged, they will be booked into the Ramsey County jail, where they will await a charging decision, the SPPD said.

14 other victims were also injured and transported to area hospitals for treatment. All of them are expected to survive, the SPPD reported.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Melvin Carter, the mayor of St. Paul, expressed his sorrow over the shooting on Twitter, stating that the city's community will never accept violence.

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Tags: News, Police, Minnesota, shooting

Original Author: Asher Notheis

Original Location: Three arrested after Minnesota shootout leaves one dead, 14 injured
Donald Trump never wastes an opportunity to attack Georgias top statewide Republican officeholders for failing to help him overturn the 2020 election results in the key swing state.

Brad Raffensperger is the only one who refuses to shut up and take it.

Raffensperger, who has borne the brunt of Trumps wrath as the top election official in the state, is running a damn-the-torpedoes reelection campaign that directly confronts the former president  even though it could cost him the GOP nomination.

In a party where Trumps enemies tend to see their political careers abruptly ended, Raffenspergers approach is being closely watched by Republicans within the state and outside.

The last internal poll I saw said that 87 percent of Republican primary voters felt like the election was stolen, said former Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.). With those kinds of numbers, I dont see Brad getting through the primary.

If Raffensperger isnt Trumps top GOP nemesis, hes close to it. The Georgia secretary of state refused Trumps requests to alter the states vote count and feuded with the former president over Trumps baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. At one point, Raffenspergers office secretly recorded Trump trying to persuade the secretary of state to find votes to make him the winner  a potential crime by Trump that local prosecutors are now investigating.

As a result, Trump has showered him with criticism for nearly a year, going so far as to call Raffensperger an enemy of the people.

Trumps obsession with Raffensperger shows no sign of fading. In July, the former president sent him a letter asking yet again to decertify the results of the 2020 election. As recently as two weeks ago, during a Georgia rally, Trump called Raffensperger incompetent and strange.

When Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.)  a staunch Trump ally  announced earlier this year hed challenge Raffensperger in the primary, Trump immediately endorsed him.

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Trump also had Hice give brief remarks at the September rally where the former president also trashed Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and state Attorney General Chris Carr  all Republicans who rebuffed Trumps calls to overturn the election results.

Duncan, who has been critical of Trump, decided against running for another term and instead wrote a book about the future of the party. Kemp and Carr are seeking reelection next year along with Raffensperger, but have largely ignored the presidents attacks.

Raffensperger has taken a different tack.

After Trump used his rally to mock-endorse Democrat Stacey Abrams  who is expected to mount her second campaign for Georgia governor after refusing to formally concede her last race for the office three years ago  Raffensperger wrote a USA Today op-ed comparing Trump to Abrams.

Next month hell publish a book called Integrity Counts, billed by Simon & Schuster as Raffenspergers inspiring story of commitment to the integrity of American democracy.

Were out there setting the record straight. No. 1 is that President Trump did not carry the state of Georgia, Raffensperger told POLITICO, pointing to multiple recounts, reviews and investigations that confirmed the accuracy of the Georgia results.

Seth Bringman, a spokesperson for Abrams, swiped at Raffensperger for comparing her 2018 loss to Trumps, saying that Abrams succeeded in court to count more Georgians votes, with reputable attorneys presenting coherent arguments, and the courts agreed and counted those votes. It surprises us that Raffensperger equates counting eligible votes based on fact with throwing out the will of the people based on the Big Lie.

Raffenspergers op-ed, Bringman said, amounts to attacking Stacey and pushing election subversion in a sad attempt to win the votes of the insurrectionist wing in his upcoming primary.

Raffenspergers frontal assault on Trump is widely viewed as a doomed strategy in a state where Trump dominates the GOP and majorities of Republicans believe the 2020 election was stolen  a January poll showed only 45 percent of Republicans supported the secretary of state.

That survey was taken just after Republican incumbents lost their two U.S. Senate runoff races on Jan. 5. Both senators called on Raffensperger to resign at Trumps insistence after he lost Georgia in November.

Speaking of Raffenspergers confrontational approach toward Trump, Westmoreland said, its probably not helpful in a primary. Republican voters think the election was stolen. But he also said many Republicans were troubled with Trumps rally comment that Abrams might be better than having your existing governor.

While Raffensperger acknowledges the difficulties he faces going forward, he said he has no choice but to speak out. He also did not fault Kemp or Carr for failing to denounce Trumps efforts to overturn the election.

It's a conundrum on how to respond to some statements [from Trump] when they're over the top, or they're said pejoratively, Raffensperger said. If the former president has endorsed Stacey Abrams, I would think that would be shocking for most Republicans. 

Raffensperger said he has faith that voters will reward him for running a race with integrity and that they understand that I'll make the hard, difficult calls of standing up  because it's easy to follow your integrity. It may not be fun. But the decision was easy, because it was based on the law, based on the Constitution, and based on the truth.

Trump is expected to return to the state before the 2022 primaries, and hes certain to trash Raffensperger again. Raffensperger said hes comfortable continuing to push back against Trump if the situation warrants.

I think it's always important to speak the truth, he said. I think it's always important to do that respectfully.
Former President Donald Trump will almost certainly run again in 2024, and will do so without guardrails, his former press secretary has warned.

Stephanie Grisham told NBCs Chuck Todd on Meet the Press on Sunday that she believed initially that Mr Trump would not run again, and instead planned to coast off of Republican anger surrounding his election defeat to raise money to pay legal bills and other debts.

Now, she believes, his plans have changed.

Thats part of whats been scaring me as Ive been watching from afar, you know, at first I thought he wouldnt run again. I honestly thought this was a lot of his bluster, she said.

I thought he was just gonna kind of raise money to pay off legal bills, et cetera, but I think now, because his base is reacting to him the way it is and polls are showing that he is still very much the leader of the Republican Party...I think he is going to run again, she continued.

Ms Grisham pointed to a lack of resistance from prominent GOP politicians and leaders regarding Mr Trumps role in January 6 and ongoing efforts to discourage confidence in the official results of the 2020 election as driving factors behind the former presidents considerations for seeking reelection. While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to support Mr Trumps false claims about the 2020 election, the lies have been embraced by much of the party including leaders in the House such as Minority Whip Steve Scalise, who refused to call President Joe Biden the legitimate winner during an interview Sunday on Fox News.

If he does run again in 2024, hell have no guardrails because he never has to worry about reelection, Ms Grisham continued, adding that the former president would seek to purge his inner circle of those who would not bend to his will whether legal or not.

The warning comes as Mr Trump has continued to hold rallies around the country, less than a year into his successors first term and ahead of a midterm election fight next year expected to shake up control of one or both chambers of Congress.

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Several prominent figures in the GOP such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are thought to be considering 2024 bids for the presidency, but the will-he-wont-he debate over whether Mr Trump will enter the race is seen as the most significant factor for the upcoming primary.

Polls currently indicate that at least half of the GOP electorate would likely support Mr Trump were the 2024 primary to be held today; that number could easily change over the next few years, but nevertheless represents a mountain facing any other contenders considering their own bids for the White House.

Ms Grisham served as White House press secretary before becoming chief of staff to former first lady Melania Trump. She resigned following the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, and is currently embarked on a media tour promoting the release of her memoir, Ill Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House.

In recent days she has blasted her former boss over the former administrations Covid-19 response, which she referred to as tragic, while also warning that her former boss has only become emboldened by the lack of consequences he has faced in the months following the attack on the US Capitol and his attempts to overturn his election defeat.

Read More

Stephanie Grisham admits she did not vote for Trump in 2020 but will not reveal who she supported

Ivanka and Jared thought they were shadow president and first lady, Grisham claims
A couple hikes along the Kalepa Ridge in Kauai, Hawaii. FatCamera/Getty Images

Two wedding photography companies in Hawaii have been issued cease-and-desist orders.

According to Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, the companies didn't receive proper permits.

Experts said that the rule-breakers are creating "unhealthy expectations" for wedding photos in Hawaii.

Hawaii's island of Kaua'i issued cease-and-desist letters to two wedding-photography companies, Hawaii Star first reported.

Bradyhouse Photographers and The Foxes Photography were instructed to stop taking photos at popular locations because they do not have the proper permission or permits, according to the Hawaii Star. The orders were issued after state officials found images of off-limit locations on the photography companies' websites and social media accounts, Hawaii News Now reported.

Places, like the iconic Wailua Falls or Kalepa Ridge, are popular shots for newlyweds and engaged couples, but in order to photograph there, commercial photographers must obtain proper permits. Without a permit, photographers can receive fines and jail time.

Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua'i Visitors Bureau, told the Hawaii Star that she's seen photographers chartering boats and shooting wedding photos at Honopu, which is a landmark valley on the island. Actions like this she said are "100% illegal and culturally inappropriate."

"It's so important right now to make sure the rules that are in place are followed for the protection of the place, for the couples who are visiting, and for Kaua'i residents," Kanoho added.

Wailua Falls in Kauai, Hawaii. Andriy Prokopenko/Getty Images

In a statement to Hawaii News Now, Bradyhouse Photography said the company had been following protocols, and the Hawaii Star found records through the Hawai'i State Film Office that the company had obtained some permits.

But a representative for the Department of Land and Natural Resources told the Hawaii Star that it wouldn't issue permits for some of Bradyhouse Photography's photo locations.

Story continues

"Our review of photographs on the company website, as well as on its social media pages, clearly show images from Kalepa Ridge, Wailua Falls, drone shots in Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks, as well as from Hanakapiai Beach and Honopu in the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park," Curt Cottrell, the division of state parks administrator for the Department of Land and Natural Resources, told Hawaii Star.

"Many of these places are both naturally and culturally sensitive and we would not be issuing permits for commercial drone operations or wedding photos in these sensitive locations," Cottrell continued.

On the island of Kaua'i, there are at least 65 photographers actively following the rules and are part of the Kaua'i Wedding Professionals Association. But the rule-breaking photographers are creating "unhealthy expectations" for illegal images, Mike Danderand, the president of the association, told the Hawaii Star.

"The biggest problem we're finding," Danderand said, "is photographers who follow the rules, respect the island, and respect the culture are getting cut out because other photographers don't follow the rules."

Read the original article on Insider
Tyson Fury finished off his trilogy of fights with Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning with a superb knockout victory in one of the most thrilling heavyweight clashes of-all time.

The Gypsy King twice hit the canvas but regained his composure and patience to put Wilder down for good in the 11th, taking his second consecutive victory over the 35-year-old and ending their long-standing feud in explosive fashion.

The logical next step for Fury was to secure an undisputed world title fight with Anthony Joshua, likely held in Saudi Arabia, until the Londoners chastening defeat to Ukraines Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of September.

That means Joshua is set to face Usyk in a rematch in spring next year, leaving Furys next opponent uncertain.

Most likely, though, is a much-anticipated bout with Dillian Whyte, who has long-awaited his chance to face Fury. Whyte won his last fight, against the Russian Alexander Povetkin in Gibraltar six months ago, reclaiming the WBC interim heavyweight title in the process.

In order to take the shot at Fury he so desperately desires, though, Whyte must first defeat Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin at the O2 Arena at the end of this month. Wallin previously fought Fury himself two years ago, losing on a unanimous points decision after causing a significant cut above his opponents eye which hampered Furys vision.

Fury has previously labelled 33-year-old Whyte a s***house* on social media, and Whyte has been quick to chastise the Wythenshawe-native in return.

He just talks s***, thats why I call him the Gypsy Kid, hes like a kid, he talks s*** the whole time.

Taking aim at Furys record, Whyte said: If you look throughout his career, he has won every single belt but he has never defended one of them, why is this? You strive to be the best in the world, you beat Wladimir Klitschko and then you throw your life down the drain. Why would he give up the British title and not fight David Price?

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Tyson Fury always runs from dangerous challenges. If he thinks he can beat you and he gets in your psyche, like Wilder, he will take that. Does he 100 percent believe he can beat me and Anthony Joshua? No.

Fury just fiddles his way through fights. Does Tyson Furys style excite you? His style is not exciting. OK, he knocked out Deontay Wilder last time, but before that he just fiddled his way through. He tried to do the same thing against Wallin and thats why he got cut.

A bout between Fury and Whyte could potentially take place in the first half of 2022, if the latter can defeat Wallin in three weeks time. Beyond that, the winner of the re-match between Joshua and Usyk is surely on the cards.

Read More

Tyson Fury declares himself the best in his era after beating Deontay Wilder

He shook me: Tyson Fury reveals his thoughts after being knocked down by Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder taken to hospital after Tyson Fury delivers vicious knockout
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain is working out how to support energy-intensive industries hit by soaring gas prices, business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said on Sunday, describing the situation as critical but declining to say what action is being considered.

Producers of steel, glass, ceramics and paper and other sectors have said they may be forced to halt production unless the government does something about energy prices.

"It's a critical situation clearly," Kwarteng told the BBC, when asked about possible factory closures.

In a separate interview with Sky News he said: "We've got very, very high gas prices, very high electricity prices, we already have support in place for industries, and we're looking at ways that we can help industry."

Kwarteng also said he was working with finance minister Rishi Sunak on the matter.

However, a Treasury source denied there were any such talks, fuelling criticism from the opposition Labour Party about the government response.

"The two key government departments responsible for the current cost of living crisis have spent this morning infighting about whether they were in talks with each other ... We need urgent answers on who exactly is running the show," Labour lawmaker and finance spokeswoman Bridget Phillipson said.

Asked if there might be an energy price cap for industrial users like there is for consumers, Kwarteng told Times Radio: "That's not something that we've talked about."

"We're not in the business of bailouts. What we are in the business of is ensuring security of supply and that's what I'm focused on."

Wholesale gas prices have increased 400% this year in Europe, partly due to low stocks and strong demand from Asia.

(Reporting by William James; editing by Jason Neely and Raissa Kasolowsky)
Gary Rucker gets a shot at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in September in downtown Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County on Saturday reported 28 new deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the death total to 26,308 countywide since the pandemic began, with total reported infections around 1.5 million.

Black and Latino residents who remain unvaccinated have Los Angeles County's highest rate of COVID-19 infections, while unvaccinated white residents have the highest death rates, the public health department said.

Between late August and late September, unvaccinated Black and Latino residents in LA County together had a rate of about 590 cases per 100,000 people, the county said in a news release.

Black residents had 62 hospitalizations for every 100,000 unvaccinated people, the highest rate of hospitalization, 27% higher than that of Latinos, the county said.

The news release did not specify the death rates of different ethnic groups, but said white residents had the highest rates, followed closely by Black and Latino residents. In raw numbers, the county reported, the virus has killed about 13,200 Latinos, 5,800 white people, 3,300 Asians and 2,200 Black people.

This week, Los Angeles County imposed rules requiring adults to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter certain indoor venues including bars and nightclubs. People must prove they have had at least one dose, and be fully vaccinated by Nov. 4.

Also this week, the Los Angeles City Council passed its own ordinance requiring proof of vaccination to enter indoor venues such as restaurants, coffee shops and gyms in the city's jurisdiction, rules which will take effect in November.

Over the summer, a Los Angeles Times data analysis has found, COVID-19 killed people in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, which have the highest vaccination rates in the state, at much lower rates than in rural California counties with low vaccination rates.

The analysis showed that the summer's Delta variant surge struck with particular ferocity in Northern California and the San Joaquin Valley, where less than half of the residents are fully vaccinated.

The state reported on Saturday that there have been 69,507 deaths from COVID-19 so far, and says that unvaccinated Californians are seven times more likely to become infected than fully vaccinated ones.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP)  Frank Harris threw for 349 yards and six touchdowns and hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass himself as UTSA outlasted Western Kentucky 52-46 on Saturday night for the Roadrunners' school-record sixth straight win to start the season.

Harris threw three touchdown passes to De'Corian Clark, the third on a 43-yard hook-up to give UTSA (6-0, 2-0 Conference USA) a 52-43 lead with 6:39 left.

Harris found Clark with the game's first score less than a minute into the game, capping a three-play, 75-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown.

Joshua Cephus tossed a touchdown pass to Harris in the second quarter, then caught a three-yard toss for a score in the third.

Harris finished 28-of-38 passing with an interception. Sincere McCormick carried 23 times for 120 yards while Clark pulled in seven passes for 160 yards. Cephus had eight catches for 83 yards and a score.

Bailey Zappe completed 38 of 60 pass attempts for 523 yards and five touchdowns for the Hilltoppers (1-4, 0-1), but was picked off by Clarence Hicks with 3:21 remaining to end a comeback attempt.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25.

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Photograph: Getty Images

Testimony in Congress this week by the whistleblower Frances Haugen should prompt action to implement meaningful oversight of Facebook and other tech giants, the influential California Democrat Adam Schiff told the Guardian in an interview to be published on Sunday.

Related: A xenophobic autocrat: Adam Schiff on Trumps threat to democracy

I think we need regulation to protect peoples private data, the chair of the House intelligence committee said.

I think we need to narrow the scope of the safe harbour these companies enjoy if they dont moderate their contents and continue to amplify anger and hate. I think we need to insist on a vehicle for more transparency so we understand the data better.

Haugen, 37, was the source for recent Wall Street Journal reporting on misinformation spread by Facebook and Instagram, the photo-sharing platform which Facebook owns. She left Facebook in May this year, but her revelations have left the tech giant facing its toughest questions since the Cambridge Analytica user privacy scandal.

At a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Haugen shared internal Facebook reports and argued that the social media giant puts astronomical profits before people, harming children and destabilising democracy via the sharing of inaccurate and divisive content.

Haugen likened the appeal of Instagram to tobacco, telling senators: Its just like cigarettes  teenagers dont have good self-regulation.

Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said Haugens testimony might represent a big tobacco moment for the social media companies, a reference to oversight imposed despite testimony in Congress that their product was not harmful from executives whose companies knew that it was.

The founder and head of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has resisted proposals to overhaul the US internet regulatory framework, which is widely considered to be woefully out of date.

He responded to Haugens testimony by saying the idea that we prioritise profit over safety and wellbeing was just not true.

Story continues

The argument that we deliberately push content that makes people angry for profit is deeply illogical, he said. We make money from ads, and advertisers consistently tell us they dont want their ads next to harmful or angry content.

Schiff was speaking to mark publication of a well-received new memoir, Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could.

The Democrat played prominent roles in the Russia investigation and Donald Trumps first impeachment. He now sits on the select committee investigating the deadly attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, by Trump supporters seeking to overturn his election defeat  an effort in part fueled by misinformation on social media.

In his book, Schiff writes about asking representatives of Facebook and two other tech giants, Twitter and YouTube, if their algorithms were having the effect of balkanising the public and deepening the divisions in our society.

Related: Welcome to the party: five past tech whistleblowers on the pitfalls of speaking out

Facebooks general counsel in the 2017 hearing, Schiff writes, said: The data on this is actually quite mixed.

It didnt seem very mixed to me, Schiff says.

Asked if he thought Haugens testimony would create enough pressure for Congress to pass new laws regulating social media companies, Schiff told the Guardian: The answer is yes.

However, as an experienced member of a bitterly divided and legislatively sclerotic Congress, he also cautioned against too much optimism among reform proponents.

If you bet against Congress, Schiff said, you win 90% of the time.
A New York woman was charged with murder Friday after authorities alleged that she starved her boyfriends 7-year-old son to death this year.

The woman, Leticia Bravo, 39, became the primary caretaker for the boy, Peter Cuacuas, in September 2020 after the school year began, and he stayed at her home every day until Saturdays, when he want to his fathers apartment, Newburgh Police Commissioner Jose A. Gomerez said. In January, Peter stopped logging into virtual school, and on Feb. 10 he was taken to St. Lukes Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy conducted by the Orange County medical examiner concluded that Peter  who weighed just 37 pounds  had died of malnutrition, Gomerez said Friday. It is alleged that Bravo left Peter locked and secluded in a bedroom behind doors, locked from the outside since January 2021.

Bravo is believed to be Peters mother, but authorities were unable to say with certainty at a news conference Friday.

She was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter. Bail was set at $250,000 cash, but it would be reduced with secured bond, authorities said.

Bravo faces 25 years to life in prison on the top charge of second-degree murder.

Peters father, Arturo Cuacuas, was charged with criminally negligent homicide. He was not in custody Friday, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. A phone number listed for him was not in service Sunday.

Cuacuas was charged because, although he had the child only one day a week, he should have known the conditions his son was in, Hoovler said.

Court records were not immediately available for Bravo or Cuacuas, and it is unclear whether they have retained attorneys.
In 2015, Hertzberg wanted to be a part of downtown and opened Cafe Bliss, a small coffee shop in the bottom of the Bank of the James on Main Street, which he modeled after his own living room.

And it was a great success as far as meeting whatever the need was, but theres just not a lot of people downtown, not a lot of foot traffic, and youre just not going to have a really busy cafe in downtown Lynchburg; its just not gonna happen, he said. I think if Id had more space for lounging around, it would have been.

Hertzberg said after the city began its work on the Main Street Renewal Project replacing water lines, sidewalks, streets and sanitary sewers, and once COVID-19 hit the area, he decided not to sign a lease and instead find a new home for the cafe.

He was running both the cafe and the bakery in Boonsboro so it only made sense to find a spot nearby. Around the same time, he found out the owner of Pheasants Eye, which was formerly located next to the bakery, was retiring and would be closing the shop, opening up the perfect new location for Hertzbergs cafe.

With a new location came a new name as well. Terrapin Mountain is located between Big Island and Sedalia and is one of Hertzbergs favorite places.
Unlike Otto Orkin, Richardson isnt aiming to eradicate the city of its rats. His goal is to catch as many as he can and study them. There will be rats in Richmond long after hes gone.

Bait and catch

To catch a rat, Richardson and his students place hunks of bait at the back of a cage the size of a shoebox. Designed specifically for baiting rats, its a mixture of peanut butter, bacon grease, oats and bird seed, resembling a piece of toffee.

They place the traps at night when the rats are most active. They leave the traps unset, because rats are smart enough to avoid stepping into something new and strange.

On this night, it took just a minute for the first rat in the alley to emerge from a shadow, scurry along the wall and let out a loud squeak. With french fries and garbage to feast on, rats were abundant here. The population was as dense as hes ever seen.

Its like shooting ducks in a barrel, he said.

A few nights later, he returned to set the traps. The following morning, he came back to reel in his catch. Each rat weighs less than a pound, and most live a year or less. Time is nearly up for these eight.
Popular Scams in Japan that you should watch out for, especially if you are living in Japan or planning to live in Japan.

These common Japanese scams have deceived many people so please be careful if you ever come across such a scam. There is also a Japan tourist scam that I included at the end of the video just in case there are people planning to travel to Japan, this is also a scam in Japan that tourist get tricked by. Life in Japan is relatively safe, but it doesn't mean that Japan is 100% safe for deceptive scams.
New Delhi: India has exported COVID-19 vaccine doses to Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Iran, sources informed on Sunday.

According to sources, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh received ten lakh doses of Covishield each, while Iran received three lakh doses of Covaxin.

Earlier, on September 20, the Government of India had announced its decision to resume the export of vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19 ) from October.

Announcing the decision, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said India will resume the export of COVID-19 vaccines under its Vaccine Maitri initiative to fulfill the countrys commitment towards COVAX.
Agra : Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited the Taj Mahal  one of the Seven Wonders in the world  here on Sunday during her three-day visit to India.

Frederiksen visited the Taj Mahal with her husband Bo Tengberg. They also visited the Agra Fort here. She is the first head of state visiting India since COVID-19 restrictions are in place since last March.

The Danish PM arrived in New Delhi early on Saturday. She was received by the Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, at Delhi airport.

Earlier on Saturday, Frederiksen met President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held bilateral talks in New Delhi.

The two leaders underlined the warm and friendly relations between India and Denmark. They agreed to enhance efforts for reforming and strengthening multilateralism and a rules-based international order, including freedom of navigation.

Both sides also reconfirmed their commitment to an aspiring and results-oriented Green Strategic Partnership.

India and Denmark on Saturday agreed on a joint action plan for five years on Green Strategic Partnership. The green strategic partnership between the two countries is focused on collaboration to promote green and sustainable growth.
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday carried out searches at 16 places in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with two cases ISIS-Voice of Hind case and the Bathindi IED recovery case.

The anti-terror agency carried out simultaneous searches in various districts in the Union Territory with the assistance of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The NIA had also conducted searches at two locations in Karnatakas Bhatkal and arrested key accused Jufri Jawhar Damudi in the ISIS-Voice of Hind case.

The case was registered on June 29 this year in connection with the conspiracy of the proscribed terrorist organization the Islamic State (ISIS) to radicalise and recruit impressionable Muslim youth in India to wage violent jihad against India.

NIA said that ISIS terrorists operating from various conflict zones along with ISIS cadres in India have created a network by assuming pseudo-online identities wherein ISIS-related propaganda material is disseminated for radicalising and recruiting members to the fold of ISIS.

The NIA had conducted multiple searches in Jammu and Kashmir on July 11 this year in the same case and had arrested three accused Umar Nisar, Tanveer Ahmad Bhat and Rameez Ahmad Lone, all residents of Achabal area of Anantnag district.

A cyber entity Abu Hazir Al Badri a key operative of ISIS who is involved in the translation of Voice of Hind to South Indian languages and its further dissemination was identified as Jufri Jawhar Damudi, and arrested on August 6 this year in a joint operation of NIA and Karnataka Police.

The agency said that the cyber ID was also used to radicalise and recruit people.

Jufri Jawhar is the younger brother of Adnan Hasan Damudi who was arrested for ISIS-related activities in 2016 and is currently under detention in a separate NIA case, the agency said.

Jufri Jawhar Damudi was in touch with ISIS leadership, currently operating out of Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak) region who provided him propaganda material and also gave directions for its dissemination.

For this purpose, Jufri had created multiple pseudonymous IDs on encrypted chat platforms and was also a member of various online propaganda channels of ISIS, the agency added.

During earlier searches in the ISIS-Voice of Hind case, NIA claimed to have seized a large number of digital devices such as mobile phones, hard disks, SD cards etc.

However, the second case in which the NIA has been conducting raids is linked to Bathindi IED recovery in which the agency had carried out searches on September 21 this year at eight locations in Jammu and Kashmirs Anantnag, Baramulla, Kulgam, Srinagar, Doda and Kishtwar districts.

The case was initially registered on June 27 this year at Bahu Fort district Jammu relating to the recovery of five kg IED from a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Jammus Bathindi area on the same day.

The conspiracy by LeT was aimed at causing an explosion in Jammu using the IED. NIA had re-registered the case on July 19, and had earlier arrested three persons in this case.

The investigation has revealed that Pakistan based handlers of proscribed terror outfit LeT and their associates based in J-K were planning terrorist activities in the Union Territory using the pseudo-acronym The Resistance Front, an offshoot of LeT, so as to maintain plausible deniability.
Danny Galan is active and involved outside the classroom and out in the community.

Galan, 17, was born and raised in Council Bluffs and he is currently a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School. He attended Edison Elementary School and Wilson Middle School before arriving at T.J. He said its hard to believe how fast the time has gone the past few years.

Its a little stressful, but its also a really fun and exciting time, he said. Im finally here.

Galan keeps plenty busy outside of classes. Hes involved in National Honor Society, student council, band, choir and the Yellow Jacket dance team. He said being so involved has enriched his high school experience, thanks to meeting lots of new people and taking in a variety of different experiences.

One such experience was volunteering with the rest of the Thomas Jefferson dance squad at Tom Hanafan Rivers Edge Park Saturday afternoon during Council Bluffs Parks and Recreations RECtoberfest. The team helped manage games and keep thing running smoothly during the family fun event.

Galan said this is just one of many volunteer opportunities the team has had as everyone on the dance team is required to think of a way they can give back to them community.
Trusts allow one person, a grantor, to transfer assets to a trustee who then manages and directs them for a third beneficiary. In such states as South Dakota, Alaska and Nevada, though, the person who transfers assets could name themselves the beneficiary of a trust. These so called "self-settled trusts" can shield assets from creditors and further reduce tax burdens by moving the assets out of the taxable estate, said Mitchell Gans, a professor at Hofstra University who specializes in tax law.

South Dakota also deploys strict privacy laws to keep trusts out of the public eye. It is a feature that wealth advisors use as they appeal to potential clients with prospects of growing multi-generational wealth. According to the investigative report, the state's trust assets have skyrocketed to $360 billion during the past decade alone.

For charities, it's difficult to know what the long-term consequences of the trusts will be. Officials at numerous philanthropies and lobbying organizations declined to comment on the impact of the "Pandora Papers" revelations on charitable giving because, they said, they lack data on how widespread the use of these tax havens is.
Both claim they were libeled by the public release of Nahas termination letter, which included McCoys purported comments, and were the victims of extortion attempts during the internal investigation. They say they were threatened to either admit McCoy made the comments or that Nahas would lose his job and the county would not defend McCoy against any legal claims stemming from them.

McCoy, a former Democratic state lawmaker from Des Moines and one of Iowas first openly gay politicians, promised to reform the countys culture of cronyism in 2018 when he challenged and defeated the boards longtime powerful chairman Johnny Mauro in a primary. He joined a five-member board that is controlled 3-2 by Democrats. The other members had each held their positions for more than a decade.

McCoy said he has pushed to end no-bid contracts, routine nepotism, the use of county resources for political campaigning, and a hostile and toxic work environment in county offices. He said he has met with resistance and that at least one colleague who used homophobic slurs said he would rather hit me in the face than work with me.

Long-running tensions between board members erupted last year during the process that led to the hiring of Democratic activist John Norris as the county administrator. McCoy had favored a county employee, Frank Marasco.
While it is nonsensical to try to prescribe a diagnosis to Americas current state of civic discourse  from dumping manure on the White House lawn in the name of climate action to attending the Met Gala to demand we tax the rich  we often blame partisan politics. But what if part of the problem is that we literally cannot understand one another? And, perhaps worse than that, the institutions we trust to lead the public have stopped trying to communicate to be understood.

Lets get the figures out of the way. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that 50 percent of U.S. adults cannot read a book written at an eighth-grade level. The National Institute of Literacy estimates that the average American reads at a seventh- to eighth-grade level. Despite these concerns, an analysis of 21 major media outlets found that consumers require a 10th grade reading level to comprehend any of them.

Most notably, Fox News and NPR ranked at an 11th grade level, while outlets like MSNBC and Politico exceeded a 12th grade level. This is not an isolated issue. Both the government and media fail to meet Americans where they are in terms of knowledge and vocabulary on critical subjects, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or climate change.
They would still be bound by some criteria set forth in state law, but the process does allow them an opportunity to use the map-drawing pencil.

That is what Iowa Democrats are warning against.

To be clear, what the Democrats are warning against remains a hypothetical: that statehouse Republicans plan to push this process to the third and final stage. That could still happen, but it doesnt mean this weeks vote to reject the first set of maps violated the spirit of the states redistricting process.

In voting to reject the first maps, Senate Republicans did nothing illegal or even unseemly. Their vote wasnt even unprecedented. Previous Iowa legislatures also rejected the LSAs first set of proposed maps in 1981 and 2001. In 1981, legislators also rejected the second set of maps, then approved the third maps without amending them.

But this weeks step in the redistricting process was anything but nonpartisan. All Republicans voted against the proposed maps, while all Democrats voted to accept them. Then Democrats said Republicans took a big step closer to rigging Iowa elections, one step closer to rejecting the principles of our nonpartisan process to manipulate our maps, and chose politics over the common good.
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Last of two parts.

Training teenage women to perform military drills  and win statewide acclaim for doing so  was unusual in the 1890s, when women couldnt vote and men did all the fighting.

William H. Hamilton did just that. And then he did it again.

In his successive all-girl units of Hamilton Cadets in Lexington and North Platte, modern readers can perceive the roots of drill and dance teams. Female marching band members and drum majors. And, of course, servicewomen in Americas armed forces.

From 1894 to 1896, Hamiltons original Lexington unit won fame at annual Nebraska National Guard encampments, the 1896 State Fair and an October 1896 irrigation fair in North Platte.

Its not known why the first Hamilton Cadets broke up. But they were reborn 60 miles west.

A welcome rebirth

On Feb. 15, 1897, four months after the irrigation fair, The Telegraph had big news for its readers.

W.H. Hamilton of Lexington is in the city today with a view of locating here, it said. Our citizens will remember Mr. Hamilton as the drill master of the Hamilton Lady Cadets, and if he locates here he will form a company of 16 young ladies and perfect them in the drill to such an extent as to astound the natives.

Hamilton, who bought a feed and flour store, soon was co-directing a flower drill at a July 23 merchants carnival at long-gone Lloyds Opera House downtown.

Two units of 16 teen girls performed to a packed house, wearing costumes representing North Platte businesses.

The second Hamilton Cadets formally organized Aug. 28. The company is formed of 16 young ladies well known in North Platte, The Telegraph said, and to make them known is to assure the success of the company, especially under Mr. Hamiltons able command.

As he had in Lexington, Hamilton soon added a drummer to boost his roster to 17. Except for that drummer  12-year-old Fern Stamp  all cadets were ages 15 to 17.

Big dreams, support

They were performing within a month, practicing at the opera house and learning to execute their 30-minute program with cues from Stamps drum and Hamiltons whistle. They acquired basket fencing sticks for sword drills, the Semi-Weekly Tribune said.

On Feb. 11, 1898, North Platte musicians joined the Hamilton Cadets at a Lloyds fundraising concert. Some 470 people came to help pay for the cadets new uniforms.

Members of North Platte's Hamilton Cadets Members of William H. Hamiltons all-female Hamilton Cadets military drill team in North Platte (1897-98), based on newspaper accounts (married names are given where applicable and known):  Drill members: Mabel Orr, president, Arta Kocken, secretary, Blanche McNamara (Gichol), treasurer, Myrtle Scharmann (LeDioyt), march leader, Regina McGovern (Cole), Mary Cunningham, Hattie Von Goetz (Patterson-Smart), Anna Sorenson (Rankin), Winnie Beeler (Scott), Rebecca Day (Dickey), Carlotta (Lottie) Day (Cheesman), Lillian Hendy (Westfall), Jessie Blankenburg (Reynolds), Nellie Seyferth (Imgley), Blanche Warner, Jennie McMichael (Vernon), Mattie Delay, Irene Miltonberger.  Drummer: Fern Stamp (Kesler). Cunningham replaced Delay, a charter member, before the units June 1898 performance at Omahas Trans-Mississippi Exposition. Miltonberger replaced Kocken in September 1898, a month before the unit disbanded. Members in both the Lexington and North Platte versions of the Hamilton Cadets were generally 15 to 17 years old. Stamp was 12 when she joined the North Platte unit in 1898.

Their summer uniforms were tailored white linen suits with pastel blue blouses and white military caps and white garters, the Tribune Shopper wrote decades later on Aug. 22, 1954. In winter, they wore blue serge tailored coats and skirts, matching military caps and white leggings.

Dr. E.B. Warner, father of cadet Blanche Warner, predicted the company would attract more attention at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition than any of the crack military companies in attendance, The Telegraph said in its 1898 story on the fundraiser.

The Trans-Miss, modeled after the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893, would run from June through October 1898. President William McKinley would twice visit the exposition, conducted in grand though temporary buildings across 184 northeast Omaha acres.

The cadets had to be invited first. Besides performing at club and church meetings, they gained more experience at a March 22 joint meeting of five railroad unions at Lloyds.

The Cadets were at their best, The Telegraph said, and went through the different evolutions in a manner that brought forth such rounds of applause as fairly shook the building.

Frank Sargent, grand master of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, obtained the only known up-close photo of the North Platte unit.

Attractive Features of the Union Meeting at North Platte, Neb., read its caption in the unions magazine.

Farewell to Cody Guards

The Hamilton Cadets also are in the back of an 1898 Lincoln County Historical Museum photo documenting North Plattes early reputation for supporting the armed forces.

An explosion sank the battleship Maine Feb. 15 at Havana, Cuba, killing 260 sailors. Congress declared war April 25 (two days after Spain did likewise), and U.S. Commodore George Deweys fleet destroyed a Spanish fleet May 1 at Manila Bay in the Philippines. (The North Platte City Council renamed Spruce Street for Dewey that June.)

The World-Heralds April 4 front page includes a cover letter signed by Hamilton and all 17 North Platte cadets with a $10 donation to the papers Cuban Relief Bureau.

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As we probably will not be called upon to go to war, we feel very proud that we can be of service to our country and her friends in (the) same way, it said.

At least 2,300 people surrounded the 1869 Union Pacific Depot April 27 for a downtown parade and sendoff for their Cody Guards, named for William F. Buffalo Bill Cody.

Marching behind the soldiers were the Hamilton Cadets, with Civil War veterans of North Plattes Grand Army of the Republic unit leading the guardsmen.

They marched around several blocks and then formed in line on the east side of the depot, The Telegraph wrote, while the band played that patriotic song which all love to sing, America.

After three cheers for the GAR, Cody Guards and Hamiltons group, the cadets presented bouquets to each guardsman.

Omaha and Lincoln papers prominently mentioned the Hamilton Cadets role  and hinted readers would be seeing them soon.

North Platte lawyer William Neville, father of future Gov. Keith Neville, chaired the Trans-Miss organizing committee. He was authorized to confer with the Hamilton Cadets of North Platte ... to appear at the exposition on Nebraska Day and give a series of fancy drill movements, the Omaha Bee said.

The biggest stage

Having led the citys Memorial Day parade in between, Hamilton and his cadets boarded a train for Omaha June 13 with his wife, Fannie, and three other chaperones. The Union Pacific covered the costs.

They helped to open the Trans-Miss Nebraska Building the morning of June 14, drawing large crowds to that event and an afternoon drill in front of the Government Building.

On June 16, The Telegraph carried a World-Herald account of the latter performance before about 1,000:

Arrayed in blouses and short skirts as white as snow and going through a long series of fancy evolutions with admirable and pleasing precision, they afforded a rare spectacle which elicited remark from everybody.

They gave more drills and attended social events before returning home June 17. En route, they drilled at the Soldiers Home and on downtown Locust Street in Grand Island.

North Plattes June 23 Independent Era summed up the girls Trans-Miss experience:

From the time of their arrival in Omaha until their departure, they were the objects of much attention. No breaks were made in the drills, and compliments galore were heard.

Captain Hamilton said that a German army officer who witnessed the drill told him that he had seen the performances of every soldiery in the world, and that in some respects the Cadets excelled them all ...

A phenomenon ends

The Hamilton Cadets took part in North Plattes Independence Day festivities and a September veterans encampment at Fort Sidney.

A Sept. 3 Telegraph item said the group was figuring on visiting Denver in October to be present at the Mountain and Plain Festival.

And Trans-Miss leaders inquired about having the girls perform again during their Peace Jubilee week in mid-October.

But Hamiltons second all-girls drill team wouldnt last as long as his first.

The Hamilton Cadets have disbanded for the winter, on account of so many of the members having dropped out, some on account of sickness and others leaving the city, The Telegraph reported Oct. 28.

They would never reassemble.

Hamilton returned to Lexington in 1899 to become director general of the new Lexington Street Fair. He moved to Clovis, California, in 1902 with his wife and their daughter, Pearl. He died at age 84 in Long Beach on Sept. 21, 1934.

Three of his cadets still lived in North Platte in 1954, 12 years after Lottie (Day) Cheesman wrote her hometown recalling her old unit and cheering the increasingly famous World War II Canteen.

She, her sister and her family had moved in December 1898 to Greeley, Colorado, two months after Hamilton dismissed his cadets for good.

The Telegraph noted their departure: The Hamilton Cadets, the organization that attracted so much attention at the Omaha exposition and of which the Misses Lotta and Reba Day were valued members, turned out in a body to see their sister members and friends safely on their journey.

For these young women, and generations of women and men after them, North Platte hospitality would become a famous habit.

More by Todd von Kampen

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The principles opening sentences say what we know many Nebraskans would say:

Conservation is synonymous with our western ethos. Westerners take pride in managing our lands, waters and natural resources for the betterment of the environment, wildlife, surrounding communities and current and future generations. ...

We have decades of proof that conservation and working lands are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, integrated with multiple-use, sustained yield and responsible development.

The principles reflect a reasonable skepticism about 30 by 30, which says the nation should be conserving at least 30% of all its land and waters by 2030.

It may already be halfway there, or more.

Experts say 12% to 14% of all U.S. land  covering national and state parks, wilderness areas and national wildlife refuges  already is conserved as Bidens order seeks.

The principles note those areas, saying theyre managed to keep more than 30% of all federally owned land in a primarily natural state.

But since Biden issued his order, it is clear the administration does not know what percentage of lands and waters are currently meeting (conservation) status.
As NSW begins to open up from Monday, Sydneysiders will be embracing a raft of freedoms they've been denied for nearly four months thanks to its untimely Delta Covid outbreak.

And while it is over six weeks until unvaccinated people will be granted the same privileges on December 1, there will still be plenty of opportunity for crossovers between those with and without both jabs.

So what is the risk posed by being in the presence of someone unvaccinated?

Public health expert Dr Lucas de Toca, who leads the Primary Care Response to the COVID-19 pandemic at the Department of Health, said while the vaccine will significantly reduce the risk of illness, severe complications and death, it will not stop you from acquiring the virus or passing it on.

"They reduce the risk of getting Covid at all and then they reduce the risk of you transmitting it to others," he said.

From Monday, vaccinated Sydneysiders can gather in groups of 30 outdoors and by December 1, unvaccinated people can join them. Source: AAP

"They have an impact on protecting others but there is still a risk, even if it's smaller, that you can get the virus and pass it on to others even if vaccinated."

He said it was therefore vital Covid-safe behaviours were still practised around others, including family members and friends who may be vulnerable to the virus.

Mixing with unvaccinated unavoidable but can be reduced

Professor Jaya Dantas of Curtin University's School of Population Health told Yahoo News Australia vaccinated people should tread with caution when knowingly or unknowingly mixing with unvaccinated people.

"There will be breakthrough infections among those who are vaccinated if they mingle with the unvaccinated," she warned.

UNSW epidemiologist and World Health Organisation advisor Professor Mary-Louise McLaws warned that mingling could be unavoidable, particularly due to the living arrangements of many young Sydneysiders.

She said other scenarios that could pose risks of unknowingly mixing with unvaccinated people included boarding public transport, attending university and picking up children from school. She said without vaccine mandates in such settings, clusters of infection were likely to arise.

Story continues

Prof Dantas echoed Dr de Toca's advice, insisting key Covid-safe measures including masks and social distancing should not be forgotten once the country begins to open up.

Pubs will reopen on Monday but how will they respond to unvaccinated customers weeks later? Source: Getty, file.

Precautions needed around younger Australians

Prof Dantas said Australia was a long way off herd immunity with children under 12 not yet eligible for a vaccine and poorer vaccine rates in younger Australians than those older.

She said while people's concerns may be focused around public settings, family reunions in the home, where multiple generations finally gather after months of separation, were also dangerous.

Prof Dantas noted people were undoubtedly eager to see grandparents and older relatives but should take precautions to avoid infecting them due to their vulnerability, even if they are vaccinated.

The Delta outbreak has seen a rise in transmission in children and Prof Dantas said adults should be vaccinated and wearing masks when around them.

She pointed to several Asian countries where children are also wearing masks to help prevent transmission and said it was a helpful precaution, particularly for families with vulnerable members.

Her advice comes as Victoria mandated face masks for all children in grades three to six as students start returning to the classroom.

A new preliminary study from the US indicates that once a Delta breakthrough case occurs, the viral load of the infected person is similar to that of an unvaccinated person, heightening the importance of avoiding transmission scenarios.

What can businesses do?

Prof Dantas said once unvaccinated people are allowed into venues such as pubs and restaurants, businesses will be given a choice as to who they allow in and how they manage them.

She said one option restaurants, pubs and bars may want to do is seat unvaccinated people outside and vaccinated people inside, reducing the risk of transmission.

Councils across Australia's major cities have embraced outdoor service, providing businesses with additional seating amid the pandemic.

Prof Dantas said patrons "should be concerned" if venues had not taken any precautions with unvaccinated guests.

What can I do?

Residents are likely to face a scenario where someone they know and see is unvaccinated.

Prof Dantas said vaccinated people should "set up rules" when they want to mingle with people without the jab.

"You can say when organising an event 'I want everyone to be vaccinated but if you're not it's much better if people wear masks'," she advised.

She said it was a difficult task singling out unvaccinated people and if accomodating them, it would be favourable to hold an event outside for greater protection.

What happens moving forward?

The Western Australian government made the landmark decision to require attendees at school leavers events in November to have at least one jab.

Prof Dantas says she believes that the move is a sign of things to come and other states will adopt similar requirements moving forward.

Prof Dantas echoed Dr de Toca's advice, insisting key Covid safe measures including masks and social distancing should not be forgotten once the country begins to open up.n entry requirement or to provide peace of mind among friends and family.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
General Hospital

Days of Our Lives

The Young and the Restless

The Bold and the Beautiful

This Week in Soaps history...

October 14-18, 2013

This week on the US Daytime Soaps...Maya admitted to Dayzee that Maya still had feelings for Rick. Dayzee suggested that Maya put everything on the table, but Wyatt revealed to Maya that Rick had commissioned a ring. Rick stole away with Caroline during the diamond exhibition at the boutique and proposed to her on the spot where they'd first met. They returned to his house and saw Maya, who was awaiting Rick.Liam asked Hope to give them another chance, but Hope was losing faith in the relationship. Liam said that all they wanted was before them; they just had to take it.Marge aimed a gun at E.J. but shot Chad by mistake. To save Chad's life, E.J. had to tell Cameron the truth about Chad's bogus medical condition. Sami told Stefano that if Chad died, it would be his fault. Daniel saved Chad's life. Stefano was elated that Chad made it through surgery and vowed to God that he would change his evil ways.Daniel and Eric almost got a look at what was on the flash drive.Roman warned Sami to think long and hard before she married E.J.Nicole told Brady that Kristen had cheated on him. Brady and Nicole had a falling-out over Kristen. Eric met with Margaret and asked her about what had happened to him that night at the hotel.Eric reached the wrong conclusion about who he'd had sex with the night that he had become ill.Kristen gloated to Marlena that Eric had agreed to marry her and Brady.J.J. finally realized how much legal trouble he was in during his hearing. The judge released J.J. to Jennifer's custody, but soon after, he was back to his old ways.Sami and E.J. discussed their future.Kate looked into Jordan's past.Jennifer threatened Theresa and warned her to stay away from J.J. or else.Faison confirmed to Anna that Robin was alive. Liesl Obrecht helped Faison to escape from Steinmauer Maximum Security Prison. Nikolas recognized the background in Liesl's video message to Britt, so he told Anna that Liesl might be hiding out on Cassadine Island. Robert insisted on accompanying Anna to rescue their daughter.Tracy turned the tables on Jerry and injected Luke with a full dose of the serum that Robin had developed to cure the polonium poisoning.Robin used Jerry's cell phone to call Patrick, but the connection was bad. Nikolas encountered Robin in the lab. Patrick decided to honor Robin by moving forward with his life, so he asked Sabrina to marry him.Morgan discovered that Derek Wells was Ava's silent partner.Silas revealed to Kiki that Ava had a brother who had financially backed Ava's first art gallery. Sonny's interest was piqued when he overheard Kiki mention to Michael that Ava had lied about being an only child. Sonny suspected that Derek Wells might be Julian Jerome.Lucas provided a DNA sample to help determine if Sam was Julian Jerome's daughter.The paramedics rushed Delia to the hospital, but a doctor informed Billy that Delia hadn't made it. Word of Delia's death devastated the citizens of Genoa City. Alex found skid marks and a piece of plastic at the accident scene, and the police searched for the hit-and-run driver. A witness told Alex that she'd seen a black SUV swerve off the road outside the market. Adam was surprised to discover that his car had a broken exterior light cover, and he was wracked with guilt when he found fabric from Delia's costume caught in the bottom of his vehicle. Adam hid the scrap of cloth and pledged to focus on Connor. Adam paid off a thug to obtain corneas on the black market.Billy blamed himself for leaving Delia alone in the car, and Chloe refused to forgive Billy for his part in Delia's death. Chloe was furious when the hospital's transplant coordinator wanted to discuss donating Delia's organs, but she later struggled with the decision about whether to do so.Sharon confessed to Nick that she had gone off her medication and had hoped to reconcile with him. Sharon vowed to resume treatment, but she continued to have visions of Cassie.Courtney received a mysterious text message from someone named Zach.Avery returned Nick's engagement ring, and Nick removed Avery's plaque at the Underground.
As tight markets push prices higher, some customers are looking to alternative fossil fuels to keep up with energy demand

Rallying LNG prices have seen a massive 870% surge since their lowest levels this year.

Driven by the global energy rally, Asias spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices exceeded this week the psychological threshold of $50 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). The $56.326/mmBtu price of the Platts benchmark Japan Korea Marker (JKM) for November was an all-time high at which a cargo of LNG traded in the Asian market, and was more than $20/mmBtu higher than the previous record of $34.52/mmBtu, set just last week.

Rallying LNG prices have already seen a massive 870-percent surge since the low for 2021 at $5.80/mmBtu at the end of February, Reuters columnist Clyde Russell notes.

Few cargoes are traded at record-high prices, Russell says.

However, rallying spot LNG priceseven if not as high as $50have already started to destroy demand, analysts say. Price-sensitive buyers in Asia, such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are largely steering clear of the spot LNG market at prices above $20/mmBtu, let alone $50/mmBtu. More buyers are looking to lock in more volumes under long-term contracts to avoid the immense volatility of spot prices.

Last years low spot prices during the peak lockdowns globally in the spring were a boon to Asian importers, but this years rally is hurting thema lot. So, most are not rushing to buy on the spot market.

Even the top LNG exporter in the world, Qatarwhich sells its fuel under long-term contractsconsiders current prices unhealthy for both producers and consumers.

Spot LNG demand is already eroding at some Asian importers. Yet, China is buying whatever the price in an at all costs spree in order to prevent further power outages and factory closures that could slow its economic growth and worsen global supply chain bottlenecks.

Over the next few months, the two key factors for spot LNG prices in Asia will be whether China will continue to pay for energy supply whatever the cost, and how cold the winter will be.

Related: The Real Reason OPEC+ Refused To Boost Production Further Chances are that Chinese companies will seek additional LNG cargoes on the spot market, especially in a colder-than-normal winter like last year. But other importers such as India and Pakistan have already signaled their tolerance for high prices is limited.

This winter, we may see if Chinas energy demand in tight global energy markets will single-handedly support spot LNG demand.

Other LNG importers are definitely not okay with record-high spot prices. India, which currently gets around half of its LNG supply under long-term contracts, is looking to make more such deals to avoid spot price spikes, petroleum secretary Tarun Kapoor told local outlet Economic Times.

Pakistan, for its part, is likely to slash spot LNG purchases this winter to avoid the record-high prices, which could result in a gas crisis in the country, Pakistani outlet The Express Tribune reports.

Utilities in Asia are switching from gas to oil, as Asia has more flexibility in burning oil at power plants than Europe, where steep carbon regulations limit European utilities from burning oil, Rystad Energy said last week.

If the gap between LNG and oil prices remains wide, Asia is set to boost oil demand by 400,000 barrels per day on average over the next two quarters, Rystad Energy said in a report.

Related: WTI Oil Price Breaks $80 For The First Time Since 2014

Natural gas prices have already reached the level which destroys demand and growth, Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank, wrote in a commentary this week.

While no shortages have yet been detected, the market is currently being driven by panic and increasingly worse market conditions with regards to the level of liquidity, Hansen said.

Without a response from producers, the only other option is for prices to reach levels that triggers demand destruction, and that is the phase we have now entered, he added.

How high spot Asian LNG prices could go may largely depend on how high the European gas price benchmark at the Dutch TTF hub will rise, traders told Argus this week.

If this winter is anything like last winters colder than usual temperatures both in Asia and Europe, all bets are off. Demand for LNG will likely jump as utilities in China, Japan, and South Korea may have to go spot shopping in the coldest months of the year, pushing high prices even higher.



By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Six years ago today, a dedication ceremony of the Umonhon sculpture series was held at Fontenelle Park in Omaha.

The city of Omaha took its name from the "Umonhon" Tribe, whose ancestral home was eastern Nebraska. And Fontenelle Park was named for an Omaha chief, Logan Fontenelle, the grandson of Chief Big Elk.

The four-piece sculpture series, created by Omaha artist Trudy Swanson, celebrates the history and culture of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. The sculptures are positioned at the four directional points of Fontenelle Park, which is south of Ames Avenue between 42nd and 48th Streets. The artwork can be found along the walking trail and features information about the tribe and the parks namesake.

The sites also offer different vantage points of the park, notable for its rolling hills and a sizable lagoon at the north end.

Every single one of them you can just look out and see the most beautiful view of the park, Swanson said.

The daylong, public dedication began at 5 a.m. with a flag-raising by the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, followed by a traditional cedaring ceremony at 6 a.m. Lunch was served at noon, with dancing by Omaha Tribe members from 1 to 4 p.m.
Do we have courts for lay people and courts for people of privilege? Its a good question, said McChesney, who clerked for judges for nearly two decades before she became an attorney 10 years ago. Its my experience that the expectation that courts be open is taken seriously. We have an above-reproach bench who does not take sealing records lightly.

Attorneys sometimes try to keep court filings quiet while bemoaning that courthouses are the worst places to try to keep a secret. The irony of Paynes efforts to seal: It is doubtful that Nebraska court observers would have noticed his divorce filing, even without the sealing. It was filed as Constantine A. Payne vs. Maria K. Payne. Payne goes by his middle name, Alexander.

The World-Herald was sent a copy of the filings in the case. It is not clear who originally leaked them.

As in most cases, the filings arent tawdry. Courts have long since turned to no-fault divorces, where it doesnt matter who, if anyone, was in the wrong. Both Marias filing and Alexanders filing give no reason for the divorce, other than the standard language of irreconcilable differences and the marriage being irretrievably broken.

Heres where the divorce gets unusual:
Take a closer look at Nebraska's highest prison populations in 2019 (by % operational capacity).

A nonprofit thats been collecting and analyzing a trove of criminal justice data has made presentations to Nebraska officials who may use the information to shape solutions addressing critical issues in the states prison system. So far though, the content of those presentations, made in closed-door meetings, has not been made public despite requests, prompting concern from Nebraskas leading civil liberties advocacy organization.

The working group formed earlier this year after state leaders successfully applied for funding to address challenges facing Nebraskas state prisons, which are among the most overcrowded in the U.S. The group, which is receiving technical assistance from the nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute, intends to use the findings to prepare for legislative and administrative actions in 2022.

While participants have provided updates on the process when asked, their actual findings have not been disclosed.

The group of over a dozen officials  which spans branches of government and multiple levels of the justice system  is not considered a public body, according to Gov. Pete Ricketts spokesperson Taylor Gage.

This week, Ricketts called the current part of the process the data collection stage.
Two Nebraska inmates who tested positive for COVID-19 died in as many days.

A man in his 40s died at an Omaha hospital Saturday, according to a press release from the Nebraska Department of Corrections. The inmate was sentenced for first-degree domestic assault in Lancaster County.

The inmate tested positive for COVID-19 before being hospitalized.

On Friday, an inmate in his 30s, serving a sentence for first-degree sexual assault out of Douglas County, died at an Omaha hospital, according to Corrections. He, too, had tested positive for COVID-19.

The exact cause of death for both men has not been determined. Both had underlying medical conditions, according to Corrections.

Corrections is withholding the inmates names to protect their families and privacy.

The two deaths follow that of an inmate in his 40s on Tuesday at a Lincoln hospital. The inmate, who was sentenced in Lancaster County, had tested positive for COVID-19.

A grand jury will conduct investigations into the deaths, as is required any time an inmate dies in custody.

As of Friday, there were 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases in state prisons, according to Corrections.
Its not just poverty. Kids raised in stable homes without a revolving door of new adult partners for their parents and new stepsiblings (actual or de facto) for themselves are healthier physically and psychologically. They are less likely to struggle in school, get in trouble with the law, engage in risky behaviors or get depressed and commit suicide. The United States has the dubious distinction of having more children living with only one adult (23%) than any other nation on Earth. A Pew survey of 130 countries found that the global average is 7%.

This link between marriage and good outcomes for children is so robust that scholars across the political divide agree on it, though they may differ on what to do about it, or about whether it is even possible to do anything about the growing percentage of children growing up in single-parent homes.

Government efforts to encourage marriage, such as those undertaken by the George W. Bush administration, were well-intentioned flops. They included funding for programs that offered counseling for new mothers on the virtues of marriage as well as couples therapy and public service announcements featuring celebrities. The divorce/unwed parenting numbers didnt respond. (Divorce has been trending down since its peak in 1980, but the percentage of children growing up in single-parent homes has not decreased due to the rise of unwed childbearing.)
Another area the court will reopen for consideration is gun rights. From 1791, when the Second Amendment was ratified, until 2008, not one federal, state or local gun regulation was struck down. But the court in 2008 declared unconstitutional a Washington, D.C., ordinance that prohibited private ownership or possession of handguns. The 5-4 opinion in District of Columbia v. Heller, written by Justice Antonin Scalia, said that the Second Amendment protects a right to have guns in the home for the sake of security.

This term, the court could expand gun rights beyond the landmark Heller case. In New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, to be argued on Nov. 2, the justices will consider the constitutionality of a New York statute that requires a person seeking a permit to carry a concealed weapon outside the home show a need to do so for self-defense. The five most conservative justices  in their opinions in Supreme Court cases or as appellate judges  have expressed strong support for limiting government regulation of firearms. In the New York case, the question is how far the court will go in this direction.
The two new 2022 medical cannabis initiatives work together to end the policy of treating patients like criminals. Under our proposal, a patient would not be put in jail for using medical cannabis if their doctor recommends it.

Opponents can point to the failures of the federal government all they want. But its our laws in Nebraska that put patients in jail. Its our taxpayer money that funds the enforcement of our cruel cannabis laws. We believe its time to align Nebraskas cannabis laws with Nebraskas values, which means protecting, not arresting, people who are suffering.

Keep it controlled

I understand some peoples need for medical marijuana. All I would ask is that the state would look closely at what is happening in Oklahoma. It is totally out of control. If I needed it for medicinal purposes, I would want to know the product was safe from being laced with some other substance. To do that, it would mean the state would have to have a tight control on the growers to ensure it was safe. Inspection of facilities and product, vetting of growers and employees, some control over packaging and distribution. Colorado and Iowa probably have some experience in those areas.
"We're under an avalanche. No one can hear us, and we can't hear each other."

That's my friend, David Trahan. He's a logger in Waldoboro, Maine. He's also a former Republican senator in the state Legislature and leads the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. Trahan and SAM represent the interests of 300,000 Maine people who hunt, fish and trap in the state's vast woods, rivers and lakes. SAM is also Maine's leading advocate in defense of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Under an avalanche. Trahan is talking about the 2020 U.S. Senate race between incumbent Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Sarah Gideon. In a mostly rural state with a small population, billionaires, corporations, some big unions and various front groups from Washington, D.C., and a few other cities spent more than $200 million to bury Maine voters in a relentless sleaze bomb attack of division, disinformation and fear. The dirty game was completely bipartisan, and a snapshot of what Americans in every state are facing. Indeed, at $200 million, Maine did not even make it into the top five of big-money Senate elections.

Trahan has become a leader in American Promise's constitutional amendment campaign to fix this problem for good. Like most Americans, he wants an amendment to the U.S Constitution so we can have even-handed limits on how much money anyone can contribute or spend in elections.

Trahan was glad that Collins was re-elected. He has supported her for a long time. But his candidate's win does not make him any less concerned about the future of America without this American Promise amendment in the Constitution. And he has high hopes that Collins can help make it happen, and, he says, for good reason.

Collins has long believed that the power of a few people to use their money to control elections violates the equal rights of all Americans.

She was a leader in the passage of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act that limited the ability of billionaires, corporations, unions, foreign governments and other entities to run big money into elections through super PACs and "dark money" channels.

This bipartisan law now is defunct only because the Supreme Court struck it down  as well as many more state and federal anti-corruption laws  by fabricating a kooky new theory about the First Amendment. Corporate and big-money political operatives sold the court an idea that those with a lot of money  whether they are human beings, global corporations, big government unions, or dark money super PACs  have a "free speech" right to spend as much money as they want to get control of our government and officeholders  no matter the cost to other Americans.

Money is free speech? Corporations are people? So say the justices on the Supreme Court (none of whom has ever run for even local office, and few of whom have ever talked with a jury of Americans in a local or state courthouse).

Americans aren't buying the "money is speech" experiment, and for a simple reason. After a decade in the lab of American democracy, the experiment has been a catastrophe for the country. No one who can't afford the new price of admission for "speech" is feeling represented, respected or even connected with the elected politicians and government that results from the big-money attack game. Almost all of us now are "under the avalanche."

Early in her career, Collins put the counter-argument to this "money is free speech" theory. "Why should [the big money] matter, we are asked by those all too eager to equate freedom of speech with freedom to spend. It should matter because political equality is the essence of democracy, and an electoral system driven by big money is one lacking in political equality."

How money is used in elections goes to the heart of Americans' equal rights. All Americans, no matter how rich or how poor, have a right to participate in elections, be represented, have an opportunity to be heard, and to debate issues and candidates. These rights cannot be sold or bought because they belong to everyone. As Trahan says, "Money can't buy the deep love and passion we feel for the freedom our Constitution guarantees."

So, it's about equality, but as Trahan shows, it's about freedom, too. Our freedom; the freedom of every American. When only the richest individuals, the biggest corporations, or the most powerful unions or special interests are free, no one is free.

Freedom and equality. Too often we think of these as in opposition to each other. But freedom is our freedom, or it's no freedom. Freedom is not the same as individualism; instead, freedom follows from our equality as citizens and human beings in society, together.

If we are equal in the eyes of our Creator and our Constitution, our own freedoms must be reciprocal, and in relationship to each other. Freedom exists when citizens, all of whom have equal rights as each one has, can debate, argue and compete, over time, election after election, decision after decision, in the various perspectives of what make sound laws and healthy norms in our society.

In contrast to the justices, Collins learned this lesson in her Caribou, Maine, birthplace near the Canadian border, and over a long career in competitive politics and debate.

She and all New Englanders are familiar with nearly four centuries of local democracy in the town meeting, where all the community's citizens have a right to debate and together to decide budgets and priorities; crime and safety, environmental, zoning and business regulations; and everything else.

Collins once pointed to this experience to explain all you need to know about the First Amendment and money in politics. "Attend a town meeting," she said, "and you will observe an element of true democracy: People with more money do not get to speak longer and louder than people with less money."

The constitutional amendment favored by Trahan and so many Americans is advancing rapidly, with 22 states so far calling on Congress to act, and versions of amendment language competing in Congress to reach the two-thirds threshold. Legal experts, business and civic leaders, health care and faith leaders are joining the campaign. And a nonpartisan and diverse panel of experts convened by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences has endorsed the American Promise effort and urged ratification of this constitutional amendment no later than July 4, 2026.

July 4, 2026. What more fit way to honor America's hard, bumpy and fractious 250-year journey to freedom, equality and constitutional democracy than the ratification of a For Our Freedom Amendment so we can dig us out of the avalanche, and renew our promise?

Jeff Clements is the president of American Promise, which advocates for amending the Constitution to allow more federal and state regulation of money in politics.

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NORMAL  "Women united will never be defeated."

"My body, my choice."

"Keep your rosaries off my ovaries."

These were just some the chants announced by students, activists and community members who joined the women's march Saturday at the Illinois State University quad.

Zoe Meier, a junior at ISU studying biology and physiology, neuroscience and behavior, said she came up with the idea to organize the march "on a whim."

She said they were marching to show support for demonstrators "on the front lines" in Texas.

The nation's strictest abortion law  which prohibits abortions once cardiac activity is detected  was reinstated Friday night in the Lone Star State by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Associated Press reported.

Women's marches sprang up across the country on Oct. 2 in response to the "Texas Heartbeat Act." The march at ISU was originally scheduled for that date, but was postponed due to forecasts of storms in the area.

Meier also said Saturday's march was meant to build awareness and show people that women aren't going to give up their rights.

"It's important to show them that this next generation of lawmakers, doctors we're not going to sit back and take it  we're going to make a change," Meier said.

Deja Anise, a sophomore majoring in graphic design at ISU, said these marches are "super important because it shows that women will not lie down and take oppression."

"America is a patriarchal society where women's rights are determined by men who have no idea about women's anatomy, any idea of how the uterus functions," Anise said. "We don't even have a functioning sex-ed program in the United States."

To Anise, making legislation on women's bodies, "while simultaneously not doing anything to teach students or young people, especially young women, about their own bodies is a failure."

Bloomington resident and Ward 7 Ald. Mollie Ward, 54, said she marched on Saturday because "we shouldn't have to be having this conversation anymore."

She added she was there for her children and potential grandchildren  which she'd love to have some day, "but I want that to be a choice."

"I'm here so that my kids and grandkids don't have to be here in the future, marching," Ward continued.

"I want to live in a society where my daughter has the opportunity to make choices for her body, with freedom," she said.

Cecelia Long, co-chair of the Bloomington-Normal chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, and member of the Heartland College Board of Trustees, was also at the event.

Long said the abortion law in Texas is "prehistoric."

"It feels like we're living in a time where choice is really important," Long said, "and especially for women, and trans and queer and people of color to have a voice in how they're treated, and the services and the resources that they have access to."

Long said it's unacceptable for people to not have a choice, especially when it comes to health care.

"It's just kind of infuriating to see, continually, people in positions of power making decisions that don't even have an impact on them, and yet they feel so strongly about it because it threatens their sense of being," Long said.

She also said it's ridiculous to think that people who advocate for pro-life policies don't consider the whole lifespan of an individual.

"It's a lifelong trauma to not have access to the things that you need," Long said, "and to grow up in a home that wasn't equipped to be able to provide for you."

Long said she's also part of Socialist Feminist Working Group that meets for different community projects, and offers education pieces that "uplift women, and trans and queer and people of color."

After the event, Meier said she was happy with the turnout and "we did exactly what we came here to do."

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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DANVILLE  Jelani Day and his family never hung up the phone without saying I love you.

Speaking before a packed auditorium at Danville High School, the memory of the last conversations they shared with the 25-year-old echoed with that common thread of love.

Days family, loved ones and the communities who loved him at every stage of his life gathered Saturday afternoon to celebrate the life of the Illinois State University graduate student, two weeks after a LaSalle County coroner identified a body pulled from the Illinois River as his.

His older brother Seve Day remembered Jelani making fun of him, calling him turtle and singing the Franklin theme song at him. The teasing, he said, helped to build his confidence.

His eldest brother DAndre Day remembered the way Jelani walked into his bedroom, loudly exclaiming, Hello, hello, hello.

His older sister Dacara Bolden remembered Jelani coming into her house to drink all her juice and eat all the biscuits. She remembered his bear hugs that would eventually turn into you putting me in a headlock. And she remembered doing all she could to protect him even when he wanted to be the one to protect her.

His little sister Zena Day said they were like twins, but he still reminded her that he was the big brother, who made her laugh the hardest and made her tough, strong and confident.

But mostly they simply remembered.

Youre not going to forget his name because Im not going to let you, Carmen Bolden Day said of her son.

'You dont know who you messed with'

Jelani Day began working toward his masters degree in speech language pathology this summer in pursuit of his dream of becoming a doctor. He was reported missing from the Bloomington-Normal area Aug. 25. His body was found Sept. 4 and identified Sept. 23. A cause of death is pending further investigation and toxicology testing, police have said.

Bolden Day and her family pushed to bring his story national attention, working to find her son when he was missing and working to find out what happened to him now since his death was confirmed.

As long as Ive got breath in my body, Im going to find out what happened to my friend, said Brandon Jackson, a friend of Days from his time on the House Arrest 2 dance team at Alabama A&M University, where he completed a bachelors degree in communicative sciences and disorders.

That sentiment was repeated by nearly every person who spoke Saturday, with Days aunt Terri Davis saying, my sister is a fighter.  You dont know who you messed with.

Day was an active member of several university organizations during his time at AAMU and representatives from those organizations made resolutions dedicated to him during the service. They include: the National Alumni Association of AAMU  Chicago Alumni Chapter, House Arrest 2, 100 Black Men of Greater Huntsville and the Collegiate 100, Black Speech-Language Pathology Association and the Nu Epsilon chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

His fraternity brothers also held a short memorial service Saturday morning before the celebration of life, in which they said Days life was full of dedication and perseverance and their brotherhood extends beyond the grave.

'His name will be remembered'

Days cousins and other community members called him Dr. Jelani Day, honoring him with the title he worked so hard for.

Doctor  were going to give him that title, said Tammy Wilson, a member of Days church in Danville, Saints Synagogue Church of God in Christ, with applause filling the room. Were gonna put that honor on his name.

Paul Armond, a childhood friend of Days, said Day would always be in his heart and told the crowd Day had been working to be a doctor and speech therapist so he could help people like me who have trouble talking.

Jazmyn Thomas, a staff member at ISU, read a poem she wrote in honor of Day, called I see Jelani Day. She described him as irreplaceable and said when Black men move their tassels and toss their graduation caps in the sky, my eye will see Jelani.

Smiles and laughter were as present as the grief-laden tears throughout the nearly four-hour service.

A choir of community members performed several songs, because as Bolden Day said, her son loved music. His four siblings took a turn behind the mic with support from the choir and throughout the service, the joyful music reinforced the celebration, as the singing and clapping extended from the stage into the audience, where many rose to their feet, raising their hands in praise.

Day will be buried Monday at Springhill Cemetery. Bolden Day said they will lay her son to rest, but Im not going to rest. I cant rest because I dont know what happened to Jelani.

Days father, Seve Day said he was grateful for the 25 years he had with his son, but I hurt. I will continue to hurt when this is all over.

His family remembered Day as a debater, protector, lover and a God-fearing man.

He is not ordinary, Davis said of her nephew. His name will be remembered. His name shall ring forever. His name is Jelani Jesse-Javontae Day.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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BETHALTO  An 18-year-old has been charged in an August crash that killed three members of a southwestern Illinois family.

Prosecutors recently charged Blake A. Jones of Worden. Madison County authorities alleged he had been driving under the influence of alcohol when he ran a stop sign on Aug. 13 and struck a vehicle carrying 55-year-old John A. Cafazza, 52-year-old Melissa R. Cafazza and 12-year-old Dominic J. Cafazza. They were all pronounced dead at the scene.

Jones faced multiple counts of reckless homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in death, among other charges. He turned himself in to authorities and was being held on $1 million bail.

It was immediately unclear if he had an attorney. A listed phone number could not be located Sunday.

"The loss of John, Melissa, and Dominic has been a terrible tragedy for the entire community," said Madison County State's Attorney Thomas Haine in a statement. "Our office will work to ensure justice is served for the Cafazza family."

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A liquor license for the state's first nonalcoholic brewery has been approved by the Naperville Liquor Commission but the project can only move forward if the Naperville City Council increases the city's limit on breweries from three to four.
Romeo Richlove Kweku Seshie won the Banking and Finance category at this years 40 under 40 awards. Last year he won, and he won this year too. This will be the second time he picked up banking and finance at the 40 under 40 back to back.



He has played a key role in preparing senior management strategic plans, providing financial analysis and leadership, spearheaded and implemented balanced and sound strategies while ensuring financial stability at Quick Credit.

Romeo is an astute Finance Management personnel and motivated Professional Accountant, Auditor and Financial Analyst with over 10 years experience in the industry.



Romeo is currently spearheading another transition of the business which will see a major facelift in the year 2022 after regulators have signed off all appropriate documentations and playing a key role in the deployment of Quick Credits business model in other African countries like Uganda,Tanzania,Liberia,sierra leone ,Kenya as the chief operations officer under the leadership of RichardNii Armah Quaye and Kobby Tuyee Awuah.



In 2020, during the pandemic, the company experienced a transition from branches to a branchless institution operating remotely across the country.



Through his leadership the business now has over 700 direct employees.



Romeo RichLove Kweku Seshie was awarded for his outstanding contribution during the pandemic by the West Africa Regional Business Excellence Awards.



Under his leadership, through innovative loan scheme and great service to the small and medium business enterprise, Quick Credit won the SME Company of the Year at Ghana Business Awards 2020, and also won best innovation in Financial Inclusion Loan Service Provider at the Global Business Outlook Awards 2020.



Romeo is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountant Ghana (ICAG).



He holds a Masters degree in Finance from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and has a degree in Accounting and Information Systems from Regent University College of Science and Technology. He has a Higher National Diploma in Accounting from Accra Polytechnic; and also Advanced Executive Certificate in Financial Management from Leadership and Entrepreneurial Training Center, Tema.



He is a Certified Credit Administrator from National Banking College, Accra, and also a Certified Tally Accounting Software Administrators from I.P.M.C. Currently, Romeo is a Finalist at the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana, and also a Finalist at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)-UK. Romeo enrolled at Central University, completed LLB, student member of chartered institute of bankers, Ghana.



Romeo us serving on the board of Quick Angels limited, Quick holdings and dough-man foods ltd



He is a native of keta-Dzelukope and Anyako and went to Keta Business Secondary School at Keta in the Volta Region.



About Quick Credit-

Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit Limited is an award-winning Micro-Credit institution in Ghana with a customer-centric culture managed by an experienced team with diverse portfolios in financial services.



Over the last decade, Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit has lived its mission of supporting small businesses to grow through our loan support or with our loan scheme service.



Quick Credit is a lending institution with a strong centered customer centric relation to enhance sustainability and impactful mutual growth.



Currently, over 80,000 Ghanaians have access to Quick Credit .The business intends to become a leading credit service provider in Ghana and beyond that will provide recognized excellence service to our cherished clients.



The company has transitioned into branchless operations using mobile money and direct bank transfer as the medium and mode of disbursement and repayments.



Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit Limited was incorporated on 9th December 2011. We are licensed by the Bank of Ghana to operate as a Lending Institution under the Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFI) Act. Our Head Office is located at No. 14 Ring Road Central, Adjacent Provident Towers.

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Chief Executive Officer of First Finance Company Limited, Gloria Akoto has won an honorary award in the pensions category at the just ended Forty under 40 Achievers Awards held at Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra.



Forty under 40 Awards is an initiative from Xodus Communications Limited which seeks to identify, honour and celebrate a cross-section of the nations most influential and accomplished young business leaders under the age of forty from a wide range of industries.



The prestigious award is a recognition of her dedication and commitment to building the financial sector as well as being highly respected in advocating for best practices in the field.



Speaking to the media after receiving the awards, Gloria Akoto expressed gratitude to her family, friends, staff, and clients for their commitment to pushing the vision and mission of the company.



"I am very excited about this award, I thank my husband, the Board, Shareholders, and the Staff. I dedicate this to our valued clients as we celebrate customer service week.



Gloria Akoto took the opportunity to call on on the public to make adequate plans early towards their retirement in other to have a comfortable retirement. She further said various goals needed to be set towards various investment goals instead of lumping all investment needs into one. She further mentioned that Mutual Funds are a sure way to create wealth.





First Finance Company Limited is an Asset Management company licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission Ghana. The company launched two mutual funds at the time that the Asset Management industry was going through a restructuring exercise by the regulator.



Gloria has expertise is in Retirement Planning and Financial Advisory. She also engages the public through her blog and podcasts Gloriaempowers on all social media platforms.



First Finance Company CEO @gloriaempowers wins best in Pension Award at 40 Under Forty Awards.



Mrs. Gloria Akoto thanked her husband, the Board, Shareholders, and the Staff. She dedicated the all-important award to the value customers as we celebrate customer service week.



Follow her page @gloriaempowers or www.gloriaempowers.com/podcast for all your wealth management, financial advice, and pensions/retirement planning needs

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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" " Agnostics and atheists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Freethought Festival hold a rally for the separation of church and state outside the Wisconsin State Capitol. Box5/Getty Images

The "rise of the nones" it is called  the rapid increase in Americans with no religious beliefs that has taken place in the last decade or so. When Pew's Religious Landscape Study came out in 2015, it showed that the percentage of atheists in America had doubled from 1.6 in 2007 to 3.1 in 2014. Meanwhile, the percentage of agnostics had also doubled from 2.4 to 4.0. But what's the difference between agnostics and atheists? Is agnosticism just "atheism-lite"?

People choose to identify as religiously agnostic for a variety of personal reasons  philosophical, psychological, theological or even political. But it's wrong to think of all agnostics as "spiritual fence-sitters," unwilling to state whether they believe or don't believe in God. True agnosticism, it turns out, has nothing to do with belief at all.

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Agnosticism Defined

The term "agnosticism" was first coined by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), a fierce defender of Charles Darwin against religious critics who accused him of denying God's role in creation. As a scientist, Huxley didn't bother himself with "beliefs." He sought after the truth. And the truth of any proposition  that God created the vast diversity of nature or that it evolved from natural selection  could only be proven by the evidence.

Huxley said that agnosticism itself wasn't a "creed" or set of beliefs, but a principle, namely "that it is wrong for a man to say he is certain of the objective truth of a proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty."

The word itself was a combination of "a" (against or opposite) and "gnosticism," which comes from a Greek word meaning "knowledge." Gnosticism was a religious movement that flourished in the first and second centuries, that held, among other things, that the spirit world was good and the material world was evil. And although the principle of agnosticism doesn't exclusively apply to the question of God's existence  you can be agnostic about any proposition  it's been wrapped up in religion since the beginning. Huxley wrote a friend in 1860:

"I neither affirm nor deny the immortality of man. I see no reason for believing it, but, on the other hand, I have no means of disproving it... Give me such evidence as would justify me in believing in anything else, and I will believe that."

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The Difference Between Agnosticism and Atheism

Atheism, according to its classical definition, is the lack of belief in God. (Whether that "God" is the biblical, Judeo-Christian God or some other "higher power" is a separate question.) The opposite of atheism is theism, the belief that God exists. Atheism and theism are "metaphysical claims," says Paul Draper, a professor at Purdue University who specializes in the philosophy of religion, because they deal with a fundamental question of the nature of reality.

Agnosticism, on the other hand, doesn't take a position on whether God exists. Instead, it takes a position on whether or not we can know if God exists. This, Draper explains, is an "epistemological" question, not a metaphysical one (epistemology is the study of knowledge). Agnosticism claims that we cannot know if God does or does not exist, because there's no compelling evidence that either proposition is true. At least not yet.

You might think that agnosticism is nothing more than a handy way to dodge the question of whether you believe in God. Instead of saying yes or no, the agnostic chooses a third position: neither.

But this is where things can get hairy, explains Draper, who wrote the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Atheism and Agnosticism. "People get so angry about this," he says, referring to testy exchanges between atheists and agnostics online. "The atheists will say, 'You call yourself an agnostic but you're really an atheist!'"

And you can see the atheists' point. At face value, it seems like there's a razor thin line between saying "I don't see any evidence that God exists" and "I don't believe that God exists." But the truth is that you can be an agnostic and an atheist, just as you can be an agnostic and a believing Christian (or Buddhist or Muslim). That's because agnosticism, as its core, is separate and unrelated to questions of faith. Let's explain.

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Agnostic Theism?

Agnostics are nearly always lumped together with atheists as a type of "non-believer." The Pew Research Center, defined religious "nones" as being either atheists, agnostics or not affiliated with any particular religion. But the fact is, you can be agnostic and also a true-believing, church-going religious dude.

"You could believe that God exists but not think you have enough evidence to make a knowledge claim," says Draper. In other words, you could believe on faith that God exists, but ascribe to the agnostic position that God's existence cannot be proven by physical evidence or rational arguments.

Such a person would be an agnostic theist. There's even a school of theology called apophatic theology that claims that God is inherently unknowable. Thomas Aquinas, the 13th-century philosopher and theologian, wrote, "Now we cannot know what God is, but only what God is not; we must therefore consider the ways in which God does not exist, rather than the ways in which God does."

While it's technically true that you can be both an agnostic and a faithful believer, it's far more common for agnostics to highly doubt the existence of God, even if they can't ultimately prove it. Bertrand Russell, the brilliant British philosopher and mathematician, wrote an excellent treatise on agnosticism in which he explained why the agnostic and atheist positions often overlap:

"The agnostic suspends judgment, saying that there are not sufficient grounds either for affirmation or for denial. At the same time, an agnostic may hold that the existence of God, though not impossible, is very improbable; he may even hold it so improbable that it is not worth considering in practice. In that case, he is not far removed from atheism. His attitude may be that which a careful philosopher would have towards the gods of ancient Greece. If I were asked to prove that Zeus and Poseidon and Hera and the rest of the Olympians do not exist, I should be at a loss to find conclusive arguments. An agnostic may think the Christian God as improbable as the Olympians; in that case, he is, for practical purposes, at one with the atheists."

As we said at the beginning, the reasons for identifying as agnostic are myriad and different for every person. Draper, who has participated in high-profile debates with Christian philosophers, calls himself a "local atheist" and "global agnostic."

"I'm an atheist about the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God," says Draper. "I'm agnostic about God in a broader sense. Is there some being that qualifies for the title God? There could be such a thing."

Learn more about agnosticism in "Agnosticism and Christianity and Other Essays" by Thomas Henry Huxley. You may also like "Why I am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects" by Bertrand Russell. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale.

Now That's Interesting According to Pew, 72 percent of religious nones  a group that includes atheists and agnostics  believe in a "high power."
CAMBRIDGE  Single-engine aircraft buzzed overhead Saturday as the Cambridge Valley Flying Club held its first Aviation Day since October 2019.

The popular event, which offers rides in members airplanes and a destination for pilots around the region, is usually held twice a year, during the Cambridge Balloon Festival in June and on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend. The 2020 events and this years balloon festival were canceled due to the pandemic.

The turnout is very good, flying club secretary George Gracey said Saturday. Were seeing an amazing number of kids. We like that. Everyone wants to take their grandchildren up for a flight.

Aviation Day serves several purposes, Gracey said. It fosters good relationships with the community, he said. Donations for the sightseeing flights and proceeds from food sales in one of the hangars go to a scholarship fund, given annually to a graduating senior at Cambridge Central School.

When the weather is good, pilots may come from as far away as Maine and Buffalo, Gracey said. On Saturday, the weather was bad along the coast, which probably discouraged some people.

Were in a pocket of decent weather right now, he said.

The Cambridge Valley Flying Club started in 1960 on land owned by local farmer and pilot George Chapin.

We were farmers with airplanes, Gracey said of that first group of members. The club has just grown over the years.

The Chapin family still owns the land, and the club pays rent, Gracey said.

Membership stands at 34, with around 25 aircraft stationed at the field.

We gained membership during COVID, Gracey said. During the shutdowns, (flying) was the only thing it was legal to do. Four or five people got (pilots) licenses this year. Usually its one or two.

Eli Robertson, a Cambridge Central School graduate, earned his pilots license at Chapin Field. I used to come here as a kid and watch people like George fly their planes, Robertson said. They took me under their wing. I used to bum rides.

Robertson soloed at 16 and earned his pilots license at 18. He taught flying while he studied aviation at Vermont Technical College. Now 21, he was recently hired as a pilot by Republic Airlines at its Washington, D.C. hub.

I fly here when Im home, Robertson said.

Many of the members aircraft are from the 1940s, when single-engine aircraft boomed. A few aircraft were built on-site by members.

We have two mechanics on the field. They stay busy, Gracey said.

Scott, who preferred not to give his last name, was answering questions about a bright orange biplane with light yellow wings.

Its a replica of a Waco from the 1920s, Scott said. Its basically a trainer.

Although the plane was built in the 1970s, its seven-cylinder engine was an original from the 1940s. The wings are tapered from the fuselage to the tip, making it a little more maneuverable and faster. The owner uses it for aerobatics, Scott said.

Greta Bitteker, of Bennington, Vermont, took advantage of the sightseeing flights for her first flight in a small plane.

It was really cool, she said. We flew over mountains and a cemetery. I like being up in the air. The pilot even let her take the controls for a minute, she said.

Marshall Bouchey, of Buskirk, was admiring a helicopter parked near one of the hangars.

I come every year, Bouchey said, shouting a bit as another helicopter touched down nearby. I like walking around and getting up close. Its always fun to talk to the pilots.

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The arm of a tyrant is never supported by justice, and therefore must fall.

 Joseph Warren

Following the Dutch surrender to the British, and New Amsterdam becoming New York, this area (now Warren County) was part of Albany County. Albany County was too huge, and even included part of Vermont, so it was subdivided. Our area then became part of Charlotte County, named after King George IIIs consort. In 1778, in the midst of our War for Independence, Charlotte County was renamed Washington County, in tribute to General George Washington. Still too big, in 1813, a new county was carved out of Washington County and was titled Warren County, after Dr. Joseph Warren. As you will see, Warren is a worthy county title.

The essay begins and ends with Warrens last day; the rest covers highlights of Warrens life that explain why his deeds and thoughts are deserving of our honor and remembrance. It was his leadership and scorching words that helped inspire a revolution.

On the 17th of June 1775, the Charles River and Boston beyond were swallowed by the metallic gray fog of war, and the pungent powdered air sat eerily still; only the rhythmic flashes of musket blasts made discernible the silhouettes of the few remaining rebels. Following two hours of intense fighting, exhausted, and with their ammunition drained, the patriots peered over their earthen-banked redoubt, knowing that this days third redcoat advance would be the last. Knowing their fate, these brave colonists volunteered to stay so that their fellow Colonial soldiers could live to fight another day. Among them sat Warren, his bayonet ready.

Warren was born on a farm just the other side of Bostons neck in Roxbury, on June 11, 1741.

His early bucolic life would have to become more focused, when, at just 14 years of age and in his first year at Harvard, his father, working an apple tree, fell and broke his neck. As the eldest of four, Joseph would now have to simultaneously endeavor to cope with the rigors of college and help his mother with family and farm.

Following his Harvard education and short teaching career in Roxbury, he pursued a medical career. Shortly after completing his apprenticeship and opening his own practice, he gained the respect of his fellow Bostonians by bravely volunteering to confront Bostons smallpox epidemic in 1764. At great risk to his own health, he administered inoculations to thousands, helping to stem the tide of this deadly disease.

Warrens shift towards addressing the growing political causes of the day was at first tempered and cautious. Parliaments 1765 Stamp Act, although repealed the following year, bruised an otherwise cordial relationship between the Colonies and their mother country. Despite the wrath felt by some because of the new taxs lack of Colonial representation, Warren was among most other colonists who maintained their strongly felt paternalistic bond with King George III (after whom Lake George was named). However, the King and Parliament remained adamant that the Colonies should help pay for the past war, called the French & Indian War in this hemisphere, and two years later imposed upon their 13 Colonies the Townshend Duties. Under pseudonyms, among them A True Patriot, Warren published articles in Bostons Gazette criticizing British attempts to tax and control the Colonies.

Respect for Warren was well established, so much so, he was granted the title of Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of St. Andrew in 1769. Given Bostons growing divide with the British, there is little doubt that Warren sided with his friend and this lodges secretary, silversmith Paul Revere, in plotting anti-tax strategies.

On March 5, 1770, Bostonian and Colonial anger grew deeper when British soldiers fired upon a Bostonian mob, killing five of them. This event, published by Bostonian newspapers, was headlined as the Boston Massacre, a publicity effort to emphasize the Mother Countrys stamping upon the Colonial spirit of liberty. As a result, anti-British bitterness feelings found wider appeal, and Warren was among them. No longer riding the fence, Warrens hostility toward the growing tide of British troops and British taxation became more public and more direct. He was asked to speak to the now infamous confrontation at the 1772 Boston Massacre anniversary, held in Bostons Old South Meeting House. Warren offered his oration, The Bloody Tragedy of the Fifth of March, denouncing taxation without representation and the presence of British troops in Boston. Warren was asked to offer his thoughts again in 1775 at the Massacres fifth anniversary. This time he wore a Roman-style toga, possibly as an appeal to the Greek Stoics focus on virtuous behavior and/or a disguise meant to thwart British authority intervention. Once in the pulpit, he warned of the countrys danger, saying, Our fathers having nobly resolved never to wear the yoke of despotism, and seeing the European world, at the time, through indolence and cowardice, falling a prey to tyranny, bravely threw themselves upon the bosom of the ocean, determined to find a place in which they might enjoy their freedom, or perish in the glorious attempt.

In 1773, the year his beloved wife, Elizabeth, died leaving him with four children, Warren likely helped to engineer the events we call the Boston Tea Party. The colonists loved their tea, be it smuggled from the Dutch or legally obtained from the British East India Company, until the British East India Company added a tax, a tax added without representation of the Colonies in Parliament. The Sons of Liberty, which included many names we associate with our Revolution for independence, like Samuel Adams, Benedict Arnold, Paul Revere, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, also included Dr. Joseph Warren. Although there is no known evidence that he dressed in Native American garb to cast chests of tea from the holds of Griffins Wharfs ships, Warren was likely a co-conspirator.

The following year, 1774, was pivotal in furthering Colonial opposition to gathering British controls over the Colonies. The Intolerable Acts, the Boston Port Act, the Quartering Act and the Massachusetts Government Act all helped give rise to the First Continental Congress and Massachusetts Provincial Congress. It was not long after his election to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress (the first Colonial government independent of the king) that Warren was appointed its pro tem president. To better assure escape from Loyalist surveillance, meetings were held in fellow patriot homes, Warren chairing the Suffolk Convention. Ink drawn from Warrens pen was barely dry when his Suffolk Resolves were endorsed by the First Continental Congress. The Suffolk Resolves decried the Crowns sabotage of the colonists hard-fought rights and liberties, opposed the blocking of Bostons harbor, advocated for the boycotting of imported goods unless the Intolerable Acts were repealed, and spoke to the fate of this New World, and unborn millions. This document helped to further catalyze patriot dissent and calls to action and elements of it can be seen in the Declaration of Independence. Also in 1774, he authored Free America, a song not as popular with loyalists as it was with Colonial dissidents.

As Colonial animosity toward the mounting presence of British soldiers grew, it was Warren, probably in his role as a Sons of Liberty leader, who, on the evening of April 18th, 1775, informed Paul Revere and William Dawes that the British were planning an expedition to search for weapons and supplies and dispatched Paul Revere to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock and the residents of Concord of the British plans (today known as the Midnight Ride). The next day came the Shot Heard Round the World, the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Warren was militarily active in hounding the British as they made their return from Concord, returning fire as a musket ball grazed his head. As the chairman of the Committee of Safety, he began to organize and arm a militia.

The young militia needed armaments. So, when Benedict Arnold communicated his plan to capture Fort Ticonderogas cannons and mortars, Warren championed the cause and helped gather the resources Arnold would need to carry out his plan. That May 10, Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allan took the fort. Unfortunately, Warren would not be present when, the following year, Henry Knox made his delivery to the Boston Patriots.

Not two months following Lexington and Concord, less than a week into his 34th year, and knowing of the depletion of his fellow defenders ammunition, Major General Joseph Warren joined the intense fighting atop a hill (later titled Breeds Hill) in the battle called Bunker Hill. It took the British three attempts to end this patriot siege of Boston, a Pyrrhic victory, as the War for Independence was now entrenched. Even though he was recently commissioned a major general and did not have to stay, and knowing his likely fate, Warren was among those few silhouetted rebels who faced the severest redcoat onslaught that 17th day of June 1775. He received a shot in the head.

His decision to stay and fight to the end helped guarantee that some militia would survive and be able to fight another day  and grow to become the force that would eventually defeat the Crowns hold over these 13 Colonies. It was Joseph Warrens brave pen, fiery oratory, guiding leadership and ultimate sacrifice that helped create a new nation, the United States of America. General Warren gave his life to assure our childrens independence and liberty. That is why we named our county Warren.

Editors note: Town of Queensbury Supervisor John Stroughs familiarity with Joseph Warren, the namesake of Warren County, began in 2013 when he volunteered to portray the activist and leader in the American Revolution as part of the countys bicentennial celebration. As Joseph Warren, he delivered a speech on the county municipal centers front steps, hosted the countys Bicentennial Banquet and delivered a biographical oration in first person. Since that time, he has given several presentations dressed as Warren, informing others as to his deeds and thoughts. This essay was written in support of ongoing efforts by Shane Newell and members of the Warren County Historical Society to create a center dedicated to Joseph Warren.

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ATLANTIC CITY  Chalk About AC brought residents across the city together Saturday to create artwork using chalk in the community.

Hosted by the Atlantic City Arts Foundation, the event, held for the seventh time, took place at Browns Park, but residents were encouraged to make chalk art all over the city.

It brings out the good of the community said Joyce Hagen, executive director of the Atlantic City Arts Foundation. Giving people who visit and live in Atlantic City something to look at, such as art, is what one of our goals as an organization are. Making this be the pinpoint of the community rather than the negative things you often hear about, she said.

Volunteers handed out free chalk and T-shirts to those in attendance.

Artists Amanda Auble, Amanda Klinger, and Devon Downes provided live chalk-art demonstrations. Members of the Atlantic City Fire Department also participated, handing out fire hats, teaching about fire safety and creating their own art.

I wanted my art to be interactive with the community Auble said.

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The name of her artwork was Atlantic City crowns you. If someone were to pose for a photo in front of it from above, Aubles artwork would crown them.
BRIDGETON  A woman accused of having killed her toddler son and telling police he had been kidnapped before his remains were found buried in the yard of her New Jersey home has rejected a plea offer and will face trial.

Nakira Griner, 27, of Bridgeton, initially told police in February 2019 that she had been attacked on the street and 23-month-old Daniel Griner Jr. had been abducted, authorities said. An intensive search began but the childs burnt remains were found the next day in the yard of her home, authorities said. An autopsy concluded that the child had been beaten to death and had multiple bone fractures.

Griner appeared in court Friday for a pre-trial conference during which the allegations were summarized and the prosecution detailed a plea offer with a recommendation of a 30-year prison term in exchange for a guilty plea on the murder charge. Appearing by video from jail, Griner declined that plea offer in favor of trial, NJ.com reported.

After claiming an abduction, Griner later told police that the child accidentally fell down a flight of stairs in the family home, authorities said. Prosecutors allege that she said in phone calls from jail  which are to be presented at trial  that she did what she did to him to cover up bruising on his body.
Cumberland County officials also outlined this month a bid for a neighborhood outreach service, one they say will be paid for by funds from the ARA.

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In addition to the money going to Atlantic County government, the countys 23 municipalities received a combined $58 million in relief money. The largest piece of that funding went to Atlantic City, which received more than $32 million.

The city is set to use $4 million to give taxpayers a one-time payment of $500 and city employees a stipend of up to $3,500.

Governments accepting the money are under some time constraints and restrictions; funds must be slotted for use by December 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

The limits on the first-year spending were far more strict, Sippel said. But Lower Township had a variety of increased expenses related to the pandemic, from personal protective equipment for police and others to sterilizing offices and vehicles.

Sippel said he also used the emergency contact system Nixle to give residents weekly updates on the pandemic, which he said was an added and unexpected expense. He still uses the system to keep residents updated on the pandemic, but now only sends messages about once a month.
Before the walkers headed out, the group heard speeches from local religious leaders and elected officials.

Here today, we are trying to accomplish great things, eradicating hatred, Rabbi Jonathan Kremer of Shirat Hayam in Ventnor told the crowd. Too many Americans are consumed or contorted by hatred, hatred fed by the fire of fear. Fear of those unlike themselves, those who may not be the same color, religion, national origin, who may not share political beliefs. All of that generates fear, which generates hatred.

Officer-In-Charge James Sarkos emphasized the police departments dedication to handling biased crimes.

I want everyone to know that the Atlantic City Police Department treats biased crimes very seriously, Sarkos said. Well make sure that justice prevails and that those people who commit these heinous crimes are held accountable ... hate has no place in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, the state of New Jersey or our country.

A report from the FBI that was released in August showed that in 2021, more than 10,000 Americans reported being a victim of a hate crime due to their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion or disability. This is the highest number of reported hate crimes in 12 years.

I really wish that we didnt have to walk against hate, but the reality is that we do, Third Ward Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said. We have to do more in our country to push back against the forces of hate and division. And its very important that we dont only get together when its a traumatic scene, when there isnt something negative that happened. Lets walk in unity.

Contact Molly Shelly: 609-272-7241 mshelly@pressofac.com Twitter @mollycshelly

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You will not be able to see any of the parking from the street, Mita said. It will all be valet parking, he said, with deliveries made from the inside.

Mita, of Ocean City, owns ICONA Resorts and the home construction company Achristavest. At the council meeting, he sought to paint a picture of bygone luxury, describing the project in terms of the lost elegance of the past with contemporary amenities.

Cape May was once home to unrivaled grand hotels, he said.

He described retail on the ground floor of the proposed new construction, to house restaurants, cafes and other businesses, and a ballroom on the second floor, and a restaurant with water views.

There will also be a four-story town home as part of the plan, Mita said.

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The Beach Theatre dates from 1950, and was at one time considered an innovative design with a line of retail shops in front of the theater itself, according to a description at preservationnj.org.

When Frank Investments, the owners at the time, announced plans to close the theater more than a decade ago, several local advocates started the Beach Theatre Foundation in hopes of preserving the building, even renting the theater for a time in an attempt to possibly lure a developer who would keep the theater open.
Fran Kuhn, executive director of the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board, shared similar beliefs.

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I do think its a combination of several different components, Kuhn said. Part is that people are still uncomfortable and anxious about getting back out there and exposing themselves and their families to the risk (of COVID-19) that is there. And a lot of people had the opportunity to evaluate their own situations and have done that comfortably because of the unemployment benefits, but some of them are in a position to decide whether they want to continue on a certain career path.

Kuhn said the lack of interest in job fairs held by some of the resorts casinos speaks to the way the pandemic has changed peoples perspective when it comes to the unpredictability of the hospitality and tourism industry.

Pre-pandemic, Hard Rock would have thousands of people lined up on the Boardwalk to get the interview, Kuhn said. In the same situation now, you see 120 people lined up for way more than 120 jobs. It seems like there is a lack of real enthusiasm to pursue the hospitality tourism jobs ... also, that industry, while its a staple, is one of the lower paying wages in a lot of respects.
Doubtful O.C. police

can handle juveniles

Regarding the recent story, Ocean City police chief eyes restructured department:

The article was an excellent read. I am an Ocean City resident and former law enforcement officer in Philadelphia.

I attended the town hall meeting held by Chief Prettyman at the Tabernacle prior to the summer season discussing the new marijuana laws in New Jersey and the issues dealing with them and juvenile use and underage drinking. Mayor Gillian was pacing in the rear of the facility where I was standing. I found the presentation to be weak and full of holes. Being an officer in Ocean City is a dream job and an honor, being the chief is demanding but rewarding. Appointing another captain and a deputy tells me he is not capable of leading. Philadelphia is a perfect example of this today.

The problem in Ocean City is that the chief and mayor refuse to admit there is crime here and refuse to inform the residents when it occurs. This creates doubt and uncertainty in the minds of residents and people rely on local social media sites to obtain information and rumors take over. Officers have a tough job and are constantly tested; when they see the hiring of more command staff and fewer full time patrol officers they must shake their heads, especially veteran officers.
Russia has long since seized eastern Crimea in Ukraine. The United Nations did nothing, yet its job is to stop violations of territorial sovereignty. But the U.N. cannot act as the Russians hold veto power on the Security Council.

There is a solution, one originally proposed in the 1950s by two international experts, Arthur Holcombe and Quincy Wright. We need to dust off their plan and look at it as a way to strengthen the resistance of democratic nations to aggression. Their idea is to create a mutual security federation within the U.N. This group would provide soldiers and military assistance to any country judged the victim of aggression by a two-thirds vote of the Security Council and the General Assembly. This plan would avert a stalemate where one of the five permanent members of the Security Council (U.S., France, Russia, China, Britain) can veto any action by the others.

Those nations that did not want to furnish or accept aid could refuse to sign the Holcombe-Wright plan, yet remain in the U.N. Those signing on would enforce the will of the two-thirds majority. Thus, despite Russia, the U.N. could operate as an effective organization for peace in Crimea. Now it cannot, and the U.S. and the world need a way to work toward preventing and stopping aggression.
CHICAGO - At least nine people were shot in overnight attacks citywide after a 2-year-old girl and three people attending funeral services in the Englewood neighborhood were wounded earlier, Chicago police said.

The most recent shooting happened shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday in the South Loop neighborhood in the 1300 block of South Michigan Avenue, police said. A 20-year-old woman and her boyfriend were traveling in a vehicle when three people in another vehicle opened fire, striking her in the left elbow, authorities said. She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where her condition was stabilized.

Shortly after 3:30 a.m. in the Park Manor neighborhood, a 37-year-old man was walking in the 7100 block of South Langley Avenue when he heard shots and saw he had a gunshot wound in his foot, authorities said. He was taken to the U. of C. Medical Center where he was listed in good condition.

Shortly before 2:30 a.m. a shooting erupted during an argument inside a West Side apartment building in the 1100 block of North Central Park Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood, police said. A 28-year-old man was shot in the lower backside and leg during the argument and took himself to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in fair condition. The person who shot him was not in custody, police said.
What is wrong with this world?

Im sure youve asked yourself that question, or something like it, in recent days. Why is everything going awry? How did we come to such a confluence of threats, dangers, and apparently insoluble problems?

I know that, over my long life, Ive never known a time when everyone seems to be stressed and overwrought by so many things. Even during the all-encompassing World War II, the problem we faced was a single one: defeating aggressive fascism; and we solved that one with a long, bloody, military victory.

Now, we cant seem to come up with a coordinated answer to anything: climate, covid, inequality, and a disintegrating democracy, among dozens of other, semi-related threats. Many refuse even to recognize our difficulties, retreating into fantasies rather than face facts.

Perhaps the question should be redirected. We should probably ask, whats wrong with us? The world is simply reacting to our behavior, which we appear unable to control. Its not that we havent the brains and ability to understand our problems; we just seem unable to get together to do something about them.
I am increasingly disturbed by what I call mask apartheid. If you have attended a conference or public event recently, you may have noticed it: The wealthier attendees are not usually wearing masks, but the poorer servers and staff almost always are.

Even if the attendees are wearing masks at the beginning, the masks come off once they start wining and dining  and they usually dont go back on. Isnt this a sign that mask-wearing is no longer so essential? At the very least, it sends a mixed message: If you want to be comfortable eating and drinking with your peers, its OK to take off your mask  but its not OK if you want to be comfortable serving food, carrying heavy trays and describing the dessert menu.

Yes, there are reasons for this difference  for one, you cant eat or drink with a mask on  but, just as surely, that difference is unfair. And that unfairness is heightened by the reality that, at least in the U.S., most of people who attend conferences or events tend to be White, wealthy and well-educated. The servers are often people of color and typically earn lower incomes. They are also hard workers. Are we really distributing the burden properly here?
The departments response seemed the most robust of all the local agencies, but it would not answer any questions about its data.

An East Moline official said the information that department provided was derived by using keywords to search old police reports. Moline was only able to provide a total number of use of force incidents for each year without detailing which types of force were used

Given the inconsistencies and gaps in data, its hard to make judgments about individual departments, especially in comparison with one another. Thats unfortunate. It is important that people be able to hold their local police departments accountable  and that, in part, is done by using data to compare them with others, especially those in the surrounding area.

Frankly, we think it would be a good step for our local police agencies to take the initiative and get together to come up with their own standardized method of reporting on this issue. They cooperate on a range of other things, this could be another one.

Ultimately, though, the federal government should use its leverage to ensure police agencies across the country accurately provide information about their use of force. Then that information ought to be shared with the people so they can make their own judgments  both about how force is used nationwide, and in their own states and communities.

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If you hoped grocery stores this fall and winter would look like they did in the Before Times, with limitless options stretching out before you in the snack, drink, candy and frozen foods aisles, get ready for some disappointing news.

Many of the country's biggest food makers are telling grocers that they will have limited quantities of a number of their products, including items such as Rice Krispies Treats, Sour Patch Kids, some Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors, McCormick gourmet spices and Marie Callender's pot pies because of labor, commodity and transportation constraints throttling supply chains, according to emails viewed by CNN and interviews with grocers. Some suppliers are also telling grocers to cancel their promotions of these items and more over the holidays so products won't disappear from store shelves as quickly.

These latest limits mean that stores won't have all things for all customers heading into the holidays, and shoppers may not be able to find some of their favorite products, flavors or niche items. But shoppers will still have plenty of options, including most of these companies' core products, which they are prioritizing over items in less demand  meaning, for instance, that if you're a fan of Ben & Jerry's popular Phish Food, you shouldn't have a problem, but the company's less-well known Cold Brew Caramel Latte might be harder to find.

Major food and consumer product manufacturers being short of supply on some items "will be a challenge in the grocery industry" in the final months of the year, said Steve Howard, vice president of merchandising at Bristol Farms, a grocery chain in California. Suppliers are warning the company of "potential shortages" of foods, glass jars and packaging containers. In response, Bristol Farms is working to bring in inventory "earlier than any other holiday ever," Howard said.

Purchase limits from manufacturers were rare before the pandemic and are creating "lesser than full conditions" for customers in Morton Williams stores, said Steve Schwartz, director of sales at the New York area chain. Morton Williams is trying to tap secondary suppliers when its primary vendors for food and household essentials can't fulfill orders.

"It's not your ideal situation," Schwartz said. Some customers have been forgiving when they are unable to find what they're looking for. But others "just want to know why they can't get their item."

Shortages at grocery stores are nowhere near as visible as they were at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, when shoppers flocked to stores to stockpile food and household staples. But supply in grocery store aisles has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and companies such as Costco and Sam's Club have recently reinstated purchase limits for customers on paper products and cleaning supplies.

Around 18% of beverages, 15% of frozen foods, 16% of snacks, 15% of candy and 18% of bakery items were out of stock at stores during the week ending on Oct. 3, according to the latest data from IRI, which tracks in-stock levels at leading US grocery chains, big box stores, pharmacies and wholesale clubs.

Before the pandemic, 7% to 10% of products were typically out of stock on shelves, according to IRI.

When supply is tight, manufacturers often eliminate some of their fringe items to focus on ramping up production of top-selling products, said Krishnakumar Davey, president of IRI's strategic analytics practice. They also tend to cut products that are more expensive to make, according to Davey.

'The new norm'

Some food brands are imposing allocations, or purchase caps, for certain products on grocery stores and distributors, while other vendors are warning more generally of limited availability. Suppliers typically put products on allocation when there are supply shortfalls.

The allocations have not been confined to one area of the country or a single type of retailer, said an executive at a leading regional wholesaler. Instead, they are happening nationally, according to the executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect the company's relationships with suppliers and other wholesalers. But the limits could pose particular challenges for independent grocers, who have raised concerns in the past year that suppliers prioritize larger competitors over small stores.

Kellogg told at least four grocery distributors last month in an email that Pringles Snacks Stacks, Eggo pancakes and MorningStar Farms plant-based hot dogs and bacon will be on allocation and Rice Krispies Treats snacks "will remain below service expectations" through the end of the year. The company also requested that stores cancel their promotions for Rice Krispies and Corn Pops cereal "to allow for recovery." Kellogg said in the email that it was experiencing "constraints" in capacity and packaging materials and labor pressure. (This was before 1,400 Kellogg cereal factory workers went on strike Tuesday.)

The four distributors shared the email with CNN Business on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing their relationships with suppliers.

Kris Bahner, a spokesperson for Kellogg, said in an email that the company has seen increased demand since the start of the pandemic as people eat more meals at home. Bahner said the company works with retailers "to ensure our food flows through their systems" and, in instances where capacity is tight, it limits orders over certain time periods. The company did not say how many retailers received allocation notifications.

Mondelez is experiencing "limited availability" on items such as Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish candy, Toblerone chocolate and Halls cough drops "due to supply chain constraints," the company said in an October 1 email to a distributor. Mondelez estimated in the email that the "recovery date" for these items will be in February or March of next year.

A spokesperson for the multinational food and beverage company said in an email that the company is facing "high demand for labor" and "logistics challenges." Mondelez believes it is "relatively well-positioned to face the marketplace challenges and will continue to keep a close eye on things" to get products to retail customers and shoppers on time. The company also did not say how many retailers received limits on such items, but said "we prepare communications which our sales team has the ability to use, as appropriate, as they engaged with their customers."

Unilever told a distributor in an email on Sept. 14 that "labor shortages continue to drive a limited ability to meet demand" and it was de-prioritizing production on certain products including Ben & Jerry's Cold Brew Caramel Latte and Ice Cream Sammie flavors, Breyers vanilla fudge twirl ice cream and Firecracker popsicles "until we are able to return to a supply steady-state." The company said it would instead "focus labor hours on our top-selling items."

"Like many sectors, at times there are challenges in getting all our product to stores, for a variety of reasons related to supply and distribution," a Unilever spokesperson said in an email.

Packaging issues also continue to be a problem. For example, some seasonings are in tight supply due to challenges procuring glass bottles.

A McCormick representative said in an email to two distributors on Sept. 20 that "our U.S. bottle supplier shut down due to a COVID-related issue and we have not received bottles for several weeks" for its gourmet spices line. "The lack of bottles has impacted our production and is eroding our safety stock across the entire line," the representative said. As a result, McCormick said, it would ship approximately 70% of what it had previously forecast, and the company was encouraging customers to cancel their promotions in November and December for the spices line.

Lori Robinson, a spokesperson for McCormick, said in an email that "Gourmet is the only product line impacted by this packaging shortage," and the company's more recognizable red-cap spices will be fully in-stock throughout the holidays, which customers can use as a substitute for the gourmet spices, she said. The company did not say how many retailers received allocation notifications on gourmet seasonings.

And some sizes of Marie Callender's frozen pot pies could be harder to find.

Conagra said in a Sept. 27 email to a distributor that it was putting an allocation on Marie Callender's 10-ounce and 15 ounce-pot pies until Nov. 29 because it "encountered packing material challenges from our tray and carton supplier resulting in a production interruption."

Conagra did not respond to requests for comment.

Chieh Huang, CEO of online bulk goods retailer Boxed, said "allocations are the new norm" from food and packaged goods' makers and are impacting the levels of products in stock at Boxed. Still, he said, "the industry is better off than we were this time last year."

CNN Business' Danielle Wiener-Bronner contributed to this article.

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Over the last month is when Dr. Bradley Holbrook, who cares for pregnant women and delivers babies at Community Medical Center in Missoula, has seen the worst, scariest outcomes for pregnant Montana women who contract COVID-19.

Weve had more overall women (test positive for COVID-19) and also seen more adverse outcomes as far as stillbirths and early deliveries, Holbrook, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, said in an interview last week. There have been cases in which mom was extremely sick and we had to do an emergency cesarean to deliver the fetus right away.

Hospitals in Montana dont universally have systems to collect information on how many pregnant women contract COVID-19 or the outcomes for their pregnancies and babies. That means the state also doesnt have detailed data. But the doctors who work with pregnant women say theyre observing more women contracting COVID-19 and those who are symptomatic are sicker than earlier in the pandemic.

In the last month, we're at least a dozen if not more pregnant women that have been diagnosed, both in and out of the hospital, Holbrook said. At least a few times a week a woman will call to say she cant come in for a prenatal appointment because shes just tested positive with COVID-19. Doctors will reschedule her and set up testing if necessary to make sure her pregnancy is progressing safely.

An at-risk population

Being pregnant makes women susceptible to severe outcomes from the coronavirus. Its a major physiological stress on a womans body, especially the labor and delivery process, Holbrook said.

While people generally have extra lung capacity to tap into when exercising or sick, that reserve is significantly decreased in pregnant women.

Women need to take in more oxygen when theyre pregnant than when theyre not pregnant because theyre already using more and because of the baby pushing up on their lungs, Holbrook said. Growing a baby takes a lot of oxygen, a lot of nutrients, a lot of energy. And if COVID makes a pregnant woman sick, shes more likely not to have the ability to meet those increased needs because of her pregnancy.

In western Montana, Holbrook said he was aware of two stillbirths in the last month related to COVID-19 in women who were acutely ill. There was another woman in the region, who was not admitted at Community, who died after delivery.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns its data on pregnancy and COVID-19 should be interpreted with caution, as only a third of jurisdictions that report data have forms that include information on pregnancy status. While the large majority of pregnant woman who contract COVID-19 will see few or minor symptoms, those who do fall ill are at increased risk.

A CDC study from August 2020 found among 598 hospitalized pregnant women with COVID-19, 55% were asymptomatic at admission. About 16% of women had severe illness that included intensive care unit admissions. According to the data from the reporting jurisdictions, from Jan. 22, 2020 to Oct. 4, 2021, there were about 127,200 pregnant women who have had COVID-19 and 171 have died.

Hospitalization data was available for 100,658 cases and showed 22,329 women were hospitalized.

The delta variant

The number of women testing positive nationally hit a peak last winter and sharply declined once vaccines became available earlier this year, according to CDC data. But by late summer, cases started to rise again, though not to the level of the previous spike. August, however, saw the highest number of COVID-19 deaths reported for pregnant women since the start of the pandemic, with 22 women dying according to the CDC.

Early in the pandemic, we saw a fair number and we had a number of women coming in sick, a number getting hospitalized for some time, post-partum in the ICU and other early deliveries, Holbrook said. It got better in late spring and early summer after people got vaccinated.

Then the delta variant arrived in Montana, its more infectious strain seemingly intent on sickening just as many people as the worst surge last winter while working with a smaller pool of susceptible population due to the availability of vaccines.

When delta hit is when we really had the worst of the pandemic here, Holbrook said. (Its) when weve been hit the hardest in my opinion based on what weve seen.

The hospital was bracing for it, watching the wave sweep through larger cities in the country on its way to Montana. Doctors around the U.S. and in the state report not only hospitalization numbers dangerously high because of the delta variant but also younger sick people occupying intensive care units longer than previous patients who either recovered or died more quickly.

Community has four negative pressure rooms as part of its labor and delivery suite. The spaces have lower air pressure than outside the room, which keeps contaminated air from flowing to the rest of the hospital and potentially infecting others. Air from the room is expelled outside the facility.

Those were used intermittently early on, Holbrook said. One delta hit hard is when those rooms were often full or near full a lot of the time.

Megan Condra, the director of marketing and community relations at Community, said there have been cases of women needing emergency cesarean sections because theyre so sick and babies born as early as 28 weeks. Those infants spend significant time in the neonatal intensive care unit while their mothers face long recoveries of their own.

In Kalispell, Dr. Thomas deHoop, who practices general obstetrics and gynecology with Logan Health and Kalispell OB/GYN, said in a late September interview hes seen more COVID-positive cases in this phase of the pandemic.

Dr. Courtney Paterson, a pediatric hospitalist at Logan Health, said there have been eight pregnant women who have tested positive at the time of delivery since the start of this year, but the total number of positive pregnant women is likely higher since the doctors who deliver babies don't see woman who test positive earlier in their pregnancy and miss appointments while quarantining.

The number of patients who have called to cancel appointments until theyve quarantined has gone up, Paterson said.

Outcomes for moms and babies

Full-term babies born to mothers who test positive for COVID-19 seem to do well, Holbrook said, though theres not great data in that area. Generally moms who test positive don't transfer the virus to their babies during delivery, though it can rarely happen after. Through the pandemic guidance has adapted to allow positive mothers to be in the same room with and breast-feed their babies, as long as they wear masks and wash their hands before feedings.

Things are worse for babies born early because of COVID-19 complications. A mother getting sick and not getting enough oxygen can rapidly become serious for the fetus.

The CDCs Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network (SET-NET) tracks information from 28 jurisdictions. That data, from women who had a positive COVID-19 test during the 2020 calendar year, found of of 27,221 births to women who had contracted the virus, nearly 3,000 were delivered preterm. About a third of women had cesarean deliveries. And out of 29,025 births, there were 266 pregnancy losses.

Safe and effective vaccines

Vaccines have been incredibly effective for pregnant women. Data from the Hospitalization Surveillance Network shows about 97% of pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19 either during their pregnancy or when delivering were not vaccinated.

But as a health alert sent from the CDC on Sept. 29 noted, despite the known risks of COVID-19, as of Sept. 18, 2021, 31.0% of pregnant people were fully vaccinated before or during their pregnancy.

Theres no specific data on how many pregnant women in Montana have gotten the shot, but in the state overall about 53% of the eligible population is vaccinated. The Mayo Clinics tracker shows only 13 states have lower rates of vaccination than Montana. The most recent data from the state health department shows that among all Montanans, not just pregnant woman, from April 1-Oct. 1 those who weren't vaccinated made up 86% of hospitalizations and 79% of deaths.

The CDC began recommending the vaccine for pregnant women Aug. 11. The same day it released data from a review of nearly 2,500 pregnant women who were vaccinated before the 20th week of their pregnancy showing no increased risk of miscarriage. Earlier data has shown no safety concerns for women vaccinated late in their pregnancy. There is also no known risk to fertility from COVID-19 vaccines.

The updated CDC advice helps illustrate one of the hurdles doctors face when talking with pregnant woman about getting vaccinated, in addition to false information circulated on social media. While the medical guidelines evolve as the science and studies backing it up accumulate, those changes can be a lot for women to process.

What patients perceive as confusion really is just the gathering of more information," deHoop said. "You can understand why patients would be hesitant when you start to recommend something knowing you don't have as long of a time that its been studied. We have to understand where theyre coming from, why were concerned.

Pregnant women already manage an avalanche of information about what they should and shouldnt put in their bodies, from deli meats to unpasteurized products to everyday drugs theyd never given a second thought to before.

Women in general are very hesitant to do anything, to take any medication during pregnancy, and rightfully so, Holbrook said.

The pandemic has additional and complex layers for pregnant women to consider.

While it might feel like the nearly two years the virus has gripped the world is an eternity, played out on the the normal timeline for medical studies it's just a blip on the radar. That's even more true for pregnancy, which lasts about 40 weeks.

When we counsel patients on conditions, we like to have years or decades of information about how the bodys going to respond to it and how the pregnancy is going to be affected by it, Holbrook said.

Still, scientists and doctors have complied an ever-increasing volume of analysis about the virus and its effect on pregnant women, as well as information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Early on, Holbrook said, doctors pointed to science showing vaccines were safe, and now they can point to data from actual women. More than 2.7 billion have been vaccinated across the globe. In the U.S., more than 200,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated.

When it comes to vaccines, deHoop said listening is the most successful strategy when working with a woman hesitant to be immunized.

What works best is first off to empathize with patients, to say I understand why you might be hesitant,' deHoop said. Confrontational approaches are not likely to sway anyone.

DeHoop said he hears concerns about how the vaccine will affect both the woman and the fetus, and the false information about infertility has kept a number of patients from being vaccinated.

Even with more and more data, Holbrook said its still difficult to help some patients understand the vaccine is safe.

Its really tough. A lot of time the women come in, just people in general come in, with preconceived notions and decide they want it or dont want it, Holbrook said. Thats the first thing to overcome is their preconceived notions about the vaccine.

Another tactic Holbrook uses is sharing with patients what others locally have experienced.

Here in Montana, we have more of a local flair and a little bit more sometimes healthy, sometimes unhealthy, distrust of the government, Holbrook said. Telling patients that its not just women in bigger cities but also those in Missoula and surrounding communities that are getting very sick and delivering early has helped sway people, he said.

Vaccines have also shown to have benefits for newborns. If a woman is either infected with COVID-19 or immunized before or during pregnancy, her immune system starts making antibodies, Holbrook said. Those are found in the placenta and in a babys body after birth. They circulate for about six months before breaking down and help protect babies. The protection can also pass through breast milk.

While majority of adverse outcomes are among those who arent vaccinated, Holbrook said doctors are careful not to treat those patients any differently.

We dont want to shame them at all for not having gotten the vaccine, Holbrook said.

Holbrook frames the decision not around either getting the vaccine or not getting the vaccine, but instead getting the vaccine or getting COVID.

COVID is more harmful than the vaccine at any point in pregnancy, at any point post-partum, for both you and the baby, Holbrook said.

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Just when many people thought the pandemic was over, the COVID-19 delta variant has threatened fall and winter travel plans. But if you booked a trip with a credit card that offers travel insurance, you may be able to recoup some of your costs.

For example, your card may provide some coverage if your trip is canceled or disrupted, and it may cover the cost of delayed or lost luggage.

In general, premium rewards cards  which typically charge an annual fee  provide better coverage.

Protections usually kick in when events that affect your trip are out of your control, said Nick Ewen, travel rewards expert at The Points Guy, a consumer travel website.

For example, suppose a flight delay caused you to miss a night in a hotel room that you reserved with an advance, nonrefundable payment. If you paid for the room with a credit card that includes travel insurance, the card would more than likely cover your loss. But if you decided you no longer wanted to go on the trip  perhaps because of concerns about COVID-19  your cards travel insurance probably wouldnt cover your losses.

All cards are not created equal.
Ramos founded the band Plena Es and, on Saturday afternoon, he swung his hips from side to side as his bandmates played and the crowd cheered.

This is what Debbie Hanks drove from Petersburg and braved the downpour for: a chance to break the repetitive pandemic cycle of only going to work and then back home.

Im a concert person and I havent been to a concert in two years! Hanks said through her teal mask. Being out and seeing people is just wonderful.

Within a few hours, Hanks would be preparing for a night shift at the hospital  but not before hitting all five stages of the festival.

The pandemic scattered the herd that pre-COVID was known for swelling into the hundreds of thousands, but the festival was far from empty even with the persistent rain.

Simone Pena, who recently moved to Chesterfield County from Chicago, said it rains a little harder in the Windy City, so the weather wasnt going to slow them down. Her daughter, Ileana, was prepared to scope out the dozens of food stands.

Unlike her mom, shes not a picky eater, she joked.
In 1910, Eugene B. Ely became the first aviator to take off from a ship as his Curtiss pusher rolled off a sloping platform on the deck of the
He called for a state commission, like Marylands Kirwan Commission, to undergo a methodical rethinking of a lot of our educational components.

Asked his top priority, Holmes said in a written response: Educating our children is my number one concern and one of the most important reasons that I am running for office. Having grown up in Richmond City, I know that progress in educating all children of color still lags.

Holmes said he recently spent time with some young Black teenagers who, having been out of school for more than a year and a half, are poorly prepared for continuing high school or moving forward to post-secondary education or work. It will take a forward-thinking effort to re-engage those young people to make sure that they get the skills they need to move into the work force.

He added: In short, many children are getting left behind, and some more than others. Im running for delegate to do something about it.

Regarding COVID-19, VanValkenburg said during the forum: The one thing we know is that vaccines are whats going to get us out of this. Vaccines are whats going to allow our economy to stay open and thrive and keep students in classrooms.
The Virginia Redistricting Commission will not finish its work on the states legislative maps, and will instead move on to drawing maps for the states congressional districts.

In an update issued Sunday afternoon, commission staff said the body will convene virtually Monday at 9 a.m. and hear guidance from counsel about next steps for a new map of the states 11 U.S. House districts.

The commissions deadline to approve legislative maps for the General Assembly to consider is Monday, but the commission cant take votes virtually, all but ensuring it will miss the deadline.

After a chaotic meeting Friday, some commission members had left the door open for continuing to work on legislative maps. The commission had the option to trigger a 14-day extension, but no vote to that effect was ever taken.

The commission has until Oct. 25 to finish its work on a new map of congressional districts.

If the commission fails to submit plans for legislative or congressional districts to the General Assembly for its consideration, the state Supreme Court becomes responsible for redrawing and establishing the new districts. The court would hire two experts, called special masters, who would work together to develop maps for the courts consideration.
It was Tom Jackson and his sister, Joan Coleman, both of Lynchburg, the great-great-great-grandchildren of Early, who donated the cradle to the museum this summer. Jackson, 62, said the cradle has been with him for the last 55 years, almost a lifetime.

After the incidents of the story  whatever version you believe  the cradle was given back to the Early family, Pickards research shows. They stored it in the attic of their home at 700 Court St. The house passed to Earlys daughter, and then his great-grandson. Eventually, the house was disassembled and reconstructed on Peakland Place. During the move, the cradle was discovered in the attic, rockers removed, and moved with the house.

A 1937 Virginia Works Progress Administration report is the last known mention of the cradle in the public record.

Eventually, the cradle passed through the family to Jacksons father and then to Tom Jackson himself. It was kept in a back bedroom of the house for most of his life, he said.

It was kind of like my little secret, Jackson said.

He said there isnt much extra to tell, no R-rated movie twist. But, he continued in the same tone, earnestly: If you ask me, I think its still possessed.
If companies want to continue offering products made from medicinal herbs, they need to think long term, as it takes years for the plants to mature. Prioritizing sustainability allows them to build up some certainty in terms of future supply while youre also working on doing better by consumers, Munsell said.

Taylor said more of the companies making powders, tinctures and teas from medicinal herbs are seeking product that is certified forest grown  and theyre willing to pay a premium for it. As more companies head in that direction, Trozzo said, it creates more incentive for farmers to cultivate medicinal herbs.

Those involved in the project at Catawba are also studying medicinal herbs planted in raised beds in a propagation station on the property, which will be expanded thanks to grant money. There, the plants grow under a false canopy meant to mimic whats offered by the trees, rooted in a mixture of topsoil, compost and sand.

In that controlled environment, Taylor said the team has observed anecdotally that the medicinal herbs grew more rapidly in their first year than theyd be expected to in the wild. The plants take years to mature, so speeding up that process is beneficial.
So far, 50 people have signed up for the daylong trip, which leaves at 8 a.m. Saturday from Shiloh Baptist, 201 S. Market St. in Salem. Among them will be members of a couple other congregations from Roanoke and Franklin counties

There are still 15 seats which are open to the public. The cost is $65, which includes transportation, admission to the museum and some snacks.

Friday morning in Salem, I met with Briggs, Taylor and some others going to Greensboro to discuss the trip and what they hoped to get out of it. Those include Marianne Bird, a retired pastor; her husband, Jennings, and Roanoke City Councilwoman (and former city clerk) Stephanie Moon Reynolds.

Taylor told me that one of the reasons the trips important is peoples attitudes have changed big time in the past four years, with respect to race. And he fears that direction isnt a positive one. He thinks members of both races need to talk more to each other.

During the Sunday school class exchange, I think everybody realized, were seeking the same thing, eternal life, Taylor said. We also realized were not going to get there until we get along.

Jesus taught us to love our neighbors, Briggs said. Before you love your neighbor, you have to know him.
Williams said he has been encouraged to run for office before, but when I got back from Wisconsin, it got really loud, he said. Everybody I talked to said I needed to run for House of Delegates.

One of the first things Williams did after winning the Republican primary was issue a pledge stating he intends to introduce legislation banning the teaching of critical race theory statewide. Obviously my individuals in my district, they hate CRT and theyd love for me to pass something that bans it, he said.

As for needs specific to the 9th District, hed like to see an infrastructure alliance between the districts counties and neighboring communities to bring more broadband to all the rural areas that need it. I dont want to step on anybodys toes or get in the way of what people are doing, I just want to help them.

Hes also looking into what it would take to reestablish a hospital with an emergency room in Patrick County. At the moment, anyone in the county with a dire health emergency faces a 30 to 45 minute ambulance ride, he said.
Youngkins response, which consisted of a printout of his answers to questions during two debates with McAuliffe, explained why he opposes the Virginia Clean Economy Act.

I believe that, in fact, we can tackle bringing down emissions in Virginia without putting forth a plan that not even executives at the utilities believe is doable, he said. Its gonna, in fact, increase Virginians bills by up to $1,000 a year, it puts our entire energy grid at risk.

While McAuliffe supports accelerating the clean-energy acts goals by 15 to 20 years, Youngkin called for a more measured approach.

I believe in all energy sources, we can use wind and solar, but we need to preserve our clean natural gas and we can, in fact, have a reliable energy grid, he said at the second debate with McAuliffe.

The Virginia League of Conservation Voters is endorsing McAuliffe, despite the organizations strong opposition to both the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley projects and its work to ensure the MVP is never realized, deputy director Lee Francis said.
It was large, blatant and graphic, Mitchell said. A lot happened to make that appear there.

He imagined the person responsible for the racial epithets had to prop the boat to hold it still. They had to drive out to a remote area of the national forest with paint and an intent.

It was May when Mitchells friend found the message, and it stuck with him  so much so, that he woke up on Fathers Day, went back to the bridge with his kayak, paint can and a roller, and completely covered it up. On his next trip to the area, he went to an island Mitchell and McRae frequent. There, on a beautiful, carved sycamore, was the second message.

It was the exact same message, Mitchell said. It had to have been a power tool, more precise than a chain saw. Likely, an attachment on a battery-operated angle grinder, making deep, deep cuts.

McRae, who lives in Fluvanna County, said this wont keep him away from the area forever, but it has brought these latent concerns to the forefront of his mind. Every person he passes, every truck and car, he has to wonder if that was the perpetrator, has to worry about what comes next.

It isnt like the usual random worries, he said, not a concern that someone crazy is lurking in the woods.
Why place a cornerstone for a pedestal that hadnt been designed? There was a lot of debate about where to place the Lee statue, Driggs said. Libby Hill and Gambles Hill were considered. But city leaders decided if the Lee statue would improve the prestige of a new neighborhood, the city would benefit with larger real estate tax revenue. Placing the cornerstone ended the debate, Driggs said.

If its not farther in, maybe its farther down, hidden under a few feet of mortar and rock, said Dale Brumfield, an author and historian who has studied the time capsule. The northeast cornerstone looked special. It was finished on all six sides and looks like it was meant to be put on display during the large ceremony held in 1887 when the cornerstone was placed.

A newspaper account says workers embedded the time capsule in masonry, so Brumfield believes the capsule is right where workers looked for it. They just didnt go far enough.

The farther under the rock and rubble, the less likely the time capsules contents have survived the air and water that can destroy them, he added.

But burying it that deep isnt consistent with other time capsules, said David Givens, director of archaeology for Jamestown Rediscovery. Time capsules are meant to be found. He believes its in one of the other corners.
A University of Virginia language professor will join a colleague from the UVa School of Data Sciences in an effort to preserve two languages edging closure to extinctions.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant Allison Bigelow, an associate professor in the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

The grant will help Bigelow preserve the endangered Mayan languages of Kiche and Yukatek and the unique cultural perspectives the languages provide. The funds will help finance a joint project with Rafael Alvarado, associate professor of UVas School of Data Sciences that looks to advance knowledge of endangered human languages.

According to the Endangered Languages Project, a worldwide collaboration between indigenous language organizations, linguists, colleges, and industry partners, more than 40% of the worlds languages are in danger of extinction.

More than two dozen of those are Mayan languages still spoken today but endangered by a variety of factors from migration, persecution of native speakers and economic pressures that prioritize languages English and Spanish.
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the Botetourt County Board of Zoning Appeals will host a public hearing on Rocky Forge Wind at the Greenfield Education Center, 57 S Center Drive in Daleville. The issue: Site preparation for Rocky Forge Wind, Virginias first onshore wind project, has already begun, but COVID delays are now putting it at risk.

Rocky Forge was steadily advancing through the permitting process when it ran into delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect projects in exactly this type of situation, Virginia passed a law granting zoning permit extensions for projects facing COVID-related delays.

But on July 7, the Botetourt County zoning administrator issued a letter to Rocky Forge Winds legal counsel indicating they do not intend to honor the commonwealths COVID-19 extension law, which became effective on March 1. This stands in stark contrast to Virginia law, as well as our commitment to clean energy, including the commonwealths commitment to purchase Rocky Forge power. Furthermore, the national, and global commitment to clean energy grows daily. Those comfortable with the CODE RED warning are in a shrinking minority.
" " Astronauts like flight engineer Karen Nyberg aren't the only ones who crave that view of Earth from afar. Karen Nyberg/NASA

Billionaire Jeff Bezos's space launch company Blue Origin has announced it will sell its first flights into microgravity to the highest bidder.

Blue Origin and its two greatest competitors in the "space tourism" field, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, claim to be advancing humanity through the "democratization" of space. But these joyrides aren't opening up access to space for all.

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A Changing Landscape

At face value, the prospect of a space tourism industry is exciting.

It promises an easier path to space than the one followed by astronauts, who must go through higher education, intense training and extremely competitive selection processes. Astronauts must also have the right nationality, because few countries have access to human spaceflight programs.

In theory, the opening up of a commercial spaceflight industry should make space more accessible and democratic. But this is only partly the case; what was once the domain of only the richest countries is now an industry headed predominantly by commercial entities.

Adding to this, these companies are prepared to take more risks than government programs because they don't have to justify their spending  or failures  to the public. Blue Origin and SpaceX have seen many explosions in past tests, yet fans watch with excitement rather than dismay.

This has pushed the rapid development of space technologies. Reusable rockets  particularly SpaceX's Falcon 9, which just made its tenth successful launch  have reduced the cost of launching tenfold.

Besides driving down costs, reusable technology is also working to solve the problem of sustainability.

" " Spectators watch from Canaveral National Seashore as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink satellites launches from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 6, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This was the 13th batch of satellites placed into orbit by SpaceX as part of a constellation designed to provide broadband internet service around the globe. Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Considering Sustainability

There have been thousands of launches since 1957, when the first human-made object (Sputnik I) was launched by the Soviets. Apart from Falcon 9, however, every single launch vehicle has been used once and disposed of immediately  akin to throwing away an aeroplane after one flight.

Launch numbers are increasing each year, with 114 carried out in 2020 alone. Over the weekend, the uncontrolled reentry of debris from China's Long March 5B rocket made world news because of its sheer size and the risk of damage. It is just one example of the problems of space debris and traffic management.

Safety is a key issue for human spaceflight. Currently, there are about 3,400 operational satellites in orbit and about 128 million pieces of debris. There are hundreds of collision risks each day, avoided by expensive and difficult maneuvers or, if the risk is low enough, operators wait and hope for the best.

If we add more human spaceflight to this traffic, countries will need to adopt stricter requirements to de-orbit satellites at the end of their lives, so they burn up on reentry. Currently, it's acceptable to de-orbit after 25 years, or to put a satellite into an unused orbit. But this only delays the problem for the future.

Nations will also need to implement the 2019 United Nations guidelines on the Long-term Sustainability of Activities in Outer Space.

The environmental impact of launches are another important factor. SpaceX's Falcon 9 burns as much fuel as an average car would over 200 years, for a single launch.

On the ground there are impacts on terrain and waterways, which we have to keep in mind when building future launch sites in Australia. Launch permits currently require environmental impact statements, but these should include long-term effects and carbon footprints as well.

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Keeping Billionaires in Check

In the coming years, it will be crucial for independent spaceflight companies to be tightly regulated.

Virgin Galactic has long advocated a "shirtsleeve" environment wherein customers can experience the luxury of spaceflight unhindered by awkward spacesuits. But the death of one of its test pilots in 2014 is evidence spaceflight remains dangerous. High altitudes and pressure require more precaution and less concern for comfort.

Although regulators such as the US Federal Aviation Administration have strict safety requirements for space tourism, pressurised spacesuits are not among them  but they should be. Also, space tourism operators can require passengers to sign legal waivers of liability, in case of accident.

And while it's laudable SpaceX and Blue Origin are making technological leaps, there is little in their business plans that speaks to diversity, inclusivity and global accessibility. The first space tourists were all wealthy entrepreneurs.

In 2001 Dennis Tito paid his way to a seat on a Russian Soyuz rocket to visit the International Space Station (ISS). Since then, there have been eight more space tourists, each paying between US$20 million and US$30 million to fly through the Russian program.

" " American space tourist Dennis Tito after his landing on May 6, 2001 near Arkalyk, Kazakstan. Tito was returning from a six-day voyage to the International Space Station, a trip for which he paid $20 million. Newsmakers/Getty Images North America

In 2022, the Axiom crew is scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Dragon flight to the ISS. Each of the three wealthy, white, male passengers will have paid US$55 million for the privilege. Meanwhile, Blue Origin's upcoming auction will last five weeks, the highest bidder winning a seat for a few minutes of microgravity.

Virgin Galactic's 90-minute joyrides, also scheduled to fly as early as 2022, have already sold for US$250,000. Future tickets are expected to cost more.

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A Matter of Time

Of course, conventional recreational air travel was also originally for the wealthy. Early cross-continental flights in the United States costed about half the price of a new car. But technological advances and commercial competition meant by 2019 (pre-COVID) there were nearly five million people flying daily.

Perhaps it's only a matter of time before space tourism becomes similarly accessible. Ideally, this would mean being able to fly from Sydney to London in a matter of hours.

Then again, spaceflight carries much greater risks and much greater costs than airflight, even with reusable rockets. It's going to be a long time before these costs are driven down enough to allow the "democratization" of space.

This is a compelling narrative which commercial spaceflight companies are eager to adopt. But there will always be a portion of society that won't have access to this future. Indeed, as many science-fiction stories predict, human spaceflight or habitation in space may only ever be accessible to the very wealthy.

We know there are benefits to space-based technologies  from tracking climate change, to enabling global communications and health services, to learning from scientific experiments on the ISS. But when it comes to space tourism, the payback for the average person is less clear.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here.

Cassandra Steer is a senior consultant and lecturer, specializing in space law and space policy at the Australian National University College of Law. She is a Mission Specialist with the ANU Institute for Space, providing space law, policy and security expertise to space research and technology development at the ANU.
" " The alkali metals are on the left column of the periodic table highlighted in hot pink. bamlou/Getty Images

There are alkali metals all around you right now. Sodium is found in table salt, lithium in your phone battery and potassium in your bananas. Alkali metals make up six different elements found in the first column of the periodic table. These are:

lithium (Li),

sodium (Na),

potassium (K),

rubidium (Rb),

cesium (Cs)

francium (Fr)

They're part of the S-block of elements in the periodic table, that along with hydrogen, helium, calcium, and others, have their outermost electron in an S-orbital. The alkali metals are soft metals that are highly reactive with water and oxygen. They're so soft that you can cut them with a plastic knife. They also have a silver-like shine and are great conductors of heat and light.

Alkali metals are so-called because when they react with water, they create highly alkaline substances. Alkalinity refers to the pH of the substance, or the ability to neutralize acid. Substances that are highly alkaline can form strong bases able to neutralize acids and maintain a stable ph level.

Every element has a nucleus, made up of protons and neutrons, and alkali metals are no different. Surrounding the nucleus of atoms are electrons, which are particles with a negative charge. These electrons exist in energy shells around the nucleus of the atoms, each of which can hold a varying number of electrons. The first shell can hold up to two electrons, the second up to eight, the third, 18 and the fourth, 32. It's these shells of electrons and how alkali metals are structured that make them so reactive.

All atoms naturally want to have a completely full outermost shell of electrons. However, elements in that first column of the periodic table all have one electron in their outermost shell. This outermost shell is also called the valence shell, and the electrons that reside there are called valence electrons.

Having only one electron in the outermost shell makes it very easy for the atoms of alkali metals to reach points of stability  they just need to lose one electron! This willingness and ease of losing an electron to reach a state of equilibrium is known as high reactivity. In fact, reactivity in chemistry is defined by the number of electrons in the outermost shell. Noble gases (elements like neon and helium) are very unreactive because their outermost electron shells are full.

"Since the alkali metals only have one valence electron, they typically achieve this state by giving up that electron. In this process, the alkali metal is said to be oxidized, and whatever takes the electron from the alkali metal is reduced. All of the alkali metals like to give up their single valence electron," says Dr. Chip Nataro, chemistry professor at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. "As electrons have a charge of -1, losing an electron causes the atom to have a charge of +1. When this happens, the atom is referred to as an ion and since it would have a positive charge, it is called a cation. So, all of the alkali metals like to make cations that have a charge of +1."

Since alkali metals are so reactive, they are usually found in conjunction with other metals in nature.

If an element is highly reactive, it's harder to find naturally.

"All of these elements were first discovered in compounds [and] some of the discoveries are hard to attribute due to the abundance and usage of the compounds," says Nataro. "As you go down the periodic table, the alkali metals become more inclined to lose their valence electron" and thus, "the amount of the element found in nature also decreases, [resulting in] later discovery dates."

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When Were Alkali Metals Discovered?

Lithium was first discovered in 1817 when Johan August Arfwedson, a Swedish chemist, was analyzing mineral ore. Cesium and rubidium were discovered in 1860 and 1861, respectively, by German chemists Robert Bunsen (who lent his name to the Bunsen burner) and Gustav Kirchhoff (who devised Kirchhoff's laws for electrical current). Francium, the most reactive of the alkali metals we currently know of was discovered in 1939 by French scientist Marguerite Perey at the Curie Institute in Paris.

" " AA alkaline batteries line up in rows. These are made with lithium, one of the alkali metals on the periodic tables. Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty Images

Sodium and potassium, two very common alkali metals, have unknown discovery dates they have been used for so long. But they weren't isolated in pure form until 1807 (by the famous chemist Humphrey Davy). Rubidium wasn't isolated until 1928, also by Bunsen and Kirchhoff.

One of the most common traits of alkali metals is their reactivity to water and air. These elements will dance around, sizzling due to the production of hydrogen gas, and often explode. They get more reactive the further down on the periodic table you go too, with cesium and francium being so reactive that they can burst into flames simply by being exposed to the air. The elements also increase in atomic radius, decrease in electronegativity and decrease in melting and boiling points as you move down the periodic table.

You might wonder how the alkali metals were ever discovered in nature if they react so violently to air and water. Well, as it turns out, most of the alkali metals are found in nature as ions due to their high desire to react and lose that one valence electron. In their ionic form the metals are far less reactive.

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Alkali Metals in Everyday Life

Alkali metals have an interesting chemical duality, because they are very common in everyday life but also very uncommon in their raw elemental forms.

" " This illustration of a cesium atomic clock shows the cesium beam tube. Cesium atomic clocks are extremely accurate. They'd lose only a second of time over millions of years. Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images

For instance, sodium doesn't occur in nature and must be prepared from compounds. Sodium and potassium are essential elements to everyday life, with sodium helping to regulate blood pressure and move electrolytes throughout cells. Sodium also combines with other compounds to make table salt and baking soda. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and glucose and is found in fertilizers. Lithium, as mentioned before, is used in battery production and is also a mood-stabilizing drug.

The more reactive elements, cesium, rubidium and francium, have fewer natural uses. Cesium is used in atomic clocks, drilling and in creating optical glass among other highly specialized applications. Rubidium is used in medical imaging and vacuum tubes. Francium, which is very rare, doesn't have many commercial applications but is used in research and to diagnose some forms of cancer.

Finally, all the alkali metals are also incredibly useful teaching tools in the field of chemistry. Teachers love demonstrating the principle of reactivity by dropping an alkali metal in water only for the class to watch in awe as it spews fire and explodes.

Now That's Radioactive! Francium is the rarest of the alkali metals and the second rarest element in the Earth's crust (only 340-550 grams or about 1 pound is estimated to be in the Earth's crust). It also happens to be highly radioactive and has a maximum life of only 22 minutes. Francium has never been dropped in water, because it's so rare and so expensive, but scientists do expect it would have the highest reaction of any alkali metal.
But it is an amazing resource for a large number of bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

This time of year I have many discussions with people who believe wholeheartedly that it is a nuisance plant because of its bad reptutation. Many people often blame their late-summer allergies on these prolific flowering marvels, blaming the immense amount of yellow pollen as the culprit of their runny nose and itchy eyes.

For most people, it is actually the common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) or giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) and not the glorious goldenrod that is to blame for their unpleasant allergic reactions. These two plants bloom at the same time and often take up the same habitat, so it is a case of wrong place, wrong time.

Goldenrods eye-catching yellow flower releases pollen too large to move very far in the wind while ragweeds tiny green blooms release pollen that travels farther for wind pollination, as they are not as attractive or beneficial to pollinator species to ellicit help from neighboring insects.

So when you are on your afternoon walk or driving in the car, take a look off of the side of the road and marvel at the glorious yellow blooms swaying in the wind and appreciate the absolute majesty, knowing they are a critical food source for the pollinators and they are putting on a beautiful show just for you.

The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
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Its always a privilege to get to perform, but playing at home brings so many special factors into play, Hoffmeyer said. Apart from this past year, Ive lived in New England, New Jersey and the UK since I was 15 years old, so my family and friends from home have rarely been able to attend my concerts. Getting to play with the symphony  in the same place I had my first performance with them back in 2012  really feels like a homecoming for me, and its a blessing for which Im very grateful.

This fall, Hoffmeyer started his PhD in comparative literature at Yale.

While my studies do keep me busy, I hope to continue playing and performing as much as possible, he said. Im not yet certain what shape it might take, but Im also planning to continue organizing the kinds of interdisciplinary concert events that I was able to present at Princeton through my founding of the Princeton Chamber Music Society.

Terry Roberts, the conductor and music director for the FSO, said, I am always amazed and delighted of all the talent that comes from the Florence community. John is certainly one of these people, and I look forward to working with him this concert.
Although Obama used his bully pulpit, and the media hailed the legislation, the majority of U.S. Representatives knew how unpopular the immigration bill was among their constituents and also were aware that their re-election bid was not far away.

Tellingly, from the Gang of Eight, only South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham faced voters in the then-upcoming November 2014 election. But his state was a Republican stronghold that hadnt elected a Senate Democrat since 1954, when Strom Thurman  before he switched parties  won as a write-in candidate.

Analysts concluded that the senators knew that immigration bill was unpopular but hoped that by the time their turn at the polling place arrived, voters would forget. In the end, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid never forwarded the bill to the House for consideration, and it therefore never became law.

The Gang of Eight bill led to a 2014 disaster at the polls for Democrats. Republicans won nine Democratic-controlled seats, held the 15 seats they were defending and regained Senate control for the first time since 2007.

If pending immigration legislation angered voters in 2014, imagine what their sentiments will be in November 2022 after more than 2 million illegal immigrants, including thousands of Haitians, will have crossed into U.S. territory.
Le president Burkinabe Marc Kabore debat avec les jeunes sur l'insecurite

Le president Roch Marc Christian Kabore etait face aux jeunes des 13 regions du pays dans un dialogue direct, a loccasion du Forum national des jeunes qui se tenait a Koudougou, dans la region du centre ouest. Le theme de linsecurite est souvent revenu au cur du debat.





Cette annee le forum etait place sous le theme  Reconciliation nationale : role et place de la jeunesse . Face au chef de lEtat, les jeunes ont dans un langage franc et sincere soumis leurs preoccupations. Hormis les doleances sur la realisation dinfrastructure, lemploi et la formation professionnelle les jeunes ont mis laccent sur la securite. Les representants des regions du Sahel, de lEst, du Nord, des Cascades, du Centre Nord, ont tous fait cas de la montee de linsecurite sur le terrain.





Lune des interventions qui marque les participants a ce dialogue direct entre le president Roch Marc Christian Kabore et les jeunes, cest celle du representant de la region du Sahel. Depuis 2016, cette region est soumise au dictat des groupes armes terroristes selon Aly Bocoum, president du Conseil regional des jeunes du Sahel. Sur 26 communes que comptent cette region, seuls les chefs-lieux des provinces sont encore habites.





 Nous vivons le martyr. Cest dommage de le dire, mais la region du Sahel est reduite a 4 communes. On ne peut plus aller ailleurs. Tu ne peux pas quitter Dori, tu ne peux pas quitter Seba Aujourdhui, 48% de la population du Sahel est deplacee interne. Cest pour ca que nous demandons au gouvernement dagir. 





Kabore appelle la jeunesse a se mobiliser

Pour le president Roch Marc Christian Kabore, il faut eviter de dramatiser la situation et semer la psychose. Il invite les jeunes a une mobilisation pour defendre le territoire.

 Cest vrai quil y a des problemes dinsecurite. Cest vrai quil y a des combats qui se menent. Nous sommes tous au Burkina Faso. Jai des amis qui vivent au Sahel et qui viennent jusqua Ouagadougou et qui repartent. Ne faisons pas comme si tout etait ferme. Nous savons que les situations sont difficiles, mais je veux quen tant que jeunesse, vous portiez toujours lesperance de votre pays, le patriotisme de votre pays, et que vous sachiez quil ny a aucun sacrifice inutile pour la survie de votre pays. 





 Notre responsabilite, cest de nous battre contre le terrorisme jusqua la victoire finale , a martele le president Roch Marc Christian Kabore face aux jeunes.





Schema  Verite et Reconciliation 

Concernant la reconciliation nationale, les jeunes engages en politique ont demande au president Roch Kabore de choisir entre le modele rwandais ou sud-africain, avec une justice transitionnelle pour aller vers la reconciliation. Proposition rejetee par le chef de lEtat qui maintient le schema  Verite, Justice et Reconciliation .





Quant au retour des exiles politiques, notamment lex-president Blaise Compaore, il a explique avoir entame les discussions pour son retour, mais celui-ci a refuse de rentrer en pointant du doigt louverture du proces sur lassassinat du capitaine Thomas Sankara.




 "Creating Cautionary Tales: Institutional, Judicial, and Societal Indifference to the Lives of Incarcerated Individuals" | Main | Prison Policy Initiative briefing highlights disproportionate role of Native peoples in US criminal justice systems 

October 9, 2021

California enacts new laws to reduce certain sentencing enhancements

As reported in this Los Angeles Times article, headlined "Newsom signs bills restricting sentencing enhancements for many crimes," California has now enacted another round of notable sentencing reforms. Here are the details:

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed laws aimed at reducing prison sentences for people convicted of drug- and gang-related crimes, despite concerns from prosecutors that the measures will hinder their effort to protect Legislation signed by the governor includes Senate Bill 81, which seeks to reduce the number of sentence enhancements in criminal cases that can double prison terms. More than 150 enhancements exist for aggravating factors that include prior criminal records, use of a gun in the commission of a crime and offenses involving minors. The law by state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) would have judges dismiss enhancements in certain cases, including when they would result in discriminatory racial impact or a sentence of more than 20 years, or when the offense is connected to mental illness, prior victimization or childhood trauma. Skinner said enhancements disproportionately affect people of color. If sentence enhancements were applied fairly, this wouldnt be an issue, she said. However, data shows that in California, you are much more likely to receive a sentence enhancement if you are Black. SB 81 tells our courts: Lets stop unfair sentences and use enhancements only when necessary to protect the public. The California State Sheriffs Assn. opposes SB 81 because it will likely result in many otherwise appropriate sentence enhancements being dismissed, said Cory Salzillo, the groups legislative director. A companion measure signed by Newsom, SB 483, allows the retroactive repeal of sentence enhancements for prior prison or county jail felony terms. The governor also signed Assembly Bill 333, which restricts the use of sentence enhancements for alleged gang crimes. Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) said her measure aims to reduce the list of crimes allowing gang enhancements to be charged, prohibit the use of the current charge as proof of a pattern of criminal gang activity, and separate gang allegations from underlying charges at trial. The senator said that current gang enhancements have weak definitions and that 92% of people with gang enhancements in the state are people of color.... The measure was opposed by the California District Attorneys Assn., which said it shows a misunderstanding of the way street gangs operate by requiring prosecutors to show a crime was committed to advance a gang as an organization. Street gangs dont operate that way, said El Dorado County Dist. Atty. Vern Pierson, president of the association. We are seeing crimes throughout the state of California up dramatically directly related to gangs, Pierson said. Unquestionably [the new law] will hamper our ability to go after criminal street gangs.

October 9, 2021 at 09:48 PM | Permalink

Comments

This is a step towards ending mass incarceration. People don't realize just how harsh recidivist laws are. I live in a jurisdiction where a person convicted for a third shoplifting offense must serve 1 year in prison regardless of the value of the item. Mandatory minimum sentences should be abolished for all non-violent offenses and drug possession should be a misdemeanor or a civil infraction.

DA Pierson is wrong regarding the new laws making it difficult for prosecutors to handle gang crimes. A person guilty of a crime should be sentenced regardless of their gang status. However, swaths of people "affiliated" with a gang shouldn't be punished because one of them allegedly committed a crime.

Posted by: anon | Oct 9, 2021 10:43:31 PM

This is just another example of the fallacious idea that "people of color" are being discriminated against when the actual fact is the "people of color" are in gangs (not whites or Asians), they are more violent than other races. It has nothing to do with discrimination.

Nevertheless, enhancements are a particularly abhorrent part of California law and if it takes an idiotic fad theory to infect the brains of California Democrats to get rid of enhancements, That's great.

To all of the police, DA, and Sheriff's orgs that are against all of it: you've still got huge unwarranted sentence lengths to keep you warm at night. California still has far too many inmates and convicts.

I guess coming in via the back door is better than no reform at all.

Posted by: restless94110 | Oct 10, 2021 11:35:26 AM

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New Delhi [India], October 10 (ANI): India has exported COVID-19 vaccine doses to Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Iran, sources informed on Sunday.

According to sources, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh received ten lakh doses of Covishield each, while Iran received three lakh doses of Covaxin.

Earlier, on September 20, the Government of India had announced its decision to resume the export of vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19 ) from October.

Announcing the decision, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said India will resume the export of COVID-19 vaccines under its 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative to fulfill the country's commitment towards COVAX. (ANI)
Nepal flag

Kathmandu [Nepal], October 10 (ANI): Nepal's newly-appointed Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Gajendra Bahadur Hamal has stepped down from his post on the third day after his formal induction, amid an uproar.

"Prime Minister Deuba has accepted Hamal's resignation," said an aide at the prime minister's secretariat. "Now the ministry will be with the prime minister himself and will decide about it later."

Hamal is the brother-in-law of Chief Justice of Nepal Cholendra Shamsher JB Rana.

Hamal, a district-level leader of the Nepali Congress, faced controversy last week when reports suggest that he was appointed a minister at the behest of Chief Justice Rana, Kathmandu Post reported.

His appointment as minister for industry, commerce and supplies received criticism with some within the ruling Nepali Congress calling it a move that undermined democratic principles and constitutionalism.

"I have submitted my resignation to Prime Minister Deuba. I made the decision to resign out of my conscience," Hamal told ANI over the phone.

With this Hamal became the first minister to vacant from the post under Sher Bahadur Deuba Prime Minister Ship.

Denying accusations Hamal claimed that he had been into politics from Nepali Congress and have remained off the limelight but also decided to resign from the post.

"I have been dragged into the unnecessary controversy. I have been contributing to Nepali Congress for 45 years. I also have received suggestions not to step down the post but I did on my own conscience," Hamal added.

Hamal also doesn't hold a seat in the House of Representatives was brought on board by Deuba on Friday as he reshuffled his cabinet and filled the vacant ministries 88 days after his formal appointment.

As per the constitution of Nepal, a sitting Minister in Central Government needs to be a Member of Parliament to function as minister for a complete tenure. Those ministers not having a seat in parliament only can remain on the post for 6 months. (ANI)
SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened on Pierce Street in the wee hours Sunday morning, leaving four people injured.

At around 3:24 a.m. Sunday, Sioux City Police officers were called to an after-hours club at 427 Pierce St. for a shots fired call, according to a press release from the department. On arrival, officers found a male suffering a gunshot wound to his upper body and provided first aid.

The unidentified male was taken to the hospital with what were described as life-threatening injuries.

At around 3:45 a.m., Sioux City Police received "multiple phone calls" that additional shooting victims had arrived at local hospitals. The three other victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the press release.

The victims have "provided limited cooperation with investigators," Sioux City Police Sgt. Jeremy McClure wrote in an email Sunday.

Early information indicates that the suspect, who has not been identified, "was targeting someone at the club when they fired the shots and was not targeting people indiscriminately," McClure wrote. It was unclear if any of the victims were actually the intended target of the shooter.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information to share can call 712-258-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted online at siouxcitypolice.com/crimestoppers.

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SIOUX CITY -- In 1890, a group of sisters from St. Thomas Episcopal Church left to start a new congregation in the Morningside area. Now, that congregation is returning home.

Calvary Episcopal Church and St. Thomas Episcopal Church will join as one on Sunday. After 131 years of operation, Reverend Stacy Gerhart said it is time to join together.

Gerhart was raised, baptized and married in St. Thomas. She left Sioux City for a while but after returning in 2003, her family decided to attend Calvary for a smaller church. She was ordained 10 years ago.

While the church is really the the parishioners, Gerhart said it's hard to separate it from a place where people celebrate milestones such as baptisms, confirmations, marriages and funerals.

Gerhart said there are some people who have attended Calvary their entire lives. Despite the sadness, Gerhart said she feels there is a renewed energy and excitement from parishioners to worship together.

The merger has been discussed since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom meetings were held with the parishioners to discuss the merger and why now was the best time to do it.

It is currently unknown what will happen to Calvary's building. Gerhart said ideally it will stay a church or base of ministry, but there is no hurry.

On Sunday, Calvary will hold their final service. The service will start at Calvary and then will finish at St. Thomas.

Gerhart said having a split service represents coming together and moving from one building to another, physically represents the move.

The Bishop of the Diocese of Iowa, Rt. Reverend Alan Scarfe will preside at the special celebration merger of the two churches. During the service, Gerhart will be installed as the rector of St. Thomas.

The two churches have been understanding of the transition, Gerhart said, and by working together the churches can accomplish far more.

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Editor's note: This column first appeared in the Omaha World Herald.

Ho-Chunk Inc. was started by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska in 1995. The corporate mission of the company was to invest gaming dollars back into the community to help develop the tribes economy offset the negative impact of competition from Iowas gaming expansion.

Our original focus was on the tribes reservation, which isnt exactly an easy place to build. However, we built an entire town from scratch called the Ho-Chunk Village. It is a mixed-use development designed to be a walkable community to offset some of the negative health impacts of diabetes, a major health problem amongst tribal people.

Twenty-six years later, the mission of Ho-Chunk Inc. hasnt changed. What has changed is that we expanded our definition of community beyond the Tribes reservation and are now one of the largest real estate development companies in the Sioux City metropolitan area. In the last several years, we have invested approximately $85 million in the local area. We have purchased or developed apartments, warehouses, office buildings, storage units, retail outlets and are currently developing another mixed-use walkable community on 200 acres of riverfront in South Sioux City.

We formed and annually fund our own nonprofit community development corporation to offset some of the capital costs of rural reservation development. It took a decade, but we built the Ho-Chunk Village with a combination of corporate capital, federal grants, foundation money and federal tax credits. We are currently doubling the size of our original planned community to 80 acres.

Along the way, we learned a few things about building in tough places. When we purchased the 200 acres in South Sioux City, it was a major step for us and raised a few eyebrows. South Sioux City is now a predominately Hispanic community. I had several people question whether building a high-end development would work. I can report that it is working. Our residents represent the entire spectrum in our community, with more than half of our homeowners and apartment residents representing a minority group.

This is America  groups arrive, work hard and then thrive. In the recent census, about 22% of Nebraska represents a minority group. We have always viewed these populations as an opportunity to grow our company.

I want to share a few small examples of what we do to help our communities. On the reservation, we give away housing lots. We build houses at cost and provide tribal members with up to $65,000 in down payment assistance. In Omaha, we remodeled some townhouses and rent them at about one-third of market value to people transitioning from chemical dependency treatment. We recently met with members of a grassroots Nigerian group in South Sioux City who wanted help purchasing a community and day care center. We bought the building and leased it to them to match their budget. We also recently agreed to price some of our newest housing units well below market to help lower income elderly people.

We are about to expand our definition of community again. We are developing the WarHorse Casinos in Omaha, Lincoln and South Sioux City, and have proposed one in Norfolk. The WarHorse gaming operation intends to be a good community patron and donate money to various organizations, but we dont want to just write a check. We also want to invest in sustainably building the communities. We will use our real estate development experience to make brick-and-mortar investments in the communities where we are located.

I grew up in North Omaha and for years I have often thought about how to apply some of the development lessons we have learned on the reservation to the area. A year ago, I toured some of the great stuff happening on North 30th Street and recently visited the emerging area on North 24th Street and was inspired by the possibilities. I also love the development emerging in South Omaha, which is very similar to what is happening in South Sioux City.

Our view is that a rising tide should float everyones boat. We want to be a true community development partner and intend to work with and enhance existing efforts to bring our brand of community reinvestment capitalism to all the places we have operations.

Lance Morgan is a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and the CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Harvard Law School.

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How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous!

Dear How to Do It,

My boyfriend (23) wont have penetrative sex with me and tells me you heterosexuals are too obsessed with it and that we think it is the only type of sex. Despite this, he tells me he is very much attracted to me and assures me he is crazy about me sexually. My boyfriend is bisexual and has told me that he has been in plenty of relationships with other men that dont include actual penetration, and that it is actually more common than you think in gay relationships (in my boyfriends words). Im skeptical but only have his word to go on. My boyfriend doesnt like penetrating people and tells me he prefers other forms of sex, although he doesnt mind being occasionally penetrated himself (although thats not something Im into; I dont want to wear a strap on and am not into anal stuff).

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At first, I thought maybe he was just lying to me and was actually gay but stringing me along, but he gives the best oral sex everthe best I have ever, ever had. Mind-blowing level. And hes happy to fool about in the bedroom and is amazing with the stuff he can do. But Im really feeling like Im missing out on that one thing and like hes shaming me by saying it is overrated and a hetro-obsession. He was with his ex-boyfriend of two years, and apparently it wasnt an issue. The fact he doesnt mind being penetrated (but it is not his go to), but just refuses to even think about penetrating me, or any other man or woman, makes me think it is a phobia or related to some repressed trauma.

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I like this guy, but I think I need this. And it is going to be a barrier if we want children. Hes smart, funny, absolutely gorgeous to look at and what I would consider to be a perfect catch  and pretty damn good in bed. Am I wrong if this is a deal-breaker for me? Would it be awful and insensitive for me to broach the fact this may be trauma-related, and awful of me to suggest therapy? Or could my first hunch me rightthat he is more gay on the bisexual spectrum, because having no problem bottoming yet having issues having sex with your girlfriend seems like a red flag to me. And lastly, is it really true that penetrative sex isnt as big of a deal in the queer scene, or is my boyfriend gaslighting me? Hes making me feel insecure, but my ex-boyfriends always made me feel gorgeous and desiredand so does he in other ways, but I cant help but feel this is a reflection on me. Another friend has suggested we try an open relationship so I can get what I feel Im missing out on, but this is not for me. Im a one man at a time kind of girl.

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No Entry

Dear No Entry,

For the sake of simplicity, lets take your partner at his word: He doesnt want penetrative sex. You think you need it. This is not the relationship for you. I am assuming you are around his age, which means you should have plenty of time to find a more suitable partner, probably with relative ease. This is what your 20s are about. It truly seems to me like staying with him would mean settling. I respect and endorse your right to a deal-breaker.

Lets put a pin in your armchair psychologizing, thoughthats my job! It doesnt seem like you have any evidence that his taste in nonpenetrative sex is rooted in phobia or related to some repressed trauma. I think thats just you trying to figure out why someone is deviating from a script youve been fed. This is another thing you should use your 20s for: wrapping your head around the concept of variation. It is truly the only thing. There is no standard; theres just the illusion of one. Things ebb and flow; people deviate and conform. To your boyfriends point, vaginal sex is normative, but I dont think its exactly fair to describe the widespread interest in it as an obsession or to even characterize it as overrated. Someone as specific as he is should too understand the concept of variation and that in the context of consent, said variation is benign.

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Regardless, avoiding vaginal/anal penetrative sex while engaging in other forms is totally a thing, and it even has a labelpeople who are into this are called sides. Ive seen this most predominantly described in the context of men having sex with men, as an alternative to the top/bottom labels. Heres a lengthy thread on the r/askgaybros Reddit regarding sides. Settling into my armchair, I think a few things are going on here. One is that anal sex is seen by many as intense, in terms of sensation, preparation requirements, and the potential for injury/STI transmission. (More broadly, anal sexs role in the AIDS epidemic may have something to do with this, as well.) For some people, even those who have sex with people with vaginas, oral sex is simply less stressful and thus more attractive. Also, a lot of guys really like blow jobs and a lot guys really like giving them. Even for those who embrace a label on the top/bottom spectrum, hookups may go no further than oral. This is especially so if the guys identities involved arent compatible (in the case of two tops, for example). I knew a couple who only had penetrative sex when they hooked up with other guys together; otherwise theyd blow each other when it was just the two of them. They seemed to like this just fine. People figure out what theyre into and they go with it. Theres no reason to believe that your boyfriend is misrepresenting himself, and theres no use in attempting to convert him to the joys of PIV sex. He knows what it is, and would do it if he wanted. Simply move on and find someone else to stick it in you.

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I Just Had the Sexual Experience Every Man Fears Most 

On the How to Do It podcast, a man writes: I apologize in advance. This may make you wince.

Dear How to Do It,

My husband and I are in our late 30s and have been together almost 15 years, i.e., most of our adult lives thus far. While we have a happy family life and are good partners in terms of parenting our two young kids, I wouldnt describe our marriage as happy, exactly.

To be blunt, I really dont ever want to have sex with him again. He thinks I just have a low sex drive and that Im tired from taking care of our kids. I am tired, but the bigger issue is that I dont feel that intimacy with him. I find him physically attractive just as I did earlier in our relationship. However, due to some conflicts in our past, I dont feel confident about him touching me or seeing me naked or in any physically intimate context.

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Right after we had our first child, he became another person overnight, behaving very coldly to me. We went to couples therapy, where he revealed that though he enjoyed my company, hed never been in love with me and felt trapped in our marriage. I endured months of him repeating this and making negative comments about my weight and appearance. Through therapy, we realized he was going through a depression, and our therapist stressed that the fact that I understood the root of his coldness didnt mean I had to accept or forgive it. But I was determined to make our relationship work. I loved him, and we had a new baby. We kept going to therapy, and even though I wasnt feeling it, we had sex semi-regularly. I thought, let me fake it till I make it, and it sort of worked as I gradually became more comfortable having sex with him.

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Eventually, my husband apologized. He said he was no longer depressed and took back all the mean things he said. I tried to forgive and forget, we had our second childand then my husband reverted to the same hurtful behavior. We repeated the process again: couples therapy, his treatment for depression, mine for anxiety, attempts at better communication. However, this time around, I havent been able to restore any enthusiasm for sex. We have a lot of fun with our kids, and when we spend time together as a couple, we still have a good rapport. But through my own individual therapy, Ive been working through some of the stuff he said and did in the past. It is still painful, and I dont trust that he wont say those things again. I believe that the hurtful comments he makes when hes depressed are actually how he feels. I want to be physically intimate with someone who finds me sexy and beautiful, not someone who is settling for me or feels stuck with me. He says he does love me and doesnt feel stuck, but I dont believe him and Im not sure what he can do to convince me otherwise. I told him he could have a hall pass until we figured this out, but he always says no. Am I ridiculous for thinking we can have a marriage without sex?

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Dear How Not to Do It,

Not ridiculousin fact, there are numbers to back you up. Granted, these numbers vary, a likely result of sexless marriage being a grossly underreported statistic, according to a therapist quoted in a 2003 Newsweek story on the matter. That piece estimated 15 to 20 percent of marriages were sexless (using a metric of 10 instances of sex a year or less), while more recently, other experts have placed the figure in the 15 percent range. In any event, this is not unheard offor many couples maintaining a sex life is an active process. Some people simply dont have the time or motivation to do so, but stay together for other reasons. Youd hardly be the first.

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Keep in mind, though, that depression can make for unreliable narrators. When people are depressed, they sometimes experience cognitive distortions that result in them thinking (and saying) things that simply arent true. I understand the temptation to take a partners most negative words as revelations and assume that he has been suppressing these feelings all along (believe me Ive been there!), but thats just not how this always works. In fact, buying into the things he said when he was depressed is its own kind of cognitive distortionit actually could qualify as a few (personalization, mind reading, mental filtering, etc.). You worked directly with a professional who helped diagnose his depression, which means its at least plausible that he did not actually mean what he said during his depression. I agree with your therapist, though: You dont have to forgive them. Words can leave lasting pain, even when you rationally understand they arent true, even when you understand the reasons they were said. Its not something he can take back, and he is accountable for that.

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Staying in this relationship without engaging in sex with your husband is a valid choice, and that youve already discussed ways to manage desire (like a hall pass) suggests youre well equipped to do so. The question is, when its all spelled out that this is the way its going to be, how well equipped will your husband prove to be and will he be willing to proceed under these terms?

Help us keep giving the advice you crave every week. Sign up for Slate Plus now.

Dear How to Do It,

My husband and I recently opened our marriage. This is a good thing for us. We have talked about it for years, but the timing was never right, especially when the kids were younger. We are now seeing other people and exploring what it means to have multiple partners. We dont know yet if we will fully embrace the idea of poly and multiple relationships, or if its just sex. Right now, we are just exploring and learning who we are in this new world.

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With all of that said, my biggest worry is my children. At 7 and 9, they are able to see changes in the home. We dont talk about it around them, but they are savvy. We are not negative or positive about sex. We generally just dont talk about sex. We are positive about bodies and let them know that all bodies are beautiful. I want to be open with them, and I want them to think about sex and their bodies in a positive way. This is especially true for me, because I was raised in a rigid evangelical home and am just now exploring my sexuality at 40 years old. The problem is that I just have no idea how to start or approach this issue with my children. Do you have any advice or resources for those of us who are new to polyamory and are raising children?

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Dear New at This,

Two important things to keep in mind, according to a conversation I had with Dr. Elisabeth Sheff, are framing and tone. Sheff has written extensively about polyamory and families (she maintains a Psychology Today blog on the subject and her books include Stories From the Polycule: Real Life in Polyamorous Families and When Someone You Love Is Polyamorous: Understanding Poly People and Relationships). She advised not framing the conversation in terms of sex, because: Kids dont need to hear about their parents sexuality. They dont want to hear about it, theyre not interested in it. Especially at 7 and 9, kids dont even necessarily understand, really, what sexuality is. Instead, the kids in the sample of the 15-year ethnographic study of polyamorous families with children that she reported in her 2013 book, The Polyamorists Next Door: Inside Multiple-Partner Relationships and Families, preferred hearing about their parents hanging out with other people. Its important to convey that this is something both parents know about, and that deception/cheating is not whats going on.

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Also, Sheff suggests a certain matter-of-factness in your tone. Present it as: This is something were doing. It doesnt have to be this big deal. It can be blended into conversation, she suggests. She said that a similar low-key approach to introducing your partners to your kids, when the time comes, could also be useful. Have them over as friends for dinner or game night, and after a few times, check in on what your kids think about your new friend. Many poly parents are careful about this step, thoughSheff compared the process to the way divorced parents often take their time to introduce their new partner to their kids. Make sure this person is an OK person before you invite them into your home, Sheff advised. And certainly dont ever leave your children alone with someone you dont know very well.

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Sheff said its important to be ask-able after introducing the topic. Give some information. Less is more: Were hanging out with other people. If you have questions, please feel free to ask us. 

She also thought it was important to note that you should be extremely careful with this information if theres any chance custody could be challenged by a wealthy and judgmental grandparent (since you come from a religious background, you should definitely keep this in mind). Depending on where you are, family court isnt always understanding of polyamory, and polyamorous parents have lost children to relatives on account of their relationship style. (Places in the U.S. like California, Massachusetts, New York, and the Seattle and Portland areas tend to have more understanding family court judges.) This may help you decide just how much responsibility you want to foist on your kids, if in fact, they are going to have to keep your secret from grandma and grandpa.

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Thats a dark scenario, so Ill send you out on some good news. In a 2020 New York Times article, Heath Schechinger, Ph.D., a co-chair of the American Psychological Associations Consensual Non-monogamy Task Force, said that in the (admittedly limited) data on the subject, theres nothing to suggest that children in these situations are faring any better or any worse than children with (ostensibly) monogamous parents. Of course, ensuing societal prejudice could affect stress and depression, but hopefully this finding gives you some peace of mind to go forward in your poly pursuits.

Did you write this or another letter we answered? Tell us what happened at howtodoit@slate.com.

Dear How to Do It,

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Im a straight man in my early 30s and happily married. My problem is that I come too quickly from penis-in-vagina sex. Like, really quicklysometimes after a few thrusts. This isnt a problem at all with oral sex, where I last so long that I usually dont come (even though its great and its not at all less pleasurable). And it isnt a problem with manual stimulation, either from my wife or during masturbation. Its just during PIV sex, though it is a problem in all positions.

This isnt a huge issue. My wife usually comes when I do, so everyone ends happy. And we make good use of foreplay. But its not ideal either, and it seems avoidable given that its not a problem with oral sex or masturbation. Also, I wanted to head off a few solutions that probably arent right for us. I dont tend to be able to go a second round in a day, so that isnt going to work. And the only time we used any sort of cream/gel-type product it really irritated my wifes vagina, so she isnt interested in trying various products to delay ejaculation.

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Really, Im mostly curious about why there would be such a gap between penetration and everything else. Is it physical? Psychological? Whats going on here?

Minute Man

Dear Minute Man,

In his recent book So Tell Me About the Last Time You Had Sex, psychotherapist/sexuality counselor Ian Kerner writes, When a guy only has [premature ejaculation] during intercourse and has no problem with other types of stimulation to his penis, it usually tells me that the PE is situational rather than chronic because he is able to maintain ejaculatory control in contexts other than intercourse. That sounded like you, so I reached out to Kerner for some more information on this particular kind of PE. Ive worked with a number of guys who have PE only during intercourse and experience this situational PE sporadically, he wrote in an email. In almost all cases, the cause is performance anxiety which is governed by our sympathetic nervous system that mediates fight or flight response. He explained the potential evolutionary basis for this (anxiety prompting quick ejaculation would still allow for procreative potential in the face of potential danger). While it doesnt sound like youre experiencing performance anxiety, if we dug deeper we might observe it, Kerner wrote. For example, he says its not an issue because his wife always orgasms when he does, but perhaps on a level just below consciousness he suspects this as being untrue. Or maybe he worries that hes not as good at intercourse as other activities.

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For treatment, Kerner recommended mindfulness exercises that could help mitigate anxiety, as well as ensuring that your wife orgasms first to make sure you dont feel pressure coming from that side. A low dose of an SSRI might help, as could some sort of disinhibiting substance like wine, CBD, or a type of weed that has a calming effect on you (for example, an indica strain). Also, not all numbing sprays are prone to irritating ones partnerKerner says that Promescent absorbs into the membrane of the penis, and there usually isnt any transference to a womans genitals.

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Both he and the urologist I contacted regarding your question, Charles Welliver (director of mens health at Albany Medical College), suggested the stop/start technique to help you last longer during intercourse. (That is just as it soundsstop when you approach the point of no return, wait a few seconds, and then continue until you near orgasm again. Repeat as many times as you can.) Welliver pointed out that stop/start has the most robust data behind it of any PE-mitigating technique. He should examine what it is about intercourse that makes him have an orgasm so quickly, the doctor wrote in an email. The list here is potentially endless but if he can identify something about himself or in his history that insight is the first step to resolving things. Insight is pretty much always the key with sexual issue.

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Kerner and I agree that youre already managing well. (In another book, the cunnilingus manual She Comes First, he describes how his own PE led him to boning up on his oral craft.) Your sex ends happily and youre engaging in plenty of foreplay. I mean on a certain level is it really PE if his partner orgasms with him? wrote Kerner. I suspect that intercourse is over-emphasized in his mind as a defining activity that he feels somewhat deficient in and thats creating anxiety thats leading to PE. But a penis in a vagina is not necessarily any better than a penis in a mouth, a hand on a penis, or a mouth or hand on a vulva. Theyre all just behaviors that only take on meaning when we ascribe meaning, and male sexuality is socially constructed to emphasize intercourse as a defining activity. Amen!

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More How to Do It

About a year and a half ago, my husband and I had our first child. Before we had children, we liked to engage in various forms of breast play during sex. I got a lot of pleasure out of my breasts being touched and kissed. He got a lot of pleasure out of playing with them, even using them as a means to come. I have a large chest and used to feel that my breasts were one of my sexiest features. Since giving birth and breastfeeding, though, my view of my breasts has changed completely. I see them as motherly, as wonderful, as a powerful and awesome means of bonding with my son. I dont view them as sexy anymore. My husband and I resumed our sex life a while ago, but I cant seem to get back to a place where the involvement of my breasts in foreplay or sex does anything for me. Do you have any advice for how I can start to enjoy my breasts sexually again?
A fun Saturday night out on the town took a tragic turn in St. Paul, Minnesota, where a shootout inside a busy bar left one woman dead and at least 14 others injured. Police say people began frantically calling 911 shortly after midnight Sunday morning asking for help and officers arrived to find a chaotic scene, St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell said. Three men who were among the injured have been arrested. Once they are discharged from the hospital, the men, who are aged between 29 and 33, will be booked into Ramsey County Jail.

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I have an update on this mornings homicide investigation that Id like to share with you.



Three men have been arrested in connection to this mornings shootings and the tragic death of a woman in her 20s.



The suspects are currently in the hospital being treated for injuries  Todd Axtell (@ToddAxtell) October 10, 2021

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The Seventh Street Truck Park was crowded when multiple individuals decided to pull out guns, with no regard for human life, and pull the trigger, said Steve Linders, police spokesman. I think about the poor woman who was just out enjoying herself. One minute shes dancing, smiling and laughing, and the next shes dying in her friends arms. When police arrived, they were stunned at the number of people who had been wounded. There were gunshot wound victims lying in the street outside the bar, gunshot wound victims lying on the sidewalk outside the bar, and gunshot wound victims lying on the floor inside the bar, Linders said.

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Axtell said he couldnt recall of a single shooting in the incident with this many victims since he first became an officer in 1989. The woman who died at the scene, 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley, was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire when gunshots were fired at people who were behind her. My heart breaks for the woman who was killed, her loved ones and everyone else who was in that bar this morning, Axtell said. In an instant, they found themselves caught in a hellish situation.

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The DJ who was working that night, Peter Parker, said this was the first time hes had to dive off stage to avoid gunfire. Ive never had anybody shoot inside a party ever, he said. Especially in a place we felt was a very safe place. Parker said he didnt see any kind of argument that could have led anyone to believe a shooting was about to break out. It was a fun night and then it went horribly left abruptly. Nobody couldve anticipated what happened, he said. It happened in a way that didnt really make sense. All I heard was mad shots. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter issued a statement saying the city is devastated by the shocking scenes from last night.

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Yellow-black automated guided vehicles supply production lines with components, assisting in warehouses or serving as an assembly line.

News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription.

The test hall of the technological company Asseco CEIT in Zilina looks a bit like a playground. (Source: Courtesy of Asseco CEIT)

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Entering the test hall of the innovative technological company Asseco CEIT in Zilina, one is quickly overhelmed with all the beeping and flashing of the yellow-black flat angled devices whirring around, closely watched by engineers in boiler suits. The robots are quick to warn any visitor who steps into their area: they stop at a secure distance and intensively flash their lights, later intensifying their beeping to force the intruder out of their way.

It has not happened yet that it didnt stop, said Andrea Chuda, CEO of Asseco CEIT, as she steps out of the way of an automated guided vehicle (AGV). Today, robots can handle everything that their designers and programmers can. What they cant do, for now, is improvise, or act without an algorithm written in advance.

One of tested devices is an enhanced autonomous AGV forklift that lifts wooden pallets off the ground and places them on a rack in the corner.

By developing an autonomous AGV forklift, we have extended our AGV portfolio and, at the same time, responded to a challenge on the market  the lack of qualified forklift operators, said Chuda. Due to the coronavirus-instigated boom in e-commerce, we are already registering potential customers outside the automotive industry.

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Related article Logistics getting greener Read more

In the hall, her company tests all the devices and solutions it develops and supplies to its clients, including those it is developing as prospective products that will be in demand on the market in the future.

It started with an offer from a carmaker

The company started as the Slovak Centre of Productivity in 1998, the commercial initiative of three professors from the University of Zilina. At first, its scope of activities was quite extensive, with the main focus on industrial consulting.

The breakthrough moment arrived in 2007, when a top manager of the Slovak arm of the German carmaker Volkswagen in Bratislava approached them with the idea of developing an automated guided vehicle for intra-logistics.

The company took up the challenge and designed a prototype with the required characteristics. After the prototype proved its qualities at production, the yellow trucks for automated material transport gradually became the flagship of CEIT, making it an important Slovak player in the modernisation of industrial plants.

Now 363 AGVs autonomously supply production lines with components and serve at warehouses in Bratislavas Volkswagen plant. Fleets of AGVs are deployed in other plants of the Volkswagen group, for example at Skoda in Mlada Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabi, the Czech Republic, Audi in Gyor, Hungary, as well as in Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, Germany.

There is already a fourth generation of AGVs, said Chuda.

Vehicles running production lines
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/china-decries-failed-and-pitiful-australian-ex-pm-for-anti-beijing-speech-in-taiwan-1089804903.html

China Decries 'Failed and Pitiful' Ex-Australian PM for Anti-Beijing Speech in Taiwan

China Decries 'Failed and Pitiful' Ex-Australian PM for Anti-Beijing Speech in Taiwan

Speaking in Taipei on 8 October at the annual Yushan Forum, a conference organised by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, former Australian PM Tony Abbott... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

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China's Embassy in Australia stated on 9 October that ex-Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was a "failed and pitiful" politician whose "insane performance" at a conference in Taiwan exposed his anti-China attitude. These remarks followed after Abbott said China could lash out "disastrously" soon, given its economy slowing, finances creaking, and population ageing.Abbott's visit to Taiwan came as the People's Liberation Army Air Force has intensified flights within Taiwan's air defence system identification zone over the past 10 days. The flights by Chinese aircraft come as tensions are rising between Beijing and Washington - one of Taiwan's main allies - over regular US "freedom of navigation missions" carried out in the Taiwan Strait without China's consent.On top of that, American media revealed earlier this week that US Marines and special operations forces have been secretly training Taiwanese soldiers on the island to defend against possible Chinese aggression.Additionally, relations between China and Australia have also grown particularly tense over the past year. Last year, Australia called for an independent probe into the initial coronavirus outbreak in China. Shortly afterwards, China banned beef imports from four large Australian firms, citing safety concerns. Since then, China has added 80% duties on Australia's barley as a result of its investigation into Australian government subsidies, and imposed tariffs ranging from 116% to 218% on wine imports from the country.

https://sputniknews.com/20211010/taiwan-vows-it-wont-bow-to-chinas-pressure-after-beijing-reiterates-reunification-push-1089805273.html

Boris Jaruselski Abbot was the 'willing pawn' in a much larger geopolitical chess set, aimed at 'containing' China. China doesn't care... HongKong was supposed to be the 'spearhead' which was to be driven into China's heart, then it was Tibet, then it were the Uigurs, ...now it's Taiwan. ...next? 5

Hess The Chinese authorities made a big mistake. Abbott should have been arrested and deported. He entered China using fraudulent Visa. In addition, Abbott is a Neo-Fascist warmongering bigot, and has no place in a civilised country like China. 4

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Deaths in Aden Car Bomb Blast Rise to 5, Source Says

Deaths in Aden Car Bomb Blast Rise to 5, Source Says

CAIRO (Sputnik) - Five people are now believed dead following a car bombing in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, a source with the city administration... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

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The car bomb exploded as the convoy of the Aden governor was passing through the Tawahi district, killing at least five of his bodyguards. The official survived.Aden has been the de facto capital of Yemen after Houthi rebels overran Sanaa in the country's north. The port is controlled by the separatist Southern Transitional Council.

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https://sputniknews.com/20211010/failing-across-the-milky-way-kamala-harris-grilled-over-her-stem-promo-for-space-exploration-1089809372.html

'Failing Across the Milky Way': Kamala Harris Grilled Over Her STEM Promo For Space Exploration

'Failing Across the Milky Way': Kamala Harris Grilled Over Her STEM Promo For Space Exploration

As vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris has also been tasked with leading the country's response to the migrant crisis on the southern border and... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

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Kamala Harris "loves the idea of exploring the unknown", as she herself puts it in a trailer for a YouTube Kids special "Get Curious" that was released on Thursday. Yet, despite her push to encourage kids to learn more about space, science, and technology, she received a lot of recommendations on what she could also explore as vice president - for example, America's southern border.In the video, she is trying to dazzle children who visited her at the US Naval Observatory with promises like "you're gonna literally see the craters on the Moon with your own eyes!".Netizens immediately flocked to the threads to question whether all terrestrial issues have already been resolved given that Harris is already promoting discoveries in space.Republican lawmaker Lauren Boebert commented sardonically that Harris is "not allowed to speak to adults" anymore. The video where the vice president is trying to share her apparently overwhelming space enthusiasm was even turned into a meme.Other netizens, who seemed to be in a less jolly mood, came up with things that Kamala Harris - who is also meant to be dealing with the US border crisis - could actually explore before diving into the mysteries of the universe.Apparently referring to how Harris has stepped out of the spotlight recently, rarely making public appearances or drawing too much attention, one user joked that perhaps she was at the space station this whole time.Harris was appointed to lead the National Space Council in early May, with her portfolio also featuring tasks like dealing with the surge of migrants on the southern border and expanding broadband internet under the American Jobs Plan.While she appears to have embraced the role of Space Council head, Harris has been receiving massive backlash from conservatives over the way she's tackled the migrant crisis, with critics lambasting her failure to make appearances on the border. The vice president only visited the border area once, when she travelled to El Paso, Texas, in June. Many critics have pointed to Harris' absence at a US-Mexico border security meeting that took place in Mexico City and involved Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas - but not the so-called "border czar".

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https://sputniknews.com/20211010/frances-le-pen-says-can-reach-presidential-runoff-1089815083.html

France's Le Pen Says Can Reach Presidential Runoff

France's Le Pen Says Can Reach Presidential Runoff

PARIS (Sputnik) - French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen said Sunday she was confident she could make it into the runoff of the 2022 election and take on... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

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Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally, added that she thought she could beat the centrist president, who is yet to announce his re-election bid.A Harris Interactive survey out Wednesday showed that Macron would secure 24% of the vote in the first round, followed by journalist and TV pundit Eric Zemmour with 17% and Le Pen with 15%.Recently, Le Pen stressed that if she becomes president of France in 2022 she will call a national referendum in a bid to severely limit immigration. The politician also said France should limit the opportunities for migrants to become citizens through the family reunification track.

Norman Peterson she will call a national referendum in a bid to severely limit immigration.] And maybe throw out most of what has arrived in the past 20 years or so... 1

koursk koursk in the nato zone, billionaires want to continue to impose their power, and continue to plunder public finances, especially those of France, and other Latin and Slavic countries *** the big mafia can impose its interests on any elected representative from the nato zone and related *** the big mafia obviously has preferences *** as Gauleiter in France, its prefers Macron, Bertrand, Pecresse ... *** to cut off the class struggle spirit before the first round, billionaires finance to stir up communitarianism *** if the lepen stooge wears out after several candidacies, there is another zemmour stooge to replace her in the fascist spirit crusader franchouillardise *** billionaires also finance Salafist and haredim communitarianisms *** such candidatures must be erased in the second round to give the victory to the stooge Macron, Bertrand, Peceresse, responsible for carrying out structural reforms, privatizations, extension of the working week daily, and postponing the retirement age *** 0

3

france

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france, marine le pen, europe, elections
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/india-china-make-another-attempt-to-defuse-border-tensions-1089805200.html

India, China Make Another Attempt to Defuse Border Tensions

India, China Make Another Attempt to Defuse Border Tensions

Both India and China have made major deployments of troops to areas along their 3,488 km border. Troops from the two countries engaged in a series of... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T09:02+0000

2021-10-10T09:02+0000

2021-10-10T09:02+0000

india

china

border tensions

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India and China are set to hold their 13th round of talks on Sunday to address the ongoing military stand-off between the two countries. The talks are scheduled to be held at Moldo (Chushul) on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control and are likely to focus on a resolution of the friction point at Hot Springs in the Ladakh sector.The top-level military dialogue is being held amid reports that earlier this month, Indian soldiers engaged in a tense standoff with Chinese troops who had transgressed in Arunachal Pradesh state across the Line of Actual Control. There have been 12 rounds of military commander-level talks between June 2020 and August 2021, with the disengagement of troops and equipment having been completed both north and south of Pangong Tso and the Gogra Heights. However, talks are yet to be held on the disputed Hot Springs, Demchok, and Depsang Plains.On 9 October, Indian Army General M.M. Naravane voiced concerns about the ongoing large-scale Chinese troop build-up."To sustain that kind of build-up there has been an equal amount of infrastructure development on the Chinese side," the Army Chief said on Saturday while speaking at India Today Conclave in New Delhi.Tensions between the armies of the two countries escalated to an unprecedented level in June 2020, when 20 Indian soldiers and four members of the People's Liberation Army were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley. The two sides have opened several channels to ease the tensions along the border. However, a deadlock persists over a range of issues.

https://sputniknews.com/20211003/india-ready-to-meet-any-eventuality-as-china-boosts-troops-along-disputed-border-army-chief-says-1089621483.html

china

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india, china, border tensions
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/irans-raisi-blames-us-project-for-terrorist-attack-on-shia-mosque-in-afghan-kunduz-1089801924.html

Iran's Raisi Blames 'US Project' for Terrorist Attack on Shia Mosque in Afghan Kunduz

Iran's Raisi Blames 'US Project' for Terrorist Attack on Shia Mosque in Afghan Kunduz

On Friday, a bombing in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz region killed at least 46 people and injured more than 140 others, according to state media. A suicide... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T00:23+0000

2021-10-10T00:23+0000

2021-10-10T03:38+0000

us

iran

afghanistan

terrorist attack

isis

terror attack

war in afghanistan

terrorist

terror plot

ebrahim raisi

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi issued a statement on Saturday saying that a recent suicide attack targeting a Shia mosque in Afghanistan was a "security project" by the US to create "ethnic agitation" in the country. The infamous Daesh* terrorist group claimed responsibility for the suicide explosion. The attack is the bloodiest since August 26, when a heavy blast hit the Kabul airport killing at least 169 Afghans and 13 US troops. Daesh also claimed to be behind that attack.In a statement published on his official website, the Iranian president expressed his condolences to the people of Afghanistan and to "the entire human society on the martyrdom and injury" involving a massive number of people.Daesh has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban* took control of the war-torn nation on August 15, targeting Taliban militants and Afghan residents with many explosions, including two highly deadly ones in Kabul."We hope that with the vigilance of the Afghan groups and the formation of an inclusive government, a large part of this plot is thwarted and, God willing, the Afghan people will be able to see peace," he added.Earlier this week, an explosion near the Eid Gah mosque rocked the country's capital, Kabul. The blast killed 12 individuals and injured 32 others. In connection with the attack, three people have reportedly been arrested.Iran, which is a Shia Muslim majority country, has been particularly cautious in its comments about the Taliban, avoiding open criticism of their rule. Tehran said it remains in contact with the Islamists.*terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other states.

vot tak Raisi is correct. This sort of terrorism is widely practiced by israeloamerica using proxy mercs and dupes. 4

TruePatriot And also a measure of revenge by the sick lunatics for getting thrown out of the country. 1

2

us

iran

afghanistan

daesh

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us, iran, afghanistan, terrorist attack, isis, terror attack, war in afghanistan, terrorist, terror plot, ebrahim raisi, daesh
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/like-third-world-store-shelves-in-nyc-half-empty-as-police-blame-bail-reform-for-shoplifting-surge-1089810670.html

Like Third World! Store Shelves in NYC Half-Empty as Police Blame Bail Reform for Shoplifting Surge

Like Third World! Store Shelves in NYC Half-Empty as Police Blame Bail Reform for Shoplifting Surge

Like Third World! NYC Stores' Shelves Half-Empty as Police Blames Bail Reform for Shoplifting Surge

2021-10-10T12:15+0000

2021-10-10T12:15+0000

2021-10-10T12:19+0000

new york

us

shoplifting

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The shelves of numerous drug store chains in New York were half-empty this weekend, the New York Post has reported after visiting more than a dozen CVS, Duane Reade/Walgreens, and Rite Aid stores.The stores lacked many necessities, such as hand sanitiser, diapers, baby formula, soap, body wash, and tampons. The choice was also limited for many other wares as well, like cereal, batteries, laundry detergent, and paper goods.An employee at one CVS store told the New York Post that the items from the now-barren shelves were simply stolen. Several anonymous sources with the NYPD told the media outlet that nearly 80 thieves with 20 or more shoplifting charges on their rap sheets are walking the citys streets at the moment. New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea blames the spike in criminal activity, including shoplifting, on the bail reform undertaken in 2019 by the Democratic-controlled state.The reform abolished bail posting for most misdemeanours and petty crimes resulting in those charged being released soon after their arrest. The goal of the reform was to reduce the prison population and remove bail, often unaffordable for detainees, for 90% of arrests thus preventing people from losing jobs and sometimes custody over their children due to being stuck in jail while awaiting trial.However, soon after being implemented, police in New York unearthed unnerving numbers about the rapid growth of crime levels in the state at large and in New York City in particular, pointing the finger at the bail reform as the main culprit. The latest crime statistics for New York showed 26,385 complaints of retail theft  a 32% growth compared to 2020 and a 38% increase compared to 2014. This September's shoplifting levels also set a new record high, with stats not seen since 1995.The reason for the surge in shoplifting is that perpetrators are rather swiftly being released after their capture, the New York Post alleges. The said thieves can walk free the same day after being detained and their cases are often not prosecuted, the media outlet added. Similar problems have been witnessed in Los Angeles since the state passed similar reforms  a volley of videos has emerged online appearing to show shoplifters casually walking out of stores  hands full of goods without even trying to conceal their activities.The apparent rise in shoplifting also coincided with logistics disruptions across the US that have already led some retailers to warn their customers that not all goods will be available in the coming months. The disruptions have hit the entire transport system: major US ports have long queues of ships waiting to be unloaded, truck companies lack drivers to deliver the wares across the country, and the train system is also struggling to cope with the surge in demand. The transport industry is mainly suffering from a shortage of labour caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

https://sputniknews.com/20200713/aoc-says-crimes-surge-in-nyc-because-disadvantaged-citizens-forced-to-shoplift-some-bread-1079865528.html

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new york, us, shoplifting
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/london-appears-unready-to-pour-billions-into-taliban-as-movement-urges-to-pay-afghan-war-1089810830.html

London Appears Unready to Pour Billions Into Taliban as Movement Urges to Pay Afghan War Reparations

London Appears Unready to Pour Billions Into Taliban as Movement Urges to Pay Afghan War Reparations

The West's nearly two-decade military campaign in Afghanistan wrapped up in late August, when the US-led coalition withdrew troops from the country. The... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T12:27+0000

2021-10-10T12:27+0000

2021-10-10T12:27+0000

afghanistan

afghanistan

taliban

news

troops

withdrawal

reparations

world

uk

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The UK government has reportedly yet to decide on whether it should pay hefty compensation to the Taliban over the almost 20-year war in Afghanistan.The source added that "whether we [the government] pay it or not is a different matter".The remarks came as Noor Mohammad Mutawakel, a spokesman for Afghanistan's acting Ministry of Information and Culture with the Taliban government, argued that "Britain is ready to pay us [the militants] war reparations, and we welcome that". The spokesman added that "other countries involved in the war must also be prepared to pay".Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of UK troops in Afghanistan, reacted angrily to the remarks by stressing that "it is an outrage for the terrorist group that took over the country to demand reparations from countries that fought in Afghanistan to support the legitimate government".Philip Ingram, an ex-UK Army intelligence officer, in turn, asserted that Britain is currently "in a very difficult position". He added that he does not think the government "should pay but it is important no country pays as any lack of unity will be exploited [by the Taliban]".Ingram described the militants as "very clever", noting that "all through the evacuation they kept making statements they knew western governments wanted to hear".The US-led coalition completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on 31 August, ending the West's almost 20-year military presence in Afghanistan. The latter claimed the lives of at least 46,319 Afghan civilians, according to the Costs of War Project at Providence-based Brown University.The pullout wrapped up two weeks after the Taliban seized power in the country, which was followed by the militant group forming an all-male interim government and declaring the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20210906/uk-mod-bristles-as-junior-minister-u-turns-on-inaccurate-claim-of-suicides-among-afghan-war-vets-1083805933.html

Sputnik User There was no "legitimate government" in Afghanistan over the 20 years of NATO occupation... 2

FeEisi Russia can use this time to spread their influence in Afghanistan. Russia and the Taliban can reach an agreement to open a drone base and help the Taliban fight ISIS. This will prevent ISIS from spreading into Tajikistan and elsewhere in Central Asia. Russia can also provide funding to help the Taliban secure the northern border and prevent ISIS extremist from crossing. 1

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afghanistan, taliban, news, troops, withdrawal, reparations, world, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/russia-to-complete-over-dozen-angara-a5-rocket-launches-by-2027---reports-1089805720.html

Russia to Complete Over Dozen Angara-A5 Rocket Launches By 2027 - Reports

Russia to Complete Over Dozen Angara-A5 Rocket Launches By 2027 - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Defence Ministry plans to carry out 17 launches of the new Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome before the... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T05:51+0000

2021-10-10T05:51+0000

2021-10-10T09:13+0000

news

world

russia

angara a5

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On 8 October, Aerospace Forces Commander Sergey Surovikin said that Russia plans to carry out two launches of the Angara-A5 rocket and two launches of the light rocket of this class in 2022.The broadcaster Gtrk "Pomor'ye" reported on 9 October that one Angara-A5 test launch is planned for 2021, and two more are planned for 2022.Serial Angara-A5 launches are set to begin in 2023 (two launches planned for that year). Between 2024 and 2027 Russia plans to carry out three Angara launches per year, according to Gtrk "Pomor'ye".The first Angara-A5 test launch was conducted in December 2014. The Moscow-based Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre is expected to manufacture four Angara-A5 serial models. The delivery of serial Angara-A5 rockets is planned for 2022-2024.

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news, world, russia, angara a5
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/saturday-night-live-mocks-congressional-hearing-with-facebook-whistleblower-1089812712.html

Saturday Night Live Mocks Congressional Hearing With Facebook Whistleblower

Saturday Night Live Mocks Congressional Hearing With Facebook Whistleblower

The development comes as the social media giant is reeling from revelations made by Frances Haugen, who claimed that Facebook prioritised growth over safety... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T13:29+0000

2021-10-10T13:29+0000

2021-10-10T13:30+0000

mark zuckerberg

us

facebook

social media

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US television sketch show Saturday Night Live has mocked a congressional hearing with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. The latest episode showed Ms Haugen, played by Heidi Gardner, giving her testimony on Capitol Hill, with the show apparently taking a dig at US legislators failure to take the issue seriously."What Facebook has done is disgraceful and you better believe that Congress will be taking action. Right after we pass the infrastructure bill, raise the debt ceiling, prosecute those responsible for the January 6th insurrection and stop Trump from using executive privilege, even though he's no longer president. But after all that, you watch out, Facebook! said Senator Dianne Feinstein, played by Cecily Strong.The senator then questioned Frances Haugen whether having 2,000 friends on Facebook is "good". Senator Ted Cruz, portrayed by Aidy Bryant, then asked the whistleblower how to turn off the bullying feature on Facebook, before voicing concern about groups that spread misinformation. 'Facebook is Accountable to No One'SNLs latest episode comes four days after the real Frances Haugen testified before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, detailing how the company has allegedly been hiding negative information from the public. Haugen, who worked at the social media giant for two years, copied thousands of internal documents that she then leaked to The Wall Street Journal and shared with lawmakers.One paper showed that a study conducted by Facebook revealed that 13 percent of girls in the United Kingdom had started having more suicidal thoughts after using Instagram, which is owned by Facebook.Another study showed that 17 percent of teens said their eating disorders had got worse after using Instagram.Documents leaked by Frances Haugen also showed that politicians, celebrities, and other high-profile individuals have been treated differently by Facebook, with moderation policies applied differently or not at all to their accounts. The leaked papers also showed the company was facing a lawsuit from a group of its shareholders, who claim the hefty $5 billion fine Facebook paid to the US Federal Trade Commission in 2019 was so high because it was designed to protect CEO Mark Zuckerberg.The social media network said the leaks were misleading, and Haugens accusations "dont make sense". Mark Zuckerberg said the company cared "deeply" about safety issues.

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Max Gorbachev

Max Gorbachev

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mark zuckerberg, us, facebook, social media
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/scotland-yard-has-spoken-to-woman-who-accused-prince-andrew-of-sexual-abuse-report-says-1089814584.html

Scotland Yard Has Spoken to Woman Who Accused Prince Andrew of Sexual Abuse, Report Says

Scotland Yard Has Spoken to Woman Who Accused Prince Andrew of Sexual Abuse, Report Says

The second son of Queen Elizabeth II, said to be her favourite, has for years been accused by a woman who claims she was forced to sleep with the royal on at... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T14:14+0000

2021-10-10T14:14+0000

2021-10-10T14:14+0000

royal family

prince andrew

sexual abuse

uk

virginia roberts giuffre

uk

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Scotland Yard has spoken to Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew, The Sunday Times has reported. According to the newspaper, officers contacted the 38-year-old about her allegations after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said in August that "no one is above the law".It is unclear whether police officers spoke to Mrs Giuffre recently or back in August when the commissioner made the statement.The woman's lawyer Sigrid McCawley told the newspaper that Scotland Yard should open an investigation into Prince Andrew given "the clear and compelling evidence implicating" the royal. In August, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous source, that the Duke of York is considered a "person of interest" in the US investigation into disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.His lawyers previously claimed that a 2009 settlement between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre protects the royal "from any and all liability". Mrs Giuffre's lawyers insist that the papers are "irrelevant" to the case.Prince Andrew's legal team has until 29 October to respond to the lawsuit filed by Mrs Giuffre. According to The Sunday Telegraph, a remote hearing has been scheduled for 3 November.What are the Accusations?For years, Virginia Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew of having sexually assaulted her. The 38-year-old is one of the alleged sex slaves of late US financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was charged in July 2019 of running a sex trafficking network of minors. Prince Andrew and Epstein were buddies, and the royal admitted to having visited the financier's numerous mansions and a private island, where dozens of women claim sexual abuse took place.Mrs Giuffre claims that when she was 17, she was trafficked to London and forced to have sex with Andrew. She also alleges that the Duke of York slept with her at least two more times. The 61-year-old royal has categorically denied the accusations. In a bid to explain his relationship with the convicted sex offender and clear his name, the royal gave an interview to the BBC. This was several months after Epstein had been arrested and killed himself in his cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.The interview, however, resulted in blowback, as the prince took a defiant stance. He appeared to fail to express sympathy for Epstein's alleged victims and said he didn't regret his friendship with the sex offender.His response to Mrs Giuffre's accusations was widely seen as inconsistent. At first, he said that he had an alibi on the day the alleged sexual intercourse with Giuffre occurred in London. Then he said he had no recollection of meeting the woman. When pressed about a photo showing the two together with Prince Andrew's arm around Mrs Giuffre's waist, Andrew said: "nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored".Prince Andrew's statements in the BBC interview have been harshly criticised by the media and the public, prompting the royal to step down from his duties. He was ditched by patronages and major companies that had been working with him. He also became a family pariah, with Buckingham Palace airbrushing him from photos of the events the Royal Family attended, including his daughter's wedding.Reports say that the 61-year-old is keen to rehabilitate his image, however, royal insiders suggest "The Firm" doesn't want Andrew to return to public life.

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Max Gorbachev

royal family, prince andrew, sexual abuse, uk, virginia roberts giuffre, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/syrian-military-launches-clearing-operation-in-deraa-1089814175.html

Syrian Military Launches Clearing Operation in Deraa

Syrian Military Launches Clearing Operation in Deraa

Fighting resumed in the province this summer after insurgents killed several servicemen and shelled settlements controlled by the government. 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T14:33+0000

2021-10-10T14:33+0000

2021-10-10T14:33+0000

middle east

syrian arab army

militants

syria

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According to the newspaper Al-Watan, the Syrian Arab Army has started a clearing operation in the southeastern portion of Deraa Province, right near the Jordanian border. The report said that government forces will be re-establishing full control over 19 settlements, previously held by militants. At the same time, members of the opposition-led Free Syrian Army will be granted amnesty if they surrender their weapons and stop fighting.The truce agreement between the armed groups and the authorities in southern Syria was signed on 1 September, with the mediation of Russia. According to official data, over 7,500 militants have been granted amnesty since then.

NthrnNYker59 As soon as the 'war' is over... President Assad should round up these terrorists and hold a mass execution. 5

koursk koursk the army of the arab republic of syria must secure the country, because the big mafia which reigns over the nato zone, continues to send its private armies (al qaida, islamic state) to syria 3

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middle east, syrian arab army, militants, syria
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/taliban-delegation-calls-doha-talks-with-us-fruitful-reports-say-1089817507.html

Taliban Delegation Calls Doha Talks With US 'Fruitful', Reports Say

Taliban Delegation Calls Doha Talks With US 'Fruitful', Reports Say

DOHA (Sputnik) - The Taliban* delegation called Sunday's negotiations with US delegates in Doha fruitful, the news channel Al-Jazeera has reported. 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T17:23+0000

2021-10-10T17:23+0000

2021-10-10T17:34+0000

doha

us

asia & pacific

afghanistan

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The Qatari channel cited the Taliban's acting information minister as saying that the interim Afghan government hoped the meeting would be a step toward its recognition by Washington.These negotiations between US officials and the Taliban are the first to occur since the United States withdrew troops from Afghanistan in August. The Taliban delegation was also expected to meet with EU representatives in Doha on Sunday.The radical movement took over Afghanistan as the US was withdrawing its forces after a nearly 20-year campaign. The Taliban seized the capital city of Kabul on 15 August, while the last province to resist the group, Panjshir, surrendered on 6 September.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

Preterist-ADSeventy Who were you before you morphed into vot tak? 0

vot tak When dealing with the israeloamericans, cover your backside and expect the worst, no matter what those salesboys tell one. 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20211010/taliban-supporter-has-to-leave-farm-he-rents-near-nuclear-submarine-base-in-scotland-1089812370.html

Taliban Supporter Has to Leave Farm He Rents Near Nuclear Submarine Base in Scotland

Taliban Supporter Has to Leave Farm He Rents Near Nuclear Submarine Base in Scotland

The unusual renter stressed he posed no danger and meant no harm, adding that he just "likes to be a farmer". 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T14:21+0000

2021-10-10T14:21+0000

2021-10-10T14:21+0000

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afghanistan

nuclear submarines

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A chairman of the Scottish Afghan Society who has been renting a farm near a British naval base has caused major concern in the neighbourhood due to his support for the Taliban*, and was told to leave the site, Sky News has reported. Waheed Totakhyl, a brother of an actual Taliban commander, and a supporter of the radical movement has been renting Aldonaig Farm, located right near Gare Loch. The loch hosts HMNB Clyde - the UK Navy's headquarters in Scotland, where nuclear submarines armed with Trident missiles are docked.According to Sky News, the owner of the farm, ex-Iranian officer Al Taghi told the renter he should vacate the farm because his neighbours were concerned by Totakhyl's behaviour. Locals told the broadcaster, they had to contact the military police after eight Afghan nationals came to the farm back in August, saying they had driven up from London.However, Totakhyl said that he was only visited by friends from around the UK to discuss the situation in their home country. Totakhyl left Afghanistan and came to Britain in 2001. He owns a takeaway shop that once sold "Osama bin Laden" pizzas. According to reports, he previously called for the death of US soldiers in Afghanistan. He is additionally said to be a member of the Afghan political party Hezb-e Islami, established by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (also known as the "Butcher of Kabul"), who served as prime minister during the first Taliban rule. Totakhyl previously told Sky News that after the Taliban seized Afghanistan, it became "safer than Europe".*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

Sputnik User Almost everything in the UK is owned by foreigners; but, there are good foreigners and bad foreigners, no?! 3

Sputnik User Terrible... now they fear the afghans... how about the Iranian owner? Isn't he spying for the mullahs?! 2

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scotland, afghanistan, nuclear submarines, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/trump-called-general-milley-nut-job-over-proposal-to-leave-military-equipment-in-afghanistan-1089812979.html

Trump Called General Milley 'Nut Job' Over Proposal to Leave Military Equipment in Afghanistan

Trump Called General Milley 'Nut Job' Over Proposal to Leave Military Equipment in Afghanistan

Trump Called General Milley 'Nut Job' Over Proposal to Leave Military Equipment in Afghanistan

2021-10-10T13:23+0000

2021-10-10T13:23+0000

2021-10-10T13:23+0000

donald trump

us

mark milley

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Ex-US President Donald Trump has claimed that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley proposed he withdraw US troops from Afghanistan, while leaving most of the nation's expensive military equipment behind  something that the Biden administration did in August 2021. Trump added while apeaking at a rally in Iowa that he immediately dismissed the idea and criticised Milley for even coming up with it.The former president added that it was "one of the many times I realised [Milley] was stupid". Trump went on to suggest that the general later presented the same idea that it was "cheaper to leave the equipment than take it out" to President Joe Biden, who apparently failed to call it out as "crazy".In his tirade against Milley and other "TV generals", as Trump called them without bringing up any names, the ex-POTUS compared the top military brass with WWII-era general George S. Patton.Trump has repeatedly criticised the actions and decisions of Mark Milley, even more since a recent tell-all book claimed that the general feared the Republican president would try to stage a coup to stay in power. According to the book, Milley had various contingency plans for several scenarios of a possible power grab by Trump that would assure he wouldn't get any military support.Trump dismissed any allegations he sought to seize power by force even though he continues to insist that the election was stolen from him in 2020. He has so far failed to prove these claims in court.*The Taliban is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other countries

https://sputniknews.com/20210716/his-reichstag-moment-mark-milley-reportedly-feared-trump-might-attack-iran-to-stay-in-power-1083398889.html

Sputnik User I do not believe they left any meaningful equipment and technologies behind...; they even destroyed the radar system at Kabul airport before they left. 1

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donald trump, us, mark milley
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/us-deputy-secretary-of-state-says-wh-unwilling-to-build-broad-relationship-with-pakistan-1089816146.html

US Deputy Secretary of State Says WH Unwilling to Build 'Broad Relationship With Pakistan'

US Deputy Secretary of State Says WH Unwilling to Build 'Broad Relationship With Pakistan'

Over the past few months, both sides have sparred over Afghanistan-related issues, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in August harshly criticising the... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T15:50+0000

2021-10-10T15:50+0000

2021-10-10T15:50+0000

pakistan

wendy sherman

imran khan

us

afghanistan

news

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withdrawal

relationship

world

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US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman's recent visit to Islamabad was apparently overshadowed by the fact that even though she sat down with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other senior officials, talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan did not materialise.This was preceded by Sherman making it clear that her trip to Islamabad would only be for a specific and narrow purpose", namely to talk about Afghanistan and the Taliban*. Sherman added that "we all need to know what's going on in Afghanistan" and "[] to be of one mind in the approach to the Taliban".Sherman's remarks came after Blinken last month accused Pakistan of "hedging its bets constantly about the future of Afghanistan" by supporting Washington in its anti-terror operations in the country, while harbouring terrorists during the 20-year "War on Terror".Blinken then reiterated his list of demands for the Taliban-led interim Afghan government, which includes not allowing Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven for "outward directed terrorism", and upholding the rights of women as preconditions before the US and its partners would move towards recognising the recently unveiled cabinet in Kabul.The top US diplomat spoke after Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi called for "discarding old lenses, [and] developing new insights" as well as proceeding with a pragmatic approach in dealing with the new developments in Afghanistan.In another development in July, Prime Minister Khan insisted that he was not concerned about US President Joe Biden not picking up the phone and calling him despite the Afghan crisis.In another sign of bilateral tensions, in May, Khan slammed the US strategy in Afghanistan, claiming "the Americans should have started negotiations with the Taliban from a position of strength when there were 150,000 NATO troops on the ground. That was the time to talk to the Taliban".Earlier in May, the US announced that it was pulling its troops out of Afghanistan after a nearly 20-year presence in the country, setting the end of August as the deadline. After the announcement, Taliban militants launched a major nationwide offensive to capture key towns and cities, something that ended with the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan on 15 August, two weeks before the completion of the US-led coalition's exit from the country.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and a number of other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20210805/us-demands-pakistan-keeps-its-borders-open-for-afghan-refugees-to-implement-new-resettlement-plan-1083533092.html

vot tak What these israeli colonial wonks are saying, sherman and blinken, is israeloamerica will be pushing conflict between india and pakistan in their long term goal of destroying China and Russia through destabilization of the regions surrounding these countries. And the short term goal of reinforcing israel's modi assets in india who are helping israeloamerica gain control of india. This sputnik article is high in propaganda-speak, low on serious analysis and is mostly a promotion of the zio-western pov. 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20211010/us-treasury-secretary-confident-congress-will-negotiate-debt-ceiling-rise-by-december-deadline-1089813120.html

US Treasury Secretary Confident Debt Ceiling Will Be Raised by Deadline in December

US Treasury Secretary Confident Debt Ceiling Will Be Raised by Deadline in December

The US avoided default on its debt after the Congress narrowly passed a $480 billion extension to the debt ceiling earlier this week. The measure gave... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T13:16+0000

2021-10-10T13:16+0000

2021-10-10T14:00+0000

us

debt ceiling

us treasury

budget

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US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen has expressed confidence that congresspeople will be able to negotiate a debt ceiling rise by 3 December  the date after which the US Treasury runs out of money. Yellen stressed in an interview with ABC News that it was lawmakers' "responsibility" to raise the debt limit.The Treasury secretary noted that the debt ceiling increase should be negotiated after the Congress and the White House settle on spending plans for the next fiscal year. So far, not only have the Democratic and the Republican Parties been unable to agree on next year's budget, but the Democrats are still arguing what the budget bill should look like among themselves.The key points of contention are provisions of Joe Biden's ambitions reforms that could cost as much as $3.5 trillion  the moderate and progressive Democrats are arguing over which welfare programmes should make it into the budget, and which should be cut out. Yellen noted in her interview that there had been an argument over tying some of the benefits in the bill to income level.Yellen also suggested that the Congress will include a freshly negotiated recommended minimum corporate tax rate of 15% in the text of next fiscal year's budget bill.The comments of the Treasury secretary come in the wake of the US Congress narrowly passing a motion on 7 October to raise the debt ceiling by a $480 billion so that the country can continue to pay its obligations past 16 October. The Republicans strongly opposed the move, stressing that they won't be responsible for raising the limit to pay for the Democrats' extremely expensive programmes. Yellen warned ahead of the extension that failure to raise the limit would result in dire economic consequences for the American economy.

https://sputniknews.com/20211008/shot-ourselves-in-the-foot-graham-says-gop-blinked-on-debt-ceiling-opposition-pledge-1089777230.html

Preterist-ADSeventy Shes confident shell make the marxist-ownedUS more indebted to the marxistrothschildglobalbankingempire. 3

fluttershield mlp Israelis should not be running our USA government. 3

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us, debt ceiling, us treasury, budget
https://sputniknews.com/20211010/vp-harris-wide-eyed-talk-about-moon--stars-with-kids-ridiculed-on-twitter-1089819413.html

VP Harris Wide-Eyed Talk About Moon & Stars With Kids Ridiculed on Twitter

VP Harris Wide-Eyed Talk About Moon & Stars With Kids Ridiculed on Twitter

Kamala wants to go to space, but [has] never been to [the Southern Border], one user wrote sarcastically, given that the Border Czar is apparently living... 10.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-10T20:20+0000

2021-10-10T20:20+0000

2021-10-11T00:38+0000

us

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Kamala Harris has triggered lots of new memes online after a NASA video on YouTube honoring World Space Week featuring the first female US vice president went viral. In the footage, Harris, who is also chair of the National Space Council, sharing her obsession with craters on the moon with children.Conservatives just couldnt help ignoring her enthusiasm, especially given that the Biden administration is not living the best of times, with the POTUS approval ratings sinking.Check out the barrage of ideas netizens have come up below.

TruePatriot Have some more spleef Camel Ho. Did you make it through the entire video without giggling too much?? 2

Ariane Heller Shes such an embarrassment! 1

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us, space, moon, democrats, kamala harris, viral, illegal migration, biden administration
Luck finally came the way of Abuckabett Hanover in the $500,000 Tattersalls Pace as he raced into a second-over spot to best a hard-luck Perfect Sting at the finish of a 1:49.4 mile on Sunday (Oct. 10) at The Red Mile.

Driver Andrew McCarthy sent Abuckabett Hanover into a tactical spot from post nine, settling into fifth through a :28 first quarter set by Perfect Sting. Lous Pearlman pulled pocket into the backstretch to take over command before a :55.2 half while stablemate Southwind Gendry cruised first-over to apply pressure into the final turn.

McCarthy followed Southwind Gendrys move and raced within two lengths of the lead to three-quarters in 1:23.3 as Summa Cum Laude and Charlie May began to fan off cover in behind. Lous Pearlman drifted off the cones into the stretch to create a seam for Perfect Sting to dash through while Abuckabett Hanover lifted off his cover and inched towards Perfect Sting coming to the final yards. The Betting Line colt edged by Perfect Sting in time to claim a neck victory while Southwind Gendry gave chase from third and Charlie May, a $50,000 supplement, rallied to take fourth.

He started out the year looking like he was going to be as good as anybody, trainer Tony Alagna said after the race. He won his first three starts and looked like everything was setting up really well. We went to Yonkers for the Messenger and he drew the eight-hole, that didnt go well. We had to just kind of take a deep breath. We regrouped, we went to the Simcoe in Canada, he was great there. He came here last week, he was a very good second to [Southwind] Gendry  they came a back half of :53 and change in the mud. The horse showed he was coming back around, and today was his day. If any horse deserved a big win, it was him.

Abuckabett Hanover won his seventh race from 15 starts this season and his 11th from 27 overall. He has now earned $703,072 for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alagna Racing, Jablonsky Held Stable and Barbera Wienick Stable. He paid $25.80 to win.

The Tattersalls Pace was sponsored by Cameo Hills Farm.

Test Of Faith fired with ease to a 1:48.3 victory as the 7-5 favourite in the $207,000 Glen Garnsey Memorial, sponsored by the Downbytheseaside Syndicate and Diamond Creek Farms, earlier on the card.

Blue Diamond Eyes cleared control past a :27.1 first quarter and cruised to a :55 half as Grace Hill advanced first-over with Fire Start Hanover second-over and Test Of Faith third-over. Grace Hill moved to match strides with Blue Diamond Eyes to three-quarters in 1:22 and dug into the pacesetter through the stretch as the horses she carried into contention kicked off her back and hit their best stride. Test Of Faith came firing fastest of all to the center of the course, outkicking Fire Start Hanover to win by two lengths while Grace Hill settled for third and Marsala Hanover rallied for fourth.

Collecting her 11th win from 13 starts this season and her 19th from 22 overall, Test Of Faith has earned $1,155,239 for owners Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Eddie Gran. Brett Pelling trains the Art Major filly, who paid $3.60 to win.

For complete coverage of the Kentucky Futurity day card of harness racing from The Red Mile, click here.

(With files from The Red Mile)
Daddy Let Me Drive capitalized off of the hot early pace in the featured Winners Over and defeated Dan Dar Mal in a late two-horse breakaway for the win on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 10) at Inverness Raceway.

Regular reinsman Rodney Gillis drove Daddy Let Me Drive to the 1:56.2 victory for owner/trainer Don Beaton in the $2,150 top class, which closed out the seven-race card.

Favourite Intended Royalty was three-wide through the first eighth of a mile as he set his sights on the top spot from post four and pushed a head in front of inside leaver Dam Lucky with Dan Dar Mal settling in third.

Intended Royalty cleared after the :28.1 first quarter, but the outer flow was quick to develop with Daddy Let Me Drive out of fourth and flushing out Dan Dar Mal at the half in :56.4. Daddy Let Me Drive pursued Dan Dar Mal past three-quarters in 1:26.3 when she cleared and those two took off from the rest of the field turning for home.

Daddy Let Me Drive eventually got by Dan Dar Mal in a photo finish for the mild upset worth $13.90. Dont Ask Logan rallied from last to show, finishing seven lengths behind.

A career winner of 27 races, the seven-year-old I Can Only Imagine gelding notched his eighth win from 24 starts this year.

Prior to the afternoon's third race, Inverness Raceway held a moment of silence in honour of the late horseman Doug 'Sonny' Rankin, who passed away on Wednesday.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.
The Downbytheseaside colt County Line Cred brought the highest price of the 148 yearlings sent through the ring of the final session for the 2021 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale on Saturday night (Oct. 9).

Selling as Hip #757 and consigned by Preferred Equine, County Line Cred drew a tag of $230,000 paid by Diamond Creek Farm LLC. The first foal from the Art Major mare Tookaloo Hanover, County Line Creds maternal line includes the dam of Tall Drink Hanover (3, 1:48M [$1,053,023]), who was the OBrien Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year in 2018.

Boardwalk Jack (Hip #854) drew the second-highest bid of the night when selling for $130,000 to Burke Racing Stable LLC, who bought three of the five session toppers. This Downbytheseaside colt, consigned by Winbak Farm, is the ninth foal out of champion The Panderosa mare Restive Hanover (3, 1:51.4M [$1,015,633]).

Team Burke took the third most expensive yearling of the night with another Downbytheseaside colt in Act Fast. Selling as Hip #808 and consigned by All American Harnessbreds, the foal from Roll With Joe mare Act Like A Diva has a maternal line extending back to the Big Towner mare Armbro Nashville, dam of North America Cup champ Allamerican Native (3, 1:49.4M [$1,499,977]) and half-million-dollar earner Allamerican Nadia (3, 1:53S [$670,409]). Allamerican Nadia is also the dam of millionaire Apprentice Hanover (4, 1:49.2S [$1,022,114]).

Virgil Morgan Jr. signed as agent for the sessions fourth topper, the Downbytheseaside filly Seaside Party. Consigned by Diamond Creek Farm and selling has Hip #848, Seaside Party is the first foal from Marty Party Two, a full sister to stakes-placed mare Marty Party (2, 1:51.2F [$684,573]) and The Lunch Pail (3, 1:51.1F [$548,989]).

A trio of yearlings tied for the fifth-highest sale at $100,000, with Burke Racing Stable purchasing Queen Of The South (Hip #761), Country Club Acres Inc. buying Willy Fast (Hip #809) and Lioness By The Sea (Hip #841) going to Dylan Davis, who served as agent for Frank Chick.

Saturdays session brought gross sales of $5,285,500, a 6.5 percent increase from 2020s session total of $4,943,000. The 2021 final session also drew a higher average sale price of $35,713, though the 2020 session saw more yearlings sell with a total of 168 horses going for an average of $29,423.

For 2021, the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale handled a total $56,692,500 from 863 sales, a 36.4 percent increase from 2020s total of $41,552,000 from 816 sales. Despite an increase in sale in 2021, the average price per sale was up from 2020s mark of $50,922 to $65,692.

IMPORTANT LINKS

 Sortable Sale Roster

 Yearling Sale Catalogue (PDF)

 Outs List

 Sale Results
Trot Insider has learned that Rideau Carleton Raceway is having a memorial race in honour of horseman Ross Curran on Sunday (Oct. 10).

All friends and family are invited out for the trophy/cooler presentation for Sunday's fourth race. COVID restrictions are in place, vaccination proof is required and no under 19 allowed to enter the facility.

To view the entries for Sunday's card of harness racing at Rideau Carleton, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Speaking on the characteristics of fascism and its founder, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, Albright said its a system of government that requires a group of people to create scapegoats at the expense of another to blame for a countrys problems.

The other [characteristics] is that the leader thinks hes above the law, the press is seen as an enemy and there is no discussion among various groups, Albright said.

The best quote she could find to depict fascism from Mussolini was, If you pluck a chicken one feather at a time, nobody notices.

That is what makes me a worried optimist, Albright said. That what one has to do is talk about the characteristics and point out what feathers are being plucked and what is happening in terms of undermining the system.

Albright said she thinks its important to spend time talking with those you disagree with and think before labelling them as scapegoats.

I think we need to respect those that have different views and listen and try to figure out what is motivating them, she said.

The former U.N. ambassador additionally said she thinks misinformation is a problem in the U.S. and people need to do better at learning the facts.
Elections matter.

Whether you are critical, cynical, afraid, or admiring of politicians, you know elections make a difference in your life. Republicans would not spend so much time and energy on their view of election reform if voting wasnt the life-blood of democracy.

As the voter, you are societys hiring manager. In March, voters in the Clerk of the Court election overwhelmingly chose experience over ideology and partisanship. Now early voting has begun in Novembers Virginia elections. So, how should a hiring manager look at the candidates and the issues?

First, the COVID-19 pandemic presents us with an enormous public health crisis. Seven hundred thousand people have died, including more than 12,000 in Virginia and at least 77 in Culpeper. Vaccine mandates do not threaten our economy or our health. The virus does. Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin says he approves the vaccine but does not support any measure to ensure broad public compliance. Democrat Terry McAuliffe has launched a Virginia is for Vaccine Lovers campaign, outlining a plan to get every Virginian vaccinated.
One local orthodontist was among the newest batch of winners honored by Gov. Pete Ricketts with the Nebraska Medicaid Provider Award.

Dr. Sami Webb of Scottsbluff joined three other Nebraska medical providers as the 2021 recipients of the distinction. The award was first presented to three doctors in 2019. This years ceremony took place on Oct. 4.

This award means a great deal to me because these kids mean so much to me, Webb said in an email to the Star-Herald. The ceremony itself brought tears to my eyes when Dr. Paula Harre, my longtime mentor, presented the award. I was overcome with emotion because most people dont understand the struggles of these children and how hard we work to not only give them a great smile, but make a difference in their lives.

The winners were chosen based on contributions to their clinical practice and to their customers in the Medicaid population. Webb is the only orthodontist in the western part of the state who participates in the Medicaid program.

My consultants tell me not to, my staff question me at times and it is a bad financial decision, she said. However, sometimes the easiest decisions are not the right ones. I cant turn these kids away and it means the world to me to give them a smile.
She always said the secret always having a good nights sleep. Every time her head hit the pillow, she had a solid nights sleep. She always said that was the secret, she said.

On Friday, her grandchildren helped her celebrate the milestone at the home of her friends, Randy and Karna Kleager. Bitner had lived two doors down from them until December 2020. She now lives just across the street at Monument Rehabilitation and Care Center.

She lived on her own until she was 99, only moving to the care center after her caregiver suffered a stroke.

Robertson said he and his siblings, Cannon and Julie Ryan, traveled from Arizona, Washington and California. Bitner was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, putting the celebration up in the air.

It was touch and go because the whole place was on lockdown at one point, Robertson said. Then it was off and then it was back on lockdown. She was vaccinated early on, but then she tested positive so she was quarantined. Then, this stretched out toward the end of that quarantine. We were able to take her out (of Monument Rehabilitation and Care Center), and they were really helpful.

Robertson said they all had bought their plane tickets, but hadnt canceled their plans despite her positive COVID test.
We take them off of feed a couple of days before we let them sit in the raceway. ... When we transport them out of the ponds and into the raceway, they get a 1% salt bath. Then, when I transport them (to be released), they get a quarter percent salt bath, she said.

The salt bath helps clean organisms and bacteria off of the fish before theyre released into waterways. Once they are packed for transporting, the water is oxygenated with condensed oxygen and aerators. The fish can be seen breaking the surface and even jumping out of the water soon after being released.

From what I know, it helps the fish get (the condensed oxygen) off and out of their air bladder. Diving up and down helps them remove that, Fraley said.

The stop in Bridgeport is just one of many stops the hatchery makes in the Panhandle.

(From March through May), I think we usually hit the zoo ponds, Terrys Lake and the Morrill (Sandpits) at least twice. Then, we hit Morrill and the zoo ponds and (Bridgeport) in the fall, Fraley said.

Rock Creek stocks mostly rainbow trout in the Panhandle.
The event has been around in some form or another for roughly 10 years, having changed over time. Denton said they keep putting it on because its a popular event, especially with the younger members of the community.

Halloween events are super popular; people like to do things on Halloween, Denton said. I dont know if its just the atmosphere and the change in the weather, the costumes, but it makes it all fun.

Hunt said, And I think it draws in a different audience than we get with other events. The wine tasting that we do, I think is a little bit older, so this is a little bit more for the younger people. And I think its just people look forward to it every year, so we keep doing it.

The event will take place on Friday, Oct. 29 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets to this event are limited and can be purchased by WNAC members now and non-members can begin purchasing on Oct. 11. Sales will go through the event. Tickets cost $20 for members and $30 for non-members.

No one under the age of 21 will be admitted, and an I.D. will be required upon entrance. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
Seeing young Nebraskans serving their communities, whether it is through scout troops, churches, community organizations, or just young Nebraskans coming together independently, is inspiring. It shows they understand opportunities to volunteer and serve their community do not have to wait until adulthood. In order to help foster young peoples desire to serve their communities, I offer a number of opportunities to engage with government through my office.

Whenever I visit with Nebraska schools, I am impressed by the desire from the students to gain a robust understanding of how the legislative branch works. My office encourages students from all across the Third District to engage in the legislative process and learn from it up close.

Our internship programs are a great way to ensure Nebraskans play an active role in their communities and allow the future leaders of our state to voice their ideas. A standard day for my Washington interns consists of attending hearings, assisting in legislative research, and helping connect constituents with my office, all from the nations Capital. Interns in my district offices have a unique, hands-on experience which includes assisting staff in research while aiding with local outreach.
Gen. Eisenhower noted the Nazis highway system and remembered his experiences in the 1919 U.S. Army convoy. He probably filed these impressions under Things to Do if Im Ever the President. There were some good highways around in the U.S, but they were not connected, or built to the same standards and lacked uniform signage.

As America began to be a nation of automobile owner/drivers, largely as a result of Fords mass-produced Model-T, changes in highway transportation were really needed if the United States were to be a world leader.

From the get-go, our interstates were designed to be an all-freeway system, with consistent standards of construction and a uniform signage. Today, we have more than 50,000 miles of interstate in use. Some toll roads already finished or under construction, were grandfathered into the Interstate Highway System. More interstate highway mileage is planned.

Rather than paying the billions of dollars of construction costs approximately $114 billion by tolls  as was first proposed, the system was ultimately funded by a gasoline tax. This was a stroke of genius, as it meant that those who used the roads the most would be paying for them.
As part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary, Monticello United Methodist Church celebrated 18 years of ministry through the Monticello UMC Weekday Preschool. With a calling for ministry with children and a recognized need in the west Statesville area, the church started plans for a new preschool almost 20 years ago. The new facility on Island Ford Road gave the church expanded space and, in turn, made room for new vision. This space and vision matched with Gods grace and provision made a way for a preschool that would flourish through the years.

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On Oct. 3, Monticello honored and recognized Carol Berg for her faithfulness, dedication, and leadership as the first teacher and eventual director of Monticello Weekday Preschool. Berg served the preschool for 18 years and retired in May 2020. Upon Bergs retirement and after more than 10 years with the preschool, Amy Smith-Gooden became the new preschool director. Gooden has offered exceptional leadership during a challenging year and a half while the preschool has continued to serve children and families consistently and with excellence.
A global supply-chain bottleneck is hitting home, with local ports feeling the pressure of backed-up goods and idling ships.

In Longview, Port Director of Business Development Christian Clay said while theres currently only one vessel waiting for a berth in the river, the number fluctuates depending on berth availability and ship arrival times.

In Woodland, Port Executive Jennifer Wray-Keene said the ports manufacturing tenants have sometimes struggled to get parts they need.

Items coming from those ships are impacting our manufacturing companies, she said. It is quite difficult to get many different components, replacement parts for equipment, etc.

According to the American Association of Port Authorities, the current situation came from a combination of factors, most of them pandemic-related. First, U.S. consumer spending dropped 30% in April 2020 before rebounding sharply later in the year, shocking the supply chain that had throttled back as economies fell into recession.

And the uptick in spending came in a different area, with people snapping up clothing, computers and household goods instead of spending on travel and entertainment. That coincided with pandemic closures of factories in Asia, which stalled the usually smooth flow of shipping containers around the world.

When orders surge for medical equipment and PPE, Chinese factories unexpectedly came back online, the AAPA press release said, and the supply chain was unprepared.

Not only were shipping containers in short supply, with 25 million containers in the wrong place to meet resurgent demand later in the year, but many shipping routes had been canceled and then quarantines and illness kept thousands of port workers off the docks.

Semi trucks also began to see a shortage of container chassis, and several large trucking companies went bankrupt, AAPA said, disrupting an industry that moves 71% of U.S. freight. The remaining truckers were shifted from retail to priority industries such as food and cleaning supplies.

As flights were canceled or reduced, shippers also lost the use of empty cargo space. Even when some airlines re-opened dormant overseas passenger routes just to carry cargo, the industry could only meet 80% of demand, because air freight volume rose 50% over 2019.

As those things happened on a worldwide scale, Longviews Clay said that port-specific congestion also had an effect.

Instead of a steady stream of vessels shipping out of origin ports, we are seeing bunching of vessels as they arrive on the West Coast, he said.

Once vessels make it to the berths, Clay said how long they need to stay there depends on the cargos being loaded or discharged. Loading and discharge time can range from a single day to 10 days.

Port staff works closely with beneficial cargo owners and Local 21 to load or discharge a ship as safely and efficiently as possible to facilitate an open berth for the next vessel, thereby keeping down congestion in the river, Clay said.

Because theres congestion across the supply chain, Clay said the port is getting a high lot of out-of-sync supply and demand that causes a ripple effect.

That is challenging to overcome given the cost and time to bring on additional assets to move cargo, Clay said.

For example, more containers, trucks, chassis, rail cars or locomotives take time and money to build, so cant be put into place right away to relieve congestion.

Clay said the key to an efficient supply chain is to keep vessels and cargo moving from origin to destination as quickly as possible, because once assets start to sit, such as containers trapped onboard a ship waiting to berth, it creates even more container and ship shortages on both ends of the supply chain.

It also causes a surge of product that is then challenging to move out of the West Coast ports, he said. The increased freight quickly overwhelms the inland transportation to move it to its final destination. This entire process is called supply chain bullwhip or whiplash effect and causes severe variability in the delivery of goods.

Thats what consumers and manufactures alike start to see as some products change in price or become hard to find.

Wray-Keene said at Woodland, theres also a ripple effect in play.

The backlog of one item may hold up the production of a larger product so existing stocked items sit there while other components are needed, she said. Those secondary companies are feeling that pinch for product.

This has been happening at ports of all sizes, Clay said, because as larger West Coast ports clog up, shippers have begun to look for other open ports that can handle their business. The Port of Longview and several other Pacific Northwest ports can handle many commodities that would traditionally have gone to another port or that would have been put in containers, if they were available.

This happens from time to time when there are shocks to the supply chain, Clay said. The Port of Longview and our ILWU partners at Local 21 pride ourselves in being nimble by working with our customers to provide safe and efficient solutions.

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For Cowlitz Animal Clinic owner Katie Stephens, the pandemic showed her the best and worst of humanity, and shes asking for the communitys patience and kindness moving forward.

I have been a veterinarian for 20-plus years, she said. The last 18 months have solidified how much I love what I do. But the same experience has driven others out of the profession.

In August, chief executive officer of the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association Candace Joy told TDN the vet care crunch is nationwide and multifaceted, with more pets than there were pre-pandemic in some areas of Washington and a backlog of routine care in addition to emergencies.

COVID-19 safety and cleaning measures also slow down appointments, Joy said, estimating it takes about 25% longer for practices to do business while following special cleaning and safety protocols.

On top of that, there is widespread understaffing of veterinarians and veterinary technicians, locally and nationwide.

The Vancouver Columbia River Veterinary Specialists on Wednesday emailed clients, saying the emergency clinic is experiencing intermittent service interruptions due to lack of available staff and would not be able to support overnight emergency care Wednesday.

This is not uncommon in the industry, as hospitals grapple with the shortage of qualified staff, the email said.

Three full-time veterinarians worked at Stephens clinic before the pandemic and even then, the doctors had to turn away new clients because we preferred knowing and providing continuity of care to the patients that were already established, she said.

That staffing level gave her staff the time to fill out charts, make referrals, follow up on lab work and consult with specialists. The pandemic then changed everything, making it a minefield to practice veterinary medicine.

Social distancing and masking were not readily accepted by a portion of the general public. The stress of isolation and anxiety from COVID-19 further aggravated a tense situation, Stephens said. As veterinarians, we were considered essential workers. We continued to provide care through a time when many remained at home.

Curbside service minimized COVID-19 infections among Cowlitz Animal Clinic employees, and the clinic never had to fully shut down due to virus transmission, she said. However, Stephens said like many other veterinary clinics, hers too is facing a staff shortage.

Two of the three veterinarians left, leaving her as the only one to see all the current patients. One veterinarian took a surgical position that required no client contact and the other became a relief veterinarian filling in for short periods at several locations.

There was no way to care for all the established patients, she said.

And along with the veterinarian shortages, several receptionists, assistants and a practice manager also left the clinic.

The pandemic stress, constant strain and anxiety combined with rude, sometimes frankly aggressive behavior, and unrealistic expectations of some clients drove several employees to leave the field of veterinary medicine entirely, Stephens said.

She wants to make people aware of the massive degree of harm that screaming at a receptionist, throwing payment on the ground for an assistant to pick up, threatening harm when advised to seek care at the ER does, Stephens said.

Some people even told staff if their pet died it was all their fault and accused them of not caring about the animals, Stephens said, which damages the entire veterinary team.

These interactions happen regularly. Please stop and consider the impact of your words, she said. Reacting out of anger and frustration does not help.

Clients who scream at employees, hang up on a receptionist in anger or accuse staff of not caring are given their medical records, Stephens said, formally severing the veterinary care relationship with Cowlitz Animal Clinic.

She wants to protect employees and have a safe and healthy working environment, Stephens said, and that is one step she has had to take. She is working on hiring more veterinarians and staff, and has also closed the clinic on Saturdays.

The reduced hours allow the clinic to continue to provide care until another veterinarian is hired, she said, but there is no certainty when that might happen.

I continue to adjust the scheduling and day-to-day procedures to allow us to care for as many of our current patients as physically possible, Stephens said. I am attempting to make the best of a difficult situation. Navigating this minefield requires cooperation and respect.

Stephens said when she looks at online job postings, there are five other clinics in Cowlitz County looking for veterinarians to join their practices, and that is mirrored across the country. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are more than 18 positions per job seeker on its national veterinary job listing platform.

Above all, respect and understanding are necessary, Stephens said, as she, her staff and the rest of the veterinarian community do their best to care for everyones animals.

I do not know how the next months or years will play out, she said. There are likely to be further changes and adjustments to the schedule. Kindness and patience are required as we navigate the journey.

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Two familiar school board faces and one newcomer will be on Kelso residents ballots in November.

Incumbent Leah Moore is running unopposed for a second term in the Position 1 seat, while incumbent Karen Grafton is running against John Bradley for the Position 2 seat.

Grafton did not return requests for comment. Bradley did not return requests for comment and did not submit a statement to the WA Voters Guide.

All three registered as mini-filers with the Public Disclosure Commission, meaning they do not intend to raise more than $5,000 for their campaigns and do not have to report donations.

Deadline and drop box locations

Oct. 25 is the deadline for online and mailed voter registrations, which must be received by 5 p.m. From Oct. 26 through 8 p.m. Election Day, voters can register or update their address in person at the Cowlitz County Elections Office.

To vote, ballots can be placed in drop boxes which open on Oct. 15 and close at 8 p.m. Election Day, or by mail. No stamp is needed, but ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.

Kelso drop boxes are at 207 N. Fourth Avenue and Bridge Market Lane, between LJs Furness Drug Co. and the Allen Street Bridge.

Position 1

Moore is running for re-election because she enjoys working with the superintendent, school board, staff and students at Kelso, she said.

I think that public education is really one of the most important parts of democracy, Moore said. I am super eager to continue our work having kids in school safely and staff in school safely.

She said in-person learning is vital, and her biggest focus is getting kids the education and services they need that we can provide and doing it face-to-face whenever possible.

The districts focus on social emotional learning is also a focal point, she said coming out of all the challenges of the last few years.

Moores previous term taught her to be prepared for anything, she said, and to make sure theres a plan and a strong team in place.

We dont know what the next challenge will be, she said. The only thing we know is that something new will always happen.

The board is doing a good job with its relationship to the community and other organizations like the health department, Moore said, and could further improve its facilities.

COVID has really had us look at the actual physical environment that school is happening in and I think we need to continue to do that and make sure were making the right choices, she said.

The 2018 bond is one example Moore is proud of, she said, and the support of the community was incredible and uplifting even when unforeseen construction challenges forced the district to change from three new or renovated elementary schools to two.

Moore said while that was a hard and tough decision, it has paid off today.

When you get to go into those facilities and we go to Wallace, just having that be a school that our kids really deserve has been amazing, she said. Its the same in Lexington. Im also excited about the renovations at Huntington. Thats another school where the physical space really wasnt meeting the needs of our students.

While she is running unopposed, Moore said her familiarity and connections with the school will serve voters well, as well as her experience as a parent in the district.

I feel really connected with the parents in the district and what is happening in the schools, she said.

Position 2

In Graftons voter guide statement, she said her focal point has been childrens best interests, even with the challenge of balancing safety while providing meaningful teaching and learning through changing guidelines.

If re-elected, Grafton said she wants to keep getting the communitys voice before making decisions.

As a parent of three children who attend Coweeman and KHS, I deeply care about our students educational opportunities while advocating for and expressing the will of Kelsos parents and community members in reaching decisions and crafting board policies that directly impact students, she wrote.

She said her 24 years in healthcare management and prior experience with the Lower Columbia Mental Health Board, Lower Columbia CAP Board and the school board gives her a unique perspective and approach.

I pledge my continued dedication to Kelsos students, parents, and community members, Grafton wrote. Thank you for allowing me to represent you.

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Solar storm is a stellar event that has a massive destructive potential. While the atmosphere here on Earth protects humans from its destructive powers, there is very little protection for the technology that has been created and on which virtually every human being is dependent, one way or the other. This includes not just telecommunications, but even medical aid, not to mention businesses. Needless to say, the collapse of technology that a solar storm can cause can lead to massive loss of life as well as immense monetary loss. While most solar storms are dealt with by our atmosphere, protecting technology from the destructive powers of our Sun is still at the nascent stage and that can be a big problem for humans.

Solar storms are caused by the Sun at its most active and it has various avatars. Solar flares, coronal mass ejections, high-speed solar wind, and solar energy particles are all forms of this solar activity. These are associated with sunspots, the extremely bright areas of the Sun that are observed during this intense period of activity. The Sun passes through an 11-year period of activity during which it is at its most active. In the active period it can shoot out solar plasma (a gas of electrically charged particles) that can impact technology.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

So, how bad can a solar storm really get? Here we list 3 of the worst solar storms that have hit Earth and the damage they caused.

The Carrington Event of 1859. It is widely believed to be the strongest solar storm ever generated. What was initially observed by Richard Carrington, after whom the event has been named, was the formation of various sunspots on August 28, 1859. These sunspots rose above the Sun and impacted the magnetic field that caused a massive Coronal Mass Ejection. Some have said it may have spawned not just one, but 2 CMEs. Carrington himself described it as a white light flare eruption from the Sun.

The solar storm hit Earth on September 1-2, 1859. It was so powerful that it knocked out the Telegraph and electricity infrastructure in Europe and the US. In fact, people were shocked to see electrical discharges emanating from the wires and equipment all on their own volition and operators even got electrical shocks! In other places it started fires.

The solar storm had another, albeit much more pleasing effect on Earth - it generated tremendous auroras on the Earth's poles. These were so massive that they could be seen as far as the US, Japan, China, and Australia. In places, the aurora was so bright that people could read by its light.

This particular CME was so violent that it reached Earth much faster than such an event is expected to. It travelled the 150 million km distance between the Sun and Earth in just 17.6 hours even though it should have taken it days. It is being surmised that the reason behind this swift movement could possibly have been another smaller CME explosion that occurred days earlier and it could have cleared the path of all impediments for the ones that followed.

The Great Geomagnetic Storm of 1921: It was caused by a sunspot just when the declining cycle period of solar activity was about to start. Multiple explosions on the Sun sent CMEs shooting directly at the Earth. It caused a telegraph exchange in Sweden to burst into flames. The same thing happened in New York, US. The damage was so extensive that whole buildings were burned down.

The reason behind it was the surge of extremely strong electrical current in the telephone and telegraph lines caused by the solar storm's geomagnetic activity. Similar damage was also reported from other European countries including the UK and France as well as in Japan and Australia.

The intensity of the storm was comparable to the Carrington Event. In fact, the Carrington event is widely believed to be the strongest solar storm ever recorded. However, it may well have to share the limelight with the storm of 1921.

The 1989 Canadian solar storm: In recent times when documentation of stellar events was getting much more professional, the event that got everyone's attention was the collapse of the Hydro-Quebec power network on March 13, 1989. The geomagnetic storm causing this event was itself the result of a CME ejected from the sun on March 9, 1989, NASA said. The storm caused transformer failure on a huge scale leading to electricity grid failure across the province of Quebec that lasted for half the day.

The first inkling for astronomers came on Friday March 10, 1989, when they noticed a massive explosion on the surface of the Sun. "It was like the energy of thousands of nuclear bombs exploding at the same time. The storm cloud rushed out from the sun, straight towards Earth, at a million miles an hour," NASA said in its report.

It struck Earth on March 12. It created electrical currents in the ground that impacted the power grid of Quebec severely causing the blackout that affected millions of people. It caused schools, businesses, Montreal Metro to remain shut the next morning.

And yes, it also created spectacular 'northern lights' that could be seen as far as Florida and Cuba.
Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen speaks during a hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Less than two years after Facebook hired Frances Haugen to help correct dangerous distortions spilling across its platform, she had seen enough.

The idealism she and countless others had invested in promises by the world's biggest social network to fix itself had been woefully misplaced. The harm Facebook and sibling Instagram were doing to users was rivaled only by the company's resistance to change, she concluded. And the world beyond Facebook needed to know.

When the 37-year-old data scientist went before Congress and the cameras last week to accuse Facebook of pursuing profit over safety, it was likely the most consequential choice of her life.

And for a still-young industry that has mushroomed into one of society's most powerful forces, it spotlighted a rising threat: The era of the Big Tech whistleblower has most definitely arrived.

"There has just been a general awakening amongst workers at the tech companies asking, `What am I doing here?'" said Jonas Kron of Trillium Investment Management, which has pushed Google to increase protection for employees who raise the alarm about corporate misdeeds.

"When you have hundreds of thousands of people asking that question, it's inevitable you'll get more whistleblowing," he said.

Haugen is by far the most visible of those whistleblowers. And her accusations that Facebook's platforms harm children and incite political violencebacked up by thousands of pages of the company's own researchmay well be the most damning.

But she is just the latest to join in a growing list of workers from across tech determined to speak out. Nearly all are women, and observers say that's no coincidence.

Even after making inroads, women and especially women of color remain outsiders in the heavily male tech sector, said Ellen Pao, an executive who sued Silicon Valley investment firm Kleiner Perkins in 2012 for gender discrimination.

That status positions them to be more critical and see "some of the systemic issues in a way that people who are part of the system and who are benefiting from it the most and who are entrenched in it, may not be able to process," she said.

In recent years, workers at companies including Google, Pinterest, Uber and Theranos, as well as others from Facebook, have sounded alarms about what they say are gross abuses of power by those in control.

Their new outspokenness is ruffling an industry that touts its power to improve society, while earning billions. Workers, many well educated and highly paid, have long embraced that ethic. But for a growing number, faith in the company line is fading.

Still, there is a difference between stewing about your company's failings and revealing them to the world. There is a price to be paid, and Haugen certainly knew that.

"It absolutely is terrifying, terrifying to get to the point of doing what she did. And you know that the moment you start your testimony, your life is going to change," said Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive who blew the whistle on his own industry's practices.

Since coming before Congress Tuesday, Haugen has receded from public view. A representative said she and her lawyer were unavailable for comment.

The Iowa-born daughter of a doctor and an academic turned pastor, Haugen arrives in the spotlight with sparkling credentials, including a Harvard business degree and multiple patents.

Long before she became a whistleblower, Haugen was something of a local wunderkind.

Raised near the University of Iowa campus, where her father taught medicine, Haugen was a member of a high school engineering team ranked in the country's top 10. Years later, when the local newspaper wrote about Haugen's landing at Google, one of her elementary school teachers recalled her as "horrifically bright," while not at all self-conscious.

In the fall of 2002, she left for the newly established Olin College of Engineering, outside Boston, to join its first class of 75.

Many had declined offers from top universities, attracted by Olin's offer of a free education to the first arrivals, and the chance to join in creating something new, said Lynn Andrea Stein, a computer science professor.

But the school couldn't get its accreditation until it began producing graduates, making it a non-entity in the eyes of some employers and presenting a hurdle for Haugen and others like her.

"The Google folks actually threw out her application without reading it," Stein said.

Stein helped persuade the company to change its mind, sending an email that described Haugen as a "voracious learner and an absolute can-do person" with terrific work ethic and communication and leadership skills.

At Google, Haugen worked on a project to make thousands of books accessible on mobile phones, and another to help create a fledgling social network.

Google paid for Haugen to get a graduate business degree at Harvard, where a classmate said even then they were having deep discussions about the societal effects of new technology.

"Smartphones were just becoming a thing. We talked a lot of about ethical use of data and building things the wrong way," said Jonathan Sheffi, who graduated with Haugen in 2011. "She was always super-interested in the intersection of people's well-being and technology."

Sheffi said he laughed when he saw social media posts in recent days questioning Haugen's motivations for whistleblowing.

"Nobody puts Frances up to anything," he said.

While at Harvard, Haugen worked with another student to create an online dating platform to put like-minded mates together, a template the partner later turned into dating app Hinge.

Haugen returned to Google, before moving on to jobs at Yelp and Pinterest, at each stop working with the algorithms engineered to understand the desires of users and put them together with people and content that fit their interests.

In late 2018, she was contacted by a recruiter from Facebook. In recent interviews on "60 Minutes" and with the Wall Street Journal, Haugen recalled telling the company that she might be interested in a job if it involved helping the platform address democracy and misinformation. She said she told managers about a friend who had been drawn to white nationalism after spending time in online forums, and her desire to prevent that from happening to others.

In June 2019, she joined a Facebook team that focused on network activity surrounding international elections. But she has said she grew frustrated as she became more aware of widespread misinformation online that stoked violence and abuse and that Facebook would not adequately address.

She resigned in May, but only after working for weeks to sift through internal company research and copy thousands of documents. Still, she told congressional investigators, she is not out to destroy Facebook, just change it.

"I believe in the potential of Facebook," she said during her testimony last week. "We can have social media we enjoy, that connects us, without tearing apart our democracy, putting our children in danger, and sowing ethnic violence around the world. We can do better."

Maybe, but those who know the industry say Facebook and other tech giants will dig in.

"There's going to be a clamp down internally. There already has been," said Ifeoma Ozoma, a whistleblower at Pinterest now trying to encourage others in tech to expose corporate misconduct. "In that way there's a chilling effect through the increased surveillance that employees will be under."

Within the larger community of whistleblowers, many are rooting for Haugen, praising what they see as her gutsiness, calm intellect and the forethought to take the paperwork that reinforces her case.

"What she did right was she got all her documentation in a row and she did that up front. ... That's going to be her power," said Eileen Foster, a former executive at Countrywide Financial who struggled to find another job in banking after exposing widespread fraud in the company's approval of subprime loans in 2008.

Sophie Zhang, a former Facebook employee who last year accused the social network of ignoring fake accounts used to undermine foreign elections, said she was surprised the company had not caught Haugen when she was going through company research. Fierce denials by its executives now betray their unwillingness to change.

"I think they've fallen into a trap where they keep making denials and hunkering down and becoming more incendiary," she said. "And this causes more people to come forward."

Still, Haugen's actions could well make it impossible for her to land another job in the industry, said Foster. And if Facebook goes after her legally for taking documents, it will have the resources for battle that a lone employee can never hope to match.

Foster recalls how her boss at Countrywide, an ally, begged her to give it up.

"He said 'Eileen what are you doing? You are just a speck. A speck!' And I said, `Yeah, but I'm a pissed-off speck,'" Foster said.

Years later, after enduring villainization by colleagues, rejections by employers and a lengthy court battle over her claims, she knows better. But she does not regret her choices. And she senses a similar conviction in Haugen, though their whistleblowing is separated by a generation.

"I wish the best for Frances," she said.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SUNDAY

EVENTS

Chappell Hill Scarecrow Festival, The event features arts and crafts vendors, food, live music, childrens activities and more. Admission is free; parking is $5.

Deanville Volunteer Fire Department fundraiser, on the corner of Texas 60 and F.M. 111 in Burleson County. Pit barbecue available for purchase beginning at 7 a.m. Fried chicken plates will go on sale at 11 a.m. Baked goods such as cakes, pies and kolaches will be available for purchase. An auction will take place at 1:30 p.m., along with a raffle drawing.

Texas Renaissance Festival opening weekend, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the festival grounds in Todd Mission. www.texrenfest.com.

Wagners Carnival, 2 to 10 p.m. at the Post Oak Mall, 1500 Harvey Road in College Station.

University Wind Symphony concert, 2 p.m. at Rudder Theatre on the Texas A&M University campus. Tickets are $5 and available at the MSC Box Office or at boxoffice.tamu.edu. Tickets are free for students with a Texas A&M University ID.
Extreme weather is nothing new to Texans, but data suggests it will become more frequent as we approach our bicentennial in 2036  and the consequences could be severe.

While actual weather from year to year is largely unpredictable, a review of long-term data over Texas past hundred years reveals significant trends that point to an increased risk of destructive natural disasters.

This year will be best remembered for the extreme winter weather in February, and a relatively mild summer is still fresh in our minds.

However, data clearly shows that Texas is getting hotter. This summer would have been regarded as a steamy one if it had happened in the 1970s or 1980s. And this year notwithstanding, trend data show that the number of 100-degree days has more than doubled over the past 40 years and could nearly double again by 2036.

Similarly, while weve had a relatively wet year, hotter temperatures point to increased threat and severity of drought. Hot days increase the rate of evaporation from the soil and from water bodies, which means droughts take a harder toll when they strike.

So, if  or when  Texas experiences another dry period such as those in the early or middle 20th century, the higher temperatures will lead to even more severe effects.
Democrats in the House do have a clear majority: 220 to 212, with three vacancies to be filled.

Of course, everyone in Congress is looking  with hope or fear  to next years midterm elections. Typically, the party out of power picks up at least a few seats, which is not good news to the Democrats  and may explain why they are so adamant to get everything they want now before they once again are the minority party.

Of course, it could be that voters are so fed up with both parties that they will stay home, leaving the outcome of the November 2022 balloting uncertain.

Heres an idea: Our representatives in the Senate and the House might try to represent us, the people who put them in Congress. We might disagree among ourselves, but usually we can find a way to compromise, to give a little to get a little, and move on.

This country has never been in 100 percent agreement on anything, yet we have grown and prospered, celebrated the good, rejected the bad and mourned our losses.

We are a country of diverse backgrounds, different situations, different philosophies, but we are all Americans.

We wish our members of the House and Senate understood they represent all of us, not just their party faithful. Well all be a lot better when  and if  they do.
LONDON (AP)  Paul McCartney has revisited the breakup of The Beatles, flatly disputing the suggestion that he was responsible for the group's demise.

Speaking on an episode of BBC Radio 4's "This Cultural Life" that is scheduled to air on Oct. 23, McCartney said it was John Lennon who wanted to disband The Beatles.

"I didn't instigate the split," McCartney said. "That was our Johnny."

The band's fans have long debated who was responsible for the breakup, with many blaming McCartney. But McCartney said Lennon's desire to "break lose" was the main driver behind the split.

Confusion about the breakup was allowed to fester because their manager asked the band members to keep quiet until he concluded a number of business deals, McCartney said.

The interview comes ahead Peter Jackson's six-hour documentary chronicling the final months of the band. "The Beatles: Get Back," set for release in November on Disney+, is certain to revisit the breakup of the legendary band. McCartney's comments were first reported by The Observer.
Theres been increasing confusing over the legality of delta-8, a cannabis derivative that can be found in vape cartridges, tinctures and candy at smoke shops and CBD stores in Texas. While the Texas health department maintains that delta-8 is a controlled substance and is on the states list of unlawful drugs, the 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp, which naturally contains delta-8 and has less than 0.3% THC. In 2019, Texas also legalized hemp growing. Delta-8 retailers believed the substance was as legal to sell as hemp. Delta-8 is legal in Texas for now after a Travis County judge blocked the state from criminalizing it. Should delta-8 continue to be legal in Texas?

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NAPERVILLE  A purse is more than an object to carry money, keys, a phone and identification, according to #LovePurse founder and CEO Maria Castro.

It can hold items to uplift both the body (makeup, nail files, pain relievers) and the soul (photographs or rosaries).

"I lost my purse once, and I was devastated ... not only that I have to get my license and all that stuff over again, but it was the stuff that was in it that was so meaningful to me. I had a little trinket that my son had given me," Castro said. "It's not just a purse; it's not."

In search of a way spotlight the work being done by a friend at A Safe Haven shelter in Chicago during Women's History Month in March, Castro decided to collect new purses and fill them with toiletries and notes of inspiration that can be donated to women in need.

"I just felt like, it's giving them back that sense of hope  giving them just that little boost that they may need right at that moment to say this too shall pass," Castro said.

She challenged her friends to do the same.

"I can't even tell you the floodgates opened," she said. "I was overwhelmed at the amount of people that started texting me, calling me, private messaging me."

News of her success spread, and friends from Mutual Ground in Aurora, Community Crisis Center in Elgin and Metropolitan Family Services DuPage in Wheaton asked Castro to host purse drives for them as well.

Castro estimates she collected 800 purses in the first six months.

State Sens. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, and Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs, have joined the cause and are partnering with Metropolitan Family Services DuPage to hold #LovePurse donation drive from Oct. 12 through Nov. 12.

"For many women, a new purse full of care items is a symbol of a fresh start," Ellman said in a news release. "By giving them what they might need, we are telling women who are struggling, 'You matter, you are cared for and you are worthy.'"

Purses and other items can be dropped off at the Naperville Park District's Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive.

A backyard, purse-filling party last month at a home in Naperville's Saybrook neighborhood netted 46 purses destined for DuPage County women.

The purses were packed with feminine products, deodorant, soap, body lotion, hand sanitizer, tooth brushes, tooth paste, mouth wash (no alcohol), lip balm, nail files, shower slippers, socks, face masks, combs, brushes, travel-size shampoo and conditioner, face clothes, compact mirrors, chocolates, mints, chocolates, floss, note pad, pens and a note of inspiration.

Castro said the short notes convey messages of hope that things will get better. "I'm going to say how much I love this person and that even though we don't know each other, I see her, I hear her," she said.

A new purse can help a woman feel a sense value in a time of chaos and upheaval, according to Mary Beth Glenn, associate director of development for Metropolitan Family Services DuPage.

Glenn said the vast majority of the women her agency assists are domestic violence clients who leave behind everything to escape a dangerous situation.

"These women have been made to feel like they have no value," she said. "Their self-esteem has been beaten down, and they think that no one cares."

When they reach out for help, the first thing family shelter does is build up them up and let them know that none of this was their fault, Glenn said.

Receiving the gift of a new purse helps in the process.

"They know that people in the community care, and they don't think that people look at them like they're second class citizens, like they did something wrong," Glenn said.

Castro said she has been invited to watch the excitement of the women opening their new purses.

"Some of them said they had never been written a note in her life. You know, so it's just that kind of stuff that told me this is your calling," Castro said.

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HARTSVILLE  The South Carolina Governors School for Science + Mathematics (GSSM) is now accepting applications for its residential, virtual, and STEM Foundations programs. Online applications are available at www.scgssm.org.

GSSM is South Carolinas only two-year, public, residential high school dedicated to the advanced study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. GSSM also offers high-caliber courses in economics and the humanities and celebrates an impressive faculty, 90 percent of whom hold PhDs.

GSSM residential applicants should be current South Carolina residents, high school sophomores (inquire about exceptions), and have at least 10.5 high school credits before the end of the 2021-2022 school year, including Geometry, Algebra I and II, English I and II, a social studies course, and a lab science course.

Applications are also open for STEM Foundations: GSSMs Online Diploma Program. STEM Foundations combines the excellence of a GSSM education with the convenience of learning from home. Created for rising juniors in the state of South Carolina, STEM Foundations is an online school with a high-level STEM-focused curriculum. Utilizing a cohort model, courses meet synchronously and are taught online using Zoom. Students admitted to this program will begin their junior year in fall 2022 and graduate in spring 2024.

Applications will open Nov. 1 for Accelerate and TEAM UP, our two virtual engineering programs in partnership with a select few school districts. Accelerate provides students with intensive coursework, innovative learning experiences, and team-building activities that expose them to areas of study within various engineering fields.

Accelerate and TEAM UP classes are live and presented virtually through computer and audio/visual equipment, allowing students to remain in their home high schools and still have access to the high-quality education for which GSSM is known. Accelerate and TEAM UP applicants should be current South Carolina residents, enrolled in 9th grade, and attend high school in one of GSSMs participating partner districts.

For more information about GSSMs programs, visit www.scgssm.org or contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@gssm.k12.sc.us or 843-383-3901 x 3963.

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Orangeburg County is giving the Regional Medical Center the land to build a new, $3 million medical facility in Santee.

Orangeburg County Council agreed last week to transfer 1.52 acres to RMC to build an urgent care center. The land is located at the Santee Recreation and Water Park on Bass Drive, according to Orangeburg County Attorney Jerrod Anderson.

The project was formerly known by the code name Project CMR.

Council gave the transfer of land third and final reading.

RMC has not provided additional details about its plans.

The hospital currently operates an urgent care center in Santee. It has not said what it will do with the current center once a new one is built.

In other matters:

 Council set the millage rate for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

There will be no property tax increases for county residents this year.

We did not raise our millage at all this year, so when there is a difference, I know we sent out the bill for everybody ... just remember that county council did not raise any millage this year, Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said.

Council Vice Chair Janie Cooper-Smith encouraged county residents to familiarize themselves with their property tax notices so they have a better understanding of their tax bills and where the money goes.

The countys $46.3 million budget was approved by council in June.

While taxes will not increase, road maintenance fees will increase from $45 to $50. The fee is added onto each individual's car tax.

The county also added a $1 per ton increase at the landfill. The increase will affect all fees at the landfill.

The 2021-22 budget includes more than $8 million from the American Rescue Plan, which was passed by Congress in March. The federal funds are designed to speed up Americas recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The county will use the federal funds to help offset what was spent on personal protective equipment during the pandemic.

It will also be used to upgrade servers, and machinery and equipment to enable the county to do more virtually.

Funds will also be used for infrastructure improvements and to expand the capacity of the coroners office.

In addition, the county is spending some of the money on upgrades to parks and to help fund a medical clinic for the employees.

Some funds will also be used for the Dawn Center with mental health, and some will be transferred to the countys budget because a portion of the money can be used to help offset lost revenues.

EMS will also receive money to update equipment and to help with employee contracts.

Employees will receive a 2% cost of living increase under the budget.

In related matters, the county will carry over $594,305 from its project material and supplies account into the new budget year. The money will go toward projects that were not completed in the current budget year. The county typically carries over funds every year.

"These are discretionary projects that have been requested by council which is a part of the project material and supply list," Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said.

 Charleston-based DFI Partners is planning to spend $750,000 to renovate the former Ambler Industries and ACO Distribution & Warehousing Inc. building on Woodbine Road.

The 230,000-square-foot building will be marketed for a manufacturing or distribution company.

Council gave first reading to an ordinance placing the speculative building into a multi-county industrial park. The joint county industrial park is not a physical park but an incentive mechanism used to attract economic development.

 Council gave second reading to a fee-in-lieu of taxes agreement for a 500,000-square-foot speculative building that will be built at the 242-acre Shamrock Commerce Center. The new industrial park is being built on U.S. Highway 301 near Interstate 26.

An unidentified company is planning to invest $25 million in the construction of the speculative building in the park. No new full-time jobs are promised.

The project will be placed in a joint county industrial and business park with Dorchester County.

The company developing the speculative building is being identified under the code name Project Shamrock 2.0.

 Council gave second reading approval to the rezoning of property at 1606 Shillings Bridge Road from residential general to commercial general for the purpose of operating a business.

The property is .91 acres and is at the corner of Shillings Bridge and Wagon roads. The property has previously housed an outdoor grill and carport business.

The Orangeburg County Planning Commission previously approved the request.

 Council gave second reading approval to the rezoning of property at 1532 Cordova Road from residential general to rural community for the placement of a single-wide mobile home. The property is .38 acres. The property is near the New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic church and Loadholt Street.

The property currently has one single-family residential structure that has been condemned by building inspectors. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the request.

 Council approved the recommendation from the county's Tax and Tourism Committee to give South Carolina State University $30,000 in accommodations tax money. The university is seeking the money to build up the university's sports app and website, as well as attract more female athletes.

 Councilwoman Deloris Frazier reminded all that October is breast cancer awareness month and to wear pink in honor of the month.

 Council entered into closed session to discuss contractual matters related to the Regional Medical Center.

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Its been 13 years since Dubai World, parent company of Jafza International, said it was considering Orangeburg County for a $600-700 million logistics, manufacturing and distribution center.

While the company purchased land in the Santee area, the project never materialized as planned following the global economic recession that began in December 2007.

But there is movement once again at the 1,322-acre South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park, formerly JAFZA Magna Park.

"It is under construction," Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said. "Dirt is being moved."

Two pads have been built at the site to house future speculative buildings attracting companies to the area.

One pad is on a 22-acre site and will house a 250,000-square-foot speculative building. The other pad is a 20-acre site and will house a 125,000-square-foot speculative building, according to the project's website.

"DP World is excited to move this project forward both on a small scale -- the first building -- but on a larger scale of growing the park in what we refer to as our premier industrial park in the U.S.," Vice President of Parks Logistics and Zones DP World Brian Hoffman said in a video presentation on the company's website about the Santee project.

Hoffman explained the 125,000-square-foot building is an expandable Class A structure with tilt walls that can be subdivided for smaller users.

Hoffman says the park's master plan projects upwards of 6.5 million square feet of building space. About 350 acres are currently available for sale or built-to-suit development.

Signage on the property notes there are 14 available sites (two of which are listed as pad-ready) and two listed as commercial.

Hoffman said the park could handle industrial, warehousing, manufacturing as well as ancillary services.

DP World Americas, formerly Jafza USA, a subsidiary of Dubai World, is the property owner.

DP World was originally founded in the 1970s as a terminal logistics company, but over the last two years has focused on parks and logistics in an effort to complement its terminal operations, said Hoffman.

DP World purchased the Orangeburg County property in 2006.

"The reason we are seeing speculative buildings and pads being developed is because of the commitment from County Council and our utilities to make the sites more readily available," Robinson said. "We are preparing ourselves for the future investment."

The Orangeburg County Development Commission is marketing the property heavily on its website.

According to an OCDC flyer, about 806 acres of the site can be developed.

Land at the site is valued at $18,000 to $30,000 an acre, according to the OCDC flyer.

The site has power through Tri-County Electric Cooperative, natural gas from Dominion, water from the Lake Marion Regional Water System, sewer service from Orangeburg County/Santee, telecommunications through Verizon and Frontier and fire protection from the Santee Fire Service and Orangeburg County Fire Service.

The site also has access to CSX rail.

The property is also certified by the S.C. Department of Commerce, meaning that substantial wetlands, environmental, geotechnical and archaeological studies have been performed.

The park has had some interest from manufacturing and warehousing/distribution companies in the automotive, wood products, agribusiness and distribution logistics sectors. The OCDC has shown the industrial park to prospective companies over the past year.

The property received a boost in the spring of 2017 with the opening of the new Exit 97 and U.S. 301 Extension interchange from S.C. Highway 6 to Interstate 95.

The stretch of roadway is also known as the U.S. 301/S.C. Highway 6 Connector.

The $45 million dollar project formed the eastern anchor of South Carolinas Global Logistics Triangle. The Global Logistics Triangle is the name Orangeburg County uses to market the area bordered by I-26, I-95 and U.S. 301.

County officials have said the absence of a developed interchange and adequate roadway infrastructure on and off of I-95 and U.S. 301 was the most challenging aspect of attracting business to the site.

The property is also home to the $1.2 million, 16,000-square-foot Santee Enterprise Center completed in 2011.

The building has housed a number of small industries employing a few dozen at any given time.

Since the construction in 2011, the facility has been leased to an automotive training facility and most recently, a custom pipe fabrication company (Ameripipe Supply).

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If you hoped grocery stores this fall and winter would look like they did in the Before Times, with limitless options stretching out before you in the snack, drink, candy and frozen foods aisles, get ready for some disappointing news.

Many of the country's biggest food makers are telling grocers that they will have limited quantities of a number of their products, including items such as Rice Krispies Treats, Sour Patch Kids, some Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors, McCormick gourmet spices and Marie Callender's pot pies because of labor, commodity and transportation constraints throttling supply chains, according to emails viewed by CNN and interviews with grocers. Some suppliers are also telling grocers to cancel their promotions of these items and more over the holidays so products won't disappear from store shelves as quickly.

These latest limits mean that stores won't have all things for all customers heading into the holidays, and shoppers may not be able to find some of their favorite products, flavors or niche items. But shoppers will still have plenty of options, including most of these companies' core products, which they are prioritizing over items in less demand  meaning, for instance, that if you're a fan of Ben & Jerry's popular Phish Food, you shouldn't have a problem, but the company's less-well known Cold Brew Caramel Latte might be harder to find.

Major food and consumer product manufacturers being short of supply on some items "will be a challenge in the grocery industry" in the final months of the year, said Steve Howard, vice president of merchandising at Bristol Farms, a grocery chain in California. Suppliers are warning the company of "potential shortages" of foods, glass jars and packaging containers. In response, Bristol Farms is working to bring in inventory "earlier than any other holiday ever," Howard said.

Purchase limits from manufacturers were rare before the pandemic and are creating "lesser than full conditions" for customers in Morton Williams stores, said Steve Schwartz, director of sales at the New York area chain. Morton Williams is trying to tap secondary suppliers when its primary vendors for food and household essentials can't fulfill orders.

"It's not your ideal situation," Schwartz said. Some customers have been forgiving when they are unable to find what they're looking for. But others "just want to know why they can't get their item."

Shortages at grocery stores are nowhere near as visible as they were at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, when shoppers flocked to stores to stockpile food and household staples. But supply in grocery store aisles has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and companies such as Costco and Sam's Club have recently reinstated purchase limits for customers on paper products and cleaning supplies.

Around 18% of beverages, 15% of frozen foods, 16% of snacks, 15% of candy and 18% of bakery items were out of stock at stores during the week ending on Oct. 3, according to the latest data from IRI, which tracks in-stock levels at leading US grocery chains, big box stores, pharmacies and wholesale clubs.

Before the pandemic, 7% to 10% of products were typically out of stock on shelves, according to IRI.

When supply is tight, manufacturers often eliminate some of their fringe items to focus on ramping up production of top-selling products, said Krishnakumar Davey, president of IRI's strategic analytics practice. They also tend to cut products that are more expensive to make, according to Davey.

'The new norm'

Some food brands are imposing allocations, or purchase caps, for certain products on grocery stores and distributors, while other vendors are warning more generally of limited availability. Suppliers typically put products on allocation when there are supply shortfalls.

The allocations have not been confined to one area of the country or a single type of retailer, said an executive at a leading regional wholesaler. Instead, they are happening nationally, according to the executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect the company's relationships with suppliers and other wholesalers. But the limits could pose particular challenges for independent grocers, who have raised concerns in the past year that suppliers prioritize larger competitors over small stores.

Kellogg told at least four grocery distributors last month in an email that Pringles Snacks Stacks, Eggo pancakes and MorningStar Farms plant-based hot dogs and bacon will be on allocation and Rice Krispies Treats snacks "will remain below service expectations" through the end of the year. The company also requested that stores cancel their promotions for Rice Krispies and Corn Pops cereal "to allow for recovery." Kellogg said in the email that it was experiencing "constraints" in capacity and packaging materials and labor pressure. (This was before 1,400 Kellogg cereal factory workers went on strike Tuesday.)

The four distributors shared the email with CNN Business on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing their relationships with suppliers.

Kris Bahner, a spokesperson for Kellogg, said in an email that the company has seen increased demand since the start of the pandemic as people eat more meals at home. Bahner said the company works with retailers "to ensure our food flows through their systems" and, in instances where capacity is tight, it limits orders over certain time periods. The company did not say how many retailers received allocation notifications.

Mondelez is experiencing "limited availability" on items such as Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish candy, Toblerone chocolate and Halls cough drops "due to supply chain constraints," the company said in an October 1 email to a distributor. Mondelez estimated in the email that the "recovery date" for these items will be in February or March of next year.

A spokesperson for the multinational food and beverage company said in an email that the company is facing "high demand for labor" and "logistics challenges." Mondelez believes it is "relatively well-positioned to face the marketplace challenges and will continue to keep a close eye on things" to get products to retail customers and shoppers on time. The company also did not say how many retailers received limits on such items, but said "we prepare communications which our sales team has the ability to use, as appropriate, as they engaged with their customers."

Unilever told a distributor in an email on Sept. 14 that "labor shortages continue to drive a limited ability to meet demand" and it was de-prioritizing production on certain products including Ben & Jerry's Cold Brew Caramel Latte and Ice Cream Sammie flavors, Breyers vanilla fudge twirl ice cream and Firecracker popsicles "until we are able to return to a supply steady-state." The company said it would instead "focus labor hours on our top-selling items."

"Like many sectors, at times there are challenges in getting all our product to stores, for a variety of reasons related to supply and distribution," a Unilever spokesperson said in an email.

Packaging issues also continue to be a problem. For example, some seasonings are in tight supply due to challenges procuring glass bottles.

A McCormick representative said in an email to two distributors on Sept. 20 that "our U.S. bottle supplier shut down due to a COVID-related issue and we have not received bottles for several weeks" for its gourmet spices line. "The lack of bottles has impacted our production and is eroding our safety stock across the entire line," the representative said. As a result, McCormick said, it would ship approximately 70% of what it had previously forecast, and the company was encouraging customers to cancel their promotions in November and December for the spices line.

Lori Robinson, a spokesperson for McCormick, said in an email that "Gourmet is the only product line impacted by this packaging shortage," and the company's more recognizable red-cap spices will be fully in-stock throughout the holidays, which customers can use as a substitute for the gourmet spices, she said. The company did not say how many retailers received allocation notifications on gourmet seasonings.

And some sizes of Marie Callender's frozen pot pies could be harder to find.

Conagra said in a Sept. 27 email to a distributor that it was putting an allocation on Marie Callender's 10-ounce and 15 ounce-pot pies until Nov. 29 because it "encountered packing material challenges from our tray and carton supplier resulting in a production interruption."

Conagra did not respond to requests for comment.

Chieh Huang, CEO of online bulk goods retailer Boxed, said "allocations are the new norm" from food and packaged goods' makers and are impacting the levels of products in stock at Boxed. Still, he said, "the industry is better off than we were this time last year."

CNN Business' Danielle Wiener-Bronner contributed to this article.

The-CNN-Wire &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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LONDON (AP)  Paul McCartney has revisited the breakup of The Beatles, flatly disputing the suggestion that he was responsible for the group's demise.

Speaking on an episode of BBC Radio 4's "This Cultural Life" that is scheduled to air on Oct. 23, McCartney said it was John Lennon who wanted to disband The Beatles.

"I didn't instigate the split," McCartney said. "That was our Johnny."

The band's fans have long debated who was responsible for the breakup, with many blaming McCartney. But McCartney said Lennon's desire to "break lose" was the main driver behind the split.

Confusion about the breakup was allowed to fester because their manager asked the band members to keep quiet until he concluded a number of business deals, McCartney said.

The interview comes ahead Peter Jackson's six-hour documentary chronicling the final months of the band. "The Beatles: Get Back," set for release in November on Disney+, is certain to revisit the breakup of the legendary band. McCartney's comments were first reported by The Observer.

When asked by interviewer John Wilson about the decision to strike out on his own, McCartney retorted: "Stop right there. I am not the person who instigated the split. Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said, 'I am leaving The Beatles.' Is that instigating the split, or not?"

McCartney expressed sadness over the breakup, saying the group was still making "pretty good stuff."

"This was my band, this was my job, this was my life. So I wanted it to continue," McCartney said.

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"Im a small business owner," someone identified as "Andy" writes to syndicated advice columnists J.T. and Dale, "and I cant believe how many people just dont want to work anymore. ... my business is suffering, because I cant get employees."

My social media feeds are full of photographs -- who knows if they're real or not? I haven't seen any in my town, but friends say they've seen them elsewhere -- of signs at businesses apologizing for being "short-staffed," with "people just don't want to work" complaints appended.

The country seems adrift in a sea of whiny employers. What's really going on here?

The standard explanation for a little while was that "enhanced" unemployment benefits that continued even after pandemic-related (but politically created) economic shutdowns ended made it more lucrative to sit at home and play video games than, say, flip burgers. And who could be blamed for taking that deal?

That explanation's not making much sense anymore as extra unemployment benefits, "stimulus" checks and eviction moratoria fade into memory.

U.S. unemployment is low (5.2% in August; economists consider 5% or lower to effectively constitute "full employment"). Those who "want to work" are working. Why do so many seemingly not "want" to?

Put simply, they're not being offered as much for their time and effort as they consider it to be worth.

The pandemic shutdowns and benefits affected that in two big ways.

First, some people who were able to retire decided to do so, when otherwise they might have stuck out a few more years in the workforce. The available supply of labor was thus reduced.

Second, some people learned to be thriftier and make do on less over the last 18 months. You'll bust your hump, whatever it takes, to keep a roof overhead and ramen in the pantry. Once that's covered, though, you're in a position to ask yourself how many hours a week you're willing to trade for Netflix, craft beer and expensive sneakers. The answer, right now, would appear to be "fewer."

Labor is a commodity. It's something the worker sells for money. And as with any other commodity, supply vs. demand tells the story.

When there's plenty of supply vs. demand -- that is, high unemployment -- employers can drive a hard bargain. "Don't want to clean toilets for $7.50 an hour? No problem. There are 10 other people who will."

But when demand exceeds supply, as now, the shoe is suddenly on the other foot. "Don't want to pay $20 an hour to get your toilets cleaned? No problem. There are 10 other employers who will."

Yes, workers and employers complain whenever they find themselves on the less profitable side of that equation. But in the end, money talks and complaints walk.

Thomas L. Knapp (Twitter: @thomaslknapp) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida.

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In August 2021, America witnessed the greatest foreign policy disaster in modern times with the quick collapse of Afghanistan.

A number of catastrophic decisions were made by the Biden administration and each contributed to the disaster: announcing the withdrawal at the start of the Taliban fighting season, abandoning Bagram Air Base and releasing 5,000 Taliban prisoners, providing no replacement for Theater Commander General Scott Miller, not warning American citizens and Afghan allies to leave in June and July, leaving around $85 billion in U.S. weaponry.

All those factors in the debacle have received publicity. One major factor that has remained in the shadows is nonetheless critical to what happened: The Biden administration continued the Obama agenda of pushing progressive ideology and this agenda hurt the credibility of the Afghan government and helped the Taliban. America engaged in progressive colonization against the will of the people of Afghanistan, and this has harmed us beyond measure. Let me explain.

First, I will define progressive colonization as attempts at pushing Western progressive values on a people with contrary conservative traditional values. To give a recent and overt example: On March 12, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin published a memorandum to senior Department of Defense leaders in which he directed them to promote the cause of advancing the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world."

Austin went on to further specificity that DoD Components shall: Strengthen existing efforts to combat the criminalization by foreign governments of LGBTQI+ status or conduct and expand efforts to combat discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and intolerance on the basis of LGBTQI+ status or conduct. Expand ongoing efforts to ensure regular DoD engagement with governments, citizens, civil society, and the private sector to promote respect for the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons."

Austin further directed By April 15, 2021, all DOD Components will ... recommend additional opportunities and actions to advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world."

What Lloyd Austin was ordering, in keeping with Joe Bidens progressive agenda, was for combatant commanders to insist and demand foreign governments join the progressive movement with regard to homosexuality. This included places like Afghanistan, which holds these kinds of progressive values to be antithetical to their religion and culture. In many nations of the world, the people generally see homosexuality to be unnatural and sinful and harmful to society.

These same people are even more opposed to transexuality and gender confusion fostered by the progressive movement. In traditional Christian and Islamic and animistic cultures in Africa and Asia, homosexuality and transsexuality are viewed as contrary to the morality set forth in the holy books like the Bible and Quran. Further, these same cultures see the progressive hyper-feminist ideas to be disconcerting and confusing to how they want to live and raise families.

As a result of Austins directive, June Pride month was celebrated in Afghanistan in a very open and in your face manner not seen before 2021. The Pride flag was flown for the first time in Afghanistan, and this was as the Taliban were surging around the country while criticizing celebration of Pride month.

The Kabul Embassy issued the following statement with the picture of the Pride flag flying in Kabul: The month of June is recognized as (LGTBTI) Pride Month. The United States respects the dignity and equality of LGBTI people & celebrates their contributions to society We remain committed to supporting the civil rights of (LGBTI persons). Kabul University, which had started a gender and womens studies program under pressure from the Obama administration) became much more open about its progressive ideology as the Taliban seized the nation.

The Taliban used the open support for homosexuality an ideological issue in swaying people in Afghanistan from the Afghan government. Afghanistan was under Islamic (Sharia) law, which included the death penalty for homosexuality. Though the Afghan government had not enforced laws against homosexuality since the Taliban fell from power in 2001, the constitution of Afghanistan proclaimed no law will conflict with the sacred religion of Islam."

Americas progressive push openly flouted the laws and constitution of Afghanistan, while the Taliban reminded the people of the subversion of the law. As a comparison, and to show this was not primarily an issue of human rights to progressives: Conversion from Islam to another religion is also a death penalty offense under Islamic law and yet the Biden administration made no effort to voice or further Christian rights in Afghanistan.

Progressives hypocritically scream out against any perceived colonization by traditional Western values. In reality, progressives have made the greatest attempts at colonization in modern times. These attempts to colonize are attempts to cause other nations to mirror progressive society, in a similar way to colonists in the 18th and 19th centuries. They have brought failure and embarrassment to the United States in foreign affairs, which we saw with the Afghanistan debacle.

Its time progressives show respect for traditional societies and stop attempting to colonize others at the expense of the United States. We can no longer afford it.

Bill Connor, a retired Army Infantry colonel, author and Orangeburg attorney, has deployed multiple times to the Middle East. Connor was the senior U.S. military adviser to Afghan forces in Helmand Province, where he received the Bronze Star. A Citadel graduate with a JD from USC, he is also a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Army War College, earning his master of strategic studies. He is the author of the book "Articles from War.

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The federal reconciliation debate is plodding forward, and hardrock mining royalties are back on the bargaining table.

Among the policies outlined in Democrats $3.5 trillion, 2,466-page Build Back Better Act are new fees on the mining of locatable minerals, like gold and silver, on most federal lands. The royalties would apply to some uranium, bentonite and trona operations in Wyoming.

Its been nearly 150 years since Congress passed the General Mining Act of 1872, granting U.S. citizens the right to establish royalty-free hardrock mines on public domain lands. And while hardrock mining operations do still pay state severance taxes, theyve never been subject to the federal royalties imposed on coal, oil and natural gas production.

This isnt the first time legislators have tried instituting hardrock royalties. Its been a subject of dispute for decades.

Its been an issue basically since the gold rush days, said Shannon Anderson, staff attorney for the Powder River Basin Resource Council. There was federal law that was created to facilitate mineral development, mainly in western states, and that law has just never been updated.

The reconciliation proposal would impose royalties of 8% of gross revenue for new hardrock mines and 4% of gross revenue for existing operations  the same rates approved by the House Committee on Natural Resources in 2007  along with a reclamation tax of 7 cents per ton of earth moved.

It is, as always, controversial.

DC deliberation

During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on hardrock royalties earlier this week, Autumn Hanna, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, characterized the 1872 law as being egregious by modern standards and desperately in need of reform.

No business would set a price for land and stick with it for 150 years. No one thinks simply giving away valuable minerals for nothing makes fiscal sense, she said.

Hanna urged lawmakers to maintain the gross revenue royalty outlined in the reconciliation bill. Unlike net royalties, gross royalties  the type imposed federally on coal, oil and gas  dont account for companies post-production expenses.

Mining representatives, meanwhile, advocated for a net royalty that deducts their products substantial production expenses, arguing that because theyre unable to pass increased costs onto consumers, it would better accommodate the price fluctuations of the global market.

Industry also called for a plan that recognizes minerals different economic conditions, rather than instituting a universal fee.

As a small business operating in an industry with inherently low profit margins and heavy reliance on mineral resources on federal lands, our ability to compete in the domestic and international marketplace and independently mine these resources, said David Brown, president and CEO of bentonite producer Wyo-Ben.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-WY, expressed frustration not only about the details of the proposal, but about Democrats partisan approach. He said during the hearing that he would be willing to consider updating the 1872 law, but not as part of the reconciliation bill.

I can only support changes if Congress proceeds through regular order and therefore on a broad, bipartisan basis, Barrasso said. These changes are too consequential for Congress to pursue through the partisan budget process.

Tensions persist back home

Wyoming currently houses 21 licensed uranium mines, 26 bentonite mines, seven trona mines and two gold exploration projects, according to Kyle Wendtland, administrator of the Department of Environmental Qualitys Land Quality division. Most span some combination of private and public lands. Many would be on the hook for federal hardrock royalties.

State severance taxes amount to 2% of gross revenue for bentonite producers and 4% of gross revenue for uranium and trona producers. Surface coal operations, comparatively, pay 7% of gross revenue to the state and another 12.5% to the federal government.

According to Travis Deti, executive director of the Wyoming Mining Association, those taxes vary for a reason.

Theyre their own different animal, Deti said. Bentonite is very, very different than coal, and its very, very different than uranium. My industry is not monolithic.

At present, the low barrier to entry, coupled with the minerals international price volatility, means that strong markets repeatedly attract new mining claims, Anderson said. When prices fall, that interest fades, leaving federal land managers unsure how best to manage the unmined claims.

Having a royalty would be kind of step one, to at least right the ship on providing a return to the American public for the development of these resources, and it would also send a signal to speculators that the economics have changed in an important way, Anderson said. Were no longer giving these resources away for free.

But the mining industry is worried that gross revenue royalties could discourage exploration completely. Domestic uranium already struggles to compete with international production; bentonites profit margins are slim.

Any new expense  even if its a net royalty  is unwelcome to industry. And so the debate goes on.

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The Supreme Courts authority, grounded since the dawn of the republic in its prestige and reputation, now faces the storms that have overwhelmed Congress and the Presidency and diminished the institutional popularity of our political branches. A recent Gallup poll revealed that just 40 percent of the American people approve of the performance of the nations highest tribunal. The political polarization that has torn apart our grand republic represents a grave threat to the perception of the Court as an apolitical body rendering detached, authoritative decisions that preserve and protect the rule of law and fulfill expectations of it as a mouthpiece for the Constitution.

Several Justices, just prior to the opening of the Courts new term, have addressed public concerns. Justice Amy Comey Barrett, the newest member of the Court, told a Kentucky audience last month that her job was to persuade the audience the Justices are not a bunch of partisan hacks. Justices Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas, the greybeards of the Court, declared that the differences among the Justices are attributable to different judicial philosophies, not politics. Justice Samuel Alito, one of six republican appointees serving on the High Bench, stated  defensively  that some critics portray the Court as having been captured by a cabal that resorts to sneaky methods of considering cases before it, a characterization, he noted, that represents an unprecedented effort to intimidate and damage the Court. These public statements in recent weeks dovetail the long-standing effort of Chief Justice John Roberts to protect the Court against charges that its members promote their own political preferences.

Clearly, the Justices are embarked on a mission to protect the Courts institutional integrity and its mission as an impersonal vessel through which the Court speaks. This mission is not new, of course, for the Justices, across two and one-half centuries, have viewed themselves as the primary defenders of the Courts reputation. To many scholars, the duty of preserving the Courts reputation, and thus its prestige, explains why, until recent decades, and with few exceptions, the Justices have moved cautiously, taking incremental steps in its interpretation of the Constitution, rather than resorting to leaps and bounds in reshaping and overturning precedents. Historically, the Court has been reluctant to lead the nation.

Exceptions to this rule of behavior can be found, of course, as in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, in which the Court overturned a 60 year-old precedent and held that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. And in Engel v. Vitale (1962), when the Court held that school-led prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause separation of church and state. And, perhaps more famously, in Roe v. Wade (1973), in which the Court upheld a womans right to abortion.

The Courts wariness in taking bold steps reflects unhappy historical moments. For example, its ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), that the Constitution did not include American citizenship for African-Americans, backfired, and the Courts reputation was badly damaged, rendering it vulnerable to political attacks by Congress, for roughly 25 years.

For the Court to lead the nation, and convince the citizenry that it is interpreting the Constitution in a manner free of political motives, it must be able to muster persuasive reasoning to defend its holdings and then rely on millions of supporters, and thousands of low-level governmental officials to embrace and enforce its rulings. The Court, as Alexander Hamilton emphasized in Federalist No. 78, lacks the power to enforce its decisions. As a consequence, disregard of the Courts rulings undercuts its reputation and thus its power.

A felt need among the Justices to protect and nurture its authority, contributes to a narrative of caution, rather than bold moves. This sense of restraint  judicial self-restraint  encourages the Court to uphold precedent for the purpose of ensuring stability and continuity in the law. Frequent rulings that overturn precedents, especially those that protect the rights of the citizenry, have a jarring impact on the confidence of the public in the status of their constitutional liberties.

It is for these reasons that the Courts new term, filled with blockbuster cases, will be closely watched. Judicial observers will scrutinize the Courts rulings in forthcoming cases that, among others, may eliminate a womans right to an abortion, expand gun rights beyond precedents, and perhaps chip away at the wall separating church and state.

The current, low public approval rating of the Court threatens the Courts role as chief interpreter of the Constitution and raises the concern that controversial rulings may not be perceived as legitimate by the American people which, again, would threaten the Courts stature and thus its power. In these circumstances, the Court could hardly lay claim to any moral authority, despite efforts to characterize it as the conscience of the nation. Guardians of the Courts institutional integrity, the Justices themselves bear the primary responsibility, through their written opinions, of reassuring the citizenry that they are above the political fray.

David Adler, PHD, is a noted author who lectures nationally and internationally on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Presidential power. His scholarly writings have been cited by the US Supreme Court and lower courts by both Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress. Adlers column is supported in part through a grant from Wyoming Humanities funded by the Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and funded by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Adler can be reached at david.adler@alturasinstitute.com

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CHEYENNE  If the state calls a special session to push back against the federal governments COVID-19 vaccine mandate, it would be the first such meeting convened in Wyoming solely for a political issue.

Oh, I know you can say that everything the Legislature does is essentially political. And there is certainly some truth to that observation.

Probably the most political exercise for Wyoming legislators is legislative redistricting. That was the topic of special sessions in 1992 and 2002. But redistricting in those special sessions was combined with the budget sessions. They were not called specifically for redistricting.

Otherwise special sessions historically have been few and convened only to fix those things that could not wait for a regular session to roll around again like passing a big piece of the biennial budget that didnt make it before the deadline.

Or dealing with a Wyoming Supreme Court mandate that totally upends the states K-12 public school system.

In the past, legislators who become upset with the federal government would pass a resolution calling on Congress to do something or other. Granted, the resolutions were not terribly effective but it made the sponsors feel better to be taking some form of action.

But spending money for a special session to perhaps ban employers from requiring their employees to be vaccinated or, in the alternative, to subject the workers to daily testing, would be an outlier given the states history of special sessions.

Most special sessions in my experience have been brusque little affairs, usually listing only a few days. The legislators didnt want to be there; they worked fast so they could leave town and return to their workaday lives.

The first one I covered as a reporter for the Casper Star-Tribune was in 1971 when Gov. Stan Hathaway called a special session to ratify the 26th amendment to the Constitutional to lower the legal voting age to 18.

The movement to allow 18 years old to vote started in World War II and ballooned during the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War where 18-years old were again being drafted and died in action but couldnt vote.

In 1978, Gov. Ed Herschler called a special session to pass a budget bill that contained the Department of Health budget for the next two years.

The House members deadlocked on the budget bill after a succession of highly emotional, tearful debates over a four-year medical school at the University of Wyoming. That was  as I have noted before  the only time I ever witnessed the House caucus on an issue other than as the Republican or Democratic parties. Instead, they split into pro and anti-medical school factions, hung fast to their positions, and time ran out.

Concluding they needed time to cool off, Herschler didnt call them back for the special session until May that year. The legislators returned and finished their budget work.

That was the last serious effort to get a four-year medical school in Wyoming.

In 1981, there was a brief one-day holdover when the legislative train of bills had a wreck of sorts.The problem, according to the chief clerk of the House, was the Legislature had worked the more minor bills at the beginning of the session, leaving the big stuff to the end

The system bogged down on a Saturday night as the deadline came and went. At the behest of the leadership, Herschler immediately called a special session. The lawmakers returned the next day on Sunday and finished their work.

During the energy bust years of the 1980s, lawmakers were called back a few times.

In 1983 it was to move some money into the depleted unemployment compensation system.

They met again in 1986 to work on the failing workers compensation system on the brink of bankruptcy because employer payments were not covering employer benefits.

These were not jolly meetings.

The 1983 session was held in August in the hot chambers in shirtsleeves (no dress code or air conditioning). It lasted one day.

In 2002 the Legislature obtained the right to call itself into special session.

No more waiting for the governor.

Joan Barron is a former capitol bureau reporter. Contact her at 307-632-2534 or jmbarron@bresnan.net

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Every session for the past several years, the Wyoming legislature has endured one push after another for Obamacare Medicaid expansion. For my part, I have held steady against expansion in every debate. My position has brought no end of criticism from the media, certain special interests, and many of my less conservative legislative colleagues.

Fortunately, a majority of senators have had the courage to stand up against those special interests that are pushing Medicaid expansion on Wyoming. It has not been easy, especially since last year the House of Representatives finally caved to the pressure.

Both sides in this debate are certain that they are right and I think I know why  the two sides have very different definitions of what constitutes prudent, sustainable public policy.

Most states have already expanded Medicaid. What have we learned? As each state deliberated expansion, experts estimated probable enrollment and cost increases. Reality has been very different. By their own measures, actual enrollment and costs usually end up right around double projections. But heres the key: most of us look at those facts and see failure, pro-Medicaid boosters see that same data as a success.

Since Montana is our neighbor and comparable to Wyoming in many ways, we naturally look to their experience. Medicaid boosters in both states claim that Montana expansion has been a huge success. Having your own opinion is fine, having your own facts is not. So what are the facts?

As their legislature debated expansion, state lawmakers were assured by experts that Medicaid enrollment would never exceed 59,000. How many Montanans are currently on Medicaid? Over 100,000. And how much extra did it cost the state? In just the first two years, over $320 million more than projected. These are facts not debatable; numbers are numbers.

But if theyve overshot, they can just dial it back, right? Wrong. Montana cannot trim its Medicaid rolls without losing significant federal funding. They are stuck.

How about Montana hospitals? When Medicaid expands, employers save money by cutting insurance benefits and moving workers onto Medicaid, leaving hospitals with overall lower repayments than from private insurance.

Now Montana leads the nation in high financial risk rural hospitals (those deemed essential to their communities). After one year of expansion, Montana hospitals profit margins dropped by 40% and they now have fewer beds per capita than either of their non-expansion neighbors (Wyoming and South Dakota).

If Wyoming expands Medicaid, our hospitals will lose over $16 million in annual revenues, meaning fewer hospital jobs and fewer beds available. And if we ever do expand, I believe a new hospital tax will be needed to cover Wyomings share of extra costs.

If Montanas Medicaid expansion busted all estimates for enrollment and costs, left Montanas hospitals less solvent and with fewer beds, and Montana has no way out, why does Wyoming keep debating the issue? Because there are elected officials, state employees and health care executives in both states who look at expansion and like what they see. They say Montana Medicaid expansion has been great  Wyoming should jump on board.

Is that so hard to believe? Look at the Biden regime, proposing to spend over $5 trillion that we dont have, on boondoggles we dont need, that will bankrupt us and sink our next several generations in unpayable debt. Both of our U.S. Senators had the wisdom to vote against the first $1.5 trillion of Bidens debacle, but 19 so-called Republican senators did not. The Democrats and those 19 declare a victory as they destroy our nations future.

So, it is not really surprising that some call Medicaid expansion a success despite runaway costs and skyrocketing enrollments. The same people who look at $5.4 trillion of disastrous Federal deficit spending as sound public policy will view Medicaid expansion in that same light. They are as wrong as those 19 senators.

But Wyoming voters now have a good a litmus test for next session. When we start debating Medicaid expansion again  and we will  voters can see whether their state senator or representative is a Mitt Romney, or a Cynthia Lummis. Is runaway spending and government expansion your representatives idea of success? I guess well find out next January.

Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, is the Wyoming Senate majority floor leader.

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Few things are more private than your household finances. In his American Families Plan, President Biden unveiled a tax compliance initiative aimed at closing the gap between taxes that are owed and what are paid. Most of the anticipated revenue, which the Administration estimated at $460 billion over 10 years, would come from requiring financial institutions to report account information that Treasury says would be similar to W-2 reporting for wages and other income reporting.

The proposal, if enacted, would require banks and other financial institutions to report to the IRS detailed information on the inflows and outflows of every customer account above $600. Under the guise of closing the tax gap, the Biden administration and congressional allies are trying to push through a new, partisan reporting scheme in which financial institutions report customer transactions to the Internal Revenue Service. This proposal would turn every Americans local bank, credit union and payment provider into an IRS agent, monitoring and reporting on deposits and withdrawals made in private accounts  at a threshold of as little as $600.

This surveillance dragnet will capture every single American  from all income levels  with a bank, credit union, brokerage or financial account. This includes both individual and business accounts, including Main Street businesses of all types. This indiscriminate data collection would subject law-abiding Americans to further IRS scrutiny and exacerbate privacy concerns. The IRS already holds troves of private data on Americans, including taxable income, charitable contributions, retirement savings, health care expenses, addresses, personal contact information and more.

Not only is this proposal a huge violation of privacy, but it is also an egregious abuse of Americans right to due process by inferring that all U.S. taxpayers are guilty of evading taxes until proven otherwise. Suppose you transfer $15,000 from your savings to your checking account to make a large purchase you have spent years saving for, like a wedding, car or home down payment. Your financial institution would be required to report the withdrawal and deposit to the IRS, possibly triggering an audit  despite the fact you have done nothing improper or illegal. Any ensuing IRS activity would presume you guilty until proven innocent.

Beyond privacy concerns or the dangerous practice of assuming all Americans are rich tax cheats until proven otherwise, the IRS has a history of violating constitutional due process rights. According to a report by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division for years regularly violated, skirted or ignored taxpayers legal and due process rights when investigating taxpayers currency transaction reporting compliance. Fewer than 10% of investigations uncovered legal violations. Every American should be wary of giving the IRS more power and more tentacles into private financial transactions.

Scott W. Meier is the president and CEO of the Wyoming Bankers Association.

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Yearbooks were a big deal back in the day.

Picking up your yearbook was fun. But finding a picture of yourself with your club or making a sweaty lay up for two points or hanging at with friends at the cross town rivalry showdown was rad, far out, cool.

As I remember it, we actually had a shortened school day when we received our yearbooks so that there was time to have everyone sign them.

Who signed your yearbook? Who were the people you scoured the room to find because you wanted them to write a few words to you? Do you remember why they were important? Was he the cutest guy in the class of 1965, 79 or 90? Or was he the super star athlete? The homecoming queen or king? The most talented drama student who sang and danced? The school janitor who cleaned the toilets and shined the gym floors?

OK, if you were as myopic as I was in school, you probably did not seek out the custodian to sign your yearbook.

Unless he was like Steve Weidner, a custodian at Alan Shepard Elementary School in Bourbonnais, Illinois.

Steve is a dad of four and the one person every second grader (104 of them) at school wanted to have sign their yearbook. Along with the article I read about Mr. Steve the school district posted a photo of the kids queued up and waiting for the seated custodian. The caption read: Mr. Steve Weidner has reached Rock Star status as he autographs yearbooks for his fans! Evidently, he signed over 300 yearbooks that day.

So how did Mr. Steve achieve this rock star status among the little humans of Shepard Elementary?

He was present and available for fifteen years. His principal said that he just loved them. Mr. Steve was accessible to each child whether they needed his help or a simple word of encouragement.

Reportedly, for fifteen years, day in and day out, hes loved the kids by being present and engaged. He was always there for them when they needed help or encouragement or a shoulder to cry on after a tumble on the playground.

Mr. Steve showed up for 15 years.

If we want to impact someones life for the good we need to stick around. Longevity matters. Its the times together, when we have won the race and when we have refused to go to play, the proud moments and those not so proud moments, that create a safe place for friendships to flourish.

Its in that longevity of routine and rhythm that our hugs and our proffered bandaids of kindness give others the courage to to live confidently. Being present, over the years, gives us permission to correct when necessary and to celebrate when the 4th place ribbon is pinned to a dirty t-shirt.

Mr. Steve reminded me today that you dont have to be a Billy Graham or Mother Teresa to be a rock star in Gods kingdom. You can be a rock star, impacting people for good right where you, whatever you are doing.

Show up, consistently. High five a spouse, shovel the walks for a neighbor, compliment your employee, send a text of appreciation, band-aid a scraped knee and everyone will stand in line to sign your yearbook!

Larry and Linda Kloster sponsor this column.

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Suicide is Wyomings most persistent public health issue. And if anything, its getting worse.

In 2004, the state possessed the nations fifth highest suicide rate, with about 17 deaths for every 100,000 residents. In 2019, Wyoming had the countrys highest rate, with 29.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

Intuitively, we understand this. Its an unfortunate reality in Wyoming that most people have been touched somehow by suicide. Weve lost friends and co-workers, family and neighbors. Parents and children. Husbands and wives.

To the people left behind, each death by suicide leaves behind an ocean of grief. A chair missing at the dinner table. An empty desk at the office.

And yet this scourge persists. Problems that persist can recede into the background, overlooked by newer challenges and tasks that may seem easier to address. Which means we need to be deliberate in our focus to reverse this tragic trend. It doesnt have to be this way.

There are practical changes we can make. The first is improving the resources that are available to people who might be struggling with stress, anxiety, loss or depression. Our state has found itself flush with relief aid and more revenue that we had expected. What if we used even a fraction of those dollars to address gaps in mental health services so people in pain have an easier time getting help? Recently, Wyoming enacted its fist in-state suicide hotline. But the program lacks the resources to run 24 hours a day. Shouldnt we change that?

Theres also an educational component. Many of us have seen friends and family struggle. But we might feel uncertain about what to look for and when its time to speak up. And even if we speak up, some of us might not know what to say. Earlier this year, the Legislature rejected a bill that would have provided suicide awareness training to students. We hope lawmakers will reconsider it next year, as young people should be armed with the tools to recognize warning signs in their peers and act.

We understand that many Wyomingites are skeptical of big-government solutions. Fair enough. There are volunteer groups and suicide task forces around the state that would happily provides businesses and organizations with training sessions on how to recognize a suicidal person and guide them to resources that will pull them back from the edge.

But for any of those solutions to truly work, we must first change our attitudes on mental health. Depression, anxiety and emotional trauma are not things to be embarrassed by any more than a twisted ankle, a busted knee or a painful arm. We dont expect ourselves to tough out a physical injury. Why should a person suffering from an emotional one be treated any differently?

Wyoming prides itself on toughness. But asking for help  or offering it  is its own kind of courage. Consider Simone Biles, one of the best gymnasts of all time, pulling out of Olympic events to take care of her mental health. To acknowledge to the entire world that you need help is an act of bravery rather than weakness. And as a state, thats an ethic we should embrace.

Its true that Wyoming has long suffered from a high suicide rate. But the past doesnt have to dictate the future. We can improve resources in our state. We can better educate ourselves on suicide prevention. And we can strive to change our attitudes toward mental health so that people feel comfortable asking for help. We can do better. This trend has persisted a long time. But we possess the power to change it.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273 TALK (1-800-273-8255).

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While reported measles cases have fallen compared to previous years, progress toward measles elimination continues to decline and the risk of outbreaks is mounting, according to a new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During 2020, more than 22 million infants missed their first dose of measles vaccine  3 million more than in 2019, marking the largest increase in two decades and creating dangerous conditions for outbreaks to occur.
Sponsored: Ministry of Planning

In previous articles weve covered a few of the most significant issues facing the environment today and how our Government is addressing these. A large part of our, and indeed many other countries, strategy to do this involves being part of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and a crucial factor for the successful implementation of MEAs is our youth.

More here
In an earlier interview, Connie Phillips, president and chief executive officer of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, said refugee resettlement programs used to work with 95,000 refugees a year across the country, but the numbers were lowered, and last year the official cap was set at 18,000; however, the U.S. welcomed fewer than 12,000 people. Over the years, resettlement programs disbanded. Now, the government is working on relationships with housing, employers, school districts and congregations to reactivate all of the systems to work with this latest influx of Afghan refugees.

Once the refugees are relocated in the United States, 6,000 to 10,000 people per week are expected to be taken across the country to resettlement programs in various states, and 54,000 are expected to be resettled.

For the incoming Afghan refugees to Tucson, Barbaris message is: You can have a nice life here. Follow the laws. America is a good and safe place for you and your children.
Located in the gulches of the western slopes of the Dome Rock Mountains, these placer deposits required water hauled at $5 per gallon from La Paz 7 miles distant or from Goodman Tank. The gold was recovered by dry washing using traditional gold pans or bowls called bateas.

Ehrenberg, a town on the Colorado River, became a popular shipping point for Arizona mining districts. It also served as a port of entry for Californians crossing into Arizona during the La Paz gold rush. Originally called Mineral City in 1863, it was christened four years later after Hermann Ehrenberg, a German mining engineer who prospected in Arizona during the 1850s.

More than 10,000 mines have been located around Ehrenberg, including the Goodman Gold Mine, which produced around $50,000 worth of gold before 1914. The gold was treated at an amalgamation mill 15 miles away in Quartzite. The mine was noted for its gold-bearing pyrite and free gold found in the oxidized zone near the wall of the Goodman vein.

Further north, Topock, an area on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, was worked during World War I for veins of pyrolusite, manganese oxides in basalt flows. Around 300 tons of better grade ore was shipped to market; however, high transportation costs hindered further development.
For medical students at the University of Arizona, the COVID-19 pandemics lasting effects are not only found in the limited interaction they have had with patients but also with each other.

While video appointments and telephone calls with doctors are now often replacing office visits for patients, and while telehealth makes medical care more accessible for people in underserved areas, a downside is that it limits doctors-in-training from being able to connect with their peers.

Our class has 118 students and, unlike all the classes that came before us, we have never been in the same room together, said April Huckleberry, a second-year student at the UA College of Medicine.

Huckleberry said when it comes to social isolation and stress during the pandemic, medical students are having an especially challenging experience.

During a typical academic year, medical students are exposed to high levels of stress that can bring on mental health challenges, physical ailments, poor academic performance and even a decrease in the ability to empathize.
Then her daughter started feeling unusually tired on a Sunday. By Monday both her children started to get runny eyes and stuffy noses. The whole family tested for COVID-19, and Jones and both her kids tested positive, despite Jones being vaccinated. She felt as if she had a bad sinus infection, lost her sense of smell and had body aches. And as she got sicker, she started to get angry.

My kids are sick. My kids are out of school. This could have been avoided had we just tried every possible mitigation strategy that we knew existed. And we chose not to, she said.

Jones kids are back in school, and once the district put a mask mandate in place  which was lifted this week  she noticed that the COVID-19 notifications slowed, from every day to hardly any. The number of positive cases in Marana Unified decreased by 42% to 80%, depending on the week, following implementation of a mask mandate.

We have let the discussion become something about masks versus no masks, Jones said. We let it become something about liberties being taken away or parent choice. And that is not what we need to focus on. We need to focus on our goal  a common goal is that kids are in person, engaged in their learning. We all want that. We all want in-person learning for our kids, teachers want it, anti-maskers want it, maskers want it. And when we get clouded by all that other noise, we get further away from our goal.

Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223 . On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara

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But to have the opposite problem  well, thats a man bites dog kind of story.

As far as Im concerned, you should be able to receive a refund any way you want. Cash, credit, gold bullion. It doesnt matter. A company may choose to place restrictions on how it sends refunds, but that doesnt make it right.

Its important to be cautious about accepting money from strangers on PayPal. I have a lot of cautionary tales about scams like that on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. But it appears the company identified itself by name, so you should have known that it was Civitavecchia Shuttle. And the assurances offered by the representatives that it is not a scam were believable.

I think the pandemic just turned everything on its head, including refund processes. If I had to guess, Id say Civitavecchia Shuttle made some changes to its credit-card processing systems, which meant that it had to find another way to send refunds.

Incidentally, this is not just a pandemic issue. When you receive compensation for a delayed flight in Europe, the airline will ask for your bank account information. Thats common in Europe. Readers often ask me if thats a scam. It isnt.

I reached out to Civitavecchia Shuttle on your behalf, and it initiated a refund again. This time, I recommended that you accept the money. You figured out how to use your PayPal account, you accepted the money and now you have a full refund.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org
This is smart info to have on hand before you need it. Dont forget about your auto insurance card. If you get into a fender bender, you can grab the physical card from your glove compartment, but that might not always be possible.

Your medical and dental insurance cards

True story: A couple of times a year, my son would call and ask me to send him a copy of his insurance card to avoid the universitys mandatory health insurance charges. I get it, its a pain to keep them around, and you might not always have the physical copy on you.

The requests from my son stopped once I told him to save the picture to his camera roll and favorite it. Now he can go to his photo gallery. Thats faster than waiting for me.

Your phone is always on you, but your wallet might not be. I love not having to dig through flimsy paper cards to grab my insurance info when Im filling out forms.

Your rental car before and after

If youre traveling in a city where a car is a must, you rent. Your very first step once you get to the car, even before you turn it on, is snapping photos.
They had hidden all documents relating to the U.S. just days before, Wright said.

Five days later, her name now on a Taliban list after the search, Wrights wife attempted her second escape along with others who had aided American efforts in Afghanistan.

Wright said he had gotten in touch with Afghan Commando Officers; a brigadier general in Herat province was being hunted by the Taliban while trying to flee with his family.

I told him that I was trying to get my wife out, as well, Wright said. So we made a plan that he and his family would travel with my wife.

About 100 meters from the closed gates of the airport in Kabul, they waited all night and most of the following day, he said, before giving up to plan a third attempt.

Destiny landed Wrights wife and her interpreter in front of an American soldier. She handed the solider her cellphone: On the other line was Wright in Oklahoma. He had urged his wife to be polite but persistent in stating their case.

Wright pleaded on the staticky phone call: His wife was an American citizen.
For each flight, the guest of honor was accompanied by an adult caregiver and had the option of bringing a sibling or friend as well. Pilots and passengers donned headsets to hear each other as well as the radio communication, and the child sat alongside the pilot in the cockpit.

First-time volunteer Coby Hughes of Collinsville flew families in a 2005 Cessna 172. He assured that the bumpy ride would smooth out once the plane topped 2,500 feet of altitude.

I try to keep it comfortable, he said, noting that his favorite part so far was seeing the smiles on the kids faces.

Passengers aboard the prop planes got aerial views of landmarks such as the Arkansas River, downtown and the Gathering Place, on flights that lasted around 20 minutes.

Semeria Hall of Kansas City, Missouri, brought her sons William Collins, 10, and Isaiah Collins, 9, to the event as a surprise. Hall said this would be the first time on a plane for William, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2.

He was pretty excited when we got here, because he had no clue, Hall said, adding that William was excited to see the big jet outside.

When asked how he felt about being at the event, William said he was happy.
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Opening night is always a momentous occasion, but after the months of disruption resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the once-commonplace notion of an orchestra performing in front of an audience in a concert hall Saturday took on the air of a triumph.
"Dr. Collins has served with exceptional distinction," Cole said. "The only person appointed by three different presidents to directorship of the NIH, I have often called him the best politician in Washington, D.C. Who else could be appointed by President Barack Obama, President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden? The fact that Dr. Francis Collins holds this unique distinction is a testament to the high regard in which he is held across the political spectrum."

Still Hope: Speaking to the Family Research Councils Pray Vote Stand Summit in Leesburg, Va., Lankford said he still has hope for America because God continues to send Christians to Washington.

That would tell me even if this is Sodom and Gomorrah, He hasn't given up on it. We shouldn't give up on it, Lankford said.
Going Monoclonal: Oklahoma's Matt Pinnell was among 15 Republican lieutenant governors asking the Biden administration to reverse its policy on distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments

Monoclonal antibody treatments have proven effective against COVID-19 and are popular among those opposed to vaccination to prevent the virus.

Biden ordered the federal government to take over distribution of the treatments after it was revealed seven states with particularly low COVID-19 vaccination rates accounted for 70% of orders for the drug.

The administration said it wants to make sure all states have equal access to the treatments, but Pinnell and the other Republicans called it "rationing."

Oklahoma, incidentally, is not one of the seven states with unusually high demand for the treatments.

Campaigns and elections: The OEA did not exactly endorse Joy Hofmeister after the state superintendent announced she is running for governor in 2022, but President Katherine Bishop did issue a glowing statement.
Here are a few of the significant changes that started in 2020 that will help.

Oklahoma legislators last year finally enacted statutory changes in definitions of violent crime, adding domestic abuse by strangulation, domestic assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault and battery with a deadly weapon. It gives more teeth in charging and sentencing.

The dedicated Tulsa County Court domestic violence dockets hold offenders accountable through judicial monitoring. For those exposed to COVID, virtual reviews are conducted. Currently 71% of felony-docket defendants are compliant with sentencing as are 68% of defendants on the misdemeanor docket.

Protective order court is stressful, at best. But during the past 18 months, a virtual court has allowed litigants to appear before a judge, reducing the trauma felt by survivors when in close contact with a perpetrator.

When survivors in violent cases are afraid to testify in criminal court, prosecutors now frequently use a tool called evidence-based prosecution. It relies more on evidence and good investigation than a victims testimony, and they are winning.
If you havent yet noticed, the policy gap between Oklahomas elected Republican leaders and those they supposedly represent continues to widen.

Whether the topic is mask and vaccine mandates; the wealthy paying their fair share of taxes; closing corporate tax loopholes; protecting Social Security and Medicare; strengthening public education; or the chaotic American evacuation in Afghanistan, the distance between the opinions and views of our governor, our two U.S. senators and at least three of our U.S. House members, continues to differ from those of a significant proportion of Oklahoma voters.

Given that Gov. Kevin Stitt, Sen. Jim Inhofe, and U.S. Reps. Kevin Hern and Markwayne Mullin are millionaires, and given that the interests of millionaires typically differ significantly from those of the middle/lower classes  and given that the latter profoundly outnumber the former  is it really any surprise that these elected leaders often seem out of step with those they purport to represent?

Ive nothing personal against the wealthy, particularly those who earned it honestly. But I do have something against wealthy political leaders who use their elected positions to further their own interests versus the interests and very real needs of those who elected them.
The tourism sector in Ho Chi Minh City has showed initial signs of recovery as local travel agents have started offering safe tours to several popular destinations in the citys low-risk districts.

Some companies in the southern city have recently advertising tours to outlying Can Gio and Cu Chi Districts, which are considered as green zones, or areas at low risk of COVID-19 transmissions.

Each tour starts and ends within the same day, offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy the nature, fresh air, and local specialties.

The tours are not packed with many activities as they are designed to offer travelers a quick getaway following a prolonged lockdown.

According to Nguyen Huu Y Yen, general director of Saigontourist Travel Service Company, people have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from the disease within six months in order to take part in the tours.

They must also undergo rapid COVID-19 testing before the journey starts.

I believe that the new requirements and procedures are not too complicated and will not discourage our customers, Yen stated.

The municipal authorities have only allowed the resumptions of safe and well-organized tours to green zones, he added.

Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, deputy head of Vietravel's marketing department, said that a recent survey by the firm showed that travel demand has surged following the fourth coronavirus outbreak, which began on April 27 and has just showed signs of subsiding.

About 80 percent respondents said they want to travel and agreed that safety is the top priority, Khanh continued.

Many of them preferred beaches or places with a low population density, and would like their trips to be short and simple.

The majority of respondents wished to travel with their family members or friends and were not ready to share a trip with strangers.

They also added it would be okay if the service quality is not top-notch, or if the tours do not include many destinations.

The result of the survey will drastically change the way we operate and design our tours, Khanh elaborated.

In some northern and central localities, the recovery of the local tourism seems to be more promising.

In such localities as Da Nang, Quang Binh, and Thua Thien-Hue, travel agents have reopened tours for local visitors.

Frontline workers enjoy a tour to a forest in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 2, 2021. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Lifting restrictions

According to Phan Xuan Anh, chairman of Viet Excursions Company, it is impossible for travel firms to run a massive demand stimulation campaign because the safety standards vary in different provinces and cities.

Travelers preferences are also different from those in the past, forcing companies to make changes to their products, Anh added.

The tourism industry needs to establish a special map so that travelers can review and select safe restaurants, hotels, or shopping places for their trips. This will require the cooperation from local businesses and service providers, he suggested.

Many travel agents in Ho Chi Minh City have proposed the operation of tours from the city to some nearby destinations.

For example, the tourism management agencies in Ho Chi Minh City and southern Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province have coordinated to develop a self-contained tourism program under which nearly 10 service establishments in Ba Ria - Vung Tau are willing to welcome guests from the city.

Local firms also believed that tours to Phan Thiet, Da Lat, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc could restart in November.

However, authorities in these localities must first lift their restrictions on visitors from Ho Chi Minh City.

"We have agreed to live safely with the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is unnecessary to maintain too many restrictions, said Pham Ha, chairman of Lux Group.

The tourism industry will suffer if current restrictions among localities remain intact, Ha stated, adding that requiring visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is enough.

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For nearly a decade, Doan Luc Nghi has donated his academic scholarship to needy hospital patients in Ho Chi Minh City with nowhere else to turn.

Nghi, a 24-year-old senior at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, has had no qualms with donating the entirety of his academic scholarship to needy hospital patients in Ho Chi Minh City for the past nine years.

At Cho Ray Hospital, where the patients Nghi helps receive treatment, both patients and staff consider Nghis support a godsend.

Do Thi Thanh Lan, a staff member at the hospitals Social Work Department, dubbed by patients as the room of love, has spent nine out of her ten-year-career at Cho Ray welcoming Nghis donations.

According to Lan, Nghi  then a 10th-grader at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 5  was shy the first time he visited the hospital to make a donation.

It took some digging before he finally admitted that the money came directly from an academic scholarship he had been awarded.

Since then, Nghi has visited the hospital twice a year, every year, to donate his scholarship money to patients in need.

A special philanthropist

Nghis high marks throughout his academic career, as well as earning a top-notch score on the national high school graduation exam, helped earn him admission to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, one of the countrys highest ranked medical universities.

After spending nearly a decade helping patients financially, he is eager to expand his support to the realm of medicine.

The more I cover in my curriculum, the more challenging my school work becomes. This means its become quite difficult to continue earning scholarships, Nghi shared.

What keeps me motivated is the patients who are dying for money to pay their medical bills. My academic performance not only means Ive gained knowledge, but it also empowers me to help the needy.

Though Nghis family is not particularly well-off, altruism is a value that he and his parents hold near and dear.

His father works at a state-run company while his mother earns a living as a tailor.

Together, they live in a 30-square-meter house at the end of a narrow alley in District 10.

As a child, Nghi would follow his now 51-year-old mother, Luc Thi Yen Nga, to major hospitals in the city to lend a hand to needy patients.

Those moments stuck with him, eventually leading to him seeking out an internship at Cho Ray.

One night after work I saw a father sleeping with his child in the hospital corridor, Nghi recalled.

It filled me with emotion.

Other inspirational moments for Nghi include learning about a group of caregivers who sought treatment for an orphan suffering from critical heart disease from doctors throughout the country.

Such care and empathy is what motivates Nghi to continue helping others.

What I do may be small, but I just want to lend a helping hand, Nghi said.

Currently, Nghi is training hard to become a qualified doctor so that he can continue to help.

Of course, Lan and the other healthcare providers at Cho Ray are excited to know someone with such dedication will likely join their team in the near future.

Until then, however, he plans to continue helping in whatever ways he can.

Le Minh Hien, head of Cho Ray Hospitals Social Work Department, shared how impressed he is with Hiens dedication to the hospital and its patients.

The youngest donor here, Nghi, has been active in the hospitals charitable work over the past nine years, Hien said.

Were moved that he is able to help others through his own academic achievements.

According to Lan, over the past nine years Nghi has made more than 20 donations, totaling more than VND50 million (US$2,195) in value.

His aid, along with that from many other benefactors, is not only a physical gift, but also a spiritual boost and source of strength that has helped many patients recover.

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Vietnam is devising the guidelines for a COVID-19 vaccination drive benefitting children from 12 to 17 years old, which is slated for implementation in October, said Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, on Saturday.

The direction was confirmed by Thuan during a virtual meeting between the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly delegation, the citys health officials, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and city chairman Phan Van Mai.

Since the COVID-19 pathogen emerged in Vietnam in early 2020, some 20,000 domestic children have been infected, said Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, director of the Childrens Hospital No. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, during the event.

Despite posing lower risks to children than it does to adults, COVID-19 still proves a major threat to the health conditions of youths with obesity or underlying conditions.

The epidemics peril on children has become a major concern of the public, specifically when Ho Chi Minh City announced its plan to welcome students back to K-12 schools in January 2022, Hung pointed out.

The doctor cited lessons from the United States, where 500,000 children were infected with the coronavirus in the last two weeks of September after in-person classes were relaunched.

The U.S. has so far recorded 5.9 million COVID-19 infections among children, or 17 percent of the national caseload.

He referred to Vietnams child population of 25 million, of which 1.8 million are from Ho Chi Minh City.

Once the adults are vaccinated, the infection risks will shift to children, Hung pointed out.

Although the death rate of COVID-19 among children is lower, the long-term consequences that COVID-19 poses on the mental and physical health of children have yet to be measured.

According to Hung, the U.S. has started vaccinating children aged 12-18 years old, while they are also testing Pfizer jabs on kids between five and 11 years old.

In the meantime, Cuba has approved and is rolling out their homegrown jab Abdala to children above two years of age.

Abdala has also been approved by Vietnamese authorities, who signed a deal to purchase 10 million doses of the vaccine from the Caribbean country.

On top of that, Vietnam is also expecting Pfizer shipments to arrive in the next months, which affirms the feasibility of a child vaccination drive in the country.

On behalf of parents and medical practitioners, I would like to ask the countrys President and the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly delegation to give support for a vaccination drive for children, making it be included in the national COVID-19 vaccination program, Hung said at the meeting.

The child inoculation plan is also backed by Assoc. Prof. Hoang Thi Diem Tuyet, director of Ho Chi Minh Citys Hung Vuong Hospital, and Prof., Dr. Le Truong Giang, president of the Ho Chi Minh City Public Health Association.

Responding to the proposal, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said the health ministry is devising guidelines to start vaccinating children aged 12-17 in October before expanding the program to children of lower ages.

With the upcoming vaccine shipments from the U.S.-based manufacturer Pfizer, as well as the signed purchase deal for Abdala jabs from Cuba, Vietnam is expecting to receive a total of 120 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of 2021.

The Southeast Asian country is looking to provide vaccine coverage to at least 70 percent of the adult population by the end of the year.

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Local public has voiced anger and objections against a decision of health authorities in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau to cull 13 dogs belonging to a married couple returning from Long An Province after the owners were found positive for COVID-19.

The administration of the southernmost province has required relevant agencies to make a detailed report on the killing, which was decided by local health authorities in Tran Van Thoi District when the dog owners were receiving treatment.

The Department of Health is requested to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the district government to collect information regarding the incident, the provincial Peoples Committee announced on Sunday.

A detailed report must be submitted to the provincial administration and provided to the press prior to 10:00 am on Monday.

According to preliminary information, Pham Minh Hung, 49, and his wife began traveling from southern Long An Province to Ca Mau Province on Friday.

Hung previously worked as a mason in Long An, but his livelihood was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He and his wife thus decided to head to a relatives house in Ca Mau as travel restrictions were relaxed early this month.

The couple traveled on a motorbike and brought along 15 dogs, including 11 puppies. They later gave away two of the pups.

After arriving at Tran Van Thoi District, Ca Mau Province, the couple and their dogs were taken to a quarantine center at a local high school.

At around 1:00 am on Saturday, the couples rapid COVID-19 tests came back positive.

Their real-time RT-PCR tests also returned the similar result later the same day.

Both of them were then transferred to Tran Van Thoi General Hospital for treatment.

While they were treated at the infirmary, several people in charge of COVID-19 prevention and control in the district convinced Hung and his wife to allow the culling of their dogs, fearing the animals also carried the virus, Ho Thien Chua  chairman of the Peoples Committee in Khanh Hung Ward, Tran Van Thoi District, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Those involved in the incident have been requested to give details on why and how the dogs were culled, Chua added.

Earlier, the photos and videos of Hung, his wife, and their 15 dogs struggling on a motorbike during their long journey went viral on social media and touched the hearts of many animal lovers.

Therefore, the killing has stirred up an uproar across social media, with many people saying the decision is unscientific and too cruel.

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Storm Lionrock in the East Vietnam Sea has downgraded into a tropical depression and is expected to land in Vietnams Hai Phong - Thanh Hoa region on Sunday, while another storm is on the way to the waters, the national weather agency reported.

Tropical Storm Lionrock, the seventh storm in the East Vietnam Sea so far this year, has weakened into a tropical low pressure system on Sunday morning, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said.

At 10:00 am on Sunday, the depression was centered on the waters south of Quang Ninh, around 100km off Hai Phong, 150 km off south-northern Nam Dinh Province and 260km off north-central Thanh Hoa Province.

The storm packed winds of 40 to 60km per hour and squalls of up to 88km per hour, with a wind radius of 100km.

Over the next 12 hours, the storm will travel west-southwestward at 15 to 20km per hour and land in the region between northern Hai Phong City and north-central Thanh Hoa Province, with winds decreasing to 40-50km per hour.

In the next 12 to 24 hours, the depression will move in the same direction towards Laos and further weaken into a low-pressure system.

The storm eyewall, in combination with a strengthened cold front, will cause extremely rough seas in the Gulf of Tonkin, including the waters of Bach Long Vi Island, along with winds of up to 61km per hour and waves reaching two to four meters in height.

During Sunday, the coastal area from northern Quang Ninh Province to north-central Nghe An Province will have winds of 49 km per hour and squalls of up to 74km per hour.

During Sunday and next Monday, torrential rains of 150 to 250 millimeters will slash the northeastern region, while less severe rains, of 50 to 150 millimeters, will dampen the northwestern part.

Over three days from Sunday, heavy rains of up to over 150 millimeters will cover the north-central region from Nghe An to Quang Binh.

Flash floods and landslides may occur in mountainous areas while inundation is likely to hit low-lying areas.

On Saturday, many northeastern localities, including Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh issued urgent dispatches to request concerned agencies to promptly take measures to cope with Lionrock.

Thanh Hoa Province authorities have banned all operations at sea from 5:00 pm on Saturday for safety reasons.

Meanwhile, another storm, Kompasu, has been active in the eastern waters of Luzon Island of the Philippines from Sunday morning.

At 10:am on Sunday, the storm was seen to move northwest at 25km per hour, packing winds of 75 to 90km per hours and squalls of up to 117km per hour.

Over the next 24 hours, the storm is expected to move in the same direction and get stronger.

At 10:00 am Monday, Kompasu will have been spotted 210km east-northeast off Luzon Island, with winds of up to 100km per hour and wind gusts of over 118km per hour.

In the next 24 to 48 hours, the storm will travel west at 15km per hours, continue getting stronger and enter the East Vietnam Sea, the center forecast.

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4 part UK series Saved by a Stranger begins tonight on SBS

Presented by Anita Rani, it tells the personal stories of ordinary people caught up in recent events and follows them on a quest to find the individual who changed their lives forever.

Each episode provides a unique personal account of some of the biggest headline moments that have shaped Britain and its people, including the July 7 London terrorist attacks, the AIDs crisis and the Falklands War. The program also looks at stories from across the world, including the Holocaust an d the Bosnian War.

The series celebrates moments of kindness and humanity in some of our most challenging times and resolves in some emotional reunions.

Episode One: Karl And Emina

Karl, a trainee psychologist who was caught up in the July 7 terror attacks on the London Underground, goes looking for the mystery woman who held his hand and comforted him in the smoke-filled carriage. Emina, a former Bosnian War refugee living in Nottingham, searches for the doctor who cared for her baby sister during the siege of Sarajevo and helped her family evacuate to safety.

8:30pm Monday on SBS
More than 1,000 people got into small boats and made the dangerous trip across the English Channel to the UK in two days despite temperatures dropping following the end of summer.

After 10 days in which no crossings were possible due to bad weather, at least 40 boats managed to reach Britain on Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, the UK has been urged to keep its word by a French minister who claimed none of the 54 million it promised France to help tackle migrant crossings has been paid.

Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said not one euro has been paid, following his visit to Dunkirk on Saturday.

Home Secretary Priti Patel recently threatened to withhold the funding unless more people were stopped from reaching the UK.

A young girl is helped by a Border Force officer as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Since the start of the year, more than 18,000 people have succeeded in reaching the UK on board small boats, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

A flurry of crossing attempts on Friday saw 624 people reach the UK  the fourth highest daily tally on record during the current crisis.

Crossings continued on Saturday with at least 491 people, including children, arriving in Britain after making the perilous journey.

The figures were confirmed by the Home Office on Sunday morning, as the Border Force was once again active in the Channel.

More people were seen arriving in Dover on Sunday as crossings continued for a third day in a row.

A young girl wearing a pink jacket was seen being helped to put on woolly hat by a border official in the port, one of a number of children who have made the dangerous crossing in the last few days.

Thousands of people have continued to cross from France in 2021 despite the UK pledging to send millions of pounds to the French authorities to tackle the crisis.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers (Gareth Fuller/PA)

For now, not one euro has been paid, Mr Darmanin told the Associated Press on Saturday.

We are asking the British to keep their promises of financing because we are holding the border for them.

He also called on Britain to take measures to reduce its attractiveness for migrants without residency papers, without elaborating.

Story continues

Asked about Mr Darmanins comments on Sunday, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News: Well, all I can say is that we have worked very effectively with the French government so far.

Weve had 300 arrests, weve worked with them to do that, there have been 65 convictions, and we both accept that there are something like 13,500 crossings that have been prevented through our working together, so it is a good collaborative relationship and we obviously want to improve that.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said Ms Patel needs to come clean over her strategy to tackle small boat crossings.

He told Sky News the fact that more than 1,100 people crossed to the UK in just two days across Friday and Saturday shows that withholding money from France clearly isnt working.

More than 1,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Friday and Saturday (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Dan OMahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander for the Home Office, said: The Government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings using every tool at our disposal, at every stage in the journey.

Working with police and international partners, there have been nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions related to small boat criminality, and our targeted efforts have prevented more than 13,500 migrant attempts so far this year.

But this is a complicated issue requiring changes to our laws. The Governments New Plan for Immigration provides a long-term solution to fix the broken system and deliver the change required to tackle criminal gangs and prevent further loss of life.

Also on Sunday, a charity which observes migrants arriving in small boats across the English Channel said the consequences of using controversial pushback tactics could be horrific.

Kim Bryan, from Channel Rescue, said in the last two weeks her group had spotted, from the cliffs of Dover, Border Force officials practising a pushback using jet-skis.

What they seem to be doing is pushing the boat from the stern and from the bow, and I guess the idea is theyre going to push them back into French waters, Ms Bryan told BBC Breakfast on Sunday.
On October 7, the World Health Organization said that it had resumed shipments of COVID-19 medical supplies to North Korea, for the first time since January 2020. At the same time, North Korea has yet to receive vaccines to fight the pandemic  and still officially reports zero cases. As The Diplomat reports, The Norths recalcitrance to join the international vaccination effort is extreme. Like the iconic nighttime satellite image of a dark North Korea surrounded by a sea of light from South Korea and China, North Korea is a blank in global maps of national COVID-19 vaccination programs.

Its a big puzzle, even for North Korea.

North Koreas tentative engagement with the international community in vaccine diplomacy has not yielded any results. Meanwhile, South Korea recently said it would donate more than 1 million doses of AstraZenecas vaccine to Vietnam, while the United Kingdom has pledged a vaccine swap with Seoul. Even the heavily sanctioned government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accepted a sizable shipment of vaccines from the international COVAX facility in September. Cuba, a fellow poverty-stricken communist nation, actually has the sixth highest vaccination rate in the world: 81 percent of its citizens have received at least one dose of vaccine  higher than the United States. In early September, however, North Korea refused nearly 3 million doses of Chinas Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, offered at no cost through the international COVAX initiative.

What is happening? Without vaccines to combat the spread of the virus, North Koreas only policy response since January 2020 has been to seal itself off from the outside world, bucking an emerging trend among elsewhere that recognizes the limits and futility of nationwide lockdowns and border closures. For example, Argentina is pivoting from one of the worlds strictest lockdowns to a rapid reopening  a shift driven in large part by politics (the unpopular democratically elected government is facing an election). Such political pressures are nonexistent in totalitarian North Korea. In May, for instance, state media warned that vaccines produced overseas were not a panacea to all problems. There is little the international community can do in such circumstances, as has been proven in countless attempts to engage North Korea since 1994s Agreed Framework, a deal struck between Washington and Pyongyang to freeze the latters nuclear program.

Pyongyang is also likely concerned about the reporting requirements needed to participate in the COVAX scheme. North Koreas comfort zone is total control of information and access. Its leadership probably fears that information gathered by international public health workers would expose the developmental shortcomings of the country and weaken the blind loyalty of its citizens.

Aside from the Norths obsession with secrecy, the logistical challenges of vaccine distribution are also formidable. North Korea has neglected to develop a modern public health infrastructure and has shunned any significant international assistance gestures. Pyongyang refused a request by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to plan for the potential return of aid workers to help distribute any potential shipments of vaccine into the country.

North Koreas vaccine hesitancy might also reflect vaccine snobbery. According to some observers with knowledge of the Norths public health bureaucracy, the government is holding out for mRNA technology, and has reportedly shunned the less effective Sinovac and Russian Sputnik V vaccines. North Korea also seems to have been spooked by early safety concerns associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex  a joint economic development in proximity to South Koreas Incheon Airport and just across the demilitarized zone. The promise of a bright and prosperous future for the Korean Peninsula catalyzed by the joint venture between North and South Korea now lies in ruins. Meanwhile, a cutting-edge biopharmaceutical industry has sprung up in Songdo, South Korea. Songdo is already becoming a regional hub for vaccine production, including mRNA vaccines. If North Korea had followed a different developmental path, had opened up and had joined the international community, it would be in a better position today to manage the challenges of the pandemic.

North Koreas fixation with weapons development, totalitarian control, and secrecy for regime survival continues to prove unfortunate for its citizens. Without access to vaccines, North Koreas least risky option is to keep its borders closed, given the susceptibility of its largely malnourished population to COVID-19 infection and disease. Until Kim Jong Un pivots to initiate a national vaccination program, he is at least being honest in admitting in April that North Koreans should brace for the worst-ever outcome  invoking the countrys devastating 1990s famine.
Five cars collided on Nizhnie Mnevniki Street in Moscow this afternoon, practically blocking traffic in one direction at the scene of the accident, according to the Department of Transport of the capital.

"On Nizhniye Mnevniki Street, five cars collided before Glavmosstroy proezd. Movement is free in one lane out of three," the statement on the Telegram channel of the Moscow Department of Transport said, RIA Novosti reported.

The message does not indicate the victims and the injured.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of Austria announced on Saturday that he would resign, days after prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into allegations he used federal money to pay off pollsters and journalists for favorable coverage, The New York Times reports.

The move came amid intense pressure from all sides, with Mr. Kurzs partners in the government, the Greens, threatening to quit the coalition unless his conservative Peoples Party replaced him as chancellor. The countrys president issued a stern statement urging all players to put party politics aside in the interest of stability.
The Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist", on September 27, 2020 in response to the large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, Trend reports.

The erupted 44-day Second Karabakh War ended with liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation.

Trend presents the chronicle of the fourtienth day of the Second Karabakh war:

- President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Russian RBK TV channel.

- The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia was held in Moscow. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed on a humanitarian ceasefire in Karabakh. The ceasefire was then roughly violated by Armenia. Armored vehicles of Armenia which violated the ceasefire were destroyed.

- Intense battles continued during the night, heavy combat equipment of Armenia was destroyed. The Armenian armed forces intensively fired at Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, Aghjabadi and Fuzuli districts. Remains of a ballistic target fired by Armenia at Mingachevir and destroyed in the air have been found. The radar station in Khojaly was destroyed.

- The Armenian S-300 and other military equipment and artillery batteries were destroyed in Gubadly.

- The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported on fires in Azerbaijani civilian facilities as a result of firing from Armenian armed forces.
The opposition United National Movement party, founded by former Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili, will organize a rally in the capital Tbilisi to demand his release from custody, party leader Nika Melia said on Saturday, TASS reported.

In a speech in the Georgian city of Zugdidi, broadcast live on Facebook, Melia called upon other opposition parties to join the rally, scheduled for October 14.

Melia and his supporters are protesting against vote recount at a polling station in Zugdidi, which caused his party to lose its majority in the city legislature.
The Government of India has authorized the export of a single-component anti-coronavirus vaccine Sputnik Light of Russian development and Indian production to Russia, the Press Trust of India reports, citing sources.

"The government allowed the Indian pharmaceutical company HETERO Biopharma to export 4 million doses of Sputnik Light to Russia. The decision was made this week after detailed discussions," TASS quoted the source.

This decision is explained by the fact that India has started its own production of the Russian medication, but has not yet received permission to use it. If the vaccine is approved by New Delhi, Sputnik Light could become the first single-component vaccine used on Indian soil, the report said.
Lukoil has signed an agreement to purchase a 15.5% stake in the Shah Deniz gas project in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea from the Malaysian company Petronas for $ 2.25 billion, the Russian company said in a statement.

The closing of the deal is expected after the fulfillment of suspensive conditions, including the agreement of the state oil company of Azerbaijan Socar. Lukoil's share in the project will increase from 10% to 25.5% after the closing of deal.

"Increasing our share of participation in the Shah Deniz project opens up new opportunities for synergy in promising sectors of national economies. For two and a half decades, Lukoil has accumulated tremendous experience in the Caspian sea - in a strategic region for us, creating a serious production and transport infrastructure," said Vagit Alekperov, the president of Lukoil, reports TASS.

Let's remind that the Shah Deniz gas condensate field is located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, 70 km southeast of Baku, industrial production within the framework of the project began in 2006.

The participants in the project are also British BP (operator, share 28.8%), Turkish TPAO (19%), Azerbaijani Socar (10%), Iranian NICO (10%) and Azerbaijani SGC (6.7%).
A new era for Hadrut and Karabakh as a whole is beginning today, President Ilham Aliyev said addressing the meeting with general public of Khojavand region, Trend reports.

Speaking of victory, of course, we must emphasize the solidarity of our people. Because the people of Azerbaijan stood behind our Army, stood behind me, believed in us and were absolutely sure that we would win a historic victory, and this is exactly what happened, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said.

"Azerbaijan's has won a historic victory. There will be many books and articles written about this war, and participants of the war will share their memories. But as the someone in charge of all this work, as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, I was further convinced how great the people of Azerbaijan are. When we were holding events to establish shelters in areas close to the line of contact, the people were there to help. The supply of our army was fully provided and there were no shortages. But people always strived to help. Thousands of young men queued up in front of the conscription offices to go to the war. Some were told that there was no need and this hurt their feelings. I have received so many letters saying that they wouldnt call me up and asking me as Supreme Commander-in-Chief to allow them to go. The wounded stood up and went back to fight. Not a single person escaped, not a single person. Notice that we fought for 44 days, and some of the battles were very fierce, especially at the first stage. When we had to break through the line of contact, our people were literally facing death. This is the reason for the victory.

Of course, along with all other factors, our preparation was systematic. Long-term comprehensive preparations were made  in the fields of economic, international relations, army building, patriotism and hatred of the enemy. These preparations resulted in the great victory the entire Azerbaijani people, the millions of Azerbaijanis living in Azerbaijan and abroad to be proud of today, to be rightly proud of, we are all proud," the head of state said.
Today Moscow police detained a citizen of Georgia at Vnukovo airport who was trying to avoid deportation, - reported the press service of the transport department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District.

"As a result of operational search measures, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia detained a previously convicted citizen of Georgia born in 1971 at Vnukovo airport, who on September 30, trying to avoid deportation, fled from Vnukovo airport," the department said, reports TASS.

The man was immediately deported after the arrest.

Let us remind you that on September 30, police escorted two foreign citizens for deportation from Russia, when one of them, a previously convicted man, suddenly jumped into the passenger seat of a nearby car, and its driver sharply increased speed and left the airport, knocking down and dragging several tens of meters a police officer who was trying to prevent the escape. The ICR opened a criminal case on this fact under the article on the use of violence against a representative of authority.
Representatives of the People's Movement, led by Georgian MP Tako Charkvinai, went to a protest this evening demanding early parliamentary elections and the release of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Rustaveli Avenue near the country's parliament in Tbilisi.

Several hundred people gathered at the action with the national flags of Georgia and portraits of Mikheil Saakashvili in their hands.

"There is mourning in the country, and several times I heard the opinion that now is the time of silence, but I want to say that now is not the time to remain silent. During troubles, Georgians also ring the bell," said the organizer of the action, Tako Charkivani, reports Sputnik Georgia.

People in Rustaveli are also protesting against corruption, in which the Georgian Dream is mired, and it is corruption that led to the collapse of a residential building in Batumi. Thus, the audience pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Batumi tragedy.

The People's Movement and she will join the action announced by the chairman of the United National Movement Nika Melia on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on October 14, Charkvinai added.
Today the Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to the relatives of the victims in the L-410 plane crash in Tatarstan.

It is with deep sorrow that we learned of the plane crush in the Republic of Tatarstan where 16 people were killed and at least six were injured. We extend our condolences to the families of the victims and to the Russian government, and we wish a speedy recovery to those who injured, said the Turkish Foreign Ministry in its statement, RIA Novosti reports.

Let us remind remind, as Vestnik Kavkaza previously reported, this morning an L-410 plane with paratroopers crashed near Menzelinsk in Tatarstan. On board there were 23 people, seven were found alive, they were hospitalized.
The online forum "The press accompanies businesses to restore production and business, overcome the impact of the pandemic" to mark Vietnam Entrepreneurs' Day on October 13.





Nguoi Lam Bao Newspaper under the Vietnam Journalists Association in collaboration with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnam Private Business Association yesterday organized an online forum "The press accompanies businesses to restore production and business, overcome the impact of the pandemic" to mark Vietnam Entrepreneurs' Day on October 13.

Speaking at the opening of the forum, journalist Ho Quang Loi, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, said that in the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has been like an unprecedented terrible storm around the world, causing very heavy losses. In Vietnam, the Covid-19 pandemic with the emergence of new strains that can spread faster and more dangerously has seriously affected all aspects of social life, posing great challenges in the prevention and control of the epidemic and efforts in economic recovery.

Above all, the Party and the government have mobilized all resources, and the joint effort and consensus of all classes of people plus cooperation and support of international organizations; subsequently, the epidemic has been gradually put under control . The government and a series of localities, sectors and levels have been planning for a "new normal life", reopening the economy.

In the past time, the media has developed its significant role in reaching the Government's dual goal of fighting the pandemic and recovering the domestic economic growth.

Enterprises have contributed financial support to the fight of Covid-19 as well as worked closely with the media in encouraging people to donate money for people bumping into difficulties.

Entrepreneur Chu Tien Dung, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Business Association, General Director of Saigon Industry Corporation, mentioned during the fourth outbreak of Covid-19, businesses in the southern metropolis have held many online discussions with the companionship of press agencies and media.

The press has created motivation and added strength to help businesses overcome challenges. In the coming time, businesses need to come up with new management methods and models to ensure the new normal conditions of society. In addition, businesses hope that press agencies will continue to accompany businesses to promptly reflect on good practices, typical models, and advanced production methods to help businesses apply for timely development," said Mr. Chu Tien Dung.

Tran Trong Dung, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association, has outlined solutions for the press to accompany businesses, helping businesses gradually restore production and business, and overcome the Covid-19 impacts.

Journalist Tran Trong Dung suggested the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association and the City Business Association to organize programs to revive production business for enterprises. The Journalists Association of Ho Chi Minh City has organized specialized reporter clubs to help businesses in each production and business segment, thereby helping businesses' communication activities become more specific and spread more strongly.

As for press agencies, he expected press agencies to adopt digital transformation and promote cooperation with businesses to promote trade. In addition, he hoped that the provinces in the Southeast and Southwest regions would coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City to organize events for the promotion of regional linkage, thereby helping the economy of Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces recover.

Banking and finance expert Nguyen Tri Hieu said that in the current context, the press as well as businesses are heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; therefore, State agencies should soon take measures to support press agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, he expected the media to provide accurate information about Covid-19.

Entrepreneur Le Minh Hoa, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for Women Entrepreneurs, highly appreciated the role of the media team in supporting and accompanying businesses during the countrys economic development. According to her, the press has played an important and effective role as it has been accompanying and standing side by side with entrepreneurs in achieving the dual goals of controlling the Covid-19 epidemic and restoring the countrys economy.

Despite suffering a lot of losses due to the epidemic, many businesspersons have cooperated with the media contributing financial resources to support those facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She emphasized that businesses will continue to accompany and stand side by side with the press to restore production and business to overcome the Covid-19 crisis.

Journalist Tran Thanh Hai, in charge of the editorial board of Finance & Investment Publication of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, said that the press and businesses need to work closely together to remove difficulties to overcome the impact of the pandemic and boost the countrys economic recovery. In the current context, the press needs to support businesses and entrepreneurs to the max, especially in production and business recovery. Both sides must consider it as a responsibility when the country is entering the "new normal" phase.

Moreover, media help businesses to transfer opinions to the government and responsible agencies to have effective instructions in managing and operating the economy in the "new normal".

Source: SGGP
Nine ministries have told the Ministry of Finance they want to return a total of VND 8,054 billion of foreign loans that they could not disburse.

At an online conference on the disbursement of public investment capital from foreign loans in the period of January-September 2021, Truong Hung Long, Director of the Agency for Debt Management and External Finance of the Ministry of Finance, said that by October 6, 2021, the cumulative disbursement of public investment capital from foreign loans by ministries and state agencies reached only 19.03% of this years plan (VND 3,166 billion out of VND 16,637 billion of the allocated capital).

As of October 6, the Ministry of Finance had received documents from nine ministries requesting to return public investment capital totaling VND 8,054 billion, accounting for about 44.08% of the capital assigned by the government. Thus, the annual plan on capital disbursement may fail.

Hoang Hai, Deputy Director of the Agency for Debt Management and External Finance, told the conference that the total public investment capital from ODA and foreign concessional loans allocated to provinces and cities in early 2021 totals VND 63,709 billion.



Hanois Vice Chairman Ha Minh Hai said that in 2021, Hanoi is assigned with seven ODA projects with a total capital of VND 7,800 billion. By September 30, Hanoi disbursed VND 1,361 billion, reaching 17.4%. Besides the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, site clearance is a frequent problem of the capital city in implementing ODA projects. Another problem is the increasing prices of construction materials. Hanoi has reported the situation to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and it wanted to reduce the disbursed capital amount by VND 4,500 billion.

According to Pham Thi Hong Ha, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance, the city is implementing eight public projects with a total capital of VND 121,214 billion, including VND12,550 billion of foreign capital. Projects funded by ODA loans and foreign concessional loans have disbursed VND 1,621 billion, accounting for 12.45% of the plan.

H. Duy

Task force to bump up project efficiency The governments establishment of a task force to resolve challenges revolving around the disbursement of registered capital for large-scale foreign-invested projects is expected to help problematic ventures push forward in implementation.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in dire need of financial resources to maintain and restore operations.

The Covid-19 pandemic that has lasted for nearly two years has had a seriously negative impact on Vietnams socio-economic development. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for up to 98% of the total number of businesses in the country, are considered the most affected.

Long-lasting consequences

Small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for up to 98% of the total number of businesses in the country, are considered the most affected.

According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, from January to August 2021, more than 85,500 businesses stopped operation or were dissolved due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and most of them were SMEs.

A survey conducted in mid-August 2021 by the governments Research Board for Private Economic Development of 21,517 businesses and business households showed that 69% (equivalent to 14,890 enterprises) had to suspend production and business due to the epidemic. Most of them were small and micro businesses.

In June 2021, the HCM City Association of Small and Medium Enterprises surveyed nearly 1,500 member enterprises and found out that up to 57% of them operated in moderation; 2.61% temporarily suspended operations or waited for dissolvement; and only 1.41% operated well during the epidemic.

To Hoai Nam, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said that by this fourth Covid-19 outbreak, the revenue of many small and medium-sized enterprises had decreased by more than 50%, resulting in heavy consequences.

The difficulties facing small and medium enterprises were temporary suspension during the time of social distancing; failure to sell their products; lack of materials and high prices for materials; inability to access bank capital; and additional expenditures for anti-epidemic measures.

Many small and medium-sized businesses are facing difficulties because their revenue has dropped sharply or have not earned any revenue for a long time but they have had to pay monthly expenses, exhausting capital source.

"I am the owner of two businesses, including a media service and a wine trading firm. The wine business has almost been suspended because there are no customers, but every month I still have to pay several tens of millions of VND for electricity bills and shop rental. My media company is also struggling to survive as we do not have new customers while old customers have ceased most of their contracts. The bank loans are hanging over my head, Nguyen Dang Vinh, a businessman in Hanoi told VietNamNet.

Nguyen Le Hoang, who runs a small company producing canvas and mobile eaves in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, lamented that his business had been in a very difficult situation owing to the pandemic. The minimum operating cost to pay 50% of salary for employees and office rental is estimated at 40 million VND per month.

"Over the past 100 days, I've been really stuck. My company has been suspended for three months, but I have had to pay for it, including banking principal and interest. If this continues, I will go bankrupt," he said.

Vietnamese businesses need financial support

Small and medium-sized enterprises are in dire need of financial resources to maintain and restore operations.

The Research Board for Private Economic Developments survey shows that if money is the life source of enterprises, then most Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises are lacking "blood".

According to this survey, more than 40% of enterprises said that they had enough money to maintain operations for less than one month. Household businesses were the most vulnerable, with 45% having cash flow for operation in less than one month. For limited and joint stock companies, the rate was 39.5%.

Thus, without the States support, then a large number of enterprises face the risk of dissolvency.

According to financial experts, in the period of January-August of 2021, about 10,000 businesses ceased operation or dissolved each month on average. From now until the years end, if the epidemic is controlled and the economy recovers, the number of businesses that stop operating or dissolve is estimated at 100,000, or up to about 150,000.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are in dire need of financial resources to maintain and restore operations. However, getting loans from banks is very difficult for them.

Banks said that most small and medium-sized enterprises have financial and accounting information that does not ensure transparency, making it difficult for banks to appraise loan documents. In the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, many small businesses no longer have collateral to take out a new loan and do not have a guaranteed income to repay the loan.

The Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD), published recently by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank (WB), recommended that the private sector played a leading role in the outstanding development of Vietnam in the past time. In the current epidemic wave, Vietnam must further promote a dynamic, diverse and innovative private sector for the post-Covid recovery period.

Resolution No.105/NQ-CP dated September 9, 2021 of the Vietnamese Government on supporting businesses, cooperatives and business households in the context of Covid-19 pandemic also requires urgent support in terms of administrative institutions and credit - finance, cutting costs, removing cash flow difficulties for enterprises, cooperatives, and business households, and helping the majority of enterprises that have temporarily ceased business resume operation.

Tran Thuy
In the relentless efforts to control the epidemic, vaccine diplomacy has become a key factor.

After nearly two years since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, vaccines are still the most important anti-epidemic weapon. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target of giving vaccinations against Covid-19 for at least 40% of the world population by the end of 2021 and 70% by mid-2022. In the current situation of vaccine distribution, plus the appearance of dangerous virus strains, many countries with low vaccination rates are suffering from new outbreaks. In Vietnam, during the 4th outbreak, over 810,000 infection cases have been recorded, ranking 43rd out of 223 countries and territories. Vietnams strategy In the relentless efforts to control the epidemic, vaccine diplomacy has become a key factor. It not only helps Vietnam access and import vaccines, but also opens up opportunities for technology transfer and production of vaccine in the country, creating the most sustainable vaccine supply for Vietnam. Vaccine diplomacy is essentially taking advantage of bilateral and multilateral relationships through international organizations, countries and corporations to increase Vietnamese people's access to vaccines. When the pandemic broke out, the Politburo, the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee and the Government of Vietnam gave overall directions on epidemic prevention and control, including the implementation of the vaccine strategy: access to vaccine sources, strengthening of international cooperation in technology transfer and vaccine production to ensure safe and effective vaccination for the people. The Party General Secretary, State President, Prime Minister, and the National Assembly Chairman have paid great attention to, directed and participated in bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activities in order to get vaccines for the people. In hundreds of phone calls and meetings with foreign partners and leaders, Vietnamese leaders always discussed cooperation on vaccine supply. The common message conveyed by Vietnamese leaders is that Vietnam expects other countries to create favorable conditions for its access to vaccine sources as well as technology to produce vaccines against Covid-19.

In the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the COVAX Facility mechanism is one of the best solutions to ensure the rapid and equitable deployment of safe and effective vaccines to all countries around the world.

As a member of COVAX, in December 2020, Vietnam submitted a dossier to propose vaccine support. On that basis, COVAX has allocated vaccines and committed to provide Vietnam with vaccines to immunize 20% of the population, equivalent to nearly 39 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

Explaining to the National Assembly on July 25, 2021 Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said that following the conclusions and direction of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Central Party Committee, starting early 2020, the Government gave instructions on the implementation of a comprehensive vaccine strategy.

On August 13, 2021, the Government established a working group on vaccine diplomacy led by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, with the participation of many officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, National Defense, Public Security, Industry and Trade, Science and Technology and the Government Office.

Three days later, the working group had its first meeting to evaluate and review the initial results and future tasks. In the context that the country has not yet produced a vaccine for Covid-19, while the world's vaccine resources are scarce, vaccine diplomacy is confirmed to be a very important "front".

According to Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, campaigning for vaccine supply is the first step to decide on the successful implementation of the vaccine strategy.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said that in the current situation, vaccine diplomacy is a very important "front". The working group now focuses on mobilizing international partners and organizations to continue providing vaccine aid, and promoting cooperation in production and technology transfer of vaccines, drugs and medical products for Vietnam as soon as possible. It also exerts efforts to find, connect and urge foreign partners in negotiating, importing and receiving vaccines, drugs and medical products.

According to Mr. Son, through vaccine diplomacy, Vietnam has so far received millions of vaccine doses from the support of the international community. This not only directly serves epidemic prevention, but also has very significant internal, external, political, national defense, security and socio-economic aspects.

Up to now, Vietnam has had access to about 60 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The country has also reached agreements with many partners and received vaccine aid from China, the US, Japan, Australia, the UK and other countries with a total of over 130 million doses. It is trying to negotiate to purchase 40 million vaccine doses to bring the total to 170 million doses by the end of 2021.

The vaccine diplomacy has made positive signs and initial effectiveness. It has laid the first bricks for the fulfilment of the goal of achieving herd immunity through vaccination in the context that there is no source of domestically produced vaccines.

In business trips of the Party and State leaders, vaccine diplomacy is always one of the top priorities.

During his recent visit to Cuba, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnessed the signing ceremony between Vietnamese and Cuban agencies, under which Vietnam ordered 5 million doses of Abdala vaccine of Cuba. One million doses were brought to Vietnam on the special aircraft that landed at Noi Bai airport on September 25.

The signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on the purchase of 5 million doses of Soberana vaccine for children was also conducted in the presence of the President.

Within the framework of high-level sessions of the United Nations in New York, vaccine diplomacy was implemented in all activities, from the President's speech at UN meetings to bilateral meetings.

During more than 3 days in New York, the Vietnamese President met with more than 30 heads of state, heads of governments of countries and major international organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund, and leaders of nearly 50 leading corporations in the world. Other Vietnamese officials in the delegation also met with leaders of relevant partners, including about 20 foreign ministers.

As a result of these meetings, besides 1 million doses of Abdala vaccine shipped back home, many partners have committed to aid and sell vaccines to Vietnam. Specifically, South Korea pledged to deliver more than 1 million doses of vaccine by mid-October; Hungary committed to immediate delivery of 400,000 vaccine doses; The US promised to donate a large number of vaccines to Vietnam through COVAX in the upcoming allocation period.

During the President's meeting with Pfizer leaders, this corporation committed to deliver 31 million doses of vaccine in 2021 and 20 million doses of vaccine for children when they have full data on the effectiveness and safety of this vaccine.

In addition to vaccines, many partners provided medical aid to Vietnam, such as Northwestern Medicine Corporation with medical equipment worth $3.8 million, Thermo Fisher with 270,000 test kits worth $2 million, and David Duong  a Vietnamese-origin American with 1,000 ventilators 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control, had phone talks with the Prime Ministers of nearly 20 countries; sent letters and telegrams to leaders of 22 countries; had phone talks and sent letters to 10 international organizations to ask for vaccine support.

Almost every week, government leaders have bilateral activities, dozens of phone calls with foreign leaders, meetings with ambassadors of other countries in Vietnam, as well as with foreign corporations, which focus on cooperation for vaccine supply. Besides, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has repeatedly asked WHO, COVAX, AstraZeneca, Pfizer... to speed up the delivery of vaccines for Vietnam.

In an online meeting with COVAX Program Executive Director Aurelia Nguyen on September 20, the Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam's consistent policy is to put the health and safety of the people first and foremost. Vietnam is striving to vaccinate the entire population as quickly as possible.

As a result, besides 1 million doses of Abdala vaccine brought back home, many partners committed to aid and sell vaccines to Vietnam. For example, South Korea pledged to deliver more than 1 million doses of vaccine by mid-October; Hungary committed to immediate delivery of 400,000 doses The US also promised to donate a large number of vaccines to Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism in the upcoming allocation period.

During over three days in New York, the Vietnamese President met with more than 30 heads of state, heads of governments and major international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank (WB), and the International Monetary Fund. The President also attended about 20 meetings and exchanges with nearly 50 leading corporations in the world. At the same time, other Vietnamese officials actively met with relevant partners, including about 20 foreign ministers.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the Covax Facility to quickly allocate Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam during a teleconference with its Office Managing Director Aurelia Nguyen on September 20.

The Government leader affirmed Vietnams consistent policy of putting peoples health and safety first and above all, and that the country is striving to achieve vaccine coverage of the entire population as fast and soon as possible.

PM Chinh said Vietnam is facing vaccine-related difficulties, so to ensure sufficient vaccines for people, he asked COVAX to prioritize allocating vaccines to Vietnam as fast and much as possible, especially in September, October, and November, and to fulfill the vaccine provision agreement with Vietnam in 2021.

For her part, Aurelia Nguyen highly valued Vietnams achievements in the COVID-19 fight, noting that the country has carried out vaccination in a smart, scientific, transparent, timely, and effective manner.

COVAX views Vietnam as one of the typical examples of effectively implementing the immunization campaign and the pandemic prevention and control

The Facility will exert every effort to realise its commitments to Vietnam, she said, adding it will continue allocating 85 million vaccine doses to countries around the world, including Vietnam, this October and that it will keep the distribution to Vietnam in the time ahead.

Recently, 2.6 million doses of vaccines donated by Germany have arrived in Ho Chi Minh City. This batch of vaccines is provided for Vietnam in accordance with Chancellor Angela Merkels promise to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The Italian government decided to give Vietnam more than 1.2 million doses of vaccine, bringing the total vaccine aid to Vietnam to more than 2.8 million doses.

The European Union is the second largest donor to COVAX, through which Vietnam has received more than 9 million vaccine doses. In addition, many EU member states have provided bilateral aid to Vietnam.

With 400,000 doses of vaccine arriving in Vietnam on September 25, the Japanese Government has donated a total of 3.58 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam since June 2021.

Most recently, the US has donated 1.5 million more doses of Pfizer vaccine to Vietnam. In addition to donating 7.5 million doses of vaccines since the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, the US has pledged $26.7 million worth of support to help Vietnam fight the epidemic.

During a visit to Vietnam in mid-September, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China would donate 3 million more doses of vaccines this year, bringing this country's total vaccine aid to Vietnam to 5.7 million doses.

A high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam led by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue recently had a working trip to Austria to attend the fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (WCSP 5). On this occasion, Mr. Hue paid a visit to Belgium, the European Union and Finland.

The National Assembly Chairman had a 5-day working schedule in three countries and five partners with a total of more than 70 events, including many high-level meetings, during which the Vietnamese leader asked for vaccine cooperation.

The National Assembly Chairman also witnessed Vietnamese businesses and foreign partners sign contracts to produce SARS-CoV-2 virus test kits as well as vaccines.

After this visit, Belgium and Slovakia provided 200,000 doses of vaccines and pledged to support and sell several millions of vaccine doses. Many organizations, businesses and individuals have provided medical equipment and supplies, especially Covid-19 test kits, with a total value of over VND 1,028 billion, making an important contribution to the fight against epidemic in the coming time.

Addressing an online meeting on COVID-19 response on August 15, PM Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that all COVID-19 vaccines are being administered freely to citizens. So far, the Ministry of Health has allocated nearly 52.2 million vaccine doses to provinces and cities. It is expected that Vietnam will receive about 121.7 million doses in October-December 2021. For the entire 2021, it estimated that Vietnam has 155.7 million doses of vaccine through aid, aid commitments and orders. By October 4, nearly 45 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered, with over 34 million people getting the first shot and about 10 million people fully vaccinated with two shots. In Hanoi, HCM City, Binh Duong and Long An, 95% of people aged 18 and older have been vaccinated with at least one dose.

Moc Mien
Vietnam recorded 3,528 new cases of COVID-19 on October 10, a drop of 999 cases compared to the previous day, according to the Ministry of Health.





Among these new cases, 15 were imported.

HCM City recorded the highest number of infections with 1,067, followed by neighbouring Binh Duong province with 782 and Dong Nai province with 662.

The national tally now stands at 839,662, including 835,036 cases recorded in the fourth wave of infection that has swept the country since late April.

According to the Ministry of Healths report, 5,014 patients nationwide are in serious conditions, with 668 requiring invasive ventilation and 22 on life support (ECMO).

On the day, the country saw 113 deaths from the disease. The death toll now hits 20,555.

A further 21,398 patients were given the all-clear, taking the total number of recoveries to 782,199.

By October 9, the country had injected over 53.23 million doses of vaccines to date, with more than 14.97 million people now fully inoculated.

Source: VNA
Thats not acceptable as a work environment. It was examples like that that made me think, she said.

Trustee Stephanie Korteweg, a former Waco ISD teacher who represents District 2, agreed on the question of education equity. When she talks to parents in her district, pride is an issue.

They tell me, We want our kids to feel proud of where they go to school, she said. Obviously, no one wants to raise taxes. Thats why weve avoided it for so long.  Weve been piecemealing things together to make it just good enough.

Trustee Cary DuPuy said the size of the bond issue and the tax increase to finance it make him swallow, but he sees it as a hard and necessary choice.

Everything in lifes a trade-off. You dont get anything for free, he said. I think its reasonable to state we have antiquated facilities. The flip side is that its not cheap to replace them, but I think its money well spent.

Efforts to contact trustees Jose Vidana, Jeremy Davis and Keith Guillory were unsuccessful.
The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District will host 13 free COVID-19 vaccination clinics this week. The Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available. Parents or a consenting adult must accompany their minor children to receive the vaccine. Walk-ins are welcome, and registration is available for a scheduled appointment at covidwaco.com .

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends certain groups receive a booster shot for the Pfizer vaccine, at least six months after the second dose. Booster doses are not yet authorized for anyone who initially received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Vaccination cards will be used to verify the date of previous doses before a third dose or booster shot.
The speaker of the House, who is as Republican as the other two, tweeted  thats how they squabble these days  that he and the House dont want to mess with it, saying the bill was passed by the Senate after both chambers and the Office of the Attorney General thoroughly reviewed and weighed in on the bill. With much acclaim from elected officials and voters, Governor Greg Abbott then signed the bill into law. Now is not the time to re-litigate.

What was a fight between Republicans and Democrats for most of the year is now a family feud within the GOP.

Amid these displays of legislative prowess, lawmakers are drawing new political maps  a job required after the 2020 census was delivered, with its revelation that Texas has almost 4 million more people than it did 10 years ago and that 95% of the new Texans are people of color. Ten years ago, the 2010 census found the state had grown by 4.3 million people over a decade and that 89% of that growth was attributable to people of color.
But she is just the latest to join in a growing list of workers from across tech determined to speak out. Nearly all are women, and observers say that's no coincidence.

Even after making inroads, women and especially women of color remain outsiders in the heavily male tech sector, said Ellen Pao, an executive who sued Silicon Valley investment firm Kleiner Perkins in 2012 for gender discrimination.

That status positions them to be more critical and see "some of the systemic issues in a way that people who are part of the system and who are benefiting from it the most and who are entrenched in it, may not be able to process," she said.

In recent years, workers at companies including Google, Pinterest, Uber and Theranos, as well as others from Facebook, have sounded alarms about what they say are gross abuses of power by those in control.

Their new outspokenness is ruffling an industry that touts its power to improve society, while earning billions. Workers, many well educated and highly paid, have long embraced that ethic. But for a growing number, faith in the company line is fading.

Still, there is a difference between stewing about your company's failings and revealing them to the world. There is a price to be paid, and Haugen certainly knew that.
CEDAR FALLS  The end of this month will mark a lot of firsts for Raja Chari  and one for Cedar Falls, too.

Chari, a NASA astronaut since 2017 and U.S. Air Force colonel who was raised and educated in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, will head to the International Space Station on Oct. 30 aboard a SpaceX mission.

It is pretty surreal, Chari said in an interview with The Courier last week as he prepares for launch. We pretend to be astronauts all the time. Now, were actually going to be in space.

Its Charis first trip to space, as well as his first time commanding a shuttle. Hell be only the eighth astronaut from Iowa, and the first Cedar Falls NASA astronaut to travel to space. Hes also NASAs first rookie commander since 1973.

I think its more a testament to the training of the people around me that they trust me to do that, or command the mission, Chari said.

Hell be joined by two other rookies, NASA astronaut and mission specialist Kayla Barron and European Space Agency astronaut and mission specialist Matthias Maurer. The group is rounded out by veteran NASA astronaut and pilot Tom Marshburn, whom Chari said other rookies have leaned on for guidance.

The four will be aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket to the space station, and will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to NASA.

Chari said he and the other three astronauts will do a series of simulations with both SpaceX and NASA, like launch rendezvous, re-entry and orbit, to keep us on our toes.

Right now were kind of in proficiency training. All the major training is done and behind us, and now were just trying to keep that skill set sharp, Chari said.

The missions scientific objectives will focus on long-duration space flight. That could affect Chari, who is among a pool of astronauts who might go on an Artemis mission to the moon in the future. Astronauts also will conduct research on combustion and a whole host of things like protein crystal growth experiments and testing viral growth in reduced immune systems, he said.

Its actually about 300 different things going on up there, everything from stuff that enables us to go further and stay longer with exploratory missions to things that have human impacts, Chari said.

No exact time for the Oct. 30 launch has been set. NASA and SpaceX launches are generally broadcast live via NASA Television, the NASA app and nasa.gov/live.

This article was updated Oct. 11 to reflect that Chari was raised in Cedar Falls but educated in both Cedar Falls and Waterloo.

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WATERLOO  Union workers at Deere and Co. voted down a proposed six-year contract Sunday, according to company officials.

The agreement would have covered more than 10,000 production workers at the Waterloo locations and about a dozen other sites in Illinois, Kansas and elsewhere in Iowa.

According to Waterloo-based UAW Local 838, the unions bargaining committee was headed to Moline, Ill., where Deere is headquartered, on Monday for further negotiations.

Workers are being asked to report to work as normal. The strike deadline is midnight Wednesday with picket duty starting Thursday morning if an agreement cant be reached.

Locally, workers overwhelmingly rejected the offer with 2,518 no votes to 189 yes, according to the union.

At UAW Local 74, which represents workers from the Ottumwa facility, nearly 87% of workers rejected the companys offer, according to that locals Facebook page. At the Quad City-based Local 281, 85% rejected the offer.

Brad Morris, Deeres vice president of labor relations, said Sunday the tentative agreement would have made the best wages and most comprehensive benefits in our industries significantly better for our employees.

He said the company will head back to the table.

John Deere remains fully committed to continuing the collective bargaining process in an effort to better understand our employees viewpoints. In the meantime, our operations will continue as normal, Morris said in a prepared statement following the vote.

In a rare move, union members got a sneak peak at the deal in a 24-page highlighter that was distributed at the union hall Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, members streamed into the McLeod Center at the University of Northern Iowa Campus in Cedar Falls to cast their ballots.

The proposed contract would have offered raises, reinstated a cost-of-living adjustment that disappeared in the prior contract and routed new hires to a cash balance plan and 401K retirement program instead of a pension.

Many of those voting against the proposed contract said they were concerned over the size of the raises, options for retirement health insurance and pensions.

The worst part is you get 12% raise over six years. That amounts to 2% a year. They brought back the cost-of-living clause, but it never kept up with the cost of living, so you just fell behind anyway, said Paul Ganske, a returning Deere employee who had served a stint with General Motors.

At Fareway this week, bacon was $8.99 a pound. You gotta make more money if you got to pay those prices, he said.

It wasnt difficult to tell how Ganske  an Oelwein resident  voted. He cast his ballot early and then hung around in the bed of his pickup truck at the busiest corner of the parking lot holding up a sign that simply stated Vote No.

He said he got a lot of encouraging thumbs ups from passing cars.

Everybody I talked to voted no, said Michael Anthony, a CNC machinist at the plant for the past three years. He said he voted against the contract because of the pension and the size of the raise.

Deere is making record profits. They could spread that around, Anthony said.

Workers currently have a two-trier retirement system. Longstanding employees hired before 1997 have a full pension and health care when they leave; those hired after 1997 have a smaller pension supplemented by a 401K without health care after retirement. Under the proposed contract, those hired on or after Nov. 1 would have the 401K.

Dan Varney of Evansdale, a 17-year Deere veteran, said he is concerned about health insurance following retirement.

Im kind of disappointed, so I voted no.  We got a nice package, we got some nice benefits, but it would be nice to have some gains, Varney said. Im getting ready to retire, so Id like to have some retirement insurance out there. My wifes about five years younger than me, so it would be nice to have a little bit of a bridge in there.

The pension could be a little bit better. I think the company is making pretty big money, and they basically increased the shareholder value along with the market value for the overall company. I think theres some money out there that they could distribute a little bit more, Varney said.

The last contract expired Oct. 1, and union workers voted to authorize a strike, which was averted by a 14-day contract extension.

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CEDAR FALLS  The Board of Education on Monday is expected approve a contract extension for Superintendent Andy Pattee.

The board meets at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 220 Clay St.

Details of the proposed contract will be made public at the meeting. Currently, Pattee is paid an annual salary of $201,778. He also receives the standard Cedar Falls Community Schools administrative benefits package, which includes health insurance, and a $3,500 car allowance.

Pattee has been the districts superintendent since 2013. The contract will be retroactive to July 1.

Wage increases have already been approved for all other district employees for the current year.

In June, Cedar Falls Schools 22-member administrative team received an increase of 2.91% for salaries and other benefits. Two other non-bargaining groups comprising 77 employees received 2.92% salary and benefit increases. Those employees are in a range of jobs such as secretaries, bus drivers, directors, supervisors and managers.

The board in May approved wage and non-insurance benefit increases totaling 3.74% for Cedar Falls Education Support Professionals and 3.5% for the Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers Local 238. A 3.08% increase in salary and non-insurance benefits was approved in April for the Cedar Falls Education Association.

On Monday, the board will also hear a presentation on the Center for Advanced Professional Studies program, which has been in place since January 2017 and now includes six career pathways.

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WATERLOO  The Board of Education Monday is expected to approve the July 1 retirement of Superintendent Jane Lindaman.

The board meets at 5 p.m. in the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St.

Lindaman, in her eighth year leading Waterloo Community Schools, announced her retirement Thursday. The Ackley native came to the district in 2005 as Bunger Middle School principal. She has also served as the districts director of learning and results and middle school education as well as associate superintendent for educational services.

Previously, she had been principal of Union Middle School in Dysart and started her career in administration as an assistant principal in Estherville. Lindaman has also worked as a teacher in Wichita, Kan., and the Colo-NESCO Community Schools.

In other business, the board will:

Consider approving the 2022-23 high school program of studies. The course catalog includes the addition of CAPS Industries, a new Center for Professional Studies career program that started this fall through Cedar Falls High School. The district has a sharing agreement that allows its students to take CAPS courses in six pathways while Cedar Falls Community Schools students can take Waterloo Career Center courses in 18 programs.

Recognize Heartland Vineyard Church as a new addition to the Partners in Education program at Irving Elementary School. Irving has 11 other business and church partners.

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BLACK HAWK COUNTY  A major thoroughfare for farmers taking grain to the elevator in Dunkerton is closed for construction through the end of the month, leading to major dust problems for neighbors on nearby gravel roads as drivers take alternate routes.

South Canfield Road between Dubuque Road and Iowa 281/Black Hawk County Road D-20, as well as North Canfield Road/Iowa 281 around Poyner Creek, was closed Sept. 30 by the Iowa Department of Transportation for a concrete pavement patching project on Iowa 281.

The roadway is expected to be closed until the end of October, according to the DOT.

Motorists are being detoured around the area onto county roads C-66 and V-49, but those are considerably out of the way for farmers wanting to use the Dunkerton Co-Op Elevator, or from Fairbank to U.S. Highway 20, said Black Hawk County Engineer Cathy Nicholas.

This is a very busy road  a main thoroughfare  especially now that harvest is underway, she said.

As a result, farmers have instead been using gravel roads to get their grain to the elevator, kicking up a lot more dust than neighbors are used to having.

Weve been receiving quite a few phone calls about the situation, Nicholas said.

After talking with the state, the DOT agreed to pay for one alternate route for dust control, which will be Barclay from Canfield to North Pilot Grove, Nicholas said. She told supervisors to expect their own phone calls and emails about it over the next few weeks.

Unfortunately, not every home can get dust control, she said.

Nicholas said because of the projects short duration, she didnt foresee additional dust control routes. A yield sign was put up at North Nesbit Road and East Airline Highway to try and slow traffic from kicking up gravel dust as well.

The dust  its bad. The rock is getting pulverized, she said. This rain is definitely helping.

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Applications are available online at www.saangeltree.org beginning Oct. 11 through Oct. 29, to help with Christmas. Those who need help completing the application may call (319) 235-9358 for assistance.

The organization anticipates some 500 families will need help this year due to the ongoing economic ramifications of COVID-19. To meet this increased need, they are requesting donations of new and packaged toys. They can be dropped off at the Salvation Army, 89 Franklin St. from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. Deadline for donations is Dec. 7.
CEDAR FALLS  Valley Lutheran School will have an open hours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at the school, 4520 Rownd St.

Attendees will learn how Valley prepares its students through Christian character and quality academics. Valley Lutheran was recently named the top private high school in Black Hawk County by Niche, a private school ranking website.
Facebook recently dinged my account because a message to a relative stated we shared our birthday with infamous Italian fascist Benito Mussolini.

Facebooks algorithm discerned terrorist tendencies, so my posts were restricted for 30 days for failure to follow (its) standards.

When I was Courier editor, my colleagues and I acted as gatekeepers, vetting stories for accuracy as well as fact-challenged letters.

Algorithms  computer coding  are the new gatekeepers and revenue generators. They enable search engines and online sites to customize stories and ads to your perceived preferences  relevance feedback  based on your clicks.

In this social media post-truth era, Business Insider reports Team Halo, a campaign by medical professionals to share COVID facts, is hitting a wall countering anti-vaxxers ill-formed opinions. .... Dark net vendors trying to sell fake COVID vaccine cards. Fringe doctors telling people to inject themselves with bleach or horse dewormer.

Because anybody can upload anything  tweets, posts, blogs and videos  facts be damned (echoing the casual dishonesty of the Trump administration, as former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham stated).

Bots  automated social media accounts  exacerbate misinformation by impersonating people and targeting individuals susceptible to conspiracy theories. The Observatory of Social Media (OSoMe) at Indiana University and Englands University of Warwick found 15% of all 2017 Twitter accounts were bots.

An outlandish 2016 Facebook post that Hillary Clinton was part of a pedophile ring using a Washington pizzeria was pushed by the Breitbart and Info Wars far-right sites, going viral on Twitter, abetted by Russian bots.

A Northeastern University study showed U.S. conservatives were more receptive to misinformation. But OSoMe found both parties wore blinders.

Republicans were more likely to mistake bots as humans in posts promoting conservative ideas; Democrats thought humans expressing conservative ideas were bots.

Yet OSoMe was targeted by a disinformation campaign claiming its research was a politically motivated effort to suppress free speech, spread virally mostly in the conservative echo chamber. Fact-checked articles debunking it were read mainly by the liberal community.

Misinformation need not rule. Iowa City native Frances Haugen, a former Facebook (and Google) data scientist turned whistleblower, told senators last week that Facebook puts astronomical profits before people.

We can have social media we enjoy that connects us without tearing our democracy apart or putting our children in danger, and sowing ethnic violence around the world, she said.

That Big Tech cant delete Big Lies is a Big Deception. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube removed fewer than one in 20 false posts in 2020, even after being alerted to them, according to the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

OSoMe created a Hoaxy app to help reporters spot hoaxes and Botslayer to do what its name implies.

Big Tech must be made to make social responsibility paramount.

Saul Shapiro is the retired editor of The Courier, living in Cedar Falls.

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While newspapers chief purpose is to inform, they also have long provided a platform for readers to express opinions about relevant matters of the day via opinion pages.

Here at the Courier, we aim to give our readers a voice through letters to the editor and guest columns. On occasion, our editorial board shares its thoughts on community issues with well-researched commentary of its own.

The late, great journalist and debate moderator Jim Lehrer said it best: Im in the civil discourse business. I think it takes all kinds. And more power to everybody.

We, too, believe in all kinds of civil discourse. Our opinion pages aim to be a springboard for robust discussion of ideas rooted in evidence-based facts. To that end, we decided it was time to give close examination to and update our policy for what lands on those pages.

Here are the updated guidelines set forth by the Courier editorial board:

Guest columns

Guest columns should be between 400-700 words.

They should focus on topical, relevant issues of local public interest.

The writer must have expertise related to the subject matter.

Include sources used to support the writers viewpoint.

Original ideas or analysis will always win out over regurgitated talking points from other news outlets.

Guest columns will not be accepted from political candidates.

No insults are allowed, and neither are sweeping generalizations of entire groups of people.

Columns will be edited for AP style, space, libel and grammar.

The Courier reserves the right to reject any submission.

Guest column submissions should be emailed to woo.letters@wcfcourier.com along with a headshot photo and a short bio of the author. Please include a phone number in case the editor has questions.

Letters to the Editor

Submissions must be 200 words or less.

No insults are allowed, and neither are sweeping generalizations of entire groups of people.

Because of print space constraints, letters endorsing political candidates will run online only. All letters regarding upcoming municipal elections must be received by the Wednesday prior to Election Day.

Letters will be edited for AP style, space, libel and grammar.

Writers must include their name, address and phone number. The address and phone number will not be printed, but are required should the editor have questions.

Letters may be submitted on the Courier website at www.wcfcourier.com  click

in the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the home page. Letters may also be emailed to woo.letters@wcfcourier.com or mailed to The Courier, P.O. Box 540, Waterloo, Iowa 50703, Attn. Letters to the Editor.

The Courier reserves the right to reject any submission.

Courier Editorial Board members are:

David Adams, general manager.

Jaci Smith, North Iowa editor.

Meta Hemenway-Forbes, local news editor.

Douglas Hines, news editor.

Meta Hemenway-Forbes is local news editor at The Courier.

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With the Census Bureau finally releasing its population data to the states, they will now begin the process of redrawing political boundaries for local, state and congressional seats. Anyone who believes there is some magic way of keeping politics out of the redistricting process must still believe in the tooth fairy.

In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Rucho v. Common Cause that partisan redistricting  where elected representatives from the majority political party draw boundary lines to try to give their party an advantage  is a political question beyond the reach of the federal courts. Moreover, the court pointed out that partisan redistricting is nothing new.

It was known in the colonies prior to independence and the framers were familiar with it at the time of the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, said the court. In fact, the term gerrymandering comes from Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry, whose name is forever linked to partisan map drawing due to a state Senate district he drew in 1812 that looked like a salamander.

Yet, the drafters of the Constitution still gave state legislatures the authority to draw congressional boundaries, showing they expected politics to be part of redistricting. Partisanship is considered a dirty word today, but partisanship is defined by the views and opinions that individuals  and the political party they favor  have about history, culture, society, politics and public policy.

Imposing a rule that legislators cannot take those interests into account  and the interests of the voters who elected them  when drawing political boundaries would destroy a fundamental element of our democratic system. Politics will always play a role in redistricting.

And why shouldnt it? Politics is involved in who runs for office, who voters choose to represent them, and what those candidates do once they get into office. There really is no way to keep political considerations out of redistricting. Indeed, there are strong arguments against trying to do so.

One thing we know  partisan redistricting is a very inexact science because American voters are unpredictable, no matter what political consultants may tell you. Additionally, we redistrict only every 10 years, and the makeup of districts can change very quickly because we are a highly mobile society. Thus, there are numerous examples of supposedly safe districts at all levels  local, state and federal  being drawn for one political party that have been won by the opposition party.

There are also numerous examples of another American phenomena that makes effective partisan line-drawing difficult  the tendency of many voters to split their tickets between candidates of different political parties, depending on whether they are voting for their local city council member, their congressional representative or the president of the United States.

Some believe we can take politics out of the redistricting process by establishing so-called independent redistricting commissions that take the power to draw political lines away from state legislatures. All this does is move the politics and partisanship behind closed doors. Such commissions, whose members are chosen by the political parties and other government officials, are inevitably made up of individuals with partisan interests, despite their public assertions to the contrary.

As a 2019 analysis by the Capital Research Center showed, Californias independent redistricting commission actually drew more partisan congressional districts than the partisan Republicans controlling the Texas state legislature did. And whats worse, such commissions are unaccountable to the people.

Voters who are unhappy with the districts drawn by legislators, county commissioners or city council members can vote them out of office. Voters cant do that to appointed commissioners who draw partisan districts that voters dont like.

You cant take politics out of redistricting, but you can implement common-sense rules that prevent misshapen districts you need a GPS to navigate. Those rules should require that districts be as compact and contiguous as possible. They should follow the lines of such natural boundaries as rivers and mountains, and political boundaries such as city and county lines. That will also lead to representatives who have an interest in representing all the diverse people of a city, for example, rather than just those who are concentrated in one part of that city.

For more than 200 years, Americans have complained about partisan gerrymandering. But that is how our system works and, despite all the complaints, we have something many other people around the world envy: a remarkably stable system of governance in which our democracy has never been compromised.

Hans von Spakovsky is a senior legal fellow and manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative at the Heritage Foundation. He is co-author of the soon-to-be-released book Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote.
Partisan gerrymandering of legislative districts has been a uniquely American problem since our founding: As long as weve had politicians, theyve exploited the power to pick their own voters before the voters get to pick them.

Its wrong, and its getting worse. Politicians have fancier tools and greater incentives to draw maps that advantage their side, with only five House seats separating Democrats and Republicans. More than ever, gerrymanders  crafted with sophisticated technology, powerful software and terabytes of personal and political data  threaten the powerful ideals at the heart of our Founders vision: Consent of the governed.

Citizens in a representative democracy must have the power to change their leaders when they so desire. But, after the 2018 midterms, 59 million Americans lived in a state where a legislative chamber was controlled by a party that lost the popular vote.

Our reform priorities are skewed. We must prevent voter fraud, but its as rare as being struck by lightning. Meanwhile, twisted maps alter politics nearly everywhere.

As the 2021 redistricting cycle begins and politicians lock themselves in back rooms in order to lock voters out of power for another decade, its clear something must be done. But what solution will truly work  and last?

John Adams said legislatures ought to be in miniature, an exact portrait of the people at large. It should think, feel, reason and act like them. Thats a tough claim to make about our polarized Congress: A recent Economist poll found Congress has a 17% approval rating.

Partisan redistricting is a problem, but the root cause is districting itself. Right now, we elect 435 members of Congress from 435 single-member districts. The shape of each district matters so much because most of the nation tilts distinctively red or blue. The best way to flip a seat is to control redistricting, not change voters minds.

Virginia Congressman Don Beyer offers a comprehensive solution: the Fair Representation Act. It would replace our winner-take-all district system  one formalized with an act of Congress only 54 years ago  with a fair approach for all states: Larger districts represented by multiple representatives elected proportionally with ranked-choice voting.

This would upend the power of gerrymandering. With districts of up to five fairly elected representatives, it would hardly matter where the lines went. All the things people hate about gerrymandering  few competitive districts, greater partisan rigidity when safe seats move all the action to low-turnout party primaries, skewed outcomes  would go away.

Better still, the results would be fairer. Take Massachusetts. Donald Trump won 32% of the vote there and the Republican governor is one of the nations most popular. You might assume Republicans have three of the states nine congressional seats. Yet, Massachusetts voters have not sent a single Republican to the House since 1994.

Under the Fair Representation Act, Massachusetts would have three districts with three members, and Republicans would likely elect one seat in each. Fair representation also would be true for underrepresented Democrats in Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma  all of whom are now in danger of being gerrymandered into extinction.

Every state would have the same number of representatives. Wed simply elect them in a way that creates a closer replica of the people, as modeled in many local elections.

Some states have tried to address gerrymandering with commissions. But they can prove vulnerable to partisan manipulation, and wouldnt have much effect in such states as Massachusetts or Tennessee, where political geography makes it impossible to draw competitive single-member districts that accurately reflect the people.

The U.S. Constitution may not dictate proportionality, but Americans feel it deeply: We know 60% of the vote shouldnt equate to 100% of the seats. Winner-takes-all districts are the reason Congress doesnt mirror the people or govern according to their desires.

A proportionally elected House would not only fulfill a deeply American vision of equality, but also help parties represent their big tents, incentivize cooperation, and give everyone a voice without hijacking majority rule. Independents would be able to hold the major parties accountable without splitting the vote. Minority voting rights would be reliably protected and women would gain new opportunities to level the playing field. Everyone would have the voice they win at the polls, no less and no more.

Incentivizing our politicians this way would be the most meaningful change we could make to address gerrymandering, and also to make a broken Congress function again.

Rob Richie is president and CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections. David Daley is senior fellow at FairVote and author of Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy.
I am one of four ladies who run a small business here in Albuquerque.

(Recently), we had a shoplifter come in. As things unfolded, we noticed he had at least $1,000 worth of stolen items on him, besides what he tried to steal from us. How did we know? The guy had price tags, including one of those security tags, all over him, a new cellphone, charging cable and charger, and more.

Trying to be good citizens, we locked the doors until the police came to apprehend him. He fell asleep, and I got lots of pictures of him and his stolen merchandise.

One of us called the police right away. She (explained) we were four senior women. Im the youngest at 64; the rest are in their 70s. We were told an hour and a half minimum. We waited, and the thief continued to sleep. We called twice more. I was told they had 70 people on hold at that time.

Not long after that, our thief woke up and decided he wanted out. Before we could open a door, because at that point we realized he was getting violent, he smashed our glass door. We let him out and he headed south. That was around the two-hour mark.

Minutes after that, a friend came to the store. We started to tell him what was going on when four police SUVs started to tear past our store. He tried flagging them down, and finally hopped in his car and chased down the last unit, which came back at that point. It became obvious we had wasted our time and taken a terrible chance by trying to be good citizens. The officers were not concerned about the $500 glass door being shattered or about the shoplifting, and didnt care that we knew where the thief was at that moment.

Two days before this, we had had a car stolen from our parking lot at around 10 a.m. The police didnt show up until 5 p.m.

Such big companies as Walgreens, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. must have insurance to cover what gets stolen. I understand that employees are told to leave shoplifters alone, not to try to stop them, etc. For small businesses such as ours, every dollar counts.

So far, we have been very fortunate. We are four tough old birds and we have managed to get most of our merchandise back when we catch shoplifters. How many other small businesses are suffering the same plight?

We are short (hundreds of) police officers in this city. So short-handed that shoplifting is not crime enough for the police to take notice.

Mayor Keller, something needs to be done, NOW.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Santa Fe is known internationally as a culinary destination. While our reputation is typically defined by the fine dining restaurants that rack up annual acclaims and accolades from the media, there are even more restaurants that fuel the citys workers and residents without any recognition at all. These are the restaurants where the locals go.

Driving along St. Michaels over the years, I have passed the Sunrise Family Restaurant hundreds of times without paying much attention to the nondescript building. But the continual online chatter, commentary and recommendations made me realize I may be missing out. Never one to judge a book by its cover, the always-packed parking lot is proof this place is worth exploring.

Behind the faded signage and scruffy exterior is a bustling, boisterous and clean restaurant that cranks out quality food at reasonable prices every day for everyday people. The staff moves at a quick pace as they serve a full restaurant and accommodate those waiting for a table or picking up take-out orders. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunrise serves hearty American, New Mexican and Mexican breakfasts and lunches all day.

The sounds of plates clanking, forks and knives in action, the phone ringing, glasses filling with ice, people talking (and not talking) while eating, and a strong melody of Spanish conversations fills the air, while Latin music can be heard faintly as background noise in this unpretentious, but cozy, setting. Dressed in black Sunrise Family Restaurant T-shirts, most of the staff is family and, after 10 years of operation, they work together like a well-orchestrated symphony to keep water, tea and coffee cups filled to the brim. Unlike some restaurants, where the coffee is over-roasted and the iced tea is weak, both the hot coffee and the iced tea here are strong and flavorful. The staff is constantly in motion as they deliver a steady stream of hot plates, bowls and platters from the kitchen to hungry diners. Tables of couples, families, multiple generations, friends, singles and kids create a family-friendly atmosphere.

When I was a Sunrise virgin, I tested the kitchens skills and ordered a quintessential Santa Fe breakfast plate: chile relleno omelet with half and half. Rather than the touristy way of asking for Christmas, Sunrise offers diners the option of half red sauce and half green sauce. Neither sauce was too piquant, but flavorful, and thats what you want. A fluffy, three-egg omelet is stuffed with two lightly battered and fried chile rellenos stuffed with cheese. Served with a side of home fries and refried beans, this generous plate of food is enough to keep you sated all day long  though many will be hard-pressed to clean the plate.

Over the course of a few visits, my dining companion thoroughly enjoyed the chile relleno omelet, a big plate of classic huevos rancheros, and a combination plate of two fried eggs with savory and tender carne adovada, refried beans and home fries. On my return visit, I ordered the breakfast Geronimos Executive Chef Sllin Cruz swears by  the chorizo and egg breakfast burrito, another typical Santa Fe breakfast. A flour tortilla is filled with scrambled eggs cooked with spicy chorizo, topped with your choice of red and/or green sauce, and a light sprinkling of melted cheese. Once again, I went for half red and half green sauce, and tried the hash browns this time with a side of tasty refried beans.

Having sampled the various options for breakfast sides, I recommend the home fries over what appeared to be frozen hash browns that lacked flavor. Similarly, I vote for the refried beans over pinto beans.

Sunrise offers breakfast specials during the week for $6.75 and, on the weekends, the breakfast specials vary, as does the pricing. Typically, the specials are posted on a sign when you walk in, but be sure to ask your waiter about the specials before you order. When we visited on a busy, but late, Sunday morning, there was no specials posted, so we presumed they were offered only during the week. After we ate, we enquired about the specials with the waiter. He informed us they had specials every day and that todays special was eggs Benedict. We felt like we had missed out because we didnt know. But this gives us another reason to return as we are curious about the Sunrise interpretation of eggs Benedict. A choice of green chile or red chile hollandaise, perhaps?

Our waiter assured me everything on the menu is popular and mentioned tat some of the top-selling breakfast dishes include the breakfast burrito, huevos rancheros and the omelets. Popular lunch dishes are the steak and enchiladas plate, fajitas and the combo burger. Some locals claim Sunrise has the best Frito pie and green chile cheeseburger, so it feels safe to say that their diverse menu offers something for everyone.

While the entrance may be intimidating to those who dont frequent dives, rest assured that, behind the door, is great food served in a festive and friendly Mexican atmosphere. And, with the rising prices of food, knowing the plates are all priced at or about $10, makes it easier to slide into Sunrise Family Restaurant without a load of cash in your pocket, yet still savor a hearty plate of homemade food from scratch, made with plenty of love and rooted in family tradition.

Read more about the Santa Fe food and hospitality scene at Heather Hunters blog, The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe, at thecowgirlgourmetinsantafe.com.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Santa Fe Police Chief Andrew Padilla will officially hang up his badge Dec. 3, his retirement ending a 21-year career in law enforcement that he started as a patrol officer for the department.

I graduated high school and then I went into the United States Marine Corps, and I was just still looking for a career in service where I could help others, said the Espanola native.

Padilla wanted to work and live near Espanola, so his sights were set on joining the Santa Fe Police Department. The capital citys police department was larger than his hometowns and offered promotion opportunities, which Padilla wanted.

As he rose through the ranks, Padilla served as SWAT team and special operations commander, deputy chief administrator, a field training officer, firearms instructor and in criminal investigations.

Throughout his career, he rose up through the ranks until he saw an opportunity to put in a bid for chief of police.

He said city administration gave him the opportunity to do that by looking internally for a chief, which is a practice he encourages. He said this shows younger officers in the department that they can also be chief one day.

I didnt get into this job, or into the police department, and say, Hey, one day Im going to be chief. It kind of just happened as I worked through the ranks, he said.

During his tenure as chief, Padilla has worked to get crisis intervention training and counseling services for police officers, officers pay raised, a $15,000 signing bonus for lateral officers and body camera approval.

Detective Rebecca Hilderbrandt, president of the Santa Fe Police Officers Association, said shes worked with Padilla since she joined the department in 2014.

The ultimate goal is to retire in law enforcement, she said, and not a lot of people get to do that. Most officers end up getting burnt out, but she said Padillas retirement shows it can be done.

I know when officers have had personal issues come up, such as tragic events in their family, in their household, hes reached out to them, she said. Some other commanders may not do that, but I know the chief has personally called some of the people and said, Hey, you know if you need anything, were here for you.

Deputy Chief Ben Valdez said he has had a similar experience with Padilla. He said Padilla has always had a lot of heart. He first met Padilla when he was a police cadet and Padilla was his field training officer.

Through the years, Valdez and Padilla worked together in a variety of roles, and Valdez said he remembers Padillas mentorship. When Valdez was promoted to detective, Padilla helped him learn the new role.

I know people say hes like a jokester  but Ive seen where hes gone above and beyond for people in the organization, Valdez said. Hes made sure that everyone knows he cares about everyone.

For example, when someone on the SWAT team needed equipment, Valdez said Padilla would go out and buy it himself. Padilla has also pushed for changes in the department to help it evolve, such as adding police psychologists for officers and implementing body cameras.

Valdez said whoever takes the helm after Padilla will need to be prepared to keep moving the department forward.

Mayor Alan Webber said Padilla has always been responsive to city administration about updating them on the police department and answering any questions they might have.

I think its important to give Chief Padilla, the recognition he deserves, Webber said. Under his watch, (weve had a) very stable and progressive approach to policing. Particularly with how challenging the field of public safety is right now, I think its worth saying not only what did happen, over the past three and a half years with Chief Padilla as head of the department, but what didnt happen.

During Padillas time, there were no protests against the department for excessive force or an increase in police shootings  just the opposite, Webber said. He said this is a mark of success for Padilla.

For Padilla, after he retires, he plans to take some time off with friends and family. He said being chief, hes had to be on call 24/7 for the past three and a half years.

Its been a great career helping a community, from changing someones flat tires many times (to) helping people out with critical incidents, he said. Just interacting with the community, whether you live, work or play here.
In less than a week, lettuce, basil and cilantro seeds planted by a group of area students at the Espanola YMCA Teen Center in a fledgling aquaponics system had already grown to a height of two inches or more.

I was actually really surprised, considering how much they have developed in a short amount of time, said Janessa Sandoval, a seventh-grader at Mesa Vista Middle High School. Normally, you would expect, OK, we planted them, lets wait a few weeks and well see if theyve even start growing. When they started growing within a few days, it was surprising. Its crazy to think that all that happened just because of some fish.

According to the website, theaquaponicsource.com, aquaponics is putting fish to work. It just so happens that the work those fish do (eating and producing waste), is the perfect fertilizer for growing plants.

Water circulates through the fish tank, then up through grow beds, where it is filtered through the growing plants. Then, it returns clean back to the fish tank.

Its magical in a sense, whats happening here, said center director Ben Sandoval, who is the brainchild of the project. Its a circle of life. A contained ecosystem.

The seed for the project was planted about five years ago when Sandoval visited a large-scale aquaponics setup while on vacation in Hawaii.

They were using tilapia to get the aquaponics running, he said. It was flat-out amazing and I thought, How can I do this on a small scale and teach these kids? Its been five years in the works in my mind. The delay was me being a little bit scared to do it. I didnt think I had the skill set to do it without having a specialist come in.

Off and on over the ensuing years, Sandoval would check out internet videos, but still came away unsatisfied.

Everybody does it differently, he said. You cant get 10 people to tell you the same thing.

But, after a recent visit to a friend in Abiquiu who had a small-scale aquaponics setup, Sandoval was enthused.

I just had to dive in and say, Lets do this,  he said.

Using a spare aquarium that has been sitting in storage at the YMCA, the project began with some feeder goldfish.

We wanted to get some good bacteria growing and get the system established with some measurable bacteria to start with, he said. If you start too early without bacteria, its more challenging. When youre tracking the data, if you dont have anything to start from because its chlorinated water, we didnt want that. We wanted to start with something that we could actually have that was measurable.

He recruited a number of YMCA members interested in the project.

Its all right, said Espanola Valley High school freshman Samuel Elijah Martinez. We get to expand our thinking to learning new things.

They formed a class and the students began assembling the PVC piping that circulated the water and putting the wooden framework together. Then, they prepared the clay pebbles that help the filtering and growing process.

We all did it as a group, said Jordan Hoover, a sixth-grader at James H. Rodriguez Elementary. We built the light, then we built the frame, and got a bucket and washed the clay pebbles. And we put them in our little container in the growing bed, and planted our things. I like plants and I like fish, and I like projects. It was very fun.

It took about $130 in materials to begin the whole operation, Sandoval said, plus maybe 25-30 hours of sweat equity.

But, now, it doesnt even feel like I spent those hours (on it) because weve got plants growing, he said. Its amazing, and its amazing them, too.

The students smiled as they looked at their handiwork and healthy sprouts.

I think it was pretty cool, said Eliseo Delgado, an eighth-grader at McCurdy Charter School. Ive seen a lot of people on social media have been doing it. When I first saw this class, I thought it was just growing plants with fish, but when I started thinking about it, I thought it was something I could use with my kids possibly.

Seeing the plants actually sprouting made the process all worthwhile, he said.

Earlier, before I came in here, my friends texted me the pictures and it was pretty cool because I thought, How fast did these plants grow throughout the weekend? 

Augustine Marquez, a sixth-grader at James H. Rodriguez, said the whole idea of the project was interesting because he already has a couple of fish.

The main reason I wanted to learn is we have two fish at home, and I wanted to learn how to use fish water to grow plants and to learn how the fish cycle goes around the plants and fish water, he said.

The whole idea of what theyre doing seemed a little strange at first, but Janessa Sandoval said thats what makes it intriguing.

Ive always had a love of anything science-related, she said. I had never heard of aquaponics but, when my dad told me about it, I immediately got interested. Its that idea of the opportunities and experiences that drive me to participate in classes like this.
For most intrepid four-wheelers, the journey is the thing. Especially if it involves climbing over mammoth boulders and scaling vertical walls and doing other acrobatics that most drivers would find impossible.

The Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Chile Challenge on Oct. 12-16 at Caballo Lake State Park south of Elephant Butte. A number of trails carved from the hillsides of the Caballo Mountains offer a range of challenging tests for drivers and their families.

We have scenic trails and then they get a little bit harder as they step up, said Duke Knight, club president. The scenic ones are the easier ones. Then you get into the next level thats moderate, the next level is hard, and the next level is extreme.

Its the latter two where winches often are seen tugging vehicles over areas that could scarcely be called trails at all.

When you get into the hard trails and the extreme trails, thats where you see some of those crazy rigs with the super big tires and lifted up real high. Theyre main purpose and the attraction to the drivers is the trail as opposed to the scenery. I usually tell people, those are the guys who see how far they can go before something breaks.

Knight said he anticipates about 150 vehicles and their drivers will be on hand, with a draw from across the country and more.

Its an international event, he said. Ive met folks from Mexico and from Canada. New York and Washington and everywhere in between.

For many years, the event used to be held on Bureau of Land Management backcountry acres surrounding Las Cruces.

But seven years ago, the BLM asked the group to move north to its present location as it is away from the population center of Las Cruces.

Because its most of the week event, a lot of people put in for vacation time and theyre with their families and they make it into a vacation, Knight said. Although theres really no spectators because its way out in the sticks, but a lot of people hang around in the campground, visit and have a nice camping trip and in the evenings we have things under the pavilion like pinatas for the kids and films from different trails.

When it comes to the trails, Knight said hes a guy that likes the scenic route, in particular the Palomas Gap.

A level 3 trail, it starts low, then gradually climbs an old mountain road built by Chinese laborers in the 1800s. This road was used to haul water from the river to the new railroad. It hugs the side of a canyon and is narrow in spots.

Its really something to see, he said. There are petroglyphs out there and Ive seen big horn sheep and deer. You get so high into the Caballos and then you stop up on top. Its just beautiful. Its a fantastic vista on top.

Regular, stock four-wheel drive vehicles with drivers who have some experience in back-country driving can access most of the easy and moderate trails without too much difficulty, although a lift of three to six inches and bigger tires makes the ride easier, Knight said.

The hard and extreme trails are for drivers with significant back-road experience using modified rigs specifically designed for the punishment.

Some of those things, you can tell they started out as a Jeep, he said. And some of you cant tell what they used to be.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, based in Washington, D.C., has chosen the Loma Colorado Main Library in Rio Rancho to host its traveling exhibition after a highly competitive application process.

The grant-funded traveling exhibit is being done in a partnership with the American Library Association and will make stops at libraries in most states. Rio Rancho is the only stop in New Mexico. The exhibit opens Tuesday, Oct. 12 and will run through Nov. 13 during normal library hours.

The 1,100-square-foot traveling exhibit, titled Americans and the Holocaust, examines World War II from the American perspective, exploring themes such as how much Americans knew about Nazi persecutions before it entered the war and its response.

Marla Eglash Abraham, western region director of the museum, said researchers scoured hundreds of local newspapers from across the country and collected individual stories to build the exhibit.

We wanted to tell the American story, the American narrative, Eglash Abraham said.

Eglash Abraham said the process was very competitive and that the selection committee looked at several factors, including whether the library had enough space and staff to support the exhibit and programming. One of the most important factors, she said, was location. The libraries they chose needed to be, not necessarily remote, but somewhat off the beaten path.

We didnt want to go to typical cities like San Francisco, Chicago or Los Angeles, she said. We wanted to go where the Holocaust reach wasnt as deep. Its an attempt to bring this to populations that would not usually have access to this type of information.

Annemarie Garcia, spokeswoman for Rio Rancho, said the city has traditionally been viewed as a bedroom community and this presents an incredible opportunity to have an exhibit of this kind.

Oftentimes, Rio Rancho residents may have to go somewhere else for this type of cultural exhibit, she said. We now have the opportunity to instead bring the exhibit to them.

According to 2020 Census data, Rio Rancho has a population of approximately 104,000 people with 32.5% of them having earned a bachelors degree or higher. Other places the exhibit will land include Juneau, Alaska; Yuma, Arizona; Fresno, California and Colorado Springs.

The exhibit will feature large panels with pictures, as well as videos. The exhibit will be appropriate for all ages and does not contain anything graphic that would alarming to small children.

Margaret Gates, a docent at the New Mexico Holocaust Museum and Gellert Center for Education in Albuquerque, said they are absolutely elated Rio Rancho is hosting the traveling exhibition. She said some of the museums volunteers have volunteered to be docents at the Rio Rancho exhibit.

The primary reason this is important is so that we dont forget what happened, she said. Awareness might prevent this from happening again.

Mayor Gregg Hull said pre-COVID, the citys two libraries saw about 700 people between them daily. He said he believes the exhibit will draw people from outside the city.

We see this as no different than when people go to Albuquerque and check out the exhibits, he said. We expect to draw a lot of attention from Albuquerque and surrounding areas, possibly even Santa Fe.

The library will offer supplemental programing through October and November to coincide with the exhibit. Events include a seminar that explores the refugee crises during World War II and now, a look at American Japanese interment camps in New Mexico during World War II, and a talk about Jewish films and their place in film history.

Holocaust survivor Andy Holten will share his story about his life as a hidden child during World War II. His parents did not survive. Holten is a long-time substitute teacher with Rio Rancho Public Schools.

Having the opportunity to bring something to our community that would mean so much to so many is something we are proud to support, said Lynette Schurdevin, director of library and information services. Library staff has worked so hard to plan and coordinate this one-of-a-kind exhibit, and we look forward to sharing it with our citizens.

Complete programming with specific dates and times is available online at rrnm.gov under the library and information services tab.

The library is located at 755 Loma Colorado Blvd. NE, Rio Rancho. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday.
Book of the Week

Tony Hillerman wrote 18 mystery novels that opened a window into the Navajos cultural and physical landscapes. Many of the mysteries were prize winners and bestsellers.

Now the cherished New Mexico writer  who died in 2008  is the subject of a newly published biography Tony Hillerman: A Life by James McGrath Morris.

The biography, like Hillermans fiction, is deeply researched, lovingly detailed and eminently readable.

Morris had several motives for wanting to write the book. One was that he simply liked Hillermans fiction writing.

And once I read and got to know those Navajo novels, I felt the significance of his accomplishment was under-appreciated, Morris said in a phone interview from his Santa Fe home.

And what accomplishment was that?

Hillerman did something more than write a mystery. He used the mystery genre to unravel the mystery of the Navajos to the wider world, Morris said. The second thing he did when he published The Blessing Way in 1970 was to introduce a detective of color, which was quite startling to readers as well as to reviewers.

(Until then) the mystery shelf in bookstores was mainly white male detectives or female private eyes.

The Blessing Way was the first of Hillermans 18 Navajo mysteries.

His first Navajo police detective was Lt. Joe Leaphorn.

Morris wrote that the ground-breaking introduction of a Native American sleuth into the world of mysteries had been an afterthought, almost an accident of plot making 

In another part of the biography, Morris quoted Hillerman as saying he had thought of Sheriff Hugh Anderson of Borger, Texas as a cop who tempered justice with a sort of humane wisdom and he would remember the sheriff when he began crafting the fictional Leaphorn. Hillerman was a reporter for a Borger newspaper when he got to know Anderson.

Several books later, Hillerman brought in a younger Navajo cop, Jim Chee, in a starring role, and later he added Navajo policewoman Bernadette Manuelito.

Morris biography precisely tracks Hillermans life from his birth in 1925 through his years growing up in small-town Oklahoma, his college years, his time as a wounded mortar gunner in the European theater of World War II, his work as a journalist at newspapers in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, and his later success as a renowned author of mysteries.

Morris injects Hillermans own remembrances of family members, fellow soldiers, fellow students, administrators and teaching colleagues at the University of New Mexico, poker-player buddies, and trusted New York publishing house editors.

I earnestly believe that Hillermans attraction to Navajo spirituality, his search for harmony, is rooted in his own personal struggles with what we now call PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), Morris said, referring to the effects of Hillermans wartime wounds. In some sense, he remains devoted to Catholicism, but hes open to other spiritual traditions.

Morris also believes Hillerman was more interested in transcending differences between cultures and less in book sales and fame.

The biography relates that many Navajos, individually and collectively, praised Hillermans Navajo novels. In 1987 the Navajo Tribal Council designated him A Special Friend of the Dine for authentically portraying the strength and dignity of traditional Navajo culture.

Hillerman, Morris noted, felt more honored by the tribes celebrating his novels than any of the many literary prizes he received.

However, Hillerman faced criticism from some quarters for describing Navajo religion and culture in the novels.

Was Hillerman engaged in cultural appropriation? Morris asked rhetorically. Part of that answer is that his reverential pursuits hardly equate with commercialism like stealing designs for a T-shirt. He may or may not have engaged in cultural appropriation, but its not the same.

Hillermans daughter Anne said in an email that she feels grateful that an author with Morris intellect and sensitivity wrote the biography and that Morris kept her and her siblings informed during his research and writing.

Best of all, in my biased view, McGrath Morris gives Marie Hillerman, my strong, smart, self-effacing mother, the credit she has long deserved for helping Tony become a pivotal, pioneering figure in Southwestern mysteries, she added.

In Marie, Morris wrote, Hillerman had a well-read partner whose writing advice he valued.

Anne has followed in her fathers footsteps, writing popular mysteries set on the Navajo rez that feature Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito.

Morris, a Santa Fe resident, is a respected biographer. His previous biographies include Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print and Power, Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press and The Ambulance Drivers: Hemingway, Dos Passos, and a Friendship Made in War.

Here are some of James McGrath Morris upcoming book events:
Pati Jinich travels the world putting a spotlight on the cuisine of various countries with her PBS show, Patis Mexican Table.

Despite all her travels, shes always wanted to showcase the culture and cuisine of the borderland  specifically the Texas-Mexico border.

Its a different world there, she says. Its like you enter a third dimension. Its colorful, flavorful and exquisite in its simplicity.

Jinich spent a few months in the borderland in April to capture the culture.

The two-part series is called La Frontera with Pati Jinich.

The series highlights the fascinating, yet misunderstood, U.S.-Mexico border region, where countries and cultures come together.

Jinich meets with artists, musicians and local legends, whose work reflects the blending of cultures, as well as the chefs and home cooks who bring all these people together.

The first episode is called Miles from Nowhere and sees Jinich travel from El Paso to Juarez to Big Bend National Park. In the episode she discovers the people, places and food  from burritos to Middle Eastern cuisine  that make this region unique.

It will air at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15 on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.

El Paso and Juarez are special places, Jinich says. Ive been working with these projects for years. Ive been visiting different sister cities. I love how these communities work together to keep themselves connected. They are proud of their roots.

Jinich wanted to learn more about her home country of Mexico.

As I started to explore, I found the stories I wanted to tell, she says. What we see in the news about the border is only one part of it. The stories that arent told are those of community. I wanted to get myself into these communities for a time and showcase how great they are.

The second part of the series is called From Dos Laredos to Mars and will air at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22 on New Mexico PBS.

In the episode, Jinich travels Laredo and Nuevo Laredo to Brownsville, Texas. She learns how tight-knit family bonds are an underlying theme connecting everything in the Laredos and throughout La Frontera.

I was in the middle of the Rio Grande Valley and found out so much, she says. In this small section, there are nature preserves, farms and colorful communities. Traveling here was so humbling because the people are so warm and generous. Having that level of connection is amazing.

A story that sticks out in her mind is visiting Larry Delgados ranch in the Rio Grande Valley. There she met a Japanese American/Mexican family of ranchers.

These are Japanese immigrants who were put into concentration camps in the United States, she says. They moved to Texas and became migrant farmers. They are raising Japanese beef of extraordinary quality. I hope that viewers connect to these stories.

ON TV

The two-part special series La Frontera with Pati Jinich will air at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. The series sees the acclaimed chef tell stories from the United States-Mexico border.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Authorities in Gallup arrested the man accused of shooting a service dog and killing its owner last month in Albuquerque.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said detectives tracked Xavier Marquez to Gallup, where he was arrested Friday.

Marquez, 22, is charged with an open count of murder, shooting at an occupied dwelling and extreme cruelty to animals in the Sept. 22 shooting that left 34-year-old Shawn Lynch dead and injured Lynchs dog, Yessica.

Officers responded around 4 p.m. to a shooting in the 400 block of Kentucky SE and found Lynch with a gunshot wound in his head and Yessica wounded nearby. Lynch died in a hospital days later.

Neighbors told police that Marquez, who they identified in a photo lineup, shot Yessica before shooting Lynch and changing clothes and fleeing on a moped.

Gallegos said detectives are also investigating Marquez for his possible involvement in June 22 slaying at a West Side motel.

In that case, 34-year-old Daniel Bustos was found fatally shot in the parking lot of the Travelodge near Coors and Iliff NW.

No charges have been filed in Bustos death.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

A towering ponderosa pine weakened by two lightning strikes in five years at Bandelier National Monument took the life of an 81-year-old grandmother visiting New Mexico in 2016 with her family for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta when it toppled over in a gust of wind and fell on her.

The 70-foot-tall tree landed in a visitors parking area of the popular monument near Los Alamos five years ago just as the Chicago woman and her two adult children were getting into their rental car after a hike and watching a park movie.

Beverly Modlin sustained head, spine and other injuries after the tree came crashing down, partially caving in the rental car and clipping her adult son Robert Modlin, who sustained minor injuries. Her daughter, Susan Hines, was already in the back seat of the car when she heard a crack, boom and the tree fell, according to park service investigators. Hines was uninjured.

A wrongful death lawsuit filed in 2019 contended the accident was no Act of God, alleging park officials had ample warning the tree posed a hazard to the public but took no steps to remove it.

Beverly Modlins family settled the case earlier this year for $1 million.

I would hope that this was a wake-up call for the United States park service to take greater care to protect visitors to our national parks, said Albuquerque attorney Jacob Vigil, who represented Modlins family.

A park service spokeswoman said in a statement that, we continue to be saddened by the tragic accident that killed one of our visitors.

She added that since that time, the park service at Bandelier has reviewed and revised its protocols for monitoring hazardous trees and makes every effort to identify and remove those that present an imminent danger to parking lots, sidewalks or other places where visitors are likely to congregate.

The family had traveled to New Mexico for the Balloon Fiesta in October 2016 to check it off their bucket list, Vigil told the Journal. A visit to Bandelier was also on their itinerary. With its ancient cliff dwellings, Bandelier has attracted up to 200,000 visitors a year.

They ended up with their mother killed in front of them and went back to Chicago alone, without her.

Two weeks earlier, park employees realized the tree, the tallest in that area of the forest, had been struck by lightning for the second time in five years, according to an investigation by the park service.

They had plenty of warning, Vigil said. They knew the tree was fragile and could harm visitors at any given moment. It was a ticking time bomb.

The tree was adjacent to the path to the Amphitheater at the park where an opera that draws hundreds of visitors was scheduled in September 2016.

According to a park service investigation report:

A severe storm hit the park Sept. 16, 2016, blowing out an electrical transformer.

A week later, a Bandelier ranger discovered the 70-foot Ponderosa Pine had been struck by lightning and sent a photo of the tree and a written report to his supervisor saying he believed the lightning strike of the tree was responsible for the power failure.

At least six additional Bandelier employees and then-Bandelier Superintendent Jason Lott also observed the tree in person and/or had knowledge of it having being struck. One employee noticed logs, or shattered pieces of a tree, on a trail for handicapped visitors

Were going to have to deal with it eventually, like it, you know its probably going to die and become a hazard to the parking lot and the trail, said one employee in reporting a big crack in the tree to his supervisor, the investigation showed.

Though denying any negligence on the part of its employees, park service officials conceded in responses to the lawsuit that none of its employees had any formal training in how to identify hazardous trees and there were no documents showing there had been a thorough inspection of the hazards posed by the tree prior to its fall. There was no hazard-tree trainer at the park nor a training curriculum for identifying hazardous trees.

It was an unwritten practice of Bandelier employees to notify the Wildland Fire Division, which is under the management of the monument, to have wildland fire sawyers assess hazardous trees for removal.

But the lawsuit alleges Bandelier never notified that agency to assess the lightning-struck tree.

Earlier that year, a fire crew did assess and mitigateabout 12 trees in the parks Juniper Campground, but focused on standing dead trees that leaned over high traffic areas such as trails or picnic areas.

The 70-foot damaged tree, adjacent to the parking lot and up to 23 inches in diameter, had a full and healthy crown with dense green foliage and didnt appear to be leaning, park employees told investigators after Modlins death.

We have a lot of lightning strikes on the rim with trees, park ranger Geoff Goins was quoted as saying. As many trees as gets struck by lightning around here, I didnt think of it as a big deal.

The park service wasted no time cutting down and disposing of the fallen tree the day after Modlins death, the lawsuit stated, but generated a report that based on callus growth, the tree had an exterior wound from its top to its base that was over five years old, which appeared to have been caused by a previous lightning strike. There were two other wounds, one which was new and deemed significant from the second lightning strike.

According to Bandeliers Hazard Tree Management standard operating procedures, As even healthy trees can fall under extreme weather conditions, the park will attempt to issue visitor warnings when deemed appropriate. The program is designed to protect the public and shield the agency from potential liability.

But there are variety of hazards inherent to a natural environment and which include hazard trees. Visitors and park staff should be aware of these inherent dangers and hold the National Park Service harmless for Acts of God.'

The day the Modlin family visited Bandelier, wind gusts up to 36 miles an hour were recorded. There were no warnings to the public about the 70-foot tree, which fell about 28 feet west of the Atomic City bus stop and Frey Trailhead, according to the lawsuit and investigative reports.

A park service investigator quoted Robert Modlin, an engineer, as saying his mother was off to the side of the rental car when they heard the crack of the tree falling.

The most surprising thing to me was how fast, all of a sudden, it got very windy, stated Modlin, who was standing behind the vehicle.

Several bystanders helped him pull his mother out from under branches of the tree so he could do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

I couldnt hear a breath and her color was gone immediately, he stated.

Robert Modlen recalled not feeling any emotion when emergency crews arrived and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate his mother.

There were no tears at that point, that didnt hit me until when I was in the ambulance and I couldnt stop crying. He added: She and I were very tight, she was in such good shape for 81.

Later he thought of what he could have done differently when the tree began to fall.

I thought why didnt I pull her out of the way, push her, do something, he later told investigators. But Robert Modlin said he later had a dream that helped him to come to grips with not being able to save her.

It happened too quickly for him to act, he told investigators. And if I had gone toward her I would have been crashed by that tree as well.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District has received a $2.9 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund projects for efficient water use and wildlife habitat improvements.

Casey Ish, an MRGCD water resources specialist, said they will use some of the money to examine irrigation infrastructure and identify necessary upgrades for district ditches, laterals and farm systems.

A more drought-resilient system means that even when we have a low water supply such as this year, our system is still capable of delivering those small amounts of water efficiently, Ish said.

The funding comes as the state moves toward a more arid climate.

New Mexico could see more frequent and hotter droughts over the next 50 years, according to a scientist advisory panel report that will inform the states long-term water plan.

Earlier winter runoff and warmer rivers and streams are also likely if global temperatures continue to rise.

The district serves 10,000 irrigators from Cochiti Dam to Bosque del Apache, and also manages about 30,000 acres of bosque habitat.

Ish said funding could support conservation easements. The voluntary agreements between landowners and a land trust may have land-use provisions that protect wildlife and regional agriculture.

At least $2 million of the funding must go directly to producers as financial assistance.

Individual awards will focus on first-time farmers and ranchers, as well as military veterans, socially-disadvantaged or limited income producers.

Its a great opportunity to put resources right where they need to be, which is at the headgates of our irrigators and in their pockets so theyre able to adapt their farm practices, Ish said.

Producer grants could also fund water leasing, cover crops and farm equipment upgrades.

The district will work on the projects with Audubon Southwest, Center for Sustainable Social Systems, Intermountain West Joint Venture, New Mexico State University, Rio Grande Agriculture Land Trust, Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
A visit to a refugee camp in southern New Mexico  where a service member was allegedly assaulted by Afghan refugees  didnt ease the concerns of the New Mexico congresswoman who represents the district.

Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., last week toured Fort Bliss, including the bases Dona Ana Complex in New Mexico, where about 9,000 Afghan refugees are staying. Since the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan earlier this year, Herrell has raised concerns about how the country is vetting refugees from the country.

She appeared on Fox News to talk about one particular incident  a report that a female service member was assaulted by a group of refugees. The FBI office in El Paso has confirmed it is investigating the allegation.

It is still under investigation. At this point, nobody has been charged, nobody has been incarcerated and no parole has been revoked, Herrell told media after her visit, noting that since the attack, the base has added security cameras and lighting and required military members to travel around the base with at least one other person.

Herrell praised the military for constructing shelter for the refugees.

Weve got to understand we have two different situations happening here. Heres what we got: We got the humanitarian effort and what these (service) men and women are doing on Fort Bliss and around the nation  and we have policy problems, Herrell told reporters. The American people deserve to know that these people that are being brought into our nation are being vetted properly.

A Herrell spokesman said Friday that Herrells visit didnt alleviate her concerns.

Rep. Herrells concerns were not sufficiently addressed at Fort Bliss, despite meeting with the senior commander, Homeland Security, State Department, and FBI, the spokesman said. There are still massive unanswered questions regarding the identities of those brought here and our governments ability to conduct proper vetting to protect Americans.

IVERMECTIN EXHORTATION: New Mexicos Democratic senators sent a letter last week to the CEO of Reddit, asking him curb the spread of misinformation on the platform, particularly message threads about using ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug commonly used in livestock, as a treatment for COVID-19.

Acting New Mexico Health Secretary David Scrase has said that the drug has a cultlike following and that two people in the state have died of ivermectin overdose. The drug hasnt been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a COVID treatment, although there are plenty of federally approved treatments, such as remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies, he said.

Sens. Ben Ray Lujan, Martin Heinrich and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., wrote the letter to CEO Steve Huffman.

We urge you to promote evidence-based health information and act swiftly to curb the spread of dangerous medical misinformation on your platform, the senators wrote. It is unacceptable to sit on the sidelines during a global pandemic while harmful misinformation runs rampant on your platform.

Ryan Boetel: rboetel@abqjournal.com
NEW YORK  Martin J. Sherwin, a leading scholar of atomic weapons who in A World Destroyed challenged support for the U.S. bombing of Japan and spent more than two decades researching the pioneering physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Prometheus, has died.

Sherwin died Wednesday at his home in Washington, D.C., according to his friend Andrew Hartman, a professor of history at Illinois State University. He was 84 and had been battling lung cancer. Kai Bird, a close friend and the co-author of American Prometheus, called him probably the preeminent historian of the nuclear age.

When we started working on American Prometheus he told me he had lots of research, but a few gaps, Bird told The Associated Press on Saturday. When I began going through all the materials I couldnt find any gaps.

Sherwin was a New York City native whose interest in nuclear research dated back to his undergraduate years at Dartmouth College, when he spent a summer working at a uranium mine out West. Sherwins ties to the arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union became frighteningly personal during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis,. He was a junior officer in the Navy and was told of plans to evacuate from their base in San Diego to a remote location in Baja California, Mexico.

The rationale was to disperse military aircraft beyond the reach of Soviet missiles, he wrote in Gambling With Armageddon: Nuclear Roulette from Hiroshima to the Cuban Missile Crisis, which came out last year. Some junior officers  all of us bachelors  joked that the beaches of Baja would be a delightful place to die.'

He was best known for American Prometheus, published in 2005 and winner of the Pulitzer for biography. The book was widely praised as a comprehensive and invaluable study of the so-called father of the atomic bomb who later had his telephones tapped and his security clearance revoked during the McCarthy era of the 1950s as he advocated nuclear containment and opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb.

Sherwin began working on the book in the late 1970s with an hours-long horseback ride to the mountainside ranch in New Mexico where Oppenheimer once lived. He continued over the next two decades as he accumulated tens of thousands of pages of research, from FBI files to private correspondence to interviews with those who knew Oppenheimer. Bird, whom he had befriended in the 1990s and eventually brought in to help, joked that Sherwin had come down with biographers disease, the inability to know when it was time to stop researching and begin writing.

Pulitzer judges cited Sherwin and Bird for their rich evocation of America at midcentury and called American Prometheus a new and compelling portrait of a brilliant, ambitious, complex and flawed man profoundly connected to its major events  the Depression, World War II and the Cold War.

Sherwin was also a popular teacher and lecturer who taught at Princeton University, George Mason University and, for much of his career, Tufts University, where he founded the Nuclear Age History and Humanities Center. At Princeton, he was an adviser to the author-journalist Eric Schlosser and mentored Katrina vanden Heuvel, now editorial director and publisher of the liberal weekly The Nation, for which Sherwin was a contributor.

Sherwins first book, A World Destroyed: Hiroshima and Its Legacies, came out in 1975 and was a Pulitzer finalist. The New York Times praised the book for its unprecedented scholarship on such questions as whether the U.S. needed nuclear weapons to defeat Japan in World War II (Sherwin contended President Trumans decision to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki was based more on intimidating the Russians) and why the U.S. chose not to share its nuclear development with the Soviet Union when they were World War II allies.

In the mid-1990s, Sherwin was among the advisers for a planned Smithsonian exhibit about the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Japan that was canceled after veterans organizations and dozens of members of Congress objected to what they considered an anti-U.S. bias. Instead, the Smithsonian only displayed the Enola Gay, the plane from which the U.S. dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima.

In the United States, the collective memory of World War II sees the war as our finest hour,' he wrote in a 2003 edition of A World Destroyed.

America without that image is unimaginable to most members of the generation that fought the war and to those in subsequent generations who have defined their view of the world and their political lives as a reflections of this image.

According to Kai Bird, he and Sherwin had been working on a proposal for a new book even though he was badly weakened by his cancer treatment. Sherwin wanted to tell the extraordinary but true story of a crew of B-29 bombers who were captured off the coast of Japan at the end of World War II and saved from execution by an English-speaking Japanese commander who brought them to Hiroshima so they could see for themselves the devastation from the recently dropped atom bomb.

He had been sitting on his story for a very long time, back to 1975 when he interviewed one of the B-29 crew members, Bird said. He was really excited about this, and Im trying to see if I can turn this into a book proposal. On the day he died he was editing that proposal. Even as his body was giving out, he was still interested and his mind was alert.

___

This story was first published Oct. 9, 2021. It was updated Oct. 11, 2021, to correct the name of a center he helped found at Tufts University to the Nuclear Age History and Humanities Center, not the Nuclear Age History Center.
MADISON, Wis.  Federal prosecutors announced Friday that they wont file charges against a white police officer who shot Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last year  a shooting that sparked protests that led to the deaths of two men.

Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake, who is Black, during a domestic disturbance in Kenosha in August 2020. The shooting left Blake paralyzed from the waist down and sparked several nights of protests, some of which turned violent. An Illinois man shot three people, killing two of them, during one of the demonstrations.

State prosecutors decided not to file charges against Sheskey earlier this year after video showed that Blake, who was wanted on a felony warrant, was armed with a knife.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched its own investigation days after the shooting. The agency announced Friday that a team of prosecutors from its Civil Rights Division and the U.S. attorneys office in Milwaukee reviewed police reports, witness statements, dispatch logs and videos of the incident, and determined there wasnt enough evidence to prove Sheskey willfully used excessive force or violated Blakes federal rights.

Accordingly, the review of this incident has been closed without a federal prosecution, the Justice Department said in a news release.

Blakes uncle, Justin Blake, called the decision unconscionable and said it definitely steps on every civil right we can imagine this country owes every African American descendant.

If we had a heart to be broken, it would be, he said. But because weve been through all weve been, were not.

The Justice Departments findings dovetail with Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveleys determination in January that Sheskey could successfully argue that he fired in self-defense.

Sheskey and other officers encountered Blake after they responded to a call from a woman who reported that her boyfriend wasnt supposed to be at her home. When they arrived at the scene the woman told them that Blake was trying to her kids and her SUV.

Blake fought the officers as they tried to take him into custody. Sheskey and another officer tried to shock him with their stun guns to no avail. Blake tried to get into the SUV with his young children in the backseat, prompting Sheskey to grab his shirt. Sheskey told investigators that he was afraid Blake would drive off with the children or use them as hostages.

Graveley said video shows Blake turning toward Sheskey with a knife and made a motion toward the officer with the knife, prompting Sheskey to fire.

The shooting came three months after George Floyd died while white Minneapolis police officers restrained him. Black Lives Matter supporters flooded downtown Kenosha for several nights, with some demonstrators setting fire to buildings and cars. Gov. Tony Evers was forced to call in the National Guard.

Kyle Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, answered a local militias call to protect Kenosha businesses from looters and vandals during the third night of protests. He ended up shooting Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz, killing Rosenbaum and Huber and wounding Grosskreutz in the arm. All four men involved were white.

Prosecutors have charged Rittenhouse with multiple counts, including homicide. He has argued that he fired in self-defense after the three men attacked him. Hes set to stand trial next month.

Conservatives frustrated with Black Lives Matter protests have rallied around Rittenhouse. They raised $2 million to cover his bail. Black Lives Matter supporters have painted him as a trigger-happy vigilante who made things worse in Kenosha by bringing a gun to the protests.

___

Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trichmond1

___

This story was first published on Oct. 8, 2021. It was updated on Oct. 10, 2021, to make clear that the Justice Department determined there wasnt enough evidence to prove the officer willfully used excessive force or violated Blakes federal rights.
TUCSON, Ariz.  A federal agent shot and killed while questioning a passenger on an Amtrak train in Arizona was remembered Friday as a venerated leader and mentor with an unparalleled work ethic.

Dozens of family, friends and colleagues filled Calvary Chapel in Tucson to honor Michael Garbo, a longtime Drug Enforcement Administration group supervisor.

He was part of a regional task force of DEA agents and local police inspecting baggage Monday at the train station in downtown Tucson when the shooting erupted. Officers were searching for illegal drugs, weapons or money in the car of a train from Los Angeles bound for New Orleans.

Authorities say a passenger opened fire on Garbo and another agent when they re-entered the car to question him, having been alerted to large packages of marijuana found inside a bag.

Garbo was pronounced dead at the scene. The other agent and a Tucson police officer suffered several gunshot wounds and continue to recover in the hospital.

DEA administrator Anne Milgram credited Garbos leadership for their survival.

It is why other members of the public  passengers and crew on that Amtrak train  were not harmed. I am so deeply grateful for Mike Garbos service, Milgram said.

The former Nashville police officer joined the DEA in 2005. His career as a special agent pursuing drug traffickers took him to Arizona, Afghanistan and then back to Arizona by 2011.

People from all levels of law enforcement echoed the same sentiments over and over, that everyone wanted to be like Mike. Current and former colleagues spoke of how Garbo always was the first one in and the last one out on an operation. Yet, as a member of a task force, he never tried to hog the spotlight.

He had an undying passion for arresting the bad guys, said Apolonio Polo Ruiz, Jr., assistant special agent in charge of the DEAs Phoenix Field Office. He never ever took sole credit for his successes. He would always tell me, No, it was my team that did it.'

Garbo was also eulogized as a devoted family man who lit up when talking about his wife and his teenage daughter.

I hope you will know that we know he did not serve alone. His sacrifice is your sacrifice, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in remarks directed to Garbos family. Today we honor a hero who gave his life in service of his country and his community. We will not forget him.

The passenger who fatally shot Garbo was killed in a gunfight with other officers. Another man seated with him was arrested for knowingly possessing and intending to distribute drugs.
Albuquerque police announced Sunday they arrested a man on suspicion of fatally shooting his older sister in July.

Steven Archuleta, 30, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Sunday morning on an open count of murder and tampering with evidence charges.

Catherine Sanchez, 32, was shot in the face and killed while sitting on a couch in her northeast Albuquerque apartment in July.

Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, said in a news release that detectives were actively investigating the shooting. But late Saturday night, Archuleta called 911 and said he wanted to turn himself in for killing his sister.

Officers responded to his home and took him into custody, Gallegos said.
Instagram Celebrity

The 'Dallas Buyers' Club' actor explains the reasons why he has a change of heart about the possibility of running for public office in his home state of Texas.

Oct 10, 2021

AceShowbiz - "Dallas Buyers' Club" star Matthew McConaughey is still not sure if he wants to run for governor in his home state of Texas.

The Oscar-winning actor has been weighing the pros and cons of throwing his hat in the ring and recently placed well ahead of Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in opinion polls.

However, Matthew still hasn't committed to running because he thinks politics is a "bag of rats" and believes his life "outside of politics" is better than it would be if he changed his career path.

"One side of the argument is, McConaughey, exactly. (The corruption is) why you need to go get in there," he said during an appearance on the New York Times' Sway podcast.

"The other side is, pfft, that's a bag of rats, man. Don't touch that with a 10-foot pole. There's another (reason not to run) - you have another lane. You have another category to have influence, and get done things you'd like to get done, and help how you think you can help, and even heal divides. Maybe it's much better outside of politics."

The "Dazed and Confused" star did not explain his stance on abortion but agreed that Texas' new extreme legislation that criminalises terminations after six weeks with no exception for victims of rape isn't a fair one.

"Yeah, now, the abortion - this new SB (Senate Bill) 8, six-week abortion ban - I'm not going to come out and tell you right now on this show, here's where I stand on abortion," he said. "We've been trying to figure out that, and how to play God with that situation, since the beginning."

"But this latest move by Texas? It's a... feels a little juvenile in its implementation to me," he said.

"And also, you know, how it ... doesn't really (allow for abortion in the case of) rape and incest, that's ... I got a problem with that. And also, six weeks. Six weeks? If you're saying that your discussion of abortion is even on the table to consider, six weeks does not really make that an honest consideration."
History Celebrity

The 'Star Trek' actor is expected to soon become the oldest person to go into space but he is actually scared about his upcoming travel with Jeff Bezos' crew.

Oct 10, 2021

AceShowbiz - William Shatner is "terrified" about becoming the oldest person in space.

It was confirmed earlier this week (ends10Oct21) that Shatner will be blasting off on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin flight, making him the oldest person to go into space.

In a panel at New York Comic-Con on Thursday, the "Star Trek" legend admitted he's feeling somewhat nervous about the trip.

"I'm thinking, 'I'm going up in a rocket' and our best guess is it should be fine?" he questioned. "I'm terrified. I'm Captain Kirk, and I'm terrified. I'm not really terrified - yes I am."

"It comes and goes like a summer cold. I'm planning on putting my nose against the window (once I'm in space) and my only hope is I won't see someone else looking back."

"I don't want to be the oldest guy to go into space," he quipped.

Shatner will be one of four passengers on the flight when it leaves on 12 October - two are paying customers and one is a Blue Origin employee, ABC News reports.

Blue Origin's first flight, with Bezos aboard, blasted off in July.

Shatner first played Star Trek's Captain Kirk on TV from 1966-1969. He has reprised the role in several films.

The actor will be part of the next take-off in the New Shepard capsule on 15 October (21). The space flight will reportedly be filmed for a documentary.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos first flew to space on July 20. He was joined by younger brother Mark among others. His travel to space came roughly a week after Virgin Galactic boss Richard Benson's similar trip.
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Mike Love and bandmates promise 'an unforgettable vacation' for fans who join their Good Vibrations Cruise which will feature performances by The Monkees and The Temptations.

Oct 10, 2021

AceShowbiz - The Beach Boys and The Monkees are hitting the high seas together for a 2022 cruise.

The Good Vibrations Cruise will also feature performances from soul icons The Temptations and comedian Joe Piscopo.

It will set sail from Miami, Florida to the Bahamas in March.

Announcing the news on Thursday (07Oct21), Beach Boys star Mike Love said, "I can't wait to celebrate 60 years of The Beach Boys' music on The Good Vibrations Cruise, setting sail this March."

"We're thrilled to be joined by legendary group, The Monkees; Motown greats The Temptations, who will perform their timeless hits; Joe Piscopo, who will share his special brand of humor; Hard Day's Night, who will do their tribute to The Beatles; as well as The Yacht Rock Revue, Surfrajettes, and special guest (Sugar Ray frontman) Mark McGrath, who will keep the party going."

"With endless music and activities, it's going to be an unforgettable vacation and we're so excited to share it with friends and fans old and new."

The gig came a week after the group celebrated the anniversary of their debut album "Surfin' Safari" in 1962.

While they haven't released a new album since 2012's "That's Why God Made the Radio", one of the original members Brian Wilson offered demos and rarities earlier this year.

Brian has been estranged from the band. Last year, he slammed the band as they were billed to perform at a hunters' convention. Brian also made it clear that he would not join the band when it's reported that they were booked for Donald Trump's fundraiser.
WENN Movie

The 'Grand Budapest Hotel' actor has been tapped for an upcoming stage production about the life of a real-life New York City power broker Robert Moses.

Oct 10, 2021

AceShowbiz - Ralph Fiennes will star as real-life New York City power broker Robert Moses in the world premiere of David Hare's latest play "Straight Line Crazy".

Performances begin 16 March 2022, with the show opening 23 March and running through 18 June at London's The Bridge theatre.

Described as "an account of the life of a man whose iron will exposed the weakness of democracy in the face of charismatic conviction," "Straight Line Crazy" tells the story of Moses, who for 40 years was called the "master builder" of New York.

Moses shaped the metropolis by creating parks, bridges and 627 miles of expressway until grassroots campaigns in the 1950s began to organise against his ideas of what a city should be.

The production will reunite Fiennes, Hare and director Nicholas Hytner, who also staged "Beat the Devil at The Bridge" last year (20).

"Beat the Devil", which was inspired by the playwright's experience contracting COVID-19 on the day the U.K. government went into lockdown, has been turned into a film, also starring Fiennes. It debuted on U.S. channel Showtime on 2 September.

Additional casting for the new play will be announced at a later date.

Ralph Fiennes' latest movie is the new 007 installment "No Time to Die" where he reprises his role as M.

He also released drama film "The Dig" in January this year and "The Forgiven" in September.

He will next be seen in period spy movie "The King's Man" and has been tapped for dark comedy thriller "The Menu".
Here's a look at nuclear nations.

Information about nuclear stockpiles varies from source to source. The information below is sourced to the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the US State Department.

Countries with confirmed nuclear weapons

China - 290 warheads, approximately 90 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

France - Approximately 290 warheads.

India - 150 nuclear warheads.

Pakistan - 90-110 nuclear warheads.

Russia - 1,444 warheads on 527 ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), and warheads designated for heavy bombers.

United Kingdom - Approximately 225 strategic warheads.

United States - 3,750 nuclear warheads.

Countries with unconfirmed nuclear weapons

Israel - Suspected to have enough plutonium for 100-200 nuclear weapons.

North Korea - Has conducted at least six nuclear tests since 2006. Claimed, in 2017, to have successfully conducted their first test of an ICBM.

Countries suspected of developing nuclear weapons

Iran - World powers, including the United States, want to curb Iran's nuclear program to keep it from developing a nuclear bomb. For more details on Iran's program, visit Iran's Nuclear Capabilities Fast Facts.

July 14, 2015 - After 20 months of talks, negotiators finalize a landmark nuclear deal between Iran, the United States and five other countries. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) states "Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will (it) ever seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons." The agreement, which has a 15-year time frame, requires Iran to reduce its centrifuges by two-thirds. It also bans enrichment at key facilities. In exchange, the country will get relief from economic sanctions and permission to continue its atomic program for peaceful purposes.

May 8, 2018 - US President Donald Trump announces that the United States is officially withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.

Countries that have the ability to build nuclear weapons, but claim not to have any nuclear ambitions

Japan - On November 30, 2006, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso stated that Japan possesses the knowledge and ability to produce nuclear weapons but has no plans to do so.

Countries that have abandoned nuclear weapons or weapons programs in recent years

Belarus - Still has a civilian nuclear research program.

Kazakhstan - Although it inherited nuclear warheads after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan transferred the inventory back to Russia.

Ukraine - After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine had the third largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. The weapons were transferred back to Russia.

South Africa - Became a non-nuclear weapons state in 1991.

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When Matt and Kelly Moreland welcome people out to their farm in Cass County, they want it to be a place that celebrates the history of farming and the ideas people have about farm life. Matt Moreland says their agritourism operation, called Red Barn Ranch, embraces that farm heritage.

We try to be everyones vision or picture of grandpas farm, he says.

Red Barn Ranch started as a u-pick pumpkin patch, and grew into a variety of activities, including a petting zoo, playground equipment built out of farm materials and live music on some days. Moreland says the farm has six buildings built from 1918 to the early 1930s, and it is a diversified farm.

We are a working farm, he says. I raise cattle, hogs, corn and soybeans, and of course I grow the pumpkins.

Moreland says he didnt set out to have an agritourism venture, but it grew into one.

We sort of got into this accidentally, he says.

He bought a farm in the area where his family farms, and it had several 3- to 5-acre paddocks that had been part of a rotational grazing operation.

Moreland took some fences out, but he thought about what to do with the paddock closest to the house. He didnt want cattle right in the backyard, and it seemed like a fairly small area to be turning around large modern planting equipment. He is involved with the Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Farm Bureau, and he remembered talking with other farmers about how growing pumpkins was a good option for small acreages.
So, what is going on in the Ahwatukee real estate market? Is the bubble going to burst?
https://www.aish.com/tp/i/gl/Lots-Spiritual-Downfall.html

Bereishis, 13:14: And Hashem spoke to Avraham after Lot parted company from him.

Rashi, 13:14, Dh: Acharei: The whole time that that evil man [Lot] was with him, Prophecy was separated from him

The Torah tells us that after leaving Egypt, Avraham and his nephew, Lot, were both laden with great wealth and large flocks of animals. However, a dispute arose, whereby Lots shepherds reasoned that it was permitted to graze their flocks on the land of other people in the Land of Israel. Their flawed reasoning was based on the rationalization that God had given the land to Avraham and Lot was his sole inheritor, so he could already benefit from the land. This was incorrect because Avraham had not yet inherited the land, thus their actions constituted stealing.

Avrahams shepherds rebuked Lots shepherds because of this and as a result, discord reared its head. In order to prevent the dispute from developing further, Avraham suggested that Lot separate from him. Lot acquiesced and moved to the evil, but prosperous land of Sodom. The Torah then says that God spoke to Avraham, after Lot had parted company from him. The Midrash Tanchuma1, cited by Rashi, states that these seemingly superfluous words are coming to teach that Avraham did not receive Prophecy while Lot was with him, because Lot was considered to be an evil man and God would not speak to Avraham while this nefarious person was present. However, the problem arises, that earlier God spoke to Avraham while Lot was with him2!

The commentaries answer that at that earlier time, Lot was considered righteous, so God did speak to Avraham even though Lot was with him. However, by the time Lot separated from Avraham, Lot had spiritually deteriorated and was now on the level of a wicked person. Accordingly, from then on, God would not speak to Avraham until he separated from Lot. The obvious question is what happened that caused Lots spiritual descent?

Rabbi Shimon Shwab3 answered this question based on an insightful inference in another verse in the Parsha. The Torah tells us that during the war between the four Kings and he five Kings, the victorious four Kings kidnapped Lot: And they took Lot and his possessions, the nephew of Avram, and they left4. The grammatical construction of this verse is difficult to understand  the words, the nephew of Avram, seems to be misplaced. It would have seemed to make more sense to write: And they took Lot, the nephew of Avram, and his possessions. Why do the words, and his possessions separate between Lot and his description as Avrahams nephew?

Rabbi Schwab suggested that the construct of the verse is hinting to us what was the underlying cause of the separation between Avraham and Lot  Lots possessions. Lots money is what separated the two relatives, not only in this verse but in their entire outlook on life as well. And when did this separation take place? When Avraham and Lot left Egypt laden with great wealth. The very next verse tells us about the unethical activities of Lots shepherds, which were surely influenced by their master, Lot. This teaches that Lots acquisition of wealth was the direct cause of his spiritual deterioration. His love of money caused his shepherds to find weak rationalizations to justify thievery. Moreover, it was the cause of his fateful decision to move to Sodom, because of its rich pastures: As Rabbi Yissachar Frand expresses it:

It seems that after accumulating a little money, Lot wanted to go live the good life. Lot moved to Sodom. What kind of person would do that? Imagine if a person was living together with his righteous uncle in Monsey or in Baltimore and he suddenly decided to move to Atlantic City. What kind of person would do that? What happened? The possessions  thats what happened. Lots wealth went to his head. His desire to live the good life drove him off the straight and narrow path of Avraham.

The example of Lot reminds us of the all-too-common phenomenon that acquisition of money causes a spiritual decline. When a person acquires material possessions, he may well become more concerned with acquiring more money, and he will forget that the source of his success was not his own efforts, rather Divine Providence. This was very apparent in the case of Lot.

When the Torah tells us that Lot had gathered great wealth, the Sages explain that this was purely in the merit of Avraham, and that Lots mere proximity to such a righteous man caused him to receive blessing. Yet Lot did not internalize this message, and use it to become closer to Avraham. Instead, it caused him to think he could gain wealth by acting in a dishonest manner, as demonstrated by his shepherds stealing land. And, instead of trying to stay close to Avraham, he chose to live in the place that was the polar opposite of everything Avraham represented  Sodom  in order to gain even more possessions. And what was the final result of his choice? He lost all his possessions when Sodom was destroyed.

We have seen that when a person acquires wealth, he is at great risk of spiritually deteriorating and of resorting to dishonest and spiritually damaging actions in order to maintain his wealth. May we merit to use our material possessions in a way that brings us closer to God.
https://www.aish.com/tp/ss/ssw/Lech-Lecha-5782-Nobel-Prize-Surprise.html

GOOD MORNING! What is it about the Jewish nation that makes it so unique? Of course, there are many ways to approach this question and various people will interpret both the whats and the whys differently. In truth, to really understand what Judaism and the Jewish nation are all about one must go back and examine its origins.

This week's Torah portion opens with the Almighty speaking to Abraham. While the Torah introduced Abraham at the end of last weeks Torah reading, the first conversation between the Almighty and Abraham takes place in this weeks reading.

It is interesting to note that, while there were many others prior to Abraham with whom God spoke, Abraham alone is considered the first Jew. Why is Abraham considered the first Jew?

Abrahams focus was different from those who preceded him  he made it his mission to spread the message to the world that there is a compassionate and immanent God who is the driving force behind everything in existence.

Abraham, whose original name was Abram, was born into an idol worshipping family. Not only that, the family business was selling idols! According to our sages, even at a young age Abram recognized the truth of a monotheistic God. Eventually, God changed Abrams name to Abraham in recognition of his having taken on the responsibility of spreading his understanding and knowledge of God to the rest of the world.

This weeks Torah reading begins with: God said to Abram, Go away from your land, from your birthplace, and from your fathers house, to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you great. You shall become a blessing [] All the families of the earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:1-3).

In honor of this weeks Torah reading I have decided to compile a partial list of blessings that have come to the world through the Jewish people.

In 1888 Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist, engineer, and industrialist most famously known for the invention of dynamite, was quite astonished to read his own obituary titled The Merchant of Death is Dead in a French newspaper. It was actually Alfreds brother Ludvig who had died, but it triggered a deep concern as to how he would be remembered. He therefore specified in his will that his fortune be used to create a series of prizes for those who confer the greatest benefit on mankind in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace (the prize for economics was added in 1968). Upon his death in 1896, the Nobel Prize was born. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901.

The Nobel Prize is significant; aside from instant worldwide recognition and professional acclaim, the cash prize is worth almost $1,200,000.

(As I am writing this column, I just got a pop-up on my screen that the 2021 winners are being announced and I am once again reminded that nothing in life is a coincidence.)

By way of introduction and as a broad overview, I will begin by pointing out that between 1901 and 2020, 209 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to those of Jewish descent (though in a handful of cases only the father was Jewish). This accounts for about 23% of all Nobels awarded, far more than any other ethnicity.

(This does not include this years winners because as of the writing of this column the complete list of winners has not yet been revealed. Of the names that have been announced at least one is Jewish  David Julius  co-winner in the category Physiology or Medicine).

When one considers that the Jewish nation makes up only about one quarter of one percent of the worlds population it becomes an even more startling figure. In other words, Jews outperform their population ratio by a multiple of almost one hundred times.

By no means is the Nobel Prize the final word on personal achievement or proper recognition for the greatest benefit to mankind. There have been many whiffs. Albert Einstein never received recognition for his theory of relativity even though he had been nominated many times (though he later received one for his explanation of the photoelectric effect  which introduced the concept of photons).

Doctors Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin (both Jews) never received a Nobel Prize for one of the greatest contributions to medicine in the 20th century  their development of the vaccine for polio. They were nominated twice and lost both times. It has been said that when they were nominated a third time they asked that their names be withdrawn from consideration. (Though Jonas Salk never won, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has trained five Nobel Laureates.)

There are several other shocking blunders  something is obviously very wrong when Yasser Arafat wins the Nobel Prize for Peace, especially when one considers that the 20th centurys greatest icon for the pursuit of peace, Mahatma Gandhi, never won. The fact that he was nominated five times and lost each time merely magnifies this stupefying omission. Leo Tolstoy, regarded as one of the greatest authors ever, also never won.

Two other Jews, Edwin Teller, considered the father of the hydrogen bomb, and Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as the father of the atomic bomb, also never won a Nobel Prize. Whatever one thinks of those bombs, just consider what might have happened had Russia (or, of course, Germany) discovered them first.

The fact that only about 5% of the Nobel Prize winners have been women also indicates a longstanding bias of the Nobel Committee. There have been many glaring omissions of worthy women including Lise Meitner (born Jewish) who was one of the discoverers of nuclear fission. Though she was nominated 19 times she never won. She does, however, have an element on the Periodic Table named after her  109 known as Meitnerium.

Of course, there are many Jews who have contributed to the betterment of humanity who dont fit into the narrow criteria needed for a Nobel Prize. Here again, I present a very partial (and very subjective) list of notable Jewish contributors:

Laszlo Biro, a Hungarian Jew, invented the ball point pen; Sigmund Freud and Victor Frankl must be recognized for their breakthroughs in psychoanalysis and psychology. Siegfried Marcus invented the gas driven car. The famous actress Hedy Lamarr patented spread spectrum, which is what allows for wireless communication. Arthur Eichengrun invented aspirin (though the German company Bayer has yet to recognize it). Claude Levi-Strauss (not the guy who invented jeans  though he probably wished he had) is considered the father of modern anthropology.

More recently, Sergey Brin and Larry Page (co-founders of Google) are both Jewish. Michael Bloomberg, who was estimated by the NY Times as contributing over $700 million of his own money to the city of New York during his tenure as mayor, is also Jewish. WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum and Oracle founder Larry Ellison are also Jewish. (Try as I might I cannot add Mark Zuckerberg to this list, as I does not consider Facebook, on the whole, much of a net contribution to society. Ben and Jerrys founders who have prominently and shamefully supported their former companys BDS stance on Israel are also off my list.)

In fashion, Estee Lauder, Revlon, Faberge, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Guess, Gap, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, and many others were all founded by Jews. So were toy companies Hasbro, Mattel, and Toys R Us. Morris Michtom invented the Teddy Bear and Ruth Handler created the Barbie Doll.

Perhaps most importantly, Haagen-Dazs, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks are all brought to us by Jews.

Lech Lecha, Genesis 12:1 - 17:27

The Almighty commands Abram (later renamed Abraham) to leave Haran and go to the place that I will show you (which turned out to be the land of Canaan  later renamed the Land of Israel). The Almighty then gives Abram an eternal message to the Jewish people and to the nations of the world, I will bless those who bless you and he who curses you I will curse. Finding a famine, Abram travels to Egypt asking Sarai (later renamed Sarah) to say she is his sister so they wont kill him to marry her (the Egyptians were particular not to commit adultery...so they would kill the husband instead).

Pharaoh evicts Abram from Egypt after attempting to take Sarai for a wife. They settle in Hebron (also known as Kiryat Arba) and his nephew Lot settles in Sodom. Abram rescues Lot  who was taken captive  in the Battle of the Four Kings against the Five Kings.

Entering into a covenant with the Almighty (all covenants with the Almighty are eternal, never to be abrogated or replaced by new covenants), Abram is told that his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years and that his descendants (via Isaac not Ishmael, through Isaac will offspring be considered yours (Genesis 21:8)) will be given the land from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Sarai, childless, gives her handmaid Hagar to Abram for a wife so that he will have children. Ishmael (the grandfather of our Arab cousins) is born. The covenant of brit mila, religious circumcision, is made (17:3-8), God changes their names to Abraham and Sarah and tells them that Sarah will give birth to Yitzchak (Isaac). Abraham circumcises all the males of his household.



http://www.aish.com/sh/c/ The human brain is the only natural resource that Israel possesses.

 Dr. Aaron Ciechanover, 2005 Nobel Prize co-winner (chemistry) and Israeli citizen



Dedicated in loving memory of



Isaac and Nieves Olemberg two special people greatly missed in our community



 Jeremy and Lissete Goldstein
To many observers, our Southern border policy is wrong-headed, our Afghanistan withdrawal was a fiasco, and the Democrat partys $3.5 trillion, 2,500-page budget "reconciliation" is egregiously unwise as well as too long and obscure.

Nick Miroff reported in the Texas Tribune that one frustrated ICE official said that they are abolishing ICE without abolishing ICE.

Further, the statements of our top generals and of the president are riddled with lies and evasions about Afghanistan. The generals all said to Congress that their memoranda recommended that 2,500 soldiers be left in Afghanistan as we transitioned out, but none would say that he actually said those words to the president. Each of those sycophants said they would not repeat their actual conversations with the president. It is embarrassing for any ethical citizen to hear these words of equivocation. These mealy-mouthed individuals are top multi-star generals. Incredible.

The citizen may get the impression from the above lies, mistakes, and equivocations that the Democrat party in Congress and the executive branch are unwise, incompetent, or excessively ideological.

However, this writer believes it would be more accurate to say that the intent of the majority party and of our president is to sabotage the U.S.A., to destroy our stability and economic viability, to weaken our military to the point that it becomes ineffectual, to produce social chaos and instability within our borders, and to disrupt the prosperity of the vast majority of the citizens.

In these ways, the poor will become poorer, the middle class will sink into poverty, and the rich, laughing all the way to the bank, will be regularly kissing the elbows of the Democrats and Republicans with bribes of money and gifts. The disrupted lives of the citizens will breed fear, mutual distrust (breakdown of community  already begun with remote learning and remote workplaces), and a vulnerability that makes our society more susceptible to tyrannical rule. Freedom will be increasingly suppressed and, in many areas of the country, it seems likely that martial law will be invoked.

This picture of the purposeful decline of the U.S.A. is paralleled in the New Testament by the fall of Babylon. Babylon can be a symbol of a great society, or a powerful nation or consortium of nations, or of an empire that collapses as part of the judgment of God because of its wickedness. It does not have to be a one-time event. The fall of Rome in the 5th century was a fall of Babylon. The Holy Roman Empire, established in the 9th century, also disintegrated. The Spanish Empire was extensive, but after the Spanish fleet was destroyed as it mobilized to attack Great Britain, the glory of Spain throughout the world began to fade. By the 19th century, Spanish control of South America began to wane, and by 1901, the Spanish presence in North and South America as well as in the Philippines was part of the past. That was another fall of Babylon.

The British Empire was extensive in the 17th through the 20th centuries, only to collapse gradually in North America, Africa, India, China, and only the Commonwealth remained as a relic of the extended power that once was held by Great Britain.

America is the latest Babylon attempting to be the protector of the entire world and by our marketing, military might, and commercial genius, to dominate the world. Yet, this article would proclaim that the time of our diminishment and destruction as a modern Babylon has come. The leaders of our country are dismantling the country. We are not merely seeing some unwise policies being implemented or advanced. We are imploding.

Tyrants in both parties hope to increase the potential for tyranny by the government, and thereby enhance the power and control of the ruling elites of the Democrat party (with the concurrence of the Republicans who want to go along to get along).

What are some indications that America is a Babylon and that we are falling?

Endless deal-making and subversion of ethical principles have marked the life of our country during the past 50 years. The People's Republic of China was allowed to join the World Trade Organization in the 1990s despite Chinas criminal and perverse adherence to communism. This admission to the WTO was to allow multinational companies and U.S. companies to take advantage of Chinas cheap labor for purposes of manufacturing and also to have access to the largest national market in the world. The fundamental value differences between Chinas communism and the American free market and constitutional liberalism were set aside for the so-called win-win economic potential of letting China be a partner in trade and enjoying Most Favored Nation status for many goods.

Hubris and Self-Glorification. Here we see the greed and arrogance of American self-indulgence. Women are killing their unborn children because they want to avoid the economic burdens of raising a child or will have less time to enjoy their lives. Those unwanted pregnancies are paying the price for their own lack of self-control. Sixty million dead is bringing the wrath of Almighty God on this country.

A Smokey Demise. The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her when they see the smoke of her burning. (Revelation 9:1) The New Testament is clearthere will be many signs of Babylons demise, but the coup de grace will be a burning, a hellish event that will be the culmination of the projected decline. Our present leaderships poor administration is bringing about a radical decline in the order of society, of our wealth, and our moral stability, and the consequences of this sabotage will produce the desired dramatic decline with the resultant increase in tyranny. But the unique culmination of this process of destruction is a fiery event so dramatic and so uniquely destructive that the Babylon already brought to its knees will never be able to recover. Perhaps this will be some kind of nuclear event that will seal the permanent non-recovery of our declining society?

The wheels of prophecy have been set in motion and we are moving down this road. We can only pray for mercy in the midst of this socio-political debacle, and show compassion for our fellow suffering citizens as we find ourselves radically sinking.

Photo credit: Screenpunk CC BY-NC 2.0 license

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Mark Fisher's Capitalist Realism was a joy to listen to and it cost me $5. The reason I bring up the $5 is because Mark Fisher charged me this even though he hates capitalism. Or his left-wing publisher charged me this. Either way, I got the book and they got my money.

That communists and socialists are almost always participating in capitalism has become kind of a stale joke at this point; and authors such as Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Slavoj Zizek, the latter who inspired this book with "it is easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism," have been making a living telling us how rotten it is making a living. This level of hypocrisy has no historical comparison. It's as if all the followers of Jehovah could only worship Him at the altar of Ba'al, or as if the only way to fight racism was to pick a race and demonize it into submission.

The question is, why? Why is it that every socialist and communist and every pie-in-the-sky utopian finds himself taking part in the very thing he claims to hate? They all argue that until the system is smashed, they have to. But I posit that what they call capitalism isn't a system or an ideology at all, but a series of assumptions we all take for granted and that if we questioned them seriously, we'd all end up killing each other within weeks.

These assumptions are that, in order to survive,

1) A person ought to have something that he has a right to use at any time, and that this "something" is known as his property.

2) That everybody else is excluded from using it unless he gives them permission to.

3) That he can give it away if he wants to, and he can also trade it for something somebody else owns, and

4) That people who take what isn't theirs are dangerous and worthy of persecution.

Once you accept these four general positions, you're a full-fledged capitalist. You can refuse them, of course, but that means war -- a hellish uncertainty where everything you think you own can be taken at any minute (a state known as anarchy), or a world where somebody else decides what little you get to have and thus everything you get to do (a system commonly known as slavery).

Thus, I posit there is no "system." There is no conspiracy. The "system" exists in every single one of us at every single moment and comes into play whenever two people, who think of the future and plan on living happily for a bit, are forced to interact with each other.

The leftist rails "the system" because all leftism is an attack on systems. If leftism blames the underclasses for their own failures it turns into conservatism. So like the average moron criminal or deadbeat environmentalist, the leftist puts all the blame on everything but himself: the more faceless the enemy, the more abstract, the further removed from his own personal needs and choices, the better. He accuses everyone else of the things he won't quit, because he won't and can't quit them. He's worse than cursed with Original Sin: he's effectively his own devil.

Still, Capitalist Realism is a fun read for several reasons. He writes about marketers who capitalize on the sacred,

The power of capitalist realism derives in part from the way that capitalism subsumes and consumes all of previous history: one effect of its system of equivalence which can assign all cultural objects, whether they are religious iconography, pornography, or Das Kapital, a monetary value. Walk around the British Museum, where you see objects torn from their lifeworlds and assembled as if on the deck of some Predator spacecraft, and you have a powerful image of this process at work.

He adds,

Capitalism is what is left when beliefs have collapsed at the level of ritual or symbolic elaboration, and all that is left is the consumer-spectator, trudging through the ruins and the relics.

Apart from the fact that others' beliefs, unless we adopt them, can only rise to the level of either a curiosity or a threat, he apparently never read Ayn Rand, or at least her speech pertaining to the meaning of money. He believes that putting a dollar price on something cheapens it when we used to put sheep on it, or the deed to a house on it -- in short, that most everything material does have an exchange value, and that when money is gone, people rank things in ammo, or bar soap: not a rise in value or a heightening of sentiments, but a drop in both convenience and precision.

He also ignores the fact that many things can't be bought with money: that few are willing to sell their children, or sell a kidney, or even keep a job when they'd rather tell the truth; and that if many people are selling relics or American flag boxer-briefs or turning George Floyd into a talking pull-string doll, there are many believers who are disgusted by these sales and won't touch them -- that sacredness may be commercialized to everyone except those who consider things sacred. The man who reveres something pays for it not with cash, but with attendance, prayer, dancing, singing, penance, tithing, submission, and acts of outright sacrifice. He can live for it, but he can never own it. It owns him.

He further quotes Badiou about why capitalists gloss over the sins and abuses of capitalism:

To justify their conservatism, the partisans of the established order cannot really call it ideal or wonderful. So instead, they have decided to say that all the rest is horrible. Sure, they say, we may not live in a condition of perfect Goodness. But were lucky that we dont live in a condition of Evil. Our democracy is not perfect. But its better than the bloody dictatorships. Capitalism is unjust. But its not criminal like Stalinism. We let millions of Africans die of AIDS, but we dont make racist nationalist declarations like Milosevic.

Fisher adds,

The realism here is analogous to the deflationary perspective of a depressive who believes that any positive state, any hope, is a dangerous illusion.

What he ignores here is the rock-bottom fact that having your family tortured and dying in a Gulag is objectively worse than being poor and having a shitty boss, and that everything you choose to do in life involves pain anyway. The question isn't whether to get rid of all pain, but which pain you prefer to the others. You either suffer at the gym or you suffer from being fat. You suffer reading the news or you become it. To dream of a world without suffering isn't idealistic but stupid; and the great spiritual enemy of the socialist isn't the capitalist, but the Buddhist: the man who realizes goods in evils and evils in goods, and has made up his mind for the latter.

To hope for perfection is to damn yourself to failure. It's to consign yourself to a lifetime of disappointment and frustration. The man who aims for everything will enjoy nothing. Thus, the capitalist hasn't thrown away hope: he's achieved it. He lives in a state of constant exchange and thus possibility. He has, in his possession, the thing the man in Venezuela, in North Korea, in Communist China -- in the Soviet gulag -- dreams about.

So much can be said for chapter 1, and I encourage anyone interested in thinking to rent it -- but not before buying Ayn Rand's For the New Intellectual. Property should be spent on people who respect it. Borrow Marxists' books from the library -- or follow their lead and steal them.

Jeremy Egerer is the author of the troublesome essays on Letters to Hannah, and he welcomes followers on Twitter, and Facebook.

Image: Zero Books

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Conservatives generally dont respect Mitch McConnell and for good reason, but he sure did this country a favor blocking Merrick Garlands Supreme Court nomination. It turns out, the soft-spoken Attorney General carries a huge stick labeled domestic terrorists that he isnt afraid to wield against average Americans to deprive them of a slew of civil rights.

To exact his pound of flesh from Trump and his supporters, Garland willingly abandoned the very principles that originally won him Obamas support:

Trust that justice will be done in our courts without prejudice or partisanship is what, in a large part, distinguishes this country from others. People must be confident that a judges decisions are determined by the law, and only the law. For a judge to be worthy of such trust, he or she must be faithful to the Constitution and to the statutes passed by the Congress. He or she must put aside his personal views or preferences, and follow the law -- not make it. Fidelity to the Constitution and the law has been the cornerstone of my professional life, and its the hallmark of the kind of judge I have tried to be for the past 18 years. If the Senate sees fit to confirm me to the position for which I have been nominated today, I promise to continue on that course. [Emphasis added.]

But instead of fidelity to the Constitution, Garlands fidelity is to the power accorded him as Americas chief law enforcement officer. He comports himself as a rank partisan, places targets on his political enemies, and uses the full power of his office to track them down and lock them up. His June 2021 National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism provided his DOJ with a roadmap for cracking down on constitutionally-protected speech and assembly, and the legitimate airing of grievances from a handful of individuals who rioted for a few hours on January 6th.

Nonetheless, Garlands emphatic that his latest edict isnt about ideology, but violence: Espousing a hateful ideology is not unlawful. We do not investigate individuals for their First Amendment-protected activities. Moreover, safeguarding our countrys civil rights and liberties is itself a vital national security imperative. Compared to other parts of the world, there is no place for partisanship in the enforcement of the law [and this] Justice Department will not tolerate any such abuse of authority.

But Garland is all talk. The strategy hes put into practice involves targeting individuals precisely because of their ideology, support of Trump, and concern about election integrity. The disparate treatment of the January 6th attendees compared to BLM/Antifa rioters is further evidence of a strategy based more on persecution for beliefs than prosecution for misdeeds.

Throw in placing National Guardsmen and fences around the Capitol for months, lies about who died because of the riot, and withholding the identity of the Capitol police officer who murdered Ashley Babbitt, and it should come as no surprise that First Amendment liberties are on life support.

The DOJs assault against free speech became indisputably obvious on October 4th when Garland called on the FBI and US attorneys to investigate parents speaking out at school board meetings against Critical Race Theory and LGBTQ+ curricula and vaccine/mask mandates. Garland acted the National School Board Associations vague, unsubstantiated allegations that parents were threatening school board members and their request that the DOJ invoke the Patriot Act against parent-citizens who might be domestic terrorists committing hate crimes. The man who would be a Supreme Court justice issued his statement without investigating the legitimacy of their claims, inserting the federal government into what falls squarely within state and local jurisdiction.

Nothing does more to destroy participation in the political process and self-governance at the local level than indulging the NSBAs fantasies. It doesnt just chill First Amendment rights; it puts them into a deep freeze. The only thing being threatened is the NSBAs misperception that school boards have a monopoly over our childrens educations. Just as the People are the ultimate check on authoritarian government run amok, Parents are the ultimate check on authoritarian schools run amokand on Democrats, the teachers unions, and school boards drunk with power and flush with funds dont like that.

All of this makes simply laughable Garlands professed commitments to refrain from investigating First Amendment-protected activities, safeguard civil rights, act non-partisan, and prevent abuses of authority within the DOJ.

In fact, when it comes to abusing authority, we now know that Garland is a pro. Hes targeting parents with no evidence of actionable threats to local school boards and enlisting the FBI to investigate them for First Amendment-protected activities because, it turns out, he has glaring conflicts of interest.

His son-in-laws company, Panorama Education, has a $2 million contract with Fairfax County schools in Virginiawhere parents have been pushing back against CRT and LGBTQ+ curricula and vaccine/mask mandates. With funding from Mark Zuckerberg, Panorama data mines students and collects their psychometrics using SEL screens that monitor the social and emotional learning of students, and provides schools with culturally responsive training.

Jerry Dunleavy explains that Panorama pushes race-focused surveys and conducts trainings on systemic oppression, white supremacy, unconscious bias, and intersectionalityall under the rubric of Social-Emotional Learning. The schools are legally allowed to share student data (are you feeling sad or gender fluid today?) with Panorama staff because they are designated school officials.

After a deep dive into this arrangement, Fairfax mom Asra Nomani explains that Zuckerberg and the Garlands are data mining childrens most intimate emotionsand supposedly help [them] deal with the mental health issues Zuckerberg helped manifest as Frances Haugen recently testified about before Congress.

Allowing government schools and a company that uses educational programs as a vehicle for social justice and equity, to monitor the social and emotional welfare of children without parental input or knowledge is the stuff of scary sci-fi novels. Garland cannot separate his familys financial interests from the outcome of an investigation into the parents. If the DOJ successfully silences the Fairfax parents, Panorama and Garlands daughter benefit; they lose if the parents succeed.

Thats not Garlands only conflict of interest. His wife advises government and non-profit groups on voting systems security and accuracy issues. Leading a national campaign to punish people as domestic terrorists for questioning election integrity at a rally on January 6th, when his wife financially benefits as a consultant on election integrity, is the definition of a conflict or at least the potential for one.

When nominating Garland, Obama commented on his dedication to protecting the basic rights of every American; a conviction that in a democracy, powerful voices must not be allowed to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. Obama recounted this story:

As valedictorian of his high school class, [Garland] had to deliver a commencement address. The other student speaker that day spoke first and unleashed a fiery critique of the Vietnam War. Fearing the controversy that might result, several parents decided to unplug the sound system, and the rest of the students speech was muffled. And Merrick didnt necessarily agree with the tone of his classmates remarks, nor his choice of topic for that day. But stirred by the sight of a fellow students voice being silenced, he tossed aside his prepared remarks and delivered instead, on the spot, a passionate, impromptu defense of our First Amendment rights.

Where is that Merrick Garland? Focused on self-enrichment, partisanship, and spite? Instead of being a staunch defender of ones right to express beliefs others might disagree with, Garland has become the embodiment of all he warned against: A partisan enforcing the law and one who abuses his authority by unplugging the sound system to muffle the viewpoints of parents, Trump supporters, Biden opponents, and citizens concerned about the integrity of our electionsa powerful voice drowning out the voices of everyday Americans.

Image: Merrick Garland (edited in befunky). Rumble screen grab.

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I watched Dave Chappelles latest Netflix special The Closer the other day. His previous special Sticks and Stones, I think, was smoother and more entertaining. The Closer, while not his best work, did give Dave Chappelle the platform to discuss who, at heart, he truly isa comedian. Thats his tribe, to use his words, regardless of race or gender. His segment on his trans friend and budding comedian Daphne Dwarman was heartwarming.

His jokes over the past little while regarding identity as it is being played out in our culture have been shocking, hilarious, sometimes cringe-worthy, profane, and a true dig at our foundations. Chappelle gets in his licks and forces one to consider the comparisons he is drawing.

Before my friends think I have fallen into a pit of intellectual depravity, earlier in the day I listened to Jordan Peterson discussing Hierarchies, Inequality, and the BIG 5. Twice, in fact, to make sure I caught his nuances.

Dave Chappelle has been a comedian of the blue variety for a long time. Those who are disturbed by raunchy stories, profanity, words normally viewed as derogatory in reference to race and sexuality, acknowledged drug use, and discussions of private bedroom activities might be happier avoiding his routines.

As for those offended by his riff, if you cant stand the heat get out of the comedy club. Taking advantage of Chappelles fame, a transgender woman named Jaclyn Moore is tweeting and Instagramming. She has been interviewed by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, and is finding some fleeting fame of her own.

Criticizing Chappelles blatantly and dangerously transphobic content, this White executive producer, writer, and co-showrunner on the Netflix Black-oriented comedy Dear White People has decided to stop working for Netflix as long as they keep promoting and profiting from this. Given that Dear White People has aired its final season, one wonders whether her time at Netflix had already come to an end when she made this announcement.

Jaclyn Moore talked about worrying at night if I can get home safe due to her transgendered status. My first thought on reading this was Welcome to my world, buddy. If Moore really wants to be treated as a woman, shed better get used to having everything about her scrutinized, weighed, and measuredher appearance, the time of day shes out and about, the places she can be and travel through, and her mode of transportation all are examined for vulnerabilities.

If shes truly a woman, she will do this automatically, and eventually unconsciously, for herself. Though we do not choose it, we are seen as prey by a subset of humanity. Survival depends on avoiding known risks and maintaining constant awareness.

But then I read an article she wrote this past summer for GQ in which she acknowledges that, as a woman, her body in public is treated as public property; everyones to be evaluated or admired or hated. Thats nothing to do with being transgendered.

She mentions having beer bottles thrown at her and being called the f word. Context, please. Was this post-transition? Were these drunk idiots? Had a crowd just left a Dave Chappelle show? She complains about being catcalled on the streets of New Orleans. Well, duh!

How do these experiences compare with the experiences of Jack Moore who was a gay sex worker pre-transition? Our fears are informed by those dangers we encounter. First-hand encounters are much more powerful than second-hand hearing or reading about them. Gay sex workers live in a world of emotional, psychological, and physical hurt. Undoubtedly, Moore has brought this body of anguish forward into her transitioned persona.

Shes unhappy with Chappelles comedy special but, when pressed by the Variety journalist, declares she supports free speech and says Chappelle should do what he wants. She says that Netflix has a problem here but demurs from responding concretely when asked what should be done, even when given several examples to choose from.

A little more than a week ago, Moore tweeted Sex workers are just better than other people. Sorry civilians. She also tweeted that she has a fun nudes account that others can follow. And The thing about depression is I have it.

Per Jaclyn Moore [Dave Chappelle] talks about our feelings being hurt. My feelings are fine Jordan Peterson says that women are more sensitive to negative emotions than men. Bit of a disconnect there.

Ms. Moore identifies as a bi-sexual girl. Sounds about right. Girls are immature. Children naturally engage in attention-seeking behavior that declines as they grow up. Its time for Jaclyn Moore to cowgirl up, take better care of herself, and become a self-actualizing adult. She would probably benefit more from therapeutic counseling than mining fame by criticizing a celebrity.

Anony Mee is a retired public servant. Female Is A Fact, another article she wrote about transgenderism, can be found here.

Image: Jaclyn Moore. YouTube screen grab.

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As Joe Biden's public approval tanks in the polls, his sidekick Kamala Harris is also looking pretty wretched.

She underwent 'repackaging' from swamp consultants who specialize in "crisis messaging," to very miserable results as she posed for videos with kids, coming off phonier than ever.

And more important, she may have been frozen out of all serious decision-making as an obviously giggling lightweight.

There's this item, reported by Fox News:

Several top members of the Biden administration were in Mexico City on Friday for a meeting with Mexican officials regarding security along the U.S.-Mexico border. But Vice President Kamala Harris wasn't among them. Harris, whom President Biden appointed in March to manage the U.S. response to the migrant crisis along the border, went to New Jersey instead. Attending Friday's high-level talks in Mexico's capital were Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. Ken Salazar, a former U.S. senator from Colorado who now serves as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, also attended. "Today's High-Level Security Dialogue marks an important new phase in the US-Mexico security partnership," Mayorkas tweeted Friday. "We will work together under a new framework to guide our joint efforts, and work toward our shared goals of security and prosperity for our two nations."

Those are heavy hitters, and they have a multipronged agenda with Mexico. They'll be talking about extradition treaties, migrant arrangements, gun-running, and how to fix up Central America so its citizens will want to live there. CNN has a report on the agenda to be discussed in these high-level talks. Harris is Biden's border czar, and somehow, she's not important enough to be there.

PJMedia columnist Rick Moran argues that Harris may be skipping out of this heavy-hitter meeting basically because she's so lazy, which is one possibility.

But the other one is that she was disinvited. The big boys have moved in and pushed Instagram-obsessed Kamala aside as a nuisance who'll get underfoot.

I lean to 'disinvited' at this point, given various circumstances.

One, on Sept. 9, according to an Associated Press report, Harris actually was the one who announced the high-level talks, surely implying she would be in them.

WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States and Mexico restarted high-level economic talks Thursday after a four-year pause as top advisers to presidents Joe Biden and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador expressed eagerness to make headway on issues important to both nations such as infrastructure, trade and migration. The talks were launched by Biden in 2013 when he was vice president under Barack Obama but were halted under President Donald Trump, whose hard-line immigration policies complicated the United States relationship with its top trade partner. Vice President Kamala Harris opened Thursdays meeting with brief remarks in which she sought to emphasize the Biden administrations desire for warmer relations, referring to the Mexican delegation as our friends, our partners. She also stressed the importance of improving relations in a moment when dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, cyber threats and supply chain disruptions are high priorities for both nations. We are very excited about this next stage of the relationship and partnership between the United States and Mexico, said Harris, who visited Mexico City in June for talks with Lopez Obrador. Mexico is our closest neighbor  and a strategic partner and one of our most important economic relationships. Mexicos economic stability is in the interest of the United States.

Now comes the meeting, and somehow no Harris. The one name that appears to have been added since the original announcement of all those heavy White House cabinet hitters is that of Attorney General Merrick Garland, which is interesting, given that Biden is so pleased with him for doing his bidding. The other two bigs, Mayorkas and Blinken, are also favorites of Biden, given their Susan Rice-like capacity to lie and state with a straight face that black is white.

But Harris is nowhere to be found in that meeting that she gushed all about to the AP in that September report. She's out visiting daycare centers in New Jersey, a first lady's job, seemingly filling in for the actual first lady, who's been seen behind the chief executive's desk.

Two, the meeting agenda most certainly does address what Harris called the "root causes" of illegal immigration. According to the Associated Press's Oct. 7 report:

Lopez Obrador said Thursday his government would continue to press the United States to increase investment in poor countries during the meetings. Mexico's president is scheduled to meet Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland. For months, Lopez Obrador has used every opportunity to press the U.S. to address the root causes of migration, especially from Central America. It is a priority shared by the Biden administration with Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of exploring what the U.S. could do. The immigration phenomenon, the immigration problem has to be addressed by creating opportunities for work, well-being in the places where the migrants originate so that before they leave those towns and abandon their families, risking it all, they have the option to work and be happy where they were born, where their people are, where their cultures are, Lopez Obrador said. That is our focus.

Wasn't "root causes" what was in Kamala Harris's wheel-well? Her staff issued a cursory report in late July on the matter, supposedly after a ton of research, which included failed meetings with Mexico's and Guatemala's leaders, and a cursory visit to the El Paso border with Mexico, where the migrant crisis is relatively insignificant.

She's not going to be in Mexico City to discuss root causes among the heavyweights at a time when it matters.

Worse still, she actually presented work on supposedly drawing in foreign investment to Central America through her own "Call to Action" initiative with a private group partnership with apparently two employees based on LinkedIn profiles called Partnership for Central America. At the time that was announced, it appeared (to me at least) to be a Potemkin maneuver, given the paucity of job-creating investments on offer and the tiny number of corporations (just 12) willing to step onboard.

As late as Sept. 5 or 6, they were crowing about this work:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Ajay Banga, Executive Chairman of Mastercard and Board Member of the Partnership for Central America (PCA) and Jonathan Fantini Porter, PCA's Executive Director, about their work in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and applauded their efforts to increase private sector investment and improve livelihoods in the region in partnership with the Department of State, USAID, and other agencies. The Vice President shared her vision for the Root Causes Strategy and the Call to Action she announced in May, updates from her trip to Guatemala and Mexico in June, and discussed ways to continue working together. In addition, they also discussed her trip to Singapore and Vietnam.

As of today, the website shows ... no apparent actual work. No extra corporations have signed on in all these months despite their call for them to join, and nothing on the website has been updated since late July. What happened to that? Was it all just for show?

Now the Big Boys of the Biden administration are taking the investment issue into their own hands, and neither Kamala nor her stagnant investment group of still-12 corporations seems to be needed.

To be sure, Moran's theory that it's Kamala who's shirking her duty is a possibility, too. He lays out a very trenchant reason here:

But clearly, Harris has her own agenda and it doesnt include taking the responsibility for the political tar baby at the border. As Bidens position as president erodes and the murmurs of a health issue grow, Harris wants to be ready to answer the call no matter when it comes.

But on the other hand, Harris is known to have annoyed the president of Mexico on her phone calls and in-person meetings -- to the point of which he apparently released 16,000 Haitian migrants to the Texas border to teach the Biden administration a lesson. CIS National Security Fellow Todd Bensman broke that story, and I commented about that as AMLO's revenge for something, here. Could Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador have done the disinviting of Harris, given how she annoyed him earlier, not wanting a flyweight pol unwilling to do her homework to waste his precious time? That also seems possible.

Her bad relations with Jill Biden are yet another possibility for the reason as to why she's out.

Whatever the case, Kamala seems to be kicked to the curb. Some border czar she is, not allowed into the big boy room where there's no giggling or Instagramming allowed. When the big talks come, and the policy decisions are made, she's (unlike what Joe Biden says) not even allowed in that room.

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0

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-Satire-

BLM has introduced Critical Race Theory to capitalize on the oppression of Blacks. As a Jew, I ask, why not apply it to the millennia of suffering and repression (including slavery) that we have endured?

Anyone who is not Jewish is an anti-Semite and must pay reparations for your guilt.

You must grovel to me for 3,000 years of anti-Jewish guilt.

Preference for jobs must always be given to Jews first to compensate for your historic racism.

This subject must be taught on every campus, in every boardroom, to the military, and in every church and mosque.

This must be taught in every school where children must be shamed for not being a Jew and must go home and blame their parents for being anti-Semites.

I demand a personal apology from every non-Jew on the planet and reparation payment for the damage caused to me and my people.

Unlike BLM, I have historical evidence that anti-Jewish racism is not confined to white folk. It also includes black, brown, Muslim, Christian, Catholic, Communists, Marxists, Nazis, Arabs, Romans, Greek, Egyptians, Syrians, Iraqis, Jordanian, Lebanese. Babylonians, Philistines, Palestinians, Lebanese, Iranians, Germans, Poles, Italians, Brits, French, for starters

In short, the only ones not guilty of anti-Semitism seem to be Japanese, but I am still checking them out...

Graphic credit: Ted Eytan CC By-SA 4.0 license

Barry Shaw, The View from Israel.

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Seattle, more than many American cities, vigorously embraced the Defund the Police movement. Last year, the Seattle City Council began the process of defunding the police and its been continuing ever since, relentlessly slicing away at the citys police budget. Crime has risen accordingly and people are making noises about getting the police back. However, the radicals have a new arrow in their quiver to reduce the number of police in their city. An October 18 deadline is looming to fire those police who have refused the vaccination and, with only a week to go, roughly 40% of the police force is still unvaccinated.

Since George Floyds diseased heart gave out thanks to overdosing on meds and fighting the police, Seattle has been one of those cities that has most enthusiastically sought to rid itself of its police force. Even the fact that the little autonomous zone known as CHAZ instantly turned into warlord hell didnt deter the council from its mission.

In August 2020, the City Council cut the police force budget by $3.5 million and, instead, put the money into community public safety programs. That was by a 7-1 vote. The only person holding out wasnt doing so because its crazy to leave a big city without a police force. Instead, Kshama Sawant felt that the budget cut wasnt big enough. It was certainly big enough for Police Chief Carmen Best, who promptly resigned. Ironically, this was just months after Sawant and Teresa Mosqueda, another council member, had insisted that the police do their job after a shooting in CHAZ.

By November, the council was again slashing the police budget, this time by 18%. Some of this was done by transferring police services (911 call takers, parking enforcement, etc.) into a different, more funded section of the budget. Still, the police suffered. Just last month, the council again voted to trim down the police budget. Within a year, the force lost 335 officers and detectives.

According to Neighborhood Scout, Seattle is now one of the most dangerous cities in America, with a crime index of 4, with 100 being the safest number. This isnt surprising because, after just half a year of budget slashing, 2020 brought to Seattle the highest homicide numbers it had seen in over a quarter-century, with homicides increasing by almost 50%. Police now take over 60 minutes to respond to calls.

In 2020, King County, in which Seattle is located, gave 60.7% of its votes to Biden. Only slightly fewer voted for Democrat Jay Inslee for governor. In House District 7, Pramila Jayapal, a hard-left progressive, got 84.6% of the votes. Jenny Durkan, the current Seattle mayor, who presided over CHAZs short-lived summer of love, won in 2017 with 56.25% of the votes. Seattle voters seem inclined to want Bruce Harrell as their next mayor. Although hes a progressive, he does not support defunding the police.

Even if Harrell wins, though, the issue may be moot. The radicals prayers may be answered, not by budget cuts, but by vaccine mandates:

Seattles already depleted police department is bracing for another setback. The city is poised to fire as many as 403 officers, about 40 percent of the 1,000-person force, for failing to take the COVID-19 jab by an Oct. 18 deadline, according to local reports. The environment has been pretty toxic and negative, an unnamed officer told Fox 13 News. Not just from this whole mandate, but prior to that as well. Im not sure this would be a good place for me to work long-term for my mental health. It has been very stressful. A total of 292 officers had yet to provide proof of COVID vaccination as of Oct. 6, the station reports. In addition, 111 officers are awaiting the results of exemption requests, said Seattle PD spokesperson Sgt. Randy Huserik.

H.L. Mencken said, Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. While Im desperately sorry for the sane Seattle residents who are trapped in an increasingly insane city, nothings going to change unless (to switch metaphors) the progressives chickens come home to roost. Until store shelves are bare, cars are stripped to their rims and frames, houses need to be barred up like prisons, and no one is safe on the streets, the progressives will continue their headlong dash into anarchy.

The really important thing is that, when the fecal matter hits the fan and really starts flying, sensible people had better be ready to put a local police force in action. Otherwise, theyre going to find themselves subject to a new Seattle branch of the FBI and be under the DOJs politicized surveillance in perpetuity.

Image: Seattle police (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab.

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Over the last few months, as COVID brought classrooms into American homes, parents learned that their children are being taught Critical Race Theory (i.e., Whites are evil; Blacks are pathetic) and magical thinking about gender, as well as being forced to wear masks that dont protect against disease, but do interfere with childrens health, learning, and socialization. Their vigorous complaints saw the National School Board Association suggest theyre domestic terrorists and Merrick Garland answer the call. We learned, too, that Merrick Garlands son-in-law, through his company, Panorama Education, sells CRT materials to public schools. And yesterday, it turned out that Panorama is also spreading material calling Trump and his supporters white supremacists.

Alexander Xan Tanner, a very White man, is married to Merrick Garlands daughter. Tanner co-founded Panorama Education, which purports to provide a data platform that delves into students psychosocial issues in order to help schools intervene in problems and improve the school climate. In a word, its creepy. The company, of course, insists that its all about diversity:

We believe Panorama is strongest when our team reflects the tremendous diversity of the students, families, and educators we serve. We aim for Panorama to be a place where team members from a wide range of identities and experiences are valued, included, and able to thrive. In our partnership with clients, we work to increase equitable access to education, especially for students from communities that have been historically underserved by Americas schools.

Yeah, right.... Go to the linked webpage and look at the employee picture. Its a sea of White faces with a small number of racial minorities among them. All these people, obviously, have used their White privilege to deprive BIPOCS of career opportunities and, according to their own values, should be ashamed of themselves. Still, these privileged White employees feel competent to assure school districts that theyll help fix racial inequities on campus.

The company is doing more than pushing the racist obsessions of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It also tells public school districts across America the vile lie that Trump and his supporters are white supremacists:

An education company co-founded by Attorney General Merrick Garlands son-in-law issued a resource for teachers this year that claims supporters of former President Donald Trump are White supremacists. The educational workshop released by Panorama Education, co-founded by Alexander Xan Tanner, the groups president, revolves around systemic racism and includes an article as a resource that states the Ku Klux Klan and attendees of Trumps rallies are both examples of white supremacy. The 2021 workshop in question from the group, titled SEL as Social Justice: Dismantling White Supremacy Within Systems and Self, includes a portion of resources for teachers, one of which links to a Medium article titled How White Supremacy Lives in Our Schools, written by Altagracia Montilla, a self-described freedom-dreamer, facilitator, and strategist committed to dismantling oppressive systems. In the article, Montilla wrote, The rise in images of overt white supremacy in the media feeds into the confusion about white supremacy. While the Ku Klux Klan and MAGAs at half-empty Trump rallies (not that these are mutually exclusive groups) are in fact examples of white supremacy, they are not the only examples. The article also said murderous police officers were examples of White supremacy and claimed White supremacy is everywhere, pertinent and pervasive, woven into the fabric of our society and reflected in every institution and organization in the U.S. including schools. One of the purposes of listing characteristics of white supremacy culture in schools is to point out how schools consciously or unconsciously use these characteristics as their standards making it difficult, if not impossible, to open the door to other cultural norms and standards, Montilla claimed, listing Perfectionism, Worship of the Written Word, Paternalism, Defensiveness, and Right to Comfort as school practices that act as antidotes to white supremacy culture in schools. Montilla went even further in the piece, claiming that schools only celebrate students who adapt or conform to ideals that are rooted in White supremacy. The reality is while schools may say theyre invested in diversity and equity, they really only celebrate students who adapt or conform to the cultural norms rooted in white supremacy, the Panorama Education approved resource stated. Naming and identifying the characteristics of white supremacy culture in schools so we shift from accepting these characteristics as norms towards recognizing them as destructive  is the first step to working toward building schools that value all students.

Merrick Garland shouldnt be allowed anywhere near questions about whats happening in Americas public schools. His conflict of interest is overwhelming, given that his daughters financial well-being is dependent on peddling the same racist material Americas parents, both Black and White, rightly find deeply offensive. Add in the racist partisan attacks and Garland can only be seen as further politicizing an office that exists to serve all Americans, not just Democrats.

Image: Merrick Garland (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab.

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I believe that theres a word for a situation in which munitions are fired across an international border aimed at troops defending that border. It is a war. Fox News Bill Melugin  the preeminent journalist on the story of our southern border  captured video of tracer rounds at night coming across the Rio Grande and the taunts that accompanied them.

Fred T. of The Right Scoop summarizes:

Armed carter members with AK-47s have stood on the opposite side of the Rio Grande from National Guard troops and taunted them, Melugin reports. They have racked the slides on their guns and have yelled to them in Spanish oh we should just shoot you soldiers.' Incredibly rare to see direct gunfire from a machine gun going into the U.S. like that, says Melugin.

This video is only one minute long and worth watching:

Tracer rounds visible just above the horizon (YouTube screengrab, cropped)

The automatic weapons fire directed at National Guard soldiers is not coming from the armed forces of Mexico, but rather from the cartels that constitute the de facto governing force of major parts of Mexico. If Donald Trump were still in office, I have no doubt that he would be on the phone with Mexican President Lopez Obrador telling him that either Mexico ends the attacks on the United States or he will. Yes, that would involve weapons like predator drones or fighter aircraft (A-10 Warthogs can unleash hell on anything on the ground) or even artillery. And no, it would not be an attack on the sovereign nation of Mexico but rather on terror groups it is unable or unwilling to suppress. President Trump would explain this and no doubt would first offer the President of Mexico the role of ending the attack.

But retaliation for this attack on our sovereign territory and our armed forces has to be done. A failure to respond invites more and bigger attacks. Thats statecraft 101.

The odds that President Biden will even be aware of this situation are slim, as his puppet masters know that he is incapable of dealing with complex issues.

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Vermonts RINO Governor has been hailed as having saved the state from the scourge of COVID by leading the nation in high vaccination rates, but now the boondoggle of bunk COVID science is home to roost in the Green Mountains -- the state has the highest rate of infection nationally. The layers of COVID fog are starting to clear, as reality eclipses the fantastic lies of the government and medical establishment.

Initially, Americans were told that natural immunity from COVID-19 was unlikely for those already infected. Now, it turns out it is the vaccines that wane -- 76% of Vermont COVID-19 fatalities from breakthrough infections are among the first vaccinated. It appears the shots dont last: [ a ]ntibody levels generated by two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can undergo up to a 10-fold decrease seven months following the second vaccination, research suggests. But meanwhile, [t]he immune systems of the vast majority of people who have been infected with the CCP virus will continue to carry antibodies against the virus for at least 12 months, according to a peer-reviewed study accepted by the European Journal of Immunology on Sept. 24.

Dr. Joseph Mercola and Ronnie Cummins published a remarkable book warning Americans about various COVID lies, titled The Truth About COVID-19. Many months before the current epidemic of the vaccinated, this book explained that the touted effectiveness of these vaccines was a sham:

Vaccine Effectiveness Vastly Overstated. In early November 2020 Pfizer sent the stock market soaring when it announced that analysis of clinical trial data showed the efficacy of its vaccine was more than 90 percent. Soon after, an efficacy rate of 95% was announced. Moderna boasted similar success with a 94.5 percent efficacy rating in its clinical trials. However, the definition of efficacy is not being discussed. (p.129)

The authors then explain that ...while Pfizer claims its vaccine has a 95 percent efficacy rate, this is the relative risk reduction. The absolute risk reduction is actually less than 1 percent. ...[ C ]urrent trials are not designed to tell us whether the vaccines will actually save lives. And if they don't, are they really worth the risks that might be involved?... Nor do the trials tell us anything about the vaccines ability to prevent asymptomatic infection and transmission (pp. 130-131).

The breakout cases in Vermont and around the world appear to prove this books claims, yet Americans were told by Dr. Fauci that 99% of those dying from COVID-19, and 97% of hospitalizations, were of the unvaccinated. If that were ever true, it is clearly not the case now. The unvaccinated are being discriminated against for a disease spread easily by the vaccinated, who walk around with less than 1% protection while falsely believing they are 95% protected! Writes one histrionic (bunk science) post:

COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 and also reduce the likelihood of mild or asymptomatic infection. As a result of lagging vaccinations and the more infectious delta variant, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are on the rise again.

Instead of seeking corrective science, those worshipping vaccines seek to silence those sharing the truth: Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff have publicly pressured Amazon to reduce sales of The Truth About COVID-19. In Vermont, a rabid attack by a supposed media outlet named Seven Days against the publisher of the book, Chelsea Green Publishing, has been especially vicious -- as if discrediting publisher Margo Baldwin for personality issues alleged by a disgruntled former employee negate this important books clear warnings. Seven Days seeks to silence scientific discourse, and perpetuate the vaccination of Vermonters with ineffective vaccines!

The CDC continues to report to Americans that the vaccines are hunky-dory:

Based on evidence from clinical trials in people 16 years and older, the Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) vaccine was 95% effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 in people who received two doses and had no evidence of being previously infected. All FDA-approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines provide substantial protection against COVID-19 hospitalization.

Vermonts current explosion in COVID infections -- despite being the most vaccinated population in America -- reveals scientifically that bunk science has been used to lie to citizens. The Associated Press reported:

Nearly all COVID deaths in the U.S. now are in people who werent vaccinated, a staggering demonstration of how effective the shots have been and an indication that deaths per day -- now down to under 300 -- could be practically zero if everyone eligible got the vaccine

Vermonts current experience proves this narrative is grotesquely false.

Scientific truth is prevailing against lies and unscientific chicanery. The great threat to America is not the COVID-19 virus, but those manipulating facts to control others.

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Simon Coveney has questioned if the UK wants a breakdown in relations with the European Union in a late night Twitter spat with Brexit negotiator David Frost.

Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister was responding to reports of a speech Lord Frost is preparing to give in Portugal in Tuesday, in which he will make removing the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Northern Ireland a red-line issue.

The speech will come a day before the EU is expected to produce far-reaching plans to resolve issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, which prevents a hard border in Ireland, but has led to economic barriers between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Brussels has indicated it will provide solutions on the flow of chilled meats and medicines into Northern Ireland from the UK, but has ruled out removing the oversight role of the ECJ.

1. I prefer not to do negotiations by twitter, but since @simoncoveney has begun the process the issue of governance & the CJEU is not new. We set out our concerns three months ago in our 21 July Command Paper. The problem is that too few people seem to have listened. https://t.co/Y7DDdgu0pC  David Frost (@DavidGHFrost) October 9, 2021

Late on Saturday night, Mr Coveney tweeted: EU working seriously to resolve practical issues with implementation of Protocol  so UKG (UK Government) creates a new red line barrier to progress, that they know EU cant move on. are we surprised?

Real Q: Does UKG actually want an agreed way forward or a further breakdown in relations?

Responding, Lord Frost said: 1. I prefer not to do negotiations by twitter, but since @simoncoveney has begun the process the issue of governance & the CJEU is not new.

We set out our concerns three months ago in our 21 July Command Paper. The problem is that too few people seem to have listened.

2. We await proposals from @MarosSefcovic. We will look at them seriously & positively whatever they say.

We will discuss them seriously and intensively. But there needs to be significant change to the current situation if there is to be a positive outcome.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic announced last week that the EU is preparing to table very far reaching proposals to address issues that have arisen with the protocol.

Maros Sefcovic during a press conference at the Crowne Plaza hotel, Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA)

He said the proposals, which will focus on customs, medicines, animal checks and representation for Northern Ireland politicians in the EU, carried a political risk because of threats by the UK Government to trigger Article 16, which would override much of the protocol.

I sincerely hope that it will be seen as such by our UK counterparts and they engage constructively in our discussion, because I think we have to move from the tough political rhetoric, from the threats we hear all the time, down to the business that actually solves the problems he said.

But Mr Sefcovic firmly ruled out removing the role of the ECJ.

He said: To be quite honest, I find it hard to see how Northern Ireland would stay or would keep access to the single market without oversight of the European Court of Justice.

Do we want to deprive the people of Northern Ireland of this tremendous opportunity, this huge advantage? Do we want to do that?

Lord Frost will use his speech on Tuesday to insist the ECJ is removed.

The EU now needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol head on he is expected to tell the diplomatic community.

The commission have been too quick to dismiss governance as a side issue. The reality is the opposite.

Brexit minister Lord Frost responded to Mr Coveney on Twitter (PA)

The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and the consequent inability of the UK Government to implement the very sensitive arrangements in the protocol in a reasonable way has created a deep imbalance in the way the protocol operates.

Without new arrangements in this area, the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive.

A UK Government source threatened that Britain would trigger Article 16 of the protocol if the EU proposals amount to tinkering around the edges.

The protocol was negotiated to avoid a hard border with Ireland, by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the EUs single market for goods.

But unionists have been pressuring for it to be scrapped because of the trade barriers it has created on products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.

Lord Frost will also this week share a new legal text with the European Commission to propose the foundation for a new protocol to support the Good Friday Agreement.
A 50 million cash injection is being made by Liberty Steel, which will safeguard hundreds of jobs in the UK.

The announcement, affecting its plant in Rotherham, is part of a wider restructure of GFG Alliance, Libertys owner, which was forced to seek funding when its key lender, Greensill Capital, collapsed.

The cash will allow the Rotherham plant to reopen after being closed since spring.

Jeffrey S Stein, chief restructuring officer, said: Im pleased to report a significant advance in GFG Alliances global restructuring.

The debt restructuring we have agreed for Liberty Primary Metals Australia gives the business clarity and stability and secures a clear recovery plan for creditors.

The funding we are injecting to Liberty Steel UK puts it in a strong position for business transformation and debt restructuring.

The next stage in our global refinancing will be in Europe where a significant number of new lenders are expressing interest in refinancing our steel assets.

Jeffrey Kabel, chief transformation officer, said: The injection of 50 million of shareholder funds into Liberty Steel UK is an important step in our restructuring and transformation.

It will help to create sustainable value, ensure that Liberty has the ability to raise and deploy capital quickly in the UK and enable our businesses to demonstrate their potential and agree long-term debt restructuring.

NEWS: GFG Alliance agrees debt restructuring for LIBERTY Primary Metals Australia and injection of 50m of new funding to relaunch Rotherham (UK) production. For more read here: https://t.co/ZfjDI0dY6I pic.twitter.com/mGLtosD7hD  LIBERTY Steel Group (@LibertySteelGrp) October 10, 2021

Sanjeev Gupta, executive chairman of GFG Alliance, said: Through the hard work and determination of our team, our Australian integrated operations are now profitable and performing the best they have for many years.

The deal we have agreed today provides a stable financial platform for our LPMA business and secures a recovery plan for Credit Suisse Asset Management and Greensill Bank following the collapse of Greensill Capital.

Id like to thank all our stakeholders  government, union representatives, customers, suppliers and of course our employees and the local community  for the support theyve shown GFG Alliance as we managed our way through the challenges created by the Greensill collapse.

At the same time GFGs injection of funding to restart the Liberty Steel UK operations is an important step on our road to creating a sustainable UK business.

It will allow time to prove the operations can run efficiently which will enable us to finalise longer debt restructuring.

The plan highlights the progress we have made since Greensills collapse and has secured the support of both creditors and unions.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union, said: This news is well overdue, but its an important step in the right direction and demonstrates that GFG can raise funds for the UK.

Huge challenges remain but the workforce is ready to get back to making the best steels money can buy, and the 50 million injection will enable us to restart steelmaking. The Government must play their part and act now to protect our industry from the consequences of soaring energy prices.

Other European countries have already acted, and Britains steelworkers want to know why our politicians are sitting on their hands. Brexit was supposed to make it easier for the Government to back British industry and British jobs, but were just seeing the same old hand-wringing and excuses for doing nothing.

Local MP and Labours shadow defence secretary John Healey said: This is a breakthrough after months while Liberty workers have been left in limbo.

Liberty is at the heart of steelmaking in Rotherham, and weve been holding our breath for the working capital to restart production.

But 50 million wont be enough for long, so full long-term refinancing for Liberty UK now needs to follow rapidly from the deal for Liberty Australia. Only then will Rotherham breathe more easily.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said on Twitter: Hugely welcomed news. Now the Government needs to play its part and commit to use British steel in its infrastructure projects & addressing the high business rates and energy costs.
The UK Government needs to nurse businesses through the energy crisis by providing support, the SNPs Westminster leader has said.

Ian Blackford compared comments made by UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng playing down the possibility of extra help for business to Margaret Thatcher.

The SNP MP warned that not providing support for firms as wholesale energy prices rise will affect everyone.

Speaking on BBC Scotlands The Sunday Show, Mr Blackford said: Government has to recognise it has a responsibility to nurse businesses through this, to provide short-term support.

If we end up in a situation, for example, where steel production stops in west central Scotland that helps nobody.

So weve got to make sure that companies have got the assistance they need in the short term while we get through this.

If not, were all going to pay a price because were going to end up with higher unemployment, were going to end up with supply constraints; were ending up in a situation, by the way  and the real worry I have out of this  is that inflation is now increasing.

The Bank of England and the Government have been slow to react to this; were now seeing wage inflation  in fact the Prime Minister is encouraging wage inflation. That runs the risk that we end up with higher inflation for longer and the consequences of all of that.

It is a serious problem.

Earlier, Mr Kwarteng, asked on the BBCs The Andrew Marr Show if he is going to give extra help to energy-intensive industries, like steel, said: Were looking to find a solution.

Told that that sounds like a yes, the minister replied: No, that doesnt sound like yes at all. We already have existing support and were looking to see if thats sufficient to get us through this situation.

He added: Ive been very clear were not going to bail out failing energy suppliers.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng was questioned on the energy crisis (Victoria Jones/PA)

On being informed of the Business Secretarys position, Mr Blackford told The Sunday Show: This is like Thatcher all over again, isnt it?

Asked if the Scottish Government will provide support for businesses if the UK Government does not, the SNP MP said energy policy is reserved to Westminster but the Scottish Government will do all it can.

Questioned whether the Cambo oil and gas field off Shetland should be developed, Mr Blackford did not answer directly but said the Scottish Government has taken the correct decision in asking for the licensing decision to be reassessed.

He added: Lets drive down demand so we dont need fossil fuels. Until we get to that point, it would make more sense for us to use our domestic resource rather than importing.
More than 1,000 people got into small boats and made the dangerous trip across the English Channel to the UK in two days despite temperatures dropping following the end of summer.

After 10 days in which no crossings were possible due to bad weather, at least 40 boats managed to reach Britain on Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, the UK has been urged to keep its word by a French minister who claimed none of the 54 million it promised France to help tackle migrant crossings has been paid.

Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said not one euro has been paid, following his visit to Dunkirk on Saturday.

Home Secretary Priti Patel recently threatened to withhold the funding unless more people were stopped from reaching the UK.

A young girl is helped by a Border Force officer as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Since the start of the year, more than 18,000 people have succeeded in reaching the UK on board small boats, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

A flurry of crossing attempts on Friday saw 624 people reach the UK  the fourth highest daily tally on record during the current crisis.

Crossings continued on Saturday with at least 491 people, including children, arriving in Britain after making the perilous journey.

The figures were confirmed by the Home Office on Sunday morning, as the Border Force was once again active in the Channel.

More people were seen arriving in Dover on Sunday as crossings continued for a third day in a row.

A young girl wearing a pink jacket was seen being helped to put on woolly hat by a border official in the port, one of a number of children who have made the dangerous crossing in the last few days.

Thousands of people have continued to cross from France in 2021 despite the UK pledging to send millions of pounds to the French authorities to tackle the crisis.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers (Gareth Fuller/PA)

For now, not one euro has been paid, Mr Darmanin told the Associated Press on Saturday.

We are asking the British to keep their promises of financing because we are holding the border for them.

He also called on Britain to take measures to reduce its attractiveness for migrants without residency papers, without elaborating.

Asked about Mr Darmanins comments on Sunday, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News: Well, all I can say is that we have worked very effectively with the French government so far.

Weve had 300 arrests, weve worked with them to do that, there have been 65 convictions, and we both accept that there are something like 13,500 crossings that have been prevented through our working together, so it is a good collaborative relationship and we obviously want to improve that.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said Ms Patel needs to come clean over her strategy to tackle small boat crossings.

He told Sky News the fact that more than 1,100 people crossed to the UK in just two days across Friday and Saturday shows that withholding money from France clearly isnt working.

More than 1,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Friday and Saturday (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Dan OMahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander for the Home Office, said: The Government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings using every tool at our disposal, at every stage in the journey.

Working with police and international partners, there have been nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions related to small boat criminality, and our targeted efforts have prevented more than 13,500 migrant attempts so far this year.

But this is a complicated issue requiring changes to our laws. The Governments New Plan for Immigration provides a long-term solution to fix the broken system and deliver the change required to tackle criminal gangs and prevent further loss of life.

Also on Sunday, a charity which observes migrants arriving in small boats across the English Channel said the consequences of using controversial pushback tactics could be horrific.

Kim Bryan, from Channel Rescue, said in the last two weeks her group had spotted, from the cliffs of Dover, Border Force officials practising a pushback using jet-skis.

What they seem to be doing is pushing the boat from the stern and from the bow, and I guess the idea is theyre going to push them back into French waters, Ms Bryan told BBC Breakfast on Sunday.
Actress Katie McGlynn has become the second celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.

The Hollyoaks star and her professional partner Gorka Marquez found themselves in the dance-off against comedian Judi Love and Graziano Di Prima during movie week.

However the judges voted in favour of Loves Charleston to When Youre Good To Mama from movie-musical Chicago over McGlynns American smooth to Cruella De Vil from the latest 101 Dalmatians film Cruella.

Gorka Marquez and Katie McGlynn (Guy Levy/BBC)

Motsi Mabuse said: I think this is getting tougher and tougher every year, it was so close, it was a really hard decision to take, but I am just going to go with the overall positive picture which was more dance intensive, so I am going to go with Judi and Graziano.

Craig Revel Horwood said: Well I think both couples did really well and improved in the dance-off itself, but there was one couple for me who shone brighter in the performance, and that is Judi and Graziano.

Head judge Shirley Ballas also voted to save Love and Di Prima, after Anton Du Beke was the only judge who voted to keep McGlynn and Marquez for another week.

(PA Graphics)

Following her elimination, McGlynn said: I have absolutely loved my time, I am so happy I got to be Cruella and dance with this amazing guy, I have loved every second of it.

Thank you for being an amazing partner, we have laughed so much, and I get to walk away with an amazing friend.

Thanks so much for teaching me in your funny ways, we have had so much fun.

Marquez added: I have loved it, the love that she has for the show.

I think talking for myself and all the pros, when we come to the show, it isnt just about someone who can dance, it is someone who wants to learn, who wants to improve, and makes us love what we do, and makes our job enjoyable and easy.

Thats what I had with Katie and I will never forget this experience, its been incredible.

John and Johannes, The Pirates of the Paso Doble have just stolen the show!  #Strictly@jojo_radebe pic.twitter.com/uEHr9PAEWm  BBC Strictly  (@bbcstrictly) October 9, 2021

During Saturdays programme Great British Bake Off star John Whaite topped the leaderboard with a paso doble inspired by Pirates Of The Caribbean.

Alongside dance partner Johannes Radebe, he was scored 39 by the judges  the highest score of any dance from the series so far.

Saturdays episode was the most watched of the series so far after an average of 8.5 million viewers tuned in.

It achieved a peak viewing figure of 9.1 million with a 48.5% share of the television audience.

Last week actress Nina Wadia became the first celebrity to be eliminated from the programme.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
French president Emmanuel Macron says the 26 pieces of art from the Dahomey Kingdom will be returned to Benin in an effort to make up for previous wrongs

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that his country will return 26 African artworks  royal thrones, ceremonial altars, revered statues  to Benin later this month, part of Frances long-promised plans to give back artwork taken from Africa during the colonial era.

Discussions have been under way for years on returning the artworks from the 19th century Dahomey Kingdom. Called the Abomey Treasures, they currently are held in the Quai Branly Museum in Paris. The museum, near the Eiffel Tower, holds thousands of works from former French colonies.

Macron said the 26 pieces will be given back at the end of October, because to restitute these works to Africa is to give African young people access to their culture. It remains unclear when exactly they will arrive in Benin.

Wooden royal statues of the Dahomey kingdom, dated 19th century, at Quai Branly museum in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

We need to be honest with ourselves. There was colonial pillage, its absolutely true, Macron told a group of African cultural figures at an Africa-France gathering in the southern city of Montpellier. He noted other works already were returned to Senegal and Benin, and the restitution of art to Ivory Coast is planned.

Cameroon-born art curator Koyo Kouoh pressed Macron for more efforts to right past wrongs.

Our imagination was violated, she said.

Africa has been married to France in a forced marriage for at least 500 years, Kouoh said. The work (on mending relations) that should have been done for decades wasnt doneIts not possible that we find ourselves here in 2021.

A sweeping 2018 report commissioned by Macron recommended that French museums give back works that were taken without consent, estimating that up to 90% of African art is located outside the continent. Some other European countries are making similar efforts.

Three years later, few artworks have been returned. To facilitate the repatriation of the Abomey Treasures, Frances parliament passed a law in December 2020 allowing the state to hand the works over and giving it up to one year to do so.

The Africa-France meeting Friday was frank and occasionally heated. Macron, who is trying to craft a new French strategy for Africa. met with hundreds of African entrepreneurs, cultural leaders and young people.

Frances President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the New Africa-France 2021 Summit on Oct. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Speakers from Nigeria, Chad, Guinea and beyond had a long list of demands for France: reparations for colonial crimes, withdrawal of French troops, investment that bypasses corrupt governments and a tougher stance toward African dictatorships.

Macron defended Frances military presence in Mali and other countries in the Sahel region as necessary to keep terrorists at bay, and he refused to apologize for the past.

But he acknowledged that France has a responsibility and duty to Africa because of its role in the slave trade and other colonial-era wrongs. Noting that more than 7 million French people have a family link to Africa, Macron said France cannot build its future unless it assumes its Africanness.

Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The House's second-ranking Republican, Rep. Steve Scalise, repeatedly refused to say on Sunday that the 2020 election wasnt stolen, standing by Donald Trumps lie that Democrat Joe Biden won the White House because of mass voter fraud.

More than 11 months after Americans picked their president and almost nine months since Biden was inaugurated, Scalise was unwilling during a national television interview to acknowledge the legitimacy of the vote, instead sticking to his belief that the election results should not have been certified by Congress.

"Ive been very clear from the beginning," he said. If you look at a number of states, they didnt follow their state-passed laws that govern the election for president. That is what the United States Constitution says. They dont say the states determine what the rules are. They say the state legislatures determine the rules, the Louisiana congressman said on Fox News Sunday.

Pressed by moderator Chris Wallace on whether the election went beyond a few irregularities to be considered stolen, Scalise responded: Its not just irregularities. Its states that did not follow the laws set which the Constitution says theyre supposed to follow.

Trump left office in January a few weeks after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol in a violent riot in an attempt to prevent Congress from formally declaring Biden the winner.

As Trump mulls a 2024 presidential bid, he has been intensifying efforts to shame  and potentially remove  members of his party who are seen as disloyal to his bogus claims that last years election was illegitimate. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who is vying to become speaker if the GOP takes control after the 2022 midterm election, continues to defend Trump and his false assertions.

At a rally Saturday in Iowa, Trump spent almost 30 minutes arguing falsely that he had won Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds stood by and welcomed his return to their state.

In fact, no election was stolen from Trump. His former attorney general, William Barr, found no evidence of widespread election corruption. Allegations of massive voting fraud also have been dismissed by a succession of judges and refuted by state election officials and an arm of the Homeland Security Department during the Trump administration.

Scalise on Sunday appeared to be referring to the legal argument, made in several lawsuits backed by Trump before and after last November's election, that the Constitution gives the power of election administration exclusively to state lawmakers. The suits sought to invalidate a number of pandemic-era accommodations including expanded mail voting that were put in place by governors, state election officials and judges.

The high court ultimately turned away the cases, declining to rule on the matter. Theres no indication in any of the suits that changing the COVID-19 accommodations would have altered a states election results.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who is serving on a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, on Sunday slammed Scalise for spreading Trumps Big Lie.

Millions of Americans have been sold a fraud that the election was stolen, Cheney tweeted. Republicans have a duty to tell the American people that this is not true. Perpetuating the Big Lie is an attack on the core of our constitutional republic.
ALAMO, Ga. (AP)  Authorities have arrested a man suspected of gunning down a Georgia police officer during his first shift with the department.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Sunday that 43-year-old Damien Anthony Ferguson had been taken into custody after a large manhunt. No other details were released, and authorities said they planned to hold a news conference later in the day.

Authorities have said that Ferguson fatally shot Officer Dylan Harrison, 26, outside the Alamo Police Department early Saturday. Officials have not said what prompted the shooting in Wheeler County, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Macon.

Officer Harrison was a part-time Alamo police officer working his first shift with the department last night, GBI spokesperson Natalie Ammons said during a news conference, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She said Harrison was also a full-time Oconee Drug Task Force agent in nearby Dodge County.

Harrison lived in Laurens County and is survived by his wife and their 6-month-old son.

Our sincerest thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Officer Dylan Harrison who was killed in the line of duty last night in Alamo, Telfair County Sheriff Sim Davidson wrote in a Facebook post. We are sincerely grateful for his service.

Harrison was the first Alamo officer killed in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page that tracks law enforcement deaths. In January, Alamo Police Officer Arturo Villegas died from COVID-19 complications.

Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Public Safety tweeted condolences to the officers family and colleagues.

May God continue to be with all who protect and serve, Kemp wrote.

At least five Georgia officers have been killed in the line of duty this year, and nearly two dozen more have died from COVID-19, according to the memorial page. Seven Georgia officers were killed in the line of duty in 2020.
Owosso, MI (48867)

Today

Snow this evening will give way to partly cloudy conditions late. Low 29F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Snow this evening will give way to partly cloudy conditions late. Low 29F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Higher wind gusts possible.
During the 12th round of the Corps Commander meeting, both sides had agreed to pull back from Gogra

New Delhi: India and China will hold the 13th round of Corps Commander meeting on Sunday morning to discuss disengagement from the Hot Springs area in the Ladakh sector.

The talks are being held even as Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane said on Saturday that if the Chinese military maintained its large-scale deployment through the second winter, it may lead to an LoC-like situation (Line of Control) though not an active LoC is there on the western front with Pakistan. He said in response to Chinese deployment, the Indian Army too would maintain its presence on its side which is "as good as what the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) has done".

The Corps Commanders talks are scheduled at 10:30 am in Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

During the 12th round of the Corps Commander meeting, both sides had agreed to pull back from Gogra. Before Gogra, Indian and Chinese troops had disengaged from Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso in Ladakh. India and China had undertaken partial disengagement in Hot Springs last year so an agreement on a pullback from it could be reached.

However, till now China has shown no interest to deescalate the situation in Depsang plains where it is blocking Indian troops from patrolling.

The talks are being held on Saturday even as new propaganda pictures of Indian soldiers under PLA custody from last year are being circulated on Chinese social media. This is in response to India and Chinese face-off in Arunachal Pradesh last week where some reports suggested that a small group of PLA soldiers was detained by Indian troops.

"Yes, it is a matter of concern that the large-scale build-up has occurred and continues to be in place, and to sustain that kind of a build-up, there has been an equal amount of infrastructure development on the Chinese side," Gen. Naravane said.

"So, it means that they (PLA) are there to stay. We are keeping a close watch on all these developments, but if they are there to stay, we are there to stay too," he said.

"But what this would, especially if they continue to stay there through the second winter, definitely mean that we will be in a kind of LoC situation though not an active LC is there on the western front," he said.

"But definitely, we will have to keep a close eye on all the troop build-up and deployments to see that they do not get into any misadventure once again," the Army chief said. He said that it is difficult to understand why China triggered the standoff when the world was reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic and when that country had certain issues on its eastern seaboard. "While all that is going on, to sort of open up one more front is very difficult to understand or fathom," he said.

"But whatever it might have been, I do not think they have been able to achieve any of those because of the rapid response done by the Indian armed forces," the Army Chief added.

Asked to comment on the overall situation in eastern Ladakh, Gen. Naravane referred to a recent statement by a spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs and said he had clearly mentioned that whatever had happened on the Northern border was because of the massive build-up by the Chinese side and the non-adherence to various protocols.

"So that is very clear as to what was the trigger for all that has happened," Gen. Naravane said. The Army chief said following the standoff in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army realised that it needed to do more in the area of ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance).
The govt on October 8 had announced that Tatas have won the bid to acquire Air India for Rs 18,000 crore

New Delhi: After the historic Air India privatisation, the government will now start work on monetising its four other subsidiaries, including Alliance Air, and over Rs 14,700 crore worth non-core assets like land and building, DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said.

The government on October 8 had announced that salt-to-software conglomerate Tatas have won the bid to acquire debt-laden national carrier Air India for Rs 18,000 crore.

This includes a cash payment of Rs 2,700 crore and taking over Rs 15,300 crore debt. The deal, which is expected to be completed by December-end, also includes sale of Air India Express and ground handling arm AISATS.

Talking to PTI, Pandey said that the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) will now get down to working out a plan for monetising the subsidiaries of Air India which are with the special purpose vehicle AIAHL and setting off the liabilities.

"There will be a plan for monetising the assets of AIAHL. It is a very big task again of clearing of AIAHL liabilities and disposal of assets. In the AIAHL there is a company of ground handling, engineering and Alliance Air which have to be privatised," said Pandey, who spearheaded Air India privatisation.

"It (sale of subsidiaries) could not be started because these all are intimately linked. Unless and until Air India goes, we could not proceed with other things," he added.

As a precursor to Air India sale, the government in 2019 had set up a special purpose vehicle  Air India Assets Holding Ltd (AIAHL)  for holding debt and non-core assets of the Air India group.

Four Air India subsidiaries -- Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (AIATSL), Airline Allied Services Ltd (AASL), Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) and Hotel Corporation of India Ltd (HCI) -- along with non-core assets, painting and artefacts, and other non-operational assets, was transferred to the SPV.

Air India had a total debt of Rs 61,562 crore as on August 31. Of this, Tata Sons holding company Talace Pvt Ltd will take over Rs 15300 crore and the remaining Rs 46,262 crore will be transferred to AIAHL.

Besides, non-core assets of Air India including land and building, valued at Rs 14,718 crore, are also being transferred to AIAHL. Further, liabilities of Rs 15,834 crore towards dues to operational creditors, like those for fuel purchases, as of August 31 would be transferred to AIAHL.

Pandey said between September 1 and December 31 just before closing the deal, the government will work out a balance sheet of Air India.

"The dues to operational creditors may not go up further in the September-December period if the government continues with the funding... They are dependent on Rs 20 crore/day, if the government shuts down funding then the dues will add up. So more or less it will not very much increase," Pandey said.

After adjusting for all the dues to lenders and operational creditors and also the assets of AIAHL, the net liabilities left with AIAHL is Rs 44,679 crore.

The government has been incurring per day expenditure of Rs 20 crore to keep Air India afloat. Excessive debt in the airline's balance sheet had pushed equity value to negative at (-)Rs 32,000 crore and the option before the government was to either privatise or close it down.

Between 2009-10 and now, the government has infused over Rs 1.10 lakh crore into the ailing airline. This includes Rs 54,584 crore as cash support and Rs 55,692 crore as loan guarantee. While this will be the first privatisation since 2003-04, Air India will be the third airline brand in the Tatas' stable and will give it access to more than a hundred planes, thousands of trained pilots and crew, and lucrative landing and parking slots all around the world. Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata founded the airline in 1932. It was called Tata Airlines then. In 1946, the aviation division of Tata Sons was listed as Air India and in 1948, Air India International was launched with flights to Europe.

Tata's will have to retain over Rs 13,500 crore employees of Air India and Air India Express for one year, post which VRS could be offered.

The terms of the deal allow Tata to go ahead with merger and also sell up to 49 per cent stake after one year, but ensure business continuity for three years. The Air India brand and eight logos too would be transferred to the Tatas but it will have a 5-year lock-in and with the clause that they cannot sell them to a foreign entity.
India presses for complete disengagement from Hot Springs area in the Ladakh sector

NEW DELHI: India and China on Sunday held 13th round of Corps Commander meeting with India pressing for complete disengagement from Hot Springs area in the Ladakh sector.

"The Corps Commanders' talks started at around 10:30 am in Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and ended at 7 pm in the evening, said sources.

A statement on the outcome of the talks could be released on Monday.

India and China had undertaken partial disengagement in Hot Springs last year so an agreement on a pullback from it could be reached. However, till now China has shown no interest to deescalate the situation in Depsang plains where it is blocking Indian troops from patrolling.

During the 12th round of Corps Commander meetings in August, both sides agreed to pull back from Gogra. Before Gogra, Indian and Chinese troops had disengaged from Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso in Ladakh.

The talks were being held on Saturday when on Chinese social media new propaganda pictures of Indian soldiers under PLA custody from last year were being circulated. This was in response to India and Chinese face-off in Arunachal Pradesh last week where some reports suggested that a small group of PLA soldiers was detained by Indian troops.

Also, some 100 Chinese soldiers had crossed Line of Actual Control at Barahoti in Uttarakhand on August 30 and had stayed inside Indian territory for a few hours before returning.

Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane said on Saturday that if the Chinese military maintained its large-scale deployment through the second winter, it might lead to an LoC-like situation though not an active LoC was there on the western front with Pakistan. He said in response to Chinese deployment, the Indian Army too will maintain its presence on its side which is "as good as what the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) has done".

India has deployed around 50,000 troops in Ladakh. India has also deployed tanks, armoured vehicles, heavy artillery guns and air defence missiles in Ladakh. China is also upgrading its airbases in the sector and has also deployed Russian Air Defence Systems.
The decision comes in the backdrop of the killing of Supinder Kour in the latest spate of terror attacks in the Valley

Srinagar: The Sikh employees of Jammu and Kashmir government and various Central departments and agencies in restive Valley will stay away from work from Monday over concerns about their security.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Saturday, Gurudawara Prabandak Committee (GPC) leaders said, The government employees belonging to the Sikh community wont attend their duties in the Valley unless and until the government assures their protection.

The decision comes in the backdrop of the killing of Supinder Kour in the latest spate of terror attacks in the Valley. Kour, 44, who was the principal of a government-run school, was shot dead by a group of gunmen inside the school premises in Srinagars Idgah Sangam area on Thursday morning. Another teacher Deepak Chand, a resident of Jammus Patoli area, was also shit dead.

The gory incident came days after the targetted killing of five other civilians, including a Kashmiri Pandit chemist Makhan Lal Bindroo, a street-hawker Virendra Paswan from Bihar, cab driver Muhammad Shafi and two other Muslim residents Abdul Majid Guroo and Muhammad Shafi Dar in and outside Srinagar.

GPC general secretary Navtej Singh said that despite receiving inputs about possible attacks on members of the minority community and, in fact, several such tragic incidents in the past, the government had failed to provide security to them. The government has failed in safeguarding the minority community in J&K. We demand the government should provide security to our government employees and assure the minority community that they are safe in the Valley, he said. Unless and until the government assures security to the minority, none of its members would attend to their government duties," he added.

He also urged the majority Muslim community to come forward and resist such incidents. It would have been better had the majority community also participated in Fridays protest in Srinagar (by Sikhs against the killing of Kour), Mr Singh said.

Earlier Sardar Jagmohan Singh Raina, chairman of All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC), had asked Sikh government employees to stay away from their duties for their safety. They should sit at their homes till their security is ensured by the government," Mr Raina had said in a statement here on Thursday. He had also asked members of the majority Muslim community to intervene and secure the lives of minority community members.

Meanwhile, the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), a non-political civil society group comprising academicians, businessmen, advocates, scientists, former judges and civil servants of Kashmir Valley, has expressed deep anguish and shock over the recent spate of civilian killings in the Valley. It sought a time-bound judicial probe into the barbaric murders of seven civilians including Kour and 28-year-old Parvaiz Ahmad Gujjar, a resident of southern Anantnag district who was shot dead by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Thursday night.

The GCC in a statement also said that it vehemently condemns the elements who are attempting to fish in troubled waters by creating a wedge between different communities living peacefully in the Valley. It said, We strongly denounce the nefarious designs of certain vested interest groups to create panic through circulation of false and fabricated stories over social media thereby instigating the members of minority communities to migrate. The Group has also taken note of the fake videos which have gone viral on social media about migration of people.

It has assured its full support to efforts, made at any level, for creating and nurturing an atmosphere of amity between different communities living in the Valley.

Earlier during the day on Saturday, All India Congress Committee in-charge for J&K and Member of Parliament Rajni Patil said that the situation prevailing in the Kashmir Valley has exposed the fake claims of normalcy often being made by the Government of India.

While talking to reporters after visiting the residence of slain cab driver Dar at Naid Khai in northern Bandipora district, she said that being in the Valley is making her feel that the situation of 1990 is being repeated as innocent people are being shot here and the claims of normalcy that are being made by BJP government here are proving hollow.

She also demanded a judicial inquiry into the civilian killings, saying, The victims family members also demanded that the killers need to be identified as soon as possible. She asked, How long will we call them unidentified gunmen? We have known them and if we can't do that, we're going to make a big mistake. She asked for enhancing security on ground in the Valley rather than just making the claims that everything is normal.
Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers

Lakhimpur Kheri: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was produced before a court here late on Saturday night, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the October 3 Lakhimpur violence.

After around 12 hours of questioning in connection with the violence in which eight persons including four farmers were killed, a medical team examined Ashish Mishra in the crime branch office here after which he was taken for production before a judicial magistrate, who sent him to custody, senior prosecution officer SP Yadav told PTI.

He said an application for police remand of Ashish Mishra was submitted to the judicial magistrate who fixed it for hearing for 11 am on Monday.

Ashish Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit last Sunday.

Farmer leaders and opposition parties had been demanding Mishra's arrest but the minister and his son had denied the allegations.

Two BJP workers and their driver were allegedly lynched by angry farmers in the incident. Local journalist Raman Kashyap also died in the violence, which has triggered a political storm and put the BJP government on the back foot in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Ashish Mishra, who is known as 'Monu Bhaiya' in the area, spent the night in the district jail. He had appeared before the SIT at around 10.30 AM on Saturday after a second summons was served to him the previous day when he did not turn up for interrogation. He was arrested at around 11 PM on Saturday after being grilled by the SIT at the crime branch office in the Police Lines.

Aged around 35, Ashish Mishra looks after the political activities of his father in his Kheri Parliamentary constituency.

The Supreme Court had on Friday questioned the non-arrest of the accused, directed preservation of evidence and mulled transferring the probe to another agency.

Without mincing words, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana had said, the law must take its course against all accused and the government has to take all remedial steps in this regard to inspire confidence in the investigation of brutal murder of eight persons.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the agitation against the Centre's three farm laws, had alleged that the violence was held under a pre-planned conspiracy and demanded the arrest of the minister and his son.

The farmer unions said if the government does not accept their demands by October 11, they will take out a 'Shaheed Kisan Yatra' from Lakhimpur Kheri with the ashes of slain farmers.

The SKM has also gave a call for a rail roko protest across the country from 10 AM to 4 PM on October 18 and a mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26.

Ajay Mishra should be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested on charges of spreading disharmony, murder and conspiracy. He is also protecting the culprits in the case, SKM leader Yogendra Yadav had alleged during a press conference in Delhi.

A nine-member team headed by by the SIT team headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal has been formed to investigate the FIR lodged against the minister's son and others in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

After two men were arrested on Thursday in the case, police had put up a notice outside Ashish Mishra's house asking him to appear before it.
The top court was hearing appeals challenging anticipatory bail granted to two accused in connection with an offence

New Delhi: Gravity of an offence and specific allegations are the parameters which should be looked into by a court while granting anticipatory bail to an accused, the Supreme Court has said.

A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna made the observations while setting aside an order passed by the the Madhya Pradesh High Court granting anticipatory bail to two persons accused in a murder case.

The top court said it has to determine whether on the basis of the material available at this stage, the high court applied the correct principles in allowing the applications for anticipatory bail.

"Courts ought to be generally guided by considerations such as the nature and gravity of the offences, the role attributed to the applicant, and the facts of the case, while considering whether to grant anticipatory bail, or refuse it," the bench said.

The top court was hearing appeals challenging anticipatory bail granted to two accused in connection with an offence registered under Sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

The apex court said the offence is of a serious nature in which a person was murdered and the FIR and the statements indicate a specific role of the accused in the crime.

"The order granting anticipatory bail has ignored material aspects, including the nature and gravity of the offence, and the specific allegations against the accused. Hence, a sufficient case has been made out for cancelling the anticipatory bail granted by the high court," the bench said.

The apex court said that facts need not be examined in detail at the present stage and it would examine whether the high court had correct principles for the grant of anticipatory bail.

"The material at this stage cannot be examined with a fine tooth comb in the manner of a criminal trial. What needs to be determined is whether the parameters for the grant of anticipatory bail were correctly formulated and applied by the single judge," the bench said.


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This is why Google Maps has recently been updated with eco-friendly routes , a new feature whose purpose is to reduce the carbon footprint of every vehicle using the app for navigation.While at the first glance Google Maps suggesting an eco-friendly route sounds like science fiction, everything is as simple as it could be, though there are several things that every driver must be aware of when turning to the app for navigation after this feature is enabled.First and foremost, its important to understand what this feature does and how it works alongside the existing route model already available in Google Maps.Right now, Google Maps provides users with the fastest route to a defined destination using pretty much the same approach as all the navigation apps out there.The only difference is that Google Maps is often more accurate than all its rivals, simply because it collects data from multiple sources, including even Waze , the traffic navigation app also owned by Google.So what Google Maps does is try to determine the shortest route to your destination, but if it comes across any sections of the road that could slow you down due to traffic jams, accidents, or things like that, it then tries to re-route the navigation and use an alternative with a shorter ETA.Of course, its not a flawless system, but its most of the time pretty accurate, with millions of drivers running Google Maps (and therefore contributing with traffic data) on a regular basis.Until now, Google Maps defaulted to the fastest route, so this was the only way the application looked for a way to reach a user-defined destination.More recently, however, Google introduced a new-generation feature that works as an alternative to the fastest routes. The application can now look for eco-friendly routes, meaning that Google Maps can provide a fuel-efficient alternative to arrive at a certain address.And once again, everything works pretty simply, though under the hood, its based on a complex algorithm that takes lots of data into consideration in order to determine a route with a lower carbon footprint.For example, Google Maps uses information related to factors that could affect fuel usage and CO2 emissions from the United States Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory.And this data includes everything from the average fuel consumption for vehicles driving on the same route youre planning to use, the steepness of hills that you could end up driving on, the stop-and-go traffic patterns, and the types of roads along your way.All of these help Google Maps determine an estimate of your fuel consumption to reach your destination, and if its substantially lower than the fastest route, you should see an eco-friendly alternative before you start navigating.Worth knowing, however, is that the eco-friendly routes only make sense in gas and diesel cars, so if youre driving an, the data provided by Google Maps is obviously useless.At the same time, its important to remember that fuel-efficient routes could sometimes be longer than the fastest siblings, all because they get you on routes where the mileage is higher. So instead of a highway, which is theoretically faster, you could end up using an express road because this is where the fuel consumption is lower.Fuel-efficient routes need to be enabled from the Route options menu in the settings screen in Google Maps, and they are displayed alongside the fastest recommendation before you begin driving. This way, you can compare the two, see the ETA, get an estimate of the fuel consumption savings, and choose which one to use.
There were many memorable scenes in Top Gun, but this time well be focusing on the short one when Maverick, coming back after a training run, requests permission to perform a tower flyby, or buzz the tower, as he says (video below). Permission is denied, but Maverick being Maverick chooses to ignore that, and so he takes his F-14 Tomcat right past the control tower, causing quite the disruption.That particular scene shows something that does happen from time to time in aviation, although generally it remains a phantasy pilots have. It is described as a very fast flyby of an intended target, in very close proximity, meant to cause some type of reaction from the people witnessing the maneuver.Now, looking at the main pic of this piece (click photo to enlarge), one can easily say one of these pilots got their wish.What youre looking at is an F-35A Lightning flown by the airplanes Demonstration team leader, Maj. Kristin Wolfe. It shows the plane banked fully to the left, with the afterburner roaring, and Torontos CN Tower incredibly close in the background.The image was captured at the beginning of September, when the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team made its first ever trip across the border to fly over a Canadian city.The F-35A shown here is one of the three variants of the airplane, the one usually deployed with the U.S. Air Force. It can fly at speeds of up to Mach 1.6, has a range of 1,700 miles (2,800 km), and when going into combat is equipped with anything from a 4-barrel rotary cannon to missiles and bombs.
Workman said that Diaz recommended his son and daughter to work with him at Tesla while he worked there despite being told to go back to Africa and being called racist names by other workers in the factory. Teslas VP, an Afro-American herself, does not even write the slur: she refers to it as the n-word.GMA says he worked there from June 2015 until July 2016, but other reports say he left in March 2016. Considering GMA spoke to him, we think it may have the most accurate information. According to the interview, the explanation for the apparent contradiction is simple. Diaz told GMA this:A lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck. They have to take choose to either take the abuse that these billion-dollar companies are putting out or feed their families.The Tesla VP of People also said that Tesla took measures all three times Diaz reported racism in the company, almost a confession of ineptitude. If the contract worker had to complain about racism three times, it implies that Tesla was not able to address the situation effectively in the first one. Workman also mentioned that Diaz had made written complaints to the company that hired him multiple times before that. The contract worker told GMA that Tesla decided to kill investigations.In her report, Workman also wrote that Diaz didnt make any complaints about the n-word until after he was not hired full-time by Tesla  and after he hired an attorney. That implies that the man was seeking just monetary compensation, not to be treated as equal human beings, as he told GMA.Diaz went further and said that his lawsuit was not just about what he went through in Fremont. According to the former contract worker, the suit was not just about his case but about multiple others that keep happening in the Tesla plant. Other racism-related issues faced by Tesla show he is not wrong to point that out. On August 5, Bloomberg reported that Melvin Berry received $1 million for being called a racial slur by his supervisors at Tesla. Of the $1 million, he got only $266,000: the rest of the money went to legal fees and paying his lawyers.Being a direct company employee, Berry was not allowed to sue Tesla in courts: he had to file an arbitration case. His case was the only one among the 12 arbitrations from former Tesla employees since 2016 in which the company did not win. As a contract worker, Diaz was free to sue Tesla.The attorney that represented both Diaz and Berry was Lawrence (Larry) Organ. He also told GMA that this case is about curbing racist conduct in the workplace. Organ expects that Tesla and other companies facing the same accusations will finally start to take them more seriously and avoid them.The accusations that Tesla does not do enough to avoid racism in its plants do not end with these two cases. The company is also facing a class-action in Alameda County. The plaintiff Marcus Vaughn said that Afro-American employees face a hostile environment, with supervisors calling them the n-word, and swastikas and KKK (Ku Klux Klan) signs regularly spray-painted on bathroom stalls. The class-action represents more than 100 Tesla employees.Despite all these situations, Tesla asked its shareholders to vote against proposals to have additional reporting on human rights, employee arbitration, and diversity and inclusion efforts. The company informed it would reveal which submissions were approved in up to four working days after the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.Well follow that closely to check what shareholders have decided. However, and after two major setbacks related to racism, Tesla should probably be more proactive in addressing the situation. Protecting stockholders interests and the liabilities that can emerge from such cases is just part of the story and definitely not the most important one. What is really at stake is making sure human rights are dully protected in the companys facilities. If employees are the most significant assets any enterprise has, Tesla should show it really cares about them.
This year, the pride of the Soviet Air Force celebrated its 40th deployment anniversary. This remarkable Cold War interceptor was designed for one purpose and one purpose alone: to make sure no American reconnaissance plane was ever completely safe over Soviet airspace, regardless of how high and fast their aircraft flew. Iconic American machines like the SR-71 spyplane were threats the Soviet armed forces could not take likely.These American planes could reach altitudes of almost 100,000 feet (30,482 meters) and fly at speeds that could outrun entire Soviet missile defense systems without so much as deviating from their recon flight course. Something had to be done, and Mikoyans first attempt to counter this threat was the MiG-31, based on the MiG-25.First deployed in 1970, the MiG-25 (NATO code Foxbat) was a remarkable achievement in its own right. The MiG-25 was one of the first jets outside the SR-71 Blackbird to use titanium in parts of its construction.The plane could touch three times the speed of sound at a service ceiling of around 82,000 feet (24,994 meters). Impressive as those figures are, Soviet pilots who flew the Foxbat claimed it was an absolute devil of a plane to fly. Especially on takeoff and at low altitudes.To add to concerns, pushing the Foxbat past the Mach three barrier stood a significant chance of shattering the compressor blades in the planes two enormous Tumansky R-15 turbojet engines.If such a catastrophic event occurred 20 kilometers above the ground at Mach three, it would almost assuredly result in one or both engines destroying themselves, breaking the plane apart at over 2,000 miles per hour (3,219 kph).If there was clear situation where the Soviets needed the MiG-25 to shoot down a Blackbird, the Foxbat was all but useless. Soviet leadership realized this from very early on in the MiG-25s operational history. Not willing to write off the aircraft and cut their losses, the Soviet high command wisely ordered Mikoyan-Gurevich to re-design the Foxbat from the ground up.The result was an entirely new airplane that NATO codenamed the Foxhound. On first impression, the family resemblance between the MiG-31 and the now-defunct MiG-25 is plain to see. The two jet interceptors engines are so enormous that the planes have to be as large as some Second World War bombers just to contain them.The resemblance ends when the skin of both planes is peeled away. The Foxhounds fuselage is considerably longer than that of the Foxbat. The new Soloviev D-30F6 turbojet engines generated a scarcely believable 21,000 pounds (93 kN) of thrust and over 34,000 pounds (152 kN) using full afterburners.Two of these could push the MiG-31 past the Mach three barrier for a more extended period than in the MiG-25. These improvements gave the new Foxhound a real standing chance shooting down not only a Blackbird spy plane, but potentially even nuclear ICBMs with advanced enough missiles.The missiles fitted to the Foxhound are some of the gold standards of modern warfare. The most iconic of these is the R-33 long-range air-to-air missile first built to counter the SR-71. The Foxhound's advanced phased scanning array radar can fire up to four R-33s at separate aerial targets.The MiG-31 never got a chance to shoot down a Blackbird spy plane and little is known about the specifics of the Foxhounds operational history. Much of this information was likely lost after the fall of the Soviet Union. What is known is that over 500 were produced between 1975 and 1994.Even with Russias next-gen interceptor, commonly referred to as the MiG-41, due to fly in 2025, the Foxhound will remain a mainstay of the Russian arsenal. Harrasing B-52 and F-18 pilots likely for at least another couple of decades.
While some states have straightforward approaches to handling the problem of abandoned vehicles, others just made them more complicated, to the point that they are buried in such relics. Nebraska, for instance, took a moderate approach, either by grabbing cars or by giving them for free. Well, not exactly for free since, the one who desires them has to pay some taxes . In Nevada, on the other hand, things are easier.Also known as the Cornhusker state, Nebraska is one of those places where agriculture was done by hand by the pioneers in the past. This Midwestern state is known for having a lighthouse even though there are no seas or oceans around it. Another landmark is the Carhenge, a replica after the famous Stonehenge from the UK, made out of cars instead of stones.In Nebraska, if a car is left unattended six hours on a public property, or 24 on a private one, without license plates, it is automatically considered abandoned. The rules are going up to seven days if left with license plates on, without the land owner's permission, or to 30 days in law enforcement custody.Getting a title for that abandoned vehicle might be tricky, and it depends on who left it or how it ended up there. If it was towed, the towing company must announce law enforcement after 24 hours that it has it, and every other 30 days afterward. After 90 days, that vehicle may be put for sale, and the authorities will issue a title for it to the buyer. As for the money, well, they won't go into the tow company's pockets, or at least not all of them. After it recovers its costs for tow and storage, the rest of them will go to the authorities, which will keep it for five years, waiting for the owner to claim the sum. If they don't show up, the money will go into school projects But if you buy a property and find an abandoned vehicle that you don't want to give away, you may apply for a bonded title. First, make sure that you can't get a title or a bill of sale from the previous owner.But maybe the vehicle was there for decades , and not even the previous landlord didn't know about it. Now what? Just apply for a bonded title. Get in touch with the local DMV or Sherrif's office to obtain the last known owner, send him a letter, and if they don't answer, then the process of getting a bonded title is similar to those in any other state. You'll end up with a stamp on the document that will stay there for three years. Be careful, though; if there is a lien on the car and the lienholder is 10 years old or younger, the authorities won't issue a bonded title. In other words, just make sure that you didn't have that land from a child.Yes, we know that Nevada is known as the Silver State thanks to America's largest silver deposit from Comstock Lode. We know that it is the fourth gold producer in the world and the largest in the U.S. Yet, many people are usually coming to Nevada for two things: Area 51 and Las Vegas. And you know what they say: "What happens in Vegas..." Or, what's abandoned in Vegas stays in Vegas.Nevada has some patience with stranded vehicles and considers them abandoned only after 72 hours. Any officer of the Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of Public Safety, or the Department of Economic and Urban Development unit may affix a Notice of Infraction to the vehicle and may mark one or more tires with the current date. The authorities will have it removed if the car is still there 72 hours after the Notice was placed. But if the vehicle is considered a danger for other drivers or pedestrians, it will be removed right away.To title an abandoned vehicle on private property, if the car is older than ten years, the owner of that property, must send a petition to the Director of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Prior to that, the petitioner has to prove that they tried to contact the car's owner via certified mail by showing a return receipt to the owner's last known address. They will also have to show an estimated value of that vehicle obtained from a relevant source, such as the Kelly Blue Book. Before filling the specific form, the petitioner has to also know other relevant information such as vehicle make and model, color, and VIN.For short, in Nevada is easier to get a title on an abandoned vehicle if it's on your property. You don't even need a court order.
Well, a group of thieves from out in the United Kingdom have taken stealing cars to a whole new level, with nothing more than a Nintendo Game Boy.A recent article posted by the West Yorkshire Police has revealed the sentencing of three men involved in a car theft scheme that has racked up more than 180,000 GBP (around 245,000 USD at current exchange rates) in value. After being involved in five different thefts, the three men were finally apprehended and taken in for questioning.How did all this happen? Well, during an attempt to steal a Mitsubishi Outlander from a driveway, someone backed up and knocked over a drainpipe and damaged another parked vehicle. With images from a CCTV recording, police were called and dispatched through the area, looking for the initial Outlander and a Ford Galaxy, the suspects vehicle.After searching the area, the suspects were found, apprehended, and taken into custody. What was most surprising was the fact that a Game Boy was found in the suspects car in a hidden compartment. Upon examination it was revealed that this was no ordinary hand-held for playing Mario or Pokemon Go, but rather, one used to hack keyless cars in under a minute.The report also states that police know of such devices, but this was the first time they had actually recovered one . In terms of price, this special edition Game Boy can run their owners over 20,000 GBP (around 27,000 USD at current exchange rates).To get an idea of the area where this happened , understand that the West Yorkshire Police is fourth largest in the U.K. in terms of size by employed personnel, telling you a bit about the history and demographics of the area. Over the course of three months, May, June, and July, over 30 cases of stolen Outlanders plagued the city. People living in West Yorkshire just ought to stop buying Outlanders.After a detailed investigation into the case, police found several pieces of proof directly involving the three men in the cases, one of which was footage recovered from one of the suspects phones where his is even filming how the device works and giving a sort of walk-through. Im sorry, Ive seen enough movies to know that this is a big no no; you dont film yourself carrying out an act of crime. Sure enough, it only helped sustain the evidence against the suspects.At the end of the day, court rulings sentenced one gentleman to 30 months in prison with a concurrent 18-month term due to involvement in other burglary cases, while the other two received 22 months each. Below youll also find a video that was posted by the West Yorkshire Police revealing some of the criminal acts in progress, including the video of the device used to steal cars.Honestly, Im not that surprised that a device like this was used to hack into cars. As technology turns more and more electronic, it seems that the ability to manipulate said electronics is also growing; its not like no one saw this coming.
The USS Plainview is one of the innumerable U.S. Navy ships that didnt have a well-known service career that cemented its name in the pages of history. Its namesake is borrowed from two small American neighborhoods. One is 35 miles east of New York City on the north shore of Long Island, New York, and the other is located in North Texas, around 50 miles north of Lubbock.What the USS Plainview lacked in name recognition, it more than makes up for in its ludicrously awesome design. Consisting of what looks like a naval patrol boat blended with two foldable wing-like appendages, the USS Plainview was the largest and fastest hydrofoil in the world. Now, its remains sit partially submerged on the shores of the American northwest port city of Astoria, Oregon, leaking oil and rust-laden water into the surrounding waters.The story of how the Plainview transformed from a technological flagship for the U.S. Navy to the twisted, rotting hulk of steel is one rooted in the seemingly endless one-upmanship between America and the Soviets during the Cold War.Conceived as a response to nuclear-powered and nuclear weapon-capable Soviet submarines, the USS Plainview was designed by the Grumman Aerospace Corporation of Bethpage, New York. A town located directly southwest of Plainview, the ships namesake where many Grumman employees lived and commuted to work.USS Plainview ultimately was built by the Seattle-based Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company and launched on June 28th, 1965. Itself a corporate subsidiary of the Lockheed Corporation famous for their distinguished military aircraft.The USS Plainview construction was overseen by a team of some of the most brilliant engineers in any field of the 20th century, led by legendary aircraft designer Kelly Johnson. All at a time when the company was building icons like the F-104 and the SR-71. Lockheed would invest the equivalent of $140 million in todays money to build the ship, and more than any other hydrofoil in history to that point.The Navy theorized that large, fast hydrofoils could speed towards incoming enemy sea vessels and deliver a devastating missile strike before Soviet nuclear ballistic missiles could be fired. With this purpose in mind, the Plainview sported one of the most awe-inspiring combinations of powerplants ever fitted to a motorized vehicle on land or at sea.Two massive marine diesel engines mated to titanium propellers powered the ship while operating as a standard sea vessel. Only when the hydraulic hydrofoil winglets deployed, a pair of General Electric LM1500 free-turbine turboshaft engines fired to life.Based on the same J79 engines that powered the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Mcdonnel-Douglas F-4 Phantom II, they could make the 315 ton USS Plainview glide across the water at a top speed estimated at 40 knots (45.6 mph, 110 kph)This speed figure dwarfed almost any other military vessel at sea in the mid-1960s and is impressive even today. In its short but undeniably successful career, the USS Plainview set the world record for the largest and fastest hydrofoil in the world, civilian or military. The mighty ship spent a total of just under 270 hours on her hydrofoils while calling Bremerton, Washington, its home port.Sailors on the USS Plainview used a combination of naval and aviation terminology while on board. The men at the helm who controlled the ship would use words like takeoff, land, and fly. The Plainviews control room resembled the cockpit of an airliner more than it did a sea vessel, with a large control yoke taking the place of a ships wheel.The mighty Plainview was instrumental in advancements in hydrofoil technology that eventually found their way into the civilian sector. But ultimately, the Navys decision that rapid response helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft units were more effective at submarine defense than surface ships doomed the vessel.She was decommissioned and stricken from the Navys record in 1978. Then, the former USS Plainview was purchased by a private buyer for a sum of $128,000. Then was sold again to a Washington state resident called Lowell Stanbaugh. Stanbaugh intended to use the ship as a fishing vessel before loan interest payments forced him to sell it for scrap.Stanbaugh had the Plainview partially disassembled, removing its hydrofoil winglets, among other major components. But still to this day, what remains of the hull sits partially submerged in mudflats on private property just adjacent to the Astoria bridge in Oregon, just inside the mouth of the Columbia River. Local environmental officials have expressed concerns about the remains of the ships oil and rusted metal polluting and even poisoning the local ecosystem.Lead and asbestos were common materials in the days the former USS Plainview sailed. Theres concern that its only a matter of time before corrosion breaches its containment and spills it into the surrounding waters. The miserable state the once highly touted ship sits in today can only lead one to wonder if it could have been better used as a museum ship instead of spilling its proverbial guts into the Pacific Ocean. Its a needless loss the Navy likely wants to forget.
Hypersonic weapons are a critical component of the Army' s long-range precision fire modernization effort. They can fly at Mach 5 speeds, offering a new capability that combines speed, maneuverability, and altitude to defeat both time-critical and heavily defended targets.The Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, or LRHW, is a land-based, ground-launched system that will provide a crucial weapon and a significant deterrent to enemies. The system consists of a large rocket booster with a nose cone that houses the unpowered Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB). When the booster reaches a certain altitude and speed, it releases the C-HGB, which travels at hypersonic speeds towards its target.Delivery of the hardware for the LRHW first began in March this year, and after several months, the U.S. Army finally received the nation's first prototype hypersonic ground equipment. This includes a battery operations center, four transporter erector launchers, and modified trucks and trailers.The Army plans to deploy the LRHW in batteries of four launch trucks, each carrying two missiles in transporter erector launchers. Last year, the service began a series of joint tests, which focused on range, environmental extremes, and contested environments. Now, the next step for the soldiers is to learn how to use the new technology."From a blank piece of paper in March 2019, we  along with our industry partners and joint services  delivered this hardware in just over two years. Now, Soldiers can begin training," said Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood, Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space, and Rapid Acquisition.By delivering the ground hardware first, troops will be able to train on the equipment, create strategies for this system, and develop tactics and procedures. If everything stays on track, the LRHW is expected to enter service in 2023.
Singapore is one of the safest countries and cities in the world but, at the same time, its also the one with the highest level of public surveillance. The introduction of Xavier, in a limited multi-agency trial program last month, which has just been expanded, is raising serious concerns on privacy and the level of control and monitoring the state has over citizens, EuroNews reports.Xavier is a wheeled robot fitted with seven cameras and one large display. It patrols pedestrian areas and records footage of various transgressions, from smoking in places where its not allowed, to failure to maintain social distancing, illegal bike parking, or instances when scooters or bikes are being ridden on public footpaths.The state agency who built Xavier calls these undesirable social behavior, with one representative telling the media outlet that real officers in the control room will have access to the footage with the transgression, and thus punishing the culprits becomes a matter of fact. Using robots instead of actual officers is more convenient, as well: Xavier can prevent hawking and illegal sales in the areas it patrols, so real humans wont have to go out in the field to do it.The project has been plagued by privacy concerns from the start. Back last month, authorities told the media that people actually wanted a safer environment where policing relied heavily on technology, even if that meant being recorded whenever they set foot in a public space.Meanwhile, digital activists are saying this is yet another step toward full invasion of privacy. Singapore already has over 90,000 police surveillance cameras with facial recognition and plans to double the number in a few years time. It now has patrolling robots rolling among pedestrians  and the worst part is also the most ironic: people dont even seem to mind it all that much.
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President Tsai Ing-wen said Sunday that Taiwan would never "bow to pressure" from China's government and pledged to strengthen the self-governing island's defenses to protect its "democratic way of life," per the BBC.

Why it matters: Tsai's declaration on Taiwan's National Day came one day after China's President Xi Jinping vowed to achieve "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan.

Driving the news: Xi said Saturday that the biggest barrier to potential reunification with China was the "Taiwan independence" force, adding "those who forget their heritage, betray their motherland and seek to split the country will come to no good," CNN notes.

Xi said he sought peaceful reunification under a "one country, two systems" policy, an offer that Taiwan's presidential office staunchly opposes, Reuters reports.

What they're saying: Tsai noted in her speech the record 145 fighter Chinese military planes that entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone last week, according to the BBC.

She said her government would "continue to bolster our national defense and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us," per Al Jazeera.

"This is because the path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people," Tsai added.

Of note: Tsai, who was reelected by a landslide last year after pledging to stand up for Taiwan's democracy, reiterated her offer for peace talks with Chinese government leaders, which has so far been rejected.

Background: Taiwan and mainland China have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

China's government views the democratically run island as a breakaway province.

Between the lines: The Wall Street Journal reported last week that U.S. forces have been secretly training military forces in Taiwan for more than a year amid increasing concerns over Chinese aggression.

Go deeper: Biden says he and China's Xi have agreed to abide by Taiwan "agreement"

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Tsai and further context.
Contact The Californians Herb Benham at 661-395-7279 or hbenham@bakersfield.com. His column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays; the views expressed are his own.
Robert Price is a journalist for KGET-TV. His column appears here on Sundays; the views expressed are his own. Reach him at robertprice@kget.com or via Twitter: @stubblebuzz.
At the center of many efforts to address homelessness is the simple notion that, if society wants to get people off the streets, there need to
As the deaths were announced by the state Department of Health and Human Resources, it was unclear Monday if the Mercer County Health Department had yet included them in their statistics.
At least 1,200 people attended the annual Dogtoberfest event in downtown Beaumont on Saturday.

Among them included approximately 75 animal and human participants during contests that took place at Central Bark, which is the green area next to the Julie Rogers Theatre, according to Kristina Crawford with the award-winning event.

The event was hosted by Beaumont Main Street and gave both dogs and humans a chance to showcase their costumes and talents. The event included parades and presented awards for best dressed, tail-wagging, howling, master and dog look-a-like and more.

This years Mr. and Mrs. Dogtoberfest was awarded to Vidor resident Peter LaPrays golden doodle named Max and Nederland resident Kendall McCorvys rescue from the Beaumont Animal Care named Hadley.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Dogtoberfest are therapy animals with Southeast Texas Paws 4 Love who also volunteer at the Beaumont Childrens Museum.

Related: Paws 4 Love of Southeast Texas uses kind dogs to provide encouragement

For more information, visit dogtoberfestbeaumont.com.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Power Book II: Ghost Courtney Kemp Dedicates Season Two To Her Late Brother

BET.com was in attendance for the premiere event of season two where the showrunner/creator honored her brother, Herbert Kemp III, who died this year.
Could Princess Love and Ray J's third attempt at a divorce be the final one?

Thats what the former is indicating. According to TMZ, Love was leaving LAX with her kids on Friday (October 8) when she was asked how shes doing after Ray J filed for divorce earlier in the week. The outlet reports shes barely thinking about the legal proceeding and is focused on her children.

As for Ray J, whos been in the hospital as of late battling pneumonia and possibly COVID-19, Princess says hes alive and well, according to TMZ.

According to legal documents filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by TMZ, Ray J set off a third attempt at officially splitting from Love. Princess filed the first time in May 2020.
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North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson is facing pressure to resign after a video surfaced showing him describing the LGBTQ community as filth.

The video, which was first shared by progressive advocacy group Right Wing Watch, shows the Republican vice state executive speaking at the Asbury Baptist Church in Seagrove during a June visit.

"I'm saying this now, and I've been saying it, and I don't care who likes it: Those issues have no place in a school. There's no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality  any of that filth," he said. "And yes, I called it filth. And if you don't like it that I called it filth, come see me and I'll explain it to you. It's time for us to stop letting these children be abused in schools, and it's not going to happen till the people of God stand up and demand different, same ones that established those schools to begin with."

In addition to the offensive filth comment, Robinson also deployed the usage of the word transgenderism, which GLAAD states is commonly used by anti-transgender activists to make being trans sound like a condition.

Robinson spokesperson John Wesley Waugh said in an email to NBC News that the lieutenant governors comments refer to education.

Topics surrounding transgenderism and homosexuality should be discussed at home and not in public education," he said. "We must focus on reading, writing, and mathematics in North Carolina. Our students have struggled with these topics even before the pandemic. Our primary focus needs to be helping our students succeed, not on topics that should be discussed at home.

When pressed over whether Robinson has any response for his critics, Waugh said Robinson "affirms every individuals Constitutional right to identify or express themselves in any way they desire."

He added: "He is the Lieutenant Governor for all North Carolinians and will fight for and protect the rights of all citizens. His comments were referring to teaching about these topics in the classroom, not about individuals of the LGBTQ community."

Numerous state senators have called on Robinson to resign, calling his remarks discriminatory.

"There's no debate here. This is open discrimination. It is completely unacceptable," Sen. Jeff Jackson, a Democrat representing North Carolina's 37th District  which includes Charlotte, tweeted in-part. "Mark Robinson should resign."

State Sen. Wiley Nickel, a Democrat representing the state's 16th District, which includes Raleigh and Durham, also called for Robinson to resign.
House Bill 4837, Restrict outside groups access to state voter database: Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate

To restrict access to the state's qualified voter file (QVF) database to the Secretary of State office and other authorized election officials, local and county election clerks, and state employees or vendors who do maintenance and security work on the QVF. The bill would remove a provision authorizing access by a designated voter registration agency.

The Senate also passed House Bill 4838 by the same margin, which would have banned connecting the electronic poll book at election precincts from being connected to the internet on election day.

Note: Both bills were vetoed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Oct. 3.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

Senate Bill 321, Require teacher mental health first aid training: Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate

To add to teacher continuing education courses a requirement that they include mental health first aid training, and require the Department of Education in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services to "develop or adopt" a program for this.

This would include "identifying potential risk factors and warning signs for mental illness, and strategies for helping an individual experiencing a mental health crisis."

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

Senate Bill 664, Count quarantined public students for funding allocation purposes: Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate

To include absent students who are "in quarantine" and "being educated through physical educational materials as defined in the bill to be deemed present on the school district enrollment count days" on which state aid is determined.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

House Bill 5007, Eliminate charge to get state ID: Passed 20 to 16 in the Senate

To eliminate the charge for getting a state identification card.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

Senate Bill 258, Mandate newspapers post printed legal notices on free website: Passed 34 to 0 in the Senate

To require a newspaper in which government legal notices are published to also place these on a section of a website that can be accessed at no charge.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington X

Senate Bill 280, Put time limits on initiated law petition signature counting: Passed 20 to 16 in the Senate

To require the board of state canvassers to complete the canvass of signatures collected on an initiated law petition within 100 days after it is filed with the Secretary of State. If canvassers declare there are enough valid signatures then the proposed law must be immediately forwarded to the legislature for consideration.

Under the state constitution, unless the legislature enacts the law proposed by an initiative that gains the required number of signatures, it goes on the next general election ballot for a vote of the people.

 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y

 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y

Senate Bill 280, Put time limits on initiated law petition signature counting: Passed 55 to 48 in the House

The House vote on amending the initiated law process described above.

 97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y

 100 Rep. Scott VanSingel R - Grant Y

 102 Rep. Michele Hoitenga R - Manton Y

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Permission to reprint this legislative summary in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that www.MichiganVotes.org is properly cited.

Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
Looking for something to do? Heres a list of local community and nonprofit events. Please check with your club or organization to be certain of meetings, outings and classes, as they may be canceled due to bad weather or COVID-19. If any listing is inaccurate or to submit an event, contact Julie Norwood at 231-592-8358 or julie.norwood@pioneergroup.com.

 Perspectives on How to Heal a Divided Nation: 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Artworks, 106 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. Dr. Tracy Busch, a professor of history at Ferris State, offers a historical overview on past periods of political and cultural polarization in the U.S. Event is free, but seating is limited. Face masks required. Contact: Leah Monger at AAUWBIgRapids@gmail.com, 231-287-7022.

 Wine & Canvas: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, at Artworks, 106 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. A unique social painting experience. Bring your own beverage and snack. Cost: $40. Register at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/painting-drawing or by calling 231-796-2420.

 St. Paul WELCA Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15-16, at St. Paul WELCA, 22275 4 Mile Road, Reed City. Craft, bake, book sale and raffle. Luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday ONLY. Raffle drawing at 1 p.m. Saturday. Need not be present to win.

 Basket Weaving: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at Artworks, 106 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. Learn to make a large laundry basket. Cost: $80. Register at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/basket-weaving or by calling 231-796-2420.

 Mimosas, Muffins, Mix & Mingle: 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, at Artworks, 106 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. A fundraisers benefiting Artworks and featuring world renowned guitarist Trevor Gordon Hall. Tickets are $25 each, available at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/tickets.

 Tuba Bach Festival: 4 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 11-Oct. 17, outside at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 726 Fuller Ave., Big Rapids. A separate concert will be livestreamed online only, as well as on Sunny 97.3 FM at 4 p.m. Sundays. Visit www.tubabach.org. for links.

 Corn Maze/Haunted Maze: Noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2-5 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 26-Oct. 31 for Corn Maze; 8-10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 8-30, for Haunted Maze; at Four Green Fields Farm, 15693 Wilson Road, Rodney. Cost: $3 for corn maze, ages 5 and under free; $2 for wagon rides; and $4 for haunted maze.

 Swiss Steak Dinner: 4-6:30 p.m. the last Friday of every month, April-October, at the Barryton Senior Center, 71 Northern Ave., Barryton. Includes dinner and dessert. Everyones welcome.

 Tai Chi: Noon on Wednesdays at Hemlock Park. Improve muscle tone, flexibility, balance and coordination. Newcomers welcome. brpr.org.

 Mecosta Co. Genealogical Society: Open 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every second Saturday, at 424 N. Fourth Ave., Big Rapids, next to Recycle. Thousands of obits and hundreds of books with history and genealogy for the Mecosta Co. area. Stop by or call Maureen Nelson at 231-250-5555 to set up an appointment.

 Mecosta County Sheriff Posse: 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Mecosta County Jail basement training room, 225 S. Stewart Ave., Big Rapids. This volunteer group is always looking for more members. For more info call 231-250-9241

 Lords Table Food Pantry: 3-5 p.m. Wednesdays at Faith Community Church, 610 Green St., Big Rapids. Everyone is welcome.

 Reed City Food Pantry: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 7, at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 831 S. Chestnut St., Reed City.

 Morley Community Center: The center, at 151 7th St., Morley, hosts weekly pickleball, open gym, indoor garage sales and outdoor market, in addition to monthly ancestry class, craft night and blood drive. For a list of activities, visit morleycenter.org/events or call 231-856-4496.

ARTWORKS ONGOING CLASSES, EXHIBITS

106 N. Michigan Ave. in Big Rapids / 231-796-2420 / artworksinbigrapids.org

 After School Arts: 3:45-5:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 1-29. Drop-ins welcome on a first come, first serve basis, but registration recommended. Register at Artworks gift shop or by calling 231-796-2420 the Monday before each session.

 Open Pottery: 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: $10 per session, $60 for an eight-session punch card. (Additional firing fees apply. Clay may be purchased in bulk for $20 per 25 lbs.) Call 231-796-2420 to schedule your session.

 Hand Built Pottery Fall Session: 6-8 p.m. Mondays, Sept. 13, 20, 27, and Oct. 4, 18, 25. Cost: $150. Register by calling 231-796-2420 or online at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/pottery.

 Beginning Wheel Fall Session: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 15, 22, 29, and Oct. 5, 12, 26. Cost: $150. Register by calling 231-796-2420 or online at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/pottery.

 Fundamentals of Photography Beginner Course: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 15-Oct. 19. Cost: $75. Register by calling 231-796-2420 or online at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/photography.

 Forged in Fire for Beginners: 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 5-Nov. 9, at The Forge, 5710 18 Mile Road, Barryton. Learn the basics of bladesmithing by doing. Everything will be provided. Closed toe shoes are required. Cost: $150. Register at artworksinbigrapids.org/specialty-workshops.

 Exhibit  Art in the Time of COVID: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Oct. 12-Nov. 14. Featuring creations from Dan Kaminsky, Kym Nicolas and other artists.
Perhaps the most incompetent president in American history arrived in Chicago last week to encourage Windy City residents to vax up. Joe Biden was on a mission to save lives, he said. He was looking out for the folks. He is the Covid slayer.



Long-time Chicago journalist John Kass was outraged as Biden met with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker. Obsessed with the vaccine, the President failed to address the slaughter of primarily black people on the streets of Chicago. The violence has been going on for years and the Democratic machine that controls the city doesn't care if young black children become homicide stats as 7-year-old Serenity Broughton did a few weeks ago. Serenity and her six-year-old sister, Aubrey, were sitting in their parent's car when the bullets suddenly came. Aubrey was shot in the chest but survived.



Joe Biden most likely doesn't know about the little girls and, based upon his rhetoric and actions, couldn't care less. What he SHOULD know is that Democrat prosecutors in the nation's three largest cities, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, routinely drop felony charges against violent individuals. Ask any cop in those towns. The law enforcement strategy embraced by the progressive movement is directly leading to thousands of violent deaths across this country.



So, where is President Biden on the issue? Nowhere, that's where. He's too busy calling his own country a racist place to actually deal with real racism: the horrendous murder toll among African-Americans.



Joe Biden doesn't have to think about that safe in his Rehoboth Beach enclave. He can't see the drug gangs wielding weapons from his cloister inside the White House. In fact, Mr. Biden is totally blind on just about every serious problem the nation faces.



He's not alone. Governor Pritzker, a corpulent poser with a bad dye job, has run Illinois into the ground. This year alone, 185 people have been shot driving on Chicago Expressways. But Pritzker is safe; he has a state police escort.



Biden and his band of progressive deconstructionists are gravely harming all Americans. The collapse of public safety on the streets and at the border is obvious if you want to look.



But Joe Biden doesn't want to look. He is too busy doing what his far-left handlers tell him to do - too befuddled to actually run the country in an effective way.



He is truly a man with his eyes wide shut.
Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain
Already facing a staffing crisis, the Seattle Police Department is bracing for the possibility that hundreds of officers will fail to meet an Oct. 18 vaccination deadline.

As of Oct. 6, 292 sworn personnel had yet to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. That number is down from 354 on Tuesday.

To add another layer of concern, Seattle PD Spokesperson Sgt. Randy Huserik confirmed to FOX 13 News that there are an additional 111 officers awaiting results of exemption requests. Those 111 are not counted in the 292 figure  meaning if their accommodations are denied, the actual number of unvaccinated officers could be as high as 403.
The New York Times was forced to issue a correction admitting it had inflated the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations of children by more than 800,000.

The Times published an article Wednesday discussing the possibility of single-dose COVID-19 vaccines for children. In the original version, reporter Apoorva Mandavilli wrote that [n]early 900,000 children have been hospitalized with Covid-19 since the pandemic began.

On Thursday, the Times corrected the article to say that [m]ore than 63,000 children were hospitalized with Covid-19 from August 2020 to October 2021.

How did an error that large happen, @NYTimes? Pluribus editor Jeryl Bier asked in a tweet on Friday.

Original: Nearly 900,000 children have been hospitalized with Covid-19 since the pandemic began Corrected: More than 63,000 children were hospitalized with Covid-19 from August 2020 to October 2021 How did an error that large happen, @NYTimes? pic.twitter.com/8LGm0dbFhh  Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) October 8, 2021

It was one of three errors the Times had to correct.

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The original article said Sweden and Denmark had begun offering single doses of the vaccine to children. In the correction, the Times said those two countries had, in fact, halted the use of the vaccine in children, which is a stark contrast to the original claim.

In addition, the article misstated the timing of an F.D.A. meeting on authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children. It is later this month, not next week, the lengthy correction said in conclusion.

The errors drew mockery and criticism on Twitter.

I see this NYT reporter is meeting her usual standards today. pic.twitter.com/zZ3OV348PU  Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) October 8, 2021

Spoiler alert. The real number was 63,000 and not 900,000 Not sure how its possible to make a mistake that big.https://t.co/VfA41sGYMb  Jeff Harris (@TheVotersSay) October 8, 2021

Jeremy Brown, an expert in respiratory diseases at University College London, told the Times he could not make the absolute statement that its totally safe to give this vaccine. He also suggested vaccinating children was morally wrong given our current knowledge on COVID-19 and the vaccine.

The chance of getting severe Covid in a healthy 12- to 15-year-old is almost negligible, he said. Against that, you have to make sure that the vaccine that youre giving is utterly safe.  You dont vaccinate a 15-year-old to prevent them infecting other adults  thats not morally, ethically the right thing to do.
Just six weeks after leaving Afghanistan the U.S. wants to get back in:

A U.S. delegation will meet with senior Taliban representatives in Doha on Saturday and Sunday in their first face-to-face meeting at a senior level since Washington pulled its troops from Afghanistan and the hardline group took over the country, two senior administration officials told Reuters. The high-level U.S. delegation will include officials from the State Department, USAID and the U.S. intelligence community, will press the Taliban to ensure continued safe passage for U.S. citizens and others out of Afghanistan and to release kidnapped U.S. citizen Mark Frerichs, the officials said.

That U.S. intelligence officials take part points to an effort to get an agreement on a long term and significantly sized CIA presence in the country. Such a station would target China and to a lesser degree Russia. The Taliban had previously rejected such a request (or at least had put some strong conditions on it which the U.S. did not fulfill.)

For a normal CIA presence in Afghanistan the U.S. could of course simply reopen its embassy as the Taliban had asked it to do. But that is something the Biden administration does not want to do as it would give the Taliban international legitimacy:

This meeting is not about granting recognition or conferring legitimacy. We remain clear that any legitimacy must be earned through the Talibans own actions. They need to establish a sustained track record, the official said.

The Taliban want the U.S. to release the frozen reserves of the Afghan central bank. They need money to feed their country. There also seem to be some open points with regards to the previous agreement which included secret annexes:

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen, who is based in Doha, told the Associated Press on Saturday that the talks will also revisit the peace agreement the Taliban signed with Washington in 2020. The agreement had paved the way for the final U..S. withdrawal. Yes there is a meeting ... about bilateral relations and implementation of the Doha agreement, said Shaheen. It covers various topics.

...

The U.S.-Taliban agreement of 2020, which was negotiated by the Trump administration, demanded the Taliban break ties with terrorist groups and guarantee Afghanistan would not again harbor terrorists who could attack the United States and its allies. It seems certain the two sides will discuss in the weekend talks how to tackle the growing [Islamic State] threat. The Taliban has said it does not want U.S. anti-terrorism assistance and have warned Washington against any so-called over-the -horizon strikes on Afghan territory from outside the countrys borders.

The Taliban know who has founded and nurtured the Islamic State in Afghanistan. They suspect that the U.S. is still controlling it and that the recent Islamic State attacks in Afghanistan are just another form of U.S. pressure.

Yesterdays suicide bombing in a Shia mosque in Kunduz was executed by an Uyghur Islamic State member. Trump had taken the Uyghur Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) off the U.S. terrorist list and Biden has not reinstated it. This reinforce the impression that the U.S. is behind Islamic State attacks and that its real target is China:

The United States, meanwhile, would seek to hold Taliban leaders to commitments that they would allow Americans and other foreign nationals to leave Afghanistan, along with Afghans who once worked for the U.S. military or government and other Afghan allies, a U.S. official said.

The Taliban are not holding anyone back. It is the U.S. which is responsible for the travel difficulties:

U.S. officials have cited the difficulty of verifying flight manifests without any American officials on the ground in Afghanistan to help, along with other holdups.

To prepare for the meeting in Doha a U.S. delegation held high level talks with Pakistan:

The meeting between Washingtons deputy secretary of state and Pakistan's leaders came amid an array of unsettled issues. They include questions such as the level of future engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the ongoing evacuation of foreign nationals and Afghans who want to flee the country's new Taliban rulers. Another question on the agenda is who will provide funds to stave off a full economic meltdown and looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban takeover, billions of dollars in aid have been frozen. Nearly 80% of the former Afghan government's budget was funded by international donors. Even as it shies away from any unilateral formal recognition, Pakistan has been pressing for greater engagement with the all-male, all-Taliban Cabinet that the insurgents set up after they overran Afghanistan in mid-August, in the final weeks of the U.S. and NATO pullout from the country. Pakistan has also urged Washington to release billions of dollars to the Taliban so that they can pay salaries of the many Afghan ministries and avoid an economic meltdown. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that s such a crash could unleash a mass migration.

As a result of the talks Pakistan showed support for the U.S. demand of an 'inclusive government' in Afghanistan:

Little information has emerged from the meetings. A statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry said an inclusive and broad-based political structure reflecting the ethnic diversity of Afghan society was essential for Afghanistans stability and progress. That was a clear message to the Taliban: An acceptable Afghan government is one that includes representatives of all Afghan minorities. The statement also had a message for the world, saying the current situation required positive engagement of the international community, urgent provision of humanitarian assistance, release of Afghan financial resources, and measures to help build a sustainable economy to alleviate the sufferings of the Afghan people.

I do not see the U.S. getting what it wants from the Taliban. They know that a large CIA station in their country would also endanger their rule.

If the U.S. continues to hold back Afghanistan's money it only increases the need for the Taliban to engage with China. While China will be stingy and have its own requests it at least does not work with terrorist and it sticks to its agreements.
In some ways, we sympathize with Neel Kashkari's fake "concern" about the unprecedented wealth inequality that has emerged in the US in recent years and which has resulted in a slow, methodical and relentless destruction of the US middle class ... or rather make that precedented because there was another time when the top 0.1% had amassed as much wealth and it was just before the Great Depression.

After all, who hasn't seen charts such as these showing the tremendous divergence in income earned by America's Top 1% at the expense of the middle and lower classes:

Or that the top 10% now own 70% of all the US wealth, the same as the middle and lower classes combined...

... up 10% from the 60% of wealth they controlled at the start of the century.

Yet we find Kashkari's "jaw-dropping" virtue signalling proposal to grant the Fed wealth redistribution power not only laughable but absolutely terrifying: after all it was the Fed's ZIRP and QE that was behind the greatest wealth redistribution in the past decade...

... a redistribution that started almost 50 years ago, when Nixon decided to end the Fed's biggest nemesis - the US gold standard - launching an unprecedented increase in income growth for the "Top 1%", even as the income of the "Bottom 90%" has remained unchanged ever since 1971.

For those confused, Rabobank's Michael Every put it best: of course the Fed can redistribute wealth but "that redistribution has been from the poor and middle-class to the rich, not the other way round."

Unfortunately, as we showed back in November 2019, it may already be too late to fix the US: as the following stunning chart shows, the US is already effectively a banana republic if one defines such a nation as one which has a small but ultrapowerful and unaccountable kleptocracy which gets richer year after year by stealing from the rapidly shrinking middle class.

Here is the problem: while the US has one one of the highest median incomes in the entire world, with only three countries boasting a higher income, it is who gets to collect this money that is the major problem, because as the chart also shows, with just a 50% share of the population in middle-income households, the US is now in the same category as such "banana republics" as Turkey, China and, drumroll, Russia.

What is just as stunning: according to the OECD, more than half of the countries in question have a more vibrant middle class than the US.

Alas, since November 2019 it has only gotten worse... much worse because as a result of the unprecedented wealth redistribution unleashed by the covid pandemic, America's has truly cemented its banana republic status as the wealth of the top 1% exploded as a direct result of the Fed pumping trillions into the stock market and levitating asset values, while the lower and middle classes stagnated.

Two weeks ago, when discussing the latest US record household net worth number, which hit an all time high of $142 trillion or up $31 trillion since Covid, we showed that it would be great if this wealth increase was spread evenly across most Americans, but unfortunately, most Americans have not benefited from recent gains in wealth.

Indeed, the latest data as of Q1 shows that the top 1% accounts for over $41.5 trillion of total household net worth, with the number rising to over $90 trillion for just the top 10%. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the US population has virtually no assets at all. On a percentage basis, just the Top 1% now own a record 32.1% share of total US net worth, or $45.6 trillion. In other words, the richest Americans have never owned a greater share of US household income than they do, largely thanks to the Fed. Meanwhile, the bottom 50% own just 2% of all net worth, or a paltry $2.8 trillion. They do own most of the debt though...

And the saddest chart of all: the wealth of the bottom 50% is virtually unchanged since 2006, while the net worth of the Top 1% has risen by 132% from $17.9 trillion to $41.5 trillion.

All of which brings us to the latest update from the Fed on Household Wealth distribution published on Friday and covering the second quarter of 2021, and which revealed yet another jawdropping fact about America's full transformation into a banana republic.

According to the Fed data, which breaks down the distribution of wealth according to income quintile (or 20% bucket) with a special carve out for the top 1%, the middle 60% of US households by income (those in the 20% to 80% income range) - a measure economists use as a definition of the middle class - saw their combined assets drop from 26.7% to 26.6% of national wealth as of June, the lowest in Federal Reserve data, while for the first time the super rich had a bigger share, at 27%.

While especially true for the top 1%, it is all the rich that have benefited at the expense of the extinction of the US middle class - as the next chart shows, over the past 30 years, 10 percentage points of American wealth has shifted to the top 20% of earners, who now hold 70% of the total. The bottom 80% are left with less than 30%.

Some context: while middle class is a fluid concept, many economists use income to define the group. The 77.5 million families in the middle 60% make about $27,000 to $141,000 annually, based on Census Bureau data. As Bloomberg notes, their share in three main categories of assets - real estate, equities and private businesses - slumped in one generation. That made their lives more precarious, with fewer financial reserves to fall back on when they lose their jobs.

On the other end, the top 1% represents those 1.3 million households out of a total of almost 130 million, who roughly make more than $500,000 a year. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a fraction of the population is at the core of some of the countrys major political battles. It was also made possible entirely by the Fed, which as Stanley Druckenmiller said back in May echoing what we have said since our inception back in 2009, has been the single "greatest engine of wealth inequality" in history (to which we would also add the end of the gold standard under Nixon).

If the economic system isnt working for the clear majority of the population, it will eventually lose political support, Nathan Sheets, newly appointed chief economist at Citigroup Inc., said by email. This observation is motivating many of the economic reforms that the Biden Administration is putting forward.

And while Joe Biden is seeking to "bolster" working- and middle-class families with a $3.5 trillion package before Congress that includes assistance with child care, education and health care paid for with tax increases on high-income individuals, what he will do is make the rich even richer as the Fed will have to monetize all those trillions in new debt, boosting risk asset prices even higher, and while the middle class spends any one-time fiscal stimulus merely to cover soaring costs of everyday items like rent and gas, it is the top 1% who will benefit the most again as they stock portfolios hit new all time highs.

It's not just stocks that have benefited the super rich: housing has too. While a generation ago, the middle class held more than 44% of real estate assets in the country, it is now down to 38%. The pandemic generated a boom in housing values that has benefited most those who owned real estate in the first place. It also led to soaring rents this year, which hurt those who cant afford a house. The self-feeding loop was yet another source of wealth transfer for the wealthier.

So the next time someone abuses the popular phrase "they hate us for our [fill in the blank]", perhaps it's time to counter that "they" may not "hate" us at all, but rather are making fun of what has quietly and slowly but surely become the world's biggest banana republic?

And it has not Russia, nor China, nor any other foreign enemy to blame except one: the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States.
Yesterday, I ran a story that had nothing to do with vaccines, about the seeming delay of the development of a drug called molnupiravir (see the above segment with the gracious hosts of The Hill: Rising for more). In the time it took to report and write that piece, conventional wisdom turned against the drug, which is now suspected of ivermectinism and other deviationist, anti-vax tendencies, in the latest iteration of our most recent collective national mania  the Cult of the Vaccine.

The speed of the change was incredible. Just a week ago, on October 1st, the pharmaceutical giant Merck issued a terse announcement that quickly became big news. Molnupiravir, an experimental antiviral drug, reduced the risk of hospitalization or death of Covid-19 patients by as much as 50%, according to a study.

The stories that rushed out in the ensuing minutes and hours were almost uniformly positive. AP called the news a potentially major advance in efforts to fight the pandemic, while National Geographic quoted a Yale specialist saying, Having a pill that would be easy for people to take at home would be terrific. Another interesting early reaction came from Time:

Vaccines will be the way out of the pandemic, but not everyone around the world is immunized yet, and the shots arent 100% effective in protecting people from getting infected with the COVID-19 virus. So antiviral drug treatments will be key to making sure that people who do get infected dont get severely ill.

This is what news looks like before propagandists get their hands on it. Time writer Alice Parks lede was sensible and clear. If molnupiravir works  a big if, incidentally  its good news for everyone, since not everyone is immunized, and the vaccines arent 100% effective anyway. As even Vox put it initially, molnupiravir could help compensate for persistent gaps in Covid-19 vaccination coverage.

Within a day, though, the tone of coverage turned. Writers began stressing a Yeah, but approach, as in, Any new treatment is of course good, but get your fucking shot. A CNN lede read, A pill that could potentially treat Covid-19 is a game-changer, but experts are emphasizing that it's not an alternative to vaccinations. The New York Times went with, Health officials said the drug could provide an effective way to treat Covid-19, but stressed that vaccines remained the best tool.

If youre thinking it was only a matter of time before the mere fact of molnupiravirs existence would be pitched in headlines as actual bad news, youre not wrong: Marketwatch came out with Its not a magic pill: What Mercks antiviral pill could mean for vaccine hesitancy the same day Merck issued its release. The piece came out before we knew much of anything concrete about the drugs effectiveness, let alone whether it was magic.

Bloombergs morose No, the Merck pill wont end the pandemic was released on October 2nd, i.e. one whole day after the first encouraging news of a possible auxiliary treatment whose most ardent supporters never claimed would end the pandemic. This article said the pill might be cause to celebrate, but warned its emergence shouldnt be cause for complacency when it comes to the most effective tool to end this pandemic: vaccines. Bloomberg randomly went on to remind readers that the unrelated drug ivermectin is a horse de-worming agent, before adding that if molnupiravir ends up being viewed as a solution for those who refuse to vaccinate, the Covid virus will continue to persist.

In other words, it took less than 24 hours for the drug  barely tested, let alone released yet  to be accused of prolonging the pandemic. By the third day, mentions of molnupiravir in news reports nearly all came affixed to stern reminders of its place beneath vaccines in the medical hierarchy, as in the New York Times explaining that Dr. Anthony Fauci, who initially told reporters the new drug was impressive, now warned that Americans should not wait to be vaccinated because they believe they can take the pill.

Since the start of the Trump years, weve been introduced to a new kind of news story, which assumes adults cant handle multiple ideas at once, and has reporters frantically wrapping facts deemed dangerous, unorthodox, or even just insufficiently obvious in layers of disclaimers. The fear of uncontrolled audience brain-drift is now so great that even offhand references must come swaddled in these journalistic Surgeon Generals warnings, which is why whenever we read anything now, we almost always end up fighting through nests of phrases like the debunked conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was created in a lab in order to get to whatever the authors main point might be.

This lunacy started with the Great Lie Debate of 2016, when reporters and editors spent months publicly anguishing over whether to use lie in headlines of Donald Trump stories, then loudly congratulated themselves once they decided to do it. The most histrionic offender was the New York Times, previously famous for teaching readers to digest news in code (he claimed for years was Times-ese for full of shit) but now reasoned a more muscular terminology, connoting a certain moral opprobrium, was needed to distinguish the dissembling of a politician like Bill Clinton from Trumps whoppers. I did not have sexual relations with that woman could be mere falsehood, but I will build a great great wall required language that stands apart.

The key term was moral opprobrium. Moralizing was exactly what journalists were once trained not to do, at least outside the op-ed page, but it soon became a central part of the job. When they used they word lie, the Times explained, they wanted us to know that was because from the childhood schoolyard to the grave, this is a word neither used nor taken lightly. Put another way, the Times didnt want people reading about something Donald Trump said, grasping that it was a lie, and, say, chuckling about how ridiculous it was. If the New York Times sent the word lie up the flagpole, they now expected an appropriately solemn salute.

This was the beginning of an era in which editors became convinced that all earths problems derived from populations failing to accept reports as Talmudic law. It couldnt be people were just tuning out papers for a hundred different reasons, including sheer boredom. It had to be that their traditional work product was just too damned subtle. The only way to avoid the certain evil of audiences engaging in unsupervised pondering over information was to eliminate all possibility of subtext, through a new communication style that was 100% literal and didactic. Everyone would get the same news and also be instructed, often mid-sentence, on how to respond.

At first this expressed itself via regurgitation of Approved Unambiguous Phraseology handed down from official or law enforcement sources, like Russias election interference activities, e.g. Pages alleged coordination with Russias election interference activities. However, it wasnt long before the stage-direction factor in coverage went berserk, as I noted last year after this question by Anderson Cooper in a presidential debate:

COOPER: Mr. Vice President, President Trump has falsely accused your son of doing something wrong while serving on a company board in Ukraine. I want to point out theres no evidence of wrongdoing by either one of you.

The phrase, no evidence of wrongdoing, was a mandatory add last year in all coverage involving Ukraine, Joe Biden, and Hunter Biden, from the Guardian (No evidence the younger Biden did anything illegal) to CNBC (There is no evidence that Trump or Giuliani has produced which shows that Hunter Biden was engaged in wrongdoing) to Newsweek (Although there is no evidence of illegal wrongdoing by the Bidens in those dealings) to NBC (No evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Biden) to AP (There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either the vice president or his son) to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Axios, and countless others.

The language was absurd on multiple levels, beginning with its incorrectness  unless they were talking purely about a legal definition, the issue of whether or not there was wrongdoing in Hunter Biden accepting a no-show $50,000-a-month job from a crooked Ukrainian energy firm was a matter for readers to decide, not an issue of fact. Still, a lot of people not only swallowed it, but vomited these and other terms back up again, over and over, on social media, or to their friends and family, or to anyone at all, in what became a new way for a certain kind of person to relate to the world.

As a student in the Soviet Union I noticed subscribers to what Russians called the sovok mindset talked in interminable strings of pogovorki, i.e goofball proverbs or aphorisms youd heard a million times before (He who takes no risk, drinks no champagne, or Work isnt a wolf, it wont run off into the woods, etc). This was a learned defense mechanism, adopted by a people whod found out the hard way that anyone caught not speaking nonstop nonsense could be suspected of harboring original thoughts. Voluble stupidity is a great disguise in a society where silence is suspect.

Were similarly becoming a nation of totalitarian nitwits, speaking in a borrowed lexicon of mandatory phrases and smelling heresy in anyone who doesnt. This cult reflex was bad during the Russiagate years, but its gone into overdrive since the arrival of COVID. The CNN writer who thinks its necessary to put a disclaimer in the lede of a story about molnupiravir, of all things, is basically claiming he or she is afraid a theoretical unvaccinated person might otherwise read the story and be encouraged to not take the vaccine.

Except, if that theoretical unvaccinated person could be convinced by anything CNN said or did, theyd have already gotten the shot, because the network runs ten million stories a day directly imploring people to get vaccinated or die. News flash: the instinct to armor-plate even unrelated news subjects with layer after layer of insistent vaccine dogma is not for the non-immunized, who mostly dont watch outlets like CNN or read the New York Times. Outlets apply that neurotic messaging for their own target audiences, whove been trained to live in terror of un-contextualized content, which everyone knows leads to Trump, fascism, and death.

Id be the last person to claim there arent dumb people out there in America, but at least the audiences of channels like Fox and OAN know that content has been designed for them. The people gobbling down these pieces by Bloomberg and the Times that have the journalistic equivalent of child-proof caps on every paragraph that even parenthetically mentions COVID really believe that content has been dumbed down for some other person. They think its someone else who cant handle news that vaccines work and that there also might be a pill that treats the disease, without freaking out or coming to politically unsafe conclusions. So they put up with being talked to like children  demand it, even. Which is nuts. Right? It is nuts, isnt it?
Paul addressed the ongoing saga with the Biden governments plan to target angry parents who have spoken out against critical race theory being taught to their children, as well as opposing vaccinate mandates in schools.

I think criminalizing dissent is something that we should all be appalled with, Paul told host Ben Domenech.

I would say be afraid, Paul said. Be afraid of your government. Thats a sad thing from someone in the government to say, but the thing is, is those lists already exist.

The Senator continued, For example, people in northern Virginia that have gone to [protests], have been then sought out by the school council, by the members of the school board and retaliated [against] in a sort of legalistic way to try to put them on some sort of list and chill their speech by letting them know therell be a penalty for showing up and protesting.

Paul urged that the crackdown on free speech is exploding worldwide, noting its become so normalized to use government to search out and seek out your opponents.

There are people I know on the left who should have stepped forward and should have said how wrong it is to use this foreign intelligence court  that uses a standard lower than the Constitution  to go after a political campaign, Paul continued.

Yet, the left  once it became about Trump, their hatred of Trump trumped everything else, and I have a feeling and a fear that the left has become more authoritarian than we can really even imagine, the Senator further declared.

Watch:

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked by Peter Doocy about the National School Boards Association (NSBA) attempting to get the Justice Department to use the PATRIOT Act against parents.

Psaki predictably dismissed and avoided the question:

Psaki defends the DoJ acquiescing to teachers unions who want parents treated like domestic terrorists: "These were threats against public servants, threats against members of the school board. Regardless of the reasoning, threats & violence against public servants is illegal" pic.twitter.com/nPF6ZsVN4E  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 6, 2021

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Mapping Iraqs electoral evolution

A map of how Iraq's election districts voted in 2018, created by PhD student Houman Oliaei

On October 10, 2021, Iraqis will participate in the sixth parliamentary election since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. In advance of the election, Houman Oliaei, a PhD student in anthropology, has been creating a story map to collect scattered data on Iraqi elections and present them in a coherent and accessible way. In September, he spoke with BrandeisNow about his project.



Can you tell us about yourself?



Im originally from Iran. I attended the University of Tehran, where I earned a BA in Iranian Classical Music and an MA in Cultural Anthropology. I came to Brandeis to pursue my PhD in sociocultural anthropology in 2015. I am a qualitative researcher and GIS Specialist and am studying the lived experiences of Yezidis, an ethno-religious minority in northern Iraq that experienced genocidal violence and forced displacement following an ISIS attack on the Sinjar region in August 2014. I spent almost a year in Iraq, doing fieldwork among displaced Yezidis in a refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan, studying everyday experiences of displaced Yezidis who struggle to gain cultural and legal recognition within the humanitarian and state network.

I focus on their lived experiences, and how they struggle to make their lives livable and get the resources they need.

How did the idea for this project originate?



I came up with the idea of a story map of Iraqi elections while working on one of my dissertation chapters. I was trying to look at the election results of local and general elections in Iraq to understand how minority groups are represented in the elections. I realized that the data we have about Iraqi parliamentary elections are very scattered, and sometimes difficult to comprehend, and I couldnt find a source that could summarize the last 16 years of parliamentary elections and the voting trends. In some cases, the data was available but didnt have enough graphic representation. The data might be accessible and comprehensible for Iraqi analysts, but not for the people who are not closely monitoring or analyzing Iraqi politics over the last 16 years. I collected the data for the story map from different sources, from policy papers to news reports, in both Arabic and English, in order to make them accessible in one place.

When we think about the United States elections, there are many visualisations, analyses, and raw data that span a long period of time. But when it comes to a country like Iraq, this data is not easily accessible for those who might be interested in learning more about Iraqi elections and politics. The story map, which contains interactive content, gives a broad view of the 16 years of parliamentary elections in Iraq, the transformations of main political coalitions, the outcome of the elections, the turnouts, as well as the breakdown of seats won by each party. It visualizes and traces the different electoral systems as well as political coalitions over the last 16 years.



Why is this important today?



This data is very important because were having an early election in October in Iraq. It is taking place in the backdrop of a protest movement that started in 2019, and some argue that it is the largest grassroots socio-political mobilization in Iraq's modern history. The early election was scheduled to address the demands of the protestors. One of the demands of this anti-corruption movement was to end the sectarian political system that has been institutionalized and infiltrated Iraqi politics since the 2003 American invasion. So I thought it would be interesting to visualize previous Iraqi elections, to see if the 2021 election will bring any change.



The Iraqi government implemented some electoral reforms to address the grievances of the protesters. For instance, in the past election, people could only choose from an open or closed party list, but for this election, they can also vote for independent candidates. Additionally, instead of designating each governorate as a single district, the new law divides the country's provinces into smaller districts, which can benefit independent candidates. It will be interesting to see if these changes will diversify the Iraqi political field and give room to independent candidates who might have a better chance of winning at the district level rather than the provincial level.



Another important thing about the upcoming election is the turnout. As I said, the early election is the result of a massive protest movement in Iraq, so some analysts expect that participation in the election to be a record low (one of the polls predicted only 29 percent participation). However, there have been some calls from influential figures in Iraq to encourage people to participate in the election. For instance, Iraqs top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani on Wednesday called on the public to head to the polls on October 10 and vote for a new government. So it will be interesting to see the turnouts of the election, given the street protest and corruption. The turnout is important in this election because a low turnout due to the boycott can lead to the victory of established parties, and perhaps the repetition of the negotiations along sectarian lines. On the other hand, a high turnout can empower independent candidates to have a more active role in the formation of the next government.



I hope to develop this story map in the future to include the local elections, and profiles of some of the independent politicians as well. I think that the story map about Iraqi elections is going to be beneficial both for professionals who are analyzing Iraq, as well as for the public audience to have a sense of whats happening in Iraq.
Monday's federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus is highlighting the ongoing divide between those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian American history and others horrified by an annual tribute that ignores native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.

FILE - This June 17, 2020 file photo shows Philadelphia police at Marconi Plaza near the Columbus statue in Philadelphia. Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus continues to divide those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian Americans history and those horrified by an annual tribute that ignores the native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism. (Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File)

Monday's federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus is highlighting the ongoing divide between those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian American history and others horrified by an annual tribute that ignores native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.

Spurred by national calls for racial equity, communities across the U.S. took a deeper look at Columbus' legacy in recent years  pairing or replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day.

On Friday, President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, the most significant boost yet to efforts to refocus the federal holiday celebrating Columbus.

But activists, including members of Native American tribes, said ending the formal holiday in Columbus' name has been stymied by politicians and organizations focusing on Italian American heritage.

The opposition has tried to paint Columbus as a benevolent man, similar to how white supremacists have painted Robert E. Lee, Les Begay, Dine Nation member and co-founder of the Indigenous Peoples Day Coalition of Illinois, said, referring to the Civil War general who led the Confederate Army.

Columbus arrival began centuries of exploration and colonization by European nations, bringing violence, disease and other suffering to native people already living in the Western Hemisphere.

Not honoring Indigenous peoples on this day just continues to erase our history, our contributions and the fact that we were the first inhabitants of this country, Begay said.

Across the country tension, over the two holidays has been playing out since the early 1990s. Debates over monuments and statues of the Italian explorer tread similar ground, as in Philadelphia where the city placed a box over a Columbus statue last year in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer. Protesters opposing racial injustice and police brutality against people of color rallied for months in summer 2020.

Philadelphia lawyer George Bochetto, who has been fighting Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney's administration to uncover the statue, said Saturday many felt efforts to remove it were an attack on Italian-American heritage.

Kenney previously signed an executive order changing the citys annual Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day. Monday will be the first city holiday under the new name.

We have a mayor thats doing everything he can to attack the Italian American community, including canceling its parade, removing statues, changing the Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day by fiat," Bochetto said.

Kenney spokesperson Kevin Lessard said the statue should remain boxed up in the best interest and public safety of all Philadelphians.

In 2016, Lincoln, Nebraska, joined other cities adding Indigenous Peoples Day to the calendar on the same date as Columbus Day. Events on Monday will focus on the newer addition, including unveiling a statue honoring the first Native American physician, Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte.

Some feel a split day causes further harm. Activists plan a small protest outside the Robert V. Denney Federal Building, calling for an outright end to the holiday in Columbus name at all levels of government.

Its patently absurd to honor Indigenous people and the man who tortured and murdered their ancestors, said Jackson Meredith, an organizer. As far as were concerned, were going to keep protesting it until Columbus Day is abolished.

In New York City, the annual Columbus Day Parade returns after a one-year, in-person absence attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. The parade is touted by some as the worlds largest Columbus Day celebration.

In May, Italian American activists complained after the Board of Education erased Christopher Columbus Day from the New York City school calendar, replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day. Following the outcry, the schools changed the designation to: Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he supported the compromise.

We have to honor that day as a day to recognize the contributions of all Italian Americans, so of course the day should not have been changed arbitrarily, de Blasio said.

Chicago's annual Columbus Day parade also returns Monday after the pandemic forced 2020's cancellation of the event that draws 20,000 people. It's a vivid reminder of the ongoing fight over three statues of Columbus, still warehoused by the city after protesters targeted them in summer 2020.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot in July 2020 ordered the statues removed and said demonstrations were endangering protesters and police.

She later created a committee to review monuments in the city, including the fate of Columbus monuments. No plans have been announced publicly, but the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans that plans the Columbus Day parade this summer sued the city's park district, demanding that one be restored.

Ron Onesti, the organization's president, said the parade usually draws protesters and expects that on Monday too. He sees the holiday, parade and statues as a celebration of Italian Americans' contributions to the U.S., not just Columbus.

The outcome I'm looking for is (for) our traditions to be respected and conversations to continue, Onesti said Saturday. Every plaque that goes along with a statue says it recognizes the Italian community's contributions. So people need to understand that's why it's there, and then let's sit down and figure out where to go from here."

Illinois in 2017 designated the last Monday in September as Indigenous Peoples Day but kept Columbus Day on the second Monday of October. A proposal to replace Columbus Day filed this year hasn't received any action.

Chicago Public Schools in 2020 voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, provoking outrage from several alderman and Italian American groups. The city's holiday calendar still lists Columbus Day.

Begay, the Indigenous Peoples Day advocate, said the organization decided to focus on changing Columbus Day first in Cook County, hoping it would be an easier path than convincing state or Chicago officials. But so far, members of the county's board haven't lined up behind the proposal.

Why are 500 plus years still forgotten? Begay said. Why don't we have this single day to recognize these horrible atrocities committed against native people?

___

This story has been updated to correct the punctuation on multiple references to the holiday. It is Indigenous Peoples Day, not Indigenous Peoples Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day. __

Associated Press Reporter Lawrence Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.
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Carbon emission offsets will play an increasing role in Australias push for net zero but should not be used as an excuse to delay cutting greenhouse gases.

A new report from the Grattan Institute on carbon offsets, Towards Net Zero, finds that while the Australian government should pursue strong emissions reduction policies, offsets will play an important role.

Wind farms in India are a major source of cheap carbon credits. Credit:Dhiraj Singh

Carbon offset schemes allow individuals and companies to invest in environmental projects around the world to balance out their emissions.

Offsets can include actions such as tree planting, agricultural methane capture, education programs or energy efficiency programs in low-income communities, for example.
Jonathon Welch AM, the former musical director of the famous Choir of Hard Knocks community choir for the homeless and disadvantaged, suffered a bit of a hard knock of his own in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on Friday.

Credit:Benke

AAT Senior member Professor Ann OConnell ruled that Welchs Play It Forward musical education business could no longer use the Voices of Casey Choir name, which he had registered in September, 2020 with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

That was because it had a name that was nearly identical to a choir Welch had previously been involved with, called the Voices of Casey, which choir manager Paulien George had registered with ASIC two years earlier.

George had taken ASIC to the AAT, arguing the names created confusion and OConnell ruled that the ASIC decision should be set aside.
Enrolments in NSW public schools will swell by 20 per cent in the next 15 years and much of the growth will be in 11 Sydney local government areas (LGAs), with student numbers in Cumberland and Bayside expected to more than double, independent modelling has found.

More than 10,000 extra teachers will be required to meet demand, according an analysis based on NSW Department of Education enrolment predictions by education economist Adam Rorris, a former manager of the national School Resourcing Taskforce.

The analysis comes after the Herald revealed NSW schools are facing a growing teacher shortage, which is most severe in rural and regional areas of the state but is also affecting areas of Sydney, leading to teachers working outside their expertise and problems filling jobs.

Several of the 11 LGAs with the biggest enrolment growth and teacher demand are home to some of the citys most disadvantaged students, and include Canterbury Bankstown, Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, The Hills, Ryde, Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool.
NSWs zookeepers are holding rehearsals  so everyone knows their lions  and mimicking the interaction zoo animals will face when zoos reopen from Monday to vaccinated humans after four months of isolation.

They are also being cautious about protecting zoo animals from COVID-19, believed to be a zoonotic disease which jumped from animals to humans. It has bounced back from humans to infect zoo animals including bears, tigers and other animals across the world, including the United States and China.

Chad Staples with seven-year-old koala Archer at Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park in Doonside. Credit:James Brickwood

There are no known animal cases in Australia. But local experts are monitoring overseas cases and the results of an experimental vaccine exclusively for animals being tested in American zoos.

Zookeeper Chad Staples has been running rehearsals anywhere where visitors come in contact with animals at the zoos he manages, including Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park in Blacktown, Hunter Valley Zoo and Mogo Zoo on NSWs South Coast. All will reopen on Monday.
They show a pair of rangers reached the blaze with two Orchid Beach rural fire brigade members within an hour of the fire being called in to the parks service at 1.30pm on October 14 last year. Flames burning towards camps on the southern end of the Duling campsite, on the islands remote north-east coast, were suppressed by the rangers, one of the reports details. But another flank about 40 metres away from the site was headed north-west, with flames up to one metre. Various satellite images of Fraser Island before and after the fire, with orange indicating the burnt areas. The parks service has consistently maintained that a direct attack on the fire at this point was not feasible due to dry conditions, variable and strong winds, along with access to complex vegetation and terrain limited by dry sand tracks. Little more than two hours after the fire was reported, there was a flurry of emails among parks service executives in relation to an Environment Department media team request to tweet about the fire and the movement of campers. Parks director Damien Head then looped other senior members of the department in on an update.

Mr Head said the regional parks management team had confirmed the fire posed no immediate threat to life and property and the fire danger index suggested it was only low intensity. Loading QPWS will monitor the fire, however [we] will not be taking any action to control or contain, he said. About one hour later, a situation report that was passed up to the agencys regional director, Mick Cubis, by rangers said: Fire is deemed not to be containable, high fuel loads and strong south-east winds pushing it inland. Campers at Ocean Lake to the north were not believed to be under direct threat, but may need to move, while the Orchid Beach township, about six kilometres south, was unlikely to be threatened, thanks to protection burns throughout the year.

Assistant director-general Neil Cambourn requested an update the following morning, which was given just before 10am: as of 8am, the fire had spread 500 metres to the south and 2.5 kilometres north, with winds around 15km/h and campers removed from the Ocean Lake camp. Loading An email from the areas principal ranger noted feedback that the fire burning in the swampland was pumping out plenty of smoke but was still all under control, with the diminishing south-easterly influence giving time to evaluate in a watching space. It will probably be a good conservation outcome, Mr Cambourn replied. Like most of the Australian continent, large parts of the island are both fire adapted and reliant, but its older-growth rainforest areas less so. As the blaze intensified into December, experts raised concerns about the potential for long-term damage from the fairly unique event, which is still being assessed one year on.

A review conducted by the Inspector General of Emergency Management, tabled in May, made 38 recommendations to the state government, including improvements to the management of world heritage and cultural values under bushfire and disaster plans. All four men who left the illegal campfire that sparked the blaze have since been fined. Rangers issued 33 fire-related fines to campers in the first eight months of this year. On the afternoon of October 15 last year, just 24 hours after the blaze began, one of the regions principal rangers emailed the cultural heritage arm of the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation citing a phone call they had shared that morning. Given the likelihood of this fire continuing for some time, are there any particular cultural assets in that block that would require protection, he wrote. Happy to have a conversation around these and how best to look after them. In a further update to the group the following morning, one of the rangers said the fire had made it across the island to the western beach  some 8 kilometres from where it began.
In the same week that Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his deputy Barnaby Joyce declared war on the social media platforms that publish the posts of anonymous users who defame, vilify, and harass, the same foreign companies that operate these platforms took their seat at the NSW Attorney-Generals roundtable discussions on Stage 2 of the defamation law reforms where they robustly advocated for safe harbour from liability.

The legal implications of social media are of such paramount public importance that dialogue between government and these tech giants is necessary. However, in circumstances where foreign entities such as Twitter refuse to submit to the jurisdiction of Australian courts, one has to wonder why they are invited to have a say on Australian law reform at all.

A combined assault on the social media giants: Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Nevertheless, the safe harbour proposal outlined in NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakmans discussion paper on Stage 2 of the defamation law reforms demonstrates his interest in protecting the commercial operations of these foreign entities  a position that is quite obviously out of step with his federal colleagues. Barnaby Joyce, stung by what he has described as malicious lies about his daughter on social media, wants to put the fear of God into Big Tech.

The arm wrestle between the commonwealth and the states and territories over power to pass defamation laws resulted in the rushed passing of the 2005 legislation by the states and territories which produced an ineffective patchwork regime that has not served Australia well. Many of the inclusions were negotiated compromises which turned out to be unmitigated disasters, resulting in countless appeals and wasted costs. The defence of contextual truth and the removal of the public interest requirement for a defence of truth are but two examples.
Staff at a Brunswick live music venue that has been closed for most of this year have opened their hearts with a free food program for artists.

The Brunswick Ballroom cannot yet host shows, but staff will give out free Saturday meals to arts workers until the end of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Chewy Tjoe and Will Ewing (rear) give free meals to musicians Ben Mastwyk and Ruby Jones at Brunswick Ballroom. Credit:Chris Hopkins

The ballrooms venue director Will Ewing says sound technicians, dancers and musicians are among the grateful recipients.

Since the premises in Sydney Road opened in February, it has hosted only 70 gigs, with the most recent on August 4. The venue switched to selling takeaway food, but Mr Ewing said with the amount of heartbreak and depression in the industry, staff wanted to give something back.
Up to 10,000 punters will be allowed to attend Melbourne Cup carnival race meets and live music lovers can attend a concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in late October as the Victorian government prepares to slowly open up the state.

Crowds of 10,000 vaccinated patrons will be able to attend Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, Oaks day and Stakes day.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Premier Daniel Andrews said bringing crowds back to the Melbourne Cup was an important milestone.

Thatll be a really important day for every single Victorian I think, and send a message to the rest of the country and indeed the world about the fact that we are open, he said.
As the wife of someone with a public profile, I was moved by Barnaby Joyces heartache and rage at seeing the reputation of someone dear to him tarnished through social media. And while I agree with his view that social media platforms should be held to account for the content they publish, this shouldnt absolve individuals from responsibility for their online behaviour.

I had a taste of the sting of social media during my husbands term as Australias ambassador to Israel. Social media is a useful tool for diplomats and is used widely by our representatives across the globe. But Israel is a country which polarises opinions, especially so during times of heightened tension with Palestinians. It was during the 2014 war with Gaza that I understood social media to be a place where you play the man as well as the ball.

Rachel Lord on the hustings in Wentworth with her husband, Dave Sharma, during pre-polling for the last federal election in May 2019. Credit:James Brickwood

But this took on a whole new dimension when my husband, Dave Sharma, decided to enter political life as the Liberal member for the federal seat of Wentworth in 2019. Politicians, like diplomats, are also users of social media to spread their messages and to make commentary on issues of the day. Unlike diplomats, politicians are not seen as innocuous; they are actively disliked by many who dont share their political views or those of their party.

In the early days I would read the comments under my husbands posts. Some were supportive, others constructive. But for the most part, comments were nasty, personal and often expletive-laden. It is hard to read those sorts of things about someone you love and admire. Harder still when you know them to be untrue and unfounded and not reflective of the person you know.
If the next federal election is decided, as it certainly could be, in NSW, and if the Coalition wins, then Monday could be the most important day in that victory. It is hard to overstate the level of excitement in the state right now. Some people are eager to reopen their business  to see customers they havent seen in months. Others have taken the next few days off work to enjoy the sudden freedom.

Of course, anything might happen. Perhaps excitement will fizzle as cases rise. Perhaps Monday will be less dramatic than expected, as people wake up suddenly cautious now the reality of opening is upon them. Whichever it is, the scene will be repeated in Melbourne in just a few weeks.

Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit:

Our politicians are expecting the best. On Thursday, the Prime Minister held a press conference to mark 70 per cent double dose in NSW. He thanked doctors and pharmacists. He thanked the Polish, British and Singaporean governments for the extra doses they had sent our way (which was really a way of thanking himself). It had the air of an extended Oscars acceptance speech. The hard work was done and it was time to celebrate.

If there is hubris in this, does it matter? Scott Morrison has declared victory before  twice weve been told lockdowns are more or less behind us, twice he has been wrong. If you say the same thing often enough, eventually youll be right. And presuming he is right this time, it feels as though this will, politically, pretty much nullify the previous errors. With an election creeping closer every day, the Prime Minister has chosen the best time to be right.
Taipei: Taiwan will keep bolstering its defences to ensure nobody can force the island to accept the path China has laid down that offers neither freedom nor democracy, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Sunday, in a strong riposte to Beijing.

The comments came as the Chinese embassy in Australia offered a sharp rebuke of Tony Abbott, saying the former prime minister was a pitiful politician after he denounced China pressure against Taiwan during a visit to the island last week.

Taiwans president Tsai Ing-wen said during National Day celebrations in Taipei that the island is facing unprecedented challenges. Credit:Bloomberg

Claimed by China as its own territory, Taiwan has come under growing military and political pressure to accept Beijings rule, including repeated Chinese air force missions in Taiwans air defence identification zone, to international concern.

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to realise peaceful reunification with Taiwan and did not directly mention the use of force. Still, he got an angry reaction from Taipei, which said only Taiwans people can decide its future.
Total outstanding dues owed by electricity distribution (discoms) to power producers rose 3.3 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1,16,127 crore in October.

owed a total of Rs 1,12,384 crore to power generation firms in October 2020, according to portal PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators).

Total dues in October 2021 also increased sequentially compared to Rs 1,12,815 crore in September this year.

The PRAAPTI portal was launched in May 2018 to bring in transparency in power purchase transactions between generators and

In October 2021, the total overdue amount, which was not cleared even after 45 days of grace period offered by generators, stood at Rs 97,481 crore as against Rs 97,811 crore in the same month a year ago.

The overdue amount stood at Rs 96,316 crore in September this year.

Power producers give 45 days to to pay bills for electricity supply. After that, outstanding dues become overdue and generators charge penal interest on that in most cases.

To give relief to power generation (gencos), the Centre enforced a payment security mechanism from August 1, 2019. Under this mechanism, discoms are required to open letters of credit for getting power supply.

The Centre had also given some breathers to discoms for paying dues to gencos in view of the COVID-19-induced lockdown. The government had also waived penal charges for the late payment of dues.

In May 2020, the government had announced a Rs 90,000-crore liquidity infusion for discoms under which these utilities got loans at economical rates from Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and REC Ltd. This was a government initiative to help gencos remain afloat. Later, the liquidity infusion package was increased to Rs 1.2 lakh crore and further to Rs 1.35 lakh crore.

Discoms in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu account for the major portion of dues to gencos, the data showed.

Overdue of independent power producers amounted to 53.25 per cent of the total overdue of Rs 97,481 crore of discoms in October 2021.

The proportion of central PSU gencos in the overdue was 26.69 per cent.

Among the central public sector gencos, NLC India alone has an overdue amount of Rs 5,047.45 crore on discoms, followed by NTPC at Rs 3,974.25 crore and Damodar Valley Corporation at Rs 2,261.22 crore in October 2021.

Among private generators, discoms owe the highest overdue of Rs 25,717.97 crore to Adani Power, followed by Bajaj Group-owned Lalitpur Power Generation Company at Rs 3,645.56 crore in the month under review.

The overdue of non-conventional energy producers like solar and wind stood at Rs 17,010.44 crore in October 2021.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Calcutta High Court, on Friday, stayed a criminal petition against "directors or erstwhile directors" on the board of three M P Birla group

The petition was filed by Vinay Sureka in for quashing of proceedings filed by wholly owned subsidiaries of (complainants). The accused persons are directors or erstwhile directors of the

The high court, in its order, said that all further proceedings with respect to the complaints pending before the Judicial Magistrate, Alipore Court, shall remain stayed till three weeks after the ensuing Puja vacation. The matters will appear one week after the Puja vacation for order.

The petition in the high court followed criminal proceedings launched by three subsidiaries of in Alipore Court.

That was after a stormy annual general meeting where all sides traded charges over the voting results.

The Lodha side had said that votes cast at the AGM were by people not authorized to vote for the three complainant

A statement from the Lodha side on Sunday said that three subsidiaries of Vindhya Telelinks, a cable company of the M P Birla Group, had started separate criminal proceedings against five persons, including three former directors of these companies, for falsification of documents over a sustained period of time and misrepresentation of themselves as directors even after they ceased to hold office

The judicial magistrate had on 1 and 4 October passed separate orders instructing the police to conduct a search and seizure operation at Birla Building, 9/1 R. N. Mukherjee Roadthe erstwhile registered office of the complainant companies.

Substantial documents were recovered from Birla Building on 5-6 October in a search and seizure operation that stretched well past midnight, the Lodha side said.

However, the high court order said that without receiving the search report from the police and without ascertaining the entitlement of the possession of the documents, the learned magistrate ought not to have directed the return of the seized documents to the complainant.

The court directed the complainants/investigating agency to hand over the seized documents to the Joint Commissioner of Crime, Kolkata Police within 48 hours.
The court cases filed by aircraft lessors to recover their dues don't assist anybody very much and all such disputes eventually end in settlements, CMD Ajay Singh said last week.

employees are now being paid their full salaries on time and all issues related to their pays have been resolved, he told PTI in an interview.

Delhi High Court last month restrained from transferring a part of its assets to a separate company after Goshawk, one of the airline's aircraft lessors, filed a case to recover its pending dues of approximately USD 25 million.

On September 3, a section of employees of SpiceJet went on a short strike at the Delhi airport over issues related to reduced salaries and their irregular disbursement.

Singh said it is a difficult time for every airline around the world and not just SpiceJet.

"I think SpiceJet has done very well to stay afloat in this crisis. We have built a new cargo business. We are using that cargo business to reduce the parent's liabilities, SpiceJet's liabilities, by a significant amount," he added.

On the Goshawk case, Singh stated: "Goshawk has gone to court against most of the airlines around the world. So, we will try and find a settlement with Goshawk as well as the other lessors. All these disputes eventually end in settlements."



"I think the court process does not assist anybody very much. I think, traditionally, all these disputes have always been settled through negotiation. That is what we expect will happen," he added.

SpiceJet -- which reported a net loss of Rs 934.8 crore and Rs 998.3 crore in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively -- entered into a settlement with CDB Aviation and Avolon, two major lessors of Boeing 737 Max aircraft, during the August-September period this year.

India's aviation regulator DGCA lifted the ban on Max on August 26, 2021. SpiceJet's fleet has 13 Max aircraft.

When asked by when does he plan to put all 13 of them into service, Singh replied: "We are working with the lessors. We are trying to ensure that all the commercial arrangements are in place. But we hope that certainly, through the month of October, and by middle November, we should have most of the Max aircraft flying."



Max was banned in most of the countries, including in India, in March 2019 after two of them crashed between October 2018 and March 2019, killing total 346 passengers.

On issues concerning salary payment, Singh said: "All salary issues have been resolved. Salaries are being paid on time and in full. You know, this issue, the media has been raising occasionally but every airline around the world has been challenged on salaries, on payments and so on. And all these issues have always been settled by negotiations."



Singh gave the interview to PTI here on the sidelines of 77th annual general meeting of International Air Transport Association, which is a global airlines body.

He said the government's decision to impose fare bands and domestic capacity caps greatly helped the Indian aviation industry to maintain some form of stability.

"Nobody expects the government to keep the support (bands and caps) going on indefinitely. Certainly, what they did helped," Singh mentioned.

"Our view was that the increase in capacity needs to be more gradual and if you can maintain a balance between demand and capacity, that would be helpful for the industry. So, we hope that the government will continue to keep a balance," he added.

When the government had resumed the scheduled domestic flights on May 25 last year after a two-month break, it had allowed the carriers to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic services. The cap has been gradually increased to 85 per cent till date.

Moreover, on May 25 last year, the government had imposed lower and upper limits on airfares based on flight duration. Last month, the government relaxed this rule stating that the limits on airfares will remain for just 15 days at any given time and the airlines will be free to charge without any limits from the 16th day onwards.

Singh said the airports should refrain from recovering all their lost revenue from the airlines amid the COVID-induced crisis.

"The airlines have suffered extensive losses...so in such a situation, for the airports to try and recover all their lost revenue from the airlines -- when airlines are in such a bad situation -- seems to be something which should be avoided," he mentioned.

"It is not good for the sector. We need to find a solution where the pain of COVID-19 is shared by all the players in the sector and those that have monopoly positions should not use those monopolies to shift all the pain to the airlines," he added.

The Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has in 2021 accepted demands of Indian airports in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi to raise their charges -- such as landing fee or user development fee -- which are levied from the airlines or passengers.

The Indian aviation sector was in a very poor shape, especially when the second wave of the virus descended upon us this year, Singh stated.

"You are now at the IATA meeting and you can see what airlines are saying. This has been what everybody has been calling an apocalyptic moment for airlines," he mentioned.

Having said that, of course, the things are improving, he said.

"Traffic is picking up. On an average, we (airlines in India) are now carrying 250,000 passengers a day, which is approximately 60 per cent of where we were before COVID-19. So, definitely, there are signs of improvement and we are also hoping that the government will use this crisis to resolve some of the issues that the Indian carriers have faced for several years," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
is in conversation with Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed new airline Akasa for an aircraft procurement deal, a top official of the European plane manufacturer has said.

Akasa has been in discussions with US plane manufacturer Boeing to procure its B737 Max planes, multiple media reports had said two months back. Airbus's A320 series of aircraft competes with Boeing's B737 series of planes in the aviation market.

"We are not in the business of countering offers but we are having conversations with Akasa. Of course, we do," Akasa's Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer replied, when asked by PTI if he plans to counter the offer put by Boeing to Akasa.

Akasa is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and has former IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh on its board. It aims to start operations by the summer of 2022 plans to operate approximately 70 planes in the next four years.

When asked if he can tell what stage the negotiations are with Akasa, Scherer replied: "That is really private. What I can tell you is that when you start an airline in India, what is the benchmark you are looking at. It is pretty obvious, isn't it? It is IndiGo and to some extent Go First and SpiceJet, but the big guy is IndiGo."



IndiGo flies the most successful single aisle airplane in the world and it is also the most modern, which is the A320 and now the A321, he mentioned.

"So, it is only natural that a new venture in India should look at that benchmark," he added.

IndiGo -- India's largest carrier with around 50 per cent share of the Indian domestic aviation market -- operates only Airbus's narrow body aircraft. Among all Indian carriers, only SpiceJet and Air India Express operate Boeing's narrow body aircraft.

A narrow-body aircraft like A320 and B737 has a smaller fuel tank and therefore, it can fly for shorter distances.

Scherer, who spoke to PTI on the sidelines of 77th annual general meeting of International Air Transport Association last week, stated that Air India would reinvent and reposition itself after its privatisation and it should consider procuring A350 aircraft.

"We are saying as 'the international fly carrier of India', you (Air India) want to have best of the best, and that would clearly include the A350 aircraft," he added.

Airbus's A350 and Boeing's B777 are wide body aircraft that can fly for longer distances.

On short range missions, the difference between a good airplane and a bad airplane is smaller than on a long-range missions, when we have to fly for 16 hours and 14 hours, Scherer mentioned.

"That is where the difference between a very efficient airplane and a less efficient airplane becomes huge. That is why I am so excited about the potential of A350 airplane in India because we believe India needs to regain a little bit of ownership of its international traffic of what is the third largest aviation market in the world," he added.

would be positioning A350 as a far superior alternative to B777, he said.

"We would be very happy to see Air India consolidate around the A320s... But again, I would like to underline the opportunity that Air India has to really optimise the wide-body side of the business," he mentioned.

On October 8, the Indian government announced that Tata Sons's wholly-owned subsidiary Talace Private Limited has beaten a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh by offering Rs 18,000 crore to win the bid to acquire debt-laden Air India.

On the question of increasing the number of training centres in India, Scherer said: "We have a training centre on the outskirts of Delhi...Of course, as the fleet grows, there is going to be a significant opportunity to grow training centres for ourselves or in association with our partners and our customers."



"That is an activity and a business that is going to grow and it should grow in India. is a big presence in India," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After the historic privatisation, the government will now start work on monetising its four other subsidiaries, including Alliance Air, and over Rs 14,700 crore worth non-core assets like land and building, DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said.

The government on October 8 had announced that salt-to-software conglomerate Tatas have won the bid to acquire debt-laden national carrier for Rs 18,000 crore.

This includes a cash payment of Rs 2,700 crore and taking over Rs 15,300 crore debt. The deal, which is expected to be completed by December-end, also includes sale of Express and ground handling arm AISATS.

Talking to PTI, Pandey said that the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) will now get down to working out a plan for monetising the subsidiaries of Air India which are with the special purpose vehicle AIAHL and setting off the liabilities.

"There will be a plan for monetising the assets of AIAHL. It is a very big task again of clearing of AIAHL liabilities and disposal of assets. In the AIAHL there is a company of ground handling, engineering and Alliance Air which have to be privatised," said Pandey, who spearheaded

"It (sale of subsidiaries) could not be started because these all are intimately linked. Unless and until Air India goes, we could not proceed with other things," he added.

As a precursor to Air India sale, the government in 2019 had set up a special purpose vehicle Air India Assets Holding Ltd (AIAHL) for holding debt and non-core assets of the Air India group.

Four Air India subsidiaries -- Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (AIATSL), Airline Allied Services Ltd (AASL), Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) and Hotel Corporation of India Ltd (HCI) -- along with non-core assets, painting and artefacts, and other non-operational assets, was transferred to the SPV.

Air India had a total debt of Rs 61,562 crore as on August 31. Of this, Tata Sons holding company Talace Pvt Ltd will take over Rs 15300 crore and the remaining Rs 46,262 crore will be transferred to AIAHL.

Besides, non-core assets of Air India including land and building, valued at Rs 14,718 crore, are also being transferred to AIAHL. Further, liabilities of Rs 15,834 crore towards dues to operational creditors, like those for fuel purchases, as of August 31 would be transferred to AIAHL.

Pandey said between September 1 and December 31 just before closing the deal, the government will work out a balance sheet of Air India.

"The dues to operational creditors may not go up further in the September-December period if the government continues with the funding... They are dependent on Rs 20 crore/day, if the government shuts down funding then the dues will add up. So more or less it will not very much increase," Pandey said.

After adjusting for all the dues to lenders and operational creditors and also the assets of AIAHL, the net liabilities left with AIAHL is Rs 44,679 crore.

The government has been incurring per day expenditure of Rs 20 crore to keep Air India afloat. Excessive debt in the airline's balance sheet had pushed equity value to negative at (-)Rs 32,000 crore and the option before the government was to either privatise or close it down.

Between 2009-10 and now, the government has infused over Rs 1.10 lakh crore into the ailing airline. This includes Rs 54,584 crore as cash support and Rs 55,692 crore as loan guarantee.

While this will be the first privatisation since 2003-04, Air India will be the third airline brand in the Tatas' stable and will give it access to more than a hundred planes, thousands of trained pilots and crew, and lucrative landing and parking slots all around the world.

Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata founded the airline in 1932. It was called Tata Airlines then. In 1946, the aviation division of Tata Sons was listed as Air India and in 1948, Air India International was launched with flights to Europe.

Tata's will have to retain over Rs 13,500 crore employees of Air India and Air India Express for one year, post which VRS could be offered.

The terms of the deal allow Tata to go ahead with merger and also sell up to 49 per cent stake after one year, but ensure business continuity for three years. The Air India brand and eight logos too would be transferred to the Tatas but it will have a 5-year lock-in and with the clause that they cannot sell them to a foreign entity.

(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 national capital reported 29 cases of COVID-19 and one death due to the infection in a day while the positivity rate stood at 0.05 per cent, according to data shared by the health department here on Sunday.

has recorded only two deaths due to the disease in October so far. Last month, five people had succumbed to the viral disease.

With the new cases, the coronavirus infection tally in the city climbed to 14,39,195. Of this, over 14.13 lakh patients have recovered from the disease. The death toll stands at 25,089.

According to the health bulletin, authorities conducted only 58,989 tests, including 43,135 RT-PCR ones, the previous day. There are 347 active Covid cases in Delhi, of which 97 are in home isolation. The number of containment zones stands at 102.

reported 30 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and 39 cases on Friday.

In April and May, battled a brutal second wave of the pandemic that claimed a massive number of lives with the issue of oxygen shortage at hospitals adding to the woes.

On April 20, Delhi had reported 28,395 cases, the highest in the city since the beginning of the pandemic. On April 22 the case positivity rate was 36.2 per cent, the highest so far.

The highest number of 448 deaths was reported on May 3.

The Delhi government has been ramping up health infrastructure to prevent a repeat of the crisis witnessed during the peak of the second wave of coronavirus in April and May.

Steps have been taken to increase the number of hospital beds to accommodate up to 37,000 cases a day and to become self-reliant in terms of oxygen supply.

Around 7,000 ICU beds are also being added at government health care facilities in Shalimar Bagh, Kirari, Sarita Vihar, Sultanpuri, Raghuveer Nagar, and GTB Hospital and Chacha Nehru Hospital.

The national capital has 10,000 ICU beds.

According to government data, 1.90 crore vaccine doses have been administered in Delhi since the inoculation exercise started on January 16. Over 65 lakh people have received both doses.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the withdrawal of monsoon, Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday informed that pollution has started increasing in the capital as the air quality index (AQI) surged to 171.

"Pollution has started increasing. 09 Oct- AQI - 171 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 200 - Moderate) PM10 - 197 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 250 - Moderate) PM2.5 - 69 (0 to 30 - Good, 31 to 60 - Satisfactory, 61 to 90 - Moderate)," Kejriwal tweeted.

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

The Chief Minister has been tweeting Delhi's daily air quality since September 18 and warned that it will deteriorate from mid-October due to stubble burning.

"Del air quality will deteriorate from mid-Oct (stubble burning). State govts hv not taken action to support their farmers On its own, Del air is clean. On 18 Sep- AQI- 69 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory) PM10- 67 PM2.5 - 27 (0 to 30 Good, 31 to 60 Satisfactory)," Kejriwal tweeted on September 18.

In a tweet on Saturday, Kejriwal said that the Haryana government should also help its farmers and make bio-decomposer solution free.

"Haryana government should also help its farmers like Delhi government. Like Delhi, spraying of solution should be made free in all the fields of Haryana. Then there will be no need to burn the stubble," he wrote.

The Delhi government in association with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa developed a bio-decomposer capsule that can be converted into a solution to be sprayed on crop stubble in the farmlands. Once sprayed on the fields, the solution decomposes the stubble into compost in 20 days.

On October 4, Kejriwal announced a 10-point "winter action plan" to tackle air pollution in the capital. While making the announcement, he said, "Currently, the air pollution is under control in Delhi but it will start rising with stubble burning in the neighbouring states in winters. The central government and neighbouring states did not do anything to check stubble burning by farmers which will lead to air pollution in the winter season."

In order to curb the problem of air pollution arising from the Construction and Demolition (C & D) activities in the Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality and Management (CAQM) issued directions to governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to set up a 'Web Portal' for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures by project proponents.

Keeping in view the dangerous condition of Delhi's air pollution during Diwali for the last three years, Chief Minister has announced a complete ban on the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers.

There will be a complete ban on the bursting and sale of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022, in Delhi, as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

The Delhi government has also launched the 'Advanced Green War Room' and 'Green Delhi App' app for people to send in their complaints into the problems pertaining to 10 kinds of pollution throughout the winter season.

In September this year, the Centre has released Rs 496 crore to subsidize machinery required in-situ management of crop residue with an aim to address air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) due to stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture had informed that the Centre released Rs 496 crore for Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab to subsidise machinery required in-situ management of crop residue during 2021-22.

(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 (NCB) has detained two more persons from Maharashtra's Mumbai in connection with the drugs-on-cruise case.

According to NCB, the raids were conducted in the Goregaon area of Mumbai last night.

were also seized from the possession of the detained people, it said.

Earlier in the day, the NCB also revealed that a woman, who is accused in the Mumbai cruise ship case, had carried to the ship by concealing it in a sanitary napkin.

It has also summoned film producer Imtiyaz Khatri and has asked him to appear before the agency on October 11.

The NCB on Saturday also questioned the driver of actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, who was arrested in connection with a drug seizure on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast.

A total of 18 people, including a Nigerian national, have been arrested in the case related to the seizure of drugs following a raid at a party on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast.

An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2. As many as 18 arrests have been made in the cruise ship raid case so far.

A Mumbai Magistrate court had on Thursday sent Aryan Khan and seven others to judicial custody for 14 days.

Satish Maneshinde, the lawyer arguing in defence of Aryan Khan had earlier said in the Court, "Accused number 1, Aryan Khan was invited for the cruise party. However, he did not have a boarding pass. He didn't have any seats or cabins there. Secondly, according to the seizure, nothing has been found in his possession. He is arrested only based on chats.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After a gap of over two months, India and China on Sunday are holding another round of high-level military talks with an aim to move forward on the disengagement process in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, sources in the security establishment said.

The 13th round of Corps Commander-level talks are taking place at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, they said.

The talks began at around 10:30 AM, the sources said.

The fresh round of talks is taking place over three weeks after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the two sides should work for an early resolution of the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh.

The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Dushanbe on September 16.

The two sides held the 12th round of talks on July 31. Days later, the two armies completed the disengagement process in Gogra, which was seen as a significant forward movement towards the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the region.

The Indian delegation at Sunday's talks was to be led by Lt Gen PGK Menon, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps.

On Saturday, Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane said if the Chinese military continues with its large-scale deployment in the eastern Ladakh region, then the too will maintain its strength on its side which he said is "as good as what the PLA has done."



The fresh round of talks is taking place in the backdrop of two recent incidents of attempted transgressions by the Chinese troops with one in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand and another in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a brief face-off near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh around 10 days back and it was resolved within a few hours following talks between commanders of the two sides as per established protocols.

Last month, close to 100 soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) transgressed the LAC in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand.

The transgression took place on August 30, and the Chinese troops returned from the area after spending a few hours.

India has been insisting that resolution of outstanding issues including in Depsang, Hot Springs and Gogra is essential for an overall improvement in ties between the two countries.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area in August.

In February, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.

(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.)
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India and China on Sunday are set to hold the 13th round of talks to address the ongoing military stand-off between the two countries, according to Army sources.

The sources also divulged that the talks will be held at Moldo (Chusul) on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Resolution of friction point at Hot Springs will be discussed during the talks, added the source.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday had said that it expected China to work towards early resolution of the remaining issue along the Line of Control (LoC) in Eastern Ladakh by fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols.

Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "It is our expectation that China will work towards early resolution of the remaining issue along the Line of Control (LoC) in Eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols."

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and both the leaders discussed the border tensions and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in border areas.

Soldiers of India and China clashed last year resulting in the loss of several lives on both sides. The clashes erupted after the transgression by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in Galwan Valley. More than a year had passed since the incident, but tensions continue to simmer between the two Asian giants.

More than 12 rounds of military talks and a series of diplomatic parleys were held between India and China, but the tensions still continue.

There has been some disengagement, but India says full disengagement will only result in de-escalation. Some disengagement has indeed taken place recently, but it is not complete.

(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 has exported COVID-19 vaccine doses to Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Iran, sources informed on Sunday.

According to sources, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh received ten lakh doses of Covishield each, while Iran received three lakh doses of Covaxin.

Earlier, on September 20, the Government of India had announced its decision to resume the export of vaccines against the disease (Covid-19 ) from October.

Announcing the decision, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said India will resume the export of COVID-19 vaccines under its 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative to fulfill the country's commitment towards COVAX.

(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 Kudankulam Nuclear Power project located in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district is again in the news after former Union Minister and senior leader of DMK, T.R. Balu wrote a detailed letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention on the Spent Nuclear Fuel of the plant.

The leader cited the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear disaster and pointed out that the accumulation of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) was one reason for the disaster and called upon the Prime Minister to direct the Atomic Regulatory Board to request Russia to take back the SNF of Nuclear Reactors 1 and 2.

The senior leader also wanted the Government of India to withdraw the consent granted to Spent Fuels of plants 1 to 4 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP). The leader requested the PM to also set up a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) where SNF from KKNPP and other plants could be safely stored.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, who is a legislator from Radhapuram where the plant is situated, also raised serious concerns over the matter and even stated that with China having business interests in Sri Lanka and the island nation being closed to KKNPP, there has to be extra cautious regarding SNF and the plant.

The sudden opposition to the KKNPP from the has come following the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) giving a 'sitting clearance' for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) to construct an Away From Reactor (AFR) spent fuel storage facility for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) units 3 and 4.

While the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board officials and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) have assured the protesters and lawmakers that all is safe, around 100 nuclear accidents have occurred around the globe with five of the major ones leading to major losses of human lives and money.

Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, Fukushima Nuclear Disaster, Kyshtym Nuclear Disaster, Windscale Fire Nuclear Disaster, and Three Mile Island Nuclear Disaster are the five major nuclear disasters that led to the loss of lives, property, money, and displaced people.

Chernobyl was the worst nuclear disaster in history in which 30 people lost their lives immediately after the accident and radiation and other after-effects led to the deaths of 30 more that took the total loss of lives due to the Nuclear disaster to 60.

Fukushima happened on March 11, 2011 due to a massive earthquake leading to Tsunami that led to the power failure and three nuclear meltdowns. Around 2,000 people lost their lives due to evacuation as around 1,00,000 people were evacuated from the place.

While the other three nuclear disasters were also major ones, according to the scale of measuring nuclear disasters, there were not many recorded casualties. As the Kyshtym Nuclear disaster was wrapped under the secrecy of the Soviet Union's iron curtains, the number of casualties was not known except for the fact that 10,000 people were evacuated from villages near to the plant a week after the mishap.

The Windscale Fire nuclear disaster which took place on October 10, 1957, was the biggest ever nuclear disaster in the UK and the release of radioactive substances from this disaster is believed to have led to several hundreds of people turning into cancer patients.

The Three Mile Nuclear disaster that happened on March 28, 1979 in Pennsylvania was the most serious nuclear accident in the history of the US but no casualty was reported as well as health hazards following this nuclear disaster.

The social activists and the political leaders have pointed out the major five Nuclear disasters witnessed by the world and are worried that the Away From Reactor (AFR) which is a transit facility may be converted by the Government into a permanent Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) and that building an AFR within the KKNPP campus would be dangerous in the long run.

Anti- Kudankulam activist, G. Sundarrajan who had filed a petition in the Supreme Court for shutting down the Nuclear plants at Kudankulam till the Away From Reactor( AFR) facility is built while speaking to IANS said, "Considering the above major disasters, anything can happen and the precaution has to be taken by the Government properly. If the Government turns the AFR which is a transit facility to permanent DGR, then it is dangerous especially after the Fukushima disaster."

However, scientists and officers of both the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd and the ROSATOM its Russian partner, which has a 36 per cent share in the enriched uranium industry in the world have vouched that the KKNPP is safe and secure and all post-safety measures following the Fukushima nuclear disaster were taken into account at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP).

--IANS

aal/dpb

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Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was produced before a court here late on Saturday night, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the October 3 Lakhimpur violence.

After around 12 hours of questioning in connection with the violence in which eight persons including four farmers were killed, a medical team examined Ashish Mishra in the crime branch office, after which he was taken for production before a judicial magistrate, who sent him to custody, senior prosecution officer SP Yadav told PTI.

He said an application for police remand of Ashish Mishra was submitted to the judicial magistrate who fixed it for hearing at 11 am on Monday.

Ashish Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit last Sunday.

Farmer leaders and opposition parties had been demanding Mishra's arrest but the minister and his son had denied the allegations.

Two BJP workers and their driver were allegedly lynched by angry farmers in the incident. Local journalist Raman Kashyap also died in the violence, which has triggered a political storm and put the BJP government on the back foot in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

(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.)
Mental illness, apart from being a medical condition, is a social problem that is caused due to lack of food, shelter and education and therefore to tackle it the LDF government has implemented a number of schemes for welfare of the common man, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday.

In a Facebook post on the occasion of World Day, the CM said that studies have shown that poor human health as well as lack of proper food, shelter, and education, can have a detrimental effect on a person's

"Therefore, mental illness should be considered as a social problem as well. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has always worked to understand the problem.

"In addition to implementing comprehensive schemes, the LDF government has successfully implemented a number of schemes to ensure the welfare of the common man, including social welfare pensions, food kits, life scheme, distribution of leases, renovation of public schools and expansion of government hospitals," he said. State health minister Veena George said that mental health literacy was essential as everyone pays attention to physical ailments and seek timely treatment for it, but most people are not able to diagnose mental health problems or seek scientific treatment.

Most people do not have an accurate understanding of mental health, she said at a seminar organised by the Department of Psychiatry of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Chapter of Indian Psychiatric Society and Sastra Sahitya Parishad on the occasion of World Mental Health Day. "About 12.8 per cent of the total population in Kerala has mental health problems that require scientific treatment. But only 15 percent of these people seek scientific treatment," she said in a release. This is not because of a lack of treatment centers or medical facilities, but it is due to the fact that people are not availing the same she said and added that it was imperative that activities to spread awareness about mental health be intensified. Giving details of the state government's plans to deal with the issue, the minister said that the health department was going to intensify mental health activities from the primary health level onwards. At the same time, the activities of mental health centers and mental health departments in medical colleges will be strengthened and research on the issue would be given priority, she said in the release.

(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.)
Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Saturday said he disapproved of the binary of 'majority-minority' when it comes to India as all its citizens enjoy "equal rights", unlike in Pakistan where there is a "ceiling on those who are not Muslims".

In an interaction during a conclave in Delhi, he also asserted that Indian civilisation and "our cultural heritage" have "no concept of discrimination" on the basis of religion.

Khan said he has been arguing for a long time and asking people to show him one provision which talks about minority rights in the religious context.

"Words like 'majority' and 'minority', what is meant by that (classification)? I have never accepted the appellation minority''.

"What do you mean by that term, that I am less than equal. I am a proud Indian citizen who enjoys equal rights," he said.

During the India Today Conclave, he was speaking on the segment -- 'Majority, Minority: The Battle of Belonging'.

"Indian civilisation has never been defined by religion, all other civilisations were defined either by religion, mostly by religion, and also before that by race and language," he argued and quoted a few sholkas to back his claim.

On a question of whether Indian politics has moved from resorting to minority appeasement to majoritarianism in the last few decades, Khan claimed the word 'Hindu' is not used in any of our scriptures.

"We were ruled for a long period of time by people who are foreigners, and I do not mean in a negative sense, but in a sense that they were not familiar with Indian ethos and philosophy and viewpoints.

"The thousands of years old Indian civilisation, don't know when this journey began, but it was never defined by religious faith," he said.

"Their (foreign rulers') own attitude was that this civilisation, its background was 'defined by religion'.

Therefore, they have to use a word which symbolised, and used more in the sense of faith, so they used it," he claimed.

But, Indian thought leaders were never satisfied with that appellation, he asserted.

"That is why in the Constituent Assembly, the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, they were included in the definition of Hinduism, making it amply clear that the term 'Hindu' does not mean uniformity of belief, or uniformity of practices in the matters of religion. Therefore, the 'Hindu Rashtra' term is nothing, he said.

"It is not only our Constitution that gives equal rights to people, but more than that our cultural heritage, the Indian civilisation, has no concept of discrimination on the basis of the religion, therefore to link the two, I find it preposterous," he said.

Minority rights are needed in countries that are theocracies because there is a ceiling on growth and citizens are not treated equally, he argued.

"In India, there has never been a theocracy, so, when you say 'Hindu Rashtra', you are equating it with a Muslim theocracy or Christian theocracy, which have existed in the past, and somewhere these are still existing," he said.

Reciting a shloka, he said, the ancient Indian philosophy has been that it is the duty of the political system to provide equal protection to all.

"In Pakistan, yes there is a need to have minority rights because there is a ceiling on those who are not Muslims.

"They cannot aspire for certain positions, they are discriminated against," Khan alleged.

Khan has been a vocal critic of the practice of instant triple talaq and calling for reforms in the Muslim personal laws for long.

His speech in Parliament in 1985 in the wake of the Shah Bano judgment extending the Rajiv Gandhi government's initial support to it was much acclaimed.

However, when the Rajiv Gandhi government did a U-turn under alleged pressure from Muslim clerics and brought a bill to nullify the Supreme Court order, he resigned from the ministry.

The Uttar Pradesh politician later joined the BJP but remained inactive since 2007.

When the Modi government had brought a law to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq, Khan had supported it.

(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.)
Moderna, whose vaccine appears to be the worlds best defense against Covid-19, has been supplying its shots almost exclusively to wealthy nations, keeping poorer countries waiting and earning billions in profit.

After developing a breakthrough vaccine with the financial and scientific support of the US government, Moderna has shipped a greater share of its doses to wealthy countries than any other vaccine manufacturer, according to Airfinity, a data firm that tracks vaccine shipments.

About one million doses of Modernas vaccine have gone to countries that the World Bank classifies as low income. By contrast, 8.4 million Pfizer doses and about 25 million single-shot Johnson & Johnson doses have gone to those countries.

Of the handful of middle-income countries that have reached deals to buy Modernas shots, most have not yet received any doses, and at least three have had to pay more than the United States or European Union did, according to government officials in those countries.

Thailand and Colombia are paying a premium. Botswanas doses are late. Tunisia couldnt get in touch with Moderna.

Unlike Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca, which have diverse rosters of drugs and other products, Moderna sells only the Covid vaccine. The Massachusetts companys future hinges on the commercial success of its vaccine.





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They are behaving as if they have absolutely no responsibility beyond maximizing the return on investment, said Dr. Tom Frieden, a former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Moderna executives have said that they are doing all they can to make as many doses as possible as quickly as possible but that their production capacity remains limited. All of the doses they produce this year are filling existing orders from governments like the European Union.

Even so, the Biden administration has grown increasingly frustrated with Moderna for not making its vaccine more available to poorer countries, two senior administration officials said. The administration has been pressing Moderna executives to increase production at US plants and to license the companys technology to overseas manufacturers that could make doses for foreign markets.

Moderna is now scrambling to defend itself against accusations that it is putting a priority on the rich.

On Friday, after The New York Times sent detailed questions about how few poor countries had been given access to Modernas vaccine, the company announced that it was currently investing to increase its output so it could deliver one billion doses to poorer countries in 2022. The company also said this past week that it would open a factory in Africa, without specifying when.

Moderna executives have been talking with the Biden administration about selling low-cost doses to the federal government, which would donate them to poorer countries, as Pfizer has agreed to do, the two senior officials said. The negotiations are continuing.

In an interview on Friday, Modernas chief executive, Stephane Bancel, said it is sad that his companys vaccine had not reached more people in poorer countries but that the situation was out of his control.

He said that Moderna tried and failed last year to get governments to kick in money to expand the companys scant production capacity and that the company decides how much to charge based on factors including how many doses are ordered and how wealthy a country is. (A Moderna spokeswoman disputed Airfinitys calculation that the company had provided 900,000 doses to low-income countries, but she didnt provide an alternate figure.)

Nearly a year after Western countries began sprinting to vaccinate their populations, the focus in recent months has shifted to the severe vaccine shortages in many parts of the world. Dozens of poorer countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, had vaccinated less than 10 percent of their populations as of Sept. 30.

In August, for example, Johnson & Johnson faced rebukes from the director general of the World Health Organization and public health activists after The Times reported that doses of that shot produced in South Africa were being exported to wealthier countries.

Biden administration officials are especially frustrated with what they see as Modernas lack of cooperation, because the US government has provided the company with critical assistance.

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health worked with the company to develop the vaccine. The United States kicked in $1.3 billion for clinical trials and other research. And in August 2020, the government agreed to preorder $1.5 billion of the vaccine, guaranteeing that Moderna would have a market for what was an unproven product.

While clinical trials last year found that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were similarly effective, more recent studies suggest that Modernas shot is superior. It offers longer-lasting protection and is easier to transport and store.

Modernas shot is essentially the premium vaccine, said Karen Andersen, an industry analyst at Morningstar. Theyre in a position where they probably dont need to sacrifice too much on pricing in a lot of these deals.

There is limited public information about the deals that Moderna has struck with individual governments. Of the 22 countries, plus the European Union, to which Moderna and its distributors have reported selling the shots, none are low income, and only the Philippines is classified as lower middle income. (Six are upper middle income.)

Pfizer, by comparison, said it had agreed to sell its vaccine at discounted prices to 12 upper-middle-income countries, five lower-middle-income governments and one poor country, Rwanda. (Tunisia, for example, is paying about $7 per dose.)



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Only a handful of governments have disclosed how much theyre paying for Moderna doses. The United States paid $15 to $16.50 for each shot, on top of the $1.3 billion the government gave Moderna to develop its vaccine. The European Union has paid $22.60 to $25.50 for its Moderna doses.

Botswana, Thailand and Colombia, which the World Bank classifies as upper-middle-income countries, have said they are paying $27 to $30 per Moderna dose.

The lack of transparency about how much other governments are paying has put relatively poor countries in a weak bargaining position. They are negotiating totally in the dark, said Kate Elder, who advises Doctors Without Borders on vaccine policy.

In some cases, Moderna has offered to provide poorer countries the vaccine at relatively low prices, but only after it has fulfilled other countries orders.

In May, Moderna offered the African Union doses for about $10 each, according to a bloc official involved in the discussions. But the doses wouldnt be available until next year, causing the talks to fall apart, according to two African Union officials.

Dr. Ayoade Alakija, who helps run the African Unions vaccine delivery program but was not involved in the procurement discussions, said Modernas attitude amounted to: Were here to make money. Weve stumbled upon a good thing, and were not even trying to pretend that were trying to save the world.

Modernas Covid vaccine has been transformative for the company and its leaders. The company has said it expects its vaccine to generate at least $20 billion in revenue this year, which would make it one of the most lucrative medical products in history. Ms. Andersen, the Morningstar analyst, projected that the companys profits on the vaccine could be as high as $14 billion. In 2019, Moderna reported total revenue of $60 million.

Modernas market value has nearly tripled this year to more than $120 billion. Two of its founders, as well as an early investor, this month made Forbes magazines list of the 400 richest people in the United States.

As the spread in early 2020, Moderna raced to design its vaccine  which uses a new technology known as messenger RNA  and to plan a safety study. To manufacture the doses for that trial, the company received $900,000 from the nonprofit Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

The nonprofit group said Moderna had agreed to its equitable access principles. That meant, according to the coalition, that the vaccine would be first available to populations when and where they are needed and at prices that are affordable to the populations at risk, especially low- and middle-income countries or to public sector entities that procure on their behalf.

Moderna agreed in May to provide up to 34 million vaccine doses this year, plus up to 466 million doses in 2022, to Covax, the struggling United Nations-backed program to vaccinate the worlds poor. The company has not yet shipped any of those doses, according to a Covax spokesman, although Covax has distributed tens of millions of Moderna doses donated by the United States.

Mr. Bancel said that many more doses would have gone to Covax this year had the two parties reached a supply deal in 2020. Aurelia Nguyen, a Covax official, denied that, saying, It became clear early on that the best we could expect was minimal doses in 2021.

Late last year, the Tunisian government was hoping to order Moderna doses. Dr. Hechmi Louzir, who led Tunisias vaccine procurement efforts, didnt know how to contact Moderna to begin talks and asked the US Embassy in Tunisia for help, he said. Officials there contacted Moderna, he said, but nothing came of it.

We were very interested in Moderna, Dr. Louzir said. We tried.





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In Thailand, where about 32 percent of people are fully vaccinated, a government spokeswoman said the government was paying Moderna about $28 per dose for one million shots that are designated for vulnerable people. Deliveries from that order will start next year.

In Botswana, the health minister told Parliament in July that the government had ordered 500,000 shots from Moderna, at nearly $29 per dose  enough to fully vaccinate about 10 percent of the population. (That would roughly double the number of Botswanans who are fully vaccinated.) A spokesman for the Health Ministry said that the doses were expected to start arriving in August, but that none had yet arrived.

Colombia ordered 10 million shots from Moderna. The government budgeted about $30 per dose, a price that may include the cost of transportation and other logistics, according to Finance Ministry documents. The countrys health minister, Dr. Fernando Ruiz, said Modernas vaccine was the most expensive among the Covid shots that Colombia had ordered.

There were some initial delays, Dr. Ruiz said: The first deliveries, expected in early June, came in August. About 2.3 million had arrived as of Friday.



(Reporting was contributed by Noah Weiland, Mitra Taj, Elian Peltier, Jason Gutierrez, Daniel Politi, Flavia Milhorance and Muktita Suhartono.)
Tamil Nadus coal stocks may run out in four days to create a power crisis that has prompted other states to warn of blackouts and ringing up the central government.

According to the media reports, the state power utility cut power in some areas on Friday citing maintenance. Government data shows that the five thermal run by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) have an average stock of 3.8 days, putting the state in the supercritical category. According to sources, the state has contacted the central government and Coal India Ltd (CIL) about the shortage.

The Mettur Thermal Power Station (TPS) has coal stock for a day and Mettur TPS for nine days. North Chennai has stocks for five days and Tuticorin for four. The four are reportedly running scarce because coal lying at Paradip port in Odisha was not supplied. The Vallur power plant in northern Chennai was out of stock after coal supply was stopped partially due to regulations. The plant has fuel supply agreements with CIL.

The state has a stock of 2.63 lakh tonnes compared to the normal 23 lakh tonnes, according to government data. Tamil Nadu, as of Wednesday, had consumed 60,265 tonnes of coal and reportedly received only 36,255 tonnes. It has a total installed capacity of 5820 megawatt. At 100 per cent plant load factor, the state reportedly requires around 72,000 tonnes of coal daily. The state utility said it was carrying out maintenance as several areas of Chennai like Guindy, Injambakkam, Sholinganallur, Redhills, Perambur, Annasalai, Ambattur, and Manali saw power cuts on Friday.

Opposition parties asked the government to prepare for the crisis getting worse. O Panneerselvam, AIADMK coordinator and former chief minister, said chief minister M K Stalin should immediately take up the matter with the union coal minister as supply has reduced to "20,000 tonnes a day".

"If this situation continues, then Tamil Nadu will plunge into a serious crisis, including power outages and economic slide," Panneerselvam said in a statement.

The chief ministers of Delhi, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh have contacted the coal and power ministries about the coal supply crisis.
has the entrepreneurial ecosystem conducive for all sectors and the government is committed to inclusive growth, Chief Minister said here on Sunday.

Media outlets should not forget that only those who appreciate good deeds also have a right to scold, he said.

Unveiling the inaugural issue of 'Merchants of Madras', a weekly special page of 'The Times of India' daily, Stalin referred to the setting up of a panel of eminent economists including Nobel laureate Prof Esther Duflo and former union finance secretary S Narayan for revitalising the state's economy. Referring to Narayan, who was present on the occasion, the CM said the former top official had mentioned in a book of his that former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's regime was a foundation for social change, right from the level of villages. Narayan had mentioned that this is the 'Dravidian model', Stalin recalled adding, this is the "model for inclusive growth of all communities, all districts and all sections of people. This is the Dravidian model." The Chief Minister said it is his desire that should develop with this goal in mind and all the growth plans of the government are aimed at it.

"Only with a plan of inclusive growth we are running the government." The government and state-run public sector enterprises have a debt burden of about Rs five lakh crore and Rs two lakh crore respectively and financial resources available for the state is confined only to a few areas, he said.

"We cannot depend on tax collections since the union government has usurped the state's rights on taxes through the GST," he said adding the state has to rely on using resources of its own for development.

After the DMK assumed the reins of power in Tamil Nadu in May, the industrial sector in the state has seen revitalisation, Stalin said and pointed to a recent meet of investors and an export conclave.

In the meet, the government inked pacts with 35 companies, attracting investments worth Rs 17,141 crore that would create job opportunities to 55,000 individuals. At the conclave, Memoranda of Understanding for 25 projects were signed totally worth Rs 2,180 crore which is set to provide jobs to 42,145 people, he said. Without naming a media outlet which published a story claiming that several people were hesitant to establish industries in Tamil Nadu, he said it showed a 'bad intent.'



Tamil Nadu has entrepreneurial ecosystem conducive to all sectors and this aspect should be underscored by media outlets, he said.

The state's natural environment also favoured all types of industries and Tamil Nadu has excellent human resources. "Tamil Nadu has seen a regime change and the political scenario has also changed. English dailies have a duty to tell all this, not only to the country, but also to global companies." While criticism is welcome, Stalin said his regret was that some newspapers, highly critical of even a small mistake, do not extend even a token of appreciation though the people and the state get benefited in a big way through several government initiatives and schemes.

"Media outlets should not forget that only those who appreciate things (good deeds/schemes of the government) that deserve a praise, also have a right to chide," he said. Ministers including K Ponmudi (Higher Education), top government officials and industry captains participated.

According to the daily, the weekly page would appear every Monday with stories on Tamil Nadu's businesses, achievements, milestones and the people behind them.

(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 Mishra 'Monu', son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra 'Teni', was arrested on Saturday night after over 11 hours of questioning in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence which left eight people, including four farmers, dead.

Ashish Mishra has been arrested and will be produced in court, SIT chief Upendra Agarwal said.

Ashish Mishra appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) in the crime branch office of the police line at around 10.30 AM where he was questioned regarding the FIR registered against him and others under murder charges in Sunday killings.

After quizzing him for more than 11 hours, the nine-member SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Agarwal, arrested Mishra The development came a day after the Supreme Court had expressed its dissatisfaction over the action taken against the accused in the Lakhimpur incident that had drawn massive outrage.
With several states and power distribution companies (discoms) pressing the panic button on supply and shortfall in electricity, the Ministry of and Power has rushed in to scotch any rumours of a blackout or power cuts.

Close to 16 Gw of coal-based power generation capacity is under outage (not generating) for lack of supply, according to the data on the National Power Portal.

An increase in international prices of coal and natural gas has added to the woes of power consumers.

The Union Ministry of Coal in a public statement said ample coal was available in the country to meet the demand of the Any fear of disruption in power supply is entirely misplaced, the ministry said. Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi told agency ANI: Reviewed coal production & supply situation in the country. Assuring everyone that there is absolutely no threat of disruption in power supply. There is sufficient coal stock of 43 million tonnes with @CoalIndiaHQ equivalent to 24 days coal demand.

Government officials maintained the gas supply was being maintained since there was enough gas available. Gas consumption in the has almost doubled to 25 million standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) from 16 mmscmd earlier over the past few weeks to meet the challenges of power generation since coal was in short supply.

Gas-based power generators, however, usually rely on ad hoc purchases since they do not sign long-term contracts for regassified LNG.





ALSO READ: 'Switch off': Coal supply crisis has discoms scrambling for solutions

Coal stocks at thermal units have been critical since August. Currently, 16.8 Gw of power generation capacity has no coal stock, and 29 Gw has less than three days of coal.

The coal ministry, however, said the coal available at the is a rolling stock which gets replenished by the supplies from the coal companies on a daily basis.

The ministry said due to high international prices of coal, the supply of power from imported coal-based reduced by almost 30 per cent while domestic coal-based power supply had gone up nearly 24 per cent in the first half of this year.

The power ministry in a statement said despite heavy rain in August and September, a steep hike in power demand due to economic recovery and increase in prices of imported coal, domestic have sustained the operation of power plants and all-out efforts are being made to ensure full power supply to the as per their requirements.

Union Power Minister R K Singh said in a tweet: I've warned Tata Power CEO of action if they send baseless SMSs to customers that can create panic. Messages by GAIL and Tata Power qualify as acts of irresponsible behaviour.

NTPC and DVC have been directed to give full availability. Singh said GAIL India had been advised to make gas available from all sources, whether domestic-regulated or imported, to power plants in Delhi.



NTPC has been advised to offer a normative declared capacity to the Delhi in accordance with their allocations from gas-based power plants under their respective power-purchase agreements. If any discom is found to resort to power cuts despite being power available in accordance with the PPA, it will face action.

With a delayed and scattered monsoon, coal production was affected at CILs mines from July onwards. As several states defaulted on their payments during the peak summer months, CIL regulated the to its thermal power units. This included high-demand states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan.

These states continue to face coal-supply problems. Maharashtra has the highest 2.9 Gw of capacity under outage, followed closely by UP with 2.4 Gw and Rajasthan with 2.3 Gw.

Imported coal-based power plants have reduced power generation since the cost of coal in the international market has inched up. As imported coal prices increased more than 40 per cent, imports to India were down to almost nil.

Gujarat, which has imported-coal run units, has 3.5 Gw shut due to fuel shortage, indicated the data on the National Power Portal.

However, with the shortage looming, several are resorting to panic buying on the power spot market, taking spot prices to a record high of Rs 20 per unit (kWh), the ceiling price in the day-ahead market.

On Sunday afternoon, the average market clearing price (MCP) at the India Energy Exchange stood at Rs 16.42 per unit. There were purchase bids of 499,788 MWh against sell bids of 273,848 MWh, indicating a shortfall in supply. The market clearing volume (amount of power trades) also increased to 265,410 MWh on Saturday as against 245,313 MWh on October 1.
The Institute of of India (ICAI) has defended its stance, saying it is not for exempting micro, small, and medium firms from mandatory statutory and that the National Financial Regulatory Authority has no jurisdiction over

said the is a preventive check on companies, whether small or big, which enjoy limited liability of their shareholders.

It is not within its purview to propose whether an of a particular class of companies is required or not. However, we may look at merits in having audits of these companies, Nihar N Jambusaria, president, ICAI, in response to email queries. NFRA, on its part, felt that the audit standards should be aligned to the nature, size, and complexity of these companies and their commercial needs, business size, capacity to comply with the prescribed standards, and relevance to their primary users. Asking to revisit the requirement of compulsory statutory audit for all companies irrespective of their size, NFRA said: ...it is essential that the regulatory environment is conducive to support, and not burden, the growth in business and economic activities of these entities.



It also said major economies of the world require statutory audits for small companies only in case some minimum criteria of public interest are satisfied. This is not the first time that the two audit regulators have been at loggerheads. has felt that NFRAs disciplinary powers breach its area.

Recently, ICAI had also rejected the consultation paper of NFRA on Enhancing engagement with stakeholders. Jambusariya said the paper made fallacious circular argument analogies and was far from ground realities.

The latest bone of contention  ICAIs approach paper for the revised accounting standards  provides broad guidance for formulation of all the new or existing accounting standards to be followed by the companies not required to prepare financial statements under Ind AS and non-company entities. While revising a standard, if it is considered necessary, certain prescriptions under approach paper may be amended, ICAI has said.

NFRA said, The inference that is inescapable is that such an audit as is being carried out is perhaps only a sham.



ICAI said there was no direct nexus between the quality of the audit and the cost of conducting the audit. The allocation of staff and number of hours as estimated for computing the standard cost of audit by NFRA are much higher as compared to the actuals, Jambusariya said.

ICAI president also said that number of manual hours gets reduced to a great extent due to technological advancement in the field of accounting and auditing. It is true that CAs are not getting the true worth of the fees for their work...Auditors have done their work with integrity and honesty despite low scales of fees, Jambusaria said.

Globally, experts said countries such as the US and the UK exempt small companies up to a certain threshold from statutory audit requirements. ICAI president, however, said India is a developing country and the GDP of India and such other countries are not at par with each other.

International practices should be considered only after taking into account all the factors...In the Indian context, small companies have a major impact on the economy, he said.




India has ample coal stocks to meet demand, a statement said on Sunday, a day after the Delhi Chief Minister said a shortage of the fuel meant the Indian capital could face a power crisis.

State-run Ltd is using its 40 million tonne stocks to replenish utilities, which together have 7.2 million tonnes of inventory, equivalent to four days' requirements, the ministry statement said.

A lack of coal has caused a supply shortage in some eastern and northern states, with residents in the regions experiencing power cuts stretching to up to 14 hours a day.

Monsoon rains affected coal supplies to power plants and high global prices curtailed generation by utilities that rely on imported coal, the ministry said.

In a separate statement, the power ministry said coal supplies to power utilities on Saturday rose to 1.92 million tonnes, while consumption was 1.87 million tonnes.

It said the level of coal stocks held by power companies will rise as is ramping up the supplies.

In India, over half of 135 coal-fired power plants, which supply around 70% of the country's electricity, have only enough fuel stocks to last less than three days, Reuters reported on Friday.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian is crying for reform 2.0 wherein the licence permit raj is abolished and the sectoral regulator is headed by a dynamic young person to increase the insurance penetration, said a senior industry official.

"For the first few years the (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) was developing regulations. After that it is regulating the industry's development," P.S.Prabhakar, Senior Partner of the accounting firm Rajagopal & Badrinarayanan and a former insurance industry official told IANS.

After N.Rangachary, the first Chairman, told IANS that it is time to do a review of since it is more than two decades old, several senior industry officials have voiced their views to IANS.

"There should be a review committee to go into all regulatory aspects. It is time to see whether the original goal of forming the regulatory body has been fulfilled and if not, the action to be taken," Rangachary suggested.

Industry officials also told IANS that IRDAI should not be a parking lot for retired bureaucrats as a post retirement perk.

The post of IRDAI Chairman has been lying vacant for the past couple of months and the need of the hour is to appoint a person who is young, dynamic and who can drive the industry forward.

"What kind of energy can a retired bureaucrat or an official from public sector insurance companies bring in? The financial services industry is changing fast. But the insurance regulator is still in the year 2000," a CEO of an insurance company not wanting to be named told IANS.

According to the official, the PSU officials are adept to follow circulars but not chart out a new path for the sector.

"In the last 20 years the private sector has matured and there are enough insurance officials who have retired from there. They have grown their business. So, they should be appointed as IRDAI Chairman and Members to drive the industry so that insurance penetration increases," the official added.

"There is nothing wrong in having a seasoned civil servant as the Chairperson of the Authority, who can bring to bear her/his unalloyed administrative capabilities, ably assisted by the full-time Members, who are from insurance background, viz., life, non-life, reinsurance and actuarial, which has been the case as of now," D. Varadarajan, a Supreme Court lawyer specialising in Insurance and Corporate Laws and a Member on KPN Committee on Insurance Laws Reforms told IANS.

"In the past, the Government has also experimented with industry insiders as the Chairperson," he added.

"However, in the selection of Members it has to be ensured that Membership of the Authority be not reduced to a 'parking slot' or 'rehabilitation centre' for industry discards, to avoid deleterious effects," a senior industry official told IANS.

Industry officials also told IANS that the ease of doing insurance business in India is almost nil.

"Ease of doing insurance business in India? You must be joking. One should ask the industry players on how IRDAI is a control freak. The licence permit raj is in full force in the insurance sector," a senior industry official preferring anonymity told IANS.

The IRDAI not only licences the insurers, intermediaries but also the outsourcing agencies like the healthcare claim processing companies.

"Only the hiring of security agencies, taxi operators and the caterers are not controlled by IRDAI," sarcastically commented another senior industry official.

It takes ages for the regulator to give its nod for new products.

Industry officials also told IANS that the issue of licence for players is decided by former officials and there are no timelines laid for IRDAI to clear the applications.

It is said in its more than 20 years of existence there has been no vigilance probe registered against anyone in IRDAI.

"If IRDAI officials are honest then they should be nationally acknowledged and rewarded. If not, then the issues should be probed," an IRDAI official told IANS.

According to the official, normally the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) should come from outside the organisation. But in the case of IRDAI, the position is manned internally.

To a query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act the IRDAI had replied that the approval of CVC (Chief Vigilance Commissioner) is not required for the appointment of its CVO.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

--IANS

vj/dpb

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nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan passed away on Sunday. Revered as a hero in his country he was also one of the most notorious nuclear smugglers in the world.

AQ Khan was brought to the hospital on Saturday night after his health deteriorated, reported Geo News. Later, he passed away today at 7:04 am. Doctors have said Dr AQ Khan died after his lungs collapsed. He was 85.

Khan, famously known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, was lauded as a national hero for making his country the world's first "Islamic nuclear power". He was awarded the Nishan-i-Imtiaz for his services to the country.

However, outside his country, he is considered responsible for nuclear proliferation as he smuggled technology to rogue states like North Korea, Iran and Libya.

Born in Bhopal, which was then part of British India, Khan immigrated with his family to newly-created in 1952.

In 1961, Khan moved to Europe to complete his studies, first in West Berlin and later at the Technical University in Delft, Holland. He received a degree in metallurgical engineering in 1967.

Khan then received PhD in metallurgical engineering from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

In 1972, he began working at Physical Dynamic Research Laboratory (FDO), a subcontractor of Ultra Centrifuge Nederland (UCN). Soon after starting work at FDO, Khan paying unauthorised visits to the advanced UCN enrichment facility in Almelo, Netherlands, according to a Washington-based think tank, Carnegie Endowment for Peace.

After learning of India's nuclear test in 1974, Khan wrote to Pakistan's then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and joined his nation's clandestine efforts to develop nuclear power.

In I975, Khan abruptly left for with copied blueprints for centrifuges and other components and contact information for nearly 100 companies.

Khan was later convicted, in absentia, in Dutch court for conducting nuclear espionage and sentenced to four years in prison, according to the think tank.

In the 1980s, Khan acquired blueprints for the Chinese bomb that was tested in China's nuclear explosion in 1966.

In the late 1980s, Khan and his network reportedly began nuclear transfers to Iran. A decade later in 1992, Pakistan began missile cooperation with North Korea, Carnegie Endowment for Peace added.

According to the think tank, Khan didn't stop there. In 1997, Khan also began supplying centrifuges and centrifuge components to Libya.

In 1998, India detonated a total of five devices in nuclear tests on May 11 and 13. Pakistan responded with six nuclear tests in May.

In the years following the multiple nuclear tests in the Indian subcontinent, a massive global nuclear proliferation scandal came to light.

Pakistan leadership came under massive pressure from the international community.

Then Army chief and President Pervez Musharraf accused Khan of running a rogue proliferation network for nuclear material.

Khan confessed in 2004 to have helped supply materials necessary for making nuclear weapons to North Korea and Libya.

According to New York Times, Khan insisted that he alone was guilty, however, it is widely believed that Pakistan's powerful military was complicit in this exceeding trade.

Khan was pardoned and put under house arrest in 2004. But Pakistan was unable to hold to even that mild punishment.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said Dr Khan was loved by the nation because of his critical contribution to making Pakistan a nuclear weapon state.

"This has provided us security against an aggressive much larger nuclear neighbour. For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon," he said.

He added that he will be buried in Faisal Mosque "as per his wishes".

(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.)
For the first time since the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan, girl students returned to schools in the provinces of Kunduz, Balkh and Sar-e-Pul, said a media report.

The head of Balkh's provincial department of education, Jalil Sayed Khili, said that all girl schools have opened, TOLO News reported.

"We have segregated the girl students from the boys," he was quoted as saying.

Girls in Balkh were happy to be allowed to return to school.

Sultan Razia, a female student in Balkh's capital Mazar-e-Sharif where there are over 4,600 students and 162 teachers, said: "Initially, there were a few students but the number is getting larger and the lessons are good."

Another student at the school, Tabasom, said: "Education is our right, we want to improve our country and no one can or should take the right of education from us."

According to the statistics of the Balkh educational department, over 600 schools are active in the province with around 50,000 students.

Last month, the Taliban appointed Education Ministry had announced that only boys' schools will reopen, and only male teachers can restart their jobs.

The Ministry however, did not say anything about female teachers or girls returning to school.

Based on numbers of the Education Ministry, currently 14,098 schools operate in Afghanistan, of which 4,932 are schools with students from grade 10-12, 3,781 from grades 7-9, and 5,385 from grade 1-6.

According to the statistics, out of the total schools, 28 per cent of grade 10-12, 15.5 per cent of 7-9, and 13.5 per cent of grade 1-6 are girls' schools.

Saeed Khosti, a member of the Cultural Commission of the Culture and Information Ministry, said: "There are technical problems.There are problems that should be solved fundamentally and there is a need to make a policy and framework. In this framework, it should be established how our girls should continue their lessons. When these problems are solved, all the girls can go to school."

The female students said that although the Taliban has repeatedly said it has changed, their recent decision is disappointing and causes the girls and young women to fear a further loss of rights.

--IANS

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The International Monetary Fund's executive board will meet again on Sunday with Managing Director and the law firm that says she pressured World Bank staff to change data to benefit China while serving as the bank's CEO, according to sources familiar with the plan.

A decision on Georgieva's future at the global lender is not expected until Monday, at the earliest, as finance ministers and other senior officials from many of the IMF's 190 member countries gather in Washington for the annual and World Bank fall meetings, said one of the sources.

The IMF's executive board debated the matter for five hours on Friday before adjourning and asking for more "clarifying details".

The scandal threatens to overshadow the high-profile meetings, where officials plan to discuss the global economy, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and global taxation issues in discussions that will be held partly in person and online.

In normal years, the event draws some 10,000 people to Washington.

Georgieva has strongly denied the allegations, which date back to 2017, when she was the chief executive of the World Bank.

Her lawyer claims that the investigation conducted by law firm WilmerHale violated World Bank staff rules in part by denying her an opportunity to respond to the accusations, an assertion WilmerHale disputes. Georgieva and the WilmerHale attorneys will appear separately at Sunday's board meeting, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. No comment was immediately available from Georgieva or the firm.

France and some other European governments on Friday backed the Bulgarian economist to remain chief, while other officials sought more time to compare her accounts as well as those of the law firm about data irregularities in the World Bank's now-cancelled flagship "Doing Business" report.

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown tweeted his support on Friday, calling Georgieva "an outstanding international public servant ... who has served with distinction as a Commissioner and Vice President of the @EU_Commission, then Managing Director of the @WorldBank and now head of @IMFNews." The U.S. Treasury, which controls 16.5% of the IMF's shares, declined to comment after Friday's meeting.

Treasury spokesperson Alexandra LaManna this week said the department has "pushed for a thorough and fair accounting of all the facts" in the review, underscoring its concern for upholding "the integrity of international financial institutions."

WilmerHale's investigation report prepared for the World Bank board alleged that when Georgieva was World Bank CEO in 2017, she applied "undue pressure" on bank staff to make data changes to the "Doing Business" report to boost China's business-climate ranking as the bank sought Beijing's support for a major capital increase.
Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on Sunday said he is delighted that India has agreed to resume the 2018 Dec Exemption Agreement between the two countries, under which no will be required for Maldivians travelling to India.

The 2018 Dec Exemption Agreement between the Maldives and India was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 border closure.

Taking to Twitter, Shahid informed that from mid-October the Maldivian nationals will be exempt from visa requirements for tourists, medical and business purposes.

"Delighted that India has agreed to resume the 2018 Dec Visa Exemption Agreement between the Maldives & India, which was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 border closure. From 15 Oct 2021, Maldivian Nationals will be exempt of visa requirements for tourists, medical & business purposes," Shahid tweeted.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for considering the request to resume the agreement.

"Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi and EAM @DrSJaishankar for the favourable consideration of the request," he wrote in a subsequent tweet.

The High Commission of India in the Maldives also took Twitter and said that no visa will be required from mid-October for Maldivians travelling to India.

"NO VISA required from Oct 15 for Maldivians travelling to India for Medical, Business & Tourism purposes. Maldives will be the 1st beneficiary of VISA FREE TRAVEL since COVID restrictions were imposed by India in Mar 2020. This move restores the bilateral visa-free agreement of Dec 2018," the High Commission of India in the Maldives tweeted.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all visas granted to foreigners were suspended last year. Various other restrictions were also imposed on travel by the Central government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(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.)
Lopsided access to vaccinations, extreme economic inequality, rising food prices and staggering debt are on the agenda when the Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank gather for their annual meetings in Washington next week.

A pressing issue not in the official programme is the controversy that has been swirling for weeks around the chief of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, threatening her leadership.

An investigation last month accused Georgieva of rigging data to paint China as more business friendly in a 2018 report when she was chief executive at the World Bank. Georgieva has denied any wrongdoing.

But lurking behind the debate over her future are foundational questions about the shifting role of the IMF, which has helped guide the planets economic and financial system since the end of World War II.

Once narrowly viewed as a financial watchdog and a first responder to countries in financial crises, the has more recently helped manage two of the biggest risks to the economy: the extreme inequality and climate change.

The debate about the role of the was bubbling before the appointment of Georgieva, who this month started the third year of her five-year term. But she embraced an expanded role for the agency.

A Bulgarian economist and the first from an emerging economy to head the fund, she stepped up her predecessors attention to the widening inequality and made climate change a priority.

When the coronavirus pandemic brutally intensified the slate of problems  malnourishment, inadequate health care, rising poverty and an interconnected world vulnerable to environmental disaster  Georgieva urged action. Here was a once in a lifetime opportunity, she said, to support a transformation in the economy, one that is greener and fairer.

The opposed the hard line taken by some Wall Street creditors in 2020 toward Argentina, emphasising instead the need to protect societys most vulnerable and to forgive debt that exceeds a countrys ability to repay.

This year, Georgieva managed to create a special reserve fund of $650 billion to help struggling nations health care, buy vaccines and pay down debt during the pandemic.

That approach has not always sat well with conservatives in Washington and on Wall Street.

Former President Donald J Trump immediately objected to the new reserve funds  known as special drawing rights  when they were proposed in 2020, and congressional Republicans have continued the criticism. They argue that the funds mostly help American adversaries like China, Russia, Syria and Iran while doing little for poor nations.

Georgievas activist climate agenda has also run afoul of Republicans in Congress. So has her advocacy for a minimum global corporate tax like the one that more than 130 nations signed on Friday.

2021 The New York Times News Service
The European Union has said that continued terrorist attacks in are a serious obstacle to a stable and peaceful country, where all Afghan citizens can feel safe and secure.

This comes after a bomb exploded at a Shia mosque in Kunduz province during a Friday prayer. The attack was claimed by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) and resulted in more than 150 casualties.

"The European Union mourns with the families of the victims and wishes those injured a full and speedy recovery," said Peter Stano, spokesperson of European Union External Action Service (EEAS)

The spokesperson stressed that the ISKP should be brought to justice and noted that the human rights of all Afghan citizens, including the right to life and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities must be respected.

"Continued terrorist attacks are a serious obstacle to a stable and peaceful Afghanistan, where all Afghan citizens can feel safe and secure. The European Union remains committed to peace and stability in and to supporting its people," Stano added.

Condemning the recent attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan's Kunduz province, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, and sponsors of terrorism to justice.

"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the atrocious and cowardly terrorist attack in Kunduz, on 8 October 2021," the UNSC said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, civil society representatives in Central Afghanistan called on the parties to stop fighting and return to the negotiating table.

(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 is set to achieve a milestone by inoculating 100 crore of its population within a few days making it the world's largest vaccination program, Bharatiya Janata Party chief said on Sunday.

The leader who is in Manipur said, "Within 2-4 days, 100 crore vaccinations will be over which is the world's largest vaccination program taking place in India. Approximately, 17.5 lakh vaccine doses have been given in Manipur. I congratulate Chief Minister N Biren Singh for this."

In this regard, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya earlier today said that India has completed the administration of 95 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Highlighting that Manipur is now the gateway of development, Nadda said, "For the first time, a 'Make in India' drone has been used to transport COVID-19 vaccines from the Bishnupur district hospital to Loktak lake, Karang island in Manipur. Also, is committed and determined to have a fight against drugs. All possible measures will be taken against it."

"Manipur was considered as the gateway of fighting Independence. And now Manipur is the gateway of development, " he said.

Speaking about the political dynamics here, Nadda said, "A few years back, Manipur was known for politics of destruction, blockade, instability, insurgency, politics of 'haves' and 'have nots', inequality. That was being represented some 5 years ago."

"But today we find a change - from disruption to dialogue, from violence to peace, a change where through political dialogue participation of polity is there and development is taking place," he added.

Earlier today, National President inaugurated Manipur State Party Office in Imphal. Manipur Assembly elections are slated to be held 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.)
Blaming the Centre over the ongoing row, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday said the Centre is running away from the issue of shortage of power production.

Referring to the oxygen crisis during the peak of second wave of Covid-19, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that the Central government always neglects real issues.

"The coal situation is similar to the Oxygen crisis. However, the Centre won't accept it," he said.

Criticising Union Power Minister R.K. Singh, Sisodia said he is sad on the 'irresponsible approach' of the Minister.

Several states, including Rajasthan, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, have been raising concerns over the power shortage, Sisodia said.

He said that Chief Ministers including Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, have already written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.

With the country running low on coal, power plants in Uttar Pradesh have stopped functioning, but the Central government is turning a blind eye towards it, he slammed.

Notably, Kejriwal on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the prevailing coal shortage situation that has struck the capital for the third month in a row, affecting power generation in the city.

The problem that has been continuing since August "has affected the power generation from the major Central Generating Plants supplying power to NCT of Delhi", the chief minister wrote.

However, R.K. Singh had stated on Sunday that Delhi will not face any energy crisis as sufficient fuel is being provided to power plants supplying the capital, after reviewing the coal stock position in all thermal power plants.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said it is strange that the AAP government is repeatedly spreading fear of ensuing power cuts in Delhi but is not telling what alternate arrangements it has made to ensure proper power supply in the capital.

This is despite the Union Power Minister's assurance that there is no shortage of fuel for power plants and the Centre will ensure proper power supply for Delhi, he added.

--IANS

jw/pgh

(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.)
However, it is the Punjab Assembly election that promises to reveal political and psephological trajectories not seen before in Indian politics. What is new about the forthcoming election in a state that shares a border with Pakistan, has seen a separatist movement, and has among the highest concentration of Dalit population, but never a Dalit chief minister (CM)? The Punjab border with Pakistan is not considered a militarily hot border, especially after it was fenced two decades ...

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Centre must take action, says aggrieved brother of lynched worker





Sham Sunder, Hariom Mishra and Shubham Mishra

Shubham Mishra, 26, was running high fever when he received a call from his close friend, asking him to join a event in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 4. He was initially reluctant to join but was then cajoled by his friends and party workers to accompany them. He wasnt well; but he decided to attend the event because Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Mishra were slated to lay the foundation stone of several government schemes there, said Shantanu Mishra, younger brother of Shubham. Read more

Yogi promised Ram Rajya. Party workers running amok today, say kin

Muzaffarnagar, Sitapur, and several other kisan mahapanchayats which were called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha had at least one common attendee  Daljit Singh, one of the four farmers mowed by an SUV belonging to Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Mishra in Lakhimpur. He was primed for another showdown with leaders, this time with Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Mishra. He had called dozens of farmers, asking them to join the protest. I tagged along, said Rajdeep Singh, son of Daljit Singh. Read more


The Congress will formally launch its election campaign for the 2022 Assembly elections on Sunday with a rally to be addressed by party General Secretary Vadra in Varanasi.

The rally, earlier titled 'Pratiggya Rally', has now been named as 'Kisan Nyay Rally' and will focus primarily on the Lakhimpur incident with farmers as the focus.

The rally will be held on Sunday afternoon at the Jagatpur Inter College ground and party leaders have been working overtime to ensure a 'huge' presence at the event.

Before addressing the rally, Priyanka will offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Durga temple in Varanasi.

Congress state president Ajay Kumar Lallu said: "To ensure justice to the farmers killed by Union Minister's son in Lakhimpur Kheri, the party will launch a movement at the rally and will ensure that this movement reaches each village, locality, market and Assembly area of the state."

He claimed that the party's movement will continue till justice is ensured to the families of the killed farmers.

He said that the arrest of the Minister's son Ashish Mishra on Saturday was insufficient and the Union Minister Ajay Mishra

Teni must also step down to ensure a fair probe into the incident.

Targeting the BJP-led state government on Lakhimpur Kheri episode, Lallu alleged that it is surprising that a government which ensures demolitions with bulldozers and displays posters of criminals in minor incidents, is tight-lipped about the killing of farmers.

"The government should say when it will release the posters of accused persons of Lakhimpur Kheri," said the UPCC chief.

He alleging that the BJP governments at the Centre and state were trying their best to protect the accused and son of the minister.

Meanwhile, as per AICC directives, Congress leaders and workers will observe a three hour 'Maun Vrat' outside the Raj Bhawan on Monday to protest against the Lakhimpur incident.

--IANS

amita/ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
government called a special session of the Legislative Assembly on October 18.

The special session will run for only one day.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had passed a resolution in the cabinet. Following this, Governor Anandiben Patel gave her consent.

A notification will be issued to convene the session soon.

According to sources, President Ram Nath Kovind will address a joint session of members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative council as a part of "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" celebrations.

(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.)
will continue to curb monopolistic behaviors of internet platform companies and strengthen the protection of consumer privacy and data security, central bank governor Yi Gang said.

The central bank will work with anti-monopoly authorities to prevent firms from abusing dominant market positions and actively deal with new monopoly problems, Yi said at a meeting of the Bank for International Settlements on Thursday.

will implement regulations that require platform companies engaged in financial business to establish financial holding companies, according to Yi's speech published on the central bank's website.

has launched a regulatory crackdown on a broad range of industries, leaving startups and decades-old firms alike operating in a new, uncertain environment.

Will not bow to pressure from Beijing: Taiwan prez after Xis unification call Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said the island is facing unprecedented challenges and will defend its sovereignty, pushing back after Chinese leader Xi Jinping declared a day earlier that unification will be achieved. Taipei hopes for an easing in cross-strait ties, and resolving differences requires dialogue on the basis of parity, Tsai said in a televised National Day address on Sunday. The government will do its utmost to maintain the status quo amid a complex regional landscape. Taiwan will keep bolstering its defences to ensure nobody can force them to accept the path China has laid down that offers neither freedom nor democracy, she said. (Agencies)

(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 Australian government is considering a range of measures, including fines, that would make social media companies more responsible for defamatory material published on their platforms, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said on Sunday. We expect a stronger position from the platforms, Fletcher said in an interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp. For a long time, theyve been getting away with not taking any responsibility in relation to content published on their sites. Intensifying a debate over the countrys libel and laws, Prime Minister on Thursday called social media a cowards palace, saying platforms should be treated as publishers when defamatory comments by unidentified people are posted. Social media has become a cowards palace where people can go on there, not say who they are, destroy peoples lives, and say the most foul and offensive things to people, and do so with impunity, Morrison said. Fletcher said the government was looking at the option to treat them as publishers and the extent of the responsibility in general of platforms, such as and when defamatory material was published on their sites. Asked whether the government would consider laws that would fine social media platforms for posting defamatory material, Fletcher said the government was looking at a whole range of measures. Well go through a careful, methodical process, he said. In a whole range of ways, we are cracking down on this idea that what is posted online can be posted with impunity. The countrys highest court ruled last month that publishers can be held liable for public comments on online forums, a judgement that has pitted and news organisations against each other.

It also spread alarm among all sectors that engage with the public via social media and, in turn, has lent new urgency to an ongoing review.
Heavy fog enveloped cities across China Thursday morning, causing low visibility in several regions. The fog started to appear in cities like Wuhan in Central China and Urumqi in Northwest China earlier this week, creating traffic jams. On Thursday, Beijing authorities shut down multiple highways to avoid accidents, while the northeastern city of Shenyang issued the highest-level alert as visibility reduced to less than 20 meters in some areas

Nov 18, 2021 06:18 PM
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FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2021 file photo, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington. The Biden administration on Monday renewed efforts to shield hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the United States as young children from deportation, the latest maneuver in a long-running drama over the policy's legality. Mayorkas called again on Monday for Congress to act swiftly to provide the legal status they need and deserve. He said legislation should be enacted through spending negotiations, a tactic that suffered a potentially critical blow this month when the Senate parliamentarian prohibited it. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2012 file photo, people ride on a float with a large bust of Christopher Columbus during the Columbus Day parade in New York. Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus continues to divide those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian Americans history and those horrified by an annual tribute that ignores the native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, file photo, real estate heir Robert Durst appears in Los Angeles Superior Court Airport Branch for a hearing in Los Angeles. A Los Angeles jury convicted Robert Durst Friday, Sept. 17, 2021 of murdering his best friend 20 years ago in a case that took on new life after the New York real estate heir participated in a documentary that connected him to the slaying linked to his wifes 1982 disappearance. (Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool, File)
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Carteret County Board of Education attorney Neil Whitford, seen in this file photo, disputes claims made in a letter sent to board of education members across the state that school officials do not have legal authority to enforce COVID-19 safety measures currently being used in schools. (Cheryl Burke photo)
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As Canadians approach the Thanksgiving long weekend  yet another holiday overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic  many have been faced with tough decisions over how to gather with friends and family.

In the Maritimes, New Brunswicks government has essentially cancelled holiday gatherings. On Friday, circuit breaker restrictions will come into effect limiting indoor gatherings to a single household after rising COVID-19 cases put a strain on the provinces health-care system.

But in B.C., public health recommendations are more nuanced, with varying transmission and vaccination rates leading to a mixed bag of risk.

Curtailing celebrations largely depends on where you live and if you are fully vaccinated. There are currently no public health orders restricting people from gathering at home in Island Health and Vancouver Coastal Health, which includes much of Metro Vancouver.

For the rest of British Columbians, heres what you need to know about coming together for another pandemic Thanksgiving.

FRASER HEALTH

As the biggest health authority in the province, Fraser Health has accounted for the most COVID-19 cases throughout the pandemic.

Currently, however, there are only restrictions in place for the eastern reaches of the authority. There are no restrictions on personal gatherings if everyone 12 and over are fully vaccinated.

However, for unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people, indoor personal gatherings are limited to your household and either five more guests, or one other household. Outdoor gatherings for the unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated are limited to your household and 10 other visitors.

The affected communities include: Abbotsford, Agassiz, Chillwack, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope and Mission.

INTERIOR HEALTH

B.C.s Interior has gathering restrictions for every community in the health authority.

All residents of Interior Health are limited to one household plus five visitors or one other household. That goes for vacation rentals as well.

Outdoor personal gatherings, like a backyard barbecue, should have no more than 50 people attending.

NORTHERN HEALTH

Like the Interior, Northern Health residents looking to come together for Thanksgiving are required to limit gatherings to their household, plus five visitors or one other household. Outdoor personal gatherings are also limited to 50 people.

IMMUNOCOMPROMISED FACE TOUGH CHOICE

Attending a Thanksgiving gathering is a tougher choice for immunocompromised people, whose bodies often dont provoke as strong an immune reaction even after being fully vaccinated.

Chritiane Coopman, a 73-year-old blood cancer patient in Chilliwack, and her husband who suffers from melanoma, both received booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine two weeks ago. But their vulnerable health conditions still leave them wary of holiday get-togethers.

"For blood cancer patients, we don't generate (much) protection after two doses, and now that I have a third dose, it's possible I have 90 per cent protection, but it's possible I have six per cent," said Coopman, who was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia eight years ago.

"If I get COVID, it would take one week and I'd be dead. Why would I risk that?"

Dr. Deepali Kumar, a transplant infectious disease physician at University Health Network, said reluctance around hosting or attending holiday events is commonplace among her immunocompromised patients.

While Kumar noted it can be disappointing for immunocompromised individuals to feel held back as others move on to a more normal life, she said it's possible to have safe Thanksgiving gatherings with some stipulations.

She suggested keeping the groups small and limited to only fully vaccinated guests. While kids under 12 are not yet eligible for vaccination, she said they can attend safely if parents stay vigilant about any COVID-19 cases in their schools leading up to the event.

"The best way to make sure they're protected is to get everybody vaccinated [to] reduce transmission of COVID in the community as much as we can, she said.

 with files from the Canadian Press
Photo: The Canadian Press Venture capital firm "The51" founders Judy Fairburn, left, co-CEO and fund managing partner, and Shelley Kuipers, co-CEO, general partner and growth officer, are shown in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday.

For proof that female entrepreneurs face unique challenges compared to their male counterparts, one need look no further than Katie Wilson.

The entrepreneur and founder of Belli Welli, a plant-based baked nutrition bar company that caters to people with irritable bowel syndrome, was one day away from the official launch of her business last year when she unexpectedly went into labour with her second child, two-and-a-half months before her due date.

"We did launch the business the next day, but we launched it from the hospital room," Wilson said.

Now, 18 months later, the California-based Belli Welli is a thriving small business  one of 30 ventures so far across Canada and the U.S. that have received funding from The51, an Alberta-based venture capital fund which aims to harness the power of "financial feminism" by getting investment dollars into the hands of women entrepreneurs. The fund, so named because women represent 51 per cent of the population, aims to "democratize access" to capital for women.

It's a mission Wilson endorses, because she said female founders like herself still face gender-related biases and barriers.

The biggest and most obvious example for me is the fact that I fundraised pregnant, and I didnt share that fact with any investor," Wilson said. "I got nothing but support from our male investors when I had to write that email saying, hey guys, not only did I not tell you I was pregnant, but it turns out Im now going to be launching the business from the hospital.'

"But I think theres something to be said about the fact that I didnt share it. There was some part of me that felt it might hurt my chances of closing the round.

The51 was launched last year by Shelley Kuipers, Alice Reimer and Judy Fairburn  three Calgary women who combined have decades of experience as company founders, board chairs, community leaders and investors. It has since developed into a community of female accredited investors, entrepreneurs, and those who support them.

The51's first $9-million, sector-agnostic fund closed earlier this year, with 90 per cent of the investment dollars coming from private women's capital. Fairburn  a former executive vice-president at Cenovus Energy Inc. who sits on the boards of several prominent energy companies and technology firms  said that's nearly unheard of in Canada, and yet there's no good reason that should be the case.

She points to investment industry statistics that say that by 2030, 65 per cent of Canada's wealth will be in the hands of women. Yet women remain under-represented at venture capital firms, around corporate boardroom tables, and within the startup investment space.

"What we hear from a lot of our investors  and we have some incredibly qualified women  is theyll say yeah, my husband gets invited to get involved with these emerging companies ... but I'm not even invited to be at the table,'" Fairburn said.

The response to The51's first fund was so enthusiastic (the founders met with 300 female-led companies seeking funding) that it is now actively seeking investors for its second fund, which will focus specifically on women-led and diverse businesses in the food and agricultural technology space.

The decision to focus in on agriculture and food was made because of what The51's founders believe is an "unprecedented economic opportunity" in the space. The agriculture industry generated $143 billion and accounted for 7.4 per cent of Canada's GDP in 2018, according to Statistics Canada. And with global population growth and climate change pushing the issue of food security to the forefront, the industry is only expected to grow  with the projected market size for food and Ag Tech globally expected to reach US$8 trillion by 2025.

In addition, the face of agriculture is changing. Statistics Canada says nearly one in three farm operators between the ages of 35 and 54 are women. And in the Agri-food technology space, female entrepreneurs are working on everything from the way food is grown and harvested, to the development of plant-based proteins, to blockchain and traceability innovations.

Yet according to the Silicon Valley-based venture capital platform AgFunder, only seven per cent of agri-food tech deals went to women-founded teams in 2018. And a 2015 study from the Canadian Agriculture Human Resources Council found that 95 per cent of women in agriculture felt "significant barriers to their success."

The sectors diversifying quickly, the capital isnt. So we are trying to provide that diversity of capital," said Kuipers, who has founded several companies herself and calls herself a "serial private investor."

Were really trying to find those founders who are really being innovative in this sector, and not receiving funding  and go there.

Fundraising is really challenging for everyone, and theres no doubt that women face another form of challenge that maybe male entrepreneurs dont have to face," said Bethany Deshpande, founder of SomaDetect, a Halifax-based agritech company that benefited from an investment from The51's first fund. "The dairy industry is not known for its diversity, for example."

SomaDetect uses optical sensors, artificial intelligence and deep learning to monitor herd health and milk quality on dairy farms. It's just one example of the kind of cutting-edge work female founders are doing in the agritech space. And it's the kind of work that women investors  with their money, but also their intellectual capital and networks  want to be part of, Kuipers said.

"On the investor side, what we're consistently hearing from women is, 'There's a place I can activate my capital, in a way that is meaningful to me,'" Kuipers said. "They're saying, 'Finally. Thank you.'"
Photo: Jason King / Facebook Orca spotted in Horseshoe Bay.

It seems some orca are checking out the shoreline around Metro Vancouver this weekend.

Two videos caught the huge dolphins checking out where the people live this weekend. In one video posted by Jason King on Facebook, a pair are spotted swimming around the boats in Horseshoe Bay. As they swim through they send up some spray, much to the delight of the humans nearby.

"It bumped the boat," exclaims one.

A dog sounds much less impressed.

Just last month, the little town north of Vancouver was visited by a pair of humpback whales.

Meanwhile in Vancouver's Coal Harbour, a pair of orcas were recently spotted in the rain, visiting the sea plane dock.

They swim just a couple of feet away from the dock and pop up to see what's going on topside.

It's unclear if it's the same pair.
Pipeline crack in California oil spill may have occurred up to a year ago, investigators say
Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Tennessee needs to take butcher lessons from the Oak Ridge National Lab. Earlier this week Chattanoogas long-admired insurance giant terminated what is feared to be the first wave of 19 employees for refusing to take the coronavirus vaccine, but at Oak Ridge they apparently agreed to religious/health exemptions of 140 employees  this before placing the entire group on unpaid leave.

Chattanoogas Blue Cross, founded on deep Christian principles as a necessary service to millions of subscribers, has obviously embraced fear over faith in terminating any anti-vaxers from its Chattanooga-based headquarters.

There is wide-spread speculation another 15 or 20 Chattanoogans will also be terminated without benefits of severance pay in coming weeks as religious or medical appeals are being routinely denied.

The conservative news weekly The Epoch Times has reported that beginning this Friday (Oct.15) the ORNL employees who have not been vaccinated will be placed on unpaid leave despite the belief their appeals had been approved. In a story written by Epoch Times reporter Matt McGregor, it was reported a Linux systems engineer with ORNL, Leon Workman, claimed that though he was approved for a religious and medical exemption, he will join the 140 employees who will be left without a paycheck.

Its blatant religious discrimination, Workman said. A religious exemption without an accommodation is not a religious exemption.

The Epoch Times story read, The research laboratory is managed by the University of Tennessee-Battelle (UT-Battelle), a not-for-profit company established to operate the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored center comprised of 5,500 staff members.

In a Sept. 22 email Workman disclosed, ORNLs Human Resources Director Jody Zahn told employees who had filed for an exemption that regular testing and allowing employees to continue to work from home, as they have been doing since January 2020, would cause undue hardship on the center.

Zahn email stated, In evaluating your request, UT-Battelle has concluded that the only reasonable accommodation that we can provide to you without presenting an undue hardship is to allow you to remain a UT-Battelle employee, but without access to campus, by providing you with an unpaid leave of absence, Zahn wrote. You may elect to designate vacation time use prior to beginning your unpaid leave, but if you do not do so, your unpaid leave of absence will begin on Oct. 16 if you choose to remain unvaccinated.

Zahn said that a high volume of approved requests, high transmission and low vaccination rates, a threat to health and safety of employees, and cost of testing the unvaccinated, as well as an intent for the center to bring remote workers back to the institute, as reasons for undue hardship. But unpaid leave is an undue hardship on an employee, Workman told the reporter.

Where the plot thickens is Oak Ridges outcasts are ready to fight the huge lab.

* * *

From The Epoch Times:

WHAT UNITED AIRLINES DID 

Workman and about 80 other staff members involved have sought legal representation with Schaerr-Jaffe, the law firm representing United Airlines employees. We are hoping to have a temporary restraining order by Oct. 12, which would cause them to halt progress on forcing people on unpaid leave, Workman said.

In September, Schaerr-Jaffe negotiated a temporary restraining order that led to United Airlines agreeing to cease its plan to terminate 2,000 of its employees who declined to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious or medical reasons.

They (ORNL) are scared to terminate us, probably because of misgivings about potential non-lawful termination, but its still a termination, although in a slow and painful way for the employees, Workman told the reporter. They are basically leaving us without paychecks for as long as it takes us to either force us to get the vaccine or to resign.

* * *

AN EXCERPT FROM LIVE AND LETS FLY BLOG

(Brilliantly written by Matthew Klint)

United Airlines has been sued by six employees in a lawsuit which aims to become a class action lawsuit for all United employees who face unpaid leave or termination over their refusal to receive the COVID-19 jab. The complaint, filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, argues:

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Plaintiffs do not dispute the important goal of stopping COVID-19s spread, but it does not override Uniteds obligations under federal law. And it certainly does not allow United to effectively terminate all employees who requested an accommodation.

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At the root of the case is whether there are viable alternatives to a vaccine.

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United has told employees who are offered a religious or medical exemption that they will be placed on unpaid leave starting next month. Those who are not in customer-facing roles will be able to return to work in the near future with testing and masks while customer-facing employees will not be allowed at work, regardless of testing status, until the pandemic meaningfully recedes (according to United).

Reasonable accommodation is an adjustment made in a system to accommodate or make fair the same system for an individual based on a proven need. In the context of religion, the law states employers must reasonably accommodate an employees religious beliefs or practices, unless doing so would cause more than a minimal burden on the operations of the employers business. Examples of some common religious accommodations include flexible scheduling, voluntary shift substitutions or swaps, job reassignments, and modifications to workplace policies or practices.

Yet courts have also consistently held that an employer is not required to undergo undue hardship in order to accommodate religious beliefs. An accommodation may cause undue hardship if it is costly, compromises workplace safety, decreases workplace efficiency, infringes on the rights of other employees, or requires other employees to do more than their share of potentially hazardous or burdensome work.

Undue hardship in the context of COVID-19 vaccines is a tricky topic because we are still figuring out COVID-19 and its effects. Take a pilot, for example. Typically her interactions with passengers are limited and when they occur, take place wearing masks and in an environment in which HEPA filters and air recirculation create a much safer place than in other environments.

The Biden Administration order concerning a vaccine mandate for companies with more than 100 employees offers an alternative testing option. United is offering no such alternative.

Is that pilot (or flight attendant) a threat, especially after airlines have spent the pandemic trying to assure passengers that airplanes are very safe environments, even before the vaccine was created and approved?

United may also in trouble for the manner in which it has tried to verify whether a religious belief in sincerely-held. The controlling statute does not require proof. But United employees seeking such an exemption have been grilled on their faith tradition and in many cases, asked for a letter from their spiritual leader explaining the opposition to vaccines.

During an employee town hall meeting on the virus, United CEO Scott Kirby openly-questioned those who would seek religious exemptions, stating, those who all of a sudden decide Im really religious will not be granted an exception.

MATTHEW KLINTS VIEWS ON THE UNITED AIRLINES VACCINE LAWSUIT

Im sympathetic to both some employees and to United Airlines. I wish that the vaccine has not become such a political issue.

As a Christian, I fully believe that our bodies are the temple of God and should not be defiled. Nevertheless, I see no persuasive biblical argument against vaccines. Indeed, I dont see vaccines as toxins, but precisely the opposite: as protective shields. The statistics seem very clear to me: the vaccine is highly effective, not foolproof, and those who have it and may be exposed to COVID-19 generally report far better outcomes. Of course there will be outliers and of course there will be some bad outcomes. That was expected; humans are fragile and our amazingly intricate bodies are prone to sometimes unexplainable reactions.

While on the topic of religion, isnt it interesting how personal autonomy is implicated in different ways depending upon your worldview? Many who are rabidly pro-choice are also strongly in favor of a vaccine mandate. Meanwhile, ardent foes of abortion have co-opted the my body, my choice slogan to oppose obligatory vaccinations.

I see intellectual incongruity on both sides of this argument. Both come down to a subjective conception of harm: who is being harmed by your action? The pro-life advocate reasons that the limits of personal autonomy are reached when another life is impacted. In the case of abortion, that is in a fetus, which is viewed not as a potential life, but a human life at an early stage of development and therefore worthy of societal protection in a nation that espouses equal rights and human dignity.

But many of these same folks look only inward and fail to see that their refusal to be vaccinated has the potential of negatively impacting those around them, indeed even killing them  COVID-19 is real and particularly pernicious to certain high-risk groups.

We could make an analogous argument for the subjective self-autonomy of the pro-choice side as well.

We dont live in caves or basements; we live in society. It therefore seems rather unavoidable, as a collective action problem, that humans can avoid interaction with other humans. If the vaccine minimizes not only the effects of the virus but also reduces its spread, I find the my body, my choice argument particularly weak. (which is a different argument than whether anyone should be forced to get a vaccine).

The Natural Antibody Argument

Theres another angle to this lawsuit, one that I deem a much weaker argument. Schaerr-Jaffe, LLP, one of the law firms representing plaintiffs, issued the following statement:

This is not about how effective the vaccines are or whether United may mandate vaccination. The fact is that some people have sincere religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires employers to respect and accommodate those beliefs. United has failed to do this. Its especially outrageous that United refuses to grant meaningful religious exemptions to employees who have already suffered from a COVID infection and can prove that they are immune  and unable to infect others  by virtue of the resulting antibodies.

I am not comfortable with the antibodies argument, though I think it merits further study and I am alarmed that Facebook and Instagram are censoring discussion on this topic. The truth is, antibodies in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 do appear powerful, though it is far from clear 1.) how long they last and 2.) how effective they are at preventing re-infection.

Nevertheless, United can make its own judgment on antibodies: arguing science is simply not relevant to the legal issue. Even if natural antibodies are 100x more effective, United can still mandate its employees be vaccinated. The only real question is how medical and religious exemptions should be treated.

Placing exempted employees on unpaid leave is the functional equivalent of firing them. As much as I desire every employee to be vaccinated, I believe Delta has taken the better approach and United should consider something similar for the (presumably) small percentage of employees who will not meet company vaccination requirements.

I would think that higher healthcare costs and making employees pay for weekly or even daily testing would rather quickly sift out those who are sincere about their religious exemption, without having to probe the veracity of the religious claim.

United: The Case Has No Merit

A United spokesperson told Live and Lets Fly:

The most effective thing we can do as an airline to protect the health and safety of all our employees is to require the vaccine  excluding the small number of people who have sought an exemption, more than 97% of our U.S. employees are vaccinated.

And weve been encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response from employees across all work groups, since we announced the policy last month. Were reviewing this complaint in greater detail but at this point, we think its without merit.

United refused to provide the number of employees who did seek an exception.

CONCLUSION

Beyond all the fluff of the lawsuit are two fundamental questions:

1) What is the scope of reasonable accommodation in the context of an employer vaccine mandate?

2) What constitutes an undue hardship and has that undue hardship been proven by the incidence of the virus?

Whatever your views on this lawsuit or the vaccine itself, I admonish you to keep looking, keep studying, and understand that as folks continue to die with COVID-19, the vast majority of them are unvaccinated. There is no other common denominator.

As for this lawsuit, my gut is that United will quietly reach an agreement (which has happened) with a limited number of employees to continue working despite not having a vaccination. In a sense, United has almost accomplished its mission objective with the high vaccination rate it now boasts among employees.

* * *

From Roy Exum: My sentiments exactly, but rather Live and Lets Fly, Lets Live and Love All of Gods Children.

And just you watch: Blue Cross-Blue Shield, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Chattanoogas Memorial Hospital, which is rumored to have a purge planned Nov. 1, are fixing to have their tails tucked between their legs.

---

royexum@aol.com
A woman on Montview Drive told police she was having issues with her son's ex-roommate. She said the night before, her son and his girlfriend had a "falling out" with his roommate, She said she went and picked her son up from the residence they shared, and had him pack all of his things. She said she went through all of the belongings before they left the residence to ensure that he did not take anything that did not belong to him. She said that approximately four hours later, the ex-roommate's mother began calling and texting her phone accusing her son of stealing a router. She said that her son did not take any belongings that did not belong to him, but that she continues to have issues with the ex-roommate's mother. She told police she wanted the incident reported in case any future issues were to arise between them.

* * *

A shoplifting was reported at Academy Sports, 2220 Hamilton Place Blvd. Police spoke with a representative of the store who said that a female came into the store and swapped her current and worn shoes for brand new shoes. He said she took the new shoes, put them on, and passed all points of sale without paying for the stolen merchandise. The shoes are worth $69.99. They are blue and are made by Under Armour. A photo of the suspect was given to police. Charges are pending identification of the woman.

* * *

A woman on Wilkesview Drive told police she was having a verbal argument with her boyfriend. The boyfriend came out and confirmed with police that they were fussing. Both of them assured police that nothing physical had taken place and that they were okay and no police action was needed. BWC was worn and used during this interaction.

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Officers observed a light blue Hyundai Santa Fe traveling on Hamill Road with a non-functioning passenger headlight. The vehicle was also not displaying a license plate. Emergency equipment was activated and the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of the Ministry Center. The driver told police he was aware of the vehicle's headlight and license plate. He said he had just been pulled over by officers on Highway 153 and was returning home. The man was given a verbal warning. No warrants and the car was not stolen.

* * *



Police were dispatched to a burglar alarm at Pilgrim Rock Baptist Church, 1726 Church Road. Officers confirmed that all doors were securely locked. All windows were closed; however, police noticed a broken window pane on the 2/3 corner. This window pane appeared to be broken from the inside and was too small to permit entry. In addition, the blinds of that window appeared undamaged. Police spoke with a man who was listed as a responsible party for the property. He said that he would head out at his earliest convenience and ensure that this window damage was not due to any suspicious activity.

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A woman at Walmart, 2020 Gunbarrel Road, told police that someone accessed her Walmart account illegally and placed an online order to be picked up at the store. She said there were two transactions - one was around $100 and the other around $80, and they were done the night before around 1:30 a.m. She said the name on the order is "Vilma Orellana," but she said she has no idea who that is and there's no way to know if this is a real name.

* * *

A woman on Glendale Drive told police that a white Ford Fusion backed into her mailbox then fled the area. She said she did not know the driver of the vehicle, and the vehicle had an unknown temporary tag displayed.

* * *

While patroling on Ocoee Street, police observed a silver Mercedes with no tag parked suspiciously. Police were familiar with a BOLO from county units stating that they were in a pursuit of a silver Mercedes with no tag before losing the vehicle in the area of Amnicola Highway at Wilcox Boulevard. Police ran the VIN and found that the registration returned negative stolen.

* * *

A woman on Bunch Street told police that morning she noticed her tire was flat and there was a bullet hole the back of her vehicle near the trunk. She said she believed the bullet hole was from an incident that occurred there a couple of days earlier.

* * *

A anonymous caller on Shallowford Village Drive told police he believed a car got broken into. Police found the vehicle and noticed the driver's side window was busted out. Police tried to find the owner of the vehicle, but were unable to. Police watched camera footage showing a male back in a black Audi next to this Nissan break the window and search through the vehicle, taking a black bag. The man was wearing a black cap, red shirt and jeans. Police do not have a victim at this time.

* * *

A disorder was reported on Cameron Lane. Police spoke to a man and a woman who said they got into a verbal argument over the woman not getting " the poke" and other things. The woman was already gathering her things to leave for the day. Police stayed on the scene till she left the area.

* * *

A woman on Rees Avenue told police that overnight someone entered her unlocked 2019 Kia Optima, trashed the inside and stole her purse and its contents. She said she has a ring doorbell, but a bush blocks the view of her automobile.

* * *

A woman at Parkridge Medical Center, 1700 Broad St., told police she left her vehicle parked there around 8:15 a.m. while she went into the doctors office. She said at about 9:15 a.m. she heard a loud boom and just now discovered that the back window had been broken out of her vehicle, but she said there were no signs of entry into the vehicle. There are no estimates for damage.

* * *

A woman told police that her vehicle was damaged the day before while traveling on Interstate 75 northbound. She said she was traveling behind a green pickup truck with a trailer that was hauling debris, when debris flew off of the trailer and hit her windshield. She gave the TN tag number to police, which did not return to a vehicle. She said she needed a report for insurance purposes.

* * *

Police found a man who was panhandling on Cherokee Boulevard. The man was in the roadway holding a sign asking for money. Police ran the man for warrants and were unable to verify any. The man was told to leave the area and stop panhandling in the streets.

* * *

A woman on Forest Villas Circle told police she communicated with a person on Facebook who gave her a link to an online interview. She said she spoke with the people online and they asked for her to send a photo of her driver's license to "comcastinterview427@gmail.com," which she did. She said after they received the email, they requested she purchase gift cards and send them before they sent the Comcast equipment to her. The woman said she realized then it was a scam and did not purchase the gift cards and stopped communication with them.

* * *

A man on Elder Mountain Road told police he had video of a JB Hunt 18-wheeler truck backing down Elder Mountain Road and striking his mailbox. He said he is currently in contact with JB Hunt and does not want to prosecute.

* * *

A man on Highway 58 told police he was in verbal argument with a woman and that he wanted her to leave his apartment. Police also spoke with the woman, who said the man had just started arguing with her. Both of them said it was only a verbal argument. Police ran both of them for any active wants or warrants, which came back negative. Police then gave the woman a ride to an address on Tunnel Boulevard at her request. BWC was worn and activated during this call for service.

* * *

A woman on W. Main Street Court told police she believed someone tried to burglarize her residence while she was not home. Police observed a broken window in the front of her residence, but no signs of forced entry. The window had two panels and only the exterior was broken. The woman did not know who was responsible, nor was she able to gave any reasonable explanation for who may have broken the window.

* * *

A man told police he was driving northbound on Highway 27 when he was unable to evade running over an object in the road. He said there were vehicles on both sides of him when he struck the object. His said his oil pan was destroyed, along with other engine components. Shortly after, CFD responded and it was determined that the object was a valve that had fallen off the truck moments ago.

* * *

An employee at Waffle House, 2024 E. 23rd St., told police there was a couple in the restaurant who had been causing a problem. She said the couple had been disorderly the previous week, and staff had "run them off" then without calling police, but this time the man said he would not leave, and that the employee should call the police. The employee said they both left in a silver PT Cruiser, headed towards East Ridge. Police explained the process for getting this couple criminally trespassed to the employee, and she said she would call in the next time they showed up.
Tie-in songs are an iconic part of the James Bond movies. Major artists like Adele, Sam Smith, and Billie Eilish have all contributed songs to the series. Despite this star power, only one of the songs from a 007 film reached No. 1 in the United States. Notably, the band behind the song said it was incredibly difficult to record.

Roger Moore as James Bond | Silver Screen Collection/Archive Photos/Getty Images

This James Bond movie marked the end of an era

Roger Moore played 007 on the big screen for many years. Between 1973 and 1985, he starred in seven Bond films. While many fans enjoyed his over-the-top antics, all good things come to an end.

In 1985, Moore starred in his last 007 film: A View to a Kill. The film didnt deviate significantly from the formula of previous movies in the franchise. On the other hand, the film featured a song that was a lot more modern than some of the other songs from the movies.

RELATED: Paul McCartney Reacted to Billie Eilishs James Bond Song No Time to Die

A famous musician couldnt work on a James Bond song that was difficult to record

Duran Duran contributed the song A View to a Kill to the film of the same name. According to Music News, members of the band were all 007 fans. Duran Duran member John Taylor discussed the origin of the song.

It was a terribly difficult song to record, if it wasnt a No. 1, it was going to be a disappointment, Taylor said. So it had to serve a specific purpose for the James Bond people, but it had to serve an even greater purpose for us in a way. We recorded it in London and New York, and we brought in Bernard Edwards from Chic, we actually asked Nile Rogers, but he couldnt do it.

It was the first time that weve worked in such a multi-level way, because youve got the band, then another texture of sound effects and then youve got the orchestra, he added. It was a big, big record to make. And when the film came out, it was we really got a sense of the intersection of two great brands to at that time.

RELATED: Paul McCartney Once Cleared Up a Controversy About the Lyrics of Live and Let Die

The way the world reacted to the song

A View to a Kill reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. A View to a Kill remains the only song from a 007 movie to top the chart. It was the only Duran Duran song to reach No. 1 in the United States, with the exception of The Reflex.

RELATED: How Patti LaBelles James Bond Song Became a Celine Dion Hit

The response to A View to a Kill was less warm in the United Kingdom. The Official Charts Company reports the track reached No. 2 in the U.K. Subsequently, two 007 songs topped the charts in the U.K.: Sam Smiths Writing on the Wall and Billie Eilishs No Time to Die. While U.S. and U.K. audiences have different tastes in music, they both seem to like Bond songs.
Outside of his musical abilities, Keith Richards gained a reputation for his rock and roll lifestyle, one that nearly derailed his career. The Rolling Stones guitarist has a prolific amount of stories from this period. He nearly has too many anecdotes for one lifetime. One such story takes place over a period of 9 days where Richards didnt sleep at all.

Keith Richards | George Rose/Getty Images

Keith Richards is well-known for his hard-partying lifestyle

Richards dedicated himself to living the life of a rock star. Hes been the target of massive drug busts, nearly burned down the Playboy Mansion, and come close to death on more than a handful of occasions.

Fans of The Rolling Stones are familiar with Richards years of drug use throughout the 60s and 70s. According to Rolling Stone, Richards was the target of many a drug bust. One arrest in Canada nearly landed him in prison while The Rolling Stones were at the height of their fame. He was able to avoid prison time by playing a benefit concert.

In his storied career, he also embarked on an acid-fueled road trip with John Lennon and did cocaine at the dinner table of a baby shower.

He once went nine days without sleep while working on an album

In the mid-70s, The Rolling Stones hit a slump. Some believed that they were past their prime, dragging on despite a decline in their work.

Everyone was using drugs, Keith particularly, Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone. So I think it suffered a bit from all that. General malaise. I think we got a bit carried away with our own popularity and so on. It was a bit of a holiday period. I mean, we cared, but we didnt care as much as we had. Not really concentrating on the creative process.

Recording Some Girls. Photos by Helmut Newton pic.twitter.com/j6wTgTgMvA  The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) March 3, 2017

While recording the album that reversed their downward trend, Some Girls, Richards stayed awake for five days straight. This is a startling amount of time to stay awake, but its not Richards longest sleepless stretch. In his autobiography Life, Richards explained that his record is nine days.

Nine days without a wink, he wrote. I fell asleep standing up, eventually  I was just putting another cassette back on the shelf, and I was feeling great, and I turned round and fell asleep. I fell against the edge of the speaker. Woke up in a pool of blood, wondering, Is that claret?

Keith Richards work ethic is still evident

His sleepless dedication to work is absolutely ill-advised, but Richards work ethic is strong to this day. In 2021, The Rolling Stones kicked off another year of touring nearly 60 years after the band formed. After decades, Richards still gets a thrill from performing live.

Great show in Charlotte! Next stop, Pittsburgh

Photo: Hendrik Muldar pic.twitter.com/ZEnSfVWHZZ  Keith Richards (@officialKeef) October 3, 2021

I dont know if you can get immune to it, but its still a kick, man, he told BBC. He joked that he may need a wheelchair for the 60th anniversary in 2022, but hell still take the stage. One can just hope that hell sleep in between performances.

RELATED: Keith Richards Once Described This Concert Moment as His Most Spectacular Brush With Death
Particular filming locations can hold a great deal of power for the production and the finished movie. The horror film Lamb is entirely set on a farm with few human characters to speak of. A gorgeous landscape surrounds the two leads as they begin to raise a lamb-human hybrid as their own child. Director Valdimar Johannsson was meticulous when location scouting and used one bizarre, yet humorous way to search for the perfect place for the A24 movie.

Lamb is a psychological horror movie set in a desolate landscape

Horror dramas like Lamb thrive off their environments. They are a visual feast for the eyes, but they also enhance the narrative and the characters journeys. Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snr Gunason) have very little interaction with other human characters. Theyre isolated from society and interlocked with mother nature, further emphasizing the movies most pertinent themes.

Cinematographer Eli Arenson takes great advantage of the Icelandic farms breathtaking landscapes. Lamb often displays nature in a haunting manner. Theres a dreamlike quality that pulls the viewer into the frame and locks them in with Maria, Ingvar, and their lamb-human hybrid child.

Lamb director Valdimar Johannsson location scouted based on a little clay farm

L-R: Valdimar Johannsson and Noomi Rapace | Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

Johannsson and Rapace answered questions at the Lamb post-West Coast premiere Q&A screening. One audience member asked about the Icelandic location and how they immersed themselves in it. Yeah, we found this beautiful location, Johannsson said. We had been looking for a farm I think for, I dont know how long, we drove two times around Iceland.

Rapace humorously interjected, Hed made a little clay farm, so he was looking for the farm hed created in clay. Johannsson continued, I also sent photos of this clay model to many farmers. Rapace added, It didnt exist, so he had to compromise. (Laughs)

However, Johannsson pointed out that the final location ended up working out in their favor. This farm that we found, it was not like the clay farm, he explained. But, it was interesting, had a beautiful landscape around it, and there was nothing around. Nobody had lived there for 20 years, so it was a perfect location.

Rapace went into further detail regarding where Lamb was filmed and her experience on-set. It was shot up in the north of Iceland outside a city called Akureyri, she said. Its basically in a valley. Its like an hour from the nearest gas station. When you drive into the valley, our phone dies. Everything just dies. (Laughs).

Rapace continued: Youre trapped in this environment where its like, we shot in the summer and it never goes dark. It was strange. It felt like we logged out of this world and entered the world that we stayed in for the summer. Slowly drowning and drifting away from reality.

A24s horror dramas

Lamb joins distributor A24s growing slate of horror dramas. Ari Asters Hereditary and Midsommar, as well as Robert Eggers The Witch and The Lighthouse, are all included in this list. However, Lamb just might be their most peculiar horror drama to date. The slow-burn film about a lamb-human hybrid is certain to turn some heads.

Lamb is now playing exclusively in theaters. However, digital services and VOD will likely be the movies next stop.

RELATED: Lamb Movie Review: Earnest and Intimate Folk Horror [Beyond Fest]
Were not sure exactly why it makes so much sense that Megan Fox will star in a Bonnie and Clyde update. But it does. The Transformers star will appear alongside Tyson Ritter in Johnny and Clyde, an updated version of the iconic 1967 action-thriller movie. Heres what we know so far.

The original Bonnie and Clyde is considered a classic

Megan Fox | Mike Coppola/Getty Images

The 1967 version of Bonnie and Clyde premiered 54 years ago, on August 13, 1967. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway starred as the glamorous criminal couple. Additionally,  Estelle Parsons, Gene Wilder, Michael J. Pollard, and Gene Hackman appeared in the movie.

Arthur Penn (The Miracle Worker, 1962) directed the biographical crime thriller about the exploits of historical figures Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.

The late film critic Roger Ebert said at the time that the movie was a milestone. In a review dated September 25, 1967, Ebert praised the film for its groundbreaking range.

Bonnie and Clyde is a milestone in the history of American movies, a work of truth and brilliance, Ebert wrote. It is also pitilessly cruel, filled with sympathy, nauseating, funny, heartbreaking, and astonishingly beautiful. If it does not seem that those words should be strung together, perhaps that is because movies do not very often reflect the full range of human life.

Those are some big shoes to fill, but directors Tom DeNucci and Chad Verdi, with Verdi Productions, aim to do just that.

An new version called Johnny and Clyde starring Megan Fox is filming in Rhode Island

According to Deadline, producer Chad Verdi is helming the project. The movies arc follows Johnny and Clyde as they commit crimes. Moreover, they plan to rob a powerful casino owned by Alana (played by Megan Fox) and her head of security (Ritter.)

Per Deadline, the movie is already under production in Rhode Island. Verdi said in a statement that he is excited about Fox starring in the update.

I am very excited to have Megan play the role of Alana, he said. Shes a brilliant actress who will bring this character to life like no one else could.

Moreover, he praised Ritters energy. I love Tysons energy and cant wait for him and Megan to go head-to-head, he said.

Megan Fox is famous for roles in the Transformers franchise, This is 40 (2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2016), and most recently, Till Death (2021). Furthermore, shes known for her public relationship with rapper Machine Gun Kelly.

Nylon recently reported that Fox went blonde for the role. In a social media post, Fox captioned a photo of her ash-blonde look, This is what the devils daughter looks like, along with the hashtag #JohnnyAndClyde.

RELATED: Megan Fox Spotlights Mom Shaming in Hollywood
Ashley Maha'a sits in a park in Honolulu on June 22, 2021. Ive met so many people on the mainland, and so, so, so many of them have told me that when they were being trafficked nationally, they would be flown here for a period of time and work here when things were slow, because the demand is so high, Maha'a says.
In this July 14 photo the Montana Mountains loom over Thacker Pass in northern Nevada. Tribal lawyers asked a federal judge in Nevada, on Oct. 1, to reconsider her earlier refusal to block digging at a proposed lithium mine near the Oregon line where they say newly uncovered evidence proves it was the sacred site of a massacre of dozens of Native Americans in 1865.
Crisis in church leadership: How celebrity pastors can avoid failing the fame test

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This is part 4 of The Christian Post's article series on the crisis of leadership in American evangelicalism. Read part 1 here, read part 2 here and part 3 here.

When a monthslong independent investigation found credible evidence that Ravi Zacharias leveraged his reputation as a world-famous apologist to carry out years of sexual abuse, the response from the evangelical community was predictably one of shock, horror and grief.

Many questioned how this pastor could effectively masquerade as a humble servant of Christ and fool millions of adoring supporters? How could this respected intellectual who preached the Gospel of Jesus with clarity and passion brazenly manipulate vulnerable women into providing him with sexual stimulation?

As the empire Zacharias built  all in the name of reaching the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ  came crashing down, perhaps the most devastating realization for many was just how damaging the blow his posthumous downfall was to the witness of the Body of Christ.

From the fraudulent ministry of Jim Bakker in the late 1970s and early 1980s to the recent slew of scandals surrounding Hillsong Church and one of its most popular pastors, Carl Lentz, the phenomenon of well-known Christian leaders engaging in misconduct is nothing new to the Western Church.

What then drives the dysfunction and lack of health seen in many church leaders today? Why do so many pastors in Western evangelicism fail the fame test despite the biblical example set by Jesus Himself?

The problem isnt with being a "celebrity Christian" itself; in fact, Jesus was regarded as a celebrity in the first century, as He was known far and wide for His miraculous acts.

Rich Villodas, the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, explained: Generally speaking, celebrity and Christianity are not necessarily contradictions in terms because notions of celebrity are often projected onto people, he said.

Redefining success in a secularized culture

In 21st century American evangelicalism, it can be very tempting to shift toward a different model of success  one focused on money, fame and numbers  than the one outlined in Scripture.

Thats according to Scott Sauls, the senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and bestselling author. He told The Christian Post that biblically, success is defined as demonstrating faithfulness, character and integrity.

Integrity means being whole in our lives and in our ministries, and that means that we are whole disciples of Christ following the whole Scripture and the whole way that we do life and ministry, including the administrative part of it, he explained.

While administration and faithful and excellent organization are important to steward God's resources well, the measure of whether or not we're doing administration well is the character with which the churches are run and led.

The onus is on the Church to "redefine success"  and before hiring, churches must look deeper into a persons life, soul and background, according to Ed Young, the founding and senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas.

We cannot allow someone's great gift to overshadow a lack of integrity in some other area, he told CP. Many of the pastors who have publicly fallen in recent years exhibited patterns that were ignored by those closest to them because of their gifts, he continued.

Egyptian-American pastor and televangelist Michael Youssef of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, lamented that in the Western Church, many pastors are not shepherds but celebrities and CEOs of an operation called the church."

"Thats fine if thats what they want to do, but don't call it the Church of Jesus Christ. Call it something else, Youssef said.

We have become a marketing operation and celebrity preachers. We're not servants of the living God. We're not there to serve God's people, minister to them, admonish them, rebuke, uphold, encourage, comfort and all of these things that the Scripture is very clear about. We have departed from that.

The secularization of culture, Youssef added, is a driving force behind this phenomenon  and its not to be ignored.

The secularization of the culture at large is impacting the Church, especially those who might not have their feet on the solid ground of the infallible Word of God who are ministering and pastoring out of an emotional, experiential kind of Christianity, rather than the solid Gospel foundational New Testament preaching," he relayed.

Pastor and author Tim Keller acknowledges that hes viewed as a celebrity pastor in some circles. The founding pastor of Redeemer Church in New York City, Kellers sermons are heard around the world and his books are read by millions.

And Keller understands that if he misuses his platform, a lot of Christians can be put to shame because of him.

And therefore, if God gives me a bigger platform, then I actually have a responsibility to not disappoint people, he told CP. Not to just look like a great person; I actually have to be holy; I have to actually mortify my sin. I have to have a prayer life. I have to do the stuff that every Christian needs to do. I don't have to be better than other Christians. I just need to be what God wants a Christian to be.

When pastors get to be well known, he said, the praise can turn their heads, the criticism can prompt self-pity and the overwork can cause them to neglect their prayer life.

For all those reasons, very often, so-called celebrity ministers and figures live lives less consistent with the Christian faith than Christians who are not so famous, Keller said.
Taliban committing war crimes, kills 13 including 17-year-old girl: report

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The Taliban executed 11 ex-defense personnel and two civilians, including a 17-year-old girl in Afghanistans Daykundi province, all of whom were from the ethnic Shia minority, according to an investigation by Amnesty International, which says the killings appear to be war crimes.

The Taliban killed 11 former members of the Afghan National Defence Security Forces, nine of whom had surrendered, and two civilians in Kahor village of Khidir district on Aug. 30, about two weeks after taking control of Daykundi province, the human rights group says in the investigative report, which is based on eyewitness testimony and photographs and video evidence.

All the victims were from the ethnic Hazara community, a Shia minority in the Sunni majority country.

After the Taliban took control, about 34 ANDSF members, who had government military equipment and weaponry, sought safety in Khidir district and then agreed to surrender. On Aug. 29, the men negotiated to surrender fully to the Taliban.

On Aug. 30, about 300 Taliban fighters arrived in a convoy close to Dahani Qul village, where the ANDSF members were staying, some with family members. As the ANDSF members attempted to leave the area with their families, one vehicle remained stuck close to Kahor village, the report says.

When the Taliban fighters caught up with them, they opened fire on the crowd and killed the 17-year-old girl, named Masuma. One of the ANDSF members then fired back, killing one Taliban fighter and wounding another.

The Taliban continued to shoot as the families fled, killing two ANDSF members caught in the crossfire as they were fleeing the scene. After nine more ANDSF members surrendered, the Taliban promptly took them to a nearby river basin and executed them, the report adds.

The day after the killings, the Taliban told remaining family members that anyone who had fled should return and surrender within three days. One senior Taliban official warned, I have killed people for the past 20 years. Killing is easy for me. I can kill again.

Amnesty Internationals Secretary General Agnes Callamard called the killings cold-blooded executions, and said they are further proof that the Taliban are committing the same horrific abuses they were notorious for during their previous rule of Afghanistan.

They repeatedly violate the rights of those they perceive as their adversaries, even killing those who have already surrendered. The Taliban say they are not targeting former employees of the previous government, but these killings contradict such claims, Callamard added.

Last month, the International Criminal Courts prosecutor asked the court to relaunch an inquiry to investigate not only past but also contemporary crimes against humanity committed by the Taliban and supporters of Islamic State in Afghanistan since 2003, The Guardian reported at the time.

A previous ICC inquiry was deferred in April 2020 after the then Afghan government of Ashraf Ghani requested more time to gather evidence in cooperation with ICC lawyers.

Odious and criminal acts should stop immediately and investigations commence to vindicate the principles that were established 75 years ago at Nuremberg and to honor humanitys basic responsibility to itself, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan was quoted as saying.

The Taliban publicly declared last month that they would carry out executions and other brutal punishments, including amputations, under Islamic Sharia law as part of their rule in Afghanistan.

Cutting off of hands is very necessary for security, Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, a member of the Talibans interim government and chief enforcer of the groups strict interpretation of Sharia law, told The Associated Press at the time.

Everyone criticized us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments, he continued. No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam and we will make our laws on the Quran.

Turabi, who is under U.N. sanctions, also said the new government is considering carrying out such punishments in public.

Following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the Taliban quickly seized control of much of the country, eventually taking the capital Kabul in August and forcing the government to flee.

In response to the unexpected speed at which they retook the nation, U.S., British and French troops evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans, Americans, British and Europeans out of the country. Its been reported that many U.S. and British citizens and U.S. green card holders are still waiting to be evacuated.

The U.S. withdrawal marked the end of the war in Afghanistan, which spanned nearly two decades.
Virginia church to host 10-hour consecration service to bring about 'transformational revival'

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In honor of John 10:10, a Virginia bishop is hosting a 10-hour consecration gathering Sunday  which will be the 10th day of the 10th month at 10 a.m.  in hopes of fostering what he calls a "transformational revival."

Bishop Wellington Boone is hosting the consecration gathering at Rock Church in Virginia Beach. The significance of the repetition of the number 10 relates to John 10:10, which states, "A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

"In the last couple of years, much of America, particularly the Church, who is the voice for God, has been beaten up," he told the Christian Broadcasting Network. "With all the things that have been happening with so many churches closing and so many services canceled, people have died, relatives have canceled each other out, it seems like hope has almost perished. I know that God is trying to do something and trying to say something to us."

Despite the plots and plans of the enemy, the 73-year-old Boone hopes the service will be a time to "get ready for a worldwide revival."

"We saw all the people who died because of COVID. Relationships have been stolen. Divorce is at an all-time high," he said. "We've seen the tragedies of the fires, the earthquakes, the hurricanes, and whole churches have been canceled. ... I'm saying when we consecrate ourselves to God, we see the potential greater than the challenge."

Boone, the founder and chief prelate of the Fellowship of International Churches who has been involved in church planting for over 40 years, advised Christians to "get ready because God is getting ready to do things that will amaze us."

"To me, America is saying, 'God, we got this,' and the Lord is saying, 'OK, let me see you,'" Boone added. "And what you see now is a nation that has not cried out to God and also where consecration is missing."

"Consecration is a process; holiness is a destination. This is heart holiness," he continued. "The world is looking for someone who is all in for the things of God. I believe he is holding us responsible."

Revival, he said, has never come around conveniently because it occurs when there's human sacrifice.

"Right now, where darkness fills the Earth and gross darkness is apparent, God says, 'That's when I lift up a standard,'" the bishop relayed. "I believe there are people now praying with a passion that is getting the attention of God. God's never done great things through masses. He always does them through a remnant. I believe there are remnants of people crying out to God now because He seems to be the only solution."

"There is something from God coming if the cry has His heart in mind," he assured.

When many people need direction and don't know what to do, God does, according to Boone. He hopes the event will give people "renewed confidence" that when they are on an assignment from God, "nothing is going to take them down."

"This next revival is not just a gathering or a meeting. It's a transformational revival," he said. "In other words, what we are becoming in God is greater than what we're going through."

Boone believes that the Holy Spirit will make its presence felt during the 10-hour event.

"In those 10 hours, I believe the Holy Spirit is going to come upon us so that it won't be questionable whether we are walking in the things of God or not," he concluded.

Sunday's gathering at Rock Church is free and open to all.

The church will Live stream the conference on its website and Facebook page.
5 controversial things Pat Robertson said while hosting The 700 Club

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Notable televangelist and conservative Christian political activist Pat Robertson announced last week that he is stepping down as host of Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club after more than 50 years.

The 91-year-old still plans to make guest appearances and the program will now be hosted by his son, Gordon Robertson, who has co-hosted the show in the past.

During his long tenure as the program's host, Robertson didn't shy away from hot-button issues, including abortion, homosexuality, feminism, 9/11 and Middle East politics.

At times, comments from guests on his program led to public backlashes, such as when the Rev. Jerry Falwell suggested some blame for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, should be placed on feminists, liberal groups and homosexuals.

Shortly after that broadcast, Robertson released a statement clarifying that he held no one other than the terrorists and the people and nations who have enabled and harbored them responsible for [the] attacks on this nation.

Over the years, Robertson himself received widespread attention and periodic backlash for comments he made while hosting The 700 Club.

The following pages highlight times Robertson garnered controversy while hosting The 700 Club.

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There is a special place in Hell for Christian leaders who sexually abuse children

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As utterly despicable as it is to sexually abuse a child, it is even more despicable to do so in the name of God. And religion. And the church. What could be a greater profanation of the name of the Lord? And what could do more lasting damage to an innocent child?

In that light, these recent headlines from France, detailing the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic leaders since 1950, are beyond staggering. Who can imagine the real-life implications?

French report: 330,000 children victims of church sex abuse.

Nuns Raped Girls With Crucifixes as Female Pedophilia Was Covered Up by the Church.

Words fail when it comes to speaking about something so horrible, so ugly, so hypocritical, so  Really, words do fail.

And who can calculate the tears that have been shed, the suicides that have been committed, the self-destructive lifestyles that have been lived, the extended circle of victims that has grown, all as a result of these terrible acts of abuse?

It would be one thing if a drunken neighbor abused the child who lived next door. That would be a crime, and that neighbor should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

But when it is priests and nuns and other ministers of the Gospel, people who have ostensibly pledged their lives to serve Jesus and His peoplehow can this be? And how is it possible, with such large numbers involved, that Catholic leaders in France were not well aware of this for years? Really now, 330,000 children abused? And this was not widely known?

I am not Catholic, and there are more than enough sexual scandals in the evangelical and charismatic circles in which I travel (although, to be sure, not on this scale, and not targeting children in this way). Accordingly, it is normally the scandals within my own camp that I focus on. But is it any wonder that in France in particular there is so little trust in the Catholic Church?

As reported by AP News, Francois Devaux, head of the victims group La Parole Liberee (The Liberated Word), said it was a turning point in our history. He denounced the coverups that permitted mass crimes for decades.

But even worse, there was a betrayal: betrayal of trust, betrayal of morality, betrayal of children, betrayal of innocence, he added.

Indeed, as noted by Reuters, The church had shown deep, total and even cruel indifference for years, protecting itself rather than the victims of what was systemic abuse, said Jean-Marc Sauve, head of the commission that compiled the report.

The head of the victims association Parler et Revivre (Speak Out and Live Again), Olivier Savignac, spoke of his own abuse at the age of 13: I perceived this priest as someone who was good, a caring person who would not harm me, he said. But it was when I found myself on that bed half-naked and he was touching me that I realized something was wrong ... Its like gangrene inside the victims body and the victims psyche.

Only a victim could express it so well  and with such agony.

Could it be that abuses of this magnitude have occurred with greater frequency in Catholic circles because of their rule of celibacy for priests and nuns? Could that contribute to the problem, since all Catholic clergy must pledge for life to be sexually abstinent? And with the open secret that a disproportionate percentage of Catholic priests are gay, does that explain why, according to the report, roughly 80% of the victims were boys? (The majority were said to be between the ages of 10 and 13.)

To be clear, every gay man I have ever talked to about this subject finds any form of the sexual abuse of minors to be deplorable. And to be sure, the vast majority of priests and nuns are not abusing children.

But crimes of this magnitude must be addressed, accompanied by calls for radical reformation (including changing the Catholic Churchs rule of mandatory celibacy, along with weeding out those who are habitual sexual sinners). Nothing less will do.

In Matthews Gospel, Jesus said, If anyone causes one of these little ones  those who believe in me  to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!

Woe indeed.

And he added these sobering words: See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:6-7, 10).

What have these angels reported to the Father over the last 70 years? I tremble at the thought.

And may God have mercy on the victims.
Mark Zuckerberg refutes whistleblower's claim that Facebook 'stokes division,' prioritizes profits

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has refuted claims by a whistleblower and former product manager who testified before Congress Tuesday about how the social media giant is prioritizing profits instead of stopping the spread of misinformation and hate.

In a post to blog post Tuesday, Zuckerberg claimed that the media coverage surrounding the allegations presented by Frances Haugen "misrepresents our work and our motives." He further stated that "many of the claims don't make any sense."

"At the heart of these accusations is this idea that we prioritize profit over safety and well-being. That's just not true," Zuckerberg exclaimed.

Haugen, the whistleblower and former Facebook manager who revealed her identity on CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday after leaking internal documents to the Wall Street Journal, testified before Congress Tuesday. She claims the social media giant is "lying to the public" about the harmful effects its platforms can have on people and society.

Haugen alleged before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection that Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram are aware of how to make their apps safer, but those who can bring about changes to the platforms are ignoring calls for reform.

Furthermore, she claimed that platforms "stoke division" and "harm children."

"I joined Facebook in 2019 because someone close to me was radicalized online. I felt

compelled to take an active role in creating a better, less toxic Facebook," she wrote in written testimony.

"During my time at Facebook, first working as the lead product manager for Civic Misinformation and later on Counter-Espionage, I saw that Facebook repeatedly encountered conflicts between its own profits and our safety. Facebook consistently resolved those conflicts in favor of its own profits."

Haugen argues that in the same way there is government regulation on tobacco, automobiles and opioids as public safety concerns, there should also be governmental restrictions on social media platforms.

"I implore you to do the same here," Haugen said. "Congressional action is needed. They won't solve this crisis without your help."

Democrats and Republicans present at the hearing seemed to agree with Haugen.

During the hearing, Haugen provided various documents that she copied from Facebook when she was employed by the company.

"These documents that you have revealed provided this company with a blueprint for reform, specific recommendations that could have made Facebook and Instagram safe," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the subcommittee chair, chimed in at the meeting. "Facebook exploited teens using powerful algorithms that amplify their insecurities. Their profit was more important than the pain they caused."

During her appearance on "60 Minutes," she said that in 2018, Facebook made a change to its algorithms and programming that decides what users see on their Facebook news feeds in a way that optimizes engagement.

"But what its own research is showing is that content that his hateful, divisive, that is polarizing, its easier to inspire other people to anger than it is to other emotions," she said, adding that such content is "enticing" and keeps users on the platform.

She said the company had enacted a few safeguards leading up to the 2020 election but removed them following the election results to increase growth on the platform.

"Facebook has realized that if they change the algorithm to be safer, people will spend less time on the site, they'll click on less ads, they'll make less money," she added.

Haugen's lawyer confirms that the ex-whistleblower has filed at least eight complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission related to how the platform's algorithms amplified "misinformation."

Zuckerberg defended the changes made to the Facebook news feed.

"This change showed fewer viral videos and more content from friends and family  which we did knowing it would mean people spent less time on Facebook, but that research suggested it was the right thing for people's well-being," Zuckerberg stressed. "Is that something a company focused on profits over people would do? The argument that we deliberately push content that makes people angry for profit is deeply illogical. We make money from ads, and advertisers consistently tell us they don't want their ads next to harmful or angry content."

For two years, Haugen worked alongside a team to combat political misinformation. However, she was allegedly "disillusioned" by the company's push for growth regardless of the lack of safety measures she said could have been taken.

"As long as Facebook is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny, it is unaccountable," Haugen reported in her testimony. "Until the incentives change, Facebook will not change. Left alone, Facebook will continue to make choices that go against the common good."

Last month, a compilation of alleged internal research and communications was leaked by The Wall Street Journal, which published an investigative series on the harms the social media platforms.

Internal studies have shown that many teenage girls have reported increased issues with mental health as a direct result of Instagram usage. Instagram and Facebook apps have also reportedly been used by human traffickers and drug cartels.

Zuckerberg directly responded to claims that Facebook ignored research on the negative impacts of its platforms.

"If we wanted to ignore research, why would we create an industry-leading research program to understand these important issues in the first place?" he asked. "If we didn't care about fighting harmful content, then why would we employ so many more people dedicated to this than any other company in our space  even ones larger than us?"

"If we wanted to hide our results, why would we have established an industry-leading standard for transparency and reporting on what we're doing?" he asked. "And if social media were as responsible for polarizing society as some people claim, then why are we seeing polarization increase in the US while it stays flat or declines in many countries with just as heavy use of social media around the world?"

A Facebook spokesperson said in a statement provided to CNN that the company seeks to "balance protecting the ability of billions of people to express themselves openly with the need to keep our platform a safe and positive place."

Neil Potts, Facebook's vice president of trust and safety policy, further denied the allegations in an interview with NPR on Monday.

"I think that accusation is just a bit unfounded," Potts said. "At Facebook, what we are designing our products to do is to increase meaningful experiences, so whether those are meaningful social interactions ... or having just positive social experience on a platform, that is what we want the product ultimately to provide. That makes an environment where people will come to Facebook, where they will come to Instagram, and have a better time, and that's really our bottom line."
Trans doctor warns against puberty blockers: Medical community 'zigged' too far Left

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Two trans-identified healthcare professionals are raising concerns about the rush to affirm children suffering from gender dysphoria and the longterm consequences of puberty blockers.

In an exclusive interview with Wall Street Journal contributor Abigail Shrier published on Substack, Dr. Marci Bowers and clinical psychologist Erica Anderson cast doubt on the effectiveness of puberty blockers and lamented the demands for conformity within the medical community regarding the transgender debate. Both Bowers and Anderson are trans-identified men who go by female names and belong to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which sets the standards worldwide for transgender medical care.

Bowers, a surgeon who performs gender reassignment surgeries and has been tapped to lead WPATH beginning next year, told Shrier that We zig and then we zag, and I think maybe we zigged a little too far to the left in some cases.

The doctor alleged that within WPATH, there are definitely people who are trying to keep out anyone who doesnt absolutely buy the party line that everything should be affirming, and that theres no room for dissent.

Shrier noted that a similar mentality exists within corporate media: Anderson told me [he] submitted a co-authored op-ed to The New York Times warning that many healthcare providers were treating kids recklessly. The Times passed, explaining it was outside our coverage priorities right now.

While Bowers is the doctor who performed trans-affirming surgery on famous trans-identified reality star Jazz Jennings, the surgeon is speaking out about some of the consequences of the puberty blockers. Specifically, Bowers warned that if youve never had an orgasm pre-surgery, and then youre pubertys blocked, its very difficult to achieve that afterwards.

Bowers has come to believe that the risks of puberty blockers outweigh the benefits: Believe me, were doing some magnificent surgeries on these kids, and theyre so determined, and Im so proud of many of them and their parents. Theyve been great. But honestly, I cant sit here and tell you that they have better  or even as good  results.

Theyre not as functional, Bowers added. I worry about their reproductive rights later. I worry about their sexual health later and ability to find intimacy.

Shrier reported that the U.S. began to adopt affirmation of trans-identified children with puberty blockers as the standard operating procedure by embracing the Dutch Protocol. The Dutch Protocol is based on research conducted in the Netherlands portraying puberty blockers in a favorable light.

According to Shrier, the thinking behind the protocol was: Why make a child who has suffered with gender dysphoria since preschool endure puberty, with all its discomforts and embarrassments, if that child were likely to transition as a young adult?

Shrier wrote that when a U.S. hospital first began relying on the Dutch Protocol in 2007, researchers believed blockers effects were reversible. When asked if puberty blockers were reversible, Bowers responded by saying, Im not sure, adding, Im not a fan.

The doctor also explained that the common use of tissue from the stomach and bowel to construct neovaginas in trans-identified males can cause colon cancer in addition to other complications: If its used sexually, you can get this chronic colitis that has to be treated over time. And its just in the discharge and the nasty appearance and it doesnt smell like vagina.

Both Bowers and Anderson weighed in on the phenomenon of rapid onset gender dysphoria, which refers to the rise in the number of biological females seeking to change their gender.

A survey of 70,000 American college students conducted by the American College Health Association revealed that the share of biological female college students who identify as transgender rose from 1 in 2,000 in 2008 to 1 in 20 in 2021. At the same time, the number of gender clinics in the U.S. has grown from one in 2007 to hundreds today.

Shrier, who wrote a book about the phenomenon, titled Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, and other researchers attribute the rise in rapid onset gender dysphoria to peer pressure stemming from the prevalence of trans influencers on social media.

Bowers agreed: I think there probably are people who are influenced. There is a little bit of Yeah, thats so cool. Yeah, I kind of want to do that too.

Anderson predicted that were going to have more young adults who will regret having gone through this process as a result of medical professionals rushing people through the medicalization as well as failing to evaluate the mental health of someone historically in current time, and to prepare them for making such a life-changing decision. Bowers elaborated on some of the underlying mental health factors that may cause young girls to want to transition and urged parents to think twice about doctors rushing to confirm gender dysphoria.

When you have a female-assigned person and shes feeling dysphoric, or somebody decides that shes dysphoric and says your eating disorders are not really eating disorders, this is actually gender dysphoria, and then they see you for one visit, and then they recommend testosterone  red flag!
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Any parent who has watched or testified before a school board meeting understands how challenging it is to be heard and how often the work of the board bears little resemblance to the will of the people. Even with sympathetic elected officers, engaging the educational industrial complex is hard work. And recent action by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is making the job even harder.

On October 4, 2021, the DOJ announced an effort to determine if "a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence" at school board meetings requires federal intervention by law enforcement. Citing no specific examples of such threats, Attorney General Merrick Garland explained:

"I am directing Federal Bureau of Investigation, working with each United States Attorney, to convene meetings with federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders in each federal judicial district within 30 days of the issuance of this memorandum. These meetings will facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff, and will open dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting, assessment, and response."

Family Research Council condemns violence. Parents who have tried in good faith to work with elected officials to remove pornographic books from school libraries or to expose injustices in programs for children with disabilities are often harassed and demeaned, banned from meetings, or silenced. This latest insult from the DOJ, at the behest of the National School Boards Association (NSBA), is dangerous and authoritarian.

In a ridiculous complaint to President Biden, NSBA executives invoked the Patriot Act as they effectively charged parents and citizens who are advocating on behalf of children with "domestic terrorism." They asked for federal law enforcement protection from parents and citizens  their own voters.

On "Washington Watch," Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) had this advice for parents and citizens who want to speak out:

"I hope they're not intimidated. We want to encourage them to go and speak up. It's never been more important than it is right now ... [Y]ou and I and others have been for years trying to work to engage people of faith, concerned parents to go to meetings like their local school board to have their say. We encourage people to audit the local curricula of what their kids are learning in school. We encourage them to share that with people in their churches, in their community, and to be an active part of these decisions because it governs the life of your own child and everyone in your community. And now you have the federal government...big power now telling you to stay home, sit down and be quiet. We should not. We should resist that."

Johnson added:

"[W]hen we talk to community members, people of faith about getting engaged, there's a way to do that. There's no place for violence. We don't have to even raise our voices. But be calm, be reasonable, explain your position and get others who agree with you to do the same. And you'll find that the vast majority of this country still agrees with us. They still believe in common sense. They do not want their children to be indoctrinated in public schools, and now is the time to speak up. We have to be engaged in the next election cycle, of course, to change who is the ruling class in Washington. And we've got to [be engaged] at the local level."

Parents are met at the schoolhouse door by self-proclaimed "experts" who promise to educate our children. When these same experts become guardians and gatekeepers, building a system immune to the influence of parents or public pressure, children's education and wellbeing suffer. We must never forget that parents are footing the bill for all the obstacles standing between them and their children in public schools.

Christians and conservatives must engage in our educational system. Our voices are important and make a difference. If they didn't make a difference, then Attorney General Garland and President Biden wouldn't feel the need to ban, demean, and belittle the legitimate forces that challenge their power  the parents and citizens who speak out.

To become more engaged, attend your next school board meeting. Even if you do not speak publicly, your presence there is of utmost importance. Parents Defending Education has a petition opposing this latest attempt to intimidate parents. At FRC Action, we have our School Board Boot Camp and FOIA webinar to help empower parents to engage in public education. Download our latest publication, A Concerned Citizens' Guide to Engaging with Public Schools, for information and resources.

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
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In new footage released by Project Veritas, three Pfizer scientists admit that natural immunity to the coronavirus likely offers better protection than the vaccine. Yet the CDC refuses to even address the possibility of natural immunity, and various vaccine mandates America's tyrants are considering allow no exemption for natural immunity.

Natural immunity is not some magic code, nor does it suggest genetic superiority. The term simply refers to someone who has contracted COVID-19, and whose immune system developed the tools to successfully fight off the virus. Those immune defenses remain in the person's bloodstream even after the virus has been eliminated. After 18 months of data, the administration's utter silence on natural immunity, an obvious, viable alternative to vaccination, has grown deafening.

Nick Karl, who works directly on Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, said natural immunity probably produced "more antibodies," leading to a stronger immune response against a second infection. Karl also said persons who contracted the virus will produce "antibodies against multiple pieces of the virus," retaining immunity even to mutated strains.

If that's true, why isn't the company saying so publicly? Pfizer scientist Rahul Khandke explained that Pfizer forces employees into "hours and hours" of seminars where they are told, "you cannot talk about this in public." Chris Croce, Senior Associate Scientist for Pfizer, said the corporation had pushed aside successful monoclonal antibody treatments to focus on vaccines because of money.

"Our organization is run on COVID money now," added Croce. Croce said he feels "like I work for an evil corporation because it comes down to profits, in the end." Pfizer hit the mother lode in the first quarter of 2021 with $3.5 billion in revenue from its COVID-19 vaccine, as part of a total revenue income increase of 45 percent over the first quarter of 2020.

Aside from Croce's oddly anti-business sentiments (after all, corporations exist precisely for "profits, in the end"), if Pfizer executives are deliberately withholding vital information from the public for their company's bottom line, it is one of the most despicable con games ever played on the American public.

Even worse, public officials seem to be parroting the talking points developed by the pharmaceutical corporations who stand to profit. "I'm at a loss to understand the actions of the CDC," Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, professor of medicine at Stanford University, said on "Washington Watch." The CDC guidelines instruct people "to make all these changes in our life in order to do an impossible goal."

He explained that zero COVID cases nationwide is not a feasible end goal. As Australia has discovered, no amount of government control can eradicate itnot lockdowns, not vaccines. "We have no technology to ... eradicate the disease," he said. "This disease will circulate forever."

Bhattacharya isn't preaching doom and gloom. Instead, "we need to tell people to stop being so scared about it," he insisted. COVID vaccines and natural immunity both provide defense against severe infections that could lead to hospitalization or death. "[The] right sort of sequence is: get vaccinated, and then don't worry so much about being infected," he said. The CDC "should be telling people how to manage the risk around the disease" instead of "vaccine mandates, which are essentially ripping society apart."

Because we are better equipped with vaccines, effective treatments, and hospital protocols, COVID-19 "is no longer the kind of disease it was last year," said Bhattacharya. "Let's tell the population."

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
A. A sales tax would have meant visitors contributed to repaving.

B. We already are taxed too much.

C. Money for repaving should be put into the county's annual operational budget.

C. The road resurfacing program is behind schedule so the county needs to act ASAP.

Vote

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For the past several years, Experian has been transforming its business with analytics and AI. Shri Santhanam, executive vice president and general manager of global analytics and AI at the consumer credit reporting company, says Experians data transformation has focused on three pillars: internal modernization, creating analytics products and services, and driving commercial impact and business impact for customers.

Despite the impact of the pandemic, weve actually managed to make good progress in the foundations of analytics and AI, Santhanam says. The demand for analytics and AI has dramatically increased. Theres interest and engagement in how data and analytics for clients can help us help them make better decisions in how they run their business.

Ascend Intelligence Services is a prime example of Experians efforts to create analytics products that can revolutionize its clients businesses. As a managed analytics service, Ascend provides lenders with AI-powered modeling and strategy development, management, and deployment. Experian data scientists build a machine learning (ML) custom credit risk model, optimize a decision strategy, and deploy the model in production for clients. The services include Ascend Intelligence Services Challenger, which is a collaborative model development service, and Ascend Intelligence Services Pulse, a proactive model monitoring and validation service.

Data science as a service

Midsize lender Atlas Credit recently won a CIO 100 Award in IT Excellence for its work with Experian Ascend Intelligence Services. Ascend helped the Texas-based lender double its credit approval rates while reducing credit losses by up to 20%.
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Avis "Darlene" Searan, age 75, formerly of California, passed away at Restwell Home Plus in Oskaloosa, KS, on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. She was born the daughter of Leo Abraham and Avis Amelia (Gabbert) Searan in Claremore, OK, on June 25, 1946. Darlene loved watching baseball, especially,
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  Senator Ronald Bato Dela Rosa was the last minute choice of a PDP-Laban faction to be its standard bearer for the 2022 presidential race, President Rodrigo Duterte said.

Duterte said Friday that the faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi failed to choose a presidential candidate before the deadline for the filling of certificate of candidacy (COC) last Oct. 8.

Wala kaming ulo (We didnt have a standard bearer). I think PDP [Laban] decided last minute, during the last day of filing of the certificates, that it would be good to have at least a head of the whole team, said Duterte in an interview with SMNI News in Davao City.

Dela Rosa, who will run alongside colleague Senator Bong Go as his vice president, earlier claimed that his surprise presidential bid was merely a strategy. He added that he has long been considered by the party to be its presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, Cusi said after accompanying Dela Rosa in filing his COC that the senator was their party's secret candidate.

Still, Duterte is confident that Dela Rosa would have a good chance in the elections on May 9 next year.

Sa totoo lang (To be honest), he might still make it, with so many candidates filing their certificates of candidacies, you can never tell the destiny of man, he said. It would be good to have a military man as president of this republic.

Dela Rosa, a Philippine Military Academy alumnus, was the first Philippine National Police chief under Dutertes administration. He was at the forefront of the administrations controversial war on drugs.

Out of the race

Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was definitely out of the presidential race, said Duterte.

Inday is definitely out as she has said earlier and for the oft-repeated statements in so many interviews, she has always maintained that shes not running. She was just true to her words, he said.

The Duterte patriarch was earlier caught on tape that his daughter would run for president alongside Go. However, Duterte-Carpio filed her candidacy for reelection as Davao City mayor.

Inday is young and there will always be some opportunities in the future for her. Not necessarily the presidency, but one of those options in life, especially if you will think [about] the imponderables of life, he added.

Dela Rosa said earlier that he would be willing to step aside if ever the presidential daughter decides to run and is adopted by the party.

Aspirants seeking to substitute for a candidate who withdrew from the party ticket can file their COCs until Nov. 15. However, if the reason is death or incapacity, substitution would be until midday of May 9.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  Zamboanga City is experiencing its third surge in COVID-19 cases, Mayor Beng Climaco told CNN Philippines Newsroom Weekend on Sunday.

The southern city tallied 227 new infections on Sunday, increasing its total active cases to 2,495.

Climaco said the citys seven-day positivity rate breached the 20% mark, as she urgently requested national pandemic response officials for additional personal protective equipment and antigen test kits.

The Zamboanga City mayor also reported a shortage in medical oxygen supply in the area given the increase in COVID-19 infections, adding that she had already taken the responsibility of coordinating the needed stock even for the citys private hospitals.

The doctors are saying, even in private hospitals, na naghahanap na po yung pasyente at nagdadala ng sarili nila kung meron pa silang oxygen tank. Hindi po dapat na maging ganito ang sitwasyon [that the patients themselves are the ones looking for and bringing their own oxygen tank. This should not be the situation], Climaco said.

Medical groups in Zamboanga City also appealed to Climaco to impose a modified enhanced community quarantine in the city to give their frontliners a much needed medical timeout.

Climaco said the citys total COVID-19 bed capacity is now at critical level at 85.6% while the isolation capacity is at 79%.

We want to target 3,000 isolation beds for COVID-19, the mayor said.

The Zamboanga City Medical Center has exceeded its 222 COVID-19 bed capacity after 225 patients were admitted to the hospital. Of the number, 207 are COVID-19 patients.

Ito ang pinakamalaking tertiary hospital hindi lang sa Region 9 pero pati na rin sa Basilan, Sulu, at Tawi-Tawi. Kaya naka-maximum capacity na siya [This is the biggest tertiary hospital not just in Region 9 but it also serves Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. Thats why it is now in maximum capacity), said Climaco.

She also appealed for more COVID-19 vaccines for Zamboanga City as only 21% of their target population have been fully vaccinated, while 29% already had their first dose.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10)  More doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the country on Sunday afternoon.

The government received 918,450 doses of the vaccine from the COVAX facility past 4 p.m. at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

It is the latest shipment of vaccines to arrive in the country. On Saturday, 1.3 million shots of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were welcomed by officials.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. and U.S. Charge d'Affaires Heather Variava were present to welcome the latest Pfizer shipment donated by the United States.

Variava said more vaccine doses from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility will arrive in the country tomorrow.

"Today's shipment is just over 900,000 doses, and we're getting some tomorrow. So, 1.8 million doses of Pfizer coming in through the COVAX facility this week. Last week, we had 5.5 million doses arrived, and we're now up to 21 million doses through COVAX for the Philippines," Variava told members of the media at the NAIA.

Galvez, meanwhile, said more or less 500,000 Filipinos would benefit from the latest shipment.

"We are really thanking the U.S. government for their act of generosity and compassion for the Philippines," he said.
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AWS beats Microsoft to federal governments hosting certification

Amazon Web Services has been certified as a strategic hosting provider under the Australian governments new hosting certification framework (HCF). The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) announced the four organisations to be first certified as strategic hosting providers. Along with AWS were AUCloud, Sliced Tech, and Vault Cloudthe latter two organisations as well as Microsoft and AWS had been certified with Protected status under the previous certification.

[ Keep up on the latest thought leadership, insights, how-to, and analysis on IT through Computerworlds newsletters. ]

This time, AWS managed to get certified before Microsoft. Under the previous certification, Microsoft received the protected level of certification to handle government classified data in April 2018. In March 2018, AWS announced it had undergone the assessment process but its certification only came nearly a year later, in January 2019.

The HCF was stablished to assist agencies to identify and source appropriate hosting and related services. Organisations can apply for certification, and the list as new hosts are approved.

The framework currently covers cloud serviceswhich is covered by the strategic hosting provider designationand data centre facilities, which has two subsections: certified strategic facility and strategic enclave.

Some facilities from Australian Data Centres, Canberra Data Centres (which is the data centre facility behind Vault Systems and Sliced Tech), and Macquarie Telecom are certified under the strategic facility subsection. Equinix Australia, Fujitsu Australia, Macquarie Telecom, and NextDC are certified under the strategic enclave subsection.

The Australian Army wants to test quantum computing capabilities

The Australian Department of Defence has launched a quantum challenge to test how quantum technology can be applied to the Australian Army.

According to the approach-to-market notice, the army finds itself in an accelerating global competition to understand, co-develop, and exploit quantum technologies in land operations. The Australian Army has found that quantum technologies can affect two of the major technological drivers of what it calls accelerated warfare: robotics and autonomous systems, and cyber and information warfare.

The armys market challenge aims to:

See if quantum sensors can detect, locate, and identify electromagnetic emitters with greater precision, range, and bandwidth, whilst reducing (or at least not increasing) detector size, weight, and power.

See if quantum computers can identify and classify features in signals and images more precisely and efficiently.

See if postquantum cryptography can be practically used to secure communications from the threat of quantum computers.

Submissions close on 22 November 2021, with tests expected to begin in December 2021 and be completed by August 2022.
Yes, the most shameless Pokemon Go ripoff wasn't made by some no-name company in China, but by the people behind America's favorite lasagna-eating, Monday-hating cat. They even named the app Garfield Go, making us suspect that the big slob himself was behind the whole project. The basic premise and presentation are the same, only instead of throwing Pokeballs at hundreds of different colorful monsters, you're looking for "treasures" while flinging lasagna at the same overweight orange feline.

Freeze Tag, Inc. That's not a very loving way to feed your pet, no matter how sassy it may be.

To be fair, there was one thing setting Garfield Go apart from the original game: They jammed in 100% more corporate tie-ins. The app offered players the chance to win gift certificates and coupons for places like Amazon, Starbucks, and Domino's, thus undoing any health benefits they might get from walking more.

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Though it never got quite as popular as Pokemon Go, Garfield Go fans did seem to appreciate the game for what it was (a low-quality copy appealing to their nostalgia). The biggest complaints seemed to be that the physics were off, making it hard to catch Garfield and his treasures. But then, if Garfield was realistic, the game would last about 15 seconds before he keeled over from a coronary.

Related: 5 Insanely Successful Video Games That Were Total Ripoffs
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The movie shows how Zuckerberg assumed full control over Facebook, by ignoring all of Saverin's decisions until he quit in disgust, and settling up with the twins by paying them a small fraction of his billion-dollar fortune. In exchange, he gets to sit alone, atop the trash pile that is everything Facebook has done for the world.

Columbia Pictures It's impressive to be the creepiest person in a confrontation with blonde identical twins.

So What Happened Next?

Now that they aren't involved with Facebook, Saverin and the Winklevi haven't been in the headlines the same way Zuckerberg has -- especially not the headlines about terrible haircuts or pathetic attempts to seem relatable. What have they been doing with themselves? The short answer is getting rich.

Gravesv38/Wiki Commons Money, privacy, and people thinking you look like Andrew Garfield instead of this -- what more could you want?

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Saverin has given up US citizenship and is officially a resident of Singapore, which he promises is only because he loves Kaya toast so much, and totally not because it's laughably easy to get away paying zero taxes there. The setup has worked, and his fortune has gone well into eleven figures (that's tens of billions for everyone too poor to have a working calculator app). He was briefly the wealthiest man in the entire country, and if you've seen Crazy Rich Asians, you have some sense of the competition there

Meanwhile, you know that one friend of yours, who constantly regrets that he didn't buy Bitcoin back when it first started out and was really cheap? Maybe you should make sure that friend doesn't find out what the Winklevoss twins did with the money Zuckerberg paid them to get off their backs.

cellanr/Wiki Commons "A million dollars isn't cool. You know what's cool? A few dozen Bitcoin having the same value."

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The twins were a laughingstock for buying over ten million dollars' worth of the cryptocurrency nearly a decade ago, but in a classic case of "who's laughing now?", their investment has grown to over a billion dollars for each twin. It makes sense that the guys who thought "Maybe Mark Zuckerberg could help us with our social network" would also be the guys to think "Maybe there's something to this cryptocurrency idea."
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When a toddler had been left outside in a box, in the stairwell of one of Obninsks bleak, innumerable apartment blocks, the infant found an unlikely, flocculent savior. Unable to resist a good box, Masha the cat climbed in and used her poofiness to keep the baby from freezing, like so many of the citys vodka-saturated residents who stumble into ditches walking home from the bar.

The two-month-old child was in as good a condition as an abandoned child could be. He was well fed, well clothed, and clean, with a full kit including pacifier, bottle, diapers, winter clothes, and hat. But he still wouldnt have fared well during the sub-zero Obninsk-ian night without Mashas woolly warmth.

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When paramedics retrieved the baby, Masha ran after them, meowing fiercely as if refusing to leave her new human behind. Though its possible she was just pissed to lose a perfectly good box.
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Gatsby was first published in 1925, and it only took a little over a year for the first film adaptation to come out. This silent film was adapted from a successful Broadway stage production of the story rather than from the novel itself. No copies of this film have survived, but reviews at the time praised it for being as faithful to the source material as a silent film can be. Fitzgerald hated it, having walked out halfway through. You can kinda see his point, though. Imagine putting in that much work writing a novel, only to see it play out in mouthed dialogue and title cards while organ music is constantly playing.

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In 1949, Hollywood gave The Great Gatsby another go. This version was a financial success, but the reviews were very much split. The cast got high marks for their acting, but nearly all of the novel's biting social commentary got pushed aside in order to focus on the sappy, sentimental romance angle. This was four years after the end of WWII after all, and audiences were still stuck in "Ain't America just the best?" mode, so this was no time to remind anyone that the American dream isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Paramount Pictures That would be as un-American as quitting smoking

Then came the 1974 Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version, which got almost everything right. The script was faithful to the novel, and the sets, costumes, and soundtrack were perfect  The problem is the actors forgot to give a shit. Nearly every shot in this film is so full of awkward, wooden line delivery that you can practically hear the director off-screen saying, "No, seriously. Action!"

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Finally, we have the 2013 version directed by Baz Luhrmann, a director who best answers the question: What would happen if a genie got high on bath salts and granted three wishes to the most insufferable musical theatre major you've ever met? Luhrmann brought his trademark frenetic showmanship to The Great Gatsby, whether anyone asked for it or not. It was a bold choice to make a film that takes place in the Jazz Age and give it a modern pop soundtrack that, at most, acknowledges that jazz once existed.

Warner Bros. Pictures That's one way of telling us we're supposed to despise all this.

Not to say that Luhrmann butchered the narrative. He did pretty well when he absolutely had to stick to Fitzgerald's story, but the plot-driven scenes stood in sharp contrast to the mescaline-laced eye candy of the party scenes. As Christopher Orr from The Atlantic described the film, "The problem is that when the movie is entertaining it's not Gatsby, and when it's Gatsby it's not entertaining."

Leonardo DiCaprio did receive high marks for his portrayal of Jay Gatsby, though. Fun fact: DiCaprio was a year older than Robert Redford was when he played the role, and Redford was criticized for being too old for the part. That's not necessarily a slam against Redford's talent, but more of a testament to the advances in moisturizer since 1974.

Top image: Warner Bros. Pictures
Joyce Carol Brooks, 78, of Crossville, passed away on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at Cumberland Medical Center. Mrs. Brooks was born on July 12, 1943, in Charleston, WV, daughter of Owen Haynes and Margaret (Withrow) Haynes. She was self-employed in the health and body industry and of the Penteco
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Former "Real Housewives" star and Bond girl Denise Richards was seen filming her upcoming movie in Connecticut this weekend.

Richards was seen in Cromwell appearing alongside her former "Starship Troopers" costar Patrick Muldon, according to Fox61.
A Connecticut lawmaker is defending her comments comparing Gov. Ned Lamont to German dictator Adolf Hitler over the governors COVID-19 vaccine policy for state employees and other mandates.

In a statement posted Friday night on her Facebook page, state Rep. Anne Dauphinais, R-Killingly, responded to the criticism by further drawing comparisons between the Democratic governor and Hitler.

This governor, with the help of the one-party rule we have in this state right now, has taken dictatorial powers for himself for what will be almost two full years when this latest extension expires, Dauphinais said. Hitler, too, was a dictator enabled by the rule of the single Nazi party.

When reached on Saturday, Dauphinais declined to comment further than the statement she posted Friday on her Facebook page.

This dictatorial madness must stop, Dauphinais wrote in the statement. Nonetheless, I do want to take this opportunity to not apologize, but clarify to Governor Lamont, for I was not clear that I meant that he was acting like Hitler in the early 1930s  to date, he has not called for putting the unvaccinated in camps.

Ben Proto, chairman of the state Republican party, did not respond Saturday to a request for comment.

Dauphinais has come under fire since commenting Thursday night on the CT News Junkies Facebook post about a story on some state employees not being in compliance with Lamonts order to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or agree to weekly testing.

King Lamont aka Hitler dictating what we must inject into our bodies to feed our family! Dauphinais wrote in the Facebook comment.

Max Reiss, Lamonts communications director, on Saturday called Dauphinais comments disgusting, repulsive and disrespectful to the history and memory of victims of the Holocaust.

Such antisemitic rhetoric has no place in state government, and no place in our public discourse, Reiss said.

In her statement, Dauphinais said her comments were neither antisemitic nor factually inaccurate.

This governor is dividing us, calling on those that are vaccinated to discriminate against those that are unvaccinated, she said. Segregating us from our workplaces coercing people to make unwanted medical choices in order to keep their jobs, pay their mortgages and feed their families. This is no longer land of the free.

Dauphinais, whose district includes Killingly and Plainfield in eastern Connecticut, said in the statement that Lamont has used these dictatorial powers to force healthy children  who have a statistically ZERO % chance of dying from this virus and who are minimal spreaders  to wear dehumanizing, restrictive face masks.

State data shows that nearly 68,000 Connecticut residents 19 years or younger have contracted COVID, and five have died with the disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said children and adolescents are typically asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Because of this, they may not know they are infectious and can still spread the virus, the CDC and health experts have said.

In her statement, Dauphinais included a quote from the Holocaust Encyclopedia on the Nazis use of camp prisoners to test immunization compounds and antibodies. Dauphinais continued to compare mask and vaccine mandates, as well as alleged censorship of questions about the vaccines, to the plight of Jewish people in Nazi Germany.

Whats worse, the governor is using these dictatorial powers to force an experimental medicine, with unknown and untold side effects, onto the public at large, Dauphinais wrote in the statement.

In August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 years and older. Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said the vaccine met the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product. Under an FDA emergency-use authorization, children 12 and older are also eligible for the vaccine.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
Amid a bump in Connecticut carjackings  including three early Friday in Bridgeport  officials are warning drivers to take precautions, especially when filling up at gas stations.

In a span of about three hours overnight Friday, three carjackings were reported in Bridgeport. In one of the incidents, a victim was shot in the hand, according to a city official.

Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management, said drivers can take several measures to avoid becoming the target of a carjacking.

Be aware of your surroundings at all times while in your vehicle, Appleby said. Continuously check your side and rear mirrors for any suspicious persons or vehicle.

When walking to a vehicle, Appleby said, drivers should have keys in hand to press the panic button if needed.

Most perpetrators want an easy target and want to avoid an audience, he said.

The Bridgeport carjackings were the latest of a series of similar incidents that occurred statewide in the past week.

Last weekend at a New Britain gas station, police said a woman fought off the alleged suspect in the attempted carjacking.

On Monday afternoon, Manchester police said a car thief stole a 2022 Lexus RX 350 from the parking lot of Saint Bridget Church and School with a toddler in the backseat. Police said the thief left the 1-year-old child, who was found safe and secured in a car seat, on the side of a nearby road.

Just after midnight Wednesday in Woodbridge, a resident coming home from work was approached by an individual who police said showed a gun and stole the victims vehicle and other items.

Around the same time, a womans car  with $2,000 in cash inside  was stolen as she pumped gas in Southington, police said.

While some of the incidents have been captured on surveillance video, police said no arrests have been made.

Southington Police Lt. Keith Egan said drivers should try to avoid parking in low-lit areas, near large vehicles, fences or foliage.

Get in the habit of putting items you want hidden in the trunk of your car before you arrive at your destination, he said. Thieves will linger in busy parking lots looking for you to stash your valuable items.

Appleby said leaving keys inside a vehicle makes you an easy target, whether your vehicle is being filled with gas or parked somewhere overnight. He said personal and valuable items should be removed from vehicles or put somewhere out of sight before arriving at your destination.

Whether driving, parked or leaving a car somewhere briefly, Appleby said the doors should always be locked and windows rolled up.

Anyone who sees an incident is urged to call police immediately. Callers will be asked to provide a location, description of the suspect or suspect vehicle and direction of travel. Police say motorists should never try to confront a carjacking or car theft suspect on their own.

If you are confronted with a carjacking, remember: We can replace property. We cannot replace lives, so cooperate, Appleby said.
Private schools occupied all 10 spots on Niche's 2022 K-12 School & District Rankings for Connecticut high schools.

The education website released its annual rankings on the best schools in each state, as well as on a national level.

The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville was named as the number one best high school in Connecticut with an A+ overall rating. The school was also named as the second best private high school and second best boarding high school nationally.

Niche gathers data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Census Bureau and FBI in order to put together its yearly report. After Niche's data team processes all the data, all schools are then ranked using six categories: academics, teachers, clubs and activities, diversity, college prep and sports. Each category is given an alphabetical grading.

Scroll below to see which schools made the list.
The very essence of being a police officer is to keep the public safe. To ensure rules are followed. To help people make good choices.

The pandemic puts each of these to the test.

Before COVID-19 became part of our everyday lives, we were already in the midst of a national crisis to reverse an erosion of trust in police. Connecticuts police accountability law created in the aftermath of protests against racial injustice and police brutality created new fissures as some departments and state officials claimed overreach.

These wounds are not healing. A step forward would have been if all officers took advantage of being offered spots at the front of the line to get vaccinated last winter.

Instead, too many officers are apparently using magical thinking to avoid the shots. A leader in the Stamford police union wrote an essay expressing the troubled reasoning that many officers possess natural immunity after already being infected with COVID.

Stamford has a pretty admirable rate of eligible residents who are fully vaccinated: 82 percent. But among the 268 police officers in the city, only 59 percent reported getting shots, according to a Hearst Connecticut Media Group review.

Some Connecticut departments reported much better figures. Redding hit the high point of 95 percent. New Haven recorded the lowest reported rate (56 percent).

Other police departments, including some of the largest in the state, declined to disclose the data or didnt even bother keeping count. Though municipalities have different policies, the thousand State Police troopers face a mandate to either to take the vaccine or submit weekly tests.

This is not keeping the public safe.

This is not following the rules.

This is not helping people make good decisions.

But worst of all, it puts our officers at unnecessary risk. They deal with some of the most vulnerable members of the population, many of whom are sick or not vaccinated.

Data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund cites COVID-19 as the leading cause of death among police officers for the second year in a row. Of the 255 line of duty deaths in 2021, 144 have been attributed to COVID-19. In 2020, the memorial page documented 371 line of duty deaths, attributing 242 to COVID.

Getting vaccinated is just as important as wearing your vest and your seatbelt, the fund advises.

Wearing masks seemed reasonable, too, particularly during the early days of this crisis. Still, we saw too many officers maskless in public, setting the wrong example for children who have no other choice, and who still dont have the option of getting vaccinated.

While some departments cloak their numbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps revealing ones that should make these easy decisions. The latest reports that people who are not fully vaccinated are 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those who have gotten their shots.

By getting vaccinated, officers do more than keep us safe, follow the rules and help others make good decisions. They help mend shattered trust.
BRANFORD  Margaret and Gus, two tom (male) turkeys seem to have ruffled the feathers of some motorists downtown, where the pair can be seen jay-walking across Main Street.

But theyve captured the hearts of some residents, and have become somewhat famous on local Facebook groups, where people track their daily travels and post photos. So far, they have been seen from Kohls in the busy Branhaven Plaza on Route 1 all the way to Carons Corner on Montowese Street.

These tourist turkeys waddle downtown from a jewelry store to the bank, local grocery store, and hang out on street corners, witnesses say. And these feathered bipeds are not using the crosswalks.

Rare in center of town

Resident Meg Heath would look for the pair on her family walks after she and her sons, Logan, 9, and Gideon, 6, first spotted them near their neighborhood. Sometimes they saw them on the street in traffic.

We have even helped them cross the street so people dont accidentally hit them, she said. We were very surprised to see them, but excited, too. My boys wanted to run over and get close to them.

Wild turkeys are not new to Branford, but its rare to see them in the center of town, according to Laura Burban, director of the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter. Every year, migrating turkeys usually land near Alps Road, where, she noted, there is a whole family of 20 of them who return to every autumn.

While turkeys may stop over or live in many towns, Its a little unusual for Branford  we dont usually see them in the center of town. Its a little unusual because its so busy, Burban said. Were not sure if these guys are offshoots or that family  or where these two came from.

The birds usually first appear in late summer. These are wild turkeys and they fly in  usually in the fall. Well see them in August through October, she said. Theyll cause issues  then they leave again.

Burban explains why the toms may have been drawn to the downtown. They just roost in the trees around that area. Thats what they do. This pair have also been seen roosting in the trees across the street from the Blackstone Library at night.

Burgeoning numbers

Although wild turkeys had long been wiped out in the state in decades past, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection estimates there are some 30,000 to 35,000 birds here, according to the Connecticut Audubon Society website.

It was only 40 years ago that a border-to-border search in Connecticut for wild turkeys would have yielded nothing, according to Milan Bull, Connecticut Audubons senior director of science and conservation, as quoted on the website.

The society manages wild turkey habitats at a number of its 19 sanctuaries, including the Croft sanctuary in Goshen, the Bafflin sanctuary in Pomfret and Banks South sanctuary in Fairfield.

In the fall, before winter sets in, these wild birds can often be seen in flocks of a dozen or more, foraging through forests and parks, in suburban areas and along roadsides, according to Connecticut Audubon.

Wildlife managers in the state had tried a number of times to restore the majestic bird to no avail, until the 1970s when they tried something new, the website notes.

Using bait, they attracted turkeys in New York and used rockets to shoot a large, lightweight net over them. The original 22 captured turkeys were released here, where they took up residence.

As the big birds successfully bred and multiplied, wildlife officials used the same method to capture turkeys in the state and move them to other locations.

Increased sightings

Now, nearly every town can count wild turkeys among their residents. It can be dicey for the wild fowl to mingle with humans in populated areas, experts say.

Branford Animal Control was called in about the twosome when one appeared injured. One of them was limping  maybe he got tapped by a car or fell out of a tree, roosting, But hes alright now, Burban added.

They tend to get stuck in an area  we see this around cities  even inner cities, she said. Sometimes they break away from the families because theyre male and theyre supposed to go and look for their own families.

Theyre in the road  people stop for them, Burban said.

One photo posted showed two adult turkeys with little ones walking behind the adults all in a line. Those on social media speculated that was their new family.

Not these downtown birds, Burban said. Usually two males especially are not going to stay with the babies  they arent going to like that.

People are warned not to feed the wild birds as it could make them dependent on humans. And they apparently are doing just fine fending for themselves. They do quite well, Burban added.

They tend to eat a lot of stuff off the ground, she said. They can eat everything from bugs to acorns, as well as seeds, corn and invertebrates.

Turkeys a year old or younger are often called jakes if they are male and jennys if they are female, according to environment.arlingtonva.us.

When they get comfortable in an area and they havent found mates yet, they tend to stay and keep looking, Burban said.

Should people be afraid?

People should only be concerned if one of them acts aggressive but mostly just leave them alone, Burban said. They are sort of living their lives. I know its making people crazy  its stopping traffic and stuff.

During mating season, sometimes turkeys can get a little funky, Burban added. They see a shiny car and may go up to it thinking its another male turkey  theyre going to fight.
Connecticut Post / Genevieve Reilly

BRIDGEPORT  Five people were rescued by emergency crews near Penfield Lighthouse on Saturday, authorities said.

Bridgeport police and fire department units responded to reports of a boat in distress at 10:18 a.m. on Saturday, said Scott Appleby, Bridgeports Office of Emergency Management Director. The boat had hit the rocks near the Penfield Lighthouse.
Contributed / Getty

BRIDGEPORT  A person was stabbed during a fight on Saturday, authorities said.

At 2:10 p.m., Bridgeport police responded to a report of a possible stabbing in the 700th block of Kossuth Street where several people were involved in a fight, according to Scott Appleby, the citys Office of Emergency Management Director.
Reva Mae Love, age 75, of Dalton, Georgia passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2021. She was born on September 10, 1946. She is preceded in death by parents, Herbert and Lela "Grant" Lawson; brother, Charles Lawson. She is survived by her husband, Bubba (Harold) Love of Dalton; son, Brian F
Over the last few weeks, our supply chains have been well and truly tested.

Fundamental global pressures  whether it's the shortage of natural gas or lorry drivers  have been felt by businesses and families alike.

Yet while our supply chains creaked, they did not crack.

And thanks to the joint efforts of Government and industry, we can now see signs of return to stability at the petrol pump, where more fuel is being delivered than is being sold.

This has been consistently the case for more than a week.

I'm not saying that the challenges have gone away or that the problems are all sorted.

We are bolstering the number of lorry drivers over the winter and we are working with industry to overcome the challenges companies face  whether that's a shortage of labour or difficulty getting But told of raw materials. Lorries are seen above at Dover in March

But just as we acted quickly to get the Army involved in helping to deliver fuel  one of 24 measures we have put in place to tackle the shortage of truck drivers  we will work alongside the private sector to prevent problems where we foresee them.

We will tackle them when and where they arise.

Put simply, this Government stands ready to support business, particularly as it gears up for the busy Christmas period.

We are bolstering the number of lorry drivers over the winter and we are working with industry to overcome the challenges companies face  whether that's a shortage of labour or difficulty getting hold of raw materials.

We are also working to identify other sectors of the economy that might prove vulnerable to short-term disruption so that they can make contingency plans.

My department, the Cabinet Office, has convened a weekly Industry Taskforce and I have established a Supply Chains Intelligence Cell to advise.

Together, these will make sure the Government has the information it needs to tackle disruption effectively and efficiently wherever it rears its head.

We're going in with our eyes open and a plan in place.

On Friday, the Prime Minister appointed Dave Lewis as his Supply Chains Adviser.

Mr Lewis, the former head of Tesco, brings the expertise we need to ensure we're more resistant to global shocks in the future.

Just as we acted quickly to get the Army involved in helping to deliver fuel  one of 24 measures we have put in place so to tackle the shortage of truck drivers  we will work alongside the private sector to prevent problems where we foresee them

As we have already shown, we are ready to mobilise our Armed Forces to deliver short-term support when it is needed.

We are ready to mitigate any challenges that come our way this winter.

However, this isn't just a question of ironing out short-term wrinkles.

This is a fundamental conversation about the future of our country and our economy.

What kind of society do we want to be and what should the structure of our economy look like?

According to the Brexit-bashers, all of these are problems caused by our decision to leave the EU  and their answer is all too obvious.

They want the return of uncontrolled immigration.

As ever, they miss the point.

Their analysis ignores the global realities we are facing, such as the unprecedented demand for natural gas as world economies fire-up after the Covid shut down.

Or the shortage of 400,000 lorry driver right across mainland Europe.

The closure of Asian ports and factories due to the pandemic is another shock with major international consequences.

Their analysis ignores the global realities we are facing, such as the unprecedented demand for natural gas as world economies fire-up after the Covid shut down

This is why Labour's solution of simply opening the floodgates to 100,000 additional foreign lorry drivers is so intrinsically flawed.

More fundamentally, it demonstrates that the Labour Party does not value British workers.

We must use our new-found freedoms outside the European Union to promote and champion our workers, rather than undercutting them with imported labour which dampens down wages and undermines the breadth of home-grown skills and talent.

This is what has happened for years  and people have had enough.

Brexit has put the nation on a different track.

It has given us a singular opportunity to drive up skills, standards and pay across the board.

And that is this Government's central mission: to level up the whole of the United Kingdom.

Tectonic shifts do not happen overnight, and this one will certainly require a period of adjustment.

The Government will be there to work with business on the steps ahead, however, just as we were during the pandemic.

The British economy is already growing strongly.

Gross Domestic Product was up by 4.8 per cent in the second quarter of this year.

Our economy is expected to grow more quickly than the those of the USA, France and Japan over the next two years.

What's more, at 4.6 per cent, the unemployment rate has now fallen for seven consecutive months and real wages are up 3.9 percent since the start of the pandemic.

Just this week, a new report showed that starting salaries have been rising at the fastest rate in the whole of the 24 years for which this data has been collected.

Our recovery from Covid is well under way.

Now it's up to us to deliver our plan to protect, support and create the highly-skilled, highly-paid employment that our United Kingdom deserves.
The collective lunacy of freezing your turkey two months before Christmas (as if it isn't dry enough) has gripped the household of Oliver Dowden, I can reveal.

Before the party chairman set off for the Tory conference last week, his wife told him she was fearful of leaving festivities in his Government's hands and therefore wanted to pre-order a bird now.

A source close to 'Olive', as he's known in Cabinet, said the family had been debating the pre-order in some detail, down to how many grams of meat, until Daddy stepped in. Hold the turkey order, said Dowden as he left for Manchester, adding reassuringly: 'Worst comes to worst, I know the butcher.'

At conference, the Minister without portfolio or turkey remained on message, telling the British public that Christmas will not be cancelled through a lack of poultry.

But as Government sources tell the MoS they 'won't hesitate' to send in the Army to save our turkeys, who'd blame Mrs D for getting back on her Waitrose app?

Oliver Dowden, minister without portfolio has promised Britons that Christmas will not be cancelled through a lack of poultry

Before the party chairman set off for the Tory conference last week, his wife told him she was fearful of leaving festivities in his Government's hands and therefore wanted to pre-order a turkey now

MP burns his bridges

For anyone doubting the febrile Tory mood over planning reforms, look no further than Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne, who sent a video of himself burning his conference lanyard to a WhatsApp group of party rebels.

Comrade Browne took offence at the blue lanyards because Thakeham, a developer planning 25,000 homes in his constituency, had sponsored them.

Another Tory replaced his lanyard with one sponsored by an arms company, telling colleagues that dealers in death were now more 'socially acceptable' than developers.

Boris Johnson threw water on Browne's pyrotechnics by using his speech to row back on planning reform by reassuring voters that greenbelt land would remain untouched and any new homes wouldn't be 'just jammed in the South East'.

Thakeham's giant stall at the conference was spared any Guy Fawkesian antics from the Browne-ites, despite the developer, which has donated more than 600,000 to the Conservatives since 2017, posting videos of Johnson enthusiastically shaking hands with its team.

The irate MP for South Cambridgeshire and ex-adviser to Johnson used his mock-revolutionary video to denounce Thakeham for making a claim, which they deny doing, that 'donations given to the Tories means the Govt support' the development in his constituency.

A developer expecting favours for cash?

Whatever next.

Tory donors who had handed over 25,000 or more sipped tepid wine with Cabinet Ministers in a sweaty windowless nook called the Blue Room.

Attendees included billionaire Michael Hintze and Malik Karim, the donor appointed co-Treasurer of the party.

Developer Nick Candy was overheard describing failed mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey as 'the future of the party'

Maurizio Bragagni, owner of cable firm Tratos, which sponsored the lounge, put out photos of Boris, Rishi and the gang filing in to pay their dues.

Developer Nick Candy was overheard describing failed mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey as 'the future of the party'.

Who said money buys political nous?

In the bar at Manchester's Midland Hotel, talk turned to comments by absentee Lord (Ian) Blair comparing Sarah Everard's murder to those of two young girls in Soham, forgetting that as Met Commissioner he said 'almost nobody can understand' why Soham was such a big story.

Just as almost nobody can understand your lack of self-awareness, Ian.

How's it going at News Movement?

That's the ethical 'new media' company being launched by Will Lewis  who steered Rupert Murdoch's response to the hacking scandal  and sacked BBC greed correspondent Kamal Ahmed, who admitted he 'did not think things through sufficiently' when accepting 12,000 for a speech to an investment firm on top of his 205,000 salary.

The duo's focus is now on 'trusted, objective information', which is why Ahmed was boasting to conference delegates last week that Lord (Michael) Spencer has been giving him 'sage advice' about how to start the business.

That's Spencer, the former party treasurer whose company has donated millions to the Tories, and a shareholder of the firm behind GB News.

Perfectly placed to advise the pair on impartiality, then.
Some of the happiest days of my life have been spent fishing. It was my grandfather who taught me. I was ten or 11; he I suppose 70, his big frame stooped by old age and his eyes pale and watery. It is the same age I am now.

We used to go to the River Ure, a few miles from Ripon in North Yorkshire. I havent been there for 40 years or more, but I remember it as if it were yesterday.

Beside the bridge, a few cottages, beyond them the church. On the upstream side, a high cliff on one bank and beeches and willows on the other. Between them, the river babbling from pool to stream was the colour of dry sherry.

In my memory, the sun always shone on those days. The trees dappled with water and, however badly you tossed your Treacle Parkin (technically, a trout fly) into the stream, you always seemed to catch something.

After years of catching minnows with my brothers, it was a rite of passage, I suppose. I was hooked for life, and have made yearly pilgrimages to salmon rivers ever since.

We used to go to the River Ure, a few miles from Ripon in North Yorkshire. I havent been there for 40 years or more, but I remember it as if it were yesterday

The fishermans quarry is a stupid, cold-blooded creature, so far down the evolutionary scale that his pursuit seems an absurd waste of the talents of Homo sapiens.

Yet these primordial beings have such quicksilver reflexes and such discriminating senses that the fishermans only chance of outwitting them is to make himself inconspicuous  by somehow inserting himself into the natural environment by keeping the sun on his face, hiding beneath trees and creeping through the undergrowth.

No wonder it can seem so comic. Yet there is nothing to match salmon-fishing for sheer exhilaration, the vindication of artifice when a fish breaks the water to seize your imitation fly.

Over the years, I have fallen into rivers, been half-drowned and drawn blood with many a rogue hook. Yet Ive never lost enthusiasm for trying to catch a salmon. Being out in the middle of nowhere, oystercatchers and sand martins, dippers and ospreys doing their thing as you try to be invisible.

You hear the birds, the water  sometimes you even hear a friend falling in. When youre fishing, youre free. Ive never found anything to equal it.

In the unlikely event that you connect with a fish  a strong, healthy, wild fish  it is like an electric charge down your arm. These moments may last minutes, but they are never forgotten.

Which is why I am so downcast following my return from a few days fishing in Scotland. I fear we may be looking at signs of the end of the Atlantic salmon. And it is all humans fault.

They used to call the Atlantic salmon the king of fish. Its life story is not far short of a miracle. Hatching from an egg in a cold, freshwater stream, after two years or so the young fish migrates to the mouth of the river and begins to swim, often for thousands of miles, through saltwater.

In the unlikely event that you connect with a fish  a strong, healthy, wild fish  it is like an electric charge down your arm. These moments may last minutes, but they are never forgotten. Which is why I am so downcast following my return from a few days fishing in Scotland

During this time its lithe body grows hugely, until a year or more after leaving, and at many times the size at which it embarked on its migration, it returns to the very stream where it hatched from an egg. It is an astonishing tale.

For years, fishmongers traded on the rarity and quality of salmon to sell it expensively to the public. And then someone had a brainwave. Supposing you could avoid all those risky migrations and produce flesh which looked like salmon from the wild, and lay it out on the shelves of supermarkets. You could make a fortune! As long as it had the right ancestry, you could even call it salmon.

So the very first salmon farmers set to work. And soon  just as they had been promised  they made a lot of money from selling what they produced to the public.They were unlike the sort of farmers who tended fields and cared for their livestock. Efficiency  getting the maximum weight of fish per kilo of feed and parasite-killing chemicals was all.

Since the fish lived in an environment alien to farmers, much nurturing of the stock was based on trial and error. If the fish could survive the chemicals in the water they were obliged to ingest, that was called a success.

The fishermans quarry is a stupid, cold-blooded creature, so far down the evolutionary scale that his pursuit seems an absurd waste of the talents of Homo sapiens

The pioneers in this early form of aquaculture were Scandinavian. Soon, over half of the seafood consumed in the world was farmed.

In their quest for expansion, the salmon farmers hit upon the great long coast of Chile, which was soon producing more Atlantic salmon than Norway. You do not need a PhD in geography to know that not one bit of Chile has an Atlantic seaboard.

These Atlantic salmon may be symbols of freedom but they have been reared in cages in the Pacific. I once visited Calcutta zoo. The creature in the tiger pen terrified everyone. It had developed that figure-of-eight walk which is the sign of the captive animals madness. It still had the unmistakeable markings, but it had been turned into the shadow of a tiger.

I noticed something similar during a visit to a salmon farm off the west coast of Scotland a couple of years ago. Fish still looked like fish, slashing at the wall of their cages as they turned to complete their 1,000th circuit before being released from their tedium by 2,000 volts, in readiness for the supermarket shelf.

It was life, but not as anyone would wish to live it.

Very bad things happen when animals are concentrated together unnaturally. About one fifth of caged salmon are killed by disease and parasites before they can be harvested. Survivors produce enormous amounts of waste, which accumulates beneath the cages in which the fish are imprisoned, killing all life on the seabed below them.

Salmon are also vulnerable to parasitic lice, whose numbers explode prodigiously in the cramped conditions in which the salmon are reared. Unlike their hosts, they are not confined by the cages and latch on to  and kill  passing young wild salmon.

Attempts to control lice epidemics on the farms have generally involved almost indiscriminate dumping of chemicals into the sea. Academic research in Chile has now shown the development of chemical resistance among the parasites.

Recently, the fashion has been to take tens of thousands of fish called wrasse from the wild, confining them in the salmon cages, where they are meant to eat the lice, before being killed at the end of the salmon production cycle.

Central to the lie of salmon farming is the importance of this industrially produced food being seen as natural. For the farmed-salmon industry, the key is to cultivate the impression there is little to choose between authentic wild fish and their farmed namesake. But the name is all they have in common.

Being out in the middle of nowhere, oystercatchers and sand martins, dippers and ospreys doing their thing as you try to be invisible. You hear the birds, the water  sometimes you even hear a friend falling in. When youre fishing, youre free. Ive never found anything to equal it

Over the years, I have fallen into rivers, been half-drowned and drawn blood with many a rogue hook. Yet Ive never lost enthusiasm for trying to catch a salmon

It is a decade since it was revealed that Lochmuir, the imaginary home of Marks & Spencers farmed salmon, didnt exist. As for so-called organically farmed salmon of the kind occasionally to be found in posh fishmongers, there is no such thing. The farms are still permitted to use many of the same chemicals.

You wont catch a salmon fisherman like me eating a fish that has been reared like this, even though salmon farming began in hatcheries on little braes, where tiny alevins (newly spawned salmon) were bred to please anglers to improve the odds of catching a returning salmon in a few years time. Hatcheries have since fallen out of fashion, and were anyway nothing compared to the giant factories that turn specially-bred flesh into fake fillets.

There is an obvious problem in trying to work out why stocks of wild fish have declined: there is an awful lot of sea and no way of knowing accurately where wild salmon will be in it. We cannot blame the salmon farms exclusively for the lack of wild fish caught.

Those who travelled to Scotland this year to fish for salmon mostly returned home dejected because there had been no significant rainfall in many river valleys since May, and with no water in the rivers, whatever wild salmon remain at large could not get in from the sea. (On the other hand, if you happened to be there when the heavens opened, you could fill your boots. Thats fishing. Always has been.)

The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation estimates that wild salmon numbers have halved since the 1980s. The dangers multiply by the year. There are the rising sea temperatures, which mean ever longer migrations to find the food to sustain wild fish on their return to fresh water.

The fish farmers cages clutter ever more of the inshore waters, producing a lethal sea-lice soup, through which migrating young fish must run the gauntlet at the start of their marine migrations.

So we arrive at the absurdity that the only allies the king of fish has are those who want to stick a hook in it and wrestle it to the bank. Salmon fishing still has an image problem, right enough: tweedy old men in plus fours with deerstalkers and luxuriant moustaches (though many of the best fishers now are women). But it is a strange thing that they are almost the only friends the wild salmon have now.

Occasionally, an angler might catch a salmon that has escaped from a fish farm and been led by some deep instinct to swim into a freshwater river where some ancestor might have spawned. You can always spot them  flabby and feeble things, with mangled fins, whose only experience of life as they should have lived it has been in the few hours before they snapped at your fly.

You know the decent thing would be to let it live. But you have no idea where its ancestors came from and the fear of genetic contamination should it breed with a native fish means it has to be knocked on the head. It doesnt have to be like this. Wild salmon need all the help they can get. Salmon farms are an invention of humans and we could start by doing something about them: the Norwegian companies that dominate the industry prefer to raise fish in Scotland because the controls there are more lax than in Scandinavia.

Since the UK farms are north of the border, regulating them is the job of Holyrood. Two committees of numpties from the Scottish parliament tore themselves from the fleshpots of Edinburgh to investigate the salmon industry. They produced dozens of recommendations and declared the status quo is not an option. That was three years ago.

Perhaps author T.H. White put it best in his book England Have My Bones: When people talk about salmon they call it a fish. Trouts are just trouts. A fish means salmon.

Black Gold: The History Of How Coal Made Britain by Jeremy Paxman is published by William Collins, 25.
Magnum has launched four new travel-inspired ice cream flavours - including New York cheesecake and Amsterdam chocolate and cookie butter.

To reignite Australian's desire to travel, the classic brand is delighted to debut its newest offering inspired by indulgent flavours from around the world.

The Magnum Destinations range has hit the market, with each flavour showcasing the unique tastes of some of the world's most iconic and well-loved destinations.

From the tropics of Tahiti and glitz of Las Vegas to the historic city of Amsterdam and captivating New York City, the flavours are made with a combination of creamy, ice cream, lavish swirls of delectable, sweet sauce and encased in cracking chocolate.

Magnum has launched four new travel-inspired ice cream flavours - including New York chocolate cheesecake (left) and Amsterdam chocolate and cookie butter (right)

Amsterdam Chocolate & Cookie Butter is a vanilla custard flavoured ice cream with cookie butter swirl covered in crackling milk chocolate and biscuit pieces that take you to the vibrant streets of Amsterdam.

Tahiti Passionfruit White Chocolate consists of a vanilla custard flavoured ice cream with an elegant passionfruit swirl covered in thick white chocolate with a hint of coconut capturing the passion of a tropical Tahiti summer.

New York Chocolate Cheesecake is creamy, velvety cheesecake flavoured ice cream with a chocolate swirl, topped with cracking milk chocolate and cookie pieces inspired by the iconic New York cheesecake.

Las Vegas Caramelised Chocolate & Cookie is an exquisite white chocolate ice cream swirled in caramel swirl and cased in caramelised chocolate speckled with vanilla biscuit pieces inspired by the golden lights and energetic city of Las Vegas.

The Magnum Destinations range has hit the market, with each flavour showcasing the unique tastes of some of the world's most iconic and well-loved destinations (pictured left: Las Vegas Caramelised Chocolate & Cookie and right: Tahiti Passionfruit White Chocolate)

Magnum Destinations Amsterdam, Tahiti, and New York multipacks are now available for $9.50 for four at select retailers, including Coles and IGA, and Las Vegas individually in convenience stores and petrol stations nationwide.

To get Aussie jet-setters excited for the prospect of future travel, Magnum is giving away weekly luxury escape prizes.

In addition, four lucky couples have the chance to cure their wanderlust with a trip to one of four of Australia's most iconic destinations - The Whitsundays, Gold Coast, Melbourne, or Sydney.

The once-in-a-lifetime stay will be exclusively curated to reflect the experiences of an iconic international location.

Buy any of the new Magnum Destination products and go in the chance to win. The competition is now open and will close on January 30, 2022 at 11.59pm. For more details, please visit the website.
The Block star Jess Eva has revealed the shocking moment she discovered her fiance was living a double life with four secret wives.

The Triple M radio personality - who has been in a serious relationship with her current fiance Norm Hogan over the past 10 years - shared details about her romantic past after she met a guy in the Maldives during her younger years.

Speaking to Jana Hocking's Kinda Sorta Dating podcast, Jess - who was working at a resort - said she got engaged after she fell 'in love with the idea more than the guy'.

'I was a snorkel guide and he was a surf guide... We were going to live the rest of our life on an island and have little Maldivian babies,' she said.

The Block star Jess Eva (pictured) has revealed the shocking moment she discovered her fiance was living a double life with four secret wives

But things took a turn for the worse when she found out about his multiple marriages with four different women.

'One of his friends came to me, which was a really big thing in the Maldivian community for someone to speak out against someone in the community,' Eva said.

'They said "you just need to know that he's got four other wives and you're in line to be his fifth"... I was in line to be his fifth and I had no idea,' she said.

Reflecting back at the relationship, Jess said she noticed he was quite 'controlling'.

'My cousin came over to the Maldives and she came to the same resort I was working at and he said "you're not allowed to go for a drink with her",' she said.

'I noticed throughout the relationship, he was getting more and more controlling. When it happens gradually, you don't realise.'

The Triple M radio personality shared details about her romantic past after she met a guy in the Maldives during her younger years

Jess has been happily engaged to Norm Hogan for seven years after the pair got together more than 10 years ago. The couple share six-year-old son Fred, and daughter Matilda, four

Eventually, she decided to leave the resort after she ended their engagement.

'Thank goodness it happened to me when I was young, I feel that with youth comes a little more resilience and a little bit more naivety of what the world is like,' she said.

'It took me years to regain my confidence.'

The now 36-year-old has been happily engaged to Norm for seven years after the pair got together more than 10 years ago.

The couple share six-year-old son Fred, and daughter Matilda, aged four.
British author Sebastian Faulks says he'll no longer physically describe female characters in his novels - after he was criticised for doing so in a previous book.

Discussing writing female characters as a white male, the Birdsong writer, 68, says he'll leave it to readers to decide what the women in his books look like, telling The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival he felt 'liberated' after the decision.

However, fellow authors Dawn French and 2019 Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo said the notion that writers can't write about something they don't know was 'ridiculous'.

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Birdsong and Engleby author, Sebastian Faulks, 68, told Cheltenham Literature Festival he'd been queried over descriptions of female characters in his previous book Paris Echo and decided not to write about the physical looks of female characters in his latest book Snow Country

2019 Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo, pictured in September, said idea of not being able to invent characters from imagination wags 'ridiculous'

Faulks said criticism of physical descriptions of female characters in his book Paris Echo had led him to spend time researching identity.

He told the audience at the Festival: 'Instead of getting all huffy and puffy and grumpy old man about it, I thought about it a lot.

His latest book Snow Country sees Lena, the central protagonist, described in scant detail with Faulks saying readers might assume she was physically attractive because two men were trying to woo her.

He said: 'Although she is the object of some desire from two men, she is not seen through, to use another vogueish phrase, the 'male gaze' - so you do get an idea of what she looks like, a little bit, but only through what her female friend says to her and what she says when looking at herself in the mirror.'

However, his peers strongly disagreed with the idea that writers should stop describing characters for fear of offending.

Dawn French, who writes about mixed race characters in her latest book Because of You, said: 'The minute we start to police people's imaginations, we go down a very nasty old route. I have the right to write anybody or anything I like. This is called writing. It's about my imagination: I'm inventing some characters.'

Fellow authors Dawn French said: 'The minute we start to police people's imaginations, we go down a very nasty old route'

On the much-discussed 'male gaze', Faulks said 'Instead of getting all huffy and puffy and grumpy old man about it, I thought about it a lot.'

2019 Booker prize winner Bernardine Evaristo, 62, blasted the notion writers can't invent characters beyond their own communities as 'ridiculous' saying there was 'no logic' to stopping people writing about different ethnicities.

Snow Country, published in August, opens in Vienna just before the outbreak of World War I and sees journalist, Anton, fall for French woman Delphine before war parts them.

Years later, a grief-shattered, war-damaged Anton winds up at a once-famous sanatorium, commissioned to write a piece about Freuds diminishing influence on psychiatry.

His character crosses with that of Lena, a young woman brought up in a family devastated by poverty and alcoholism.
The new president of an all-female college at Cambridge University has introduced fertility lessons to students, saying she the decision was influenced by her own experience of struggling to fall pregnant in her forties.

Former head of Channel 4 News, Dorothy Byrne, 69, recently took up the role of president at Murray Edwards College and says the new seminars are designed to help women understand better that fertility can dramatically drop after the age of 35.

Byrne gave birth to her daughter, now 24, as a single woman at 45 after IVF treatment. Average UK birth rates have dropped to 1.53 per woman in 2021, from 2 in 2000 and 1.93 in 2011.

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Dorothy Byrne, 69, new president at all-female Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, said she wanted to stop young women from 'forgetting to have a baby' as she nearly did - undergoing IVF to give birth to her own daughter, now 24

Women in single-sex colleges at Cambridge University are set to receive education on fertility and childcare, including being advised when to plan for a family

She told The Sunday Times: 'Young women are being taught that they all have to do well in school, get a degree, be successful in their career and be beautiful.

The college president added that putting her own career in television news first almost saw her sacrifice a family of her own: 'The thing that is getting lost along the way is that you forget to have a baby, which I nearly did.'

Byrne said she felt like the emphasis on having a successful career and the message of not risking falling pregnant at a young age had left many women not feeling in charge of when they wanted to start a family.

The new classes will outline how fertility declines rapidly after the age of 35 in women.

Earlier this year a fertility expert slammed celebrity mothers who have children in their mid-to-late 40s for misleading women into assuming fertility lasts well into the fifth decade.

Professor Adam Balen, a former chairman of the British Fertility Society, said women in their late 30s and 40s came to him every day, saying: Im just amazed  I didnt realise my fertility was so poor.

Fertility declines after the age of 35, says the British Fertility Society, with the UK's average birth rate dropping to 1.53 per woman in 2021, from 2 in 2000 and 1.93 in 2011

The chance of [fertility treatment] working goes down with age, he said. The high-profile celebrities who have children in their mid-to-late 40s may be doing so with donated eggs rather than their own eggs, but, of course, they often dont say that.

Women in their 40s who undergo IVF treatment tend to produce fewer eggs  and of lower quality  than younger women when given drugs to stimulate production.

For those over the age of 42 who use their own eggs, the chance of a resulting embryo leading to a live birth is less than five per cent, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Among those over 42 who use donated eggs, live birth rates exceed 25 per cent  about average for IVF as a whole.

Prof Balen, who is lead clinician at Leeds Fertility, said: Women in their 20s should start seriously to think about when they might wish to start a family. A woman aged 25 has a 25 per cent chance of conceiving per month. At 35, its probably more in the region of 15 per cent. At 40, its probably only one or two per cent.

If you want to have the opportunity to have three children, you probably have to start trying when youre 23. If you want two children, you can leave it until youre 28. If youre happy with one, probably start by the time youre 32.
Dame Joan Collins may be well into her ninth decade but she says she's relieved she married a much younger man admitting a partner her own age would be a disaster for her.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the star of stage and screen said age gaps in marriages - there are 32 years between herself and husband Percy Gibson - should be celebrated.

She told the newspaper: 'Thank God I married somebody 30 years younger than me. I couldn't bear to be married to someone my own age.'

The former Dynasty star also said she finds it irksome when people ask her when she's going to retire, calling the question 'f***ing rude'.

Joan, 88, told The Sunday Times marriage to a man who matched her in years would be a nightmare. Her husband Percy Gibson, 56, is 32 years her junior. Pictured: The couple at The Michael Josephson MBE Charity Ball this weekend

Calling Percy, a Hollywood producer, 'the rock that holds our family together', she gushed: 'He's the best, I can't imagine life without him.'

The couple will celebrate their 20-year anniversary next February, and the glamorous star says she's already thinking of gifts to commemorate the occasion, and may buy her husband a platinum cigarette case.

Revealing how 'retire' is a dirty word to her, the star said 'Theres a perception about getting old thats outdated. People are living longer and living healthier.'

Though Joan is now happily married, it hasn't always been the case yet no one could say it wasn't for her lack of trying. Her first husband, Maxwell Reed had been a union that came about simply to protect their honour after losing their virginity.

When that marriage came to an end, actor Anthony Newley came into the picture and together they shared two children, Tara and Sacha. Her third child, Katy, was born with her next husband, Ron Kass.

Her fourth husband, Peter Holm, known unaffectionately to Joan as 'The Swede' was the worst of all according to the actress who described him as a bully. Luckily, she saved the best until last and found true joy when she met Percy.

The glamorous octogenarian says she has no plans to retire despite being in her ninth decade

Joan, despite living in wedded bliss, says she was not spared from the challenges of lockdown boredom.

Amid her own fears of contracting the virus, she spent her days sorting out the builders working on her house, gently exercising indoors and consuming as many box sets as she could, namely Good Girls, The Queen's Gambit and Ray Donovan.

'I was fearful,' she said of her time in lockdown. 'We were sanitising our newspapers, I would not go to the supermarket. Percy would go and then we'd sanitise everything.'

Since vaccination, life has been freer. She's attended the theatre, flown abroad, and is looking forward to the future, but worldwide doom and gloom has taken its toll on the actress.

After being cautious during lockdown, the star has started travelling again, including a recent trip to Mallorca

There's fury that her morning routine, watching Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain came to an end when the presenter was sacked last year.

'He's more interesting than any of them,' she says, alluding to his like for not worrying about the reactions his words cause.

'People can't say what they think, because they'll get cancelled. Dredging up tweets from 15 years ago, about what somebody might have said when they were 14, I think that's sick.'
A 2020 Ms Great Britain winner has revealed how she nearly died after her weight plummeted to just three-and-a-half stone at the height of a crippling battle with anorexia.

April Banbury, 32, from Hemel Hempsted, Hertfordshire, was declared the first winner of the new beauty contest in February last year after the contest introduced a new category for women over 28.

The beauty queen said her issues with food began at the age of eight, when her parents divorced, and that she would spend years throwing away her packed lunch and refusing to eat at meal times.

At age 13, April spent a week in hospital because her weight was so low, and told the Sunday Mirror that nearly dying was the 'wake up call she needed' to begin the road to recovery.

Ms Great Britain winner April Banbury, 32, from Hemel Hempsted, Hertfordshire, revealed she nearly died after her weight plummeted to just three and a half stone amid a crippling battle with anorexia. She is pictured aged 16 weighing less than 6 stone

April beat hundreds of other contestants to take home the Ms Great Britain crown in a glittering ceremony in Leicester last year

Healthy: April was declared the first winner of the new beauty contest in February last year after the contest introduced a new category for women over 28

'It was very distressing for dad and nan', she said. 'I ended up in hospital for over a week, I nearly died. That was the wake-up call I needed.'

The bridal gown designer would only eat crackers throughout the day and refuse to eat at meal times until her dad - Ian Banbury, who represented Great Britain in the 1976 Olympic Games, lost his patience and sent her to bed.

It wasn't until her grandmother Dorothy showed her a film about a young woman who died due to the condition while in hospital that she began to finally overcome her issue.

With the help of her family, counselling and regular weight check-ins, April finally overcame her eating disorder at the age of 18.

April, pictured aged 17, would spend years throwing away her packed lunch and refusing to eat at meal times as a teenage

Now a healthy eight-and-a-half stone, April spends her time educating young people about the eating disorder as an ambassador for charity Support and Education for Eating Disorders (SEED).

April beat hundreds of other contestants to take home the Ms Great Britain crown in a glittering ceremony in Leicester last year.

Speaking to Femail at the time, she explained how she was raised by her father and grandmother, to whom she attributes her success.

She said: 'My grandmother taught my dad how to be a champion, and in turn they passed their knowledge on to me.

'They gave me invaluable lessons told me believe in myself and never give up on my dreams'.

Now a healthy eight-and-a-half stone, April spends her time educating young people about the eating disorder as an ambassador for charity Support and Education for Eating Disorders (SEED)

No stranger to the spotlight, April finished first runner-up in the Miss Great Britain final in both 2014 and 2016.

She's also dipped her toes into reality TV, and in 2011 came third in Channel 5's The Bachelor, where she competed for the love of Welsh rugby hunk Gavin Henson

'I have the runners up curse, always coming second!' April told Femail. 'I entered Miss Great Britain twice and came second both times.

'I fought so hard and never gave up. So to win the first ever Ms Great Britain and make history meant the world.

'I genuinely believe if you have a goal you should never give up. My dad was an Olympic champion and always taught me to go for my dreams.'

WHAT IS ANOREXIA AND HOW CAN IT BE TREATED? Anorexia is an eating disorder and a mental health condition. People diagnosed with it try to keep their weight as low as possible by eating little or excessive exercise. Men and women can develop the illness, however it typically starts in the mid-teens. Those with anorexia can have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking they're fat when in fact they are severely underweight. Causes of the condition are unknown, but those with it have either low self-esteem, have a family history of eating disorders or feel pressured from society or place of work. Long term health complications can include muscle and bone problems, loss of sex drive, kidney or bowel problems or having a weakened immune system. Treatment for anorexia can include cognitive behavioural therapy. Advertisement

April says her passion is to make women feel empowered and beautiful in her designs.

She creates sumptuous bespoke garments by hand and she even wore her own design in the competition.

'I was a finalist in Britain's Top Designer and although I didn't win, my hard work took me to London Fashion Week' she said.

'It was a dream come true. I've always had a little insecure fairy on the inside saying I might not be good enough.

'When I showed my first couture collection which I handmade here in England by myself - I spent so many hours hidden away creating these handmade garments - and so when I got the positive feedback that I did, I was truly humbled. I cried - a lot.

'I was the first designer to use models of diversity at London Fashion Week. My main model had Down's syndrome' she added.

'I remember her and her mother thanking me for such a rare opportunity, and I thought to myself that they shouldn't have to be overwhelmed with gratitude, because it should be something we consider as normal.'

Ms Great Britain was set up to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Miss Great Britain pageant, the country's longest-running beauty contest which has a stringent set of rules, including that all contestants must be ages between 18 and 27.

Hundreds of people applied for the title and 30 were parachuted straight to the final.

'The process starts with an application, if you are successful you qualify as a Ms Great Britain finalist, which puts you through to the live finals,' April explained.

'I entered more than six months ago and worked extremely hard in the lead up to the live finals.

'I supported Cancer Research UK and Alex's by taking to the skies and flying a plane upside down, even though I'm petrified of heights' April explained.

'The competition starts from the moment you're accepted. From various fundraising events I put myself forward for and events I spoke at about my passions to make a more positive impact in the world.'

Find out more information on Support and Education for Eating Disorders (SEED) at seed.charity
Weve all been there: you buy a new dress just after youve lost weight, but a few months later, you put it back on and the frock doesnt fit. You cant bring yourself to donate it to charity, so you leave it in your wardrobe hoping to fit into it again one day. Years later, the dress is still there.

UK shoppers own an estimated 10 billion worth of clothes they dont wear, according to a 2018 Weight Watchers study. For a quarter of those who admitted to hoarding unworn togs, its because theyre waiting to lose weight to fit into them.

I can relate to this. I went up a dress size in lockdown last year, as I turned to baking and spent more time at home. But now Im enjoying being on the move again, my size has dropped.

Like many women, it means I have even more clothes in my wardrobe that dont quite fit.

Radhika Sanghani, who has seen her size drop after fluctuating during lockdown, gives verdict on the new 'flexible fashion'. Pictured: Radhika SIZE 6

Fluctuating size is a big contributor to the fast-fashion epidemic thats damaging our environment.

But some brands are trying to find a solution. Enter flexible fashion  clothes that, one way or another, change size with you.

Take companies such as Hunza G and Frame jeans, which have created one-size-fits-most clothing so that garments will adapt to fit the changing size of the owner.

U.S. brand Universal Standard takes a different tack, allowing customers worldwide to exchange a worn item of clothing for a different size up to a year after purchase.

Others, such as Mary Benson and Kit.a, have cleverly created clothing with extra seam allowances to ensure they can be altered if a customer changes size.

As a society, were starting to become aware of just how many clothes lie ignored in wardrobes or end up in landfill, often because they dont quite fit or dont make us feel our best, says Charlotte Turner, a sustainable fashion consultant.

A huge number of resources go into making clothes, so offering more ways to properly celebrate and use our clothes, no matter our size, makes complete sense for business and the environment.

While the new flexible fashion sounds creative, do these fixes work? I put them to the test

UK shoppers own an estimated 10 billion worth of clothes they dont wear, according to a 2018 Weight Watchers study. Pictured: Nina SIZE 12

JEAN GENIUS

Frame Le One Flare jeans (280, frame-store.com)

Unlike the majority of denim brands, Frames Le One collection currently mostly offers only two sizes: a 1 and a 2.

The smaller size is designed to fit waists from 23 in to 28 in, while the larger version fits 29 in to 34 in waists. They call it one size fits six, with the idea being the jeans can evolve with and live in your wardrobe for years.

The concept is brilliant. All Ive ever wanted is a pair of jeans that will fit me no matter what, but as my size has gently fluctuated over the years, Ive ended up having to throw out beloved jeans  and then regretted it years later when Ive lost weight.

The Le One Flare has a high waist and on-trend flared bottoms. My size comes under the 1 option and they fit me perfectly.

Radhika said the larger size of Frame Le One Flare jeans fit Nina as a size 12 and Bella as a size 18. Pictured: Bella SIZE 18

Theyre tight enough to look good, but they feel incredibly comfortable. I also ask size 12 model Nina to try on a pair, and to our shock, they fit her just as well.

The same happens with the larger size  they fit Nina as a size 12, but the exact same pair also look great on size 18 Bella. Somehow, these jeans defy science.

How? The trick is in the revolutionary and adaptable fabric thats also fully sustainable, according to a spokesperson for Frame.

The super-stretch denim is made from organic cotton, recycled polyester and Lycra  in a special mix that is engineered to fit a wider range of sizes.

At 280 a pair, these jeans arent cheap, but if they live up to their promise to fit for life, they will probably end up saving you money in the long term.10/10

SMART SEAMS

Mary Benson Wildwood Zappa dress, 350, marybenson.london

This Yorkshire brand, best known for its long, floaty dresses, has just launched a collection of flexible fashion dresses with adaptable seams.

Each dress has an extra 1cm on each side running down from the sleeves to the mid-skirt, so it can be altered to take into account your changing size.

Its such a simple concept that I cant believe more brands dont do this. (Charlotte Turner explains they probably dont because the extra fabric can increase costs, but she stresses if the lay planning [the pinning of patterns onto fabric] is done efficiently, its really viable.)

The extra seam allowance means people could either let out their clothes themselves or (in my case) take it to a dry cleaner to have it altered, instead of getting rid of it altogether.

Radhika said Mary Benson Wildwood Zappa dress (pictured) is a timeless piece, as it can literally grow or shrink with her body

I opt to try the Wildwood Zappa dress, a patterned style made from organic cotton.

Like all Mary Benson dresses, its made to order, which means it takes six weeks to arrive and  be warned  cant be returned. It comes in sizes ranging from 4 to 30.

Normally, it would seem crazy to spend that much on a non-refundable dress, but I choose mine in a size 6, confident that even if its too small, I will have the extra seams.

It ends up being a little too wide on the waist, so I take it to a local alterations shop and they assure me its a simple job which costs 25.

This, according to founder Mary Benson, is deliberate: We add extra seam allowance for ever-changing bodies, and also sew it in a way which is very simple to have taken in or out at any part down each side of the body.

For example, if you put weight on your arms, you can let the seams out under your arms and down the sleeve only. If you want to completely go up a size, you can let out every seam .

The way dresses are produced these days doesnt allow for these kind of alterations. They are made specifically for using a few times and moving on and buying more.

The dress is more expensive than something I could find on the High Street, but its clearly good quality, and the fact it can quite literally grow with my body  or shrink with me if I lose weight  means its a timeless piece I can own for ever.

In that way, it becomes more cost effective than constantly popping to Zara and, most importantly, far more sustainable.7/10

FLEXI BIKINI

Hunza G Ariel bikini, 145, and Pretty Woman dress, 175, hunzag.com

Radhika said the Pretty Woman dress (pictured) looked tiny when it arrived, but the fabric stretched to fit her

This British carbon-neutral brand first appeared in the 1980s, and sets out to provide one-size-fits-most clothing.

It specialises in swimwear, along with a few tight, stretchy dresses made from the same fabric as the Pretty Woman classic (remember Julia Robertss Hunza G cut-out blue and white dress in the films opening scenes?). It boasts celebrity fans from Holly Willoughby to Hollywood star Kate Hudson.

Im rather sceptical about a bikini that claims to fit most people. But I duly try out its on-trend lilac bandeau Ariel bikini. Its made from a special crinkle fabric that can stretch to any body size.

The two-piece set is meant to be ideal for anyone who needs light chest support (the brand also does sturdier bikini tops for people who need more), which is me.

When it arrives, however, Im not convinced, since it feels slightly loose. It fits well enough for sunbathing on a beach, but Id be hesitant about swimming in it because its just not as tight as bikini tops I normally buy in my specific size.

I also try out the famous Pretty Woman dress in the same Instagrammable lilac. It looks absolutely tiny when it arrives, but the fabric duly stretches to fit me and, unlike the bikini, this does feel like a comfortable fit.

Still, as Im on the smaller end of the size spectrum, Im keen to find out if it also fits other sizes, so I ask my curvy size 12 neighbour to try it out. To our surprise, the dress fits her perfectly and is just as flattering for her body shape.

BIKINI: 4/10; DRESS: 8/10

SEW YOUR OWN SIZE

Kit.a Penny Shirred Midaxi dress, 135, kit-acollective.com

Radhika said Kit.a Penny Shirred Midaxi dress (pictured) should fit for life, making it worth 135

This new slow-fashion brand offers customers a chance to buy either a made-to-order item or  for the more creative  a cheaper all-inclusive kit so they can sew their own.

It offers clothing from sizes 6 to 16 with flexible cuts designed to ensure the wearer can go up or down a few sizes.

At the same time, it gives customers the option to request an extra seam allowance on ready-made items for no added cost, or create it themselves by following an option in the sewing tutorial.

I have no idea how to sew, so I order a ready-made lilac Penny Shirred Midaxi dress in a size 6.

As every brand seems to have varying sizing options, I have no idea whether it will come up small or large, but actually it fits almost perfectly, and theres enough give for me to know I can eat a big bowl of pasta and still feel comfy.

By avoiding restrictive zips and buttons, and by using certain techniques such as shirring [a type of sewing that uses elastic to create gathers] to add stretch, our clothes will always be a great fit, explain founders Khirsty Campbell and Eleanor Gall.

Conventional sizing can often leave people out, so we think that our approach is more inclusive.

At 135, its slightly more expensive than a High Street gingham summer dress might be, but the fact that it should fit for life again makes it worth the extra money. Plus, savvy creative types can save money by opting for the 45 kit and making the dress themselves. 7/10

SWAP SHOP

Universal Standard Geneva dress, 88, and skinny jeans, 72, universalstandard.com

Radhika said Universal Standard Geneva dress (pictured) fit perfectly and is a comfortable style with an asymmetrical hem

Universal Standards shopping programme, Fit Liberty, allows customers to exchange worn clothes from a certain range for a different size for free within a year of purchase.

The idea is to give you the freedom to change sizes without fear, anxiety or added expense, and any returned pieces are donated to charities First Step and Dress For Success (which helps improve womens career progression by providing professional attire and support).

Im so excited that I instantly purchase its classic Geneva dress  a comfortable style with an asymmetrical hem  in an XS, as well as a pair of high-rise skinny jeans with a 25 in waist. When they arrive, they both fit perfectly  for now. I have a feeling the jeans will get a little tight as the winter months kick in.

In the past, this would have had me debating anxiously between a 25 in or 26 in pair of jeans, but now I dont have to worry.

I can keep the ones that fit for now, knowing that if anything changes, I can simply replace them.

Its a dream solution to size anxiety, and I hope that more brands will do the same.

It ships from the U.S. for about 20, although the return also costs another 20, but my clothes order arrives in less than a week.

To make this a truly sustainable option, however, we really need a UK equivalent. 9/10
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A flight attendant is lifting the lid on the common things that people should never do on a plane, from falling asleep with their head on the window to ignoring the safety demonstrations. Tommy Cimato, who has more than 126,000 TikTok followers, has been using his platform to warn passengers against certain in-flight behaviors in his popular ' Five Things You Should Never on an Airplane ' videos.

Nearly all of the things the Arizona native advised against were safety-related, with Cimato pointing out some of the most germ-covered areas on the plane that people should try to avoid at all costs.

'Do not ever go barefoot. Don't take your shoes off,' he insisted in his first of two videos, which was posted in July. 'The floors are filthy. I see so many people do this and it's just not sanitary. Don't do it.'

Yikes: In one of his popular 'Five Things You Should Never on an Airplane' videos, he pointed out that the toilet and windows are some of the most germ-covered areas on the plane.

Cimato went on to warn against getting up during turbulence and ignoring the flight attendants' safety demos. 'In the unlikely event of something happening, if you paid attention, you are 80 percent more likely to survive,' he explained.

He also warned against ignoring the flight attendants' safety demonstrations.

Cimato said passengers shouldn't wear shorts on an airplane if they can avoid it, saying: 'You never know how clean it's gonna be'.

Another germ-covered spot on the plane? According to Cimato, the windows can be filthy.

More tips: The TikToker also suggested staying hydrated and telling a flight attendant if you're feeling sick.

The flight attendants are there to help if you need them.

Don't be rude: Cimato also took issue with passengers snapping their fingers at the flight attendants, insisting it's completely unnecessary.

Cimato ended the video with something many hurried passengers do at the end of a flight: get out of their seats as soon as the plane lands.
In this strange, pandemic-blighted world, it is not Labour but the Conservatives who have been depicting business as merciless exploiters of cheap labour on a scale that would have a Victorian mill-owner twirling his moustache in envy.

The criticism is crude and partial but has some force because it contains an element of truth.

Road haulage and several other key industries, including engineering and construction, have ageing workforces and have depended far too heavily for years on low-cost labour from overseas.

Vision: Boris Johnson is right that we should aspire to be a highly paid, highly skilled, highly productive economy

Everyone has known since the Brexit vote in 2016 that the ready supply of labour from the EU was likely to dwindle, so companies must bear a share of responsibility for failing to tackle the problem.

But the anti-business rhetoric does a dis-service to many firms. To give just a couple of examples, JCB in Staffordshire and fashion manufacturer David Nieper in Derbyshire have gone to great lengths to train apprentices and nurture skills in their local areas. There are many more like them.

Firms were aware Brexit would bring curbs on the supply of immigrant labour, but it was not immediately clear to what extent this would be the case.

Nor could business leaders have predicted how the coronavirus crisis would exacerbate labour shortages. Fomenting anti-business sentiment and encouraging workers in a sense of entitlement, at a time when many seem to think WFH is a human right, is a dangerous route for the Tories.

It risks alienating natural Conservative supporters, including entrepreneurs and donors who are already angry at the impending rise in Corporation Tax and National Insurance.

Exploitative employers exist, of course. Yet plenty are at the other end of the spectrum and are bending over backwards to appear woke and to accommodate staff in their various post-lockdown demands.

Rather than business-bashing, the Conservatives need a positive roadmap for the economy and for growth.

Boris's predecessors, whether one agreed with them or not, did have a vision and a plan, with some intellectual underpinning.

Mrs Thatcher's thinking was influenced by economists Friedrich von Hayek and Adam Smith. Her economic adviser, Sir Alan Walters, held such great sway it put him on a collision course with Chancellor Nigel Lawson. In the New Labour era, Gordon Brown's views were informed by Harvard economists such as Larry Summers.

What about Boris? There appears to be a vacancy for the post of economic guru to the PM. Perhaps Andy Haldane, the former Bank of England chief economist who is now to lead the levelling up task force, will fill it but, at the moment, that is one of the most worrying skill shortages.

The Prime Minister is absolutely right that we should aspire to be a highly paid, highly skilled, highly productive economy.

The question is how we get there. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as stopping the supply of foreign labour and imagining that is enough to usher in a golden age for the British worker.
A Welsh biotech firm will today unveil fresh data which suggests its drug delivery technology can help treat serious neurological illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.

ReNeuron said the results of its latest studies provided 'clear pre-clinical proof-of-concept' that its exosome technology can deliver therapeutic proteins to the corpus striatum, a region of the brain that is affected by disabling neurological diseases and strokes.

Exosomes are microscopic fluid-filled sacs that transport molecules between cells in the human body.

Study: ReNeuron said the results of its latest studies provided 'clear pre-clinical proof-of-concept' that its exosome technology can deliver therapeutic proteins to the corpus striatum

While pharmaceutical companies have identified different proteins that can help treat neurological illnesses, they often do not last long enough inside the body to be effective.

However, ReNeuron said studies performed with the University of Salamanca in Spain showed its exosome technology could deliver therapeutic proteins to areas of the brain at a higher level than administering a protein by itself.
Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty Steel has secured a 50m cash injection, safeguarding 1,000 jobs at its plant in Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

The deal is part of a wider restructuring of GFG Alliance, Liberty's owner, which was forced to seek funding when its key lender, Greensill Capital, collapsed.

Boost: Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance said the cash would allow the Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants to reopen this month

GFG Alliance said the cash would allow the Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants to reopen this month after being closed since spring. Community, the steelworkers' union, said it was 'overdue' but was 'an important step in the right direction'.

Liberty Steel employed 3,000 steelworkers in the UK at the beginning of 2021. But its future was thrown into doubt when Greensill collapsed in early March.

GFG has been struggling to raise new financing since then, while the majority of its workers have been on furlough.

In April, GFG approached the Government for help, but the request was rejected by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.
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Demand for travel to 'red list' countries such as the Maldives, Mexico and Sri Lanka is surging amid hopes they could be among the next destinations downgraded in the UK Government's next travel shake-up.

Travel experts anticipate a 'large increase in bookings this weekend' for foreign trips if the Government goes ahead with tearing up testing rules for the fully vaccinated in time for the half-term holidays.

Under a major raft of changes to be announced today, the double-jabbed will no longer have to take costly PCR tests when they return from abroad - and will instead only need a cheaper lateral flow test.

The 'pre-departure tests' that travellers are forced to take before flying home are also likely to be scrapped amid a long-awaited review of the travel restrictions that will also see the controversial traffic light rules radically redrawn.

Expedia said today that Mexico is the most popular red list country when comparing this month with September 2020, with a rise in interest of 70 per cent, while the Maldives is up 30 per cent and Sri Lanka 20 per cent.

And Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told MailOnline this morning: 'I think you'll see a large increase in bookings this weekend, if the Prime Minister goes ahead with the measures.'

Skyscanner said it had seen a 92 per cent increase in the last full week for return searches by UK travellers with Dubai, 'everywhere', Alicante, Malaga and Dublin in the top spots, while interest in Turkey has also seen an uptick.

TravelSuperMarket added that average holiday prices to Spain for this month and next are 38 per cent down on the same period in 2019 given that it remains on the amber list, but green list Malta is up 29 per cent.

Expedia said today that Mexico is the most popular red list country when comparing this month with September 2020, with a rise in interest of 70 per cent. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is pictured above

Expedia also said it had seen an increase in interest of 30 per cent for the Maldives. The beach at Gili Lankanfushi is pictured

Demand for Sri Lanka is up 20 per cent this month compared to last year. The Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara is pictured

Amid the changes, instead of the green, amber and red system that was introduced in May, there will be a simplified 'go/no-go' regime. All current amber list countries will effectively become green  or 'go' destinations.

And the number of red list, or 'no-go' countries, will be slashed in half. This means popular destinations such as Turkey are likely to open up to fully jabbed Britons next month, although Mr Charles said this 'could go either way'.

At a glance: Seven new rules for UK travellers Traffic light system radically redrawn into simple go/no-go system

Almost all existing amber list countries become 'go' destinations

Number of red, or no-go, destinations slashed in half

Double-jabbed travellers no longer need to take a PCR test after returning from 'go' or green country  only cheaper lateral flow

So-called pre-departure tests, taken 72 hours before someone flies home, likely to be scrapped

Tougher rules for unvaccinated  they have to isolate after returning from abroad and take two PCR tests on day two and day eight

Hotel quarantine remains for remaining red list countries, even for double-jabbed Britons Advertisement

Speaking about the surge in demand, an Expedia spokesman told MailOnline today: 'Overall, Mexico has proven the most popular destination with the greatest interest of approximately 70 per cent this month when compared to this time last year. We also saw an interest increase of 30 per cent for the Maldives and 20 per cent for Sri Lanka.

'No doubt these surges are a result of the upcoming update that the need for expensive PCR tests for the double vaccinated will be scrapped - saving travellers money and putting their minds at ease when booking their next holiday.

'This surge in interest also shows that the public is confident to travel abroad when these guidelines lift and eager to explore these once-in-a-lifetime destinations.'

Skyscanner said that in the last full week of September 6 to 13, it had seen a 92 per cent increase for all economy, return searches by UK traveller.

It added that in terms of upcoming October half term week, weekly booking volumes for trips in half term have increased by 22 per cent in the last week.

A survey of more than 2,000 British adults, conducted last week by Skyscanner and OnePoll, found that 43 per cent would be more likely to book travel abroad if the current system was changed. It also found that 36 per cent still find the traffic light system confusing.

Meanwhile Emma Coulthurst from TravelSupermarket told MailOnline: 'In the last few weeks, we have seen a rise in people searching and booking holidays for September and October.

'We anticipate it is people who did not make plans this summer abroad but spent their holiday time in the UK due to the rule changes coming late.'

All current 'amber list' countries will effectively become green  or 'go' destinations while the number of 'red list', or 'no-go' countries, will be slashed in half. This means popular holiday destinations such as Turkey are likely to open up to fully jabbed Britons next month

She said prices to Spain for this month and next are 38 per cent down compared to the same period in 2019 - adding that the country has really suffered from a lack of demand because of its position on the amber list.

What are the current travel traffic light rules? Green list: Travellers must take a pre-departure Covid-19 test and book a day two follow up after arrival. There is no quarantine requirement unless the test is positive. The rules apply even to the fully-vaccinated. Amber list: Travellers must take a pre-departure Covid-19 test and book and pay for post-arrival follow up tests. This applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status. The fully vaccinated must take a day two test. People who are not fully-vaccinated must quarantine for 10 days at home and take tests on day two and day eight. Red list: Travellers must take a pre-departure Covid-19 test and book an 11 day stay in a Government-backed quarantine hotel where they will be tested on day two and day eight. This applies to all travellers, even those who are fully-vaccinated. The quarantine hotel costs 2,285 which must be paid by the traveller. Advertisement

Ms Coulthurst added: 'We are expecting a surge in holiday interest on the back of the expected simplification of the travel rules.

'Despite being on the red list, so far this month Turkey has still been the fourth most popular country to compare package holiday prices for via TravelSupermarket for a holiday from the UK in September and October - dropping from third place in 2019 at this time.

'This just shows the pent-up demand to travel to this low cost, warm late summer destination and suggests that people had been hoping that it would turn amber in the last traffic light update.

'People are still searching for holidays there in the hope of a traffic light change.'

And Ryan Pearson, regional manager at Booking.com, told MailOnline: 'We welcome today's announcement which should simplify international travel, whilst at the same time keeping people's safety a priority. For the first time in a long time, there seems to be a real sense of optimism amongst us Brits on future travel.

'In light of the vaccine rollout and with many of us eager to experience the world once again, it is no surprise that we have started to see an increase in international booking searches - even if these trips are being booked last minute as people wait to see if government guidance changes.

'Our Q2 room nights (bookings) were up 59 per cent versus Q1 and we see this driven by domestic and international booking trends across Europe. It's really encouraging to see travel reopening as people across the nation get ready to explore the world once more.'

Last night, sources said the changes to the Government's travel rules will save a typical family 'hundreds of pounds'. But as part of the package, those who are not vaccinated face even tougher restrictions.

They will have to quarantine on their return from all countries  even those on the 'go' list  and will still need to take PCR tests. Insiders hope the strategy will help to drive up vaccination rates.

Ministers will meet this morning to finalise the plans, with a formal announcement expected this afternoon.

The changes will be a boost for the beleaguered industry, although travel chiefs said last night they didn't go far enough and called for all testing for the double-jabbed to be scrapped. It came as:

What are the best value beach destinations? TravelSupermarket has crunched its holiday price comparison data to identify the 25 beach destinations which are offering the, on average, best value September and October package holidays from the UK. The data is for any duration of holiday, and in brackets below is the average percentage price difference of the package holiday compared to if you had booked at the same time and gone in September or October 2019, and the relative cheapest price position in 2019: Costa Dorada (3rd to 1st -27%) Costa Brava (1st to 2nd, -11%) Costa de Almeria (11thth to 3rd -38%) Valencia , Costa del Azahar (2nd to 4th, +4%) Majorca (9th to 5th, -15%) Zante (5th to 6th, -8%) Algarve (8tht to 7th-13%) Costa del Sol (7th to 8th --13%) Costa Blanca (4th to 9th, +2%) Corfu (14th to 10th- -15%) Istrian Riviera (21st to 11th -20%) Crete (18th to 12th -14%) Halkidiki (- -7%) Kefalonia (15th to 14th -10%) Menorca (12th to 15th -4%) Fuerteventura (26th to 16th -20%) Central Dalmatia (10th to 17th +7%) Dubrovnik Riviera (20th to 18th -7%) Rhodes (22nd to 19th +7%) Gran Canaria (19th to 20th -2%) Malta (6th to 21st +29%) Kos (23rd to 22nd -6%) Lanzarote (25th to 23rd -7%) Te n erife (- -5%) Ibiza (17th to 25th +5%) Advertisement

The booster programme got under way yesterday, with a maternity support worker among the first to receive the jab;

It emerged that a care worker and her daughter died in the same hospital less than a fortnight apart after both refused to get vaccinated;

Industry leaders warned that care homes will be forced to shut, break the law or drop standards if ministers fail to push back the deadline for compulsory jabs;

Nicola Sturgeon has called in the British Army to deal with Scotland's ambulance crisis after she was forced to apologise for life-threatening delays;

A survey found that a majority of people believe workers will never return to the office full-time after the pandemic;

The latest figures showed that Covid infections appear to be falling in all regions of England, even after children have returned to school.

The travel industry has been calling for testing requirements to be eased or scrapped for the fully vaccinated for weeks.

Many countries in Europe have seen their travel industries recover much quicker than the UK's, having already dropped PCR testing rules for double-jabbed arrivals from low-risk countries.

There has also been huge controversy over the Government's approved list of PCR testing providers, with a litany of complaints that the tests are too expensive, and a disincentive to foreign travel.

Although the travel 'red list' of countries deemed to pose a high risk from new Covid variants will remain in place, the number of countries will be reduced by more than half from the current 62, opening up the vast majority of destinations to those who are fully jabbed.

Those returning from red list countries will still have to undergo a hotel quarantine at a cost of 2,285.

However, the unvaccinated face an even tougher regime from today.

At present, unvaccinated travellers returning from green list countries such as Croatia, Denmark and Germany have to take a PCR test within two days of their arrival home.

Under the new system they will have to isolate at home for ten days and take PCR tests on both day two and day eight, as they currently do for amber list countries. The changes will be in place in time for the October half-term.

Last night, a government source said the shake-up reflected growing confidence in the effectiveness of the Covid vaccines, coupled with a desire to cut travellers' costs.

The Office for National Statistics' weekly surveillance report estimated there were 697,100 infections in England in the seven days to September 11, down 8 per cent on the previous week

The UK is currently recording 1,000 Covid hospitalisations per day, the bulk of which are occurring in England (shown). This is up from around 750 from 'Freedom Day' on July 19, when all legal curbs were lifted in England

Deaths have remained low despite high levels of transmission thanks to the rollout of the vaccines

There will be widespread relief at the scrapping of the traffic light system. Since its launch in May, travellers have been subjected to a series of confusing and last-minute announcements.

What school wave? Covid cases in England fall AGAIN as mass testing survey estimates rates dipped by 8% to below 700,000 in first week of children being back in classrooms Covid cases fell again in England last week despite fears of a fresh wave of infections on the back of children returning to school, official figures show. The Office for National Statistics' weekly surveillance report estimated there were 697,100 infections across the country in the seven days to September 11, down 8 per cent on the previous week. Most schools in England went back from the summer break on Wednesday, September 1, meaning today's data includes the first full week of the new school term. There had been widespread concerns that England would see a meteoric rise in infections like Scotland did when classes north of the border resumed in mid-August. Covid cases there trebled to record highs in the following fortnight which put pressure on health officials to finally approve vaccines for 12 to 15-year-olds this week. The latest estimates, based on random swabbing of 100,000 households in England, suggest one in 80 people were carrying the virus on any given day last week. Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, said: 'It does look like those strongly expressed views that we would see a surge in infections after schools went back has not turned out to be the case.' Separate data from Public Health England found that more than nine in 10 of England's local authorities saw their outbreaks shrink in the first week of schools returning. At the peak of the second wave in early January, around one in 50 people in England were estimated to have coronavirus. The percentage of people testing positive for Covid is estimated to have increased in north-west England and decreased in the West Midlands and the East of England, the ONS said. The trend for all other regions is uncertain, with the outbreaks believed to have flatlined in the most recent week. North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber had the highest proportion of people of any region likely to test positive for coronavirus in the week to September 11  around one in 60. Eastern England had the lowest estimate, around one in 120. Advertisement

Today's changes could also see the number of red-list countries slashed to fewer than 30. Cape Verde, Egypt, the Maldives and Turkey are among the holiday destinations currently on the red list.

Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade said: 'Getting rid of PCR testing would be a real step forward but not if we still end up with two tests you have to pay for. We need to follow Europe's example and remove these requirements if you've been vaccinated.'

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of the Manchester Airports Group, said: 'People should be free to travel again to low-risk destinations without having to take any tests  whether that is PCR or lateral flow. The time for baby steps is over.'

George Eustice said that while no decisions have yet been taken on a potential shake-up of travel rules, the Covid Cabinet sub-committee is expected to meet today to look at the current restrictions.

The Environment Secretary told Sky News: 'My understanding is that no decisions have actually been taken yet, although I understand there may be a meeting today to review this. We regularly review those travel restrictions.'

Mr Eustice said the travel industry's concerns that current testing protocols are 'unnecessary' and 'onerous' have been heard.

'The Government will be listening to that and the Covid sub-committee of Cabinet that decide these things will be considering that probably later today,' he added.

Mr Eustice stressed, however, that there are issues in switching to using lateral flow tests instead.

The senior Conservative said the 'difficulty' with using the rapid-result tests, which are 'cheaper and simpler to do' than PCR tests, is that they are 'not able to pick up' coronavirus variants of concern that could potentially evade vaccines rolled out in the UK.

Labour said it will support a change to the travel testing regime as long as it is 'based on evidence'.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps's expected announcement, which could come today or possibly overnight, will only apply to England, but recently the devolved administrations have implemented rule changes for travel announced in Westminster.

It is anticipated that people arriving from red list countries will continue to be required to spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel, at a cost of 2,285 for solo travellers.

There are currently 62 countries on that list but this is expected to be reduced.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'Our top priority is to protect public health - decisions on our traffic light system are kept under regular review and are informed by the latest risk assessment from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and wider public health factors.'

Labour's shadow policing minister Sarah Jones said her party has been 'calling for ages' for ministers to scrap the amber travel list because it has 'always added to confusion'.

'People never quite understood what the system was,' she told Sky News. 'We've been calling for a proper process to work out an international vaccine passport so we can get people safely moving around.'

The travel sector has been desperate for the testing and quarantine rules for international travel to be relaxed.

Heathrow said this week it has gone from being Europe's busiest airport in 2019 to number 10 on the list, behind rivals in cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt.

Speculation that travel restrictions might soon be overhauled sent shares in airlines soaring.

AJ Bell financial analyst Danni Hewson said: 'October half-term is the next big opportunity for the travel sector and any changes that can make travelling less unsettling and testing less expensive will yield dividends.'
Abdul Elraoui fired shots at a woman, 21, after she broke into his property

The upcoming sentencing of an elderly farmer who shot a young woman multiple times during a frightening late-night home invasion will show just how far residents can go in defending their property.

Abdul Elraoui, 71, fired an unregistered semi-automatic rifle at Hannah Meharry, then 21, after she and two friends used bolt-cutters to break into his rural property at Mincha in northern Victoria at 3am on June 11, 2019.

Ms Meharry survived the ordeal after an operation to remove bullet fragments from her arm and back while Mr Elraoui - who on Wednesday pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury and reckless conduct endangering life - awaits sentencing.

The shooting has drawn comparisons to the case of bodybuilder Aaron Soper who died during an altercation with a homeowner in Sydney in 2019, and that of Ricky Slater who died in hospital a day after fighting with a man whose house he was robbing in Newcastle in 2016.

Abdul Elraoui's property is on Mincha-Canary Island Rd in Victoria, north-west of Melbourne

Joseph Palamara, who works as a criminal law associate at national firm Armstrong Legal, told Daily Mail Australia that self-defence is enshrined in the Crimes Act in Section 418(1) in NSW, and Section 322K in Victoria.

'To argue self-defence, the person genuinely has to believe they were in immediate danger at the time' he said.

'It doesn't matter if that belief was mistaken, they have to believe their conduct was necessary in the moment.'

In the Mincha incident, Ms Meharry and two young men broke into the home of Mr Elraoui, who told police his isolated property had been targeted by thieves several times in the preceding months. He lived alone on the property.

Mr Elraoui fired shots toward the light of Ms Meharry's phone and hit her in the arm and back, causing her to scream in pain, drop her phone and run back to the group's car.

Mr Schwartz (pictured with his wife and daughter) was questioned by police, but was released without charge

Pictured: Brad Soper pictured with ex-girlfriend Kaisha Gambell before he died during a home invasion

Elraoui told police he followed a trail of blood towards the car and fired more shots as it sped away.

The would-be thieves crashed their car in attempting to flee, and Ms Meharry ran to a neighbour's property for help and collapsed. The neighbour then drove the injured trio to hospital.

Mr Palamara explained that if an attacker retreats or leaves the situation, the immediate threat has passed.

'If the accused continues with the defence, it's not a reasonable response anymore.'

Mr Elraoui's barrister Cameron Marshall said his client had found life difficult in Australia after leaving Lebanon during the civil war.

The 71-year-old had become 'estranged' from society following a divorce and had also developed anxiety problems after he was robbed several times.

'He is a deeply apprehensive and fearful man - it manifests with significant anxiety and agitation,' Mr Marshall told Victoria's County Court.

In a similar situation in February of 2019 - four months before the incident in Mincha - Johann Schwartz, then 44, woke to the sound of his dogs barking.

He found bodybuilder Brad Soper, 35, in the lounge room of his Harrington Park home in Sydney's south-west.

Soper's father said he was at a loss to explain why his son broke into Mr Schwartz's family home and ransacked it

Soper and Ms Gambell, a lawyer (pictured), lived together up until they split

The South African-born office worker tackled the intruder - once crowned Asia's Strongest Man - to the ground and they fought before Soper collapsed and died.

Mr Schwartz spent ten hours being interviewed by police before he was released.

Mr Schwartz battled post-traumatic stress syndrome afterwards and still remains haunted by his actions in the heat of the moment but says he acted on instinct amid fears for the safety of his wife and young child.

He later admitted he could have handled the situation better by calling police or activating the house alarm rather than confronting Soper.

In 2016, Ben Batterham, 35, found Ricky Slater, 34, lurking in his infant daughter's bedroom at his Newcastle home in before he chased him outside, put him in a chokehold and punched him until police arrived.

Slater was carrying a shoulder bag containing three knives, marijuana, and methamphetamine, and had stolen things of value to Mr Batterham including his partner's purse and his daughter's headband before running off.

His partner and daughter were not home at the time of the attack.

The court heard during the trial that neighbours tried to get Mr Batterham to let Slater go, but he refused and told the burglar he would kill him.

Monique Batterham told her husband: 'I don't think it's your fault that we had to go through it, at all'

Benjamin Batterham (centre) leaving the Newcastle Supreme Court with his wife and barrister after the jury found him not guilty of murder and the lesser charge of manslaughter

How far can you go to protect your turf? Joseph Palamara from Armstrong Legal explains: - Take whatever steps are possible to reduce the threat without using violence. - Call triple-0 and hide to escape the situation. - Force should only be in situations if yours or someone else's life is in immediate threat. - If you have to use force, only do it to the point where it's reasonable in the circumstance. If someone has a weapon, the response might be different to someone who is not armed during the situation. Advertisement

Multiple witnesses testified that Slater was telling Batterham 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe' during the struggle.

Batterham was found not guilty of the murder and manslaughter of Slater, who died in hospital a day after the struggle.

He was telling Slater: 'You motherf**king piece of s**t. How dare you break into my daughter's bedroom. She's only seven months old.'

The chef later told 60 Minutes he was was 'very upset' when he found Slater in his home.

'It's my castle, people should always defend their homes,' he said.

Mr Batterham spent two months in prison before being granted bail, while a petition to free him amassed tens of thousands of signatures.

'I've gone from the victim to the criminal. It was a nightmare,' he said.

Defence lawyers insisted throughout the trial that Mr Batterham never intended to kill Mr Slater or cause him serious harm.

In December 2019, Mr Batterham was given compensation for money spent on his defence - believed to be about $1million.

Mr Palamara said the best advice for someone who has seen a crime or feels threatened is to escape the situation without violence and contact police.

'The use of force should only be in situations if yours or someone else's life is in immediate threat,' he said.

Ricky Slater lost consciousness during a struggle following the home invasion

Forensic toxicologists argued Slater (pictured) suffered a heart attack due to the high level of meth in his system and his existing heart condition, but other experts said the tests were inconclusive

While Mr Batterham and Mr Schwartz walked free after successfully arguing self-defence, Mr Palamara said Mr Elraoui's case could result in jail time or a community corrections because he pursued his attackers after they retreated.

'There are two main factors (in sentencing) - deterring the offender from committing offences like this in the future, and deterring the community from committing offences like that in the future.'

'The courts will want to send a message.'

Following the incident, Mr Elraoui called his son to say he fired shots at suspected thieves, before he turned himself in to police.

A subsequent search of his home revealed the unregistered rifle and more than 100 bullets - despite losing his firearms licence in 2018 for failing to secure a gun properly.

Ms Meharry faces trespassing charges and will appear at Bendigo Magistrates Court on Monday.
When gang rapist Mohammed Skaf was reunited with his parents, brother and sister last week there was one family member who could not be there to greet him.

If the Skafs' neighbours were surprised to see television cameras set up outside their house on Wednesday, they should prepare for when big brother Bilal finally returns to the street.

While media have been camped outside the Skaf home at Greenacre capturing every move Mohammed makes outside, Bilal has at least 12 more years to serve in prison.

Mohammed is rightly reviled for his role in a string of rapes committed across south-western Sydney two decades ago but he is not even the most notorious member of his own family.

That dishonour belongs to Bilal, who led a gang of young Lebanese Australians on a spate of four pack rapes describe by his sentencing judge as 'worse than murder'.

Pack rapist Mohammed Skaf was the leader of a gang who raped six women in four attacks in August and September 2000. While his brother and fellow gang member Mohammed has been released from prison, Bilal will not be eligible for parole until February 2033. Skaf is pictured with his former fiancee

From laughing during his trial to abusing his sentencing judge and drawing cartoons of his onetime fiancee being pack raped from his prison cell, Bilal Skaf has shown absolutely no contrition

Skaf's mother Baria was barred from visiting all NSW jails in September 2002 after being caught on security video (pictured) trying to smuggle letters her son had written to his fiancee

Six girls and women aged 16 to 18 were lured to parks and public toilets in four attacks coordinated by mobile phone in August and September 2000.

One woman was raped at least 25 times by 14 gang members in a six-hour ordeal which ended with her being dumped at a train station after being hosed down.

She was called an 'Aussie pig', told by Mohammed Skaf 'I'm going to f*** you Leb style' and asked if 'Leb c*** tasted better than Aussie c***'.

That woman would later tell 60 Minutes she thought she might die that night.

'I just cant believe they had no pity whatsoever,' she told journalist Ray Martin. 'They didn't think of me as a person, they just thought of me as some thing, just rubbish or meat or something.'

'There was a point when one of them held a gun to my head and that's when I had to ask myself whether it was worth fighting and dying or not fighting.

'I knew that I had to live. I couldnt stand the thought of my mum and everyone I love not knowing what had happened to me if I turned up dead that night.'

Mohammed Skaf was released on parole last Wednesday with strict conditions including electronic monitoring 24 hours a day. He is pictured walking out of Long Bay jail

Mohammed Skaf (right) was released last Wednesday from Long Bay jail. Bilal Skaf (left) will be eligible for parole in 2033. He is serving a minimum term of 28 years with a maximum of 31

Bilal Skaf was originally sentenced to 55 years in prison with a minimum of 40 years after being convicted of 21 counts of aggravated rape, assault and kidnapping. That sentence was reduced on appeal to a maximum term of 31 years and a 28-year non-parole period

In another attack a 16-year-old was pinned down on the ground and raped by 18-year-old Bilal while a dozen of his underlings stood around her laughing.

'These men treated her much like wild animals treat prey they have just killed,' New South Wales District Court judge Michael Finnane said of that outrage.

Nine of the gang were eventually jailed and now that 38-year-old Mohammed was granted strict parole after 21 years in prison all but Bilal have been released.

Mohammed has been making headlines last week but 40-year-old Bilal, who will not be released before 2033, is the Skaf most responsible for bringing the family name nationwide infamy.

From laughing during his trial to drawing cartoons of his onetime fiancee being pack raped from his prison cell, Bilal has shown absolutely no contrition.

Skaf, who was expelled from school aged 14 and had failed as a spray painter, had a teenage criminal record for minor offences including shoplifting.

He had spent time in his parents homeland of Lebanon and followed his father Mustapha into a job at State Rail before embarking on his pack rape spree.

Skaf was originally sentenced to 55 years in prison with a minimum of 40 years after being convicted of 21 counts of aggravated rape, assault and kidnapping.

That sentence was reduced on appeal to a maximum term of 31 years and a 28-year non-parole period.

Mohammed Skaf has been reunited with his mother, father, sister and younger brother after he was released on parole last week. The family home (pictured) is at Greenacre in Sydney's south west

The Skaf family has lived on this quiet bottlebrush-lined street for the past two decades. Second eldest son Mohammed is now living there after spending 21 years in prison

Judge Finnane, who imposed the original record 55-year sentence, was clearly disgusted by the young man who stood before him.

'What this trial showed was that he was the leader of the pack, a liar, a bully, a coward, callous and mean,' he said in September 2002.

'He is, in truth, a menace to any civilised society.'

Skaf was 'the worst of all offenders' and throughout his trials 'conducted himself as if the proceedings were a joke', showing absolutely no remorse for his actions.

His crimes, according to Judge Finnane, could be compared to 'what you hear about or read about only in the context of wartime atrocities.'

Skaf had claimed any sex was consensual and forced the women he raped to give evidence about what he had done to them by pleading not guilty.

During hearings Skaf would summon court officers with a click of his fingers to fetch him water then crush the foam cups and sprinkle the broken pieces on the floor.

Skaf's barrister could not submit his client had shown any contrition because his client insisted no psychological reports or character references be tendered before sentencing.

Mohammed Skaf has had the headlines last week but his 40-year-old brother Bilal is the Skaf most responsible for bringing the family name nationwide infamy. Bilal is pictured

Skaf's crimes, according to NSW District Court judge Michael Finnane, could be compared to 'what you hear about or read about only in the context of wartime atrocities'

Judge Finnane warned that when Skaf was eventually released, 'everyone would want to watch out when he is because he will be just as menacing then as he is now.'

Then premier Bob Carr described the original 55-year term as 'the sort of sentence the community expects'. Crown Prosecutor Margaret Cunneen said Skaf's crimes left an indelible stain on the psyche of the state's citizens.

Skaf was caught drawing cartoons in which his former fiancee was raped and murdered

Skaf offered his own appraisal of Judge Finnane at his sentencing. 'I'm innocent,' he shouted. 'I remain my innocence until the day I die, you c***.'

As he became one of the country's most despised criminals Skaf retained the support of his parents and 'heartbroken' fiancee, who was hanging on for the result of an appeal.

'I'm out here waiting for him,' she said after Skaf was sentenced. 'That's holding him up. He has me and a life out here.

'If we can get through this, we can get through anything - God willing.'

They didn't.

Behind bars Bilal became even more notorious. Corrective Services Commissioner Ron Woodham said of his new resident that Judge Finnane had 'summed him up to a tee'.

'He hasn't changed despite our best efforts,' Woodham said of Skaf's first couple of years in custody.

Other inmates did not like Skaf and he was antagonistic towards his keepers. Within a month of his sentencing false rumours circulated his penis had been cut off and that he had been raped in prison.

Three prisoners at Long Bay were said to be planning to take blood from an HIV-positive inmate and inject it into him before his transfer to Goulburn's Multi Purpose Unit.

Bilal Skaf was engaged when he was arrested over a spate of pack rapes committed in Sydney's south western suburbs. His fiancee initially stood by him but broke off the relationship shortly after he was sentenced. The former couple is pictured

Three prisoners at Long Bay were said to be planning to take blood from an HIV-positive inmate and inject it into him before his transfer to Goulburn's Multi Purpose Unit. Skaf is pictured outside the NSW Supreme Court in July 2006

When a stash of hardcore pornography was found in his cell there, Skaf was off to Supermax, also within the Goulburn complex.

While in the nation's most secure jail he was accused of threatening to blow up 'Australia and citizens' if all Muslim prisoners in NSW were not released.

His mother Baria was barred from visiting the state's jails in September 2002 after being caught on security video trying to smuggle letters her son had written to his fiancee.

The seven pages included sketches of Skaf's cell and exercise yard and were considered a threat to prison security.

Reporter Paul Mullins spoke to Skaf in Supermax three months later and said he looked like 'a frightened little boy'.

'His eyes were red. He'd obviously been crying and he was complaining. He said, "I've been getting a lot of therapy from the guys in here. They've been giving me a hard time".

'He was upset that they banned his mother from visiting him. I said to him, "What is the worst part of being in the Supermax?" and he said it was the segregation, being isolated from everybody.'

Mohammed Skaf is pictured outside his family's home at Greenacre on Friday. 'You'll be charged with trespassing,' he shouted at waiting photographers when he arrived home

In December 2002 a letter attributed to Skaf and addressed to Woodham was found in an internal prison mailbox. It was laced with a white powder authorities believed was meant to simulate anthrax and read:

'Don't take this as a threat but if all muslims aren't released by January 2003 Australia and citizens will be in danger of bombing.'

By New Year, Skaf was on suicide watch after officers found six sleeping pills and a broken mirror in his cell, which he had attempted to set alight.

He carved his fiancee's name into his arms using a plastic knife, causing an infection. The relationship ended when she called it off in March 2003.

The rapist's response was to make threatening phone calls and send hate-filled letters to the woman.

In July 2003 prison officers found five drawings in Skaf's cell which showed scenes including the pack rape and murder of his former fiancee.

The Skaf family home is about 1.7km from Gosling Park (above) where one of the Skaf gang's pack rapes occurred on August 12, 2000. Mohammed lured a 16-year-old girl to the park where Bilal and another gang member raped her while a dozen others stood around laughing

Mohammed Skaf (left) is seen trying to help lift a girl from the sand at Bondi while fellow rapist Tayyab Sheik (right) is seen leaning over another girl in police surveillance footage from October 2000

In perhaps the most disturbing cartoon one naked man said to another who was already raping the woman: 'Hurry up, man, there's 50 others waiting'.

In another, a soldier was firing an assault rifle at a prone woman, who had blood pouring from her wounds, as he said, 'Ya slut'.

Mr Woodham said of the pictures: 'I believe the drawings depict the way he thinks.'

'It tells you the way he thinks about women. He's learnt nothing since his trial and conviction. He hasn't shown any remorse at all.'

The same month Skaf was accused of warning Supermax officers to be careful when they finished work as they could get shot leaving the prison.

Once back in the main Goulburn jail Skaf continued to protest his innocence and insult his victims as he was kept in a yard with other Lebanese prisoners.

'They love me,' he reportedly told officers. 'I'm their hero, I'm famous. They love what I did to those Aussie scum.'

He might be infamous but Skaf is no one's hero and the other inmates did not love him. In 2015 he was assaulted by three prisoners who inflicted facial injuries.

Skaf is currently in the maximum-security Lithgow jail and will be 51 when he is first eligible for release on February 11, 2033.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will have more non-Covid related questions to answer this coming week than any other time since the pandemic began.

And the man dubbed 'Chairman Dan' is unlikely to enjoy or effectively answer any of them.

Over the next month, the premier's leadership and resilience will again be put to the flame.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has managed to hang onto his job despite overseeing the deaths of hundreds of elderly Victorians

On Friday, Victoria recorded its highest daily case tally of active Covid cases since the pandemic began, with 1838 infections and five deaths

The employment of private security guards at Victoria's quarantine hotels (pictured) saw the virus leak into the community and kill hundreds.

This time it will have nothing to do with his performance handling the dreaded virus.

Starting Monday, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission will kick off public hearings into 'allegations that public money intended to fund community associations was misused for partypolitical work or other improper purposes'.

The hearings are expected to go for at least a month and drag before it a series of characters the premier would have been comfortable to have remained firmly in the shadows.

The hearings will centre around concern grants were going to organisations which would then use the funds to recruit new members for the Labor party.

For those not with the lingo, branch stacking is basically when people are recruited into a branch of a political party to influence who is pre-selected as an election candidate.

It comes with the problem of certain factions of political parties boosting membership with a view that pre-selection votes ensure its preferred candidate gets the job.

It's a dodgy practice within political parties as old as the hills.

Former Labor MP, now independent, Adem Somyurek is expected to play an intriguing role at the IBAC hearings.

Last year, Mr Somyurek accused Mr Andrews of branch stacking during a speech in State Parliament.

A day earlier he had been called out for the practice himself in a 60 Minutes expose.

That was a 'hatchet job', Mr Somyurek said of the report.

On Friday, the embattled politician fired a shot over the bow of reporter Nick McKenzie in anticipation of the IBAC hearings.

'I remind Nick McKenzie that every article is worth $400,000 in defamation. Ibac is advertised to go for 30 days. If McKenzie writes one article per day that would be $400,000 @ 30 = $12 million. Keep it coming,' he tweeted.

Former Labor MP, now independent, Adem Somyurek is expected to play an interesting role in the IBAC hearings

Adem Somyurek (right) and Premier Daniel Andrews (centre) were once close allies

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews arrives to a press conference this week without a mask

But it is speculation about Mr Andrews' dealings with the firefighters union that has the premier's haters circling for his scalp.

IBAC has been investigating the United Firefighters Unions role in Victorias fire services reform since 2019.

While complex in its nature, the controversy revolves around how an unpopular and expensive deal with the union and its boss was struck.

In 2016, Mr Andrews threw his hat into the ring to make the deal happen.

By then the issue had been dragging on for years and had seen the entire Country Fire Authority board sacked by the premier.

Supposed leaks about what IBAC will look at over the next month saw the opposition this week call for Mr Andrews to stand down.

When asked on Wednesday if he would, the premier stood firm.

Mr Andrews knew he was on stable ground - more stable perhaps than any he has been on throughout the pandemic.

Under the IBAC Act, it can be an offence for an individual to confirm they are even being examined.

'If you want to know what IBAC is doing and who theyre doing it with, then you need to speak to Ibac. I cannot provide you with any other answer, Mr Andrews told reporters.

'I behave appropriately at all times and Im focused on always doing what is the appropriate thing to do.'

This is a man who has weathered a tsunami of criticism, speculation and damning factual blunders over the past 19 months.

Victorian firefighters marched on the steps of parliament calling on Premier Daniel Andrews to deliver a Christmas wish in the form of a new workplace agreement in 2015. It was eventually granted

United Firefighters Union chief Peter Marshall negotiated a controversial deal with the Andrews Government

Former Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos resigned after Premier Daniel Andrews blamed her for his government's disastrous hotel quarantine scheme

Premier Daniel Andrews took an oath to tell the truth at an inquiry into the state's hotel quarantine disaster last year

On Friday, Victoria recorded its highest daily case tally of active Covid cases since the pandemic began, with 1838 infections and five deaths.

Last year, the state recorded 890 Covid-related deaths - most of those elderly citizens who died after the virus leaked out of the premier's bungled hotel quarantine program.

An embarrassing inquiry over that scandal saw Mr Andrews, his staff and ministers all deny responsibility for those mistakes.

Ultimately the premier apologised to Victorians and his health minister took the brunt of the blame.

But 'Teflon Dan' soldiered on.

Even a fall down the stairs failed to stop the premier holding onto power.

On Thursday night text messages started to spread among Melburnians suggesting Mr Andrews was more than a little worried about what IBAC would find.

Government sources told Daily Mail Australia it was 'wishful thinking' to believe IBAC would end Mr Andrews' reign at the top.

'Anyone cheering IBAC as the tool to end him might be in for a rude shock. Covid is the killer,' the source said.
A Florida man who was exonerated of a 1983 rape and murder after serving 37 years in prison is now suing over his wrongful conviction, claiming that officers conspired with a forensic dentist to put him in jail using unreliable beeswax molds.

Robert DuBoise, 56, was freed from prison in August 2020 after long-shelved, untested DNA evidence from a rape kit proved he was innocent of the slaying of 19-year-old Barbara Grams in Tampa.

Grams was raped and beaten to death while walking home from her job at a restaurant on August 19, 1983. No one else has been arrested for her murder.

DuBoise is suing the City of Tampa, four police investigators and the forensic dentist Dr Richard Souviron, according to a complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida last week.

'The only physical evidence implicating Mr. DuBoise was fabricated "bite mark" evidence that supposedly matched Mr. DuBoise to an injury on the victim's body. In fact, the victim's injury was not a human bite mark at all,' Daniel Marshall, an attorney for the Human Rights Defense Center, wrote in the lawsuit.

Robert DuBoise, center, is suing the City of Tampa, four police officers and a forensic dentist over his wrongful conviction. Above, DuBoise in August 2020 after serving 37 years in prison

DuBoise was 18 years old when he was arrested in 1983 based on a tip from a gas station clerk

He was exonerated last year after a rape kit was finally processed and proved his innocence. Above, DuBoise hugs his mother after being released from prison in Bowling Green, Florida

The dentist who analyzed the bite mark was Souviron, who gained notoriety as an expert after testifying in the murder trial of serial killer Ted Bundy that one of his Florida victims had a bite mark that matched his teeth.

DuBoise claims that investigators 'conspired' with Souviron to get the result they wanted. DuBoise was 18 when he was arrested.

Dr. Souviron did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

The investigators named in the lawsuit are Tampa Sgt. R.H. Price and detectives K.E. Burke, John Counsman and Phillip Saladino. Counsman is now deceased, with his estate being named in the suit.

'[Detectives] Burke and Saladino knew that they could count on Defendant Souviron to reach any conclusion about bite mark identifications they wanted, regardless of whether the identification had any legitimate forensic or scientific basis,' the lawsuit states.

In a speech Dr. Souviron gave to a police chiefs meeting before the DuBoise case, the lawsuit quotes him as saying, 'If you tell me that is the guy that did it, I will go into court and say that is the guy that did it.'

He also allegedly added: 'Did that tooth make the hole in the Defendants finger? I think so. I think so because the police said hes guilty,' and 'If the detectives say he did it, I am going to go in there and say he did it.'

Dr. Richard Souviron helped analyze an 'unreliable' beeswax mold that landed DuBoise in jail

Souviron famously testified about bite marks at the trial of serial killer Ted Bundy, pictured in 1978

Barbara Grams was 19 when she was slain in Tampa in 1983. She had been raped and beaten while walking home from her job at a Tampa restaurant

The lawsuit says beeswax was not an accepted method of identifying teeth marks in murder cases and was used 'only because another officer in the Tampa Police Department operated a honey business on the side.'

Detective Burke made the beeswax models with the assistance of his wife, though neither he nor his wife had any training in dental molds, dentistry or forensic odontology, the lawsuit states.

'Defendant Souviron knew that beeswax was not a proper medium to use for making dental impressions. Beeswax is too soft, and therefore can neither hold its shape nor preserve fine contours or spaces between teeth,' the suit argues.

In addition, the lawsuit contends that investigators conspired with jailhouse informants to falsely implicate DuBoise in the Grams killing because they knew their beeswax mold evidence was weak.

'The Police Officer Defendants conspired to conjure additional false evidence against Mr. DuBoise to ensure that he would be prosecuted and convicted,' the lawsuit argues.

Officers met five or six times with an inmate named Claude Butler, who admitted to having 'flashbacks,' seeing 'walls melt,' and 'hearing voices' before his arrest, according to the lawsuit.

'With Butlers cooperation, Defendants Counsman and Saladino knowingly fabricated a story that Mr. DuBoise had confessed to the murder,' the lawsuit says.

DuBoise never confessed to anyone and maintained his innocence throughout, his lawyers say.

DuBoise and his lawyers are asking for a jury trial on four counts of violation of due process, illegal detention and prosecution, failure to intervene and conspiracy to deprive constitutional rights.

They're also making a policy and custom claim against the City of Tampa, arguing that their lack of training, standards and safeguards led to his wrongful imprisonment.

DuBoise and his attorneys are seeking unspecified damages.

His supporters have requested $1.85 million in compensation from the state legislature, but that claims bill has so far gone nowhere.

DuBoise was just 18 when he arrested in Grams' slaying.

According to the lawsuit, investigators initially focused on DuBoise after an attendant at a gas station across the street from where Grams' body was found told police that three 'boys' named Robert, Bo and Ray had been 'causing trouble' in the area.

But this was six months before Grams was killed.

DuBoise was convicted of her murder and initially sentenced to death. His sentence was reduced in 1988 to life in prison until his exoneration and release last year.

His innocence was proven after a review of the case by the Hillsborough County state attorney's office and the Innocence Project, which works nationwide to free prisoners who are wrongly convicted.

Evidence in DuBoise's case was reviewed with the help of the Innocence Project

DuBoise's attorneys say he 'must now put his life back together after almost 40 years in prison.' Above, DuBoise in September 2020 on his bed in his new home in Tampa

Teresa Hall, the supervising attorney for the conviction review unit - a team dedicated to reviewing potential wrongful convictions - said during an online court hearing last year that she spent months combing through 3,500 pages of documents in the case.

She found that much of the physical evidence in the case had been destroyed. But she was able to track down rape kit evidence at the county medical examiner's office and process that for DNA.

Within a week, that evidence excluded DuBoise, although it has yet to pinpoint another suspect for Grams' murder.

'Robert knew the DNA would vindicate him,' said Susan Friedman, the Innocence Project lawyer, at the time. 'Even though he was told over a decade ago that the biological evidence was destroyed, he wouldn't give up.'

'It's an overwhelming sense of relief,' Robert DuBoise told reporters outside a prison after he was released last August. 'I prayed to God every day and hoped for it.

'If you keep hatred and bitterness in your heart, you don't have room for anything else,' he said. 'I'm just very grateful.'

Last week's lawsuit says: 'A free man for the first time since he was a teenager, Mr. DuBoise must now put his life back together after almost 40 years in prison.

'Mr. DuBoise has been deprived of all the basic pleasures of human experience, which all free people enjoy as a matter of right.'

He is being represented by the firm Loevy & Loevy and the Human Rights Defense Center.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has announced that he will step down following the announcement from prosecutors that he is a target of a corruption investigation.

Speaking on Saturday, the 35-year-old said he has proposed to Austria's president that Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg become chancellor in his place.

Kurz - who in 2017 became the world's youngest democratically elected leader - said he wanted to 'make space to prevent chaos'.

'We need stability,' the 35-year-old conservative said, adding it would be 'irresponsible' to allow Austria to 'slide into months of chaos or gridlock' while the EU member of almost nine million fights the pandemic.

But Kurz himself will remain in a key political position: he said he will become the head of his conservative Austrian People's Party's parliamentary group.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (pictured on Friday) said Saturday that he will step down in a bid to defuse a government crisis triggered by prosecutors' announcement that he is a target of a corruption investigation

Kurz has denied any wrongdoing, reiterating on Saturday that allegations against him were 'false.' 'I will be able to clarify it; I'm sure about that,' he said calmly.

Kurz's party had closed ranks behind him after the prosecutors' announcement on Wednesday, which followed searches at the chancellery and his party's offices.

But its junior coalition partner, the Greens, said Friday that Kurz couldn't remain as chancellor and demanded that his party nominate an 'irreproachable person' to replace him. The coalition government took office in January, 2020.

The Greens' leader, Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, welcomed Kurz's decision as 'a right and important step.'

'This means that we can continue our work in government,' he said.

Kurz and his close associates are accused of trying to secure his rise to the leadership of his party and the country with the help of manipulated polls and friendly reports in the media, financed with public money.

Kurz, who became the Peoples Party leader and then chancellor in 2017, denies wrongdoing.

The Greens said the probe created a 'disastrous' impression. In a separate case, anti-corruption authorities put Kurz under investigation in May on suspicion of making false statements to a parliamentary commission, an allegation he also rejected.

Kurz, 35, said he has proposed to Austria's president that Foreign Minister Alexander (pictured in September) Schallenberg become chancellor

Participants hold up flags and banners during a protest against Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in front of the People's Party (OeVP) headquarters on October 7, 2021 in Vienna, Austria

Opposition leaders had called for Kurz to go and planned to bring a no-confidence motion against him Tuesday in parliament.

'We are still in a very sensitive phase in Austria - the pandemic is not yet over and the economic upswing has only just begun,' while a reform of the countrys tax system to help curb greenhouse gas emissions has been negotiated but is not yet implemented, Kurz said.

'What we need now are stable conditions,' he told reporters in Vienna. 'So, in order to resolve the stalemate, I want to make way to prevent chaos and ensure stability.'

He insisted again that the accusations against him 'are false and I will be able to clear this up - I am deeply convinced of that.'

Kurz said of the Greens' demand for his replacement: 'Many tell me that this is unfair and ... you can imagine that I personally would also be grateful if the presumption of innocence in our country really applied to everyone.'

He insisted that the accusations against him were being 'mixed up' with old text messages that have surfaced in recent days. 'Some of them are messages that I definitely wouldn't formulate the same way again, but I am only a human being with emotions and also flaws,' he said.

The Greens' leader, Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (pictured on Thursday), welcomed Kurz's decision as 'a right and important step.'

Kurz will keep his party's leadership as well as becoming its parliamentary group leader.

He responded to the demand for an untainted new leader with Schallenberg, 52. Although loyal to Kurz, Schallenberg has a background in diplomacy rather than party politics.

Schallenberg already served as foreign minister in a non-partisan interim government that ran the European Union nation of 8.9 million people for several months after Kurzs first coalition with the far-right Freedom Party collapsed in 2019.

Kurz pulled the plug on that government after a video surfaced showing the vice chancellor and Freedom Party leader at the time, Heinz-Christian Strache, appearing to offer favors to a purported Russian investor.

Austria's next regular parliamentary election is due in 2024.

A demonstrator wearing a Sebastian Kurz mask in prison clothes and handcuffs takes part in a protest against the Austrian chancellor Kurz in front the headquarters of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) in Vienna, Austria October 7, 2021

In the latest scandal, according to prosecutors, the core allegation is that between 2016 and 2018, finance ministry resources were used to finance 'partially manipulated opinion polls that served an exclusively party political interest'.

This correlates to the time period in which Kurz, already a government minister, took over the leadership of the OeVP and later that of the Alpine nation at the helm of a coalition with the FPOe.

Prosecutors allege that payments were made to an unnamed media company - widely understood to be the Oesterreich tabloid - in return for publishing these surveys.

While Kurz has denied any wrongdoing, he said some of the text messages he wrote that have been leaked from the investigation files were composed in 'the heat of the moment'.

'I'm just human with emotions and mistakes,' he said.

The OeVP-Green coalition - a first at a national level - entered office in January 2020 and has already been put under strain several times by the fallout from other corruption scandals and differences over questions such as refugee policy.

Thousands demonstrated in front of the OeVP headquarters in central Vienna late on Thursday, calling for Kurz's resignation while waving signs that read 'Against corruption' and 'Shame on you'.
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Former President Trump blasted members of his own party on Saturday, demanding that Congressional Republicans show some 'spine' as he unleashed his anger after they allowed President Biden more time to raise the debt ceiling.

In front of thousands of adoring fans at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, he delivered a greatest hits show.

He attacked Biden's spending plans as a 'socialist calamity' that would unleash stagflation, boasted that he never conceded the 2020 election but directed his biggest blast of anger at Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell for working with Democrats to lift the debt ceiling.

'Congressional Republicans must stay strong. This isn't the time for Republicans to fold, to walk away, to quit, to be afraid,' he said.

'Whatever happens, happens. Don't worry about being impeached, don't worry about anything...

'But they just don't seem to have the spine some of them.'

Last week 11 Republican senators voted with Democrats to suspend the filibuster, effectively allowing them more time to stave off a looming debt default.

'They can now have two more months to work out how to screw us,' said Trump.

Former President Trump blasted members of his own party during a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday night. The visit - to a key state in the 2024 nomination race - will be seen as another sign that Trump is planning to run for the White House again

'Congressional Republicans must stay strong. This isn't the time for Republicans to fold, to walk away, to quit, to be afraid,' Trump told his fans in Des Moines, Iowa

He attacked Biden's spending plans as a 'socialist calamity' that would unleash stagflation, boasted that he never conceded the 2020 election but directed his biggest blast of anger at Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell for working with Democrats to lift the debt ceiling

Thousands of people crowded around to listen to Trump speak at the rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday

Former U.S. President Donald Trump applauds after his speech during a rally at the Iowa States Fairgrounds on Saturday

His visit to Iowa, with its place at the start of the nominating calendar, is the latest piece in a will-he, won't-he dance as the former president teases a 2024 run.

But it was supposed to be a chance to boost Republican candidates in next year's midterms.

He made clear it was the right kind of Republicans he wanted to boost, 'America First' Republicans.

Standing in front of a cheering crowd of thousands on Saturday night, Trump repeated his false claims of voter fraud and a stolen election.

Trump spent almost 30 minutes at the rally, arguing falsely that he had won Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania and urging Republicans to conduct 'audits' of the vote counts.

'Trump won! Trump won! Trump won!,' came the chant from the crowd spread across the sprawling Iowa state fairgrounds. Many of the attendees were also wearing t-shirts and baseball caps that said 'Trump won'.

'He did. He did. Thank you,' Trump said.

The former president added: 'They used Covid in order to cheat and rig. Remember this is not about me being robbed of an election. This is about the American people having their country taken away from them.'

Many of those in the crowd were pictured waiting for the start of the rally on Saturday morning, after waiting in line overnight.

As Trump walked onto the stage on Saturday night, the crowd erupted in cheers and held up signs which had Trump's new slogan 'Save America' on them.

Trump's supporters held up signs with 'Save America!' on them while others wore red MAGA hats during the Iowa rally

Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters at the Iowa rally as they raised their fists in the air on Saturday night

Many of those in the crowd were pictured waiting for the start of the rally on Saturday morning, after waiting in line overnight.

One man with a cowboy hat saying 'Trump: Keep America Great' was seen at the rally in Iowa on Saturday night

His visit came as lawmakers investigating the Jan. 6 violence at the US Capitol building tighten their focus on Trump and his top aides.

On Friday, the former president said he would do everything possible to shield his presidential records from the investigation, setting up a potential legal battle after the White House said he had no right to claim 'executive privilege'.

And it follows new books picking over the Trump presidency with a stream of embarrassing headlines.

Saturday brought a chance for the former president to adopt the role of entertainer in front of his fans in Iowa.

The state is a key place for anyone considering a 2024 run. Its status as the first caucus allows can allow candidates to catapult themselves into contention with a strong ground game.

Trump was making his first visit to Iowa since last year's election campaign. It is a key state for anyone planning launching a run for the White House

Thousands of people waited all day for Trump to appear a little before 8pm local time

People wait for a rally with former President Donald Trump to begin at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa

A Trump supporter appears to be taking a nap after many waited in line overnight in time for the rally on Saturday night

Insiders say it holds particular importance for Trump. He was the first Republican to win the state since George W. Bush in 2004 - despite losing the caucus to Sen. Ted Cruz.

The latest polling suggests he has grown in popularity since leaving office.

The latest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows 53 percent of Iowans have a favourable viewing of the former president, giving him his highest ever rating.

He got a warm welcome from Sen. Chuck Grassley who touted Trump's record as one of promises made and promises kept.

'President Trump ran on a platform of tax cuts, and he delivered the biggest tax cut in the history of the country,' he said to roars of approval.

'President Trump ran on a platform of criminal justice reform, and he signed the criminal justice reform that I sponsored.

'President Trump ran on a platform of securing the borders and the borders were secure.'

Amid all the talk of 2024, the moment was a reminder the rally was a chance for Trump to rally support ahead of next year's midterms.

'Iowa is absolutely critical to our efforts to take back the House and Senate in 2022, and then the White House in 2024,' he said in a fundraising message to supporters this week.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was among the speakers after recently announcing that he planned to run for an eighth term in next year's midterms

Crowds browsed dozens of stalls selling Trump merchandise - from T-shirts, pins and koozies to knives - before the gates to the event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds opened on Saturday

Guests arrive for a rally with former President Donald Trump at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday. His fans can be seen climbing a ladder, with one holding a sign saying 'Trump won'

One Trump supporter has gone the extra mile and is kitted out in US Flag trousers, hat and cape as he waited for the rally to start

Guests shop for merchandise before the start of a rally with former President Donald Trump at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday

But it also gave him a chance to put on a show for his supporters with attacks on his favorite targets.

He railed against Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chaotic Kabul airlift.

'They had no idea who is getting on those planes. We still don't have any idea,' he said.

'Only three percent were qualified to be taken to a place called the United States of America, is that something? Three percent.

'You're going to be hearing from those people over the coming years, in a very bad way.'

He dismissed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a 'nut job' and called on his supporters to sweep Democrats from Congress.

'They've all got to go,' he said.

'Practically every single Democrat lawmaker in the House and Senate has endorsed deranged legislation. And that's why every single one of them has to be voted out of office,' he said.
Former President Trump on Saturday gave his endorsement to Sen. Chuck Grassley, the 88-year-old Iowa Republican bidding next year to win an eighth term in the Senate.

The backing of the party's most visible figure will provide a lift to G.O.P. leaders ahead of next year's midterms but it might not have happened after Grassley criticized Trump's role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

'We have with us tonight a great American patriot. A man who truly loves Iowa,' said Trump before thousands of fans at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

'He's young, very young guy, he's strong. And he's very handsome.

'He fights like no other. When I've needed him for help, he was always there.'

Grassley joined Trump on stage and thanked him for his endorsement.

'If I didn't accept the endorsement of a person that's got 91% of the Republican voters in Iowa I wouldn't be too smart, he said.

'I'm smart enough to accept that endorsement.'

Former President Trump endorsed Sen. Chuck Grassley's bid for an eighth term in the Senate. Trump made the announcement during a rally in Des Moines, Iowa

'We have with us tonight a great American patriot. A man who truly loves Iowa,' said former President Trump as he brought Sen. Chuck Grassley on stage for a formal endorsement

Grassley was spotted being interviewed before Trump's arrival at the rally at Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The 88-year-old announced recently that he will run for reelection

Grassley has generally had cordial relations with Trump.

But distance opened between them in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 violence.

Although he ultimately voted not to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, he was clear that the then president held some responsibility for the violence that unfolded.

'It was a direct, violent attack on our seat of government,' he said in a statement. 'Those who plowed over police barricades, assaulted law enforcement, and desecrated our monument to representative democracy flouted the rule of law and disgraced our nation.

'Six people, including two U.S. Capitol Police Officers, now lie dead in the wake of this assault.

'The perpetrators must be brought to justice, and I am glad to see that many such cases are progressing around the country.

'While the ultimate responsibility for this attack rests upon the shoulders of those who unlawfully entered the Capitol, everyone involved must take responsibility for their destructive actions that day, including the former president.'

But since then he was has taken a distinctly Trumpian line.

On Thursday, he refused to vote with his party leader Mitch McConnell on a technical measure to allow a debt ceiling increase.

Trump said the move had thrown a lifeline to Democrats and showed McConnell's unfitness to lead.

Grassley's decision to run for one more term came as a relief to Republicans who feared a bitter nomination fight might put the seat at risk if he decided to retire.

The senator, who will be 95 at the end of another term, announced his run with a joke about his fitness.

'Its 4 a.m. in Iowa so Im running,' said the frequent jogger in a tweet last month.

'I do that 6 days a week.'

It ended months of speculation about his plans, and fears that his retirement could let in a Democrat during what will be a vigorous battle for control of the Senate.

Grassley (c) would be 95 at the end of his next term. His decision to run avoids a potentially divisive nomination fight in a cycle when Republicans are hoping to retake the Senate

But last week he demonstrated his loyalty to Trump.

When the Senate Judiciary Committee published a report accusing the former president of pressuring the Department of Justice to help him overturn Joe Biden's victory, Grassley, the ranking Republican, released his own minority report.

He said transcripts from the probe painted a very different picture.

'In all known instances where President Trump had the opportunity to direct DOJ to take steps to try and overturn the election, he chose not to do so,' said his report.

And he remains a cheerleader for Trump's tax cuts, crediting them with helping the economy bounce back from the pandemic.

'The pre-pandemic best economy in 50 years started by Trump tax cut is roaring back after a virus interlude,' he said recently.
The House Select committee has finally tracked down an elusive former Trump aide to serve him a subpoena in regards to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, ending a week-long effort to physically locate him, according to a recent CNN report.

A process server had brought the subpoena for Dan Scavino to Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump's Florida resort, and although the former Trump aide was at his New York home, CNN reports he requested that a staff member accept it for him.

Scavino was hit with the subpoena due to his extensive working history with Trump, with the assumption that he can provide information on any conversations he may have had with the former president on January 5, a day before the Capitol riots took place, the committee stated in its letter.

A process server brought the subpoena for Dan Scavino (pictured) to Mar-a-Lago, and although the former Trump aide was home in New York, he asked a staffer to accept it for him

The committee specifically wants to know about Trump's whereabouts on the day of the Capitol riots and in the days leading up to the violent rally on January 6

The committee specifically wants to know about Trump attempting to convince members of Congress not to certify the 2020 election, as well as his whereabouts on the day of the Capitol riots and any other communications his administration had in the days leading up to the violent rally on January 6.

CNN reports that a source close to the situation said that Scavino and his attorneys would be reviewing the subpoena next week before making any further decisions on the matter.

Trump had sent Scavino and several other former aides a letter this week, which was viewed by CNN, stating he would fight the inquiry, which he called an infringement of executive privilege.

An attorney for the former president advised Scavino and other aides who received subpoenas by the House Select committee to 'where appropriate, invoke any immunities and privileges' and refuse to testify or provide any documentation.

Trump had sent Scavino and several other former aides a letter this week, which was viewed by CNN, stating he would fight the inquiry, which he called an infringement of executive privilege

Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Liz Cheney said that Kash Patel (pictured), a former Trump aide, is 'so far engaging' with the inquiry according to a statement

Pictured: Mark Meadows, another Trump aide, is also 'so far engaging' with the inquiry, according to a statement

The Thursday deadline the committee set for four subpoenaed former Trump administration officials to deliver such documents has since passed, with the Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Liz Cheney revealing that both Kash Patel and Mark Meadows, both former Trump aides, are 'so far engaging' with the inquiry according to a statement.

However, the statement made no mention of Scavino, according to CNN.

In an emailed obtained by the network, Bannon's lawyer told the committee that 'the executive privileges belong to President Trump' and that'we must accept his direction and honor his invocation of executive privilege.'

Meanwhile, Bannon's claim that he is protected by Trump's executive privilege isn't entirely true, as he was not working for the administration or the federal government at the time period before and after the January 6 insurrection.

White House social media director Dan Scavino, right, and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, left, walk to board Marine One with President Donald Trump on Sept. 22, 2020

Pictured: Dan Scavino Jr., then-White House deputy chief of staff, speaks during the Republican National Convention seen on a laptop computer in Illinois August 27, 2020

In an effort to dispel concerns that the committee is not acting with enough force, Cheney and Thompson's statement states that the inquiry will be done 'swiftly' against anyone who does not comply with the subpoena, with the possibility of holding them in criminal contempt should they refuse to do so.

On Friday, the current presidential administration informed the National Archives that it would not claim executive privilege over a request for a batch of documents regarding the US Capitol insurrection, which in turn will be shared with the House Select committee.

'The President has determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not warranted for the first set of documents from the Trump White House that have been provided to us by the National Archives,' press secretary Jen Psaki said of Biden's decision to forgo asserting executive privilege.
A dad who claims to have died more than 200 times from a medical condition that causes his heart to suddenly stop says he knows what 'the other side' feels like.

Troy Archer has an extreme case of vasovagal syncope, also known as the fainters' condition. His daughter Minnie, 8, also suffers from the same illness.

With most cases of vasovagal syncope, the person experiences a sudden drop in their heart rate and blood pressure, causing them to faint.

Troy Archer had a pacemaker fitted for his extreme case of vasovagal syncope, which causes his heart to suddenly stop

In Mr Archer's case, though, his heart just stops, he flatlines, and he goes, however briefly, to the 'other side'.

'One of the most memorable attacks was when I was in the Tweed Hospital and I heard the heart monitor making the flatline noise. I understood that I was gone,' he told the Sunday Mail.

He said he heard his family being told to leave the room and a doctor pushing open his eyelids and telling him to stay with him.

Despite his shocking condition, he did not feel afraid, instead feeling 'a wave of content'.

'There was no tunnel, no bright light but it wasnt darkness. It felt comfortable... as I was coming back that is when there was a whirling, swirling feeling and flashes of the faces of my family appeared,' he said.

Mr Archer doesn't need defibrillation when this happens, he makes it back to life by himself, he said.

'There was no tunnel, no bright light but it wasn't darkness,' Troy Archer says of his trips to the 'other side' when his heart stops

Clinical cardiologist David Colquhoun said vasovagal syncope is a common problem in cardiology, but the cases experienced by 44-year-old Troy Archer and his daughter Minnie are very rare.

'In this incidence it seems there may be a genetic, electrical fault. The body may show no vital signs but this would only last for seconds as after 30 seconds the brain would start to be impacted,' Dr Colquhoun told the Sunday Mail.

'It's extreme to say that Troy has died because in reality you only die once but it must be very frightening.'

Mr Archer had a pacemaker fitted for his condition in 2011. Last year he posted about it on Instagram, saying that it had been nine years since he shaved half his chest, 'and you can see clearly that I hadn't yet got around to shaving my face'.

'In all seriousness, having a pacemaker installed changed my life, and the lives of a bunch of those closest to me. Rough journey on the way there, but it feels like another lifetime ago!' he wrote.

Dr Colquhoun said that in 35 years of working with people with serious heart conditions, he had only seen one other patient who needed a pacemaker for vasovagal syncope.

What is vasovagal syncope? It occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. The vasovagal syncope trigger causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly. That leads to reduced blood flow to your brain, causing you to briefly lose consciousness. Advertisement

Mr Archer regularly talks to Minnie about their shared condition as he does not want her to live her life in fear of it. He and his wife Sarah tell Minnie she has a superpower.

Brave Minnie told her parents she wasn't scared of having seizures, 'but the look on her face when she's regaining consciousness would say otherwise', her dad said.

Mr Archer once had a seizure while driving to Brisbane, but managed to open the car door and fall out. He woke up surrounded by about 20 people who had stopped to help.

The Good Samaritans thought he was dead and were shocked when he suddenly came to.

This particular situation won't happen again as he is no longer allowed to drive.

Despite their shared medical difficulties, Mr Archer says Minnie plays netball and enjoys school just like any other eight year old. Troy and Sarah also have a six year old son called Marley.

Mr Archer said being active and outdoorsy is a great help as he, Minnie Sarah and Marley continues to live their lives as normally as possible.
Premier Dominic Perrottet has vowed to keep NSW open and avoid more lockdowns, saying he will use 'targeted restrictions' if needed to keep Covid outbreaks at bay.

He also suggested international borders would open for the vaccinated as early as November 1, two weeks ahead of the Morrison Government's plan.

Sydney's lockdown ends at 12.01am on Monday after NSW reached the milestone 70 per cent vaccination rate.

After 106 days, Mr Perrottet has assured his constituents that his government will do everything in its power to avoid further lockdowns.

NSW premier Dom Perrottet (pictured) said lockdowns would 'absolutely' only be a last resort

Sydney's pubs and cafes will once again welcome patrons, gyms will re-open and up to 10 vaccinated guests can visit a home.

Funerals and weddings can go ahead with up to 100 attendees and groups of up to 30 people can gather outdoors.

Mr Perrottet, who has been in the state's top job for less than two weeks, said his 'intention' was that NSW would not have to endure another lockdown.

'The vaccination rates... across Sydney have been phenomenal and that protects us from ever having to go back [into lockdown], but we need to continue to open in a safe way,' he said.

On the weekend NSW reached 90 per cent of residents over 16 receiving their first Covid vaccine dose - the largest percentage of any state or territory in the country barring the ACT which has soared above 95 per cent.

Victoria the next highest at about 85 per cent.

Mr Perrottet said regional NSW was a little behind Sydney's vaccination rates, but was catching up.

'We would be focusing on targeted restrictions in circumstances where they are required but ultimately now, in a position with high vaccination rates, the people of NSW have ensured that we can live safely alongside the virus,' he said.

International travelers could also be welcomed back into the state earlier if a pilot program to test seven-day home quarantine goes well (pictured: travelers at Sydney airport in 2020)

The 39-year-old said localised lockdowns would 'absolutely' only be used as a last resort.

Mr Perrottet said he spoke to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the possibility of opening international borders earlier.

On Sunday, he said he hopes to welcome back double vaccinated Australians stranded overseas.

'It makes complete sense for them to return to Australia,' he said, adding he'd like to see jabbed citizens quarantining at home rather than in medi-hotels.

He is also open to taking in residents from other states if their governments don't consider following his lead.

Referencing Queensland's strict border policy, Mr Perrottet said he'd be willing to open NSW to stranded Queenslander's overseas - if Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk would agree to foot the bill.

'There are so many people who are still on the other side of the world who want to come home,' he said.

'We can do that for people who live in other states, we want to help them out... just Queensland should pay the bill.'

Mr Perrottet said state governments should work together to bring as many stranded Aussies home as possible.

While Australian residents are able to travel internationally once their state or territory hits the 80 per cent vaccination mark, those who want to travel to Australia will have to wait until well into November.

This is something the Morrison Government has control over. However, the NSW Premier's view is that if a test of seven-day home quarantine for fully-vaccinated travellers goes well, there was no reason the border couldn't be opened sooner.

'Stuart Ayres is running the pilot in NSW at the moment. This is something we are focused on, if we can bring back international travel faster we are certainly looking at that.'

Currently fully-vaccinated Australian residents can travel overseas when their state hits the 80 per cent double dose mark but foreigners visiting the country have to wait longer

Sydneysiders (pictured) have spent 106 days in strict lockdown after an outbreak of the delta Covid strain began in mid-June

Mr Perrottet also spoke to Victorian Premier Dan Andrews about opening up the border between the states, and the pair agreed they would like to see that happen in mid-December.

Victoria recorded 1,965 new Covid cases on Sunday.

After 106 days of lockdown in Sydney and even longer in Victoria, Mr Perrottet said residents deserve reprieve for their efforts.

'It's been a tough 100 days of blood, sweat and no beers,' Mr Perrottet said. 'But tomorrow will be a great day.'

The new premier thanked residents for their efforts during the 106 days they've endured in lockdown, adding that NSW has 'led the way out of lockdown'.

'Yesterday we hit 90 per cent first dose... NSW is leading our country out of this pandemic,' Mr Perrottet said.

'Not just leading our country, but leading the world... And that's been the secret to our success.'

Premier Dominic Perrottet will reap the rewards of his predecessor's Covid policies as he celebrates the end of lockdown in NSW

NSW Health announced 477 new Covid cases and six deaths overnight. Five of the victims were not vaccinated while the other had received one dose

Any further changes to the roadmap will be carefully considered during cabinet meetings, including lifting the limit of 20-person reservations at 80 per cent double dosed.

'We're not making policy on the run here, we'll think things through,' he said.

Mr Perrottet's commitment to avoid further lockdowns does not mean he will not impose targeted restrictions should there be a significant spike in cases.

He acknowledged there is 'no perfect science' to his approach, but hopes a targeted approach to dealing with outbreaks will help to minimise the pain felt within industries.

'We will continue to monitor and adopt our policies as we move through but I'm incredibly confident of the opening tomorrow,' he said.

The former NSW treasurer said the GST was also a focus for him - specifically how the tax dollars are distributed between states.

Under the current agreement each state must get 70 cents of every dollar raised through the tax.

Western Australia, which has avoided lockdowns and has been booming over the last two years thanks to its mining industry, is set to receive $2.1 billion in GST payments from the Commonwealth in 2021-22.

Mr Perrottet said he would like to see a review of the current GST arrangements between states.
Barnaby Joyce has accused Western Australia's stubborn premier Mark McGowan of transforming his state into 'North Korea' and turning his back on the rest of Australia.

The deputy prime minister didn't hold back when he declared WA was in danger of becoming a 'hermit kingdom' under Mr McGowan's leadership.

The Labor premier has stubbornly resisted pressure for all corners to reveal when he will finally open his hardline border with states like Victoria and NSW.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce (pictured) has accused Western Australia's Premier Mark McGowan of transforming his state into 'North Korea'

Mr Joyce accused the premier of turning his state into North Korea with his own air force and army to soon follow suit (pictured, the statues of Kim Il Sung and late leader Kim Jong Il)

'What's McGowan going to do next? Get his own air force? Have his own army?' Mr Joyce said.

'Maybe he can develop his own currency... It's kind of ridiculous. This is starting to smell like arrogance and not logic.

'Ultimately, unless you are going to really turn yourself into a hermit kingdom, like we'll have North Korea and a kind of another hermit kingdom on the west coast of Australia, then Covid is going to arrive.'

Mr Joyce said Mr McGowan needed to accept the virus would spread everywhere and encouraged the politician to get his embattled health system ready.

He then likened the premier's Covid strategy to 'locking all the kids in the bedroom... to stop them ever catching the flu'.

A fired-up Mark McGowan soon hit back, declaring his state won't take advice from Mr Joyce', whom he mocked as incompetent.

The fired-up West Australian Premier (pictured) hit back at the deputy prime minister's criticisms and proclaimed his state 'won't take advice from Mr Joyce'

WA's border is slated to open with Covid-hit states like NSW and Victoria when between 80 and 90 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated (pictured, residents exercise in Perth)

'I know he only recently was promoted to deputy prime minister, but clearly he doesn't have a clue about how to manage Covid and keep citizens safe,' he said.

'He doesn't have the experience of managing and dealing with Covid and is an embarrassment to the Australian Parliament.'

Mr McGowan claimed Western Australians were 'sick' of the Liberals and Nationals turning the pandemic into a political game.

'The Liberals and Nationals continue to undermine our efforts to fight the pandemic,' the premier said.

Western Australia will borders with Australia and the rest of world when between 80 and 90 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.

However, Mr McGowan and his Health Minister Roger Cook have not yet announced a date for when the vaccination milestones will be reached.

Mr McGowan frequently insists there will be a two-month delayed between the so-far-unstated vaccination mark, somewhere between 80 and 90 per cent, and the border actually opening.

Given vaccine complacency in Covid-free WA putting it at the back of the pack in the vaccine race, this may not be until as late as Easter 2022.

As of Saturday, 52.1 per cent of eligible West Australians over the age of 16 had received two doses of a Covid vaccine.

Western Australia remains tightly closed to Covid-hit states like Victoria and New South Wales (pictured, residents walk along the Swan River in Perth)

WA is slated to open its borders with Australia and the rest of world when between 80 and 90 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated (pictured, a resident in Perth)

Christmas plans for family who live interstate remain up in the air for WA residents who could remain in a 'hermit kingdom' well into next year.

Last week, Mr Cook said the state was on the 'right trajectory' to hit the 80 per cent milestone 'toward the end of the year' in late November.

The health minister said reopening WA would be a 'challenging time' that could only be confronted with high vaccination rates.

While Mr Cook said 10,000 residents were getting vaccinated every day, the state is still lagging behind the national vaccination rate of 67 per cent double-dosed.

Mr McGowan has refused to bend under pressure from the federal government to reopen the border to NSW and Victoria by Christmas.

On Saturday, the premier claimed West Australians would 'unnecessarily die' if he jumped the gun on easing restrictions while also taking a swing at NSW.

Health Minister Roger Cook last week said the state was on the 'right trajectory' to hit the 80 per cent milestone in late November (pictured, spectators arrive at Perth's Optus Stadium)

'We don't want West Australians to be forced to have extended lockdowns and rolling restrictions that destroy local jobs, like what has happened in NSW,' he said.

Mr McGowan said he would open up to Covid-infected states when it was safe to do so and only on the basis of health advice.

'Vaccination is the way out of this pandemic and we're not going to open to Covid-filled States and put Western Australians at risk unnecessarily,' he said.

It comes just days after Mr McGowan took an extraordinary swipe at the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet over his bid to overhaul the GST system, branding his east coast counterpart a 'whinger'.

Mr Perrottet is trying to revamp the GST system to give NSW a bigger share of the pot that will inevitably come at WA's expense.

Mr McGowan was holding a spear from a Welcome to Country address at a new mine site in the Pilbara on Tuesday when he suddenly asked: 'Anyone want to take me on?

'Where's Dom Perrottet?'

Mr McGowan (pictured) took an extraordinary swipe at the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on Tuesday over his bid to overhaul the GST system branding his counterpart a 'whinger'

He added: 'To be frank with you I'm tired of listening to their whinging. They never stop whinging.'

The premier said the NSW government had been poor financial managers with massive deficits and debts to show for it, on top of managing Covid 'very badly'.

'So instead of looking in the mirror, they look west to blame us for their situation,' Mr McGowan continued.

'The reality is that if it wasn't for our efforts to keep Covid out and keep our industries open, the huge bailout with about a billion dollars every week going to NSW would not be possible.

'The reality is we have supported them far more, far more, than they support us.'
At 33, many women are proud to welcome a new child into their lives. But for Gemma Skinner, the new arrival is not her daughter  it's her granddaughter.

The childminder is believed to have become Britain's youngest grandmother when her 17-year-old daughter gave birth last weekend  and she couldn't be more delighted.

At first I didn't want to be called 'nan' or 'granny',' she said. 'But now I'm loving it.'

Understandably, anyone who sees Gemma with week-old Larosa Mae believes she is the mother.

'I did the school run with the baby this week and someone came over to me and asked if she was mine,' she told The Sun. 'I had to explain that she's my granddaughter and they were quite shocked.'

Gemma was only 16 when she became a mother to Maizie, who in turn became a mum at 17 in the early hours of last Sunday.

LOVING ARMS: Maizie, 17, and Gemma, 33, holding week-old Larosa Mae

'Everyone has assumed [Larosa Mae] is Maizie's younger sister, so we have to keep explaining that she's actually her daughter,' Gemma added. 'People mistake me for her mum all the time.

'When Maizie was in hospital, the nurse who came to give the epidural asked if we were sisters. We can laugh about it because it happens all the time. I'm used to it now.'

Gemma has two other daughters, Gracie, ten, and Bella, four  who are now both aunties.

But she says that when Maizie became pregnant: 'My first reaction was worry because it wasn't easy for me when I found out that I was pregnant so young. But I wouldn't change anything for the world and I love our little family. Maizie has taken to being a mum so naturally and I'm so proud of her.'

Gemma (pictured) was only 16 when she became a mother to Maizie, who in turn became a mum at 17 in the early hours of last Sunday

She added that the birth had been 'very traumatic', saying: 'I am so glad I was there with her.' She explained that Maizie had to be induced and had an epidural which didn't work down one side.

Then Larosa Mae's head came out three minutes before the rest of the body, but eventually she was born successfully, weighing 8lb 4oz.

Gemma, from Amersham in Buckinghamshire, said that her younger daughters were pleased to be aunts, but that her own mother, Lorraine, 54, was 'not ready to be a great-grandma'.

Maizie  whose partner, Jack Weir, is 19  said Gemma had been supportive throughout her pregnancy.

The average age for a first-time mother in the UK is 29 and the average age for a first-time grandparent is 63 (stock image)

She said: 'My mum was by my side the entire time and didn't leave me. She's teaching me everything I need to know and more, and I'm so grateful for her.

'She has taught me how strong I have to be as a parent and I'm proud of what my daughter has in her.'

Gemma joins a small number of women who became grandmothers in their early 30s.

In June, Jenni Medlam, from Hull, also became a grandmother at 33 when her daughter, Charmaine, 16, gave birth to Isla-May.

Speaking to her local newspaper last week, Jenni said it was a blessing to become 'Nanna' so young. 'Being young grandparents just means you have more time to love your grandchild and longer to cherish them,' she said. As with Gemma, Jenni, now 34, said everyone assumes the baby is hers, adding: 'When we explain they get the absolute shock of their life.'

The average age for a first-time mother in the UK is 29 and the average age for a first-time grandparent is 63.
Texas gubernatorial hopeful Allen West, 60, was admitted to the hospital Saturday due to lowered oxygen levels after he was diagnosed with COVID pneumonia. He is not vaccinated

A Republican taking on Texas Governor Greg Abbott in the gubernatorial primary, who is unvaccinated against coronavirus, said his current case of COVID-19 pneumonia has only emboldened him to fight against vaccine mandates.

Allen West, 60, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday due to concern over his oxygen levels. His vaccinated wife, Angela, also contracted the virus.

'Yesterday my wife, Angela, and I underwent monoclonal antibody infusion therapy at Advance ER in Dallas -- special hat tip to the staff there for their care and professionalism. The results were immediate,' West tweeted Sunday morning.

'I can attest that, after this experience, I am even more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandate,' the Republican vying to take Abbott's seat tweeted. 'Instead of enriching the pockets of Big Pharma and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, we should be advocating the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.'

'Instead of jabbing Americans, and not illegal immigrants, with a dangerous shot which injects them with these spike proteins . . . guess what? I now have natural immunity and double the antibodies, and that's science,' he continued.'

West vowed: 'As Governor of Texas, I will vehemently crush anyone forcing vaccine mandates in the Lone Star State. There are far better protocols that individual citizens can utilize and decide for themselves.'

'Our bodies are our last sanctuary of liberty and freedom,' he wrote, 'I will defend that for everyone, even the progressive socialist jackasses who must be saved from themselves.'

On Saturday, West tweeted that he and his wife completed monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.

The antibodies are used to treat those in the early stages of a coronavirus infection.

West tweeted Sunday morning that he and his wife Angela underwent monoclonal antibody infusion therapy, which is a way to treat those in the early stages of a coronavirus infection

West said his experience has furthered his dedication to fighting against a vaccine mandate

Angela West was released from the hospital after treatment, but the candidate was admitted for observation due to lowered oxygen levels.

'There's a concern about my oxygen saturation levels, which are at 89 and they should be at 95,' he tweeted Saturday.

On Sunday, however, his situation appears to have improved. 'My oxygen saturation levels were initially at 85; they are now between 94-96,' he tweeted.

The Twitter thread also revealed that West was taking Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin to treat the virus. The former is an immunosuppressive and anti-parasite drug used to treat malaria, lupus and arthritis. It was endorsed and used by Trump when he contracted the virus  but was denounced by some in the medical community as ineffective against COVID-19.

'My chest X-rays do show COVID pneumonia, not serious. I am probably going to be admitted to the hospital,' he continued in a Twitter thread.

West is not vaccinated, but his wife Angela (left) is and she also contracted the disease

West had to remain in the hospital for observation after his treatment, but his vaccinated wife was released on Saturday

According to his Twitter account, West did not get vaccinated against the virus, but his wife did, which he says is indicative of his support of individual freedoms.

'Dr. Angela West received the vaccine. LTC West did not. LTC West has publicly stated he supports individual choice and this is reflected in his own family,' a tweet from his account noted.

West on Thursday said he had attended a 'packed house' Mission Generation Annual Gala & Fundraiser in Seabrook, Texas. On Saturday he tweeted that he is 'suspending in-person events until receiving an all-clear indication.'

West is a former Texas Republican Party chair and Florida congressman. He announced in July that he would challenge Republican Governor Greg Abbot, who is running for a third term and has been endorsed by Donald Trump.

West's announcement came a month after he resigned as chair of the Republican Party of Texas.

West won a U.S. House seat in Florida in 2010 and quickly became a tea party favorite and lightning rod, at one point accusing Democrats of having as many as 80 communists in their House caucus. He failed to win reelection in 2012.

West is vying to take on Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is seeking his third term with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump

He later moved to Texas and largely stayed out of the spotlight until running for chairman of the state GOP party last year.

West then began criticizing Republicans as much as Democrats, calling the GOP speaker of the Texas House a 'traitor' for working across the aisle, then leading a protest outside Abbott's mansion over coronavirus restrictions.

In October 2020, West took part in a protest outside Abbot's home, criticizing the Republican governor's executive orders - including a statewide mask mandate and lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those restrictions are no longer in place.
CNN anchor Jim Acosta slammed Democratic politician Andrew Yang on Saturday afternoon for going on Tucker Carlson's show because the Fox News host is 'just a bad person' and questioned Yang as to why he would even do it.

In his Tucker Carlson Today segment with the lightning-rod host, which aired on Wednesday night, Carlson praised the writings of Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, in what CNN called a 'bizarre comment'.

Yang later sat down with Acosta, who seemed baffled at the former presidential candidate's decision to go on Carlson's show.

'I mean Andrew I just have to ask. Tucker Carlson... Let's just say he's just a bad person and he represents so much of what is wrong in television news these days. You know this all too well.

'He spouts off white nationalist talking points. So why would you even go on his show and why didn't you go after him when he's citing the Unabomber and talking just crazy stuff?' Acosta asked.

CNN anchor Jim Acosta (left) slammed Andrew Yang (right) for going on Tucker Carlson's show because he's 'just a bad person' and questioned the former Democratic presidential candidate as to why he would even do it

Yang appeared on Tucker Carlson Today on Wednesday night and the Republican Fox News host (pictured) praised the writings of Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, in what CNN called a 'bizarre comment'

'There are so many variables to starting a viable third party. It hasn't been done. Why can you do it?' Carlson asked Yang, who said he was on the segment to promote the debut of a proposed third political party called the Forward party, along with his new book Forward: Notes On The Future Of Our Democracy

In response Yang said: 'We have to...try to take the temperature of the country down.

'The only way to do that is to reach out to people where they are. You know Tucker commands a massive audience and if you wanted to try to build a unifying popular movement that does call attention to the fact that our system's not working, really for anyone, you have to reach out. And that's what I was doing on that show.'

A skeptical Acosta then pressed Yang further and asked if he thinks he can bring some of Tucker's viewers - which is majority Republican - into the Forward party. 'Is that what you were trying to do there?'

'The goal is to have Republicans who are discontent to channel their discontent in a positive way. And right now, in my view, it's not going in a positive direction. I'd like to help change that,' Yang said.

Yang told Acosta that his goal is to get Republicans to 'channel their discontent in a positive way'. He also noted that to form the Forward party, 'it's going to involve reaching out to Americans of every political alignment'

He then offered up a story from his campaigns over the last couple of years involving a volunteer who had a 'Republican father (who) had never taken an interest'.

'I was on Tucker's program and all of a sudden he calls her and is like "hey tell me more," and I think that's the only way we're going to get through this time,' Yang explained to the CNN anchor.

Before signing off he added: 'We sense that we're teetering towards some version of a new civil war and political violence and unfortunately incentives are going to make that more likely, not less likely, over time unless we have a dramatic shift in dynamic and that's what I'm trying to provide with the Forward party.

'It's going to involve reaching out to Americans of every political alignment.'

Carlson said on Wednesday night's segment: 'Ted Kaczynsk, I have to say, has written very convincingly on this... Bad person but a smart analysis, I think, of the way systems work.'

'And his argument is that large organizations over time morph into purely self-preservation projects. Like a big system in the end protects itself in the end and that's kind of all it does,' he added.

'So our two-party system is certainly in that category. There are so many variables to starting a viable third party. It hasn't been done. Why can you do it?'

The Republican host was referencing Yang's proposal of a third political party called the Forward Party, which debuted on October 5 - the same day his new book Forward: Notes On The Future Of Our Democracy was released
Covid vaccination of secondary school children is proceeding at a snail's pace in England  with only one in nine (11.5 per cent) 12 to 15-year-olds currently jabbed.

The campaign is progressing far quicker in Scotland, where a third (33.4 per cent) of that age group has had their vaccinations.

The disparity comes despite the green light to vaccinate all those aged 12 to 15 being given on both sides of the border on the same day, September 20.

Last night, a vaccines expert warned that the slow pace in England risked the health of schoolchildren and older family members.

In England, just 3,725 12 to 15-year-olds were vaccinated on average each day in the first week of the campaign, from September 20 to 26

Low vaccination rates in teens would 'amplify the outbreak', said immunologist Professor Peter Openshaw, 'inevitably spreading it to any other part of the population that's unvaccinated'.

In August, a University of Exeter modelling study calculated vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds could prevent tens of thousands of Covid admissions by Christmas, mainly of older people, and save up to 6,500 lives.

But the fewer children jabbed, the smaller the benefit.

In England, just 3,725 12 to 15-year-olds were vaccinated on average each day in the first week of the campaign, from September 20 to 26.

In Scotland, the daily figure was 2,260  despite its population in this group being 12 times smaller.

A key difference has been location: England has focused on vaccinating in schools, Scotland on local 'drop-in' clinics.

The English programme has also been marred by organisational problems. One South London family received a text from their GP on September 20 inviting their 13-year-old son to have his jab immediately  then the invitation was withdrawn without explanation.

His mother said: 'My son has remained unvaccinated for weeks, while Covid rates in schools are high and rising.'

A Scottish Government spokesman said drop-in clinics had made teen vaccination 'quick and easy'.

Prof Openshaw said: 'We need to look at all possible measures to improve teen vaccination rates in England, including drop-in clinics.'

While Covid infection in teens was 'generally mild', Prof Openshaw said that hospitals were reporting 'quite a significant number of very seriously sick kids being admitted'.

He added: 'If you're given the choice between becoming immune through vaccine or natural infection, vaccination is by far the safer way.'

Last night, Unison and the National Education Union urged a return of Covid 'bubbles'  in which groups of pupils are sent home if one tests positive  and compulsory mask-wearing in schools.

NHS England said: 'In just two weeks, hundreds of schools have already held vaccination clinics, with more than 160,000 children getting protected.'

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl in a wheelchair and her mother were targeted by anti-vax protesters yesterday outside a vaccination centre at Cardiff's Bayside.

Her mother said the protesters accused her of using her daughter as 'a lab rat'.
A New Jersey nurse who worked with cancer patients has died after being sent crashing into the sidewalk by a fleeing homeless man suspected in two robberies within two hours near Times Square in the crime-riddled city.

Maria Ambrocio, 58, an oncology nurse from Bayonne who has was preparing to see her family for the first time since the pandemic began, was confirmed dead Saturday night after fighting for her life at Bellevue Hospital.

'They just pulled the plug on her. She's gone,' Maria Ambrocio's brother Carlito Spa Maria said.

Carlito had previously said that Maria 'doesn't have much time,' her blood pressure is dropping and she is 'brain dead.'

The senseless tragedy comes as the city's crime rate continues to soar, with many blaming the violence on a court system that has gone soft on criminals.

A New Jersey nurse who works with cancer patients is fighting for her life after being sent crashing into the sidewalk by a fleeing homeless man suspected in two robberies within two hours near Times Square in the crime-riddled city

Maria Ambrocio, 58, was walking through Times Square Friday afternoon. She had just been to the Phillippines Consulate in Midtown Manhattan and was headed home after lunch

Jermaine Foster (pictured) bowled her over while allegedly fleeing the scene of a crime

Ambrocio was making her way through the Crossroads of the World after stopping at the Philippines Consulate in Midtown when Jermaine Foster bowled her over while allegedly fleeing the scene of a crime.

Foster, 26, swiped a 29-year-old woman's phone at nearby West 41st Street and Broadway, police said. As Foster fled, he knocked down Ambrocio, who suffered head trauma, according to the New York Post.

A nurse who worked with Ambrocio, 70-year-old Emilia Cruz, said she was walking with her as Foster knocked her down.

'There were lots of people and we were trying to maneuver,' Cruz said. 'I heard a big thump like something hit the concrete and, you know, it was loud so I said 'Wow, oh My God. What's that?' and I looked down and I saw her blouse, I didn't see the face and I said, 'Oh my God, Ning,' I call her Ning,' Cruz said.

'I said 'Ning, what happened? Wake up,' and she was out,' she added. 'She was already unconscious. She is not answering me. I keep picking her up. She was frothing from her mouth. And I said, 'Call 911.'

Cruz said Ambrocio was married and had step-children and loved music, traveling and most of all, helping people.

She is like a sister to me, a younger sister. Shes a good nurse, an excellent nurse, Cruz noted.

Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis asked residents to pray for Ambrocio in a Facebook post earlier Saturday, calling her attack 'an unprovoked assault by a deranged man.'

The homeless man had committed another crime an hour and a half earlier when he forced himself into a woman's apartment on Sixth Avenue and 38th Street, police said.

Ambrocio is an oncology nurse from Bayonne, New Jersey who family members say hadn't seen her relatives throughout the entirety of the pandemic

Emilia Cruz (pictured center), who was standing alongside Ambrocio when she was knocked down, said she was an 'excellent nurse' and like a younger sister to her

Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis asked residents to pray for Ambrocio earlier on Saturday, calling her attack 'an unprovoked assault by a deranged person'

Cruz, visibly upset by the loss of her friend, said Ambrocio was married and had step-children and loved music, traveling and most of all, helping people

The victim claims she heard someone ringing all of the buzzers at the front door to try and enter the building. She thought it was a delivery person bringing food and let him in.

'He busted my door open. He rushed into the apartment,' she said. 'He basically was demanding money, like 'Where's the money? Where's the money?'

Foster started to break things in the victim's apartment, before sitting on the couch without saying a word.

She then grabbed Foster's phone, which agitated him.

'He started screaming 'I'm an African prince! I'm an African prince!' ' she said.

The woman, who is in her 30s, tried to keep Foster until authorities showed up to the apartment but he ran away.

'Honestly speaking, I knew he was on something so I didn't want to do too much to trigger him,' she said. 'I didn't know what he had on him, if he had a weapon.'

Foster was finally taken into custody by police about a block away from where he crashed into Ambrocio and charged with felony assault and robbery.

Ambrocio's cousin said it was hard to understand why he was even able to run around the city to begin with.

'Crime has been rampant in the city. If they are mentally ill, why are they on the streets? They should be taken care of,' she said.

There have been 15,787 felony assaults like the one Foster is charged with to date in New York City 2021, up seven percent from this time last year and up 28 percent going back to 2010.

Hate crimes are up 99 percent year-to-date, while sex crimes are up as much as 25 percent and grand larceny auto is up 14 percent.

There have also been shots taken at the court system. A state law last year limited the number of crimes for which judges can impose bail, which critics say has led to a sharp increase in transit crimes.

Anthonia Egegbara, 29, of Queens, was charged with attempted murder on Tuesday, over surveillance footage which showed her shoving an innocent woman towards the tracks as a train hurtled into Times Square station.

The unprovoked attack comes just three months after Egegbara, who has schizophrenia, was released without bail following an alleged assault on July 5 which left a 40-year-old woman suffering a black eye, broken nose and a knocked-out tooth.

Horrifying surveillance video shows the moment when Anthonia Egegbara allegedly pushed a fellow commuter into a train at the Times Square subway station on Monday morning

Vidal Javier told Telemundo that he felt 'helplessness' when he saw the video of his daughter Lenny, 42 (pictured with her father) being pushed into a subway in Times Square on Monday

Egegbara and Foster were arrested as a crime wave terrorizes New Yorkers, with transit crimes rising by 169 per cent for the week ending October 3, compared to the same period in 2020.

Times Square hasn't avoided the crime wave, as there've been three incidents of gun violence at the crossroads of the world in 2021. A man shot himself in the leg in Times Square subway station Monday in the latest shooting to hit the global tourist hot spot this year.

In May, three unrelated bystanders were hit by stray bullets in the busy tourist hub after police say a man started shooting indiscriminately during an argument with someone else.

A young girl was struck in the leg, a 24-year-old woman was hit in her thigh and a 44-year-old woman was shot in the foot, police said. All are expected to survive.

Farrakhan Muhammad, 31, was charged with attempted murder and multiple counts of assault, reckless endangerment and criminal use of a firearm, the New York Police Department said.

Farrakhan Muhammad, 31, was charged with attempted murder and multiple counts of assault, reckless endangerment and criminal use of a firearm in connection with a May shooting in Times Square

In July, 16-year-old Avon Darden turned himself in and was charged with attempted murder after shooting US Marine Samuel Poulin, 21, in the back.

Poulin was hit in the back by a ricocheting bullet as he walked with his family near the Marriott Hotel on W. 45th St. around 5:.15pm on June 27. The young Marine was hospitalized after the shooting but was not seriously injured.

Because of his age, Darden was charged as a minor with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon, cops said in a news release.

Avon Darden, 16, handed himself over to cops at the Midtown South Precinct station house on Wednesday a whopping ten days after the shooting. He is pictured in surveillance footage while cops searched for him

Times Square, one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, sees an estimated 50 million visitors annually. About 330,000 people pass through it daily.

A total of 48 transit crimes were recorded for the period between September 27 and October 3, compared to just 22 for the same period last year.

Transit crimes rose 59 percent in the month of September, with 184 recorded so far this year, compared to 116 recorded last year. That's despite weekday subway ridership levels that remain just half of what they were before the pandemic struck.

The statistics are sure to make grim reading for New York City officials, who are pushing for workers to return to the office, and for tourists to return to the Big Apple, in a bid to boost its COVID-ravaged finances.

Felony assault, rape and shootings were all up through October 3 compared to last year
Couzens, 48, allegedly molested a drag artist while he was in costume at a pub before propositioning him to have sex

Wayne Couzens, the police officer who has been handed a life sentence Sarah Everard, is reportedly facing a new probe over allegedly sexually assaulting a drag queen.

Couzens, 48, allegedly molested a drag artist while he was in costume at the New Inn pub in Deal, Kent, in 2018, before propositioning him to have sex.

The performer claimed that Couzens told him that he was a police officer when he told the father-of-two to stop touching him, the Mirror reported.

A slew of claims have come to light about the Metropolitan Police officer since he was jailed for his life with no chance of parole after he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard while she was walking home.

Couzens is known to have committed an indecent exposure, driving round naked from the waist down in his car, when he served with them in 2015.

He has also been identified as being responsible for carrying out the same offence at a McDonald's restaurant days before he targeted Ms Everard, 33, while she walked home from her friend's house in Clapham, south London.

On March 3, he staged a fake Covid arrest, handcuffed Ms Everard and put her in his car before driving 80 miles to Kent where he raped and murdered her. Days later, he burned her body and left it in woods near land he owned.

Now, a drag queen has reportedly accused Couzens of molesting him while he was standing at a bar in costume.

The unnamed performer is believed to have said that he did not go to the police before seeing the news about Couzens' jail term, as he did not think his claims would be taken seriously.

But the alleged victim said that he recognised Couzens 'right away' after seeing him on the TV and told his partner 'that's him'.

The drag artist reportedly said he had gone to the New Inn pub, which is close to Couzen's Kent house, to watch a band when Couzens inappropriately touched his backside at the bar.

The drag artist reportedly said he had gone to the New Inn pub (pictured), which is close to Couzen's Kent house, to watch a band when Couzens inappropriately touched his backside

He told Sunday's People: 'Then he [Couzens] went round to my groin and I went, 'Oi, stop that. My partner's over there.' He went 'Do you know who I am?' and I went, 'Do you know who I f***ing am?'

He alleged that he told Couzens his stage name, to which he replied that he was a police officer, and the unnamed drag queen told him again not to touch him.

The performer alleged that Couzens then asked him to go around the back of the pub where it was 'dark' to give him a 'b***job', after which the artist told him to 'p*** off' and walked back to his table and told his partner what allegedly happened.

He said he has not told any of his friends about the alleged incident as he is 'embarrassed', and claimed that he is now too afraid to go to a bar or 'wander' off by himself after the alleged assault.

Speaking about recognising Couzens, he said: 'Can you imagine if I went down that alley? My partner has said to me, 'You could have been stabbed in the alley and left somewhere else'.'

He reportedly made a formal victim statement on Tuesday naming police officer Couzens as the alleged attacker.

Metropolitan Police confirmed that it had received a crime report from Kent Police in relation to a sexual assault that allegedly occurred at a pub in Deal, Kent in the summer of 2018.

A spokesperson added that detectives are assessing the information and enquiries are ongoing.

The Met has faced a wave of criticism over missed opportunities to expose killer cop Wayne Couzens as a sexual predator before he went on to rape and murder Sarah Everard.

It emerged the 48-year-old was known as 'the rapist' by staff at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary because he made female colleagues feel so uncomfortable.

He had been accused of indecent exposure in Kent in 2015 and in London in the days before Ms Everard's murder, but was allowed to continue working.

Priti Patel has announced there will be an independent inquiry into the 'systematic failures' that allowed Wayne Couzens to serve as a Met police officer and murder Sarah Everard.

The Home Secretary said that 'recent tragic events have exposed unimaginable failures in policing'.

On March 3, Couzens staged a fake Covid arrest, handcuffed Sarah Everard (pictured), 33, and put her in his car before driving 80 miles to Kent where he raped and murdered her

She said that the public 'have a right to know' why Couzens was able to be employed by the Metropolitan Police.

Addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Ms Patel said: 'I can confirm today, there will be an inquiry, to give the independent oversight needed, to ensure something like this can never happen again.'

The inquiry will look at Couzens' career in the Metropolitan Police and determine if red flags were missed to identify him as a threat.

The probe is likely to be viewed as a warning shot at Met chief Cressida Dick who has faced calls to quit following the murder of Ms Everard.

The inquiry will be split into two parts, with the first examining Couzens' previous behaviour.

It will seek to establish a 'definitive account' of his conduct leading up to his conviction, as well 'any opportunities missed'.

The second part of the probe will look at 'specific issues raised by the first part of the inquiry'.

That could include examining wider issues across policing, including vetting practices, discipline and workplace behaviour.

Ms Patel will also write to the independent police inspectorate HMICFRS to commission a 'thematic inspection of vetting and counter-corruption procedures in policing across England and Wales'.

This will look at how forces detect and deal with misogynistic and predatory behaviour.

The Home Office said the inquiry will be established on a non-statutory footing but 'can be converted to a statutory inquiry if required'.

Couzens (pictured) is known to have committed an indecent exposure, driving round naked from the waist down in his car, when he served with them in 2015

He has been identified as being responsible for indecent exposure at a McDonald's restaurant days before he targeted Ms Everard, 33, while she walked home in Clapham, south London

A chairman for the inquiry and its terms of reference will be announced by the Government in due course.

In light of Ms Everard's murder, all sexual and domestic abuse allegations against Metropolitan Police officers over the last ten years will also be reviewed.

Dame Cressida Dick, commissioner for the force, announced on Friday that an investigation is being launched into all current cases of sexual misconduct or domestic abuse allegations against London's police officers.

Dame Cressida, 60, also revealed similar allegations that have been made against both officers and workers at the force over the last ten years will be reviewed.

Officers from the force's Directorate of Professional Standards will analyse each of the cases internally and will undertake a check of the vetting history of the staff involved in the claims.

The under-fire commissioner, who is resisting calls to resign, said: 'We'll be reviewing them [the allegations] to make sure that the victim has been properly supported, and that the investigation is suitably thorough.

'We'll also be going back to look at some of those [historic] investigations just to make sure that the processes that should have taken place have taken place and that we are taking the right management action after the case is closed.'

The force said in a statement the examination, which has been launched in addition to an independent review into the Met's culture by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, was being held in the aftermath Ms Everard's murder.

Dame Cressida said she was 'delighted' to announce Baroness Blackstock will be in charge of an 'independent and far-reaching review' lasting an estimated six months.

She said: 'She will be looking at our vetting, our recruitment, our leadership, our training and all manner of processes to see how they reinforce the best possible standards.

'She'll make a public report, and public recommendations, so that we can improve and make sure that the public have more confidence in us.'

Dame Cressida said Baroness Casey - who has been leading an inquiry into how England yobs were able to break into Wembley during the Euros final - was a strong candidate for the job.

'I think she's got the right character, and the right expertise, and the right background, to do this review,' she said.

In light of Ms Everard's murder, all sexual and domestic abuse allegations against Metropolitan Police officers over the last ten years will also be reviewed, Cressida Dick (pictured) confirmed

Baroness Casey said: 'Trust is given to the police by our, the public's, consent. So any acts that undermine that trust must be examined and fundamentally changed.

'This will no doubt be a difficult task but we owe it to the victims and families this has affected and the countless decent police officers this has brought into disrepute.'

The spotlight will also be shone on the force's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command - which killer Wayne Couzens worked for - with a 'root-and-branch review' looking at whether there are any 'specific issues' within the unit.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has welcomed the appointment of Baroness Casey to lead the independent review into the Met's culture and standards.

In a series of tweets, Mr Khan said: 'Baroness Casey's review must look into the wider culture of the Met Police, including issues of misogyny, sexism, racism and homophobia as well as thoroughly examining recruitment, vetting, training, leadership and standards of behaviour among officers and staff.

'I've been clear with the Met Commissioner about the scale of the challenge we face and the change that's needed, and I will continue to play my full part in holding the Met Police to account on behalf of Londoners.'

In the wake of Couzens' life sentence for murder, it was revealed more than half of Met officers found guilty of sexual misconduct over a four-year period to 2020 kept their jobs, a total of 43 officers out of 83 or 52 per cent.

Along with the handling of the Everard case, the Metropolitan Police are also facing heat over an independent panel's finding of 'institutional corruption' in the investigation into the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan in 1987.

The private investigator was murdered in a south London car park and the panel found that the Met concealed or denied failures in their investigation.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid is planning to cut doctors' workloads by removing some of their responsibility for prescriptions  but is demanding they hold more face-to-face appointments in return.

Under the plans, hospitals and pharmacies could prescribe drugs such as antibiotics.

GPs could also be spared writing 'sick notes' for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, which governs if patients are fit to drive.

In return, they will be expected to hold more in-person appointments  or suffer unspecified sanctions.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is planning to cut doctors' workloads by removing some of their responsibility for prescriptions  but is demanding they hold more face-to-face appointments in return

It comes amid growing concern that patients are still finding it difficult to obtain face-to-face appointments with GPs, leading to more going straight to accident and emergency departments instead.

Before the pandemic, about 80 per cent of GP appointments were held in person. That slumped as lockdown was imposed, and even now only 58 per cent of appointments are being conducted face to face.

Amid reluctance from GPs to offer more, ministerial aides have opened informal talks with the British Medical Association.

The doctors' union has firmly resisted a full return to face-to-face appointments, saying general practices are 'overloaded' and there are not enough family doctors.

It points out there are 1,904 fewer fully-qualified full-time GPs than in 2015. A Government source said the hope was to open a constructive dialogue by acknowledging the work pressures GPs were under and offering suggestions about how these could be eased.

One idea being floated is to link the number of in-person appointments with GP pay, providing a financial carrot to see patients face-to-face  and a penalty for those who resist. Such incentives are commonly used to improve patient care in GPs' NHS contracts. The source said: 'The vast majority of GPs do an excellent job under great pressure, but we need to be able to hold to account those who do not pull their weight.

That is a break from his predecessor, Matt Hancock. Last year, he hailed 'Zoom' medicine, telling the Royal College of Physicians that the NHS must not 'fall back into old habits' after the pandemic

'Sajid is determined to get face-to-face appointments back to pre-pandemic levels.'

That is a break from his predecessor, Matt Hancock. Last year, he hailed 'Zoom' medicine, telling the Royal College of Physicians that the NHS must not 'fall back into old habits' after the pandemic.

But the 'remote first' plan caused a backlash, first from patients and now from hospital doctors.

Yesterday, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine warned that a 'lack of access to primary care' and the shift to telephone consultations were driving people to A&Es.

Last night, Dr Richard Vautrey, who chairs the BMA's GP Committee, said: 'There have been informal but confidential discussions ... but at this time these remain just that. When proposals to remedy the crisis within general practice are shared with the BMA, we will consider and respond accordingly.'
One of Britain's top divorce lawyers has warned of a surge in 'strong, successful' women coming forward to report domestic abuse.

Ayesha Vardag, dubbed 'the Diva of Divorce' after a string of highprofile court battles, said enquiries at her firm had risen by more than a third since 2018.

The victims were high-earning, financially independent career women in the 'vast majority' of cases, according to Ms Vardag.

Many domestic abuse victims are high-earning, financially independent career women, according to divorce lawyer Ayesha Vargas

They reported abuse ranging from physical violence to narcissism and so-called gaslighting in which victims are deliberately driven by their abusers to question their thoughts, memories and even their own sanity.

Ms Vardag told The Mail on Sunday that victims approaching her firm, Vardags, for help were 'often very strong people, successful, even powerful people who become the victims of abuse in their deep commitment to trying to save the relationship, the marriage, the family, and regain the former love'.

She added that this was sometimes because they feel 'they can be stronger than other people, endure more, take responsibility for others, fix them'.

Her comments come after the Government strengthened the Domestic Abuse Act in April with tougher measures for perpetrators.

For the first time, it coined a legal definition of domestic abuse beyond physical violence to include emotional and economic abuse and coercive control.

Ms Vardag said she believed that alongside a 'well-documented increase in domestic violence' in the Covid lockdowns, the new law meant 'there is also more awareness and consequently more reporting' of domestic abuse.

Even powerful people can become domestic abuse victims 'in their deep commitment to save the relationship' said Ms Vargas

She said abusers often begin as loving and supportive to make partners vulnerable, explaining: 'Victims are blindsided by gifts, holidays, demonstrations of their partner's love for them in multiple forms.

'Victims feel genuinely adored, a unique sense of connection, a sense that they have found 'the one'.

'You can kid yourself that the darkest of bruises pales in the fierce light of the grand passion, and you can tell yourself  and the abuser will likely be telling you  that what went wrong was your fault.'

She encouraged women in that position to seek professional help, starting with therapy.

Ms Vardag rose to fame when she won a landmark divorce case in 2010 that recognised prenuptial agreements for the first time in the UK. Famous clients have included the Marchioness of Northampton.
Morgan Freeman says he rejects the idea of defunding the police across the country, saying that 'most of them are doing their job' while breaking with his typically progressive leanings.

'I'm not in the least bit for defunding the police,' Freeman said in an interview with Black Enterprises Selena Hill.

'Police work is, aside from all the negativity around it, it is very necessary for us to have them and most of them are guys that are doing their job. Theyre going about their day-to-day jobs. There are some police that never pulled their guns except in rage, that sort of thing. I dont know.'

The 84-year-old actor was there promoting his new movie, 'The Killing Of Kenneth Chamberlain,' a film about a police killing of an elderly black veteran.

'I'm not in the least bit for defunding the police,' Freeman said in an interview with Black Enterprises Selena Hill

Freeman, pictured, added that 'most (cops) are doing their job' while breaking with his typically progressive leanings

The news comes just months after Freeman, along with a criminal justice professor at the University of Mississippi, Linda Keena, donated $1 million to the school to create a Center for Evidence-Based Policing and Reform.

'Look at the past year in our country  that sums it up,' Freeman said in June.

'Its time we are equipping police officers with training and ensuring law enforcement is not defined only as a gun and a stick. Policing should be about that phrase To Serve found on most law enforcement vehicles.'

Meanwhile, Freeman's co-star in the film, Frankie Faison, agreed with the legendary actor's take on not defunding the police nationwide.

Freeman's co-star in the film, Frankie Faison, pictured, agreed with the legendary actor's take on not defunding the police nationwide

Morgan Freeman backstage during the American Black Film Festival Honors Awards Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 23, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California

'I would like for that to stop, I would like for us all to be treated equally,' Faison said.

Selena Hill, who was interviewing Freeman, said that although she is an 'avid supporter of defunding the police,' they did both agree on being vocal about stopping police violence against African-Americans.

'I spoke with legendary actor and producer Morgan Freeman and actor Frankie Faison (The Wire) about their new film 'The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain,' which is based on the real-life murder of a 68-year-old Black veteran who was fatally shot by police inside his home in White Plains, NY,' she captioned an Instagram post of the video.

'Although both Mr. Freeman and Mr. Faison were vocal about the need to stop police violence against Black bodies, they both rejected the idea of 'defunding the police.'

A community activist joins family members and friends of late George Floyd as launch the family's Nationwide Thank You Tour in Los Angeles, California

Kenneth Chamberlain Jr, pictured, poses for a portrait before a screening of 'The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain,' a film about his father who was killed by police, in White Plains, NY

Kenneth Chamberlain Jr, (pictured left) embraces his family after a screening of 'The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain'

'Well, I agree with Morgan,' Faison told Hill.

'Im certainly not in favor of defunding policemen.'

However, Faison did add that Hollywood stars like Freeman are 'treated a little differently by law enforcement than people who are just of ordinary walks of life.'

'In my opinion, their response is a reflection of the movements struggle to educate certain parts of our community about what the phrase actually means.'
A man who climbed up a tree in Queens and refused to come down for three days has been coaxed out of the branches with the help of a mental health volunteer, cops said.

Roody Thomas, 44, has been holed up in the tree, located near 145th avenue and 226th street in the Brooksville neighborhood of Queens, since Wednesday afternoon.

On Saturday, volunteer Erica Ford - founder of the mental health group Life Camp - helped police convince Thomas to climb back down.

Ford then drove him to a local hospital for a psychological evaluation, according to the Daily News. It remains unclear if he was taken into custody or checked into a hospital.

Thomas has a warrant out for his arrest for allegedly punching a 50-year-old woman who was in a car with him on September 30

The tree Thomas was holed up in for more than 48 hours was located near 145th avenue and 226th street in the Brooksville neighborhood of Queens

Mental health volunteer Erica Ford (pictured) helped police convince Thomas to climb back down on Saturday

The 44-year-old man climbed into the tree after cops responded to a house call on Wednesday afternoon when his mother said he was 'threatening her'

He has a warrant out for his arrest for allegedly punching a 50-year-old woman who was in a car with him on September 30.

Police officers, neighbors and even a priest stood under the tree urging Thomas to get down since the standoff began around 12:45pm Wednesday when his mother called the cops on him saying he was 'threatening her'.

Police responded to the call and when they arrived at the home in Queens Thomas climbed onto the roof and into the tree.

As Thomas peered through the branches he shouted that he doesn't want to go back to jail, saying he was abused there.

'Don't tell him he has warrants for his arrest,' neighbor Shannon Warmington told WABC. 'When he thinks he's going to jail, and that's what he thinks now, he's not going down.'

The street has been closed since Wednesday and his brother was among the many bystanders gathered around the tree Thursday afternoon, urging him to come down.

Thomas appeared content in the tree and peered through the branches shouting that he doesn't want to go back to jail because he was abused there

Roody Thomas, 44, climbed up a tree on Wednesday afternoon and refused to come down - until today when he was coaxed out of the branches with the help of a mental health volunteer

At one point - after spending more than 36 hours in the tree - he even smiled and waved at photographers

Police officers, neighbors and even a priest stood under the tree trying to get Thomas down

Thomas's brother is among those who showed up on Thursday to coax him down from his arboreal abode

Neighbor Shannon Warmington said that officers shouldn't let Thomas know a warrant is out for his arrest because he wouldn't come down if he knew

'Let some of the friends he plays with coax him down, but they say no, and they are going there and just aggravating him more,' one neighbor said before he decided to abandon his post in the tree earlier today.

One officer said Thomas had quite the tree-hopping habit.

'This is something that he does all the time,' said NYPD Chaplain Dr Reba Perry, who is also a neighbor.

The Chaplain's unit 'provides spiritual help and guidance' to officers, according to the department.

'He gets in the tree. It's not unusual for him to be in the tree. He's from Haiti. They climb trees,' Perry added.
Brexit Minister Lord Frost will use a major speech to diplomats this week to call for an end to the 'sausage war' with the EU by making a 'significant change' to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Lord Frost is expected to use the address in Lisbon on Tuesday to argue that an amended agreement is key to bringing relations with Brussels back on to a better footing.

It comes as the European Commission is preparing to table proposals on Wednesday allowing British 'national identity goods' to keep flowing across the Irish Sea into the province  effectively overturning the EU's ban on chilled meats such as sausages from the UK.

The protocol keeps the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic open, but checks must be made on goods from Britain.

Lord Frost is expected to use the address in Lisbon on Tuesday to argue that an amended agreement is key to bringing relations with Brussels back on to a better footing

A source close to Lord Frost said last night that the Minister would study the EU proposals as positively as possible, but 'endless negotiation is not an option'.

Despite his apparent victory in the sausage war, the source added that any solution 'must go far beyond the sausages issue and deal with fundamentals such as the role of the European Court of Justice'.

In his speech, Lord Frost is expected to say: 'No one should be in any doubt about the seriousness of the situation. That is why we are working to reflect the concerns of everyone in Northern Ireland, from all sides of the political spectrum, to make sure that the peace process is not undermined.

The EU now needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol head on. The UK-EU relationship is under strain, but it doesn't have to be this way. By putting the protocol on a durable footing, we have the opportunity to move past the difficulties of the past year.'

It comes as the European Commission is preparing to table proposals on Wednesday allowing British 'national identity goods' to keep flowing across the Irish Sea into the province  effectively overturning the EU's ban on chilled meats such as sausages from the UK

Lord Frost, who will be sharing a new legal text with the Commission, will add: 'The Commission have been too quick to dismiss governance as a side issue. The reality is the opposite. The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and the consequent inability of the UK Government to implement the very sensitive arrangements in the protocol in a reasonable way has created a deep imbalance in the way the protocol operates. Without new arrangements in this area, the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive'.

A UK Government source said: 'Whether in London, Dublin, Brussels or Belfast, nearly everyone now agrees that the protocol isn't working as it should. That is a big change from the start of the year and we are glad the Commission is now working on solutions. The real question is whether the EU are prepared for the scale of changes needed. The prize on offer is a stronger UK-EU relationship which is focused on the future.'

The source added: 'Tinkering around the edges just won't work. If the EU can't show ambition and agree significant changes to the protocol, we will have to use Article 16 to make sure arrangements are in place that do safeguard the Belfast [Good Friday] Agreement and the peace process.'
An actor of Russia's legendary Bolshoi Theatre was killed on Saturday in an accident on stage during the performance of an opera, the Moscow company said.

The Bolshoi, one of Russia's most prestigious theatres, said the incident occurred during a set change in Sadko, an 19th century opera by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

The theatre said Yevgeny Kulesh, who had been with the theatre since 2002, was killed in an accident during a set change.

'The performance was immediately stopped and the audience was asked to leave,' the theatre's press service told the Interfax news agency.

A performer of Russia's legendary Bolshoi Theatre (pictured) was killed on Saturday in an accident on stage during the performance of an opera, the Moscow company said

Moscow's Investigative Committee said in a statement that it was probing the death of the 37-year-old performer.

The company said he received injuries and died before an ambulance arrived.

Citing a source, Interfax reported that the performer and was crushed by a ramp during a set change.

Footage shared online appeared to show panicked performers pleading with staff to lift the prop that had fallen on top of him.

Despite efforts from onlookers, Mr Kulesh could not be revived.

It is believed that the actor went in the wrong direction as the scenery was being lowered, and subsequently became trapped underneath.

The Bolshoi, one of Russia's most prestigious theatres, said the incident occurred during a set change in Sadko, an 19th century opera by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Pictured: A general view shows the empty hall of the Bolshoi Theatre, in Moscow, Russia

Shocked theatre-goers on social media said that they first thought they were witnessing a staged trick, but it quickly became apparent what was happening when the other performers reacted in horror.

Some on stage reportedly shouted 'call the ambulance, there is blood'.

The accident is not the first tragedy to strike Moscow's renowned theatre.

In 2013, a senior violinist - Viktor Sedov, who had played violin at the theatre for four decades - died after falling into the orchestra pit.
Afghan families who fled to Britain during the Taliban takeover of their country have asked to be sent back home.

Hundreds of refugees arrived in the UK as part of Operation Warm Welcome, the government's resettlement programme, as British and American troops completed their withdrawal.

But a lack of housing on offer with councils meant that many families had to be moved into hotels as emergency temporary accommodation.

While 400million in funding had been put forward for resettlement by September, Home Office officials admitted that some Afghans would have to be held in hotels for months.

Afghan families who fled to Britain during the Taliban takeover of their country have asked to be sent back home. Pictured: Border Force staff assist a female evacuee as Afghan refugees arrive from Kabul at Heathrow Airport

Now though, almost two months on from the capture of Kabul, the refugees have said they are sick of waiting for a permanent home.

One doctor, who has been working with the new arrivals told The Guardian: 'I've had a few patients telling me they want to go home.'

He told the paper a 67-year-old patient had said: 'I cant take this any more. I have to get out of this [hotel] room.'

'Another said: "I just want my freedom from the hotel".'

The doctor said that the man and wife were 'so upset' by the ordeal, that he had to put them both on medication.

The UK has evacuated more than 15,000 people from Afghanistan since August 13, including 8,000 Afghans who had worked with UK armed forces.

Hundreds of refugees arrived in the UK as part of Operation Warm Welcome, the government's resettlement programme, as British and American troops completed their withdrawal

Operation Warm Welcome is being overseen by Victoria Atkins, who has been appointed Afghan Resettlement minister.

In late August, Home Secretary Priti Patel visited Heathrow Airport where she met with refugees who were arriving on evacuation flights.

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The UKs biggest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history helped over 15,000 people to safety, and hotels remain a temporary measure to help accommodate those we brought here.

'It is going to take time to find permanent homes for everyone but we are working urgently with our partners to do so.

'Our aim is to support everyone who is resettled here to build a successful life in the UK, and that is why we work around the clock to provide wrap-around support to families.

'This includes working closely with local authorities across the UK to ensure everyone temporarily accommodated in hotels has access to essential provisions, healthcare, education and universal credit.'
Many businesses are choosing to stay closed and miss out on weeks of revenue as lockdown ends rather than 'discriminate' against Covid-unvaccinated customers.

After 106 days, Sydney's strict lockdown will lift at 12.01am on Monday allowing pubs, cafes, hairdressers and gyms to welcome vaccinated patrons.

Among the venues that won't be welcoming back customers just yet are Hardcore Gym in Carlton in the city's south which said the notion of a vaccine passport did not align with their values.

Sydney Yoga Collective in Bondi Junction said they had concerns about 'breaching human rights' in not allowing unvaccinated people in their classes

Some yoga studios are also choosing to remain shut including Sydney Yoga Collective in Bondi Junction, which claimed it had 'no intention of breaching your human rights'.

These businesses will instead wait until December 1, when restrictions are controversially removed for unvaccinated people.

Some businesses are also choosing to not fully re-open in the short term for other reasons.

Sarah O'Brien from Best Bagel co. at Cremorne on the Lower North Shore said she is choosing to keep her business as a takeaway because she feels unprepared to police the vaccine rules.

'I'm quite concerned there could be a blow-up in the store from a customer who thinks we haven't checked someone's vaccine credentials,' Ms O'Brien told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Chefs Secrets at Berowra said they would wait to open their dine-in area until unvaccinated guests were allowed to attend

Hardcore gym in Carlton said they would not open until December 1 as not allowing in unvaccinated people was against their values

'We're busy cafe owners three months into our business, with a lean team. It will be difficult to enforce this.'

And others are worried the prospect of targeted snap lockdowns and restrictions.

Cameron Elder, who runs The Angry Gnome cafe in Rockdale with his partner Krystyna Hulewicz, said they were being cautious because they didn't have the cash to reopen only to have to close again.

'We're really sceptical about reopening,' Mr Elder told the ABC.

'With the change of the [state] government and everything that's happening we're really scared to just reopen our doors and trade as normal. If it doesn't work out, we're kind of screwed.'

He explained the couple had thrown out the majority of their stock at the start of Sydney's strict lockdown only to have the rules change that they could remain open for takeaway shortly after.

To restock the cafe would cost about $5,000, he estimated.

Cameron Elder who runs The Angry Gnome cafe in Rockdale with his partner Krystyna Hulewicz (pictured) said they had different reasons for not opening on Freedom Day, saying they couldn't afford another snap lockdown

On top of this the pair owe about $12,000 in rent and while they received a $10,000 grant from the NSW Government they are still barely keeping their business afloat.

'I don't think we'd be able to reopen if we have to close again,' Mr Elder said.

He too was concerned about the idea of policing unvaccinated customers.

On top of the difficulty doing this while trying to run a cafe, turning regular customers away because of their vaccine status would would decimate his business, he claims.

Carla Filipakis, who runs children's activity workshop Decorati is in a similar situation.

She said because of the complex scope of maintaining the vaccine rules - especially working with children and concerned parents - she would not re-open until lockdown is completely lifted on December 1.

She has moved her business online by conducting activity classes over Zoom, which she plans to continue.

Carla Filipakis who runs children's activity workshop Decorati (pictured) said she would keep doing online classes only until lockdown are fully lifted in December because it would be too hard to police the rules especially working with young kids and concerned parents

Gabriele Moretti from Amoretti's restaurant said for businesses that have struggled through months of lockdown, they couldn't afford to turn away customers.

'There's a lot of uncertainty and it's all unclear for us,' he told Sky News.

'What are the fines, what are the punishments for restaurateurs? Are we going to get sued by unvaccinated people for not letting them into our location?' he said.

He said turning people away based on a medical decision is an issue he doesn't think businesses should have to deal with.

Chef Secrets restaurant in Berowra posted to social media they also did not want to discriminate and would 'welcome everyone, jab[bed] or unjabbed'.

They later clarified they had not yet made a decision on when they would open their sit-down dining and would follow government rules which would allow unvaccinated people at restaurants from December 1.

Brighton Le Sands Ice Creamery - which is predominately takeaway even outside of lockdown - made a similar post on social media saying they would welcome all customers 'vaccinated or not'.

But for other businesses it's more about the principle.

Orchard St which sells herbal tonics and juices in the eastern suburbs declared on on social media that: 'Until all are welcome on Dec 1st, Orchard St. will choose to prioritise inclusivity.'

Garbiele Moretti from Amoretti's restaurant (pictured) said he wouldn't want to 'discriminate' against unvaccinated people and businesses shut for months couldn't afford to

A post from Mr Morretti who is against banning unvaccinated people from restaurants

Hardcore Gym in Carlton posted on it's website that: 'The vaccination passport goes against our values, not only as business owners but also as humans that are part of a free society.'

The gym will reopen on December 1 as both unvaccinated and vaccinated members can use gym facilities.

Sydney Yoga Collective at Bondi Junction has not confirmed a re-open date but posted last month they would 'look forward to welcoming ALL yogis, when we reopen the studio.'

Similarly Maria's Beauty Bar in Kogerah said they support 'freedom of choice' and would wait until unvaccinated clients were allowed in the business before re-opening.

A number of directories listing businesses who welcome the unvaccinated have sprung up on Facebook in recent weeks including Unvaccinated Friendly Businesses and NSW Business United Directory.
Premier Dan Andrews has announced how many punters will be allowed to attend Melbourne Cup festivities this year as Victoria reports 1,890 new Covid-19 cases.

Sunday's new cases were slightly down from a record-breaking 1,965 on Saturday when there were fears the state would soon break 2,000.

The cases were diagnosed from 74,105 tests, and 39,861 vaccine doses were administered. More than 86 per cent of Victorians have now received at least one Covid jab and more than 58 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Mr Andrews said the state is 'well on track' to hit the 70 per cent double vaccination target by October 26.

Premier Dan Andrews has announced 10,000 punters can attend Melbourne Cup on November 2 (pictured, revellers at Flemington Racecourse in 2019)

Double-vaccinated Melbourne residents will be able to attend a live music event on October 30 at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl (pictured)

Up to 10,000 fully-vaccinated punters will be allowed into Flemington Racecourse for the Melbourne Cup on November 2, with strict Covid protocols in place.

If the state hits 80 per cent double vaccination before November 4, then 10,000 punters will be able to attend Oaks Day on that date, and Stakes Day on November 7.

The revellers will be spread across five different zones at Flemington and will be required to wear a mask and sit in an allocated seat.

Mr Andrews also announced double-vaccinated Melbourne residents will be able to attend a live music event on October 30 at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to support long-suffering musicians.

While capacity for the event hasn't been determined, 'several thousand' music lovers are expected to attend the outdoor event in just a few weeks time.

Smaller concerts will be held around the state towards the end of the year, dependent on advice from Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

Punters will be separated in six zones at Flemington Racecourse this year and will be required to wear a mask and be fully vaccinated (pictured, racegoers in Melbourne in 2019)

Mr Andrews also announced that Victorian health officials are set to launch a 'vaccinated economy' trial for 15 businesses across six regional LGAs from Monday.

A variety of local businesses including beauty salons, cinemas, a gym, a church and hotels will be used for real-world testing of vaccination passport technology.

The trials will include a mid-week race meeting in Warrnambool on October 14, with pubs and clubs to operate with higher capacity and density limits.

Patrons will be required to prove their vaccination status by using a Covid-19 digital certificate on the Service Victoria app, Medicare or equivalent smartphone wallet, or by presenting a printed version of the document.

Government Services Minister Danny Pearson said a guide on how to share the digital certificate to the app is available on the Department of Health website.

Mr Andrews said the trials would reveal what kind of support businesses and workers will need to communicate vaccination requirements to customers.

There are currently 609 people hospitalised with Covid-19, with 126 in ICU and 88 using a ventilator (pictured, a vaccination hub in Melbourne)

Victoria has recorded 1,890 new Covid-19 cases and five new deaths overnight on Sunday

Sunday's new cases were slightly down from a record-breaking 1,965 on Saturday when there were fears the state would soon break 2,000

The five deaths reported overnight include a man in his 50s from Melbourne, a male in his 50s from Brimbank, two men in their 70s, one from Maribyrnong and one from Wyndham and a woman in her 80s from Yarra.

There are currently 609 people hospitalised with Covid-19, with 126 in ICU and 88 using a ventilator.

Less than seven per cent of the Victorians currently in hospital are fully vaccinated.

Mr Andrews issued a blunt warning to Victorians who remained unvaccinated in the final weeks leading up to the reopening of the state.

'If you are vaccinated, your chance of finishing up in hospital gravely ill are but a fraction, a tiny fraction of what an unvaccinated person's risks are,' he said.

'Of course, it will change and become even more stark as we open up.

'When we get to 80 per cent double dose  the virus will spread, especially among those who are not vaccinated  you are at a much higher risk.

'I'm not pleased to say this, but it is the science of it. The data, the facts.'

Half of the 1,890 new cases reported on Sunday were detected in six LGAs: Hume, Casey, Melton, Brimbank, Whittlesea and Wyndham.

Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar noted an increase in the number of infections in Melbourne's southeast, with 164 cases emerging in Casey.

However, he warned Victorians the virus was now spreading everywhere, not just in the familiar Covid hotspots.

'I would really stress again please do not rely on these case narratives that says it is only in a few locations, it is increasingly coming in the suburbs across Melbourne and regional Victoria,' Mr Weimar said.

'[We are seeing] a significant continual growth in the case numbers and we are seeing ongoing growth in case numbers across regional Victoria.'

Half of the 1,890 new cases reported on Sunday were detected in six LGAs: Hume, Casey, Melton, Brimbank, Whittlesea and Wyndham (pictured, Melburnians at St Kilda Beach)

Secondary close contacts will no longer be required to isolate, as authorities change their processes to manage escalating case numbers (pictured, an ambulance in Melbourne)

However, on a positive note he said less cases were being detected in the Hume LGA following a surge in vaccination rates.

Mr Weimar confirmed health officials would stop tracking tier two exposure sites due to increasing pressure from spiralling case numbers.

'We accept the fact that tier two sites are not as productive in terms of finding positive cases,' Mr Weimar said.

It comes as secondary close contacts will no longer be required to isolate.

Health Department deputy secretary Kate Matson said since Victoria was no longer pursuing a Covid-zero strategy, about 16,000 secondary contacts would be able to leave isolation at the weekend.

'In an environment where we are unfortunately close to 2,000 cases a day, the public health risk isn't there in terms of secondary close contacts when you weigh it up with the operational impact,' she said.

'So we want to dedicate our resources to primarily close contacts, confirmed cases and sensitive exposure sites.'

As daily case numbers grow health officials have decided secondary close contacts will no longer be required to isolate (pictured, people enjoy a picnic in Melbourne on Saturday)

Of eligible Victorians 85 per cent have had one dose and 57 per cent have had two as of Friday (pictured, a paramedic prepares his ambulance in Victoria on Saturday)

Primary contacts will be asked to isolate away from the rest of their household, and secondary contacts are still encouraged to get tested if they show symptoms.

Asked whether the state would reach 3,000 cases a day by the end of October, Ms Matson said 'at this point in time, we are on track in terms of hospitalisations and case numbers'.

She said the Burnet Institute was working on fresh modelling, given the high cases numbers, which would be released later this week.

Meanwhile, investigators are still scrambling to pinpoint the origins of a Covid outbreak in the border town of Mildura, which entered a snap lockdown on Friday.

Mr Weimar said the outbreak is believed to be connected to 'some exposures on the NSW side of the border'.

There were 20 cases of Covid-19 detected in Mildura on Saturday, with more healthcare workers sent to the area to provide support.

Meanwhile, Covid-19 particles have been detected in wastewater in Portland, Cobram, Swan Hill, Ballarat, Wonthaggi, Apollo Bay and Aireys Inlet.

Health officials are concerned about rising case numbers in the state's regions with 16 cases detected in Shepparton and 18 cases in the Baw Baw shire.

There are currently more than 120 active cases in regional Victoria.

A small number of protests were held in Melbourne on Saturday, with police arresting three people and fining 27 for breaching public health orders.

Meanwhile, health officials in three states are on alert after a Victorian flight attendant worked on return Virgin flights from Melbourne to Adelaide, Sydney and Newcastle while infectious from October 4 to 6.

It comes as the amount of time children in Melbourne have been confined to home due to the pandemic has exceeded the global average by 67 days, with a leading welfare group warning of strains on their mental health.

Residents in the regional city of Mildura will enter their second day of a snap week-long lockdown on Sunday (pictured, a paramedic in Melbourne on Saturday)

A small number of protests were held in Melbourne on Saturday, with police arresting three people and fining 27 for breaching health orders (pictured, people exercise at St Kilda Beach)

Analysis by Save the Children using data from the Oxford Covid-19 Government ResponseTracker reveals children around the world have lived under required and recommended lockdowns for an average of six months, or 184 days since early 2020.

In Melbourne, they've endured 251 days of lockdown, compared to the average for Australian children of 60 days.

Children in Venezuela have faced one of the longest periods at home, with intermittent lockdowns keeping them inside for up to 491 days or 16 months.

Kids in Lebanon have had to stay home for 418 days and in Zimbabwe, for nearly nine months this year alone.

Save the Children is marking World Mental Health day by warning extended lockdowns are taking a devastating toll by putting kids at increased risk of emotional distress, loneliness and abuse, as well as depriving them of outdoor play and access to mental health support.

In Melbourne, children have endured 251 days of lockdown, compared to the average for Australian children of 60 days (pictured, people exercise in Carlton on Saturday)

Victoria is expected to hit the 70 per cent double-dose target by October 23 and the 80 per cent mark by November 3 (pictured, a man kicks a footy in Carlton Park on Saturday)

The organisation says for many Australian children the pandemic is compounding significant existing challenges.

This includes children who experienced the 2019-20 bushfires and are still only in the early stages of psychological recovery.

It also takes in those already struggling to engage with learning or experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or other complex circumstances.

'Children are resilient but they are also uniquely vulnerable in disasters like the Black Summer bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic,' Save the Children Australia CEO Paul Ronalds said.

'They have specific needs and require specialist support to recover.

'Schools are ideal settings for providing this support. Yet school systems are already heavily overburdened. Specialist programs are urgently needed to complement existing efforts.'

Large crowds gather on St Kilda beach on Saturday as lockdown fatigue continues to tighten its hold on residents with Melbourne enduring the most days in lockdown in the world

Health Department deputy secretary Kate Matson said health officials will focus efforts on close contacts, confirmed cases and sensitive exposure sites (pictured, a picnic on Saturday)

Mr Ronalds says 'Australia's high rates of student disengagement are a national crisis that Covid-19 threatens to turn into a generational rupture'.

He's calling for 'a coherent national strategy, along with aligned state and territory strategies, to keep students engaged with learning'.

A survey of over 13,000 children in 46 countries carried out by Save the Children last year found 83 per cent reported an increase in negative feelings due to the pandemic.

This was far higher where schools had been closed for 17 to 19 weeks.

Since then, the situation for many has worsened as countries have battled third or fourth waves of the virus, lockdowns have continued and schools in some countries have been closed for over 18 months.
A Netflix producer says she will no longer work for Netflix following the streamer's release of Dave Chappelle's comedy special, The Closer, which she claims includes 'transphobic comments'.

Jaclyn Moore, a transwoman, who worked on the Netflix hit Dear White People for four years as an executive producer and showrunner, claims bosses at the streaming service are to blame more than 48-year-old Chappelle, who is known for being controversial.

'I want to be clear that Dave Chappelle should be free to say whatever he wants and I should be free to say whatever I would like about him. Not to let Chappelle off the hook, but my bigger issue is with Netflix. This isn't a live special. It was filmed, finished and people watched it and nobody said, 'Hey, are we sure this is good? Are we sure this is OK? Are we sure this isn't dangerous? What are the consequences of putting this out?' Moore said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Jaclyn Moore, pictured, a trans showrunner on another Netflix show said she will no longer work for the streaming service following Dave Chappelle's allegedly 'transphobic' remarks

Dave Chappelle continues to face backlash over the controversial contents of his latest Netflix special, The Closer

Moore has worked as a writer, producer and showrunner on Netflix's Dear White People and Peacock's Queer as Folk

Moore is said to be so upset with the streaming service that she has vowed to refrain from working for Netflix 'as long as they continue to put out and profit from blatantly and dangerously transphobic content.'

Chappelle, meanwhile, has faced a furious backlash from the LGBTQ community.

In the stand-up special - his sixth for the streaming service - Chappelle joked about Harry Potter author J K Rowling's 2019 statement that transgender women were not actually women and were a threat to her identity.

Rowling, 56, subsequently received a slew of hate messages and death threats for her comments on sex and gender after the incident, with the hashtag #RIPJKRowling trending on social media last year.

Jaclyn Moore, who wrote for Netflix's Dear White People, has criticized the streaming service over jokes in Dave Chappelle's latest Netflix special that take aim at transgender people

Moore tweeted that Chappelle was once 'one of [her] heroes,' but the jokes he made in the 'have real world consequences' for trans women, including violence and hatred, she said

Comedian Dave Chappelle is under fire for making transphobic jokes in his new Netflix special

Harry Potter author JK Rowling stated in 2019 that transgender women were not actually women and were a threat to her identity

Rowling was then labeled a 'TERF' by the LGBTQ community - which stands for 'trans-exclusionary radical feminist.'

Chappelle joked that he embraced the label.

'I'm Team TERF. I agree. I agree, man,' Chappelle says in the special, aligning himself with the ousted writer.

'Gender is a fact,' he then remarks.

Chappelle adds: 'Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. That is a fact.'

In the contentious special, Chappelle also jokes that women today view transwomen the same way black people might view white women wearing blackface, and remarked that women are entitled to feel anger toward transwomen, since Caitlyn Jenner won Glamour magazine's 2015 Woman of the Year award.

'I'd be mad as sh*t if I was a woman,' Chappelle says during a problematic bit.

The star also jokes about the anatomy of transwomen in the special, joking that they lacked real female reproductive organs and that they did not have blood but 'beet juice.'

Moore explained how after watching the Chappelle special that she is now walking back comments she made about Netflix during Pride week when she described it as a company that 'cares about us and our community.'

Moore has vowed to no longer work with Netflix while they put out 'blatant and dangerously transphobic content'

'As I posted, I have worked with so many people at Netflix who are brilliant, lovely, kind, caring and want nothing more than to do the right thing. So, I don't know who [approved it], but what I do know is that there aren't enough trans people in these spaces because a trans person would have said, 'Are we aware of the implications?' she explained.

Moore explains that during the production process at Netflix, content is constantly flagged and questioned over its content, although she admits she is not sure 'how it works in stand-up.'

'The problem in Chappelle's case is that he's now done this in something like five specials in a row with increasing hostility. Netflix keeps paying for these specials. It's hard to feel like the financial upside outweighed the rest. I'm not saying that's what they think but that's the message that's received when this happens. So, I tweeted about my decision because I felt like I had to,' Moore said.

Moore, who transitioned over the course of the last year, said that she is shocked Chappelles show was greenlit by Netflix

Moore told how a number of people had contacted her to say how Chappelle's show was not transphobic

Moore shared some of the angry messages she had received on social media

The Closer will be Chappelle's last standup special on Netflix before he goes on break

'There aren't many trans showrunners in this business. It's a shortlist who have done this job and I've done this job at Netflix on a show that talks about queer issues, race and a host of other topics. I felt I had to say something, especially because I had put myself out there previously to promote Netflix as an inclusive place.'

Moore, whose Netflix series Dear White People has just concluded its run, tweeted that she 'will not work with Netflix as long as they continue to put out and profit from blatantly and dangerously homophobic content.'

Moore also explained following her declaration of no longer wanting to work for the streamer, someone from the production company got in touch with her.

'Someone called to hear my side of things and they wanted to let me know that they see me and see what I'm doing and they wanted to keep an open line of dialogue. I really appreciate that; it was a standup move by that person. I don't know what the internal politics are there about this or any of it but I do want to say that I worked with many people at Netflix who are some of the most empathetic and caring folks I've worked with in this business. There is a difference between the corporate decisions and whatever happens as an entity versus the people who exist within it,' Moore said.

She stressed during that interview that she is no longer pitching any new projects to Netflix 'for the time being.'

'I don't know what it will take to change that. I didn't do it as an ultimatum like, 'If you don't do it by this date, then' I just can't in good conscience do business there right now. It's a difficult question because I don't know the right answer. I don't know if it's to supplement the specials, to add disclaimers or edits, I don't know. I don't think it's my job to fix their problem but I will say they do have a problem, which is their platform is promoting dangerous rhetoric from someone who says they are a TERF, who mocks the idea of my existence and compares what I do to blackface,' she added.

Earlier in the year, Moore had shared her transitioning story to promote Netflix as an 'inclusive' company

The Closer premiered on Netflix on October 5, where the comedian returned to the stage and made a slew of controversial jokes

His transgender jokes angered LGBQT advocates such as GLAAD, which blasted him on Twitter

During a speech on Thursday night, Chappelle steered clear of any material that might offend members of the LGBTQ community but he did show his contempt towards the phenomenon known as 'cancel culture.'

'If this is what being canceled is like, I love it,' he said as appeared on stage to a standing ovation. 'I don't know what to tell you, except I'm a bad motherf***er.'

It is not just Moore who has taken offense at Chappelle's comments. GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) also put out a statement expressing disgust at the comedian's routine.

National Black Justice Coalition executive director David Johns wants the show cancelled

'Dave Chappelle's brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities. Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don't support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes. We agree.'

'With 2021 on track to be the deadliest year on record for transgender people in the United States  the majority of whom are black transgender people  Netflix should know better,' David Johns from The National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization serving primarily lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people said in a statement.

'Perpetuating transphobia perpetuates violence. Netflix should immediately pull The Closer from its platform and directly apologize to the transgender community.'

Dave Chappelle was spotted emerging from Hollywood's Peppermint Club on Wednesday evening in the wake of controversy surrounding the trans community
Daniel Andrews says being $400 out of pocket was nothing compared to the grief he copped from his family for breaching his own Covid-19 rules.

The Victoria Premier was busted not wearing a mask outside Parliament on two consecutive days last week.

Police launched an investigation after footage taken by journalists showed Mr Andrews walking through the car park towards the waiting media scrum after getting out of his car without a mask on Thursday.

An embarrassed Mr Andrews received two $200 fines on Friday, which he paid on the spot - and then copped a lecture from his wife Cath and children Grace, Joseph, and Noah.

Daniel Andrews was given hell by his wife and three kids over two Covid-19 breaches last week

'I received them on Friday and I paid them moments later,' he told reporters on Sunday.

'That was one burden for me to shoulder, the grief I got from Cath and the kids was considerably more.'

The Premier insists he was wearing his mask in the car before taking it off on Thursday.

'I don't know why I took it off and walked up. I did the wrong thing,' he admitted

'It's important we all follow the rules because the rules are there to keep us safe.

'Four hundred dollars is $400. I don't know if you can put a monetary value on it, but I got many thousands of dollars of grief from my teenage children and a little bit from Cath too.'

'We've all got to follow these rules, just for a few more weeks.'

Victoria Premier was busted not wearing a mask outside Parliament on two consecutive days last week. He had since paid the two $200 fines

Mr Andrews then quickly changed the topic by urging Victorians get vaccinated before restrictions are eased in the coming weeks.

He announced on Twitter last week his teenage kids are now fully vaccinated.

'There are thousands of appointments and they'll keep you safe,' Mr Andrews pleaded.

'There were less than one in 10, and on Sundays, there is less that one in 20 other people in hospital really sick have had two doses so it works.'

'It is safe, it is effective, and if you get it, you will be keeping yourself safe, that is a good outcome for you and your loved ones, and it will also be making the job of our nurses no harder than it is to be.'

Victoria recorded 1,890 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, slightly down from a record-breaking 1,965 announced a day earlier.

Video filmed by Seven News journalist Paul Dowsley on Thursday showed Mr Andrews walking up to a microphone stand with his briefcase and passing a small group of media.

Daniel Andrews was filmed without a face mask while walking across the car park to reporters on Thursday. He's since been fined $400

The footage sparked outrage with talkback radio hosts and social media users holed up in their sixth lockdown condemning the premier for his missing face-covering.

'Premier, if you're going to lock us up for lapses and fine businesses when they're trying to do the right thing, well you've got to pay the price yourself,' 3AW radio host Neil Mitchell said.

Under the state government's Covid rules, anyone over 12 is required to mask up whenever they leave their home.

They must wear a mask in all public indoor and outdoor settings. Only those who have a medical exemption are not required to wear the face mask.

Nearly 39,000 fines have been handed out by police to residents breaching Covid-19 health orders between March 2020 and June 2021.

Only $5.7 million of the $60 million worth of fines have been paid.

Individuals face on-the-spot fines of up to $1,817 while businesses can pay as much as $10,904 if they breach public health orders.

Residents risk $5,452 in fines if they break indoor and outdoor gathering caps.
Anthony Fauci warned that vaccinated Americans to still wear a mask outdoors this winter and offered up hope that Covid-19 deaths will continue their downward trajectory in the next few months.

Fauci - during an interview with Greta Van Susteren, which will be aired on Sunday - was asked if he expected another surge in Covid cases this winter caused by different variants.

'I strongly suspect that you're going to start seeing the deaths go down similar to the hospitalizations; how quickly they go down and how thoroughly they go down is going to depend a lot on a number of circumstances, which will be influenced by things like the colder weather, people doing things indoors,' Fauci said.

Deaths have been dropping steadily for the past three weeks - from a seven-day rolling average of 1,767 per day on September 15 to 1,418 on October 7 - and are expected to keep falling at the same rate as the decrease in hospitalizations.

Anthony Fauci (left) told Greta Van Susteren (right) in an interview, which will air on Sunday, that he 'strongly suspects that you're going to start seeing the deaths go down similar to the hospitalizations'

Fauci said that the number of new Covid infections and deaths in the coming months will be influenced by 'colder weather, people doing things indoors (and) how well they go by the CDC guidelines. He also suggested: 'Even though you're vaccinated, when you are not home but outside congregate settings in the public, wearing masks, I think would be very prudent'

Fauci noted that there has been a 'turnaround in the slope' in the prevalence of cases and hospitalizations over the last few weeks.

The current 7-day daily average for September 29October 5, 2021, was 7,440. That is a 13.2% decrease from the prior 7-day average (8,378) from September 22September 28.

On Thursday, the US reported 110,060 new infections, with a seven-day rolling average of 112,792. That is a 32 percent decline from the 166,113 average reported four weeks ago and the lowest figure seen since early August, according to a DailyMail.com analysis.

Fauci said that while 'deaths are still up, it's really flattening, so it's a lagging indicator'.

He also stressed that masks should remain in use even by vaccinated people when they step out of their home.

'When you have a lot of infection in the community, even though you're vaccinated, when you are not home but outside in congregate settings in the public, wearing masks, I think would be very prudent,' he said.

Some health experts fear Fauci's rosy prediction will send the wrong message to the public.

Emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University Leana Wen told The Hill that she's concerned people will become 'complacent because they think that the delta wave is passing us'.

'We have seen this happen before, where there is a rise in the number of cases, then a decline, and then people let down their guard. And as a result, we plateau at a very high level of cases. That's unacceptable,' she added.

On October 1, the US hit a grim milestone and surpassed 700,000 Covid deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

That figure is more than the number of Americans who died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War combined.

To put the number into context, it is also about equivalent to the populations of Nashville, Tennessee, or Washington, DC, and just a bit smaller than the population of Denver, Colorado.

More than 4.7million people have died from Covid-19 around the world, according to Johns Hopkins, which means the US accounts for 14.8 percent of all deaths, but just five percent of the global population.

The heartbreaking figures come exactly three-and-a-half months after America recorded 600,000 lives lost due to the virus.

Although the first deaths from the virus in the US weren't reported until February 2020, it was confirmed last month that the earliest death actually took place on January 9, 2020.

It took until May to reach the first 100,000 dead. The toll hit 200,000 deaths in September and 300,000 in December.

Then it took just over a month to go from 300,000 to 400,000 and about two months to climb from 400,000 to the brink of 500,000.

A new CDC ensemble forecast predicts that weekly deaths will fall to as low as 5,300 by the week ending October 23, a decline from the current weekly total of 14,000

The death rate has dramatically slowed, taking four months and one week to hit 600,000 deaths.

It took about three-and-a-half months to hit the 700,000 mark.

As devastating as that 700,000 figure is, the true death toll is believed to be higher than official counts.

Currently, black Americans account for 11.9 percent of all Covid-19 deaths, Hispanics for 26.9 percent, whites for 51.5 percent and Asians at 3.1 percent, each figure about equal to their share of the US population.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that after adjusting for age and other factors, blacks and Latinos are between two and three times more likely to die of Covid than whites.
An eight-year-old girl has been killed by a moving caravan that struck her as she holidayed at a camping ground.

She was killed at a Tidal River camping ground in Wilsons Promontory, 240km southeast of Melbourne, at about 10am on Sunday.

Wilsons Promontory National Park in Victoria is a very popular tourist destination

An off-duty paramedic performed CPR on the girl but was not able to save her.

The caravan driver stopped at the scene and is assisting the police with their inquiries.

Tidal River is the main tourism hub for visitors to Wilsons Promontory National Park.

Anyone with any information on the Wilsons Promontory incident, or who has dashcam footage, should call police.
Former President Trump on Saturday said he called Gen. Mark Milley, his most senior military adviser, a 'nut job' when he suggested leaving billions of dollars of warfighting gear in Afghanistan.

Trump has repeatedly blasted President Joe Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan and the decision vehicles and weapons that could fall into Taliban hands.

In front of thousands of supporters in Iowa, he claimed he told Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Milley that it was a terrible idea when he was president.

He said: 'So when Milley told me that I said: "What are you? A nut job? Are you stupid?

'That's when I realised ... that was one of the many times I realised he was stupid.'

Trump has attacked Milley repeatedly in recent weeks after reports emerged that the nation's most senior military figure feared Trump might launch a coup in the wake of his election defeat.

Before the rally began, the crowd was shown part of Gen. George S. Patton's famous speech to the Third Army in 1944 - as delivered in the 1970 film of his life by George C. Scott.

Former President Trump claimed he called Gen. Mark Milley a 'nut job' when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff proposed leaving billions of dollars of U.S. hardware in Afghanistan

Critics have accused the Biden administration of allowing weapons and aircraft to fall into the hands of the Taliban. But U.S. officials say the equipment was not in a usable condition

Former President Trump blasted members of his own party during a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday night. The visit - to a key state in the 2024 nomination race - will be seen as another sign that Trump is planning to run for the White House again

The crowd was shown part of General Patton's famous 1944 speech, as portrayed by George C. Scott in the 1970 movie

'Americans, traditionally, love to fight,' he says. 'All real Americans love the sting of battle.'

Trump compared the storied general with what he described as today's 'TV generals,' asking: 'Do you think George Patton would have left early out of Afghanistan?

'Do you think he would have left dead soldiers for no reason whatsoever. Do you think he would have left $85 billion dollars worth of the best equipment?'

The U.S. spent more than $80 billion dollars supporting the Afghan military, although much of that was spent on training and salaries rather than equipment.

'You know what I realized? He went to Biden and said the same thing,' continued Trump. 'It is cheaper to leave the equipment than take it out.'

His visit to Iowa, with its place at the start of the nominating calendar, is the latest piece in a will-he, won't-he dance as the former president teases a 2024 run.

But it was supposed to be a chance to boost Republican candidates in next year's midterms.

He made clear it was the right kind of Republicans he wanted to boost, 'America First' Republicans.

His visit came as lawmakers investigating the Jan. 6 violence tighten their focus on Trump and his top aides.

On Friday, the former president said he would do everything possible to shield his presidential records from the investigation, setting up a potential legal battle after the White House said he had no right to claim 'executive privilege.

And it follows new books picking over the Trump presidency with a stream of embarrassing headlines.

Saturday brought a chance for the former president to adopt the role of entertainer in front of his fans in Iowa.

The state is a key place for anyone considering a 2024 run. Its status as the first caucus allows can allow candidates to catapult themselves into contention with a strong ground game.

Trump was making his first visit to Iowa since last year's election campaign. It is a key state for anyone planning launching a run for the White House

Thousands of people waited all day for Trump to appear a little before 8pm local time

Insiders say it holds particular importance for Trump. He was the first Republican to win the state since George W. Bush in 2004 - despite losing the caucus to Sen. Ted Cruz.

The latest polling suggests he has grown in popularity since leaving office.

The latest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows 53 percent of Iowans have a favourable viewing of the former president, giving him his highest ever rating.

He got a warm welcome from Sen. Chuck Grassley who touted Trump's record as one of promises made and promises kept.

'President Trump ran on a platform of tax cuts, and he delivered the biggest tax cut in the history of the country,' he said to roars of approval.

'President Trump ran on a platform of criminal justice reform, and he signed the criminal justice reform that I sponsored.

'President Trump ran on a platform of securing the borders and the borders were secure.'

Amid all the talk of 2024, the moment was a reminder the rally was a chance for Trump to rally support ahead of next year's midterms.

'Iowa is absolutely critical to our efforts to take back the House and Senate in 2022, and then the White House in 2024,' he said in a fundraising message to supporters this week.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was among the speakers after recently announcing that he planned to run for an eighth term in next year's midterms

Crowds browsed dozens of stalls selling Trump merchandise - from T-shirts, pins and koozies to knives - before the gates to the event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds opened on Saturday

But it also gave him a chance to put on a show for his supporters with attacks on his favorite targets.

He railed against Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chaotic Kabul airlift.

'They had no idea who is getting on those planes. We still don't have any idea,' he said.

'Only three percent were qualified to be taken to a place called the United States of America, is that something? Three percent.

'You're going to be hearing from those people over the coming years, in a very bad way.'

He dismissed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a 'nut job' and called on his supporters to sweep Democrats from Congress.

'They've all got to go,' he said.

'Practically every single Democrat lawmaker in the House and Senate has endorsed deranged legislation. And that's why every single one of them has to be voted out of office,' he said.
An education firm that was co-founded by the son-in-law of US Attorney General and former Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland is under fire for issuing resources that claims former President Trump's supporters are white supremacists.

Alexander 'Xan' Tanner, 30, is a founder and the president of Panorama Education, an analytical software and services company in Boston. He married Attorney General Garland's daughter Rebecca in 2018.

Panorama recently put out a workshop which deals with systemic racism.

It includes a link to an article that calls both Ku Klux Klan members and President Trump's supporters 'examples of white supremacy.'

'SEL as Social Justice: Dismantling White Supremacy Within Systems and Self,' the Panorama workshop in question, features several 'resources' for teachers, including one that links to a Medium article titled 'How White Supremacy Lives in Our Schools, written by Altagracia Montilla.

Montilla's piece, published in July of 2020, says 'the rise in images of overt white supremacy in the media feeds into the confusion about white supremacy. While the Ku Klux Klan and MAGAs at half-empty Trump rallies (not that these are mutually exclusive groups) are in fact examples of white supremacy, they are not the only examples.'

An education firm that was co-founded by the son-in-law of US Attorney General and former Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland is under fire

Alexander 'Xan' Tanner, 30, is a founder and the president of Panorama Education, an analytical software and services company in Boston

The article claims that 'murderous police officers' is part of the reason why white supremacy 'is everywhere, pertinent and pervasive, woven into the fabric of our society and reflected in every institution and organization in the US, including schools.'

Montilla, who describes herself as a 'freedom-dreamer, facilitator, and strategist committed to dismantling oppressive systems,' says the education system is often close-minded toward ideas that go against what she sees as white supremacy culture.

'One of the purposes of listing characteristics of white supremacy culture in schools is to point out how schools consciously or unconsciously use these characteristics as their standards making it difficult, if not impossible, to open the door to other cultural norms and standards,' Montilla claimed, listing 'Perfectionism,' 'Worship of the Written Word,' 'Paternalism,' 'Defensiveness,' and 'Right to Comfort' as 'school practices that act as antidotes to white supremacy culture in schools.'

She goes as far to say that schools celebrate only those students that 'adapt and conform' to white supremacist-rooted ideals.

'The reality is while schools may say they're invested in diversity and equity, they really only celebrate students who adapt or conform to the cultural norms rooted in white supremacy,' it claims. 'Naming and identifying the characteristics of white supremacy culture in schools so we shift from accepting these characteristics as norms towards recognizing them as destructive  is the first step to working toward building schools that value all students.'

A Medium article titled 'How White Supremacy Lives in Our Schools, written by Altagracia Montilla, is part of why the Panorama report is causing controversy

Montilla's article calls both Ku Klux Klan members and President Trump's supporters 'examples of white supremacy.'

Montilla describes herself as a 'freedom-dreamer, facilitator, and strategist committed to dismantling oppressive systems'

Attorney General Garland's Justice Department has said it's trying to fight back what it claims is an increase of violent threats against teachers and administrators in schools across America.

Critics say there may be a conflict of interest at hand with what the involvement of the attorney general's son-in-law and Panorma's ties to left-wing groups.

Republicans have been heavily critical of Garland's efforts, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell calling parents protesting school officials a form of democracy rather than intimidation.
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams camp hinted he would reverse outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio's controversial decision to cancel a popular citywide accelerated learning program for children four and up.

A spokesperson for Adams, the frontrunner to win the overwhelmingly Democratic city in November, said the current Brooklyn borough president 'has said consistently he would keep the Gifted and Talented test and provide more resources, classes and support to lower-income students to ensure fairer outcomes,' adding his 'position hasnt changed.'

The spokesperson declined to say outright if Adams would reverse de Blasio's decision to scrap the longtime program, which the lame duck said 'discriminates against black and Hispanic students.'

De Blasio drew widespread criticism after announcing his plan to end the city's Gifted and Talented program, which his supporters argued is highly segregated and only benefited well off white and Asian students.

The rep said that Eric Adams, pictured, 'has said he would keep the G and T test, provide more resources, classes and support to lower-income students to ensure fairer outcomes'

Outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has axed the city's gifted and talented schools program because he says it discriminates against black and Hispanic kids

Among those critics were Adams and Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, pictured, who have gone on records stating the don't want the program eliminated entirely

Meanwhile, parents and teachers raged at the move, saying it punishes gifted children and holds them back.

Joining the chorus were Adams' Republican mayoral rival Curtis Sliwa, who has gone on record stating he does not want the program eliminated.

'The Asian community is being targeted because theyre following the rules; they are successful in achieving academic excellence; their families and communities are motivated to take advantage of G&T, to take advantage of the specialized high schools,' Sliwa said.

The Guardian Angels founder voiced even more support for the initiative, calling de Blasio a 'lame duck' on Saturday while adding he would expand admissions into the Gifted and Talented program.

About 2,500 kindergarteners are accepted to schools around the city to the program if they pass a specialized exam.

Children who did join the program had to do so by passing an exam, which has an about 2,500 students yearly

De Blasio's solution is to put the gifted kids in regular classrooms which critics say will only increase class size, spread teachers' thin and harm all of the kids' progress (file image)

Sliwa also accused Adams of 'vacillat(ing)' on the accelerated learning program issue, which Adams' spokesman called a 'lie.'

As outlined by de Blasio on Friday, current students in the program will remain in their schools until the completion of the school year, however new recruits would be done away with for the fall of 2022 - ending all testing for children four and under.

The Gifted and Talented program will be replaced by Brilliant NYC, a different program to be rolled out in December - the mayor's final month in office - and will offer students eight and up the opportunity for advanced and accelerated learning without having to leave their existing classrooms.

The city's Department of Education said teachers will identify students that are ready academically for the new program, while still doing away with the high-stakes testing, with some parents going so far as to have paid tutors for to better help their children prepare for it.

Meanwhile, parents and teachers say ending the program in its current state will create more problems for students: the gifted kids will be bored and slowed down in classrooms of mixed ability, and those who need more attention will be 'left behind,' they say.

The mayor's plan lets current students stay in the program until the completion of the school year, but new ones will be done away with fall 2022, ending tests for kids four and under

A spokesperson for Adams, who's the frontrunner for the citywide race, did decline to say outright if Adams would make any changes that de Blasio makes to the initiative

Students were being accepted to the special Talented and Gifted (TAG) schools after passing a standardized test at the age of four. In some parts of the city that are predominantly black and Hispanic, fewer kids were passing the tests, so the schools closed.

De Blasio did met immediately respond to inquiries regarding his opinion on his successors own plans for the city's accelerated learning program, according to the New York Post.

The newspaper said the mayor ignored a Post reporter who asked him about his plan to remove the Gifted and Talented initiative at an unrelated event in Brooklyn on Saturday.

One mother of a student of the outgoing program was vocal in her criticism for de Blasio's decision to do away with it, yelling at him 'whats up with Gifted and Talented?'

'Why is it that kids cant get enough space just to go to school to get equal opportunities for education?' she said as the mayor turned his head to ignore her.

'I dont understand it.'
The ex-boyfriend of a mother-of-two found dead in their suburban home is being kept under police guard in hospital.

His former partner was found dead alongside him and a pile of bloodied clothes in a Bayswater North home, 28km east of Melbourne's city centre.

The couple recently separated and used to live together at the house on Huntingdon Avenue with their two young boys.

Police are investigating the death of a 32-year-old mother of two in Melbourne's Bayswater North suburb

The woman was seen at the property on Saturday afternoon, while her former partner was seen walking in the area around the same time.

Emergency services were called to the house just after 7.30pm on Saturday.

The 29-year old man and 32-year-old woman were found inside the property with life-threatening injuries. The woman died at the scene.

The man, a tradesman who runs a cabinet-making business, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

'You don't expect these things to happen in your neighbourhood,' one local said

Victoria Police said they were 'not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident'.

A neighbour of the deceased woman said he saw the victim's parents outside the house crying. Trent Falahey said the woman's mother asked if he had 'heard anything'.

'You don't expect these things to happen in your neighbourhood,' he said.

Forensic experts and homicide detectives were at the scene, which was cordoned off with police tape, on Sunday.

The Herald Sun reported that what appeared to be bloody clothes could be seen inside the property, while neighbours hugged each other nearby.

Neighbours were told to stay inside their homes as the investigation continued.
A surgeon has shared a terrifying insight into the grim reality of an intensive care ward at a busy hospital during the latest Covid-19 crisis as he delivered an impassioned plea for everyone to get vaccinated.

Dr Ahmad Aly, the brother of Logie-winning The Project host Waleed is a general surgeon at Melbourne's Austin Hospital.

He filmed a video interviewing an colleague in ICU and was shocked to find all 13 patients fighting for life with coronavirus were unvaccinated, with most on a ventilator.

The confronting video was shared by his journalist sister-in-law Susan Carland on the day Victoria recorded 1,890 new cases with health officials very concerned about the spread into regional areas, where there are 120 active cases.

Dr Ahmad Aly (right) interviewed a Austin Hospital colleague (left) about Covid patients in the ICU ward, where many are young and end up on a ventilator

The video shows the doctor telling Dr Aly that none of the Covid-19 patients admitted to the hospital's ICU have been vaccinated as he warns of the life-changing impacts the virus will have.

Less than seven per cent of the Victorians in hospital are fully vaccinated, while many of the patients are 'fairly young'.

'So with normal ICU patients, a day or two is pretty much standard,' the doctor explains.

'Some of the patients will be here with us for three or four weeks even, it's that serious.'

'After a critical illness of this severity, the legacy lasts the rest of your life.'

'The impact stays with you for decades, People are never quite the same as they were before.'

He said he had never seen so many young people in ICU with the one problem, all of whom are at a high risk of dying.

'The message is really clear,' a shocked Dr Aly replied. 'They're young, they're not vaccinated, they're all from our community.'

The video was shared by the surgeon's journalist sister-in-law Susan Carland (pictured with her husband Waleed Aly

The confronting video ends with Dr Ahmad Aly (pictured) for everyone to get vaccinated

More Covid-19 patients have been admitted to the ward since the video was filmed less than two weeks ago.

'If you are vaccinated, you may get Covid but you don't end up here. You don't get sick,' Dr Aly urged in his impassioned plea.

Dr Aly, who is also a senior lecturer and researcher at Melbourne University urged community leaders with 'influence' to help boost vaccination rates.

About 58 per cent of Victorians over 15 are vaccinated with the state on track to meet the 70 per cent milestone by October 26, which will end its sixth lockdown.

'You have to tell our community to get vaccinated. Take the courage of the Prophets, of the Sahaba. Stand up for what is actually right,' Dr Aly pleaded.

'Because you can save lives, you can make the difference here. Without your help, I think we're lost. Honestly, this is what I've seen today.'

Victoria recorded 1890 new cases on Sunday with health officials very concerned about the spread into regional areas (pictured a Melbourne testing clinic)

Victoria recorded 1,612 new Covid-19 cases on Monday and eight deaths overnight

In sharing the video, Dr Carland said her brother-in-law has been 'desperately worried' by what, and who, he is seeing at Austin Hospital.

It has been retweeted by Victoria's chief heath officer Professor Brett Sutton, who has personally known Dr Aly for more than three decades.

'A surgeon of great intellect and integrity. Please listen to his plea,' he posted.

Dr Carland previously joked her presenter husband Waleed was an 'under-achiever' compared to his older brother after the surgeon appeared a 30-second television ad for Cancer Council Victoria.

Victoria recorded 1,890 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, slightly down from a record-breaking 1,965 announced a day earlier.

The state's Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar is gravely concerned about the spread of cases in regional Victoria, where there are 120 infections.

Regional areas of concern include Mildura (20 cases), the Baw Baw shire (18) Shepparton (16), Geelong and Maceon Ranges, (12 each) and Latrobe (11).

Dr Ahmad Aly (left) was shocked to learn all of Austin Hospital's Covid patients in ICU were unvaccinated

There is also great concern about a growing cluster of infections in Melbourne's southeast, with 164 cases emerging in Casey.

'I would really stress again please do not rely on these case narratives but says it is only in a few locations, it is increasingly coming in the suburbs across Melbourne and regional Victoria,' Mr Weimar told reporters.

'[We are seeing] a significant continual growth in the case numbers and we are seeing ongoing growth in case numbers across regional Victoria.'

Mr Andrews issued a blunt warning to Victorians who were still unvaccinated in the final weeks leading up to the reopening of the state.

'If you are vaccinated, your chance of finishing up in hospital gravely ill are but a fraction, a tiny fraction of what an unvaccinated person's risks are,' he said.

'Of course, it will change and become even more stark as we open up.

'When we get to 80 per cent double dose the virus will spread, especially among those who are not vaccinated you are at a much higher risk.'
The New York Times issued a correction on Friday after a reporter said 900,000 children have been hospitalized in the US with Covid-19 when the true figure is a tiny fraction of that: 63,000.

The mistake was made by the Times' health and science reporter Apoorva Mandavilli, who took to Twitter back in May to claim the theory that coronavirus was leaked from a Wuhan lab has 'racist roots'.

'The article misstated the number of Covid hospitalizations in US children. It is more than 63,000 from August 2020 to October 2021, not 900,000 since the beginning of the pandemic,' the correction read.

But this wasn't the only error in the article, titled A New Vaccine Strategy For children: Just One Dose, For Now. The piece also 'described incorrectly the actions taken by regulators in Sweden and Denmark'.

'In addition, the article misstated the timing of an FDA meeting on authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children. It is later this month, not next week,' the liberal paper added.

New York Times science reporter Apoorva Mandavilli (pictured) missed the actual figure of children hospitalized for Covid in the US by 837,000 - a landslide difference - in an article she wrote on Wednesday

The mistakes in the piece, titled A New Vaccine Strategy For children: Just One Dose, For Now, sparked outrage on Twitter

The incorrect number of children hospitalized for Covid-19 in the US was far from the article's only error. The piece also incorrectly described actions taken by Sweden and Denmark and botched the timing of an important FDA meeting

Twitter users weren't too happy by the shoddy reporting, which missed the actual figure of children hospitalized for Covid in the US by 837,000.

A fellow writer responded to the correction and said: 'I see this NYT reporter is meeting her usual standards today.'

'Mandavilli somehow inflated the number of US children hospitalized with the virus to 14 times the actual level,' another user tweeted.

Others suggested Mandavilli - the 2019 winner of the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting - completely makes up figures, saying she 'provides her own unique version of "focusing on science."'

'You have been called to report to the Hall of Shame. Fauci's waiting for you,' a Twitter user joked while another more hostile reply asked why Mandavilli is still employed.

'She blatantly lied and not just a little but by a huge margin. Covid fear spreading sensationalist. She should be out!! Wheres cancel Culture when you really need it?' the tweet read.

Mandavilli describes herself on the app as a Times reporter who mainly covers the Covid-19 pandemic.

She sparked widespread outrage earlier this year when she tweeted: 'Someday we will stop talking about the lab leak theory and maybe even admit its racist roots. But alas, that day is not yet here.'

She deleted the tweet about an hour later and admitted that it was 'badly phrased' - and that her own colleagues are investigating the theory.

Twitter users weren't too happy with the mishap and slammed Mandavilli, saying she 'met her usual standards' and 'provided her own unique version of "focusing on science"'

Among the critics who slammed Mandavilli's perceived flip-flop was Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who responded in his own tweet on Thursday: 'She just isn't willing to investigate or report on anything that might hurt her tender feelings.'

The Twitter face-off came after months of mainstream media outlets - including the Times - dismissing the idea that Covid-19 could have been developed in a lab. They have since been forced to acknowledge the possibility amid mounting supportive evidence.

In his tweet attacking Mandavilli, Cruz called out the irony that she bills herself as an 'investigative reporter'.

Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of The Intercept, also took aim at Mandavilli.

'The NYT's Covid reporter is saying we should stop talking about the lab leak theory  even if it's how Covid entered humans  because that theory (unlike, I guess, the wet market theory) is racist,' he wrote.

Mandavilli's flip-flop on the issue reflected that of the larger mainstream media, which originally dismissed the idea that the virus originated in a lab studying bats but are now publishing articles suggesting that the theory may be plausible.

She controversially tweeted earlier this year that a theory about where Covid-19 started has 'racist roots'. She deleted the tweet about an hour later and admitted that it was 'badly phrased'. Her flip-flop reflected that of the larger mainstream media, which originally dismissed the idea that the virus originated in a lab studying bats but are now publishing articles suggesting that the theory may be plausible

Texas Senator Ted Cruz (pictured) criticized New York Times science reporter for dismissing the Wuhan lab leak theory as 'racist' on Twitter

Cruz took to Twitter to criticize Mandavilli for the tweet, saying she 'isn't willing to investigate or report on anything that might hurt her tender feelings'

The Huanan wet market, where the first cluster of infections began, is just a few hundred yards from the Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control and only a few miles from the the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab, where scientists were reportedly conducting experiments on bats before the pandemic began.

The lab is one of only a handful in the world that is cleared to handle Class 4 pathogens  dangerous viruses that pose a high risk of person-to-person transmission.

Three researchers from the institute sought medical care in November 2019, before the virus began to spread, according to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper said the report - which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses and their hospital visits - may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the Covid-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory.

But many reporters originally dismissed the idea and relied on a World Health Organization (WHO) study in the early days of the pandemic that said it was 'extremely unlikely' the virus escaped from a lab.

The report was written in part by Chinese scientists and was repeatedly delayed as China refused to give the WHO team raw data on the outbreak.

Eventually, the WHO concluded in the report that the virus could have been imported on frozen meat.
Santa could be coming early for some Australian families, with kids as young as five possibly in line to get a Covid vaccination before Christmas.

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer is hoping to soon make its case to Australia's medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, to allow young children to get vaccinated over summer.

The company is about to make a 'provisional determination' application to the TGA, which it hopes would lead to making a formal bid for its vaccine to be fast-tracked for children aged five to 11.

Children aged 12 to 15 are already eligible to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in Australia

In such a proposal, Pfizer would have to show the benefits of kids getting the shot outweigh possible side effects.

Professor Allen Cheng, who co-chairs the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, said young children could be getting vaccinations within weeks, but that approval was not guaranteed.

'When we are thinking about 80-year-olds, where the danger of Covid is really obvious, [about] a third of people die,' he told the Sydney Moring Herald.

'When we are looking at kids, who rarely go to hospital and as a rule don't die from Covid, then that's sort of a different equation.'

Children aged from five to 11 may be eligible to get vaccinated before the end of the year

Health Minister Greg Hunt said there were about 2.1 million children in the five-to-11 age bracket in Australia, and there was enough supply to double dose them immediately.

'The timing is in the hands of Pfizer, they are already working with the TGA, priority will be given by the TGA on this. It's a matter for them as to when,' he said.

'This is up to an independent company and an independent regulator. The government has paved the way for it to be done as quickly as possible.'

Children aged 12 to 15 are already eligible to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in Australia. ATAGI now recommends two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for all children in that age group.

Children who needed intensive care or have died from Covid-19 in other countries such as Britain commonly had Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or major medical problems involving the heart, lungs, or immune system.

Robert Booy, an infectious diseases paediatrician at the University of Sydney, said many doctors were cautious about giving a Covid-19 vaccine to younger children without such health problems.

He said Australia should wait for data from the US, where younger children could start being vaccinated in the coming weeks.
NSW Police charged 59 children with breaching lockdown, more than half of whom were under 15, and fined hundreds more.

Police issued 775 on-the-spot fines of $3,000 to children aged 13 to 17 in the last two weeks of August.

Records show one child under 15 and another three aged 15, 16, and 17 were given court attendance notices for not wearing or carrying a face covering.

Operation Stay at Home to crack down on public health order breaches in lockdown ran from mid-August for three weeks (pictured: Bondi beach in September)

More than 500 extra officers were deployed to patrol Sydney streets over the three weeks

The youngest person charged was a 13-year-old who was given a court attendance notice, according to Freedom of Information documents obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Police charged 53 people aged 18 and 19 with breaching public health orders and this aged group received 1,229 fines, which is more than the combined total for those over 60.

In the two-week period, people in their 20s received the most fines of any age group.

Older Australians also weren't exempt, with 18 fines of $3,000 each issued to people in their 80s and four to people in their 90s.

More than 300 adults were charged with not wearing a mask in public and 51 were charged with not adhering to curfews in hotspot western Sydney suburbs.

There were 87 fines dished out for failing to comply with a self-isolation direction and 25 people were charged.

Police stop cars driving into the Sydney CBD on August 21 ahead of a protest (pictured)

A tally of all the fines over the two weeks showed men were issued more than double the fines of women at 11,884 compared to 4,448.

Women were charged at about a quarter of the rate that men were - with 269 court attendance notices given to females and 1,009 given to males.

More than half of the fines dished out were for breaching the public health orders without a specific crime listed.

Solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, Samantha Lee, said public health order breaches were considered minor offences and issuing children fines or court attendance notices should be done rarely.

'We should be keeping young people out of the court system and not issuing fines, particularly to those who can't afford to pay them,' she said.

Police issued 775 fines of $3,000 each to those under 17 for breaching public health orders between August 16 and 30

St George Police Area Command issued the most fines at 825 in the two weeks, while second highest was the Orana Mid-Western Police District - based in Dubbo - which issued 695.

Despite a significantly smaller population in the Dubbo region - which has been in a two-month lockdown that will lift on Monday - police appeared to have been cracking down hard on rule breakers.

Along with the fines, 51 court attendance notices were also issued in the Dubbo area for the last two weeks of August.

Fines were greatly increased in August from $1,000 to $3,000 for public health order breaches (pictured: Sydney in June)

In a video to NSW Police in mid-August, Commissioner Mick Fuller 'challenged' officers to ramp up the number of tickets and court attendance notices they dish out as this was the only way to ensure compliance with public health orders.

'I appreciate there's a lot to take in with the health orders, but I am asking you to put community policing to the side for a short period' he said.

'For 21 days I will head this operation, you need to take a strong approach to enforcement.

'I have said before, if you write a ticket, and you get it wrong, I understand, and I won't hold you to account for that.'
A Georgia police officer and father to a baby girl was shot and killed on the first day on the force early Saturday morning, and authorities are warning fellow officers that his killer is still on the loose.

Alamo Police Officer Dylan Harrison was fatally shot outside of the department's police station at around 1 am. The 26-year-old from Dudley leaves behind a wife and a 6-month-old daughter.

The cop had just started his first shift ever for the Alamo Police Department part-time after beginning his career in law enforcement back in 2018 as a full-time Oconee Drug Task Force Agent, according to Fox 13.

Meanwhile, law enforcement officials say the suspected gunmen, 43-year-old Damien 'Luke' Anthony Ferguson, is still armed and dangerous to police, with authorities issuing a Blue Alert in an effort to safely capture him.

Authorities didn't immediately release any further details behind the shooting, nor did they confirm whether Ferguson had targeted Harrison due to him being a cop.

Pictured: Alamo Police Officer Dylan Harrison was fatally shot outside of the department's police station at around 1 am

Harrison, pictured right leaves behind a wife, pictured left and 6-month-old daughter, center

The outlet reports that deputies describe Ferguson as 5-foot-10 and around 215 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes.

The investigation has been joined by several local and state law enforcement agencies.

Anyone with information should contact the GBI at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477). Anyone who sees him should call 911 immediately and not approach.

GBI Special Agent in Charge Lindsey Wilkes said law enforcement are offering a reward of $17,500 for information leading to Ferguson's arrest.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp offered a statement on the tragedy in a tweet Saturday afternoon.

Law enforcement officials warn the suspected gunmen, 43-year-old Damien 'Luke' Anthony Ferguson, pictured, is still armed and dangerous to police

'Early this morning, one of our law enforcement officials in Middle Georgia was killed in the line of duty,' Kemp wrote on Twitter.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with this officers family, friends, and colleagues at the Alamo Police Department. May God continue to be with all who protect and serve.'

The sheriff of nearby Telfair County, Sim Davidson, expressed similar condolences.

'Our sincerest thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Officer Dylan Harrison who was killed in the line of duty last night in Alamo,' Sheriff Davidson wrote in a Facebook post.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp offered a statement on the tragedy in a tweet Saturday afternoon

'We are sincerely grateful for his service.'

Harrison was the first Alamo police officer to be killed in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, which reports on deaths in law enforcement.

However, Alamo Police Officer Arturo Villegas died from COVID-19 earlier this year, one of nearly two dozen Georgia police officers to have died from coronavirus, Fox 13 reports.

This year alone, at least five Georgia police officers have been killed in the line of duty, while seven Georgia officers were killed in the line of duty last year, according to the Officer Down webpage.
Female FIFO worker were told to to avoid wearing 'tight jeans and short shorts' after some of their male colleagues were fired for sexual harassment.

Liz Jelley, 36, helped construct the Queensland Curtis gas pipeline back in 2013, and said during that time she dealt with demeaning comments almost every day.

The ex-FIFO worker and her female colleagues were called into a meeting after two male workers were dismissed for inappropriate behaviour.

Liz Jelley, 36, (pictured) helped construct the Queensland Curtis LNG gas pipeline back in 2013, and said during that time she dealt with demeaning comments almost every day

The ex-FIFO worker and her female colleagues were called into a meeting after two male workers were dismissed for inappropriate behaviour (pictured, a coal mine in Queensland)

In a recording obtained by the ABC, a female representative gives the women some advice on how to avoid future incidences of sexual harassment.

The female workers were told to avoid wearing 'tight jeans and short shorts' because, due to a lack of education, the men 'think the girls are asking for it'.

'So, how do we go about making it better? Management think the way to do it is for the girls to dress more conservatively,' the company representative is heard saying.

The woman reminds the female workers that it was a big deal for two men to lose their jobs over the incidents of sexual harassment.

She said the male workers would now find it difficult to get reappointed.

The directive on female dress code is believed to have been communicated across multiple work sites, with Ms Jelley leaving the meeting lost for words.

'We were really just staring at each other like, is this real? Is this actually happening?' she recalled.

The 36-year-old said the female workers on the site were made to feel like it was their responsibility to keep themselves safe from sexual harassment.

Ms Jelley (pictured) was asked to avoid wearing 'tight jeans and short shorts' on the worksite because due to 'a lack of education' the men thought the women were 'asking for it'

Ms Jelley (pictured) said she was called a 'silly little bitch' by a site manager and a 'site screw'

She recalled incidents of colleagues uploading porn on her computer screen when she left the room and how she felt unsafe in her bedroom at night.

The feared 'door knock appeals' would occur late at night when men would approach women in the temporary demountable buildings on site.

'You feel like that's your place where you can lock yourself in and be safe,' Ms Jelley said. 'And then you realise that it's actually not particularly safe at all.'

She said during her time with McConnell Dowell she was called a 'silly little bitch' by a manager and a 'site screw' by a member of the Queensland Gas Company.

Ms Jelley said the male-dominated workplace made the women feel as if their clothing provoked the men who were dismissed for harassment.

In a statement, McConnell Dowell said there had been an overhaul to management personnel since 2013, with the company bought out by Shell in 2016.

The 36-year-old (pictured) said female workers at the FIFO camp were made to feel like it was their responsibility to keep themselves safe from sexual harassment

The company said the directive on female dress code was neither reasonable nor in line with its workplace safety obligations.

'These historical allegations are at odds with our values and the expectations of all our leaders and team members,' she said.

Shell echoed McConnell Dowell's sentiments and said it had a 'zero tolerance approach to harassment of any kind'.

Kate Jenkins, the sex discrimination commissioner said the risk for sexual harassment can increase for women that are geographically isolated.

She recalled some of the more troubling accounts of workplace harassment had come from women in rural, regional and remote settings.
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More than 1,000 people have made the dangerous trip across the English Channel to the UK in two days in at least 40 boats.

After 10 days where crossings were made impossible by bad weather, boats began arriving on the English coast on Friday and Saturday with the arrival of a sunny spell in the south of the country.

Since the start of the year, more than 18,000 people have successfully reached the UK on board small boats, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

On Friday, 624 people on board 23 boats reached the UK - the fourth highest daily tally on record during the current crisis - and at least 491 people, including children, arrived in Britain on Saturday aboard 17 boats.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel

A young girl is helped by a Border Force officer as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent

A 16-day-old girl from Iraq is pictured on the shores of Dungeness, Kent after being rescued by Border Force

After evading French security at first light, the migrants piled into dinghies and spent nine hours crossing the English Channel, before they were picked up by British immigration officers yesterday

Data compiled by PA Media reveals that more than 17,000 people have crossed the Channel in 2021 so far

Albanian government officials DENY claims that migrants arriving by boat to UK will be detained in new offshore asylum processing centre in Balkans The Albanian government has denied that it is in talks with Britain to detain illegal migrants crossing the Channel in small boats while UK authorities handle their asylum requests. The Albanian Prime Minister's Official Spokesman branded reports in the Sun that London and Tirana are in talks to establish a new processing centre in the Balkan nation 'absolutely untrue'. The newspaper had quoted an unnamed insider in the talks saying that Home Secretary Priti Patel 'has made it clear she wants this to happen' and 'we are down to the fine details'. But spokesman Endri Fuga rubbished suggestions that Albania would host migrants on behalf of any third country and urged 'richer and bigger countries' to take in their share of migrants. Albania's denial is likely to raise questions about who briefed the Sun on the supposed plans. Miss Patel had been under pressure to clamp-down on illegal Channel crossings from France after the number of migrants detained by Border Force hit record highs this year. A Government spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings. 'The New Plan for Immigration is the only long term solution to fix the broken system, and includes changes to the law to tackle criminal gangs and prevent further loss of life. This is a shared, international challenge and we continue to work with other countries to meet it.' Advertisement

The perilous crossings continued on Sunday, with more people being seen arrived in Dover.

The arrivals included a woman ushering a small child from Iraq ahead who were guided up a gangway by a border official - while French police were accused of watching scores of migrants leave Calais 'unchallenged'.

The number of people arriving on the British Isles remains high, despite Home Secretary Priti Patel's pledge to send 54million to French authorities to tackle the crisis.

But, France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has claimed that 'not one euro has been paid' following a visit to Dunkirk yesterday as he warned that 'migratory pressure is returning after Covid' and insisted that his government has increased efforts recently to curb it amid mounting criticism.

The UK Government had pledged to give France 54million to support its efforts to stop small boat crossings in the second agreement of its kind made this year as data compiled by PA Media revealed that more than 17,000 people have crossed the Channel in 2021 so far.

However, Miss Patel sparked fury in Paris after she indicated the money would be withheld unless French authorities stopped more boats sailing across the Channel.

Weeks after agreeing to give France the money, she was reported to have told Tory MPs privately: '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 seen those results. The money is conditional.'

After her remarks, and disclosure of a UK plan to turn around boats in the Channel, France's interior minister said his country would not accept 'any practice contrary to maritime law, nor any financial blackmail'.

Mr Darmanin later accused London of 'financial blackmail', and told the Associated Press last night: 'For now, not one euro has been paid. We are asking the British to keep their promises of financing because we are holding the border for them.'

He also called on Britain to take measures to reduce its 'attractiveness' for migrants without residency papers, without elaborating. Mr Darmanin said: 'We are speaking of human beings. There are children, babies who are taking these boats, who are risking their lives. There are people who die in the Channel. I don't want them to be hostage to political debates.'

Meanwhile General Frantz Tavart - the French commander in charge of patrols along the Calais coastline - has threatened to pull out his men if the UK refused to pay.

General Tavart previously said: 'We know the British have threatened to cut their financial support. I'm very clear. If they stop paying for their reservists I will pull my men. For us, it is a real form of ingratitude.'

France has reignited a bruising war of words after Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin (left) claimed that none of the 54million that Home Secretary Priti Patel (right) had promised them to tackle the surge of migrants crossing the Channel has been paid yet

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin talks to the press during a visit on the theme of border controls and fight against illegal immigration on October 9, 2021

Miss Patel previously threatened to turn boats around and send them back to Europe as part of her 'pushback' plan

An RNLI lifeboat carries migrants ashore at Dungeness in Kent on October 9, 2021

Since the start of the year, more than 18,000 people have successfully reached the UK on board small boats, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

Cooperation with Paris 'has led to nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions and prevented more than 13,500 crossings' according to the Home Office

'The proof of our efficiency is that smugglers are now trying to go from the Belgian coast, even the Somme. But that dilutes our resources across the territory. It's like a game of chess where the smugglers always make the first move.'

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted the UK was working 'very effectively' with France to tackle migrant crossings.

He told Sky News's Trevor Phillips On Sunday: 'All I can say is that we've worked very effectively with the French government so far.'

'It is a good collaborative relationship and we obviously want to improve that.'

A Home Office spokeswoman told MailOnline this morning that 'with hundreds still risking their lives and making the crossing, all sides must do more', adding that cooperation with Paris 'has led to nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions and prevented more than 13,500 crossings'.

The number of people arriving on the British Isles remains high, despite Home Secretary Priti Patel's pledge to send 54million to French authorities to tackle the crisis.

Channel Rescue, a charity which observes migrants arriving in small boats across the English Channel, warned today that the consequences of using controversial 'pushback' tactics could be 'horrific'.

Last year, inspectors found that migrants 'almost always' arrived wet and cold and then 'often had to spend hours in the open air or in cramped containers'.

An RNLI lifeboat carries migrants ashore at Dungeness in Kent on October 9, 2021

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin listens to explanations during a visit on the theme of border controls and fight against illegal immigration on October 9, 2021

Official figures published today show more than 1,100 people crossed the English Channel to the UK aboard small boats over Friday and Saturday, with at least 624 people reaching the UK on Friday aboard 23 boats and 491 people crossing on Saturday aboard 17 boats.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted the UK was working 'very effectively' with France to tackle migrant crossings. He told Sky News's Trevor Phillips On Sunday: 'All I can say is that we've worked very effectively with the French government so far.'

The call came as a charity warned the consequences of using controversial 'pushback' tactics could be 'horrific'. Kim Bryan from Channel Rescue, which observes migrants arriving in small boats across the Channel, told BBC Breakfast on Sunday that in the last two weeks her group had spotted, from the cliffs of Dover, Border Force officials practising a pushback using jet-skis.

Miss Patel previously threatened to turn boats around and send them back to Europe as part of her 'pushback' plan. However, French politicians branded the Home Secretary a 'clown', while Mr Darmanin claimed any action to send migrant boats back would be illegal.

The Home Office's permanent secretary, Matthew Rycroft, last month told the Commons Home Affairs Committee only a 'small proportion' of boats could legally be turned back towards France using the tactics. He was also unable to tell when, or if, the policy would be put into practice.

Ruthless people smugglers have taken advantage of the warm start to October, with a recent surge in successful crossings reported across Kent in the past week.

Officers have now detained at least 17,228 migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year, more than double the record number who made the treacherous crossing in all of 2020

Official statistics showed more than 3,872 people arrived in 113 incidents last month - breaking the 3,509 who made the dangerous journey in 117 boats in July

A young girl carries her boots as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vesse

Home Office blew 6,757 in a month at Domino's in Dover for migrants who had crossed the Channel The Home Office spent 6,757 in one month on Domino's pizzas to feed migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel from France, figures show. Hundreds of pizzas were bought from the Dover branch of the fast food chain in July, according to analysis of the government department's spending. A disclosure log for Home Office procurement card transactions costing more than 500 for the four-week period contained five separate entries from UK Immigration Enforcement for such food orders, totalling 6,757. The takeaways were provided while migrants were at Tug Haven - a short-term holding facility in Dover where they are first taken from the beach or sea. The most expensive entry - 1,824 - said: 'This was an urgent need to feed a large number of migrants that had been on the Tug Haven compound in Dover for over 12 hours, and were likely to stay over 24 hours due to issues blocking their movement with resources and the Irc (immigration removal centre) estate.' Advertisement

It comes as dozens of people were seen being brought ashore in Dover by Border Force yesterday after making the perilous Channel crossing. The arrivals included a woman ushering a small child from Iraq ahead who were guided up a gangway by a border official - while French police were accused of watching scores of migrants leave Calais 'unchallenged'.

Ms Bryan told BBC Breakfast on Sunday: 'What they seem to be doing is pushing the boat from the stern and from the bow, and I guess the idea is they're going to push them back into French waters.

'These boats are incredibly flimsy. Just the wash from jet-skis going around them in the first place could cause them to capsize. What we will be seeing, then, if this starts happening, is tragedy. The consequences are going to be horrific.

'I think it's entirely unsafe, entirely impractical for Priti Patel to suggest that we do pushbacks in the Channel.'

Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said Miss Patel 'needs to come clean' over her strategy to tackle small boats crossings.

The Labour MP told Sky News: 'The Home Secretary needs to come clean because every single person risking their lives in that dangerous sea crossing of the English Channel is one too many.'

He said the fact that more than 1,100 people crossed to the UK in just two days across Friday and Saturday shows withholding money from France 'clearly isn't working'.

He added: 'I've always thought the Home Secretary needed to take a different approach.

'Whilst of course the patrols at the coast preventing people getting out onto the water and risking their lives is hugely important - of course it is - what I fear the Home Secretary misses is the fact that nobody becomes a refugee in northern France.

'We need to be tackling the people smugglers and these vile criminal gangs further away from the coast as well.'

It comes as Sky News footage this week showed migrants leaving Calais unchallenged by armed police - in what is likely to be a fresh blow to Anglo-French relations.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin talks to the press during a visit on the theme of border controls and fight against illegal immigration on October 9, 2021

Armed French police officers (left) watch on from 100 yards away as scores of migrants (right) begin their perilous journey across the English Channel in Calais, France

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers, following a small boat incident in the Channel, Sunday October 10, 2021

Dozens of people were seen piling into inflatable rafts, dinghies - and even a canoe - in their desperate bid to make it across the English Channel, with French security 'stood by and watched'.

At the Tory annual conference earlier this week, Miss Patel described France as a 'safe country' and reiterated her desire to 'turn back the boats'.

After evading French security at first light, the migrants piled into dinghies and spent nine hours crossing the English Channel, before they were picked up by immigration officers.

Ruthless people smugglers have taken advantage of the warm start to October, with a recent surge in successful crossings reported across Kent in the past week.

But Sky News has reported French security 'stood by and watched' the scenes of chaos unfold from less than 100 yards away instead of intervening.

A group of approximately 10 officers allegedly stood idle as two separate groups of migrants piled onto inflatable boats that took up to 10 minutes to get their engines started.

In a later clip, a helicopter flown by French border control flies over the Strait of Dover, watching on as another caravan of migrants makes the treacherous journey.

Armed French police officers (left) watch on from 100 yards away as scores of migrants (right) begin their perilous journey across the English Channel in Calais, France

French officials are said to be investigating patrol efforts on the French border in the wake of the footage, Sky News reports. Since the start of the year, more than 17,000 migrants have succeeded in reaching the UK - double the figure for the whole of 2020.

Dan O'Mahoney, clandestine channel threat commander for Border Force, said: 'The Government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings using every tool at our disposal, at every stage in the journey.

'Working with police and international partners, this year there have been nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions related to small boat criminality and our targeted efforts have prevented more than 13,500 migrant attempts. But this is a complicated issue requiring changes to our laws.

'The Government's New Plan for Immigration provides a long term solution to fix the broken system and deliver the change required to tackle criminal gangs and prevent further loss of life.'

It comes after September was the busiest month on record, with Dover receiving four times the amount of migrants compared to September 2020.

Official statistics showed more than 3,872 have arrived in 113 incidents last month - breaking the 3,509 who made the dangerous journey in 117 boats in July.

And officers have now detained at least 17,228 migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year, more than double the record number who made the treacherous crossing in all of 2020.

The Home Office has been contacted to provide comment.

In 2020 there were a total of 8,410 were detained in small boat incidents. Last year, inspectors found that migrants 'almost always' arrived wet and cold and then 'often had to spend hours in the open air or in cramped containers'.

This comes just days after Miss Patel committed to reducing the number of channel crossings, telling the Tory Party conference in Manchester: 'The shocking images of people crammed into flimsy boats, exploited by people smugglers, vile criminals, characterized by ruthlessness and greed who even threatened to drown small children just to line their pockets.

'This can not continue, this is why we are going after the criminals behind this perilous trade of people smuggling.'
The Government is bracing for a fresh Brexit clash with Parliament and the courts as ministers tell the EU it must agree to make major changes to Northern Ireland's border rules.

The UK wants to renegotiate the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol and Brussels is expected to set out its offer on Wednesday this week.

However, Boris Johnson and his ministers fear the EU's plans will not go anywhere near far enough, with the bloc so far only willing to make tweaks to the current arrangements.

A failure to agree to a significant overhaul is expected to prompt the UK to unilaterally tear up the offending rules in a move which would result in fury in Brussels.

Walking away from the arrangements by triggering Article 16 of the protocol could require laws to be passed through Parliament to enact the move.

Ministers believe they will face ferocious opposition from the House of Lords while any attempt to tear up the rules without passing new legislation could result in a Supreme Court legal challenge.

Meanwhile, ministers will tell the EU this week that removing the European Court of Justice's oversight of the protocol is a 'red line' for the UK in a move which is likely to further inflame tensions.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants the EU to agree to a major overhaul of the Northern Ireland Protocol

Lord Frost is expected to tell the EU this week that removing the European Court of Justice's oversight of the protocol is a 'red line' for the UK

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has so far refused to renegotiate the protocol. The EU is willing to make tweaks to the arrangements but is resisting a major overhaul

The Sunday Telegraph reported that Lord Frost, the Government's Brexit chief, will tell his EU counterpart that European judges should no longer have a say over what happens in Northern Ireland.

He will deliver a speech in Portugal on Tuesday in which he will say the European Commission has been 'too quick to dismiss governance as a side issue' when the 'reality is the opposite'.

The Government has repeatedly threatened to trigger Article 16 of the protocol which would allow Britain to unilaterally ditch some of the rules.

The protocol, agreed as part of the Brexit deal, requires checks on goods travelling from GB to Northern Ireland to be carried out at ports in order to avoid the return of a land border with the Republic.

But it has caused disruption to trade and angered unionists who have demanded the rules be scrapped, arguing they create a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The UK wants to renegotiate the terms of the protocol but the EU is only willing to make minor changes.

Lord Frost will warn in his speech that the EU must go further than scrapping its prohibition on British sausages to resolve the dispute over the protocol.

The Cabinet Office minister will call for 'significant' changes to the post-Brexit agreement he negotiated, including over the role of the European Court of Justice.

His warning will come a day before the EU is expected to produce plans to resolve issues with the protocol.

Brussels is likely to propose that chilled meats can continue crossing the Irish Sea from Britain after the end of the current grace periods, in a move to alleviate the so-called sausage wars.

But Lord Frost will use the speech in Lisbon to warn that compromises must go far further than this to address issues such as the role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland.

'The EU now needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol head on,' he is expected to tell the diplomatic community.

'The commission have been too quick to dismiss governance as a side issue. The reality is the opposite.

'The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and the consequent inability of the UK Government to implement the very sensitive arrangements in the protocol in a reasonable way has created a deep imbalance in the way the protocol operates.

The Northern Ireland Protocol has caused disruption to trade and angered unionists who have demanded the rules be scrapped, arguing they create a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK

'Without new arrangements in this area, the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive.'

Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney questioned whether UK ministers 'actually want an agreed way forward or a further breakdown in relations'.

'EU working seriously to resolve practical issues with implementation of Protocol  so UKG (Government) creates a new 'red line' barrier to progress, that they know EU can't move on are we surprised?' he tweeted.

A Government source threatened that the UK would trigger Article 16 of the protocol if the EU proposals amount to 'tinkering around the edges'.
Boris Johnson is believed to have 'infuriated' Priti Patel by overruling attempts to make public sexual harassment a crime, it has today been reported.

Senior Home Office sources suggest there is tension between the pair over how to better tackle violence against women in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard.

It has led some in the Home Office to fear that the prime minister views the issue of public sexual harassment against women as mere 'wolf whistling', according to the Guardian.

It comes after the Prime Minister brushed off calls to formally recognise misogyny as a hate crime.

He instead arguing the 'abundance' of existing laws should be better enforced rather than new legislation brought in.

But the move is reported to have caused 'disquiet' in the Home Office.

Meanwhile, on the issue of public sexual harassment towards women, an anonymous Home Office source reportedly told the Guardian: 'Trying to bring it down to wolf whistling is massively problematic. But we're going to make this happen.

Boris Johnson is believed to have 'infuriated' Priti Patel by overuling attempts to make public sexual harassment a crime, it has today been reported. Pictured: A protest outside Scotland Yard with cut-out silhouettes representing women who have been killed by male police officers of former police officers

Senior Home Office sources suggest there is tension between Priti Patel (left) and Boris Johnson (right) over how to better tackle violence against women in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard. It has led some in the Home Office to fear that the prime minister views the issue of public sexual harassment against women as mere 'wolf whistling', according to t he Guardian

It comes after Ms Patel launched a consultation on tackling violence against women and girls. The petition is said to have drawn 180,000 contributors - most of which are though to have been sent after Ms Everard's (pictured) murder in March

Priti Patel will unveil a major 'hire and fire' shake-up for police chief roles By Brendan Carlin and Anna Mikhailova for the Mail on Sunday Priti Patel is set to unveil a major 'hire and fire' shake-up of how police chiefs are chosen in the wake of the Sarah Everard tragedy. The Home Secretary plans a 'blueprint for succession' for Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick and chief constables across England. She will take action to end what allies condemn as the 'Buggins' turn' system of how chief constables are taken on  one in which appointments seem to be made in rotation rather than by merit. The shake-up emerged amid reports that Ms Patel only agreed to extend Dame Cressida's term of office last month because there was no one suitable to replace her. But her plans also follow claims of friction between the Home Secretary and the Met Commissioner, who has faced calls to quit in the wake of the brutal killing of Ms Everard by serving Met police officer Wayne Couzens in March. The Mail on Sunday understands that between Ms Everard's disappearance and Couzens's arrest, the Home Secretary privately asked Dame Cressida and her team if a police officer could be involved but was not told whether her suspicions were correct. A source close to Ms Patel said the prospect of a policeman being responsible felt likely because Covid restrictions meant there were very few other people on the streets. The source said: 'We asked the question.' The Home Office is also understood to be annoyed that last week the Met chief announced a review in the force's professional standards and internal culture 24 hours before Ms Patel announced a Government inquiry. Ms Patel is said to be determined to watch Dame Cressida 'very closely' over the vetting of officers in light of Ms Everard's murder. Advertisement

'People are prepared to put their political capital behind this, and the home secretary is among those very much behind it.'

Another reportedly added: 'Make no mistake, Boris Johnson is the person blocking and holding this back. He seems to be stuck in the past on this issue.'

It comes after Ms Patel launched a consultation on tackling violence against women and girls.

The petition is said to have drawn 180,000 contributors - most of which are though to have been sent after Ms Everard's murder in March.

Many respondents said they suffered harassment on a daily basis, while a YouGov poll earlier this year revealed that more than half of women said they had suffered sexual harassment on public transport in London.

Earlier this week the Prime Minister vowed to make domestic violence and rape the 'number one issue' he tackles within policing.

He said the way police and criminal justice system currently handles violent crimes against women was 'just not working'.

But asked if he believed misogyny should be a hate crime, Mr Johnson told BBC Breakfast: 'I think that what we should do is prosecute people for the crimes we have on the statute book.

'That is what I am focused on. To be perfectly honest, if you widen the scope of what you ask the police to do, you will just increase the problem.

'What you need to do is get the police to focus on the very real crimes, the very real feeling of injustice and betrayal that many people feel.'

Despite Mr Johnson's comments, Home Office officials are understood to be conducting a legal review into making public sexual harassment a crime in its own right, according to the Guardian.

It is believed such a law would cover all behaviour that could make women uncomfortable in all public spaces.

The issue of crimes against women has come under fierce scrutiny since Ms Everard's kidnap, rape and murder by serving Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens.

Couzens used his Metropolitan Police warrant card and handcuffs to abduct the 33-year-old marketing executive as she walked home from a friends house in Clapham.

He was sentenced to a whole life order earlier this month after admitting raping and killing Ms Everard.

Commissioner Cressida Dick has faced calls to resign amid the fallout from the case, while Ms Patel has come under pressure to tackle violence against women.

Couzens (left) used his Metropolitan Police warrant card and handcuffs to abduct the 33-year-old marketing executive as she walked home from a friends house in Clapham. He was sentenced to a whole life order earlier this month after admitting raping and killing Ms Everard. Commissioner Cressida Dick (right) has faced calls to resign amid the fallout from the case, while Ms Patel has come under pressure to tackle violence against women

She is said to have backed a new emergency number aiming to help protect lone women.

The 'walk me home service' is being developed and could be ready by Christmas.

It would allow the vulnerable to have their journeys tracked, triggering an alert if they failed to reach home in time.

Women could also use the mobile app  potentially with the number 888  to summon police if they felt threatened.

Ms Patel has approved the proposal submitted earlier this week by BT, which has run the 999 service for 84 years.

In a letter to the Home Secretary, chief executive Philip Jansen said technology should be used to tackle male violence.

He said it might cost as little as 50million and could be up and running by Christmas.

Ms Patel said last night: 'This new phone line is exactly the kind of innovative scheme which would be good to get going as soon as we can. I'm now looking at it with my team and liaising with BT.'

A Home Office spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Our recently published Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy sets out that there are a number of offences in place which already capture street harassment.

'We are committed to ensuring that these laws work in practice. That is why, through new funding to tackle violence against women and girls, we will deepen our understanding of who commits these crimes, why they do so, and how this behaviour may escalate.'
German police have raided more than 80 properties in 25 cities as part of a major crackdown on a criminal gang, consisting mainly of refugees, suspected of funding Islamist extremists.

Police have identified 67 people, including 44 Syrians, and said most of those in the gang came over to Germany in the wave of refugees that arrived in 2015 following Angela Merkel's open-door policy.

The other nationalities include 10 Germans, five Jordanians and five Lebanese, with two of these reportedly identified as being a threat because of their suspected ties to Islamic terrorism.

The major police investigation into the gang has involved more than a thousand officers and started after a car accident in May 2020 when police found 300,000 in cash hidden in a bag in one of the vehicles.

North Rhine-Westphalia Justice Minister Peter Biesenbach, 73, described the arrests as a major crackdown against an international money laundering gang that started operating in 2016.

Police have identified 67 people in a gang suspected of funding Islamic extremists. Police said 44 of these are Syrian nationals and that most of the gang came over to Germany in the wave of refugees that arrived in 2015 following Angela Merkel's open-door policy

The major police investigation into the criminal gang has involved more than a thousand German police officers

As well as the people arrested, police said they also seized cash and top-of-the-range cars including a 330,000 Lamborghini Aventador that was seized in Dusseldorf, a Lamborghini Urus worth 220,000 and a tuned-up Porsche 911.

There are also other luxury items including a 150,000 Burmester stereo sound system with speakers worth an additional 30,000, police said.

In bank safety deposit boxes, officers found 794,000 connected to the gang and in another safe in one of the properties, they found 500,000. They also seized jewellery, watches and gold, police said.

The gang also invested in property worth hundreds of thousands, according to police, and despite their enormous wealth even managed to get extra money in social welfare benefits.

The police say that the cash was used to fund a network of terror organisations such as the Al-Nusra-Front, linked to Al-Qaeda.

The raid happened in cities in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Bremen with 11 arrests.

The money was believed to have been earned by the gang's criminal activities including extortion, drug trafficking, robberies and kidnapping, with the total amount flowing through the hands estimated to be over 140 million.

A total of 11 people have been arrested after raids were carried out in cities in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Bremen

North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul said: 'The gang's criminal activities are made all the worse by the fact that they bring into disrepute the genuine refugees who have a real need to seek protection in our country.

'It is sickening that there are a few people who claim they want to build a new life here away from war and then use that to commit serious crimes.

'It's made even worse in cases like this where the money they obtain goes back to the Middle East, presumably to finance more war and terror there.'

Police say that they also seized numerous computers and laptops which are now being evaluated to assess the money laundering network used by the gang.
The Morrison government has brought forward an increase in the child care subsidy to start in March next year, four months earlier than originally planned.

But Labor described the package as a dud, with many families left out in the cold and without getting anything additional.

Education Minister Alan Tudge said about 250,000 families will benefit from the increased subsidy and by more than $2,200 per year on average.

Scott Morrison's (pictured) government has brought forward an increase in child care subsidies to May next year, four months earlier than was originally planned

WHO CAN GET THE SUBSIDY? The new subsidies are for families with two or more children under five and in day care. Advertisement

'So that is great for families,' Mr Tudge told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

'It is also really going to help the economy as well, by reducing some of those workforce disincentives.'

He said the government has been able to work across departments and service providers to make necessary technical changes sooner than was planned.

A family earning $110,000 a year with two children in care, four days a week, will be better off by about $100 each week.

The $10,655 annual subsidy cap will also be scrapped on December 10, 2021 and applied retrospectively for the whole 2021/22 financial year.

'From now, families can have that confidence that this financial year they will not hit that cap and they are not ever going to hit that again,' he said.

'So they don't have to ration any child care, which I know that some parents do.'

Education Minister Alan Tudge said about 250,000 families will benefit by more $2,200 per year on average (pictured, a child care centre in Helensburgh, Sydney)

But Labor's childhood education and development spokeswoman Amanda Rishworth said the rehashed announcement from the May budget is a dud and leaves some 750,000 families behind.

'With the government's child care package, only 25 per cent of families are going to get any relief,' she told reporters in Adelaide.

'Compare that to Labor's cheaper child care plan, which delivers relief to 97 per cent of families.'

For parents with one child they will not get any extra relief from the subsidy at all, she said.
The Government's response to the energy crisis descended into chaos today after the Treasury denied it was in talks with Kwasi Kwarteng over how to support struggling firms.

The Business Secretary said this morning he is working closely with Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help industries which use a lot of energy cope with spiralling wholesale gas prices.

But senior Treasury sources insisted that no such talks have taken place despite firms pleading for help to prevent shutdowns.

It came as Mr Kwarteng was unable to guarantee that there will not be gas outages in the UK this winter as rising energy costs continue to wreak havoc.

The Business Secretary said he is 'convinced' the nation 'will have full energy supply' in the colder months but he could not give a cast iron assurance.

He said he is 'as certain as I could be' that the energy supply will remain resilient but he warned the strain on gas is 'global'.

Mr Kwarteng also said the consumer price cap on energy bills 'will not be moved' before April as he said it is the 'biggest shield' protecting consumers from a spike in prices.

Experts have warned consumers to brace for the next review of the cap in April amid fears soaring wholesale energy prices could push average annual bills through the 2,000 barrier for the first time.

Kwasi Kwarteng today was unable to guarantee that there will not be gas outages in the UK this winter as rising energy costs continue to wreak havoc.

The Business Secretary said he is 'convinced' the nation 'will have full energy supply' in the colder months but he could not give a cast iron assurance. Wholesale gas prices have spiked in recent months

There are fears an increase in the energy price cap next April could push average bills above 2,000 a year

Kwasi Kwarteng hints wearing more layers could help people amid energy crisis Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has suggested wrapping up warmer this winter could help people amid the ongoing energy crisis. He said people should be 'sensible' in the colder months and 'do what they feel comfortable with'. But he stressed it is not his job to tell people what to wear. Asked if people should consider wearing more layers to keep heating bills down and reduce demand, the Cabinet minister said: 'It is up to people. It is amazing how people's cold threshold can be very different. 'Some people feel comfortable wrapped up in lots of different clothes, others wear relatively little. 'I think people should be sensible. I think people should do what they feel comfortable with.' He added: 'My job as an energy minister isn't to tell people how many layers of clothing they should wear. That's not really my job.' Advertisement

Mr Kwarteng is under pressure to bring forward more support for high-energy industries as bosses warn some firms could be forced to suspend operations within days because they can no longer afford to pay their bills.

The minister guaranteed he will keep the energy price cap for consumers in place throughout the winter but said he will not 'bail out failing energy suppliers' - though he did not rule out introducing an energy price cap for firms.

Asked if he has approached the Treasury about subsidies, he told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme: 'No, I haven't. We've already got subsidies in place and it's very clear that a lot of those are working.

'On the consumer side we've got an energy price cap, and on the industry side we have measures where we support industries, heavy electricity users.

'What I'm very clear about is we need to help them get through this situation  it's a difficult situation, gas prices, electricity prices are at very high levels right across the world and of course I'm speaking to Government colleagues, particularly in the Treasury to try and see a way through this.

'I can't come on your programme and say we're going to have a price cap because we're trying to work out what the nature of that support might be.'

Mr Kwarteng acknowledged it is a 'critical situation' but denied he has asked for billions of pounds worth of support when asked about whether he is considering a price cap for businesses or a wider winter package.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'I've not asked for billions, we've got existing schemes. I'm working very closely with Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, to get us through this situation.'

But a senior Treasury source said: 'The Treasury has not been involved in talks.'

A Treasury source told Sky News: 'This is not the first time the BEIS secretary has made things up in interviews. To be crystal clear the Treasury are not involved in any talks.'

Labour called for an end to the 'infighting' and said the Government 'needs to get a grip'.

Bridget Phillipson, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: 'The two key government departments responsible for the current cost of living crisis have spent this morning infighting about whether they were in talks with each other. What a farce.'

She added: 'We need urgent answers on who exactly is running the show. The Government needs to get a grip because the British people are paying the price for the Prime Minister's incompetence.'

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves tweeted: 'If the Treasury isn't in talks with BEIS to help our vital industries during this Conservative government's energy crisis, then why on Earth aren't they? What is the Chancellor actually doing?'

A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesman said: 'We are determined to secure a competitive future for our energy intensive industries and in recent years have provided them with extensive support, including more than 2 billion to help with the costs of energy and to protect jobs.

'Our exposure to volatile global gas prices underscores the importance of our plan to end Britain's dependency on fossil fuels and build a strong, home-grown renewables sector so we can protect consumers into the future from gas prices set by international markets.'

The row will dash hopes of firms receiving a major package of support to help them weather the energy crisis in the coming months.

It came as Mr Kwarteng was asked to guarantee that the domestic supply of gas will not be interrupted this winter.

He replied: 'I think supply is critically important and I have always said that we have never had a problem, certainly in the last many years actually with security of supply.

'Just for the sake of the viewers, it is important that we look at what the elements of supply are.

'If you look at where our gas is coming from, where it came from last year in 2020, 50 per cent of that gas was UK continental shelf, it was from the UK, 30 per cent was from Norway and I spoke to the Norwegian energy minister only a couple of weeks ago and they are increasing their production, and 20 per cent comes from energy which is around the world through freight.

'I am very committed, and convinced, that we will have full energy supply.'

Told that his comments did not amount to a guarantee, Mr Kwarteng said: 'I am as certain as I could be because obviously, you know, this is a global issue so we have seen right across the world real supply chain pressures.

The surge in wholesale gas prices has already forced many small suppliers in the UK out of business

'You have seen the Chinese have power blackouts, they are rationing supply.

'Here in the UK our job is to make sure there is minimal disruption and I am very confident'

Mr Kwarteng said the consumer price cap will not be changed before its next review point.

He said: 'I have been very clear about this. The price cap is the biggest shield in terms of consumer prices and I have said repeatedly that it will not be moved.

'It was set in August for the six month period between the 1st of October and the 1st of April and it is not being moved.'

Asked if people should consider wearing more layers to keep heating bills down and reduce demand, the Cabinet minister said: 'It is up to people. It is amazing how people's cold threshold can be very different.

'Some people feel comfortable wrapped up in lots of different clothes, others wear relatively little.

'I think people should be sensible. I think people should do what they feel comfortable with.'

He added: 'My job as an energy minister isn't to tell people how many layers of clothing they should wear. That's not really my job.'

Ofgem warned last week there will be a 'significant rise' to the cap on energy bills next year - hitting millions of Britain's poorest people.

As the gas crisis escalated, industry analysts suggested the current energy cap of 1,277 would rise by as much as 800.

Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley, didn't put a figure on it, but said there will be a 'significant rise' in the price cap set by the industry regulator which helps to control the cost of gas and electricity in the UK.

Mr Kwarteng said it was not his job to advise people on whether they should turn their heating down

He didn't knock back claims that fixed and other deals could reach 2,000 in 2022.

'We can't predict everything, and the wholesale market, as we've seen, has gone up and down extremely quickly so we can't predict fully what that will be,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'But, looking at the costs that are in the system, we are expecting a significant rise in April.'

As ministers faced pressure to do more to solve the energy crisis, Boris Johnson reportedly flew to Marbella to holiday in a private villa on the Costa del Sol.

Downing Street did not deny reports he had travelled to Spain, and declined to say whether the Prime Minister was working at Number 10 or in Chequers, as is commonplace.
A Conservative MP has defended his view that the phrase 'white privilege' is racist and extremist - and that teachers who use it should be disciplined and reported to the government's counter-terror programme as extremists.

Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathon Gullis said in a statement he had been told 'lefty Twitter is in meltdown' because he said the use of the term in schools, colleges and university's is extremist.

Gullis had told a panel at the Conservative Party conference last week that it is racist 'to suggest everyone who is white' is privileged, and said the phrase should be reported to anti-terrorism programme Prevent.

He also said any teacher who is using the term white privilege should face a disciplinary hearing 'at the very least', reported The Mirror.

After receiving backlash for his comments, Gullis has since defended his comments and urged those believing everyone who is white is privileged to visit parts of Stoke-on-Trent where poverty is rife.

Gullis said on Facebook: 'I would urge any left woke warrior to visit Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke and try [to] tell the people there that they are somehow 'privileged'. I suspect they wouldn't like the response they get.'

A report released this summer found that the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated poverty levels in Stoke-on-Trent, which is the 14th most deprived district in England.

Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathon Gullis (pictured left with Jacob Rees-Mogg in Stoke-on-Trent) has defended his view that the phrase 'white privilege' is racist and extremist - and that teachers who use it should be disciplined and reported to the government's counter-terror programme as extremists

Gullis initially made the comments while speaking at an event organised by the Conservative Friends of Education group.

He said: 'The term white privilege is an extremist term, it should be reported to Prevent, because it is an extremist ideology.'

Gullis added: 'It's racist to actually suggest everyone who's white somehow is riddled with privilege.

'So I hope that will be reported, I hope that will be looked into, any any teacher who's perpetuated in the classroom ultimately should face a disciplinary hearing at the very least.

'Because it's not what children should be listening to, it's not appropriate for the classroom.

'The classroom is a place to impart knowledge, not to impart political ideology of the teacher standing in front of you.'

Gullis, who is a former member of the parliamentary Education Select Committee, later said in his statement that he has previously said the term white privilege is extremist and should be reported to Prevent while sitting on the Committee.

He added: 'We actually made a point about this in the "Left behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds" inquiry I was part of, and which Labour voted against supporting.'

Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathon Gullis said in a statement he had been told 'lefty Twitter is in meltdown' because he said the use of the term in schools, colleges and university's is extremist

After receiving backlash for his comments, Gullis (pictured) has since defended his comments and urged those believing everyone who is white is privileged to visit parts of Stoke-on-Trent where poverty is rife

The report from the Commons Education Select Committee which Gullis refers to claimed terminology such as 'white privilege' may have contributed towards a 'systemic neglect' of white working-class pupils.

The Conservative-dominated committee said white working-class pupils have been 'let down' for decades by England's education system - and 'divisive' language can make the situation worse.

The report concluded that disadvantaged white pupils have been badly let down by 'muddled' policy thinking and the Department for Education has failed to acknowledge the extent of the problem.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy told the Mirror: 'The idea that white privilege exists isn't extremist, it's a widely accepted fact.

'These comments betray a wider desire in the Tory party to drive a wedge between working class communities, crack down on free speech in education, and impose right-wing values on teachers.

'Working class children of all races are being held back by Tory cuts, not by the teaching of racism and classism in schools.'

During the panel event at the Conservative Party conference Gullis also said there should be 'consequences' for 'woke left teachers' who are pushing their ideology in the classroom.

He said: 'The other way we can stop the cancel culture is by actually saying to the woke left lecturers and the woke left teachers, who seem to be becoming more and more apparent, 'ultimately, guess what's going to happen'.

'If you are going to push your ideology in the classroom there are going to be consequences for you.'

'I don't push Conservatism in the classroom, it wasn't an appropriate thing to do

'For some reason, if a Labour Party member wants to stand up in front of the classroom and say how bad and evil the Tories are, then the headteacher has to take some sort of sympathetic viewpoint to that.

'It's absolutely disgusting, we need to start sacking people who are pushing their political ideology.

'If you want to do that, join a political party, come to Stoke-on-Trent North, pay your 500 deposit, run against me at the next general election.'
LATEST COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS:

* NSW will end 100 days of lockdown on Monday as other jurisdictions under stay-at-home orders gear up to follow suit.

* Federal Labor's Tanya Plibersek believes mask wearing for primary school students where possible will be important as NSW children return to class, as is proper ventilation for their rooms.

* On its final day of lockdown, the state reported 477 new local cases and six deaths, all men and none fully vaccinated.

NSW will be released from lockdown on Monday after 100 days under hard restrictions (pictured, Coogee Beach in Sydney)

* NSW on Friday tipped over 90 per cent first-dose vaccination coverage, while more than 73 per cent are now fully jabbed. Stay-at-home orders will cease for the fully vaccinated population from Monday.

* Double-vaccinated Victorians will be able to attend the Melbourne Cup and live music within weeks under a large-scale trial of crowd numbers.

* About 10,000 racing fans can go to the Melbourne Cup on November 2, while Oaks Day and Stakes Day will be allowed similar-sized crowds if the state reaches its 80 per cent double-jab threshold.

* Victoria added 1890 infections to its caseload on Sunday and there were an additional five deaths over the previous 24 hours.

Federal Labor's Tanya Plibersek said mask wearing will be important as NSW students return to classes (pictured, students with masks on)

* Victoria is managing more than 18,340 active cases. Another 609 people are in hospital, with 126 in intensive care and 88 on ventilators. Less that seven per cent of those in hospital have been fully vaccinated.

* Almost 40,000 vaccines were administered across the state on Saturday, while 74,105 tests were conducted.

* With one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, the ACT is on track to start lifting coronavirus restrictions from next Friday as planned despite recording 30 new cases on Sunday.

* Almost a quarter of baby boomers are less keen on aged care homes than they were before the pandemic, while another 14 per cent are more enthusiastic about living at home with visits from a nurse, according to a survey of more than 1000 Australians aged 56-74.

AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NUMBERS:

10,000 fans will be welcomed to Flemington Racecourse on November 2 for Melbourne Cup Day (pictured, the Waterhouse family celebrate a 2013 cup win)

* There have been 30,540,757 doses administered in the national Covid-19 vaccination rollout up to Saturday, including 236,407 in the previous 24 hours.

* Of the total, 17,767,841 have been administered by the Commonwealth (an increase of 135,081 in the previous 24 hours).

* 16,715,884 have been issued in primary care (+129,323) and 1,051,957 in aged and disability facilities (+5,758).

* 12,772,916 have been administered by the states and territories, including 101,326 in the previous 24 hours.

NSW on Friday reached 90 per cent first-dose vaccinations, while more than 73 per cent are now fully jabbed (pictured, a vaccine pop-up in Sydney)

AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:

* Australia reported 2397 local cases on Sunday: 1890 in Victoria, 477 in NSW and 30 in the ACT.

* There were five hotel quarantine cases: Two each in Queensland and NSW and one in South Australia.

* The national death toll is 1434: Victoria 905, NSW 487, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 7, ACT 9, and SA 4. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states).

Stay-at-home orders will be removed for fully vaccinated residents of NSW from Monday (pictured, a vaccine picnic in Sydney)

GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:

* Cases: at least 237,559,169

* Deaths: at least 4,847,229

* Vaccine doses administered: at least 6,445,110,809.

Data current as at 1630 AEDT on October 10, taking in federal and state/territory government updates and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre figures.
Britain faces a fresh setback in the escalating energy crisis, with industry experts warning today that factories are just 'days away' from having to close.

Bosses behind energy-heavy firms are said to be considering temporary shut downs due to spiralling gas prices - which threaten to turn profits to loss.

Steel markers are among those calling for immediate Government intervention in the energy crisis - which is being driven by an enormous spike in the cost of natural gas.

Glassmakers fear production could become economically unviable within days, while the boss of a ceramics firm yesterday warned how he faces a 'disastrous' 200,000 rise to his energy costs' .

It comes as Kwasi Kwarteng is reportedly preparing to ask Rishi Sunak for a multibillion-pound subsidy deal to help keep plants open.

The business secretary held a crisis meeting with leaders in energy-intensive industries on Friday night to discuss plans to tackle the snowballing crisis.

Industry bosses are believed to have demanded an immediate package of measures to tackle rising costs - with subsidies and a cap on gas prices at the top of the wishlist.

It comes amid claims that the UK's biggest steelmakers British Steel - which operates out of Scunthorpe - and Tata - which has a production site in Port Talbot - tried to warn Mr Kwateng about the impending crisis at a meeting last month.

However, according to the Sunday Times, steel bosses said the businesses secretary came across as 'blase' and told bosses that soaring gas price were a blip.

Steel markers are among those calling for immediate Government intervention in the energy crisis, sparked by an enormous spike in the cost of natural gas. Pictured: Library image of the Tata Steel plant at Port Talbot in south Wales

It comes as Kwasi Kwarteng is reportedly preparing to ask Rishi Sunak for a multibillion-pound subsidies deal to keep plants open

'Blase' Kwasi Kwarteng told steel bosses rising gas prices were just a blip after being warned about impending energy crisis Bosses of the UK's biggest the UK's biggest steelmakers tried to warn Kwasi Kwarteng about the impending energy crisis at a meeting last month, it was claimed last night. British Steel - which operates out of Scunthorpe - and Tata - which has a production site in Port Talbot - are said to have discussed concerns with the business secretary at a meeting on September 28. But the business secretary came across as 'blase' and told bosses the rising gas prices was just a blip, according to the Sunday Times. He also reportedly told them that the weather was also about to change, helping to generate more energy through wind turbines. But gas prices have now risen by 250 per cent since January and are now at near-all time highs. Mr Kwateng is said to have started a meeting on Friday in a similarly relaxed way. But he is reported yo have changed his stance when industry leaders warned factories could temporarily close within weeks. According to the Sunday Times, he is later promised that he would pressure the Treasury for an emergency subsidies package. Advertisement

It comes as the chairman of the Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) yesterday warned the Government that factories and industrial plants across the country are already slowing production ahead of Christmas.

Meanwhile, David Dalton, of the British Glass Manufacturers' Association, said some companies were 'days' from having to close temporarily.

Another industry chief reportedly told the Sunday Times that his entire sector would 'shut down within weeks without state support'.

He reportedly told the paper the government needed to provide a solution 'within days' and that any subsidies needed would likely have to run into billions of pound.

Yesterday, a ceramics boss also warned of the impact the energy crisis was having on his industry.

Paul Farmer of Wade Ceramics, based in Stoke-on-Trent, told BBC Radio 4's PM programme yesterday that he spent 'roughly 1 million a year' on gas and electricity.

He said he faced a 200,000 increase in his bill, adding: 'That would probably wipe out most of the bottom line.

'It's very worrying. It's almost a shock as well, because I don't think any of us saw it coming.'

The crisis comes amid a huge spike in wholesale gas prices, which have risen by 250 per cent since January. This has led a huge increase in production costs for firms.

It also comes amid the HGV shortage, which has disrupted supply lines and slowed the distribution of fuels such as petrol.

Gas prices are capped for residential properties, meaning homeowners face a limited - though still potentially damaging - rise in heating costs, at least until the next review of the price cap.

But commercial energy prices are not capped, meaning there is nothing to protect businesses from the huge rise in wholesale gas prices.

Businesses are now calling for a cap, which they believe will help energy-heavy firms through the winter.

The surge in wholesale gas prices has already forced many small suppliers in the UK out of business

Supermarkets should work together to save Christmas says supply boss as one in six shoppers have been unable to buy essentials in last two weeks while fuel shortages continue Half empty shelves of grocery products at a Tesco branch in Wimbledon today About one in six adults in Britain have been unable to buy essential food items in the last fortnight, while 12 per cent of filling stations have run out of fuel in the South East and 17 per cent have only one grade of diesel or petrol, new figures show. A new study by the Office for National Statistics has found that 17 per cent of adults discovered that the essential food items they wanted to purchase were unavailable, while almost a quarter found the same problem with non-essential food items. And a third of retailers in the South East have warned they have either no or limited fuel supplies, with research by the Petrol Retailers Association finding 12 per cent of filling stations have run out of fuel in those areas and 17 per cent have only one grade of diesel or petrol. It came as a survey of 1,000 people by retail magazine The Grocer suggested two-thirds were worried or very worried at the prospect of food and drink shortages over Christmas. A number of companies have warned there may be shortages this winter, with Nestle saying it was facing challenges that could hit the availability of products including Quality Street chocolates while Walkers Shortbread in Scotland is facing difficulties due to a lack of staff. Hundreds of thousands of shoppers have already booked their delivery slots for Christmas. British supermarket Waitrose, which is owned by John Lewis, said it saw 22,000 slots booked by lunchtime on the first day of releasing its dates last week. Cabinet Ministers are now desperately seeking to allay mounting fears that staff shortages, soaring energy bills and global supply-chain woes will lead to panic-buying in the run-up to Christmas, with toys, clothes, chocolate and toilet rolls among products that could become more scarce within weeks as manufacturers wrestle with soaring costs. Boris Johnson has appointed former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis as his new supply chain crisis tsar with a remit to clear 'blockages' and 'pre-empt potential future ones' after dismissing concerns over labour shortages, Britain's creaking supply chain and fears over rising inflation. Top Government figures have reportedly said that they are considering keeping soldiers on to drive HGV lorries over Christmas in a bid to prevent food shortages, as Britain is plagued by a series of crises, with soaring gas prices and HGV shortages causing chaos. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said today that the fast-track scheme will be expanded to allow up to 5,000 people to be trained as HGV drivers. But with the free courses not starting until next month, they will do nothing to alleviate concerns about shortages this Christmas. Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon thundered: 'This is a drop in the ocean and it's clear the Government is either unwilling or unable to grasp the scale of the challenge facing Christmas. The industry has warned that for Christmas food deliveries alone, an extra 15,000 drivers will be needed - not to mention the colossal gap ministers have already failed to plan for or properly address. 'If the Prime Minister does not treat this crisis with the seriousness that is required and show real ambition in tackling it, working people will continue to pay the price with rising costs, rocketing energy bills and bare shelves this winter.' Advertisement

But Mr Kwarteng is understood to have ruled out a business price cap, believing it to be too difficult to implement.

Instead, Mr Kwarteng will reportedly attempt to convince Mr Sunak to back plans for subsidies. It is believed he will present his plans to the Treasury later this week.

A senior Whitehall source close to the discussions told the Sunday Times: 'If we had the money, we would give it to them today. But it's not in our gift. It's down to the Treasury.'

However Treasury officials are believed to be cautious about subsidies, with one source reportedly telling the paper that they would not write a 'blank cheque' for businesses.

It comes as the chairman of the Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) yesterday told the BBC that thousands of businesses require a package of Government-backed rescue measures to tackle mounting gas and electricity costs.

Dr Richard Leese told BBC Breakfast: 'All across the energy intensive industries, they're equally affected. We've seen the curtailment in production in the steel and fertiliser sector - that's had a knock-on impact into the supply chains in the industrial supply chains and domestic supply chains.

'What we've done is lay out to Government a winter package of measures that we think is needed to prevent those interruptions in supply chains occurring again.

'It's needed absolutely right now - gas prices are at an unprecedented level and the businesses that manufacture the goods that we need are trying to operate under these unprecedented conditions.

'The measures that we laid out in front of the Secretary of State yesterday will go some way to alleviating the pain this winter and we really need action for this winter.'

Industry leaders put forward three proposals to the Government to avoid interruption to supply chains this winter, Dr Leese added.

He said: 'Winter cost containment measures looking at the carbon costs particularly that are placed on energy intensive users.

'There is partial relief to some energy intensive but it's not widespread - we're subject to qualification rules that are legacy rules from European Union membership.

'Our second measure is to look at network costs within the UK. Network costs are distributed differently to other European countries in terms of energy intensive industries getting a higher proportion of the network costs, and that's something within Ofgem's gift.

'The third measure is to look at emergency measures, should any of our energy intensive plants need to shut down rapidly, looking at the threshold for emergency relief to try and prevent lasting damage to very expensive plants and equipment.'

Amid industry warnings, Ofgem warned there will also be a 'significant rise' to the cap on energy bills - hitting millions of Britain's poorest people - with soaring energy prices set to push average annual bills through the 2,000 barrier for the first time.

As the gas crisis escalated, industry analysts suggested the current energy cap of 1,277 would rise by as much as 800, while energy firms slammed the cap as 'not fit for purpose'.

Paul Richards, chief executive of Together Energy, which he said is currently making losses, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The price cap as a mechanism is not fit for industry, nor is it fit for customers.

'When the converse situation arises and the wholesale price starts to drop sharply, the price that will be passed through to customers in April might feel like a very, very poor deal, whereas at the moment the price cap feels like a price that is too good to be true.

'Although customers are protected in the short term I think we're looking at somewhere between 1 billion to 3 billion in costs that are going to be spread back across business and households as a result of these failed suppliers.'

It comes as Andrew Large, director-general at the Confederation of Paper Industries, attended a meeting on Friday with the Business Secretary and other representatives of energy intensive industries to discuss the wholesale gas crisis.

Speaking to the BBC Radio 4's PM programme afterwards, Mr Large claimed it was 'very clear' across all of the sectors that there are 'serious' risks factories could stop all activities as a result of the gas prices being too high.

His comments came after the boss of UK Steel, Gareth Stace, said yesterday that if Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Government 'does nothing to help' firms, rising prices could 'start to strangle' production.

At his Conservative Party conference speech earlier this week, Mr Johnson promised that the UK would become a 'higher-wage, higher-productivity economy'.

But Mr Stace claimed that if no action is taken, 'we'll actually be walking blindly towards a low wage economy'.

Analysis of price rises in the last year shows the cost of a second-hand car has risen more than 1,600, a tank of fuel is up more than 10 and the price of a pint of beer is creeping close to 4

Meanwhile, as the gas crisis escalated, industry analysts suggested Ofgem's current energy cap of 1,277 would rise by as much as 800.

Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley, did not put a figure on it, but said there will be a 'significant rise' in the price cap set by the industry regulator which helps to control the cost of gas and electricity in the UK. He didn't knock back claims that fixed and other deals could reach 2,000 in 2022.

'We can't predict everything, and the wholesale market, as we've seen, has gone up and down extremely quickly so we can't predict fully what that will be,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'But, looking at the costs that are in the system, we are expecting a significant rise in April.'

But Mr Brearley added that the current price cap will remain until April. 'We have no plans to raise the price cap before April,' he said.

The energy crisis has been blamed, in part, on a shortage of natural gas caused by Vladimir Putin allegedly 'choking' supplies to Europe to pressurise regulators into approving the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
A pregnant mother-of-two who was found dead in a bloodied pile of clothes lying next to her ex-boyfriend has been remembered as a 'beautiful soul' by her devastated family.

Michelle Darragh, 32, died at her former partner's Bayswater North home 28km east of Melbourne's city centre on Saturday night at about 7:30pm, with homicide detectives now investigating the circumstance around the gruesome death.

Ben Coman, 29, was in a critical condition when ambulance crews arrived at the grisly scene and remains under police guard at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The couple, who once lived at the address with their two young boys, recently separated only a fortnight ago.

Michelle Darragh, 32 (pictured), died at her former partner's Bayswater North home 28km east of Melbourne's city centre on Saturday night at about 7:30pm, with homicide detectives now investigating the circumstance around the gruesome death

But the young mum and social worker was seen at the property on Saturday afternoon while Mr Coman, a tradesman who runs a cabinet-making business, was also spotted walking in the area around the same time.

Forensic specialists scoured the home on Sunday which was cordoned off with police tape.

But despite the intensive investigation, Victoria Police said they were 'not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident'.

Ms Darragh's heartbroken family said they want her to be remembered as 'the most beautiful soul that you could ever get,' a family member told The Age.

'She lived for her kids and family and always put other people first in front of her own self.

'We will always remember her beautiful nature and her infectious smile that lit the room up when she walked into it.'

Ms Darragh's heartbroken family said: 'She lived for her kids and family and always put other people first in front of her own self'

They said she adored her two sons and was a dedicated, loving mother.

A neighbour of the deceased woman said he saw the victim's parents outside the house crying.

Neighour Trent Falahey said he saw Ms Darragh's distraught parents crying outside the home before the woman's mother asked if he had 'heard anything'.

'You don't expect these things to happen in your neighbourhood,' he told the Herald Sun.

He said they were a 'fantastic' and 'lovely couple' who had been at the property for about four years.

'They were great neighbours  it is a pretty tight neighbourhood we all know each other,' he said.
Former detectives in Scotland Yard's child abuse investigation team have claimed they were ordered to arrest and caution innocent people to meet targets, while one officer was allegedly told to tamper with evidence at the scene of the suspicious death of a baby.

A number of police officers who have since left the force have broken ranks and alleged that one of the Metropolitan Police's most sensitive units is 'broken' and therefore children could be at risk.

The incendiary allegations made to the Sunday Telegraph include orders to arrest and caution innocent people over abuse offences and police 'ticking boxes' to falsely claim that work had been done.

Some detectives allegedly made complaints about the actions of their superiors which they claim were 'covered up' while some in the Met acted as if it was an 'old boys' network', the paper reported.

Tom Coling, who served on the child abuse investigations team in south London, claimed that the 'ineffective' and 'bullying' management asked him to carry out a series of 'unlawful' acts including orders to unbag and replace evidence he had seized while investigating a baby's death.

Several of his former colleagues claimed that they were pressured to caution people who they believed were entirely innocent because the units were 'target driven'. Officers have also alleged that they are too frightened to raise concerns about their colleague because of a 'culture of protection' in the police.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said there is 'absolutely no truth' to allegations of a 'target culture' when contacted by MailOnline, adding that Mr Coling's claims are 'subject to significant scrutiny' and that 'the allegations are not supported by the evidence'.

The allegations come amid mounting pressure on the Metropolitan Police over the failings which allowed Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens to remain in the force despite allegations of indecent exposure and concerns about his behaviour before he murdered her.

Former detectives in Scotland Yard's child abuse investigation team have claimed they were ordered to arrest and caution innocent people to meet targets, while one officer was allegedly told to tamper with evidence at the scene of the suspicious death of a baby

Tom Coling, who served on the child abuse investigations team in south London, claimed that the 'ineffective' and 'bullying' management asked him to carry out a series of 'unlawful' acts

Mr Coling told the Sunday Telegraph: 'How many people have tried to blow the whistle on police corruption but have simply given up because no one wants to listen?' Under laws governing policing, an officer cannot make a public complaint about their own force.

Now a family lawyer, the former detective claimed that the complaints process for officers is 'broken' and is fighting for allegations against his superiors to be investigated internally and by the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

He alleged he was repeatedly given 'unlawful' orders, and believes that his refusal to comply led to disciplinary proceedings against him.

Mr Coling claimed that he was ordered to arrest two innocent men for serious child abuse accusations for which there was no evidence, and on another to report a dog to the RSPCA despite no concerns about its wellbeing or behaviour.

In January 2014, just weeks after he says he refused to tamper with evidence, Mr Coling was apparently subject to disciplinary proceedings because he was not keeping up with workload.

He allegedly lodged a complaint about his treatment and the orders that he was given, but later claimed that the force failed to address all his major concerns. He appealed but lost.

In a response to his latest complaints earlier this year, the director of professional standards noted that at least five of his major concerns were not addressed during the process. Mr Coling left the force to retrain as a solicitor.

In 2017, the former detective repeated his allegations to the director of professional standards, but was told that they could not investigate it as under the Police Reform Act 2002. The IOPC agreed that complaining about his own team was an 'abuse of process'.

Mr Coling claimed that his allegations were 'covered up' by the Met, adding: 'The public needs to be confident that when an officer raises a complaint about the conduct of one of their own, it will be appropriately investigated. In my case, that simply didn't happen.'

The allegations come amid mounting pressure on the Metropolitan Police over the failings which allowed Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens to remain in the force despite allegations of indecent exposure and concerns about his behaviour before he murdered her. Pictured: Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick

Officers have claimed that senior management were pressuring detectives to arrest and to caution people they believed were innocent in order to keep up their clear-up rates.

One detective inspector apparently emailed staff to say he regularly boasted that his was the 'top-performing' child sex abuse team for resolving allegations with charges or cautions and they should 'defend our title' next year.

Detective Constable Jan Pyle, who worked alongside Mr Coling during her 20 years in the force before retiring in 2014, claimed that 'everyone feared reprisals'. A former detective anonymously claimed that in one team 'the sergeant got a person to go through every (crime) report and tick the boxes even though the updates had not been done'.

Both Scotland Yard and the IOPC told the Sunday Telegraph that they had whistleblowing lines where officers could complain about the conduct of their colleagues and each case would be judged on its merits.

In a statement, a Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline: 'The work of the MPS is highly scrutinised and we welcome the recent HMRCFRS report on Child Abuse 2021 which highlighted a range of improvements in our response to child abuse.

'We are continually working to develop our investigative ability, identify and arrest those committing abuse and increase the number of criminal justice outcomes we achieve from our investigations. The improvements highlighted within this report are evidence of our efforts in this area.

'We have increased the number of staff managing registered sex offenders and rolled out advanced training in custody suites to improve the ability of officers to recognise the needs of vulnerable children. We have also initiated a multi-agency review of how the Met shares information with partners to improve the response to children who are identified as at risk.

'We note the areas the HMICFRS has stated still require improvement, including our investigation of online child abuse and the sharing of indecent images of children.

'We now have dedicated Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) teams within each of the 12 Basic Command Units (BCUs) as well as a Central Specialist Crime OCSAE Unit, focusing entirely on identifying and pursuing suspected online offenders.

'These units are made up of specialist detectives who work closely with a range of partners across government, statutory agencies, the technology industry and the third sector to act quickly on referrals, remove images, prosecute offenders and protect young people.

'As internet usage in general has continued to rise year on year, it has led to an increase in indecent material and assisted this type of offending.

'We are continually reviewing, adapting and improving our procedures and practices in order to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology in the online sphere, including investing heavily in upgrading and improving our Child Abuse Image Database (CAID) capability, which will reduce delays in uploading images and ensure victims are identified at the earliest possible stage.

'There is absolutely no truth in allegations that Child Abuse Investigation Teams are target driven or that officers are under pressure to achieve certain outcomes. Allegations are investigated with high levels of professionalism and supervision and we continually strive to make improvements.'
A twisted paedophile sent a chilling letter to the family of the young girls he raped, claiming there was no evidence the children suffered as a result of his abuse.

Tim Stewart was jailed for 32 years in 2017 after police found 945 images and videos of him sexually assaulting a girl when she was aged between 12 and 15 years.

Another jury then found him guilty of further charges of sexually abusing her younger sister, who was just 11 at the time of his crimes.

Letters obtained by 7News show Stewart wrote to the victim's mother saying there is 'no evidence that she suffered psychologically' and said he is hoping to get out of jail between 2022 and 2026.

Tim Stewart was jailed for 37 years in 2017 after police found 945 images and videos of him sexually assaulting a girl when she was aged between 12 and 15 years

A dozen SD memory cards documenting Stewart's 'vile and incomprehensible' crimes were found hidden inside the lining of the 45-year-old's jacket in 2017.

The judge during the trial Paul Conlon, known as 'Judge Dread', sentenced Stewart over 125 individual charges against the young girl as well as charges against her sister.

The court heard he filmed the abuse for his own sexual gratification, and was sentenced to spend 24 years in jail after being given an aggregate maximum term of 32 years.

Stewart pleaded guilty to 99 charges relating to the abuse which occurred when the girl was aged between 12 and 15.

A jury a few months later found him guilty of a further 28 offences, including drugging the girl and and indecently assaulting her younger sister when she was about 11.

At the trial, Stewart claimed he and the victim had 'acted like husband and wife'.

Judge Conlon said Stewart's grooming of the older sibling was 'total, complete and overwhelming'.

'This type of offending is simply incomprehensible.'

Stewart has sent letters to the family of the two young girls he abused saying they didn't suffer psychologically as a result of his assaults

The perverted sex attacker was sentenced to a total of 955 years, but will spend 24 years in jail after being given an aggregate maximum term of 32 years

The family currently have an AVO against Stewart which is meant to stop him being able to contact them, yet the convicted paedophile was able to send the letters to a family member who handed them over to the victims.

'The fears of [victim] and [victim] are not warranted and to enforce the current order would be an abuse of process,' Stewart wrote.

The demented paedophile also said he would be contacting the victims in the future, another breach of the order.

'I will be seeking some form of contact including but not limited to letters, phone calls...'

The family of the two girls released a statement saying they supported the work of authorities.

'Corrective Services have gone above and beyond to ensure our safety,' they said.

'Tim Stewart is manipulative, always skirting around the law... to maintain contact, torment and bully us and prolong our anxiety. He has zero remorse.'

He is set to appear in court to appeal his sentence, where prosecutors will be able to use the letters against him. The twisted sex offender believes he could be free soon.

'A sentence of 8 to 12 years maximum term would be the likely outcome,' he wrote to the family.

'Real possibility I that I will be released between 2022 and 2026.'

'Tim Stewart is manipulative, always skirting around the law... to maintain contact, torment and bully us and prolong our anxiety. He has zero remorse,' the family said of the paedophile

Victim's advocate Howard Brown told the program that the chilling words of the convicted child rapist were able to get in the hands of the family are a failure of the system.

'We like to think once the trial process is complete, we are done with the matter. This just goes to show, you are never done,' he said.

Stewart's wife, who went by the name Rachel, told 2GB in 2017 he had a secret app on his phone that he used to hide his child porn.

'I found out... that he had an app on his phone that looks like a calculator and you would type in a code and once you put in that code the app would open, and there were explicit photos within that app,' she said.

Since being alerted to his behaviour, Rachel said his lies began to unravel.

'He was a master manipulator, as most paedophiles are. Everything in his life was a lie,' she said.

'He had this facade which allowed him to offend. The most distressing part of the trial was Stewart claiming the young girl initiated sex with him.

'On the stand for two days... he grilled her about being in a relationship with him.'
In the ward of Detling and Thurnham, near Maidstone, women haven an average life expectancy of 95 , 12 years more than the national average of 83.

The village has the greatest life expectancy in England, and prohibited indoor smoking five years before the national ban was enforced in 2007.

On the slope of the North Downs, along the historic Pilgrim's Way, lies the village of Detling, with a population of 800 people.

Ivy Watson celebrates her 100th birthday in her care home, Barty House Nursing Home in Kent

Among the 800 residents are some of the oldest people in the country, including Irene Nobbs who turned 102 in April.

According to the Office for National Statistics there are 15,000 centenarians in the UK, and two of them reside in Barty House nursing home in Detling.

Irene, who is a retired hairdresser told the Times that a good, busy life is the secret to her longevity, plus 'a glass of rose every night before bed.'

The GP practice in Detling has eight doctors, or one doctor per 100 residents, and accepts face-to-face appointments during a time when in-person consultations are hard to come by

There are many theories floating around as to why the life expectancy is so high in Detling, from the quality of the tap water to the hilly terrain.

One resident, Margaret Cooke, 89, believes the covered reservoir near the village could be a contributing factor.

It's only a few hundred yards away and 'it's filtered through all the chalk,' she told the Times.

It's not just Detling's proximity to fresh water that the village has in its favour.

The local GP practice has eight doctors, or one doctor per 100 residents, and accepts face-to-face appointments during a time when in-person consultations are hard to come by.

Health has always been at the forefront of the villages' agenda, Detling prohibited indoor smoking in pubs and workplaces, five years before the national ban was enforced.

Detling (pictured) in Kent has the greatest life expectancy in England, and prohibited indoor smoking five years before the national ban was enforced in 2007

To get a better understanding of why the life expectancy is so high in Detling, it is worth looking at areas with low life expectancies.

Bloomfield in Blackpool for instance has an average life expectancy of 73 for women and just 67 for men.

It means people from Detling can expect to live for two more decades than those living in Bloomfield.

The seaside town has long-been at the foot of most life expectancy lists with many people pointing towards Blackpool's economic hardships as a possible cause.

A 2013 Guardian profile found that over half the population of Bloomfield smokes, including one in three pregnant women.

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Blackpool (JSNA) found that 20% of deaths in females was caused by respiratory disease in the most deprived areas of Blackpool between 2015-17.

According to Veena Raleigh, a senior fellow at the King's Fund healthcare think tank, Detling, though not especially affluent, does have low levels of deprivation.

She told the Times: 'Very often people living in deprived areas will have a cluster of unfavourable risk factors that weigh on their health, such as obesity, smoking and poverty.'

The solution, however, is not to pack your bags and move to Detling in search of a longer life-span.

Raleigh says: 'It doesn't work like that. It's more to do with the people themselves and their histories and habits.'

Detling has very strong community spirit which really came to the fore during the pandemic, the local council organised visits for residents struggling with their mental health and neighbours relished the competition of daily exercise routines.

With the worst of pandemic hopefully behind us, the people of Detling, young and old, have been able to enjoy the many amenities the village has to offer.

As for Irene, she has her sights set on her 103rd birthday, where she hopes everyone join in and sing to the tunes of the late great Vera Lynn.
There will be risks and benefits to residents of New South Wales as the state reopens after 106 days in lockdown, public health and policy experts say.

Having surpassed the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination milestone early last week, gyms, cafes, restaurants, pools, shops, hairdressers and beauticians will reopen in NSW from Monday and people will be allowed to venture more than five kilometres from home.

Professor Jaya Dantas of Curtin University's School of Population Health said the relaxation of restrictions heralded the beginning of Australia learning to 'live with the virus'.

The 'eyes of Australia' are on NSW as the state emerges from a 106 day lockdown on Monday (pictured, Sydneysiders in Bondi)

'I think it is a very good move that we are opening up and the country will be watching how things pan out,' Prof Dantas told AAP.

'The outbreak has moved from an epidemic to a pandemic and in some ways it is going to be endemic for years to come.

'We have to learn how to manage it and I really believe we can.'

Prof Dantas said high vaccination rates and public health measures were important to keep the spread under control but Australia was behind when it came to rapid antigen testing, which would be crucial to identifying cases moving forward.

'We need complete approval of rapid antigen testing across Australia and they need to be available in pharmacies for free or at a low cost,' she said.

Restaurants, cafes, gyms and retail outlets are set to reopen to vaccinated residents as the state learns to live with Covid (pictured, a Bondi Cafe)

The at-home nasal swabs will be available in Australia from November 1 but it is unclear how they will slot into each jurisdiction's public health measures, where they will be available and what they will cost.

Meanwhile, public transport services will return to a Monday-to-Friday timetable in NSW with 18,000 more train, bus and ferry services.

Honorary associate of the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney Yale Wong said it was 'unchartered territory' to be opening up with high case numbers and there were still unresolved issues when it came to transmission on public transport.

'We need ventilation plans,' he said. 'Public transport (services) are confined environments and that is a big issue.'

Dr Wong said it was hard to observe social distancing on buses and trains while cleaning and sanitising measures were 'prone to error and inconsistency'.

Professor Jaya Dantas of Curtin University's School of Population Health said the relaxed restrictions signified the start of living with the virus (pictured, Opera Bar in Sydney)

He suggested the government invest in 'stand-by fleets' as outbreaks on popular transport routes were likely in the coming months.

'We need to ensure there aren't these weak links,' he said.

Professor Marc Stears from the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney says the ability for people to see their friends and family to celebrate, grieve and catch up will have 'profound consequences' for their mental health.

'What the evidence increasingly shows is that social isolation, loneliness, disconnection has had really terrible consequences for a lot of people,' Prof Stears said.

Prof Dantas said high vaccination rates and public health measures were important to keep the spread under control (pictured, Bondi Beach)

He referred to a study published in The Lancet last week by researchers from Australia and the US who found cases of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders had increased by more than 25 per cent across 204 countries and territories in 2020.

While there has been buzz around reopening large venues, Prof Stears said home visits and smaller gatherings were just as important for social connection.

'We are all understandably anxious and nervous about what is going to happen and whether the case rates will go up and if hospitals will cope,' he said.

'These are important concerns but there is a huge amount of evidence around the world about what has happened elsewhere and we are relatively late to the opening up game.'
Priti Patel believes the Met Police is 'rotten from top to bottom' after 'clashing' with commissioner Cressida Dick over the Sarah Everard case, it has today been claimed.

The Home Secretary is said to believe that Dame Cressida, Britain's most senior police officer, was 'very defensive' and 'tin-eared' over the 33-year-old marketing executive's murder by Met officer Wayne Couzens.

Ms Patel is also reported to have become frustrated that the commissioner allegedly ignored inquiries that she tried to make on behalf of Ms Everard's parents in March.

And she is said to believe the force to be 'absolutely the worst' in terms of a culture of 'defensiveness'.

A Home Office source reportedly told the Sunday Times: 'We have lost count of the number of conversations she had with Cressida and Steve House [the deputy commissioner].

'They are not interested. It is institutional. They are very defensive. Policing is very defensive, but the Met are absolutely the worst.'

Ms Patel is reported to have clashed with Dame Cressida at the time of Ms Everard's disappearance in March - when the Met also faced strong criticism for their handling of a vigil in the marketing executive's memory.

Priti Patel believes the Met Police is 'rotten from top to bottom' after 'clashing' with commissioner Cressida Dick over the Sarah Everard case, it has today been claimed. Pictured: The Commissioner and the Home Secretary in November last year

The Home Secretary is said to believe that Dame Cressida, Britain's most senior police officer, was 'very defensive' and 'tin-eared' over the 33-year-old marketing executive's (pictured) murder, by Met officer Wayne Couzens

Ms Patel is also reported to have clashed with Dame Cressida back at the time of Ms Everard's disappearance in March - when the Met also faced strong criticism for their handling of a vigil in the marketing executive's memory

Officers were seen dragging away and arresting people at the vigil - which they said was a breach of Covid restrictions at the time - leading to widespread public outcry

Boris Johnson 'infuriates Priti Patel by blocking her plan to make sexual harassment a crime' Boris Johnson is believed to have 'infuriated' Priti Patel by overruling attempts to make public sexual harassment a crime, it has today been reported. Senior Home Office sources suggest there is tension between the pair over how to better tackle violence against women in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard. It has led some in the Home Office to fear that the prime minister views the issue of public sexual harassment against women as mere 'wolf whistling', according to the Guardian. It comes after the Prime Minister brushed off calls to formally recognise misogyny as a hate crime. He instead arguing the 'abundance' of existing laws should be better enforced rather than new legislation brought in. But the move is reported to have caused 'disquiet' in the Home Office. Meanwhile, on the issue of public sexual harassment towards women, an anonymous Home Office source reportedly told the Guardian: 'Trying to bring it down to wolf whistling is massively problematic. But we're going to make this happen. 'People are prepared to put their political capital behind this, and the home secretary is among those very much behind it.' Another reportedly added: 'Make no mistake, Boris Johnson is the person blocking and holding this back. He seems to be stuck in the past on this issue.' It comes after Ms Patel launched a consultation on tackling violence against women and girls. The petition is said to have drawn 180,000 contributors - most of which are though to have been sent after Ms Everard's murder in March. Many respondents said they suffered harassment on a daily basis, while a YouGov poll earlier this year revealed that more than half of women said they had suffered sexual harassment on public transport in London. Earlier this week the Prime Minister vowed to make domestic violence and rape the 'number one issue' he tackles within policing. He said the way police and criminal justice system currently handles violent crimes against women was 'just not working'. But asked if he believed misogyny should be a hate crime, Mr Johnson told BBC Breakfast: 'I think that what we should do is prosecute people for the crimes we have on the statute book. 'That is what I am focused on. To be perfectly honest, if you widen the scope of what you ask the police to do, you will just increase the problem. 'What you need to do is get the police to focus on the very real crimes, the very real feeling of injustice and betrayal that many people feel.' Despite Mr Johnson's comments, Home Office officials are understood to be conducting a legal review into making public sexual harassment a crime in its own right, according to the Guardian. It is believed such a law would cover all behaviour that could make women uncomfortable in all public spaces. Advertisement

Ms Everard went missing while walking from a friend's home near Clapham Common, south London, on March 3. Her body was found in woodland near Ashford, Kent, on March 9.

Couzens later admitted to using his Met Police credentials to kidnap Ms Everard on the grounds of Covid rules. He was sentenced to a whole life order earlier this month.

Before Ms Everards body was found, Ms Patel is reported to have spoken to Ms Everard's parents, Susan and Jeremy, via Zoom and later invited them to the Home Office.

Sources have reportedly told the Sunday Times that, at the time of Ms Everard's disappearance, Ms Patel made herself a 'pain in the a**s' in talks with Dame Cressida and told her to 'cut the c**p'.

Her experience of dealing with Ms Everard's parents and the Met Commissioner has apparently driven her motivation to make changes.

It comes as it was revealed that Ms Patel is set to unveil a major 'hire and fire' shake-up of how police chiefs are chosen in the wake of the tragedy.

The Home Secretary plans a 'blueprint for succession' for Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick and chief constables across England.

She will take action to end what allies condemn as the 'Buggins' turn' system of how chief constables are taken on  one in which appointments seem to be made in rotation rather than by merit.

The shake-up emerged amid reports that Ms Patel only agreed to extend Dame Cressida's term of office last month because there was no one suitable to replace her.

But her plans also follow claims of friction between the Home Secretary and the Met Commissioner, who has faced calls to quit in the wake of the brutal killing of Ms Everard by serving Met police officer Wayne Couzens in March.

The Mail on Sunday understands that between Ms Everard's disappearance and Couzens's arrest, the Home Secretary privately asked Dame Cressida and her team if a police officer could be involved but was not told whether her suspicions were correct.

A source close to Ms Patel said the prospect of a policeman being responsible felt likely because Covid restrictions meant there were very few other people on the streets. The source said: 'We asked the question.'

The Home Office is also understood to be annoyed that last week the Met chief announced a review in the force's professional standards and internal culture 24 hours before Ms Patel announced a Government inquiry.

Ms Patel is said to be determined to watch Dame Cressida 'very closely' over the vetting of officers in light of Ms Everard's murder.

Under reforms introduced by Theresa May in 2012, elected Police and Crime Commissioners hold the power to hire and fire chief constables in forces outside London.

Ms Patel retains the power to appoint Metropolitan Police chiefs but must consult London's Labour mayor Sadiq Khan. Privately, Ministers admit he has an 'effective veto' as the Home Secretary could not in practice appoint a Met chief the mayor refused to work with.

A well-placed source declined to give details of Ms Patel's proposals, but indicated that she wanted Home Secretaries to have a role along with PCCs in how chief constables were picked and dismissed.

The source denied the plans would involve reducing the powers of PCCs, but stressed the need for 'greater accountability' in how police chiefs were picked.

He would not say how the reforms, to be unveiled within months, would affect hiring a successor to Dame Cressida, who stays in post till 2024. 'That's to be decided,' he said.

Ms Patel has said publicly she would 'continue to work with' Dame Cressida and continue to hold her and the Met to account.

Couzens (left) used his Metropolitan Police warrant card and handcuffs to abduct the 33-year-old marketing executive as she walked home from a friends house in Clapham. He was sentenced to a whole life order earlier this month after admitting raping and killing Ms Everard. Commissioner Cressida Dick (right) has faced calls to resign amid the fallout from the case, while Ms Patel has come under pressure to tackle violence against women

Dame Cressida has acknowledged that a 'precious bond of trust' had been damaged by Couzens, who had 'brought shame on the Met'.

But she has faced calls to resign, with Labour MP Harriet Harman saying the case has 'shattered' women's confidence in the police.

Mr Khan's spokesman said: 'The murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer has severely damaged trust in the police.'

He said the Met had a 'huge job to do to regain the trust of women, girls and all Londoners' and the mayor will be holding them to account to deliver the necessary change.

A Met spokesman said last night that the force did not provide a 'running commentary' on the Commissioner's calls with Ms Patel, adding that Couzens's identity came as a 'bolt from the blue'.

MailOnline also contacted Scotland Yard for a comment in regards to the claims made in the Sunday Times, but had not received a response in time for publication.
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Taiwan will not bow to pressure by Beijing and will defend its democratic way of life, the island's President Tsai Ing-wen warned today, following a spike in incursions by Chinese warplanes into its air defence zone.

Self-governed Taiwan's 23 million people live under the constant threat of invasion by authoritarian China, which views the island as its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

'The more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China,' Tsai said in a speech marking Taiwan's National Day on Sunday in the capital of Taipei, adding: 'Nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us.'

The National celebrations were a rare show of Taiwanese defence capabilities in the annual parade and underlined Tsai's promise to resist China's military threats.

The president added: 'We hope for an easing of... relations (with Beijing) and will not act rashly, but there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure.

'We will continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us.'

Her speech comes amid a rise in aggressive threats and provocative military action by China over Taiwanese airspace in recent days.

Beijing views the island as an autonomous Chinese province and has long sought reunification though Taiwan sees itself as an independent state.

The two sides have been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Taiwan will not bow to pressure by Beijing and will defend its democratic way of life, the island's President Tsai Ing-wen warned today, following a spike in incursions by Chinese warplanes into its air defence zone

'The more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China,' Tsai said in a speech marking Taiwan's National Day on Sunday in the capital of Taipei. Pictured: military trucks and soldiers are paraded in the streets of Taipei on Sunday

Taiwanese honor guards take part in a parade marking National Day in Taipei on Sunday amid heightened tensions with China

The speech comes amid a rise in aggressive threats and provocative military action by China over Taiwanese airspace in recent days

Taiwanese military vehicles take part in a national day parade in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei on Sunday

Military officers on armoured vehicles salute the President during a parade for the Double-Tenth National Day Celebration Ceremony

A formation of airplanes fly during the national day celebration in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sunday

Taiwanese F-16 fighter jets fly over during National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sunday

Tsai emphasised the island's vibrant democracy in contrast with Beijing's deeply authoritarian, single-party Communist state.

'The path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people,' she said

Following the address, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence showed off a range of weaponry including missile launchers and armoured vehicles, while fighter jets and helicopters soared overhead.

These included a formation of F-16, Indigenous Defence Fighters and Mirage 2000s, which left wide white contrails in their wake.

The show of air power was followed by a group of CM32 tanks, and later by trucks carrying missile systems.

Tensions have risen to their highest in decades under Chinese President Xi Jinping, who broke off official communication with Taipei following Tsai's election five years ago and ramped up economic, diplomatic and military pressure.

The latest flare-up has been a surge in flights by Chinese fighter jets and nuclear-capable bombers into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in recent days.

Some 150 Chinese warplanes breached Taiwan's airspace since Friday - a record number -, including 56 jets on Monday in a dramatic escalation of Chinese aggression against the self-governing democracy.

Three Chinese planes, including two fighter jets, crossed into the zone on Sunday, according to Taiwan's defence ministry.

Taiwan's ADIZ is a zone in which it requires all foreign aircraft to identify themselves and state their intentions. It is different to the island's sovereign airspace, which extends over a smaller area 12 nautical miles from its coast.

Taipei said it scrambled fighters, broadcast radio warnings and activated missile defences in response. A short time later, the Chinese aircraft turned back.

Adding to rising tensions, China on Saturday warned the US over its involvement in Taiwan and claimed the 'weak and cowardly' island authorities will accept reunification.

An op-ed in state media outlet Global Times said the US would face 'unbearable' consequences for its military involvement in Taiwan and that American troops would be the first to be 'eliminated' in a Chinese 'invasion'.

The piece also claimed Taiwanese authorities were likely 'to surrender [to reunification] in a few years or even a shorter period of time' or China would resolve the dispute 'by force'.

The op-ed emerged just hours after President Xi declared in a speech that China harbours ambitions of a 'peaceful reunification' with the island but warned it 'must be realised, and will definitely be realised'.

He said he favoured 'peaceful reunification' but his words come after months of increased military threats, including the recent surge in air incursions as well as heavily publicised military drills simulating an invasion of Taiwan.

Last year, there were a record 380 sorties, or deployments. There have already been more than 600 this year.

President Xi Jinping's renewed call for a merger comes amid a rise in aggressive threats and provocative military action over Taiwanese airspace in recent days. Above: Xi Jinping in Beijing on Saturday

President Tsai, who is pictured giving a thumbs up during the parade, said in her speech: 'Nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us'

Military officers riding motorcycles during the parade are pictured as a crowd of spectators look on in Taipei

Taiwanese people take photos of helicopters hoisting large national flags flying over during a National Day parade in Taipei

Beijing views the island as an autonomous Chinese province and has long sought reunification though Taiwan sees itself as an independent state. The two sides have been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949

During Sunday's speech, Tsai reiterated her call for Beijing 'to engage in dialogue on the basis of parity' and said she supported maintaining the current status quo between the two neighbours

Taiwanese soldiers raise flags on military vehicles during a national day parade in front of the Presidential Palace on Sunday

The street is disinfected during the national day celebration in Taipei, Taiwan, by health workers who can be seen spraying the disinfectant whole sat in the back of trucks

Taiwan's honorary guard stand in lines as they parade during the ceremony of Taiwan National Day on Sunday

President Tsai, who has won two elections, is loathed by Beijing because she regards Taiwan as an 'already independent' country, not part of 'one China'.

But she has also made no move to declare formal independence, something Beijing has long warned would be a 'red line' that would trigger an invasion.

She has also made offers for talks with Beijing that have been rejected.

During Sunday's speech, Tsai reiterated her call for Beijing 'to engage in dialogue on the basis of parity' and said she supported maintaining the current status quo between the two neighbours.

But she warned what happens to Taiwan would have major regional and global repercussions.

'Every step we take will influence our world's future direction, and our world's future direction will likewise affect the future of Taiwan itself,' she said.

Polling shows the vast majority of Taiwanese have no desire to be ruled by Beijing.

Most favour maintaining the status quo although there is a growing Taiwanese nationalist sentiment, especially among younger people.

China's crackdown in Hong Kong, a city Beijing said would be a model for how it would rule Taiwan, has also done little to endear Taiwanese to assurances that their way of life would continue under communist party rule.

'As a Taiwanese I don't think we can accept (reunification), just look at what happened in Hong Kong,' Hung Chen-lun, who came with his two children to watch Sunday's National Day celebrations, told AFP.

Chan Yun-ching, another spectator, said many Taiwanese simply felt helpless.

'Reunification now is not appropriate. But we are in no position to declare independence because the international community will not recognise us. It's useless,' he said.

Polling shows the vast majority of Taiwanese have no desire to be ruled by Beijing. Most favour maintaining the status quo although there is a growing Taiwanese nationalist sentiment, especially among younger people

A helicopter carries a Taiwan flag during the national day celebration in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sunday

China's crackdown in Hong Kong, a city Beijing said would be a model for how it would rule Taiwan, has also done little to endear Taiwanese to assurances that their way of life would continue under communist party rule

A couple take a photo with Taiwan national flags during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei on Sunday

Members of the army participate during the national day celebration as they ride motorcycles through the city

A military honor guard attends during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei on Sunday

Earlier on Saturday President Xi said China harbours ambitions of a 'peaceful reunification' with the island but warned it 'must be realised, and will definitely be realised'.

Mr Xi was speaking at an official celebration in Beijing's Great Hall of the People that focused largely on the need for the ruling Communist Party to continue to lead China as the country rises in power and influence.

'Reunification through a peaceful manner is the most in line with the overall interest of the Chinese nation, including Taiwan compatriots.'

The celebration was in honour of the 110th anniversary of the Chinese revolution in 1911 leading to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and establishment of the Republic of China led by Sun Yat-sen.

October 10 is celebrated in Taiwan as National Day and Mr Xi's address highlighted aspirations for a unified future, despite marked differences between China's authoritarian one-party system and Taiwan's multi-party democracy.

Isabel Hilton, visiting professor at King's College London, told BBC R4's Today that Mr Xi's rhetoric had toned down after a week of 'intense military incursions and provocations'.

She added: 'Personally, I think the price of an armed assault by China is high, China is aware of that. But they're not going to give up on national ambition of reunification as they see it.

'Taiwan sees itself as a self-governing democracy and the people have very little desire for reunification with China.'

It comes as British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth ('Big Lizzie') was shown sailing in the Philippine Sea in a joint exercise with two US carriers - the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson - and Japan's helicopter destroyer JS Ise.

The armada, which also includes a number of warships from six different countries in total, trained together over the weekend in the region amid the rising tensions.

The recent voyages through the Strait of Taiwan by the British and American navies, coupled with the new Aukus defence pact have infuriated Beijing and sparked more shows of strength in the South China Sea.

Pictured: Britain's HMS Queen Elizabeth warship (second right at the head of the armada) took part in joint training with warships from six different countries over the weekend in the Philippine Sea amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan

Nearly 150 Chinese warplanes have breached Taiwan's airspace since Friday, including nuclear-capable bombers on Monday in a dramatic increase in aggression

Ms Hilton added: 'China has many tools as its disposal, including that 80 per cent of Taiwan's economy is somewhat dependent on trade with China.

'The military side is a show of force that is largely crowd pleasing at home, as well as upsetting for Taiwan in advance of their national day celebrations. It doesn't signal imminent assault.'

Taiwan and China split in 1949 amid civil war, with the then ruling Nationalist Party fleeing to the island as Mao Zedong's Communists swept to power on the mainland.

Self-governing Taiwan, which is home to the Republic of China which fought against the Communist Party when it first emerged, views itself as an independent state but Beijing views it as a breakaway province.

The Republic of China has long-standing ties with the US, which historically recognised it as the legitimate government of the whole of China.

Since 1949, Taiwan has been self-ruled, but its sovereignty is denied by Beijing, which has refused to renounce the option of using force to bring the island under its control.

Beijing has also sought to isolate Taiwan internationally by barring it from the United Nations and other international organisations and opposing official contacts between its government and nations that recognise China, especially the United States, which is legally bound to consider threats against Taipei a matter of 'grave concern'.

'Taiwanese separatism is the biggest obstacle to the motherland's reunification,' Mr Xi added, saying those who advocated for independence would be 'condemned by history'.
A University professor has been advised to install CCTV in her home, and is considering hiring bodyguards for her own safety following a row with students over her views on transgender rights.

Police have warned Kathleen Stock, a Philosophy professor at the University of Sussex, to stay away from campus for now and teach classes online after sharing her beliefs online and in her academic work that people cannot change their biological sex.

Her critics have accused her of being transphobic and tensions have continued to escalate in recent weeks with the return of university students.

Banners saying 'Stock Out' have been held alongside burning flares and scores of people have been criticising her under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni  although many others have been using it to support her.

Police have warned Kathleen Stock to stay away from campus for now and teach classes online

Banners saying 'Stock Out' have been held alongside burning flares and scores of people have been criticising her under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni

Online, she has been targeted with abuse from users who say she is 'on the wrong side of history'. One post shared a picture of a man with a gun captioned 'Kathleen Stock rest your weary head.'

Police have become so concerned for her safety that the 48-year-old has been given access to a hotline to call.

Now, Stock, who was awarded an OBE earlier this year, says she 'fears for the future' and is questioning her career.

'I feel very on edge and a bit mad,' she told The Times. 'I am not sleeping very well. It is surreal.

'When I think about my future, I do not know how that looks. How can I walk around Sussex?

Online, she has been targeted with abuse from users who say she is 'on the wrong side of history' while posters are put up around campus campaigning for her dismissal

In her own words: What does Kathleen Stock believe about gender and trans issues? Kathleen Stock explained her views on trans issues in written evidence to Parliament in November 2020 here: Womanhood and manhood reflect biological sex, not gender or gender identity;

The claim 'transwomen are women' is a fiction, not literally true

Sexual orientation (being gay, being lesbian) is determined by same-sex attraction, not attraction to gender identity

Spaces where women undress and sleep should remain genuinely single-sex, in order to protect them;

Children with gender identity disorders should not be given puberty blockers as minors. Advertisement

'[The police] have advised me to have cameras on my front door. They have given me advice about moving around. They have put a marker on my phone, if I phone 999 there is an automatic call-out to my house.

'The police implied that I would need security guards accompanying me to go back on campus.'

It's not the first time Ms Stock feels she has been in danger. When writing for MailOnline earlier this year, she revealed she has previously been advised to take measures to protect herself.

'Two years ago, I was shocked when the campus security manager advised me about the emergency phone system and arranged to have a spyhole put in my door,' she said.

'When, at a later graduation event, I was taken aside by security and told the quickest way to get off the stage in an emergency, I was no longer shocked  the experience had become commonplace.'

Recently, she filed a complaint against the University because she believes it has failed to support her, uphold its duty of care and protect her academic freedom - claims that the university is said to be investigating.

In a groundbreaking and similar case earlier this year, Essex University was found to have failed to uphold free speech after two female professors, Jo Phoenix and Rosa Freedman, were dropped from speaking events.

The pair hold similar views to Ms Stock.

Earlier this year, the Government announced plans to crack down on issues around free speech at universities, launching the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill.

The Bill aims to end 'no-platforming' on campuses by giving a regulator the power to issue fines, giving the Office for Students (OfS) a mandate to promote the importance of 'freedom of speech within the law' and 'academic freedom for academic staff' at universities.

Kathleen Stock, 48, is a philosophy professor and expert in gender and sexual orientation at the University of Sussex

The OfS has the power to fine institutions and student unions for breaching new duties designed to foster 'a culture of open and robust intellectual debate'.

People who believe their freedom of speech has been impinged also have the power to go to court to seek financial compensation.

Ms Stock has repeatedly insisted in the past that she is not a transphobe, but attention on her views has intensified since her book Material Girls came out in May.

She has written and spoken extensively about sex and gender identity - arguing that womanhood and manhood reflect biological sex, not gender or gender identity.

Ms Stock also claims trans women are not women; and sexual orientation is determined by same-sex attraction, not attraction to gender identity.

And she wants a ban on transgender women in women's changing rooms, saying in 2018 that 'many trans women are still males with male genitalia'.

Attention on her views has intensified since her book Material Girls came out in May

The first waves of criticism about her views on gender first emerged in 2018, from some students and some of Ms Stock's colleagues at the university.

For the past three years, Ms Stock has argued that men cannot become women by surgery, and that it is important to protect women-only spaces in places such as prisons and refuges.

Writing for MailOnline earlier this year, Ms Stock said: 'From placing trans women  some of them sex offenders  in female prisons, to the rise of gender-neutral toilets and changing rooms, to trans women being placed on shortlists for womens prizes and a rethink of womens sport, the alterations have been rapid and seismic.

'The Stonewall campaign group has been particularly influential with its simple and powerful message  that trans people are an intensely vulnerable minority and that to help them, we must recognise individuals gender identity, not biological sex, wherever possible.

'Government departments, the judiciary, media organisations, schools and  most significantly for me  universities have embraced this message. I abhor discrimination against trans people but I also believe we should be free to examine the effects of changes, including any costs to women and the rights of gay people, and to the health of children wishing to change gender.

'As a lesbian with teenage children, these topics are close to my heart. As an academic philosopher whose job it is to investigate truth, they are even closer. I believe we should be free to discuss these things in public.'

Earlier this week, Sussex University's vice-chancellor Professor Adam Tickell stood up in support of Ms Stock, telling the BBC Radio 4 that staff have 'an untrammelled right to say and believe what they think'.

The university's vice chancellor Professor Adam Tickell said today that if any students can be identified as being involved, then 'we will certainly take investigations and disciplinary action as appropriate under our regulations'

'I have to say I am really concerned that we have masked protesters, putting up posters, calling for the sacking of somebody for exercising her rights to articulate her views, and it is a matter of real concern,' he said.

When asked what will happen if those protesting are students, he said: 'If they're students, and we can identify them, we will certainly take investigations and disciplinary action, as appropriate under our regulations.

'I think we have to be really careful in universities and in society in general to ensure that we do everything to make sure that where we have very, very complicated and different views that we find the space to allow people to articulate those views,' he added.

'I think what we have to do is we have to listen to people. We have very strong policies both on freedom of speech and on inclusion. And I think the trouble we've got is that people aren't prepared to stop and think and listen, rather than to just shout.'

Ms Stock, who has also been backed by Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, praised him for speaking out in support of her 'academic freedom.'

Ms Stock isn't the first person in the public eye to be condemned for her views.

In June 2020, author JK Rowling was accused of being 'transphobic' after insisting only women experience menstruation

In June 2020, author JK Rowling was accused of being 'transphobic' after insisting only women experience menstruation. She had challenged an article entitled: 'Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.'

Taking issue with the phrasing, she copied a link to the article and posted above it on Twitter: 'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?'

Amid the backlash she later posted: 'I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth.'

It also comes after medical journal The Lancet was accused of using the phrase 'bodies with vaginas' in lieu of the word 'female', which later saw editor Richard Horton apologise for conveying the impression that 'we have de-humanised and marginalised women'.

Earlier this week, students at Sussex University criticised the professor's views.

Speaking to the Times, Rees, 20, a student with a transgender girlfriend, said: 'I do not think she should be working at the university. Trans people are a marginalised group in society and institutions simply do not care about trans people. People I love very much are trans and are clearly upset by Professor Stock.

'There is the matter of academic freedom but these things should have limits. If someone wanted to espouse racist rhetoric in a lecture hall, should they be allowed to because of academic freedom?'

Despite the backlash, Ms Stock has stuck by her words.

'I do not regret doing this,' she said. 'I admire everyone taking risks to speak out.'
A PROFESSOR accused of Islamophobia has blasted his university employer's response after an appeal against his exoneration was thrown out.

Human rights academic Steven Greer was cleared last week after an appeal by Bristol University's Islamic Society (BRISOC) who accused him of making 'discriminatory' and 'Islamophobic' comments as part of his course.

A five-month investigation, led by an independent QC, cleared the professor over the allegations but university bosses still removed the material from the course.

University chiefs rejected complaints that Steven Greer (pictured) had expressed 'bigoted views' after a five-month investigation  but have still pulled his module from their syllabus

Prof Greer, who has worked at the university since the 1980s, was even forced to flee his home over fears for his safety during what he branded a 'vicious, militant' campaign by BRISOC seeking to have him fired.

At the time, an online petition launched by members of BRISOC attracted 3,700 signatures.

Now Bristol University has sparked anger after a statement in which it states that 'we recognise BRISOC's concerns and the importance of airing differing views constructively'.

It also claimed that the 'fundamental structure' of Prof Greer's module, which discussed human rights challenges facing Islamic nations, remains in place.

But he told The Mail on Sunday: 'The university's statement recognising 'BRISOCs concerns' is utterly incompatible with my exoneration.

'BRISOC has never sought to "air differing views constructively". On the contrary their vicious social media campaign sought my dismissal and cynically put my life at risk.

'To suggest, as the university's statement does, that it was necessary to restructure the unit in order to be "respectful of the sensitivities of students on the course" is at variance with the result of the official inquiry which found there were no grounds for believing this was a problem.'

He accused academics of 'capitulating' to the students' threats who called for his Bristol University (pictured) module to be scrapped over his 'reported use of discriminatory remarks'

Bristol University said it would not be adding any comment to its statement published on Friday.

Critics claimed a lecture slide that mentioned the 2015 terror attack on the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a magazine that had published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, was 'Islamophobic rhetoric'.

Prof Greer also highlighted the inferior treatment of women and non-Muslims in Islamic nations, and the harsh penalties handed out under sharia law.

But he believes he largely came under attack because he supports the Government's Prevent programme to stop radicalisation, which critics have branded anti-Islamic.

Last month Prof Greer, who has worked at the university since the 1980s, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Brisoc's campaign has been vicious and punitive and has put me and my family under intolerable stress. It has been very threatening and frightening.He revealed that he 'came across a stranger loitering outside our home' shortly after news of the controversy emerged, adding: 'They gave an implausible excuse and left.

'Was it just a coincidence or a reconnoitre? We'll never know. My family and I were, of course, very rattled by this.

'Taking no chances, my wife and I fled our home to stay somewhere safer for several days.

'Going public in The Mail on Sunday may increase or decrease the risk to my personal safety. I just don't know.

'But the attack upon me is an attack upon a fundamental freedom and this is something worth standing up for, even if I'm harmed as a result.'

An online petition which was launched by members of the university's Islamic Society, Brisoc, attracted 3,700 signatures

Although a formal investigation came down in favour of Prof Greer, he received an email from academic chiefs last week which said his module on Islam, China and the Far East was being dropped so Muslim students would 'not feel that their religion is being singled out or in any way 'othered' by the class material'.

Prof Greer said: 'Militant minorities are increasingly intent on dictating the content and delivery of university education through vilification, intimidation and threats.

'Their purpose is to silence lawful and legitimate opinion simply because they disagree with it.

'The law school has capitulated in a manner which is at variance with the result of the university's inquiry into my case.'

Prof Greer faced particular criticism over his defence of Prevent, but said the allegation that the programme was Islamophobic had been 'resoundingly discredited by the best and most recent research it simply doesn't stack up against the evidence.'

Of the 697 cases taken on by Prevent last year, 43 per cent were for far-Right extremism and 30 per cent were Islamist.

Prof Greer, whose book, Tackling Terrorism In Britain: Threats, Responses And Challenges Twenty Years After 9/11, will be published next month, is due to retire at the end of this academic year, but has been signed off work by a doctor because of the impact of the saga on his health.

In September, Toby Young, of the Free Speech Union, said: 'Bristol's treatment of Prof Greer is outrageous.

'By kowtowing to the Islamic Society, the university has issued a gold-embossed invitation to activists to submit vexatious complaints about its employees.'
A camo-clad killer shot dead his half-sister and a veteran Louisiana state trooper during an hours-long crime spree, police say, with a probe now launched into why the dead cop's body lay undiscovered for 12 hours after.

Matthew Mire, 31, was arrested after the all-day manhunt over claims he shot five people, killing two, and stole a car to embark on the rampage.

His victims have been named as his half sister Pamela Adair, 37. Also killed was Louisiana State Trooper Adam Gaubert, a 19 year veteran of the force who was described in a tribute paid to him as a husband and father.

Adair's partner Joseph Schexnayder, 42, was also shot and is critically-ill in hospital. The Advocate reported that Schexnayder is Mire's cousin.

Louisiana State Police said Sunday they'd launched an urgent probe into why Gaubert's body lay undiscovered in his patrol vehicle for 12 hours after his murder.

Louisiana man Matthew Mire was arrested and charged for shooting five people early Saturday morning, including his alleged half-sister and a state trooper

The exact circumstances that led to his death remain unclear, and no further information has been given as to why the alarm wasn't raised sooner.

Mire, who also goes by the name Schexnayder, was considered to be 'armed and dangerous' by state officials and was seen wearing camo gear during the killing spree.

No motive for his alleged crime spree has been given, with cops saying they are mystified by the bloodbath.

But Mire's family reported that he was 'messed up' after his girlfriend Maddy had fatally overdosed earlier this year, and had yet to recover from that tragedy.

Louisiana state trooper Adam Gaubert was allegedly ambushed and killed by Mire while he was sitting in his squad car

Pamela Adair, 37, has been named as one of Mire's alleged victims. She was his half-sister, and was dating Mire's cousin, who remains critically-ill after being shot

The shooting spree began at around midnight on Saturday where the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office were called to a trailer park near LA 444 in French Settlement after two victims were allegedly shot by Mire.

Mire burst into the front door of the mobile home and began firing shots at the man and woman who lived there.

The pair, who have not been named, had gone to investigate the noises they heard near their home when they were injured, according to police.

The man was shot in the arm and the female was shot in the arm and the leg.

They were transported to the hospital by emergency services and are expected to recover from their injuries.

Mire then allegedly stole a blue 2013 Chevrolet Silverado before fleeing to another parish.

Mire's family said that he was 'messed up' after the overdose death of his girlfriend Maddy, pictured, a couple months before

The vehicle belonged to Livingston local Tasha Ryan's son who noticed the vehicle was missing hours after it was taken and called the police.

'So, I woke up to my son calling me at about 7:15 to tell me that he noticed his truck had been stolen,' Ryan told WAFB.

'He was at a residence in French Settlement overnight. He woke up to bring the dogs out for a walk around 7 in the morning and noticed that his truck was missing.'

'Just to know that someone is capable of doing such things was feet away from the front door of my house that my son was staying in.

'Just very thankful that he found spare keys that were in the truck and he took the truck and left.'

Mire is said to have had taken the stolen vehicle to Prairieville to the home of his cousin Joseph Schexnayder, 42, and wife Pamela Adair, 37.

The couple was allegedly shot by Mire in their home where Schexnayder was found in the kitchen and Adler was found on the floor of the bedroom.

Schexnayder's father Kevin, who lives near the couple, said that he thought his nephew Matthew had previously attempted to get into his home as he heard banging on his apartment around the time the shooting happened.

'It sounded like someone was throwing rocks on the tin roof, but those were gunshots,' Schexnayder said.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating the motive behind these shootings

Livingston local Tasha Ryan reported that her son's vehicle was stolen by Mire after he shot a man and a woman in a nearby trailer park

He said he discovered the bodies of his son and daughter-in-law after he allegedly saw Mire speed off out of his driveway.

His son was said to have been 'shot in the head or the neck' and 'his elbow was blown out.

He added that Adair was found with gunshot wounds to the chest, stomach and arm.

Schexnayder was said to be found in critical condition, but Adair had died after succumbing to her injuries.

A Louisiana State Police then attempted to conduct a traffic stop with Mire's vehicle at around 5am in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Mire then exchanged gunfire with the officer as he attempted to shoot him before fleeing down Hoo Shoo Too Road.

The alleged shooter then ambushed veteran state trooper Adam Gaubert, who was sitting in his vehicle, where he was shot and killed.

Gaubert was sitting in his patrol car behind a Capital One bank at the corner of Airline and Old Jefferson Highway.

A search for Gaubert began after he stopped responding to his radio, according to WBRZ Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto.

Police responded to the scene at around 6pm which was more than 12 hours after Gaubert was allegedly shot by Mire.

The department is still investigating the incident as it is unclear what prompted the shooter to target Trooper Gaubert.

'We are investigating (how Gaubert went unfound for so long), Col. Davis of Louisiana State Police told WBRZ.

'There are some inconsistencies, information were trying to gather (and its all) currently under investigation.'

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office released an update on Mire's arrest and offered their condolences for the death of Gaubert

'We would like to share our deepest condolences with Trooper Adam Gauberts family and with the Louisiana State Police,' the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook.

'Today we lost not only a fellow law enforcement officer, but a father, a husband, and a friend.'

A search team was then formed to find Mire and a public warning was issued by state officers.

Mire was later found and arrested with charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, illegal use of weapons, home invasion and illegal possession of stolen things up to $25,000.

The motive behind these killings remain unclear as officers continue to investigate the shootings.

'That is the question - what is the motive? asked Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre.

'The investigation is still early. Theres a lot of moving parts. Its very fluid situation and so, once we get this guy into our custody, maybe we can start working on a motive.'

'We are doing everything in our power to bring this to a close and bring justice to the families involved,' said Webre.
A Texas Good Samaritan has shared how he found the three-year-old boy that had been missing in the woods for three days naked, but alive and calm.'

The rescuer, who gave his name as Tim, also revealed that he was inspired to search after for Christopher Ramirez after members of a Bible study class prayed for a miracle.

Christopher Ramirez was feared kidnapped after he chased a puppy into a wooded area while his family was unloading groceries from their car on Wednesday. But he was found Saturday morning about six and a half miles from his home tired, hungry and dehydrated, but in overall good spirits, Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell told 6 ABC.

Over 200 search and rescue teams had searched through the woods to find him. There had been a lot of people in this community praying for this little boy, the Good Samaritan who found him said. Many had given up hope. The story is dont give up hope.

Christopher Ramirez was found on Saturday afternoon in woods near his home. He is pictured in the back search and rescue vehicle in the arms of his mother as they reunited

Little Christopher had been playing with a neighbor's dog and was seen running after it towards some woods near the house. A Texas Good Samaritan has shared how he found the three-year-old boy naked, but alive and calm.' He is seen in the arms of his mother Araceli Nunez after being rescued

Christopher went missing from the 10000 Block of Deer Park Lane and was found near the 7700 block of FM 1486, north of State Expressway 249. A Good Samaritan, who only went by Tim, said he was just a mile down 'the pipeline' in the woods outside his house when he found the boy

The resident, described by police as kind and humble, went only by Tim and declined to release his identity. He shared with Click2Houston how he was less than a mile down 'the pipeline' in the woods outside his house when he found the boy unscathed.

He wasnt shaking, he wasnt nervous. He was calm, Tim said.

The night before, Tim was in a community Bible study when he first heard the story mention by members who asked that the group pray for he be reunited, safely, with his mother.

The next morning, he said he felt prompted by the Spirit to comb the woods for Christopher and found him in just under two hours.

He added, I was walking up the pipeline and I heard a noise, but it sounded like maybe it could be an animal in distress. Sometimes a deer will do that  So Im walking a bit further and Im listening hard. Im wanting to hear a child. Then I hear what sounds like a human child in distress, but I couldnt understand the words. As it turns out, he only speaks Spanish. But every time I heard, I yelled out Hello! Hello!

The Grimes County Sheriffs office confirmed that Christopher is recovering at Texas Childrens Hospital in The Woodlands

Christopher was 'tired,' 'dehydrated' and 'hungry, but 'overall in good spirits,' when he was found. It's still not clear how the child survived after 72 hours alone in the woods

Tim called police who responded and help him look, before he eventually found Christopher. He said, I picked him up and he was totally naked, no shoes, no clothing, nothing. He might have had a few scratches, but I didnt check him out to see. But he was unscathed. Three days without food or water.

Tim added, God is still in the miracle business. Hes still answering prayer.

Christopher went missing from the 10000 Block of Deer Park Lane and was found near the 7700 block of FM 1486, north of State Expressway 249.

The Grimes County Sheriffs office confirmed that he is recovering at Texas Childrens Hospital in The Woodlands, where he will stay for a short period of time for observation.

Sherriff Sowell told 6 ABC, He was in good shape, for the most part. For the conditions being down in the woods ... he'll be the ultimate Army Ranger, Navy SEAL, Air Force when he [grows up], but he's already passed the first test.

It's still not clear how the child survived after 72 hours alone in the woods. 'He's drinking lots of water, but he's good,' Sowell said once he was found. 'He's alive, laughing, cutting up, crying. His mom is crying. He's in good shape.'

His disappearance set off a massive search effort, including local law enforcement, the FBI and EquuSearch

The child disappeared Wednesday afternoon from his yard near Plantersville, about 60 miles northwest of Houston.

His disappearance set off a massive search effort, including local law enforcement, the FBI and EquuSearch.

On Thursday, the boy's mother, Araceli Nunez, said she believed her son was kidnapped and she pleaded for his safe return.

He was found not far from where authorities had been searching, Sowell said.

'Hardly no clues to go on, we were running on prayers, four-wheel drive and overdrive to be honest with you because we had nothing else,' Sowell said. 'We had nothing else.'

'In my 21 years with Equusearch, this is only the second time when we had a child like this. Today, this morning, honestly, I gave up,' Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller told KHOU.

'But thank God  it's amazing, I got goosebumps. It's so amazing. To see him and to hear that loud cry, it was just unbelievable.'

The sheriff said there was no sign of foul play or an abduction but that investigators had been looking at all possibilities and had even drained nearby ponds in the search for clues.

Araceli Nunez begged on Thursday for help to find her missing son, and said she believed her son was snatched from the woods

A team of FBI agents are pictured working with Grimes County sheriff's office as they to try and find Christopher
Targets and quotas have been relied upon too much to help people from poorer backgrounds instead of promoting 'equality of opportunity', Liz Truss says.

Foreign Secretary and equalities minister Ms Truss is aiming to 'refocus the Government's social mobility work' on tackling the gaps in 'education, employment and enterprise' between the South East of England and rest of the UK.

She has now tasked the conservative headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh, who leads the Michaela Community School in north London, with tackling the 'soft bigotry of low expectations', The Telegraph reports.

Ms Birbalsingh, 48, has been asked to take over the Social Mobility Commission - which is in charge of 'levelling up opportunity' - and address issues of 'education, enterprise and employment'.

Ms Truss believes there is too much emphasis on 'targets and quotas' which 'artificially fix an outcome' instead of 'promoting equality of opportunity and addressing the root causes of inequality', a source close to the minister said.

The source added: 'We need to have right-thinking people in these positions who will challenge stale and orthodox thinking.

'Rather than looking at class and privilege and fixating on people who are successful, she [Ms Truss] wants more focus on how we give everyone the best chance to succeed.'

Liz Truss (left) has tasked the conservative headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh (right), who leads the Michaela Community School in north London, with tackling the 'soft bigotry of low expectations

It is expected that Ms Birbalsingh's will pay particular attention to helping people start businesses and focusing on key skills like maths and English in education.

Ms Truss said of Ms Birbalsingh: 'By expecting high standards and not indulging the soft bigotry of low expectations she produced amazing results at Michaela school and gave those children the best chance in life.

'She will bring that same attitude to the commission and be a loud champion of equality of opportunity.'

Ms Birbalsingh is the founder and headteacher of the notoriously uncompromising Michaela Community School in Wembley, north London, and has been dubbed Britain's strictest headteacher.

She had previously risen to prominence for speaking out against schools teaching 'white privilege'.

Ms Truss said of Ms Birbalsingh: 'By expecting high standards and not indulging the soft bigotry of low expectations she produced amazing results at Michaela school and gave those children the best chance in life'

Ms Birbalsingh was subject to ridicule from teacher unions after an appearance at the Tory party conference in 2010 where she promoted a strict, old-fashioned approach to learning.

She credits her father, who received an 'old-fashioned British education in British Guyana', with her success.

Earlier this year, Ms Birbalsingh took a swipe at at 'woke culture' for 'mercilessly attacking' black conservatives who 'dare to think for themselves'.

She said: 'It is always acceptable in our woke culture of 2021 to mercilessly attack black conservatives.

'They have 'betrayed' their leftist masters by daring to think for themselves, when they should be grateful.

'THAT is institutionalised/cultural racism. And it is everywhere.'
The husband of millionaire fraudster Melissa Caddick has revealed he 'knows why she died' nearly 12 months after her baffling disappearance.

Anthony Koletti has revealed the final days of their life together before his con woman wife vanished in November last year.

Speaking for the first time since the Sydney millionaire vanished without a trace, with only her foot later found on a remote beach, Mr Koletti reveals the money trail left behind by the 49-year-old and claims her story is one of death and deceit.

'I can't keep silent any longer,' he said.

'It's time for the truth to come out.'

The husband of millionaire fraudster Melissa Caddick has revealed he 'knows why she died' nearly 12 months after her disappearance

Anthony Koletti (pictured right with Melissa Caddick center) will sit down for a tell-all interview with Seven's Spotlight nearly 12 months after his wife's disappearance

Caddick is presumed dead, having last been seen alive in November 2020 following raids on her home by Australian Federal Police.

The financial conwoman scammed 60 clients out of at least $23milion, mostly from family and friends over a number of years, before ASIC raided her $6.8million Dover Heights home, in Sydney's east.

In scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster, Caddicks foot was then found by campers at Bournda Beach on February 21, south of Tathra on the NSW south coast, with NSW police then declaring her dead.

The shoe also located was a unique ASICS sneaker - which Ms Caddick had previously been seen wearing - and can only be purchased in Israel.

Caddicks foot was found by campers at Bournda Beach on February 21, south of Tathra on the NSW south coast, with NSW police then declaring her dead

Caddick is presumed dead, having last been seen alive in November 2020 following raids on her home by Australian Federal Police

Further bodily remains of Ms Caddick have never been located, and she was farewelled at a private service in April.

Her husband Mr Koletti has remained largely silent throughout the 11 months since she disappeared, but will now lift the lid on the secret details of her life in next Sunday's episode of 7News Spotlight.

'Someone got greedy and wanted her dead,' he said in a preview for the show.

He said it was 'beyond me' as to how her foot could have miraculously washed up on a beach on the NSW south coast and that 'it's time for the truth to come out'.

Caddick's brother also appears in the promo for the explosive interview, saying he gave his sister $2million before she vanished.

Anthony Koletti is set to break his silence about the disappearance of his wife, saying 'someone got greedy and wanted her dead'

Her husband's brother Chris Koletti claims his sister-in-law likely meticulously staged her disappearance and didn't tell her partner Anthony because he 'can't keep a secret'.

'She'll come back, she can't run forever, she'll come back when she's run out of money, or when she wants to see her son,' he told Daily Telegraph.

Chris Koletti speculated Ms Caddick was 'always' going to run away, despite admitting he only met her once in the eight years she dated his DJ brother, whom he claimed turned his back on his family once seduced by the mother-of-one.

'She doesn't want anything to do with us, Anthony made the choice to go into that life, he doesn't want to deal with us, that's fine, he stopped talking to us she's stuck up, she had a life she wanted to lead good luck to them,' he said.

He said it was 'beyond me' as to how her foot could have miraculously washed up on a beach on the NSW south coast and that 'it's time for the truth to come out'

Chris Koletti claims his sister-in-law likely meticulously staged her disappearance and didn't tell her partner Anthony because he was 'too dumb' and 'can't keep a secret'

Caddick's crimes include a detailed Ponzi scheme involving 60 friends and family, totalling $30 million - only $7 million of which was ever repaid. The rest of the money vanished.

Creating an impression of success became an essential part of Ms Caddick's modus operandi.

Her immaculate presentation was designed to ensure people saw her as professional and overlooked her habitual dishonesty,

From 2012 onwards, after creating her finance company Maliver, it was common for her to tell interested clients who approached her that she was 'too busy' to help them - then later tell them they were in luck, somehow finding time for their business.

The brochure she handed out for Maliver lied about her credentials as she was not a certified financial planner and did not have a masters of business.

The business operated using someone else's Australian Financial Services Licence. Once she had their money, she created a fake CommSec share trading account for each client.

Where she needed to, she forged not only clients' signatures but also that of the nearest available justice of the peace - her father-in-law Rodo Koletti.

She emailed clients a fake monthly report claiming stunning returns of up to 30 per cent, which convinced them to invest more with her, and to get her more word-of-mouth business.
Senate Republicans have shared they hope former President Donald Trump does not announce another run for the White House  especially before the 2022 midterms, a Sunday report reveals.

Several GOP senators told The Hill that they don't want Trump at the helm of their party.

'I think we're better off when he's not part of any story,' one Republican senator, who said his view is widely shared in the GOP conference, said.

'He's a clinical narcissist,' the senator continued. 'He threw away the election in the debate with Biden and he threw away the Senate out of spite.'

The lawmaker was referring to Trump's first debate against then-candidate Joe Biden and the former president's influence on Republican voter turnout in the Georgia special election just weeks before he vacated office.

Several Senate Republicans don't want Donald Trump to run for for president again in 2024. Here the former president pumps his fist after a rally speech in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday

Many feel Trump's claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election led to GOP distrust of elections and caused them to stay home instead of going to the ballot boxes  ultimately flipping both Georgia Senate seats from red to blue.

A GOP colleague and aide said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is one of the senators most vehemently against Trump winning the 2024 nomination. The Kentucky Republican is an often target of Trump's and this week was attacked again by the former president over his debt-ceiling strategy.

McConnell has refused to acknowledge the attacks or mention Trump by name.

Trump has not yet announced his intention to run again in 2024 after his 2020 defeat to Biden. But the former president has often alluded to an impending bid, repeatedly claiming at rallys of late that he has to wait until after the 2022 midterm election to announce due to 'campaign finance laws.'

The Hill notes there are only a few exceptions in the Senate GOP conference who want to see Trump run for president again.

Even those lawmakers who are OK with another run, don't want to see an announcement before the 2022 midterm elections as they try to retake the majority in the upper chamber after losing it in 2020.

'The 2022 election ought to be about the Biden administration and its rolling disasters so anything that would detract from the public being focused on what Democratic governance is doing to this country would be ill-advised,' Republican Senator Ron Johnson, a Trump ally, said.

Although Johnson has not yet announced an intention to run for reelection next year, he expects Democrats will make the Wisconsin Senate race about the former president.

'That's what they always want to do. They want to distract and most of the mainstream media will be trying to do that as well,' he told The Hill. 'We need to focus  not only Republicans but the country needs to focus on what a disaster the Biden administration has been.'

A senior Senate GOP aide said many Republican lawmakers view Trump as a liability for their chances in 2022 and 2024.

'Everybody would prefer he wait until after the midterms,' the aide said, adding: 'We lost Georgia because of him.'

'Once we got into a run-off, Trump said your vote isn't trusted and don't vote so it's no surprise that we lost,' they added.

Republicans feel that Trump, speaking with a group of GOP senators after a policy lunch on Capitol Hill in January 2018, would hurt their chances of regaining a majority in the 2022 midterms if he announced before then

'If Trump decides that he needs to get back in now, then it's all about Trump all the time.'

Republicans, according to the report, are feeling good about their chances in the midterm elections next year if they focus their messaging on Biden's agenda and failures as his job approval plummets, rather than trying to ride on the coattails of the former president.

'The way my colleagues see it, he's an asset in the primaries if he's with you and then it creates challenges in the general election,' a Republican senator up for reelection in 2022 said.

'He's different than any political person that I've ever known,' they added, claiming the former president's reemergence could benefit Democrats who want to make the midterm election about Trump.
The Taliban are set to demand the UK and other nations pay billions in reparations to Afghanistan for the 20-year war for after they took over the country.

The Islamist government will urge Britain to make the payments imminently, reports suggest, and the Taliban believe the UK will cave to their demands.

Veterans who fought in Afghanistan have slammed any request for reparations by the Taliban, who have executed dissidents, tortured prisoners and forced women into hiding since seizing power, as an 'outrage'.

Noor Mohommad Mutawakel, from the Taliban's Ministry of Information and Culture, told The Mirror: 'Britain is ready to pay us war reparations, and we welcome that. Other countries involved in the war must also be prepared to pay.'

While Mutawakel appeared confident the UK will pay reparations, a Whitehall source case doubt on whether it will happen.

The Taliban are set to demand the UK and other nations pay billions in reparations to Afghanistan for the 20-year war for after they took over the country

The source told the newspaper: 'We don't know what they're going to ask for yet but it could be in the billions across everyone involved. Whether we pay it or not is a different matter.'

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, the country - already struggling with drought and severe poverty from decades of war - has seen its economy all but collapse.

Most of the nation's international assistance has been cut off, though there are exceptions for humanitarian aid. Billions of dollars in central bank assets held abroad have also been frozen, which has put pressure on the banking system.

But the Taliban's demand for reparations is controversial given that the Islamist group have killed UK and allied soldiers.

Veterans who fought in Afghanistan have slammed any request for reparations by the Taliban, who have executed dissidents, tortured prisoners and forced women into hiding since seizing power, as an 'outrage'. Pictured: 45 Commando Royal Marines taking part in an operation in Nad-e Ali in Afghanistan in 2011

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former infantry battalion commanding officer in Afghanistan, said: 'It is an outrage for the terrorist group that took over the country to demand reparations from countries that fought in Afghanistan to support the legitimate government.

'The British government should not even contemplate paying a penny to these bloodthirsty killers. This will be the first of many demands from a regime capable of murdering, torturing and subjugating the population  and driving the country to ruin.'

In August, Stop the War Coalition, a campaign group which was chaired for more than a decade by the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, urged the British government to pay reparations to the Taliban in order to 'advance the rights of the Afghan people'.

The campaign group called for the UK to 'take the lead in offering a refuge programme and reparations' following the Taliban's seizure of Afghanistan.

The organisation also said the disaster now unfolding in Afghanistan was the responsibility of the US, British and other NATO governments who 'plunged into a war that was always doomed to fail'.

The Taliban have ruled out cooperation with the US to contain extremist groups in Afghanistan ahead of the first direct talks with America. Senior Taliban officials and U.S. representatives are meeting this weekend in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Pictured: Taliban delegates stand in front of a Qatar Airways plane in an unidentified location in Afghanistan, in this handout photo uploaded to social media on October 8

The reports of the Taliban's imminent demands for the UK and other nations to pay them compensation comes after the Islamists ruled out cooperation with the US to contain extremist groups in Afghanistan ahead of the first direct talks with America.

Senior Taliban officials and U.S. representatives are meeting this weekend in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Officials from both sides have said issues include reining in extremist groups and the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans from the country. The Taliban have signaled flexibility on evacuations.

However, Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told The Associated Press there would be no cooperation with Washington on containing the increasingly active Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

IS has taken responsibility for a number of recent attacks, including a suicide bombing Friday that killed 46 minority Shiite Muslims and wounded dozens as they prayed in a mosque in the northern city of Kunduz.

"We are able to tackle Daesh independently," Shaheen said, when asked whether the Taliban would work with the U.S. to contain the Islamic State affiliate. He used an Arabic acronym for IS.

IS has carried out relentless assaults on the country's Shiites since emerging in eastern Afghanistan in 2014. It is also seen as the terror group that poses the greatest threat to the United States for its potential to stage attacks on American targets

The Ministry of Defence refused to comment on the reparations but confirmed there will be compensation for civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
A Canadian woman narrowly avoided disaster when a meteorite crashed through her roof and landed on the pillow next to her as she slept.

Ruth Hamilton of Golden, British Columbia woke up to the sound of a crash and dust on her face on Sunday, October 3 at 11.50pm.

'I just jumped up and turned on the light, I couldn't figure out what the heck had happened,' Hamilton told Victoria News.

Onlookers had enjoyed a meteor sighting earlier that night above Lake Louise, about 52 mi east.

Hamilton, who was unharmed, saw a rock on her pillow right next to where her head usually lies.

Ruth Hamilton of Golden, British Columbia woke up to a meteorite beside her on October 4

The rock burned a hole through her roof, which insurance is still deciding whether to pay for

She called 911, and she and an officer made calls to confirm that it wasn't debris from nearby construction at the Kicking Horse Canyon.

'We called the Canyon project to see if they were doing any blasting and they weren't, but they did say they had seen a bright light in the sky that had exploded and caused some booms,' said Hamilton.

They eventually settled on the meteorite explanation.

'I was shaking and scared when it happened, I thought someone had jumped in or it was a gun or something. It's almost a relief when we realized it could only have fallen out of the sky,' she said.

Hamilton was not injured and plans to guard the rock as a keepsake for her grandchildren.

Onlookers had enjoyed a meteor sighting earlier that night at Lake Louise, above

Meteorites that originate from asteroids, rocks that orbit the sun, are all about 4.5 billion years old, according to Arizona State University's Center for Meteorite Studies.

'I'm just totally amazed over the fact that it is a star that came out of the sky, It's maybe billions of years old,' Hamilton said, adding that the cosmic near-death experience has given her a new outlook on life.

'The only other thing I can think of saying is life is precious and it could be gone at any moment even when you think you are safe and secure in your bed.

'I hope I never ever take it for granted again,' she said.

Meanwhile, her insurance company plans to conduct a walk-through and determine whether burning space matter is covered under her policy. The company said they'd never handled a claim like this before.

Hamilton says she's unlikely to take up stargazing or astronomy as a hobby.

'That's enough for a lifetime, I think,' she said.
Police have arrested two men after a 19-year-old was stabbed to death in Bradford city centre.

West Yorkshire Police detectives have launched a murder investigation after a 19-year-old, who has been named as Kian Tordoff, was horrifically killed on John Street in Bradford, shortly after 5.45am on Sunday morning.

The second victim, who is also a 19-year-old male, is in "critical but stable" condition in hospital.

Two males, aged 16 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and are currently in custody.

Police have arrested two men after a 19-year-old was stabbed to death on John Street in Bradford city centre (Above)

The 19-year-old who was stabbed to death has been named as Kian Tordoff, and the second victim, who is also a 19-year-old male, is in "critical but stable" condition in hospital

The pavement outside a Go Local store and Paul James jewellers city centre was taped off by police in the early hours of this morning.

Detective Chief Inspector Marc Bowes, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "One young man has unfortunately lost his life and another is continuing to fight for his. This is an absolutely devastating incident and a significant police operation and investigation is underway to identify and arrest those responsible.

"As a result of our enquiries, two males have been arrested and we are continuing to gather evidence in relation to this tragic incident.

"This has happened in a prominent location in Bradford city centre and, while the area is generally quieter at the time of the day that this incident has happened, there will have been people around. Our understanding from initial calls to the police is that there was a large group fighting and a number of these people will be significant witnesses and we would urge them to make themselves known.

"I ask that anyone with information, however insignificant it may seem in itself, to please make contact as soon as possible as it could be significant to our enquiries."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team by calling 101, or using the 101 Live Chat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website, quoting crime reference 13210516983.

Information can also be passed to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Three men have been arrested in connection with a shooting that killed a young woman and inured 14 others at a crowded bar in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota early Sunday morning.

Police found a 'chaotic scene' after responding to the Seventh Street Truck Park bar at 12.15am.

A woman in her 20s was pronounced dead and 14 others were rushed to local hospitals with gunshot wounds, though the 14 are all expected to survive, according to the Saint Paul Police Department.

'There were gunshot wound victims lying in the street outside the bar, there were gunshot wound victims lying in the sidewalk outside the bar and there were gunshot wound victims lying on the floor inside the bar,' police spokesman Steve Linders told Minnesota News Now reporters at the scene.

Police announced that three men were arrested in connection with the shooting Sunday afternoon, after confirming that there were 'several shooters.' They have yet to identify the woman who was killed.

Police in St. Paul, Minnesota are investigating a shooting that left one dead at downtown bar

The incident took place Sunday shortly after midnight at a packed bar on West Seventh Street

Police arrested Terry Lorenzo Brown, Jr., 33; Devondre Trevon Phillips, 29; and Jeffrey Orlando Hoffman, 32.

All three men appear to have extensive rap sheets in Saint Paul, according to court records.

Brown's previous charges date back to 2006 and include aggravated robbery, drug possession, domestic assault and violating a no contact order.

Phillips previous charges include driving with a suspended license, use of a fictitious name and date of birth, third degree DUI and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.

Hoffman's charges include second degree burglary, misdemeanor domestic assault, domestic abuse and violation of a protection order.

The three men are being treated for injuries at a local hospital and will be booked into jail once they're discharged, police say.

Some of Sunday's victims were hit in the ankles and arms, Linders said, while others were more seriously injured.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy on the deceased woman to confirm her identity and cause of death.

Five investigators with the police department's homicide unit are looking into the incident with patrol officers, the forensics services unit and the video management unit, police said in a statement posted Sunday at 7.44am.

An Instagram video posted by user Boima under the handle @bfree2laugh shows people screaming and wailing as officers respond to the scene.

'We were just up in here. As soon as I walked in to go to my homeboy, I heard the shots fire. I guarantee you it was probably like 10 shots or so,' he recounts behind the camera.

'My instincts just got down on the ground and basically ducked down as slowly as possible, and then started to hit up my friends to see if they were good, and thank God, they're good.'

News outlets have identified the bar as the Seventh Street Truck Park, which hosts multiple food trucks in an indoor space

Police believe that multiple shooters are responsible, but there have been no arrests

Police said they worked with 'Good Samaritans' to render aid and make sure it was safe for fire medics to enter the area.

'My heart breaks for the woman who was killed, her loved ones and everyone else who was in that bar this morning,' said police chief Todd Axtell.

'In an instant, they found themselves caught in a hellish situation. I want them to know that we have the best investigators in the country, and we won't stop until we find the people responsible for this madness. We will do our part to hold them accountable.'

The incident took place at the 200 block of West Seventh Street, according to officers.

Multiple local news outlets, including KSTP and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press named the location as Seventh Street Truck Park, an indoor bar lined with various 'food trucks' serving different types of cuisine.

Four of the injured were taken to Regions Hospital, three to United Hospital and seven to Hennepin County Medical Center, police spokesman Linders said. Some rode by ambulance and others in private cars.

The homicide was the 32nd of the year in the city, according to police, meaning the city is likely on track to break last year's record.

Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter responded in a statement hours after the shooting

'Our community is devastated by the shocking scenes from last night,' the mayor tweeted

There were 34 homicides in Saint Paul in 2020, matching the 1992 record, according to the Pioneer Press.

'Our community is devastated by the shocking scenes from last night,' Mayor Melvin Carter of the DemocraticFarmerLabor Party said in a statement posted to Twitter hours after the incident.

'As our St. Paul officers work to bring those responsible for these senseless acts into custody, our work to build more proactive and comprehensive public safety strategies is more urgent than ever. We will never accept violence in our community.'

The incident comes as the troubled city combats rising crime rates, with police reporting a 15 percent increase in crime from 2019 to 2020, according to yearly statistics released in January.

Homicides rose by 13.3 percent to 34 in 2020, and aggravated assault jumped by 32.1 percent from 946 in 2019 to 1,246 in 2020.

Burglaries also saw a spike of about 11.8 percent, from 2,038 in 2019 to 2,279 in 2020.

Overall, violent crimes in St. Paul increased by 25 percent from 2019 to 2020.

Rape is the only crime to see a decrease, falling from 236 in 2019 to 196 in 2020.

Overall crime in Saint Paul rose 15 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to yearly statistics

The number of murders in Minnesota increased an alarming 58 percent last year

The entire state of Minnesota saw murders jump up by 58 per cent last year to 185, an all time record.

Downtown Saint Paul, where Sunday's incident took place, saw its lowest crime rate in five years over the months of June, July and August.

'We were 23 percent below last year's crime rates and we're 10 percent below the five-year average,' Joe Spencer, the president of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, told WCCO last month.

US Rep. Betty McCollum called the shooting 'a horror' in a series of tweets Sunday morning.

'The epidemic of gun violence plaguing the Twin Cities has hit us in St. Paul with a mass shooting event that can only be described as a horror,' she said.

'I know our St. Paul community will come together to support the victims and their families during this time of pain and grief.

'I'm committed to keeping St. Paul safe and that means working with all community leaders to get guns off our streets and out of the hands of criminals. We must never allow this kind of criminal act to happen again.'
A woman in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 51-year-old man known who was found dead at a house in Bromley.

Police were called at around 11.46pm on Saturday to Chelsfield Lane, Orpington.

Officers attended alongside a London Ambulance Service crew and discovered the victim. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have launched an investigation after a 51-year-old man was found dead in Orpington

A woman, aged in her 40s, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. She has been taken into police custody.

The man and woman are believed to have been known to each other. Police are not seeking anyone else in connection with the death.

The victim's family has been informed and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

A woman in her 40s was arrested on suspicion of murder and is said to have known the victim

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 101, using reference 8549/09oct.
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Blocks of molten lava as large as three-storey buildings rolled down a hillside on the Spanish island of La Palma on Sunday while a series of tremors shook the ground three weeks after the volcano erupted.

There were 21 seismic movements on Sunday, with the largest measuring 3.8, the Spanish National Geological Institute (ING) said, shaking the ground in the villages of Mazo, Fuencaliente and El Paso.

The release of large blocks of lava and formation of new lava streams down the ridge of the Cumbre Vieja volcano was caused by the northern side of the volcanic cone collapsing in on itself on Saturday.

The blocks of red-hot magma flowing down the side of the volcano on Sunday were the size of three-storey buildings, the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining said.

From Monday, members of the Spanish Navy will help clean volcanic ash that covers large parts of the island, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said during a visit on Sunday.

Blocks of molten lava as large as three-storey buildings rolled down a hillside on the Spanish island of La Palma on Sunday while a series of tremors shook the ground three weeks after the volcano erupted. Pictured: One of the eruptive mouths of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on Sunday

The blocks of red-hot magma flowing down the side of the volcano on Sunday were the size of three-storey buildings, the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining said. Pictured: The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma on Sunday

The release of large blocks of lava and formation of new lava streams down the ridge of the Cumbre Vieja volcano was caused by the northern side of the volcanic cone collapsing in on itself on Saturday (pictured)

From Monday, members of the Spanish Navy will help clean volcanic ash that covers large parts of the island, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said during a visit on Sunday

The lava flow, with temperatures of up to 2,264 degrees Fahrenheit (1,240 degrees Celsius), destroyed the last few buildings that remained standing in the village of Todoque, the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said on Twitter

The lava flow, with temperatures of up to 2,264 degrees Fahrenheit (1,240 degrees Celsius), destroyed the last few buildings that remained standing in the village of Todoque, the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said on Twitter.

Over 1,000 buildings have already been engulfed or badly damaged by the streams of molten rock.

There was a partial cone collapse near the volcano's emission vent on Saturday, Stavros Meletlidis, a spokesman for ING said. It led to the formation of a new lava stream which followed a similar path down the volcano's ridge toward the western shore of the island to the ocean.

'The collapse of the northern flank of the Cumbre Vieja volcano has caused the release of large blocks of material and the appearance of new flows that run through areas already evacuated,' tweeted Spain's National Security Department.

'The lava has reached the Camino de la Gata industrial estate and new buildings.'

Police let residents whose homes could now be in danger make trips to save what they could. Trucks entered the exclusion zone empty Saturday and left with mattresses, furniture and other belongings.

Over 1,000 buildings have already been engulfed or badly damaged by the streams of molten rock

There was a partial cone collapse near the volcano's emission vent on Saturday, Stavros Meletlidis, a spokesman for ING said.

It led to the formation of a new lava stream which followed a similar path down the volcano's ridge toward the western shore of the island to the ocean

Rivers of lava have destroyed 1,186 buildings since the eruption on September 19, the Canary Islands Volcanic Institute said

About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on La Palma, which has about 83,000 inhabitants

Rivers of lava have destroyed 1,186 buildings since the eruption on September 19, the Canary Islands Volcanic Institute said.

Lava has engulfed 493 hectares (1,218 acres) of land, said Miguel Angel Morcuende, technical director of the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan (Pevolca) organisation.

About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on La Palma, which has about 83,000 inhabitants.

Morcuende said experts were closely watching the delta of new land being formed off the island's coast since the main lava flow reached the sea last week.

He said that parts of it could collapse, causing explosions and large waves, but that would not pose a danger since the immediate area is already evacuated.

Lightning was seen near the eruption early on Saturday. A study published in 2016 by the journal Geophysical Research Letters found lightning can be produced during volcanic eruptions because the collision of ash particles creates an electrical charge.

La Palma's airport was operational again after being closed for several days due to volcanic ash.

Morcuende said experts were closely watching the delta of new land being formed off the island's coast since the main lava flow reached the sea last week

The volcano continued to spew out lava on the island of La Palma in the early hours of Sunday

Part of the volcanic cone collapsed on Saturday, causing a new stream of lava that is provoking tremendous destruction and making it harder for the scientists to work in the area

Lava flows from the Cumbre Vieja Volcano on Saturday light up the sky. The numerous lava flows destroyed hundreds of hectares, but also formed peninsulas of volcanic rock, extending the surface of the island

Lava flows after the collapse of a part of the cone of the Cumbre Vieja Volcano emerged in the early hours of Sunday

People wait to board a ferry to Tenerife at the port of Santa Cruz de la Palma on Saturday following the eruptions

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pledged to help La Palma rebuild following the disaster, announcing that his government would approve 206 million euros (176 million) of aid funding next week.

Sanchez said: 'Next Tuesday, the cabinet will approve a package of very powerful measures [to assist in] areas such as infrastructure reconstruction, water supply, employment, agriculture, tourism and benefits.

'We are facing a test of resistance ... because we do not know when the eruption of the volcano will end.

'What residents should know is that when it does end, the government of Spain will be there to tackle the enormous task of rebuilding La Palma.'

The financial package is the second stage of a plan approved last week. The first stage saw the government announce aid of 10.5 million euros ($12.3 million) for the immediate assistance of those who had lost their homes.

Sanchez also encouraged tourists who were considering visiting La Palma not to be put off. Tourism is the Canary Islands' major industry.

'I would like to let tourists know that this is a safe place, they can come and enjoy the island,' he said.

People observe as the Cumbre Vieja volcano spews lava, ash and smoke, in Los Llanos de Aridane, on Sunday

Lava from a volcano reaches the sea on the Canary island of La Palma, Spain, pictured on Wednesday September 29, 2021

An aerial view shows a rocky outcrop that extends Spain's La Palma coastline, after lava from the Cumbre Vieja volcano poured into the ocean, in this screen grab taken from drone footage

The volcano emitted a loud booming noise and lava exploded with force from its crater as it spurted high above the Spanish island on October 4

Meanwhile Canary Islands' regional president Angel Victor Torres said on Monday: 'We had to order a few lockdowns because of the air quality, but we are not planning to evacuate more people.'

Torres said the volcano had emitted roughly three times the material expelled during the island's last major eruption in 1971, in a quarter of the time.

He added that his administration planned to buy around 300 houses to accommodate those who lost their homes and said it was too early to tell how great the total damage would be.

'We're still in the middle of this...if the lava keeps springing up in the same quantities we saw last night, the damage is going to be greater,' Torres said.

La Palma, home to about 85,000 people who live mostly from fruit farming and tourism, is part of the volcanic Canary Islands, an archipelago off northwest Africa that is part of Spain's territory. The island is roughly 22 miles long and 12 miles wide at its broadest point.
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President Joe Biden attended Sunday Mass with his grandchildren Finnegan, Hunter and Natalie Biden at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware, as his approval ratings saw a nosedive to 38 percent.

Biden, who is the second U.S. president after John F. Kennedy to practice the Catholic faith, regularly attends Mass with his family. He was seen out on Sunday with Finnegan, 21, a recent University of Pennsylvania graduate and daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle, and siblings Natalie, 17, and Hunter II, 15, both children of the late Beau Biden and his wife Hallie.

Finnegan beamed as she embraced Hunter while they left church, while the other members of the first family appeared contemplative as they walked through the cemetery at Saint Joseph.

The outing came days after a poll that showed 53 percent of voters saying they disapprove of how Biden has handled the presidency, according to a Quinnipiac University survey.

Despite those results, however, Bidens approval rating sat at 50 percent according to another poll released Sunday by CBS and YouGov.

President Joe Biden was seen with his grandchildren Finnegan (second-from-left), 21, and Natalie Biden, 17, on Sunday, attending Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware

Biden was seen in public following a Friday poll that revealed his approval ratings had dropped to 38 percent. He regularly attends church with his family and was out with Finnegan on Natalie on Sunday

Biden and his grandchildren walked through the cemetery at Saint Joseph on Sunday morning

Just over half of voters said they disapprove of how Biden has handled the presidency, according to a poll from Quinnipiac University on Friday

According to their poll, which interviewed 2,054 Americans, 20 percent said they strongly approve of Bidens performance, 29 percent said they somewhat approve, 12 percent said they somewhat disapprove and 38 percent said they strongly disapprove.

Broken down by party, 85 percent of Democrats approve of Bidens performance and just 15 percent disapprove. This almost exactly contrasts Bidens approval ratings with Republicans with 11 percent approving and 89 percent disapproving of his presidency. Biden had just below average ratings with Independents with 44 percent that approve and 56 percent that disapprove.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki pinned at least part of the blame on Biden's plummeting approval ratings on the pandemic and the 20 percent of unvaccinated Americans.

'So what do you make of these really terrible polls? Are they that he's doing something wrong. Is it just the communication? Or is it that he's doing unpopular things that just have to be done?' a reporter asked at her daily press briefing on Friday.

Psaki replied: 'Well, look, I would say that this is a really tough time in our country. We're still battling COVID and a lot of people thought we'd be through it - including us.

'Because of the rise of the Delta variant, because of the fact that even though it was a vaccine that was approved under a Republican administration, even though we now have full FDA approval and even though it's widely available across the country we still have a quarter of the country - less than that, 20 percent of the country - who've decided not to get vaccinated.

'No question that's having an impact,' Psaki said, adding that, 'as the President has said, the buck stops with him' before signing off.

Three weeks ago, the same poll found that 42 percent approved and 50 percent disapproved of Biden's job as president.

Quinnipiac poll from October 1-4 shows the President's most recent approval ratings

In the latest poll on Sunday, 32 percent of Independents approve of Biden while 60 percent disapprove. Four percent of Republicans approve - 94 percent disapprove. Still, 80 percent of Democrats approve of the president's job overall and 10 percent disapprove.

Biden received his lowest marks on immigration, where only 25 percent approve and 67 percent disapprove, and also received low marks on his 'first love,' foreign policy, where only 34 percent approved and 58 percent disapproved.

Of his job as commander-in-chief, 37 percent approved, 58 percent disapproved, according to the poll.

Roughly three in 10 Americans  28 percent  agreed with Biden's decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan, while 50 percent think the US should have withdrawn some troops but not all troops and 15 percent think the US should not have withdrawn any troops from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Congress remains at an impasse at the sweeping spend plans that will define his presidency and the threat of debt default loom.

At the same time Biden received the worst jobs report of his presidency. Earlier today he urged Americans to look at the bigger picture, pushing his infrastructure bill and trillion-dollar package of social programs.

'If you take a look at the trend itself, on average 600,000 new jobs created every month since I took office,' Biden said.

Biden, who is the second U.S. president after John F. Kennedy to practice the Catholic faith, regularly attends Mass with his family. He and his grandchildren were seen leaving Sunday Mass at Saint Joseph

Finnegan Biden (left) embraced her cousin Hunter Biden II, 15, as Natalie followed and their grandfather trailed behind

Bets buds! Finnegan threw her arms around Hunter II as Biden stood beside them and Natalie stayed close behind

Hunter II (left), Finnegan, Joe Biden and Natalie appeared contemplative as they exited church

'In total, job creation in the first eight months of my administration is nearly 5million jobs. Now that's progress,' he added.

But just 194,000 jobs were added to the payroll in September, falling far short of the 500,000 that were expected, and offering one of the most dismal outlooks from a US jobs report all year.

Monthly job growth so far in 2021 has averaged 561,000. Supply chain bottlenecks and COVID-19 contributed to the unimpressive numbers.

But Biden argued the country is making 'consistent steady progress'.

'If you take a step back, look at what's happening, we're actually making real progress. Maybe doesn't seem fast enough - I'd like to see it faster,' he said, adding that 'we're making consistent steady progress'.

He also argued that the declining unemployment rate meant the country was moving forward as it grappled with its economic recovery from the COVID pandemic.

'Unemployment rate down 4.8 percent, a significant improvement from when I took office and the sign that our recovery is moving forward,' he said.

He did not respond to questions from reporters after he made his remarks.
The family of a transgender comedienne who killed herself have defended her friend Dave Chappelle after he was branded transphobic over his new Netflix special.

Relatives of Daphne Dorman, who took her life in 2019, defended Chappelle's comments calling him an 'LGBTQ ally' after he received criticism from the community.

'Daphne was in awe of Daves graciousness,' Dormans sister Becky had written in a text, according to The Daily Beast.

'She did not find his jokes rude, crude, off-coloring, off-putting, anything. She thought his jokes were funny. Daphne understood humor and comedyshe was not offended. Why would her family be offended?'

'Dave loved my sister and is an LGBTQ ally,' Dormans younger sister Brandy also added in the message. 'His entire set was begging to end this very situation.'

The family of a late trans comedian defended Dave Chappelle after he made 'transphobic' remarks on his new Netflix special The Closer

Brandy had also made a separate Facebook post claiming that Chappelle's statements were being misinterpreted.

'At this point I feel like he poured his heart out in that special and no one noticed,' she wrote.

'What hes saying to the LGBTQ family is, I see you. Do you see me? Im mourning my friend in the best way I know how. Can you see me? Can you allow me that?

'This was a call to come together, that two oppressed factions of our nation put down their keyboards and make peace. How sad that this message was lost in translation.'

Late trans comedian Daphne Dorman was a friend of Chappelle who worked with him on the comedy scene

'No one knows what life was like for my siblings and I. We are products of how we were brought [up].

'Dave was the biggest bright spot for Daphne; she was enamored for the first time. Blaming Dave is beyond the wrong thing to do. He helped her and let her be comfortable while talking with him.

'She had many demons; Dave Chappelle was NOT one of them.'

'The man loved my sister and felt empathy towards her human experience and, yes, he makes terrible jokes that are also funny,' also added.

'News flash, our whole family does that. Our funerals are laughter through tears, we mourn by remembering the times we laughed together, and yes, some inappropriate humor, too.

'As often as Dave stands up for Daphne, we will be there for Dave. This man is our tribe, and we mourn alongside him.'

The comedian received backlash for his comments in his special The Closer where he stated he was 'Team TERF' in response to similar comments made by Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

The term TERF stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, which is a type of feminist who excludes the female trans community from their advocacy of women's rights.

Trans-exclusionary feminists believe transgender women should not automatically have all the same rights as cisgender women - women who identify as the gender they were born as.

Flare-up points include whether trans women should be allowed into segregated spaces such as spas, or to compete against cisgender athletes in some sports.

'Effectively, she said gender was a fact, the trans community got mad as f**k, they started calling her a TERF,' he said in reference to Rowling's cancellation.

'Im Team TERF. I agree. I agree, man. Gender is a fact,' he added.

Chappelle also added that 'every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth.'

Dorman's sister dubbed Chappelle as an 'ally' and claimed that Chappelle's jokes were being misinterpreted

Daphne Dorman was referenced in Chappelle's 2019 special Sticks and Stones

Chappelle had become friends with Daphne Dorman during their time working in comedy together.

Dorman had opened for one of Chappelle's acts in San Francisco and openly laughed at his material which some deemed to be transphobic.

She even took the time to make an online post in defense of Chappelle's jokes.

'Punching down requires you to consider yourself superior to another group,' she wrote.

'He doesnt consider himself better than me in any way. He isnt punching up or punching down. Hes punching lines. Thats his job and hes a master of his craft.'

She made a final apology to her fans on a Facebook post before she committed suicide in October 2019.

Dorman's sisters then took the time to post messages in Chappelle's defense after negative comments were being directed at him in response to her suicide.

'After she committed suicide, all I saw all over social media was Dave Chappelle-bashing,' she said. I commented on so many posts, which is something I do not do. I commented to defend Dave,' Becky had written.



LGBTQ advocacy group responded to the remarks made by Chappelle in agreement that they were considered 'transphobic'

Jaclyn Moore, pictured, a trans showrunner on another Netflix show said she will no longer work for the streaming service following Dave Chappelle's allegedly 'transphobic' remarks

Harry Potter author JK Rowling previously was slammed as a TERF for the comments she made about the trans community

Other LGBTQ advocacy groups have slammed Chappelle for his comments, including GLADD and a showrunner from the hit Netflix series Dear White People.

'I want to be clear that Dave Chappelle should be free to say whatever he wants and I should be free to say whatever I would like about him', showrunner Jaclyn Moore said.

'Not to let Chappelle off the hook, but my bigger issue is with Netflix. This isn't a live special. It was filmed, finished and people watched it and nobody said, 'Hey, are we sure this is good? Are we sure this is OK? Are we sure this isn't dangerous? What are the consequences of putting this out?'

In a tweet from GLADD, the organization wrote: 'Dave Chappelle's brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities.

'Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don't support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes. We agree.'
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Senator Ted Cruz has blamed what he called an 'illegal vaccine mandate' for mass flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines, which left thousands of passengers stranded over the weekend.

Cruz took to Twitter on Sunday to share an article on the nearly 2,000 cancellations by the airline, writing: 'Joe Biden's illegal mask mandate at work!

'Suddenly, we're short on pilots & air traffic controllers.'

Cruz's comments came amid speculation regarding the cause of the mass cancellations, with a pilot's union blaming a 'poorly run operation' while the airline pointed to bad weather and staff being off after getting vaccinated.

The cancellations came two days after the firm's pilots' union asked a court to block a COVID vaccine mandate, sparking rumors that a pilot walk-out had been to blame for the cancellations.

Rumors have swirled on social and traditional media that pilots may have walked out over the mandate.

The Dallas-based carrier cancelled more than 1,000 flights on Sunday and 808 on Saturday - equivalent to 27 per cent of its entire schedule for the day - over the holiday weekend.

By comparison, on Sunday, American Airlines cancelled two per cent of its flights while Spirit Airlines axed two per cent of theirs, according to FlightAware.

The president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association told News4Jax that the delays were due to staffing and a 'poorly run operation.'

Meanwhile, Southwest blamed a combination of inclement weather and staffing shortages at Jacksonville Air Traffic Control Center in Florida for the disruption.

Major delays and cancellations for passengers flying Southwest Airlines. The airline is reporting an air traffic management program put in place because of weather is causing the flight back-ups. However, some passengers are hearing that some employees have walked off the job. pic.twitter.com/QSpQbglgnc  Jewell Hillery (@HilleryJewell) October 10, 2021

Southwest nixed more than 1,800 flights during the weekend, leaving passengers stranded

A passenger and his child were left sleeping on the floor after being stranded in Las Vegas

A passenger at Orlando International Airport shared a picture of four children sleeping on the floor due to flight cancellations

Long lines due to Southwest Airlines flight cancellations over the weekend

On Sunday, Jacksonville Aviation Authority COO Tony Cugno refuted the rumor in a letter to the Board of Directors, and said that the delays were in fact due to staffing issues at the Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).

He claimed that many controllers had been getting their first or second COVID-19 vaccinations, which required them to take two days off to recover - leaving JAX air control short staffed.

In a letter, obtained by ActionNewsJax, he said: 'A rumor is circulating in traditional and social, media outlets stating JAX Center was closed due to an organized walkout late Friday by controllers in response to the FAA's mandate that all employees get vaccinated for COVID.

'A contact at FFAA confirmed they did have some staffing issues at JAX center last Friday, however, those staffing issued were due to the following: Normal approved leave (and) controllers who received either their first or second dose of the vaccine and by policy are required to stay home for 48 hours to self monitor for side effects ... thus creating some staffing issues.'

Passengers took to Twitter to speculate over the vaccine lawsuit after rivals axed far fewer flights; American Airlines cancelled 63 flights Sunday, while United cancelled nine trips.

'This has nothing to do with weather,' said one Twitter user. 'Thanks for ruining our week with our grandkids.

'At least admit it was due to selfish pilots.'

'Disappointed in southwest,' another wrote. 'Don't lie about weather and cancellations. Have been a big fan... hard to be today with late flight cancelled'.

Others were less concerned about the cause of the cancellations, than frustrated about an apparent lack of communication from the airline.

'I understand that the delays and cancellations are out of your control but we did not receive any notification that my flight had been cancelled from philly. I only found out after I checked to make sure my flight was on time,' a 'long time customer' wrote on Twitter.

'4 little kids sleeping on the floor of #mco because @SouthwestAirlines lied to us all day & night and then didn't even have the decency to throw us a blanket. #SouthwestAirlines Will be a miracle if we leave here without #COVID19'.

On Monday, Southwest Airlines became the latest U.S. airline to require its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, in line with Biden's COVID plan.

The company said its 54,000 employees must be fully vaccinated by December 8 or they will lose their jobs. Medical and religious exceptions may be sought.

Last week, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue also announced their own vaccine mandates.

United Airlines announced their mandate in August for its 67,000 staff. Since then, more than 97 per cent of workers have been vaccinated.

Last month, nearly 600 United employees faced termination for refusing to get vaccinated but last week, the airline said that figure had dropped to 320.

The 2,000 United employees who sought religious or medical exceptions will be placed on temporary unpaid leave.

Delta Air Lines has not yet mandated vaccines for its staff of about 80,000 people.

In response to Southwest's mandate, Southwest Airline Pilots Association (SWAPA) filed a lawsuit to try and block the airline from participating in a federally-mandated vaccine directive that requires employees to be fully inoculated by December 8.

That suit adds that Southwest's proposed policy is a violation of the Railway Labor Act.

The association, which represents nearly 10,000 pilots, in a court filing demanded the airline 'cease and desist' the mandate rollout without first reaching an agreement with the union.

One passenger said she was on hold for more than eight hours after her flight was cancelled

Southwest cancelled more than 1,800 flights during the weekend

Southwest in a statement continued to blame the cancellations to weather challenges in Florida, coupled with 'unexpected air control issues' in the same area.

'We've continued diligent work throughout the weekend to reset our operation with a focus on getting aircraft and crews repositioned to take care of our customers,' it said. 'With fewer frequencies between cities in our current schedule, recovering during operational challenges is more difficult and prolonged.'

But some passengers aren't buying the reasoning.

'Why lie about the issues of canceled flights?' Michelle Harbort tweeted.

'It's not due to weather and ATC issues!!! People are not getting vaccinated so your employees are walking off the job!! Thankfully my husband and I got another flight to our destination.

'Please don't lie, that's what made me mad today.'

Nora Kennedy, who said she was stranded at Orlando International for days, posted a photo of the airport's departure board, which indicated a disproportionate amount of Southwest flights being affected.

'Strange how the ATC issues and weather are still only affecting your airline at MCO,' she tweeted. 'Must be some crazy storms if they're only targeting your planes.'

Andrew Sproge said he and his son resorted to sleeping on the floor of a Las Vegas airport after being stranded there during a stopover en route to Maui.

He wrote: 'Flight to Maui was cancelled after arriving in Vegas. They told us they would send us to Honolulu and take care of us when we arrived.

'Apparently the 'taking care' of us meant the baby is welcome to lay on the carpet as we wait til tomorrow for another flight. No hotel, no food.'

Ryan Bevans said he and his family said the mass cancellations left him and his family stranded for hours.

Twitter user Nora Kennedy noted the disproportionate amount of cancelled Southwest flights

'They were unable to get our bags,' he tweeted. 'Bags will continue to destination regardless of what we do. Three kids, pregnant wife, no bags and the offer is a $100 credit to a future flight with @SouthwestAir.

'About as (tone) deaf as it gets.'

He said Saturday that customer service employees were not offering reimbursements, or hotel credits, and that the next flight out from Denver was three days away.

Another passenger said she waited on hold with the Dallas-based airline's customer service for more than eight hours.

It isn't the first time Southwest airlines has left its passengers in a bind.

More than 1,400 Southwest Airlines flights were delayed or cancelled in June after a technical glitch in a weather information system.

Flight operations began to resume across the US late on Monday after delays hit for hours.
Four people died in a car crash during the early hours of this morning.

Emergency services were called to Headcorn, near Maidstone, Kent, where they found the wreckage of a vehicle which had crashed shortly before 1am.

Police said four people aged 18, 19, 25 and 44 were all pronounced dead at the scene.

They were all found in a bronze-coloured Toyota Hilux.

A fifth victim, a teenage boy aged 15, survived the horrific crash and is fighting for his life in hospital, police said.

Kent Police officers attended the scene, in Lenham Road, alongside paramedics from the South East Coast Ambulance Service following a 999 call at 12.54am on Sunday.

Four people, aged between 18 and 44, were killed in a crash in the early hours of this morning. A fifth victim, a teenage boy aged 15, has been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries

A spokesman for Kent Police appealed for any witnesses to the quadruple tragedy to contact them urgently.

'Police were called at 12.54am today following the collision in Lenham Road which involved a bronze Toyota Hilux,' they said.

'Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and four people, aged 18, 19, 25 and 44 years, who were inside the vehicle, were declared deceased at the scene.

'A 15-year-old boy, who was also a passenger, was taken to a London hospital with life-threatening injuries.

'Kent Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is investigating the circumstances and officers are appealing for any witnesses to get in contact. Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has CCTV, mobile phone or dash camera footage should call SCIU on 01622 798538.'
A North Port police officer has expressed doubts about Brian Laundrie's claims that he left their home and went to a nature preserve, as the search for Laundrie continues.

In an interview with NewsNation reporter Brian Entin on Friday, North Port police spokesman Josh Taylor said there is 'a lot of oddness' about Laundrie's parents claims and admitted that part of their story 'just didn't make sense.'

He said that the North Port police are working with the FBI to find Laundrie, who returned home from a cross-country trip with his fiancee Gabby Petito on September 1 without her.

Laundrie, 23, was then reported missing himself on September 17, with his parents telling police he went to the nearby Carlton Reserve and never returned.

Two days later, authorities found Petito's body at a campsite near the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and her death was ruled a homicide.

In an interview with NewsNation reporter Brian Entin on Friday, North Port police spokesman Josh Taylor said there is 'a lot of oddness' about Laundrie's parents claims and admitted that part of their story 'just didn't make sense'

During the interview, he questioned why Laundrie's parents would say he went missing on a Monday but would not report him missing until Friday

Chris and Roberta Laundrie, Brian's parents, last week changed the date they said their son went missing

Highlights from todays North Port Police interview:

-police are working to figure out how Laundrie vanished and say no investigation is perfect.

-nothing related to Brian has been found in the swamp.

-they are calling circumstances around parents story a lot of oddness. pic.twitter.com/chkY9HHv58  Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 9, 2021

In the interview on Friday, Entin asks Taylor how the police lost track of Laundrie as authorities throughout the country searched for Petito.

'I was here when the police chief had the press conference and said "We have our eyes on Brian Laundrie, we know where he is, and we're not going to tell the media, but we know where he is,"' Entin began.

'And then I think it was the next day that I think he was missing. I mean how did that happen?'

'I think you have a situation where you're working on the best that you have - and I think what I can tell you is that ... we weren't lying, we weren't trying to say something to anybody, we were holding a press conference to be transparent about what was going on,' Taylor replied.

'I mean what would be in our benefit to say it if it weren't true,' he said, noting 'no investigation's perfect.'

'We were doing everything within the law that we could with the facts and the circumstances at that time,' Taylor added.

At that point, Entin asked if Taylor has 'any idea how he got away,' to which Taylor replied: 'That is something we're working to figure out.'

'I think certainly what the family has told us is that he drove out to the park and walked out into the woods,' Taylor said. 'I think that is certainly on the table.'

But then Entin asked if there is any reason not to believe Laundrie's parents, to which Taylor said: 'At this point, everything that I've learned and we figured out - I don't know what to believe anymore.

'I think it's certainly possible that they're expressing what they know, but we'll see.

'I mean this is an ongoing investigation that will continue to evolve, and you know, I think you saw ... that the family was out there helping in the search.

'I think, you know, it's a sign of them trying to work with investigators, so I hope that is the beginning of maybe more they know.'

Entin then pushed Taylor for more information, pointing out that his parents reportedly brought his Ford Mustang back from the 25,000-acre reserve.

'It doesn't make sense in some ways,' Entin said.

'I agree with that,' Taylor said, bluntly. 'I mean we've said since the beginning there was a lot of oddness here, a lot of things that didn't make sense.

'I mean if your son walks out there, now they're saying on a Monday, to report that on a Friday and then to be confused on what day that was - there are a lot of things that are odd there.'

Entin also asked if he thinks Brian Laundrie is still alive.

'It's possible,' Taylor said. 'I think it would not surprise me if he is, it wouldn't surprise me if he's not.

'I mean I guess if we had to put odds on it, I'd say that it's probably pretty close,' he said, adding: 'We've gotten into an issue by thinking one thing, and I don't think it does any good to say I think he's alive or dead.

'I think it's certainly possible one way or the other,' he said.

Laundrie, 23, was reported missing on September 17, with his parents telling police he went to the nearby Carlton Reserve and never returned

He returned to his North Port, Florida home from a cross-country trip with his fiancee Gabby Petito, left, on September 1 without her

Petito's body was discovered at a campsite near the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and her death was ruled a homicide two days after he went missing

But some survivalists have questioned Laundrie's ability to survive in a nature preserve for over three weeks, as dozens of officers from the FBI, North Port Police Department, Florida Wildlife Commission, several sheriff's offices and K9 search and rescue teams scour the area for him.

Last month, the North Port police said in a statement: 'The Carlton Reserve is a vast and unforgiving location at times. It's currently [waist] deep in water in many areas.

'This is dangerous work for the search crews, and they are wading through gator and snake-infested swamps and flooded hiking and biking trails.'

The area also features water moccasin snakes, hogs, bears and alligators, with panther sightings reported in the past.

Robert Urban, founder and chief instructor at the Urban Survival Academy, said it is unlikely someone who is not professionally trained in survival skills would be able to survive in that environment.

'Florida's climate is very, very difficult,' he told CNN. 'I'm an expert with plenty of experience, and it would be everything that I could do to survive [more] than three weeks.

'Someone with no experience, you cannot be lucky and survive in that sort of environment.'

He added that Laundrie would likely not be operating in the best mindset to avoid these creatures due to the anxiety of trying to evade authorities and survive.

'When you're tired, you're not as defensive, you're not as vigilant as you should be,' he said, with Jason Marsteiner, founder and president of The Survival University adding: 'Twenty-five days in that area is extremely tough.

'I wouldn't want to do it and I've got jungle training, I've got mountain training.'

It may be possible, though, if he had ways to disinfect the water, gather food, cook and protect himself from the weather, Dave Canterbury told Erin Burnett on Thursday but he would likely need fire to do so.

But Taylor said authorities have found no evidence of campsites, as well as no evidence of a body.

On Thursday, Laundrie's father, Christopher, joined authorities in the search for his son

He spent several hours at the park before returning to his North Port home

He was there to point out any of Laundrie's favorite trails and places to visit

Meanwhile, Laundrie's father, Christopher, joined authorities in the search for his son on Thursday, with the family lawyer, Steven Bertolino claiming he offered his help to the FBI by showing them 'trails and places' he was known to frequent.'

He was reportedly asked to join the search Thursday just days after inconsistencies came to light in his and his wife Roberta's version of events of when they last saw their son.

Their attorney last week said the couple now 'believe' Laundrie went missing on September 13 - one day earlier than they first claimed - meaning he had a four-day headstart on authorities as they failed to report him missing until September 17.

They claim he was heading into the Carlton Reserve and was carrying a backpack at the time.

'He reads books about it and it wouldn't surprise me if he could last out there a very long time.'

Christopher had left his North Port home and arrived at the park near Venice - close to the family's home in North Port - before 10am Thursday.

There, he waited for officers and park rangers to open the gate for the reserve which is closed to the public while the manhunt is underway.

The 62-year-old then spent several hours joining FBI agents to point out any favorite trails or spots his son frequented in the reserve, which has been the focus of the manhunt for Laundrie for the last three weeks.

Wearing a gray T-shirt, cargo pants and clutching a plastic carrier which appeared to contain documents, or perhaps a map and food, Laundrie spent hours in the park with about five FBI officers and was dripping sweat in the Florida heat.

He took breaks to drink water on the outskirts of the park along the road.

A police helicopter was also flying overhead to assist in the search.

Investigators had brought in Christopher to help guide them along the trails Brian was known to frequent.

However, his guidance bore little fruit as officials made 'no discoveries' and Christopher returned home, where Roberta, 55, was believed to have been waiting for him.

The couple have barely left their home since their son vanished, with a walker last week claiming to have seen Laundrie on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina.

Police are investigating that sighting too.

Meanwhile, an attorney for the family said that Laundrie's parents believe 'that is exactly where he is located,' CNN's Chris Cuomo reported.

Attorney Steven Bertolino said: 'There were no discoveries [on Thursday] but the effort was helpful to all.'

Christopher returned home earlier in the afternoon with dry shoes and clothing, suggesting he remained in a vehicle while guiding officers through the swampy land.

He will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as agents finish investigating the new campsite, his attorney said.

'Chris Laundrie is assisting Law Enforcement today in the search for Brian,' Bertolino told DailyMail.com.

'Chris was asked to point out any favorite trails or spots that Brian may have used in the preserve.

'Although Chris and Roberta Laundrie provided this information verbally three weeks ago it is now thought that on-site assistance may be better.

'The preserve has been closed to the public and the Laundries as well but the parents have been cooperating since the search began.'
Police chiefs have been lambasted over training officers in 'nonsensical' unconscious bias courses including lessons on 'white privilege' and how jokes can lead to genocide.

Officers across the country continue to be trained in unconscious bias despite government calls to scrap the courses after a review found that it was 'not associated with changes in behaviour'.

Last year it was announced the training would be phased out of government departments while ministers encouraged other 'public sector employers to do likewise'.

But police forces, led by the College of Policing, have vowed to continue with the training which is designed to help identify in-built biases affected by race, sexuality or gender.

Police forces, led by the College of Policing, have vowed to continue with training in unconscious bias. (Stock image)

Now a Freedom of Information request to forces by The Mail on Sunday has revealed the 'bizarre' training materials used to teach officers and staff about unconscious bias.

They include Merseyside and Cleveland Police where officers are taught the 1950s 'Allport's scale' of prejudice which describes how jokes can lead to genocide, originally designed to explain events leading up to the Holocaust.

Critics have argued police have at times adapted this theory to controversially persecute people for making jokes under hate crime guidance.

Officers at Cleveland are also pointed to a US video on YouTube which is titled 'The Race of Life (white privilege)' to help explain unconscious bias.

It shows how white people often have advantages of birth and circumstance not enjoyed by their ethnic minority peers.

Meanwhile Merseyside's officers are taught that using words such as 'husband', 'wife', 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' in the workplace can leave colleagues feeling excluded if they are of a different sexual orientation.

Training materials from West Mercia Police, among other forces, show that officers are asked to consider the 'halo vs horns effect' which states people can unfairly form opinions about a person based on one distinctive character trait.

An example often cited as part of this bias training is judging a person is unsuitable for a job because their appearance is 'scruffy'.

They are also told to 'avoid taking part in workplace gossip' with colleagues, while remembering to 'find a common interest', 'keep a professional distance' but that 'banter can be bullying'.

Conservative MP Tim Loughton, said that police officers 'should be focusing on real threats'

At North Wales Police officers have been taught in media bias with slides on newspaper stories which even included a spoof Daily Mail front page featuring Joseph Goebbels and Prime Minister David Cameron with a Hitler moustache.

Conservative MP Tim Loughton, of the Home Affairs Committee, said: 'If the police were nearly as creative and energetic about catching criminals and keeping the public safe as they are with appearing woke and pursuing a politically correct agenda then people might feel police were doing the job they were paid for. They should be focusing on real threats.'

A senior Tory source said: 'Our police officers should be on the streets catching criminals, not spending hours in workshops led by clowns.'

Harry Miller, a former officer who won a High Court case against Humberside Police over his alleged 'transphobic' tweets and set up campaign group Fair Cop, said of the training: 'This needs to stop.

'It's totally bizarre and I don't know why they do it.

'They're seeking to separate us from one another by politicising every slight, insult, preference, joke, bit of banter, casual chat and turning it into something it's not.

'The police do this because it's easy, while failing to solve burglaries or knife crime - it's a smokescreen to distract from their pitiful record.

'We are calling for the closure of the College of Policing, because it's from there that all this nonsense flows.'

Fiona Eldridge, of the College of Policing, said: 'It is important police officers and staff are aware that bias, including unconscious bias, exists and as such, the subject will continue to form part of the national curriculum.

'We have developed the national policing curriculum which informs the training and development designed and delivered locally by forces and this includes references to bias, but always within an operational policing context rather than being covered as a subject in isolation.'
Dr Anthony Fauci's has told American children to go out and enjoy trick-or-treating - but warned all Americans to wear masks in crowded outdoor settings.

This is a time children love, Fauci told CNNs Dana Bash during Sundays State of the Union episode. Its a very important time for children. I know my children enjoyed it.

The nations top infectious disease expert encouraged participants to get vaccinated if possible, despite the vaccine not being available for children younger than 12.

If youre not vaccinated, think about (how by becoming so) you add an extra degree of protection to yourself and your children and your family and your community, he said. It's a good time to reflect on why it's important to get vaccinated, but go out there and enjoy Halloween as well as the other holidays that will be coming up.

Fauci was derided for his remarks online by viewers who considered him to keep to give stern suggestions during the COVID pandemic, despite frequent U-turns that saw him nicknamed 'flip-flop Fauci.'

Discussing outdoor mask-wearing, Fauci urged all Americans - even those who've had vaccines - to don face-coverings in crowded outdoor settings.

He explained: 'When you have a lot of infection in the community, even though youre vaccinated, when you are not home but outside in congregate settings in the public, wearing masks, I think would be very prudent.'

Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN's Dana Bash that children should go out 'and enjoy Halloween'

He encouraged participants to get vaccinated, despite kids under 12 being ineligible for it

And the White House COVID tsar also revealed he thinks COVID deaths will continue to trend down this winter, as the Delta surge eases, sparking hopes the virus may finally be on the retreat.

Fauci was mocked on social media for giving children permission to participate in the annual candy-gathering tradition.

OH THANK YOU DEAR GOD EMPEROR FOR GRANTING US THIS HOLIDAY, one person tweeted.

Lol. Lord Fauci speaks, added another. We can have Halloween but Thanksgiving/ Christmas hes not sure about.

Some Twitter users mocked Fauci for giving them 'permission to celebrate the holiday

Fauci earlier this month encouraged vaccinated people to celebrate the winter holidays with their loved ones, despite previously saying it was too soon to say whether Americans could gather for Christmas.

Just one day later, in an appearance on CNN , the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases said his comments were 'misinterpreted' and that he was not telling people to forego family gatherings.

"Hopefully it's going to continue to go in that trajectory downward, but we have to just be careful that we don't prematurely declare victory in many respects," Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the dip in daily Covid-19 cases. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/nVB3Ztl8zt  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) October 10, 2021 Twitter Privacy Policy

Another Twitter user noted that Fauci was encouraging children to stock up on unhealthy candy, and questioned said he was enabling poor health.

Some Halloween celebrations were cancelled last year, with popular events across the nation scrapped or modified to adhere to social distancing requirements.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky has also given the greenlight for candy collecting.

I wouldnt necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go tricking in small groups, she told CBS Face the Nation.

Fauci did not offer face covering guidance for trick-or-treaters (pictured here in a 2020 photo)

The Food and Drug Administration plans a meeting in late October to consider Pfizer's request for emergency use authorization of its vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

Nationwide, there are about 95,000 new COVID-19 cases a day; Fauci called the downward trend good news but cautioned against declaring a premature victory.

We still have around 68 million people who are eligible to be vaccinated, that have not yet gotten vaccinated, and even those who have been vaccinated  want to look forward to holiday seasons and spending time with your family and doing those sorts of things, Fauci said.

But don't just throw your hands up and say it's all over, because on one hand, we do want to celebrate and look forward to the fact that we are going in the right direction. But if you look at the history of the surges, they can bounce back.
Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel received a warm welcome in Israel as she paid a final official visit to its national Holocaust memorial.

Mrs Merkel made a stop at the memorial, Yad Vashem, today (Sunday) where she laid a wreath in memory of the six million European Jews killed by the Nazis during the Second World War.

'Every visit to Yad Vashem touches me at the core,' Mrs Merkel said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel lays a wreath at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem during a state visit today (October 10)

'The crimes against the Jewish people that are documented here are a perpetual reminder of the responsibility we Germans bear and a warning,' she added, saying it was Germany's responsibility to stand up against anti-Semitism.

But differences emerged between the close allies on the key issues of Iran's nuclear programme and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Mrs Merkel said that Germany remained committed to reviving the international nuclear agreement with Iran - a step Israel opposes.

Mrs Merkel is on a farewell tour to Israel as she end 16 years in office

She also said that Germany believed that a two-state solution remained the best way to end Israel's decades-long conflict with the Palestinians.

'I think that on this point, even if at this stage it seems almost hopeless, the idea of a two-state solution should not be taken off the table, it should not be buried ... and that the Palestinians should be able to live securely in a state,' Mrs Merkel said at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

She also said that Israeli settlement construction on occupied territories sought by the Palestinians was unhelpful.

Mr Bennett, a former settler leader who opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, quickly pushed back.

'Based on our experience, the meaning of a Palestinian state means that very likely there will be established a terror state, roughly seven minutes from my house and from almost any point in Israel,' he said.

Calling himself a 'pragmatic man', he instead said he was prepared to take steps on the ground to improve living conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official who oversees relations with Israel, responded angrily.

'The worst form of terrorism is the occupation, not the establishment of a Palestinian state,' he wrote on Twitter.

It was one of the few disagreements between the close allies during Mrs Merkel's two-day visit, which caps a 16-year term marked by near unwavering support for Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as he escorts her outside the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem

Merkel said Germans had a responsibility to stand up against anti-Semitism during today's visit to Jerusalem

At every stop, she was welcomed as a 'true friend' of Israel.

She repeatedly professed Germany's commitment to Israel's security and said she was confident that Germany's next government - to be determined in lengthy coalition talks following an inconclusive election last month - would take a similar stance.

'I am optimistic that every German government, including the one that follows mine, will feel committed to Israel's security, and I think any successor who becomes German Chancellor will see it that way,' she said.

Much of the agenda was expected to focus on Iran's nuclear programme. While the two leaders both vowed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, they voiced different approaches about how to do that.

Germany was a leading player in the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. The deal fell apart after former US president Donald Trump, with Israel's support, withdrew from the agreement in 2018. The Biden administration has been trying to revive that deal - known as the JCPOA - over Israeli objections.

Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett chat during a roundtable discussion with Israeli entrepreneurs in Jerusalem

'The crimes against the Jewish people that are documented here are a perpetual reminder of the responsibility we Germans bear and a warning,' Mrs Merkel said

'I never considered the JCPOA to be ideal, but it's better than having no agreement,' Mrs Merkel said.

She said the situation was 'very difficult' as Iran continued to enrich uranium.

'We are facing critical weeks around this question,' she said.

Israel considers Iran its greatest enemy, citing the country's military presence in neighbouring Syria and its support for hostile militant groups across the region.

It accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons - a charge Iran denies - and says a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel.

'There is no point in trying to appease the Iranians. They interpret conciliation as a weakness,' Mr Bennett said, accusing Iran of trying to delay while it moved forward with its weapons efforts.

'This is a critical point in time, and Germany's position is particularly important.'

Israel was formed in the wake of the Holocaust in 1948 and the two countries only established diplomatic ties in 1965. But over the decades those ties have warmed.

Germany is Israel's largest trading partner in Europe and the German government has provided solid support to Israel during wars and diplomatic crises.

Mrs Merkel was scheduled to visit in August, but the trip was postponed after the crisis in Afghanistan in which the Taliban seized power.

She then delayed the visit until after last month's German election. She now remains in office in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed, a process that could take weeks or even months.
Donald Trump wanted to probe a conspiracy that Nest thermostats were used to meddle in the 2020 election and bragged about the crowd size of the January 6 Capitol riot, details from a new book revealed on Sunday.

As the attack on the U.S. Capitol building ensued earlier this year, sources claim that Trump was pleased with what was happening, boasted about how many people turned out and argued when pushed to tell supporters to stop rioting, according to ABC News host Jonathan Karls' upcoming book 'Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show'.

Karl revealed details from his book on ABC This Week on Sunday morning, claiming that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called Trump to ask him to tell the rioters to leave the Capitol on January 6.

He said that a source familiar with the call told him that McCarthy pleaded with Trump: 'I just got evacuated from the Capitol! There were shots fired right off the House floor. You need to make this stop.'

'They are just more upset than you because they believe it more than you, Kevin,' Trump told McCarthy, according to the source.

Trump was referring to his claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

Another odd claim in the book details how Trump instructed his top intelligence official to probe a conspiracy theory that Nest thermostats, which are made in China, were used to change 2020 ballots by tapping into voting machines.

An upcoming book reveals that Donald Trump 'boasted' about the crowd size at the January 6 Capitol riot

The book also details that Trump told Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe (pitured) to probe a theory that Nest thermostats were used to meddle 2020 election

Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark (pictured) originally presented the conspiracy to Trump that the wireless thermostats (right), which are made in China, were used to tap into voting machines in Georgia

Karl said on This Week that Trump was 'intrigued' by the theory.

Karls book Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show will be released November 16

Jeffrey Clark, who was assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Justice Department from 2018 to 2021, originally presented the conspiracy to Trump as he tried to help the then-president change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

After hearing about it, Trump asked Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to investigate if Nest thermostats meddled in the election and changed ballots from being cast for him to Biden.

Trump wanted to install Clark as acting attorney general after former Attorney General Bill Barr resigned in December  just one month before Trump was set to vacate office.

'[Clark] believed that wireless thermostats made in China for Google by a company called Nest Labs might have been used to manipulate voting machines in Georgia,' Karl wrote in his book.

He added: 'The idea was nuts, but it intrigued Trump, who asked Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to look into it.'

Karl said that White House counsel Pat Cipollone told Trump at the time that if Clark were made attorney general, there would be a mass resignation at the Justice Department  so Trump backed off the effort.

After that fell through, Trump just kept Clark in his old post.

'After Jeffrey Clark tried and failed to engineer a coup at the Justice Department, he kept his job,' Karl said.

Karls book Betrayal will be released November 16, 2021.
William Shatner's mission to become the oldest person ever to visit space has been delayed by 24 hours because of windy weather.

The 90 year-old Star Trek icon's October 12 trip on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket will now take place on October 13 instead, with lift-off from Van Horn in Texas scheduled for 8:30am EST.

A Blue Origin spokesman said: 'Due to forecasted winds on Tuesday, October 12, Blue Origin's mission operations team has made the decision to delay the launch of NS-18 and is now targeting Wednesday, October 13.'

Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk in the cult classic TV series 'Star Trek,' is due to become the first member of the iconic show's cast to journey to the final frontier as a guest aboard a Blue Origin suborbital rocket.

His trip will take him and three other members of the NS-18 rocket crew just beyond the Karman line, 62 miles (100 kilometers) high, where they will experience four minutes of weightlessness and gaze out at the curvature of the planet.

William Shatner's trip into space has been delayed for 24 hours because of windy weather at Blue Origin's West Texas launch site. The 90 year-old actor is pictured in 2017

Blue Origin's decision to invite one of the most recognizable galaxy-faring characters from science fiction for its second crewed flight has helped maintain excitement around the nascent space tourism sector.

For fans, the 10-minute hop from a West Texas base back to Earth will be a fitting coda for a pop culture phenomenon that inspired generations of astronauts.

Last week, the Canadian-born thespian shared his nerves over the trip with an audience at New York Comic Con.

He said: 'Im terrified. I know! Im Captain bloody Kirk and Im terrified!'

Shatner also shared how Jeff Bezos, the billionaire who founded Amazon, had told him he'd be the oldest person ever to make it into space.

Bezos will join three other astronauts for a 62 mile trip into the sky on Wednesday aboard Jeff Bezos's rocket, pictured

Shatner is famed for playing Captain James T Kirk in the original Star Trek series, and is pictured in the 1960s with his co-star Leonard Nimoy

He will shatter the record set in July by astronaut Wally Funk, 82, who flew aboard Blue Origin's inaugural flight with Bezos himsef.

But Shatner said he was wary of the plaudit, telling the crowd: 'I dont want to be the oldest guy in space. Im Captain Kirk!'

Shatner's flight on Blue Origin, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, pictured, will see him shatter the record for oldest person in space set by astronaut Wally Funk, 82, in July

Funk is pictured furthest right on July 20, the day before she blasted off into space aged 82

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket has been confirmed for the mission by bosses at the space firm, with Shatner and his fellow astronauts now undergoing training.

Shatner's fellow passengers will be NASA engineer Chris Boshuizen, healthcare entrepreneur Glen de Vries, and Blue Origin's vice president of mission and flight operations, Audrey Powers.

The flight will be fully-automated, meaning that there won't be a pilot on board.

Bezos is planning to charge passengers $250,000-a-ticket to take the trip into space, with Blue Origin also planning on launching a low cost broadband system.

He is part of the so-called 'Billionaire's Space Race,' which has also seen Richard Branson and Elon Musk successfully fly into orbit.

Branson was aboard Virgin Galactic's inaugural flight on July 11, 10 days before Bezos took to space.

His firm will charge astronauts $450,000 each to head into space.

Tesla boss Musk's SpaceX first launch was in December 2010.

It launched an all-civilian crew into orbit last month, but is continuing to focus on working with NASA and preparing for a Mars mission, rather than just offering space tourism.
Facebook has announced three new controls it says will help children after a whistleblower accused the firm of ignoring the dangers of social media on young kids.

Speaking on NBC's State of the Union Sunday, Facebook's Vice President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg unveiled the new 'nudge' feature, which he claims will dramatically boost the wellbeing of young social media users.

Clegg said: 'We're going to introduce something, which I think will make a considerable difference which is where our systems see that a teenager is looking at the same content over and over again.

'And it's content which may not be conducive to their well-being we will nudge them to look at other content.'

Clegg, who is the former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, didn't say which platform the tool will be used on.

But Facebook's Instagram photo sharing app is far more popular among youngsters than its flagship Facebook app itself, and is famed for letting users search hashtags to research topics they are interested in - sometimes with dangerous effects.

Clegg went on to highlight two other features, one of which will prompt users to take a break after too long on Instagram. And the other will see parents given as-yet-unspecified control over how their teenagers use the social media app.

Nick Clegg, right, made his remarks on Facebook's new child safety controls on State of the Union Sunday

.@DanaBashCNN presses Facebook Vice President of

Global Affairs Nick Clegg on tens of thousands of pages of internal research and documents, which were released by a whistleblower, indicating the company

was aware of various problems caused by its platforms. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/HrFAZw4cvy  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) October 10, 2021

In an interview with Dana Bash on CNN's 'State of the Union' Sunday, Clegg. the former Deputy Prime Minister of Great Britain, said, 'We are constantly iterating in order to improve our products. We cannot, with a wave of the wand, make everyone's life perfect. What we can do is improve our products, so that our products are as safe and as enjoyable to use.'

The social media giant has also come under increased scrutiny over its role in the January 6th Capitol riot and for allegedly ignoring internal research that revealed the social media platform harmed the mental health of teenage girls.

Following the backlash, Instagram revealed just last month that it would be halting its plans for Instagram Kids, a version of the app for those under 13 which will feature optional parental controls.

The announcements come just days after whistleblower Frances Haugen claimed that the social media giant is harmful to children and contribute to the spread of hate speech and misinformation

Josh Golin, executive director of a children's media marketing watchdog Fairplay, said that he doesn't think introducing controls to help parents supervise teens would be effective since many teens set up secret accounts any way.

He was also dubious about how effective nudging teens to take a break or move away from harmful content would be. He noted Facebook needs to show exactly how they would implement it and offer research that shows these tools are effective.

'There is tremendous reason to be skeptical,' he said. He added that regulators need to restrict what Facebook does with its algorithms.

He said he also believes that Facebook should cancel Instagram for Kids permanently.

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who chairs the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, said that it's time to update children's privacy laws and offer more transparency in the use of algorithms.

Critics say they're skeptical that the features will be effective in protecting users

'I appreciate that he is willing to talk about things, but I believe the time for conversation is done. The time for action is now,' she told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday.

Clegg was also grilled in different interviews on both CNN and ABC's 'This Week with George Stephanopoulos' about the use of algorithms in amplifying misinformation ahead of January 6 Capitol riots.

However, he responded by claiming that Facebook's algorithms are 'giant spam filters' and, if removed, people would see more potentially harmful content like hate speech and misinformation.

Clegg said that Facebook has invested $13 billion over the past few years in making sure to keep the platform safe and that the company has 40,000 people working on such issues.

However, last Tuesday, Frances Haugen, a 37-year-old data expert, said during her blistering testimony in front of Congress that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is only 'accountable to himself' and has even been directly involved in company decisions that saw Facebook putting profit over 'changes that would have significantly decreased misinformation, hate speech and other inciting content.'

Facebook will roll out a series of features aimed at protecting children from being harmed on the social media giant's platforms, following backlash that Mark Zuckerberg 'puts profits over people'

Her claims were devastating for Facebook's public image and prompted multiple senators to attack founder Mark Zuckerberg - who Haugen alleges knew of and encouraged his site's harmful practices.

She said that executives were aware that Facebook and Instagram, which it owns, were harmful for children, with a leaked internal study revealing that teenage girls had increased suicidal thoughts from using Instagram.

The 37-year-old said that Facebook's algorithms, centered around 'likes' and 'shares', rewarded 'dangerous online talk has led to actual violence that harms and even kills people.'

Haugens accusations were supported by tens of thousands of pages of internal research documents she secretly copied before leaving her job in the companys civic integrity unit.

The tech giant slapped down Haugen after she testified, saying that the data scientist never attended meetings with top executives and that she was wildly misinformed about the company.

Mark Zuckerberg wrote in an open letter to his staff: 'I think most of us just don't recognize the false picture of the company that is being painted.'

Facebook's director of policy communications, Lena Pietsch, responded to Haugen's testimony by pointing out she worked at the company for less than two years.

Pietsch added that Haugen 'had no direct reports, never attended a decision-point meeting with C-level executives - and testified more than six times to not working on the subject matter in question.'
A homeless mugging suspect appeared in court Sunday to be arraigned on murder charges over the death of a cancer nurse.

Jermaine Foster, 26, was fleeing a robbery when he barreled into Maria Ambrocio in Times Square, knocking her to the ground, on October 8. Two days later, Foster's charges were upgraded from felony assault to murder after Ambrocio's family agreed to switch off her life support.

Foster had been freed on a groping charge just one month before he caused the death of Ambrocio, a 58-year-old oncology nurse from Bayonne in New Jersey.

On Sunday, he appeared before a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court in a blue t-shirt along with a protective face mask, where he was formally charged with murder, felony assault and robbery.

Jermaine Foster (pictured) is arraigned on murder charges in Manhattan for the death of a New Jersey nurse who he allegedly slammed headfirst into the pavement while fleeing a robbery

The 26-year-old was arraigned Sunday for the death of Maria Ambrocio, 58. Foster was fleeing the scene of a crime in October 2021 when he ran into her, knocking her over in Times Square

He now faces murder charges after Ambrocio was taken off life support - with the NYPD also revealing that Foster was arrested for groping a woman in Midtown last month, but later freed

Foster swiped the 29-year-old woman's phone at nearby West 41st Street and Broadway, police said. As he fled, he knocked down Ambrocio, who suffered head trauma

Ambrocio had been preparing to see her family for the first time since the pandemic began was making her way through the Crossroads of the World after stopping at the Philippines Consulate in Midtown when Foster bowled her over.

Foster's mother, who asked not to be identified, expressed sorrow over the deadly result of her son's actions.

'I'm so sorry,' she told the New York Post through tears. 'I wish I could turn the time back.'

Foster, whose last known address is in Irvington, Jersey, had allegedly swiped a 29-year-old woman's phone at nearby West 41st Street and Broadway, police said. As Foster fled, he knocked down Ambrocio, who suffered head trauma, according to the Post.

'They just pulled the plug on her. She's gone,' Maria Ambrocio's brother Carlito Spa Maria said Saturday night.

Carlito had previously said that Maria 'doesn't have much time,' her blood pressure is dropping and she is 'brain dead' prior to her passing late Saturday night.

Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, which promotes the tourist attraction where the fatal crime occurred, took the opportunity to slam city officials for allowing untreated mentally ill people to 'proliferate... on our streets' in an effort to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again.

Maria Ambrocio, 58, was walking through Times Square Friday afternoon when she was bowled over by Foster

'The killing of Maria Ambrocio near Times Square highlights one of our citys greatest public safety challenges, the proliferation of people with untreated mental illness and drug addictions on our streets committing crimes without an effective strategy to address them,' said Harris.

'Our city needs to come together and solve these problems and those of us who work in these areas are willing and able to help. Let her death not be in vain.'

Just a month before slamming into Ambrocio, Foster was charged with forcible touching after he allegedly groped a woman's buttocks on West 36th Street and Broadway

Just a month before slamming into Ambrocio, Foster was charged with forcible touching after he allegedly groped a woman's buttocks on West 36th Street and Broadway, according to police. Foster was taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation - the same facility where Ambrocio died - but the suspected murderer was released shortly after.

Foster does not have a history of violence but was on medication for a mental illness, his mother and stepdad  who declined to be identified  told the New York Post, adding that they don't know his diagnosis or what medication he was prescribed.

His mother said he had been living with his father in Brooklyn but was left alone when his dad died from COVID. She added, 'He was on his medication and he drove here to New Jersey. He was here and he didn't want his shot to run out so he went back to New York  He's not a violent person. He's not a thief. If someone said he was begging you for something, then yes. He would be begging.'

His stepdad said, 'He's been in and out of the hospital for mental issues. He's been in the system almost a year. He has a social worker. The city gave him a social worker. When he don't take his medication he might get a little angry.'

The senseless tragedy comes as the city's crime rate continues to soar, with many blaming the violence on a court system that has gone soft on criminals.

Ambrocio, 58, had just been to the Phillippines Consulate in Midtown Manhattan and was headed home after lunch

A nurse who worked with Ambrocio, 70-year-old Emilia Cruz, said she was walking with her as Foster knocked her down.

'There were lots of people and we were trying to maneuver,' Cruz said. 'I heard a big thump like something hit the concrete and, you know, it was loud so I said 'Wow, oh My God. What's that?' and I looked down and I saw her blouse, I didn't see the face and I said, 'Oh my God, Ning,' I call her Ning,' Cruz said.

'I said 'Ning, what happened? Wake up,' and she was out,' she added. 'She was already unconscious. She is not answering me. I keep picking her up. She was frothing from her mouth. And I said, 'Call 911.'

Cruz said Ambrocio was married and had step-children and loved music, traveling and most of all, helping people.

'She is like a sister to me, a younger sister. She's a good nurse, an excellent nurse,' Cruz noted.

'The incident is the latest in the series of violent acts committed by mentally-ill individuals against members of the Filipino Community in New York City since the start of the year,' The Consulate General of the Philippines in New York wrote in a post on its Facebook page, referring to the spike in crimes against the Asian-American community that have happened since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ambrocio is an oncology nurse from Bayonne, New Jersey who family members say hadn't seen her relatives throughout the entirety of the pandemic

Emilia Cruz (pictured center), who was standing alongside Ambrocio when she was knocked down, said she was an 'excellent nurse' and like a younger sister to her

'Beginning January, we have seen several of our kababayan, most of them senior citizens, violently assaulted by individuals with mental health issues. We have joined calls for authorities to take the necessary steps, including heightened police visibility, to protect the public after we noted the surge in anti-Asian hate incidents that targeted some of our kababayan.'

The post added, 'We also supported calls for authorities to take the necessary measures to address mental health issues, especially among the homeless. We reiterate these calls as we mourn our loss but we also ask ourselves: How many more Maria Ambrocios do we have to mourn before the streets would be made safe again?'

New York City Mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa on Sunday echoed the sentiment of the Philippine Consulate about mental health and wrote the agency an apology over her death.

He said at a press conference, 'Why do we have emotionally disturbed persons roaming the streets, the subways, the parks? We cannot blame these men and women for their transgressions. We know that they have psychotic disorders. We know that they need mental health care.'

Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis asked residents to pray for Ambrocio in a Facebook post earlier Saturday, calling her attack 'an unprovoked assault by a deranged man.'

The homeless man had committed another crime an hour and a half earlier when he forced himself into a woman's apartment on Sixth Avenue and 38th Street, police said.

Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis asked residents to pray for Ambrocio earlier on Saturday, calling her attack 'an unprovoked assault by a deranged person'

Cruz, visibly upset by the loss of her friend, said Ambrocio was married and had step-children and loved music, traveling and most of all, helping people

The victim claims she heard someone ringing all of the buzzers at the front door to try and enter the building. She thought it was a delivery person bringing food and let him in.

'He busted my door open. He rushed into the apartment,' she said. 'He basically was demanding money, like 'Where's the money? Where's the money?'

Foster started to break things in the victim's apartment, before sitting on the couch without saying a word.

She then grabbed Foster's phone, which agitated him.

'He started screaming 'I'm an African prince! I'm an African prince!' ' she said.

The woman, who is in her 30s, tried to keep Foster until authorities showed up to the apartment but he ran away.

'Honestly speaking, I knew he was on something so I didn't want to do too much to trigger him,' she said. 'I didn't know what he had on him, if he had a weapon.'

Foster was finally taken into custody by police about a block away from where he crashed into Ambrocio and charged with felony assault and robbery.

Ambrocio's cousin said it was hard to understand why he was even able to run around the city to begin with.

'Crime has been rampant in the city. If they are mentally ill, why are they on the streets? They should be taken care of,' she said.

There have been 15,787 felony assaults like the one Foster is charged with to date in New York City 2021, up seven percent from this time last year and up 28 percent going back to 2010.

Hate crimes are up 99 percent year-to-date, while sex crimes are up as much as 25 percent and grand larceny auto is up 14 percent.

There have also been shots taken at the court system. A state law last year limited the number of crimes for which judges can impose bail, which critics say has led to a sharp increase in transit crimes.

Anthonia Egegbara, 29, of Queens, was charged with attempted murder on Tuesday, over surveillance footage which showed her shoving an innocent woman towards the tracks as a train hurtled into Times Square station.

The unprovoked attack comes just three months after Egegbara, who has schizophrenia, was released without bail following an alleged assault on July 5 which left a 40-year-old woman suffering a black eye, broken nose and a knocked-out tooth.

Horrifying surveillance video shows the moment when Anthonia Egegbara allegedly pushed a fellow commuter into a train at the Times Square subway station on Monday morning

Vidal Javier told Telemundo that he felt 'helplessness' when he saw the video of his daughter Lenny, 42 (pictured with her father) being pushed into a subway in Times Square on Monday

Egegbara and Foster were arrested as a crime wave terrorizes New Yorkers, with transit crimes rising by 169 per cent for the week ending October 3, compared to the same period in 2020.

Times Square hasn't avoided the crime wave, as there've been three incidents of gun violence at the crossroads of the world in 2021. A man shot himself in the leg in Times Square subway station Monday in the latest shooting to hit the global tourist hot spot this year.

In May, three unrelated bystanders were hit by stray bullets in the busy tourist hub after police say a man started shooting indiscriminately during an argument with someone else.

A young girl was struck in the leg, a 24-year-old woman was hit in her thigh and a 44-year-old woman was shot in the foot, police said. All are expected to survive.

Farrakhan Muhammad, 31, was charged with attempted murder and multiple counts of assault, reckless endangerment and criminal use of a firearm, the New York Police Department said.

Farrakhan Muhammad, 31, was charged with attempted murder and multiple counts of assault, reckless endangerment and criminal use of a firearm in connection with a May shooting in Times Square

In July, 16-year-old Avon Darden turned himself in and was charged with attempted murder after shooting US Marine Samuel Poulin, 21, in the back.

Poulin was hit in the back by a ricocheting bullet as he walked with his family near the Marriott Hotel on W. 45th St. around 5:.15pm on June 27. The young Marine was hospitalized after the shooting but was not seriously injured.

Because of his age, Darden was charged as a minor with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon, cops said in a news release.

Avon Darden, 16, handed himself over to cops at the Midtown South Precinct station house on Wednesday a whopping ten days after the shooting. He is pictured in surveillance footage while cops searched for him

Times Square, one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, sees an estimated 50 million visitors annually. About 330,000 people pass through it daily.

A total of 48 transit crimes were recorded for the period between September 27 and October 3, compared to just 22 for the same period last year.

Transit crimes rose 59 percent in the month of September, with 184 recorded so far this year, compared to 116 recorded last year. That's despite weekday subway ridership levels that remain just half of what they were before the pandemic struck.

The statistics are sure to make grim reading for New York City officials, who are pushing for workers to return to the office, and for tourists to return to the Big Apple, in a bid to boost its COVID-ravaged finances.

Felony assault, rape and shootings were all up through October 3 compared to last year
House Minority Whip, Representative Steve Scalise, repeatedly refused to say on Sunday that the 2020 election wasn't stolen, despite being confronted on the issue twice by Fox News' Chris Wallace.

More than 11 months after the results of the election came in and nearly nine months since Biden was inaugurated, Scalise was still unwilling to acknowledge that Donald Trump had lost the election,

'I've been very clear from the beginning,' he said. 'If you look at a number of states, they didn't follow their state-passed laws that govern the election for president.'

'That is what the United States Constitution says. They dont say the states determine what the rules are. They say the state legislatures determine the rules,' the Louisiana congressman said in an interview with Wallace on Fox News Sunday.

House Minority Whip, Representative Steve Scalise (pictured), repeatedly refused to say on Sunday that the 2020 election wasn't stolen, standing by Donald Trumps assertion that Democrat Joe Biden won the White House because of mass voter fraud, during an appearance on Fox News

Fox's Chris Wallace asked Scalise directly, twice, whether or not the Senator 'thought the election was stolen' - Scalise refused to give a straight answer each time

Pressed by Wallace on whether the election went beyond a few irregularities to be considered 'stolen,' Scalise doubled down.

'Its not just irregularities - it's states that did not follow the laws set which the Constitution says theyre supposed to follow.'

Scalise appeared to be referring to the legal argument, made in several lawsuits backed by Trump before and after last November's election, that the Constitution gives the power of election administration exclusively to state lawmakers.

The suits sought to invalidate a number of pandemic-era accommodations including expanded mail voting that were put in place by governors, state election officials and judges.

The high court ultimately turned away the cases, declining to rule on the matter. Theres no indication in any of the suits that changing the COVID-19 accommodations would have altered a states election results.

'But the states all certified [that Joe Biden won,' shot back Wallace on the segment.

'Right, but at the end of the day, are we gonna follow what the Constitution says or not?' Scalise replied. 'I hope we get back to what the Constitution says. But clearly in a number of states, they didn't follow those legislatively-set rules.'

Wallace asked Scalise directly, twice, whether or not the Senator 'thought the election was stolen' - Scalise refused to give a straight answer each time.

House Minority Whip, Representative Steve Scalise (pictured left with Donald Trump on October 11, 2019), repeatedly refused to say on Sunday that the 2020 election wasn't stolen, standing by Donald Trumps assertion that Democrat Joe Biden won the White House because of mass voter fraud

'That is what the United States Constitution says. They dont say the states determine what the rules are. They say the state legislatures determine the rules,' the Louisiana congressman said in an interview with Chris Wallace on 'Fox News Sunday' of the 2020 election. Pictured are ballots being examined and recounted by contractors working for the Florida-based company 'Cyber Ninjas' at the Veterans Memorial Colosseum in Phoenix

In an interview with Stephen Colbert last month, Wallace said that he's tried to keep 'Big Lie' pushers off his show:

'There are plenty of people who were the leaders in the Congress of challenging [the election] that I just have... purposefully not had on the show, because I don't frankly wanna hear their crap,' Wallace said.

Trump left office in January a few weeks after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol in a violent riot in an attempt to prevent Congress from formally declaring Biden the winner.

As Trump mulls a 2024 presidential bid, he has been intensifying efforts to shame - and potentially remove - members of his party who are seen as disloyal to his bogus claims that last years election was illegitimate.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who is vying to become speaker if the GOP takes control after the 2022 midterm election, continues to defend Trump and his false assertions.

Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who is serving on a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, on Sunday slammed Scalise on Twitter for spreading what she called Trumps 'Big Lie'

'Millions of Americans have been sold a fraud that the election was stolen,' Representative Liz Cheney (pictured) tweeted. 'Republicans have a duty to tell the American people that this is not true. Perpetuating the Big Lie is an attack on the core of our constitutional republic'

At a rally Saturday in Iowa, Trump spent almost 30 minutes arguing falsely that he had won Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds stood by and welcomed his return to their state.

Trump's former attorney general, William Barr, found no evidence of widespread election corruption.

Allegations of massive voting fraud also have been dismissed by a succession of judges and refuted by state election officials and an arm of the Homeland Security Department during the Trump administration.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who is serving on a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, on Sunday slammed Scalise for spreading Trumps 'Big Lie.'

'Millions of Americans have been sold a fraud that the election was stolen,' Cheney tweeted. 'Republicans have a duty to tell the American people that this is not true. Perpetuating the Big Lie is an attack on the core of our constitutional republic.'

At a rally Saturday in Iowa (pictured), Trump spent almost 30 minutes arguing falsely that he had won Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds stood by and welcomed his return to their state
Hundreds of thousands of United States servicemembers remain unvaccinated or are only partially vaccinated against the coronavirus, as the deadline to have the shot draws closer.

The vaccination rates vary between military branches, according to data obtained by the Washington Post, with 98 percent of the active duty Navy fully vaccinated.

There are almost 340,000 such personnel, with the two per cent who haven't been jabbed representing close to 7,000 people.

Meanwhile, just 72 percent of the 181,000 active Marine Corps personnel have been vaccinated - meaning close to 51,000 have yet to have the jab.

Both branches have to be fully vaccinated by November 28, under the Defense Department's August mandate.

Figures show that 81 percent of Army members are fully vaccinated. That branch of the military has 485,000 members, with the 19 per cent who remain unvaccinated representing well over 95,000 personnel.

And more than 60,000 people in the Air Force have just three weeks to meet their deadline to be fully vaccinated.

The rate, though, is worse for members of the Army National Guard and Army Reserves - which have until June to meet the vaccination requirement.

Military officials said the rates have varied due to the staggering deadlines, and have expressed hope that the vaccination rates will increase as the deadlines near.

Hundreds of thousands of service members remain unvaccinated or are partially vaccinated despite deadlines to do so. Here, Sergeant First Class Demetrius Roberson administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a soldier on September 9, 2021 in Fort Knox, Kentucky

Since the pandemic began, about a quarter million service members have been infected with the virus, and more than 2,000 were killed, with a large outbreak last year aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt that showed how quickly the virus could spread in close quarters.

The outbreak served as a wake up call when the ship was sidelined for two months after about 1,100 crew members were infected and one soldier died.

In August, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that he was seeking President Joe Biden's approval to mandate that all service members get vaccinated against the virus. which the president later approved.

He said in a statement at the time that he strongly supports Austins decision, noting the plan would add the COVID vaccine 'to the list of required vaccinations for our service members not later than mid-September,' according to the Associated Press.

Biden added that country is still on a wartime footing and 'being vaccinated will enable our service members to stay healthy, to better protect their families, and to ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world.'

Under the plan, all 2.1 million troops would have to be vaccinated against COVID, and exemptions to the rule would be rare.

Those who would refuse a COVID shot would be punished.

Since then, the Washington Post reports, the military's vaccine rate has greatly increased, with a 292 percent increase in the number of personnel who began a vaccine regimen in the Marine Corps.

The vaccination rates differ amongst military branches

Still, some remain hesitant, even though military members receive 17 compulsory vaccines when they sign up for duty.

'The Army's policy is incentivizing inaction until the latest possible date,' said Katherine Kuzminski, a military expert at the Center for a New American Security, as the plans require the Army Reserve and National Guard to be fully vaccinated eight months from now.

'The way we've seen the virus evolve tells us looking out to June 30 may need to be reconsidered,' she said.

The Army National Guard and Reserve comprise about 522,000 soldiers, according to the Post - roughly a quarter of the entire military, but barely 40 percent are fully vaccinated.

The two branches also account for nearly 40 percent of the 62 service member's deaths from the coronavirus.

Members of the two branches are typically older than their active-duty counterparts and their civilian jobs or mobilizations may expose them to COVID more often than full-time troops who live and work in insulated barracks.

The Army. though, defended the June deadline in the Washington Post story saying the date reflects how large the Reserves are compared to other services and military reserve components, as well as the constraints imposed by the geographic spread of its members.

Due to the pandemic, it has been more difficult for members of the Reserves to meet in person and go through their medical records.

About half of them do not live near military health clinics that administer the vaccine, the Army said, and it has instructed soldiers on how to upload documents showing they received shots from nonmilitary providers.

'We expect all unvaccinated soldiers to receive the vaccine as possible,' Lt. Col. Terence M. Kelley, an Army spokesman, said in a statement. 'Individual soldiers are required to receive the vaccine when available.'

He also noted that the June deadline 'allows reserve component units necessary time to update records and process exemption requests.'

But Representative Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said the reserve deadline was 'alarming' and could negatively affect the service's ability to mobilize troops between now and next summer.

They have been deployed for duty more than any other time since World War II in 2020, amid political turmoil, wildfires and the coronavirus pandemic.

In response, though, the Army said that Guard or Reserve soldiers mobilized on federal orders after December 15 - when the Army has to be fully vaccinated - must be immunized when they leave their home station.

The move could delay movement of any personnel who has not yet started their vaccine regiment.

The military has previously faced blowback for its vaccine mandates, with about 16 percent of pilots and crew members in the Air Force reserve units either seeking a transfer to another unit to delay anthrax vaccine regiments in the 1990s, switched to an inactive status or left the service all together.

Now, the Post reports, Defense officials are reluctant to predict how many soldiers would defy the mandate, although Representative Dan Crenshaw, of Texas, tweeted last month that he expects it to be a lot.

'Question for the SECDEF: Are you really filling to allow a huge exodus of experienced service members just because they won't take the vaccine,' he wrote.

'Honestly, Americans deserve to know how you plan on dealing with this blow to force readiness - it's already causing serious problems.'

Some Air Force officers have already joined other government workers in lawsuits to halt the requirements, the Post reports.

Meanwhile, 65.3 percent of all Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, according to CDC data, and 56.4 percent are fully vaccinated.
This is the moment an actor performing at Russia's famous Bolshoi Theatre was killed by a piece of the set while the audience looked on, thinking it was part of the act.

Video shows a large backdrop being lowered on to the stage during a performance of 19th century opera Sadko on Saturday night as 37-year-old actor Yevgeny Kulesh got trapped underneath and crushed to death.

It is thought that Kulesh - who had performed at the theatre since 2002 - walked the wrong way during the set change and then could not get out of the way of the backdrop in time.

The orchestra abruptly stopped playing as actors began screaming for help, while bemused spectators thought they were witnessing part of the performance before the full horror of what was happening dawned on them.

Actors can be seen frantically waving their hands to alert staff to the tragedy, while screams of 'Get a doctor! Call an ambulance, someone got hit by the backdrop!' rang out around the hall as Yevgeny lay trapped

Yevgeny Kulesh, 38, somehow became trapped underneath the backdrop and was subsequently crushed to death

Ushers then emptied the auditorium as actors pleaded with stage-hands to raise the backdrop so medics could get to Kulesh.

But medics said nothing could be done to help the actor, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Moscow's Investigative Committee said it is probing the death, while former Bolshoi theatre actors have condemned the working conditions at the world-famous venue.

Kulesh had been performing with the theatre company for almost the entirety of his adult life in a career spanning almost two decades

The footage shared online shows panicked performers pleading with staff to lift the prop that had fallen on top of him, as the orchestral music stopped abruptly and actors began screaming.

Actors can be seen frantically waving their hands to alert staff to the tragedy, while screams of 'Stop, Stop! Call an ambulance, someone got hit by the backdrop! There's blood!' rang out around the hall as Yevgeny lay trapped.

An esteemed actor and stalwart of the Bolshoi theatre, Kulesh had performed with the company for almost all of his adult life over the course of nearly two decades.

'It was awful,' one witness wrote on Facebook after she was ushered out of the theatre.

'We arrived at the Bolshoi theatre and sat in our seats. Then suddenly, when the scenery went down during the very first scene, someone shouted: ''Doctor! We need an ambulance quickly, someone fell under the scenery!''

'The orchestra fell silent and the curtains were closed.'

The witness added that the audience were told by the theatre the performance was stopped due to technical difficulties, but she found out that Kulesh had been killed after speaking to security guards on the way out of the theatre.

The incident occurred during a set change in Sadko, an 19th century opera by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

The incident took place on Saturday evening at Moscow's world-famous Bolshoi theatre during an opera performance

Other theatre-goers on social media said that they first thought they were witnessing a staged trick, but it quickly became apparent what was happening when the other performers reacted in horror.

It is not the first time that Bolshoi theatre workers have been killed or injured during a performance.

In 2013, a senior violinist - Viktor Sedov, who had played violin at the theatre for four decades - died after falling into the orchestra pit, while ballet soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko - formerly a principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theatre - was jailed for six years for organising an acid attack on the company's artistic director just two years prior.

Nikolai Tsiskardze, a former principal dancer at the theatre, told Russian newspaper Komsomolkaya Pravda following the incident that the company's actors, dancers and workers suffer frequent injuries and near-misses as a result of the dangerous working conditions.

'Backstage is hell,' said Tsiskardze.

'Dancers damage their legs when sets and staircases fall over. I have been screaming about the problems of the Bolshoi for 25 years. There is no order, no medicine, no ethics.'

'We are all serfs!' Tsiskardze exclaimed, comparing the treatment of theatre workers to that of the lowest peasant class in tsarist Russia.

'We must not blame Yevgeny or find a scapegoat.'
The Democrat favorite to win the Virginia Governor's race has dismissed Critical Race Theory as a 'made-up' concept pushed by Republican rivals to scare parents.

Terry McAuliffe appeared on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday and began the conversation on critical race theory after he was asked how he would respond to someone switching over to the side of his political opponent Glenn Youngkin.

CNN host Dana Bash had probed the discussion about CRT after detailing the scenario of a former McAuliffe supporter moving to Youngkin's side based on this idea.

Bash said the person 'is switching over the to the Republican, Glenn Youngkin, because he believes public schools are pushing a radical agenda in which American history is portrayed as racist...'

Democratic Virginia gubernational candidate Terry McAuliffe slammed critical race theory as 'made up' during an interview on Sunday

McAuliffe had previously called critical race theory a 'dog whistle'.

He served as Governor of Virginia between 2014 and 2018, and is now running against Youngkin to be elected as governor again.

McAuliffe currently has a four point lead over Youngkin. That gap has narrowed by 11 points since August, with critical race theory a hot button topic widely credited with boosting support for Youngkin, who has come out against it.

'This is a made-up...' McAuliffe said in response. 'This is a Trump, Betsy DeVos, Glenn Youngkin plan to divide people. It really bothers me. I try to unite people.'

'I really hate to see what Glenn Youngkin is trying to do to Virginia what Donald Trump did to our country,' he added.

'I really hate to see the division, the hatred. We're putting these children in this horrible position. Let's just be clear. We don't teach critical race theory.'

WATCH: Virginia Democrat Terry McAuliffe falsely claims Critical Race Theory is made up." pic.twitter.com/6ueozo4z5U  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 10, 2021

McAuliffe told CNN's State of the Union that 'we don't teach critical race theory' in reference to the state's curriculum

McAuliffe added that people like his political opponent Republican gubernational candidate Glenn Youngkin were using the CRT theory concept to divide people

CNN State of the Union host Dana Bash offered McAuliffe the chance to speak on CRT after suggesting a scenario where one of his supporters would have switched to Youngkin's side because of the theory

CRITICAL RACE THEORY: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The fight over critical race theory in schools has escalated in the United States over the last year. The theory has sparked a fierce nationwide debate in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests around the country over the last year and the introduction of the 1619 Project. The 1619 Project, which was published by the New York Times in 2019 to mark 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived on American shores, reframes American history by 'placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the center of the US narrative'. The debate surrounding critical race theory regards concerns that some children are being indoctrinated into thinking that white people are inherently racist or sexist. Those against critical race theory have argued it reduces people to the categories of 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their skin color. Supporters, however, say the theory is vital to eliminating racism because it examines the ways in which race influence American politics, culture and the law. Advertisement

The use of critical race theory, or CRT, in education has been criticized for its message that the US is built on racism with skin color determining the social, economic, and political differences between each.

Advocates say its teaching is necessary to underline how deeply racism pervades society, critics say it is divisive and paints everyone as a victim or oppressor, with multiple Virginia school board meetings hitting national headlines after parents were filmed clashing with staff over the decision to teach it.

McAuliffe had previously debated the CRT issue after being asked to define what it means in a previous interview with WAVY News 10.

'It doesn't matter,' McAuliffe told the network. 'It's not taught here in Virginia so I'm not going to spend my time  I'm not even spending my time because the school board and everyone else has come out and said it's not taught. It's racist. It's a dog whistle.'

The interviewer Anita Blanton kept pressing McAuliffe for a definition as he continued to refuse to acknowledge the question.

'It's not taught here in Virginia,' he responded. 'We can ask about any topic. Here's what I've said all along, and it really bothers me  this whole idea of stirring parents up to create divisions.'

'Our children are going through such challenges today because of COVID, and we're talking about something here today wasting precious viewers' time.'

The use of CRT in school's curriculum has received previous backlash in certain districts.

The Loudoun County School District in particular has received significant media attention for implementing CRT in student's education.

Laura Morris, a fifth grade teacher at Lucketts Elementary School, delivered an emotional speech after she resigned from her position because of the presence of CRT in the district.

She accused the school board of forcing her 'to push highly-politicized agendas on our most vulnerable constituents  the children'.

The district also witnessed an intense altercation between two audience members at a board meeting during a discussion about CRT.

Both parties involved were arrested with one being charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct and the other for trespassing.
Damien 'Luke' Anthony Ferguson, 43, was arrested Sunday less than a mile from where Alamo Police Department Officer Dylan Harrison was fatally shot outside the police station Saturday

The man who allegedly shot and killed a rookie Georgia cop during his first day on-duty killed him in retaliation for the officer arresting his friend hours earlier.

Damien 'Luke' Anthony Ferguson, 43, was arrested Sunday for killing Dylan Harrison, 26, said the FBI.

The Alamo Police Department says that earlier that day, Harrison had arrested Ferguson's friend during a traffic stop.

The rookie cop, who was on his first part-time shift with the agency on Friday evening, had stopped the unnamed suspect for a traffic violation in the parking lot of the Circle K, just across the street from the police station, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

When Harrison asked the man for his identification, he refused to comply, according to GBI Special Agent in Charge Lindsey Wilkes. After a verbal argument erupted, the man ended up pushing the rookie officer.

Harrison then used his taser against on the suspect, who he said did not comply when he attempted to place him under arrest.

The suspect was eventually arrested and booked at Wheeler County Jail.

When Ferguson learned what had happened to his friend, he decided to murder the officer in revenge for arresting 'a known associate' of his, authorities said.

Ferguson, 43, was arrested Sunday for killing Dylan Harrison, 26, who is pictured with his wife, pictured left and 6-month-old daughter, center

Police say Ferguson, pictured, killed Harrison after the officer tasered and arrested a 'known associate' of his, according to law enforcement

Ferguson was considered armed and dangerous at the time of his arrest

'The man arrested is a known associate of Damien Ferguson. It is believed that the ambush-style attack on Officer Harrison was retaliation for the incident and arrest of the man on Friday night at the Circle K,' Special Agent Wilkes said in a statement Sunday.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety said Sunday that Ferguson was arrested less than a mile from where an officer was killed Saturday.

He was taken down 'without incident' by the State of Georgia's SWAT team after a brief search.

He's suspected of fatally shooting a police officer, though a motive has not been shared

Ferguson, who was considered armed and dangerous, was the subject of a manhunt after Officer Harrison early Saturday morning.

He was eventually arrested at his home in Alamo and was charged with murder, aggravated stalking charges which were in relation to a previous domestic incident.

The alleged cop killer is currently being held at the Laurens County Jail in Dublin, Georgia, GBI spokeswoman Natalie Ammons said at a Sunday evening news conference after his arrest.

Harrison was fatally shot outside of the department's police station at around 1 am. The 26-year-old from Dudley leaves behind a wife and a 6-month-old daughter.

The cop had just started his first shift ever for the Alamo Police Department part-time after beginning his career in law enforcement back in 2018 as a full-time Oconee Drug Task Force Agent, according to Fox 13.

Pictured: Alamo Police Officer Dylan Harrison was fatally shot outside of the department's police station at around 1 am

Special Agent Wilkes said law enforcement was offering a reward of $17,500 for information leading to Ferguson's arrest prior to his arrest.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp offered a statement on the tragedy in a tweet Saturday afternoon.

'Early this morning, one of our law enforcement officials in Middle Georgia was killed in the line of duty,' Kemp wrote on Twitter.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with this officers family, friends, and colleagues at the Alamo Police Department. May God continue to be with all who protect and serve.'

The sheriff of nearby Telfair County, Sim Davidson, expressed similar condolences.

'Our sincerest thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Officer Dylan Harrison who was killed in the line of duty last night in Alamo,' Sheriff Davidson wrote in a Facebook post.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp offered a statement on the tragedy in a tweet Saturday afternoon

'We are sincerely grateful for his service.'

Harrison was the first Alamo police officer to be killed in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, which reports on deaths in law enforcement.

However, Alamo Police Officer Arturo Villegas died from COVID-19 earlier this year, one of nearly two dozen Georgia police officers to have died from coronavirus, Fox 13 reports.

This year alone, at least five Georgia police officers have been killed in the line of duty, while seven Georgia officers were killed in the line of duty last year, according to the Officer Down webpage.
The ACT has to wait a few more days before it can join the surrounding state of NSW and start easing Covid-19 restrictions.

The territory, which is due to start lifting its stay-at-home orders on Friday, reported 30 new cases on Sunday.

Of these, only seven were in quarantine for their entire period of infection.

The ACT has 15 patients in hospital, including six in intensive care, with five of those requiring ventilation.

The ACT has 15 patients in hospital, including six in intensive care, with five of those requiring ventilation

Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Saturday said he would no longer be facing the media on weekends to provide an update on the situation

Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Saturday said he would no longer be facing the media on weekends to provide an update on the situation.

He said the national capital is 'on the path to becoming one of the most vaccinated cities in the world', with more than 97 per cent of Canberrans having received a first dose and close to 70 per cent a second.

Even so, Mr Barr said the government is working to get as many people as possible fully vaccinated, with the next three weeks focusing on second doses.

He said there are about 40,000 bookings for second doses in ACT government clinics alone in the coming weeks.

'We are going to work hard to ensure that anyone who wants access to a vaccine can,' he said.
Josh Frydenberg has claimed that a permanent end to lockdown is key to economic recovery and has forecast a massive bounce back as NSW marks Freedom Day.

On Monday the treasurer said NSW would lead the country in its recovery as retail stores and hospitality venues reopened in the state for the first time in months.

Mr Frydenberg said that a return to stay-at-home orders was now off the table for the sake of a smooth economic return.

'NSW is ready for lift off and it will reignite the national economy,' he told Channel Nine's Today Show.

'NSW is the largest state as far as the national economy is concerned, representing about a third of the national economy. NSW's success will be Australia's success, and NSW is showing the rest of the country how to live with the virus.'

Josh Frydenberg has claimed that a permanent end to lockdown is key to economic recovery and has forecast a massive bounce back as NSW marks Freedom Day

The treasurer said there can be no turning back once stay-at-home orders have been lifted and that a return to lockdown would only do more damage to businesses (pictured, Sydneysiders at Tattersalls Club as the clock struck 12.01am on Monday)

The treasurer said he wanted states to avoid going back into lockdown, saying their effectiveness had diminished as vaccination uptake increased.

'Let's open up and let's not go back,' he told The Australian.

'With vaccination rates rapidly climbing around the country, we need to make lockdowns a thing of the past and give people their freedoms back, re-engage with the world and allow the economy to reopen safely.

'Businesses need the confidence to plan for their future  not the uncertainty of being in and out of lockdown.'

NSW residents have spent 106 days in lockdown with the stay-at-home orders costing the economy billions of dollars.

The state lost $950 million a week - with $700 million being lost in Greater Sydney alone.

The Deloitte report has warned the economic recovery will 'not be perfect' and has partly shifted the blame on a slow restart to international travel.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised that residents will be allowed to travel overseas when their state hits the 80 per cent double dose target.

NSW is expected to resume international travel as soon as the start of November.

Hair salons were among the businesses that reopened at 12.01am on Monday (pictured hairdresser at Alan Buki in Paddington)

Pubgoers wasted no time making the most of their new freedoms and visited Tattersalls Club at 12.01am on Monday

The Deloitte report has warned that it will take some time for the travel sector to fully recover and that international travel will remain 'very weak in 2022'.

Flights are not expected to return to their pre-pandemic levels until at least 2024.

Millions on NSW residents have awoken to their first day of freedom in months.

The beleaguered state shattered its 70 per cent Covid-19 vaccination target for over-16s last week, opening the door for most businesses to return to trade at 12.01am on Monday.

Friends and family cut off by the 5km bubble will also be reunited at long last, with up to ten visitors allowed in homes - and 30 able to meet up outdoors.

Many were so keen to thrown off the shackles of lockdown that they queued in the rain across Sydney on Sunday night to get a first taste of freedom - be that a cold beer in the pub, a fresh haircut at the salon or even some bargain shopping at Kmart.

Kmart stores in Blacktown and Mt Druitt saw dozens of shoppers queueing before midnight in lines which snaked 50m from the entrance, while revellers in the city's pubs were greeted with champagne at the door.

Sydneysiders were quick to visit Canterbury Leagues Club as the state marked Freedom Day at 12.01am on Monday

A hairdresser is seen at Sydney's Alan Buki salon in Paddington, which opened its doors at midnight on Sunday to a string of excited customers

With only double-dosed residents allowed to enter non-essential venues in NSW, police set up a late-night roadblock along Parramatta Road as well as other main routes into the city to prevent unvaccinated lockdown rule breakers from heading into the CBD to join the festivities.

It's been a particularly miserable three and half months for the coronavirus-ravaged Harbour City with residents subject to harsh restrictions including the 5km travel bubble and even curfews in parts of the heavy-hit west.

But with horror winter months in the rear view mirror and the state prepared to 'live with the virus', it's now party time once again.

A staff member at Sydney's Tattersalls club in the CBD even welcomed patrons inside by popping a champagne bottle as the clock struck midnight.

Ecstatic revellers had smiles from ear to ear as they rushed inside, proudly flashing their digital Covid-19 vaccination certificate at the door to gain entry.
As councillor for one of the countrys most deprived wards, Ashley Waters should have his hands full dealing with a wide range of challenging problems.

But yesterday, and for significant spells in the last year, Mr Waters has been 500 miles away in the French countryside helping to restore a 250,000 chateau to its former glory.

His apparent move from Middlesbrough has prompted demands for his resignation from fellow councillors amid accusations Mr Waters, 36, has abandoned local people.

They also claim residents have complained about being unable to contact him.

Mr Waters has not broken the rules by remaining as an independent councillor while pursuing his adventure across the Channel.

He rejects the criticism and claims to have been the victim of bullying.

Mr Waters also insisted he has been in Middlesbrough most of the time and has been able to carry out his official duties.

However, the story of his move to France with partner Terry Short, 35, and Mr Shorts parents has been available for all to witness on their YouTube channel called Escape To The Dream, Restoring The Chateau.

Imposing: The 18th century property, which boasts a spiral staircase in the turret, is set in 22 acres of grounds and was once owned by a rich Parisian carpet dealer

Ashley Waters, 36, has spent significant spells in the last year in the French countryside helping to restore a 250,000 family-owned chateau to its former glory

More than 22,000 viewers have subscribed to the online videos, released on almost a weekly basis, showing how the family is lovingly restoring 18th century Chateau De Lalacelle and 22 acres of grounds after it was abandoned decades ago.

The huge makeover is likely to take years and Mr Waters is very much part of it.

The family has spoken about their dream to restore the chateau and convert outbuildings into gites.

He and Mr Short previously owned a pet shop business in Middlesbrough but that was sold recently as part of the familys apparent relocation to the village of Lalacelle in north-west France.

One YouTube clip describes how the family group had been hunting for a suitable property and found it last summer.

The moment we visited the chateau we all fell in love, from the beautiful sweeping landscape and forests, to its stunning untouched interiors and magnificent spiral staircase in the turret, it says.

The group bought the chateau for a reported 250,000, sold up in Middlesbrough and moved to France this year.

Mr Waters, who receives a basic annual councillors allowance of 8,057, first faced public criticism in January and it has grown since.

Exactly how long he has spent in France appears to be unclear.

Critics at Middlesbrough Council admit he was seen in the town and at meetings in the summer but insist he has been away too long.

Speaking from the chateau yesterday, Mr Waters said he has been able to attend meetings remotely and will shortly return to the UK for six months.

Earlier this year I was back home for six months. Ive only spent a couple of weeks here this last time, he said.

On and off Ive probably spent one-and-a-half to two months here in the last year and two months.

We own the chateau but Im not living in a chateau. Im staying in a tiny caravan. I am not living a life of luxury, I am still meeting constituents as I always did.

Prominent critic councillor Joan McTigue said: On the videos they repeatedly talk about their new home in France. It is disgraceful and a slap in the face to the people of North Ormesby (pictured: Thomas Street in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough)

Mr Waters said he remained in France early in the year as he suffers from Crohns, a long-term bowel disease linked to immune problems, when Covid rates were higher back in Middlesbrough.

Prominent critic councillor Joan McTigue said: On the videos they repeatedly talk about their new home in France. It is disgraceful and a slap in the face to the people of North Ormesby.

'It is one of the most deprived wards in the country and they dont have another councillor to go to.

The area is blighted by flytipping, gangs on the streets and antisocial behaviour.

Graham Wilson, an independent councillor in a neighbouring ward, said he has had dozens of complaints from residents who have not been able to contact Mr Waters.
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Scotland Yard has abandoned its review of sex abuse allegations surrounding Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, it was revealed tonight.

After its officers reportedly spoke with accuser Virginia Roberts, the force has decided to take no further action over her allegation that she was trafficked to London as a 17-year-old and forced to have sex with Andrew.

Scotland Yard has also decided to take no further action over claims that billionaire financier Epstein groomed and abused other young women in Britain.

The Duke of York, 61, is facing a civil lawsuit in the US after Miss Roberts accused him of 'rape in the first degree', and said she was abused by him in London after a visit to Tramp nightclub in Mayfair. Andrew has always vehemently denied the claims and his legal team is seeking to get the US case thrown out.

The Met had previously examined Ms Giuffre' allegations against the duke but did not open a full investigation, saying the case was a matter for the US authorities.

After the civil lawsuit was filed in New York, Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said she had asked her officers to review the claim, adding: 'No one is above the law.'

But a Met spokesman said last night: 'As a matter of procedure, MPS officers reviewed a document released in August 2021 as part of a US civil action. This review has concluded and we are taking no further action.'

The decision by the Met to remove the prospect of further action against Prince Andrew comes as:

The Duke of York's siblings - Charles, Edward and Anne - are said to have 'closed the door' on the prospect of him making return to public life;

Sources say Prince William, who is 'no fan of Uncle Andrew', branded him a 'threat to the royal family';

Prince Andrew is privately preparing to hand over 'personal documents' for a civil case filed in New York against him by Virginia Roberts-Giuffre;

A US District Judge granted permission for the duke's lawyers to receive a copy of a confidential agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre.

Scotland Yard has abandoned its review of sex abuse allegations surrounding Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein. Pictured: The Duke of York, 61, seen out driving in Windsor yesterday

The force has decided to take no further action over her allegation that she was trafficked to London as a 17-year-old and forced to have sex with Andrew. Scotland Yard has also decided to take no further action over claims that billionaire financier Epstein groomed and abused other young women in Britain. Pictured: Andrew with Epstein in Central Park, New York in 2010

The Duke of York, 61, is facing a civil lawsuit in the US after Miss Roberts accused him of 'rape in the first degree', and said she was abused by him in London after a visit to Tramp nightclub in Mayfair. This photo of Andrew with Ms Roberts is believed to have been taken at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell

The document referred to is the civil lawsuit filed by Miss Roberts in a New York court on August 9, in which she accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17.

The lawsuit specifically mentions being forced to have sex with him at socialite Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in Mayfair.

The force refused to confirm or deny reports that its officers had spoken to Miss Roberts, 38, who lives in Australia and is known by her married name, Giuffre. It was unclear if a formal statement was taken.

Scotland Yard said it 'continues to liaise with other law enforcement agencies who lead the investigation into matters related to Jeffrey Epstein'.

In her civil lawsuit, Miss Roberts also claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew at Epstein's mansion in New York and on Little St James, his private island in the Caribbean.

In her civil lawsuit, Miss Roberts also claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew at Epstein's mansion in New York and on Little St James, his private island in the Caribbean

Virginia Roberts accused the prince of having sex with her on three occasions when she was 17, knowing she had been trafficked by his close friend, the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

Princess Beatrice is pictured loving motherhood as she and husband Edoardo take their three-week-old baby for a walk A smiling Princess Beatrice appeared to be thoroughly enjoying motherhood as she took her three-week-old baby for a walk in London. It is the first glimpse of the new mum since Sienna Elizabeth  the Queens 12th great-grandchild  was born. The 33-year-old princess wore a casual outfit that included tracksuit bottoms and a quilted coat, as husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, took control of the pushchair during the walk with their friends last week. The 33-year-old princess wore a casual outfit that included tracksuit bottoms and a quilted coat, as husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, took control of the pushchair It comes as Sarah Ferguson called Princess Beatrice and Eugenie 'phenomenal mothers' in an interview. The Duchess of York, 61, fawned over her children while speaking to Hello magazine, revealing: 'My children are phenomenal mothers. They were great children but now they're phenomenal mothers. And now, I have these two exceptional grandchildren all in one year.' Meanwhile she said her seven-month-old grandson August has started 'smiling at her' and appears to find her 'genuinely funny.' She added: 'It's so funny because when August smiles at me now, because he's seven and a half months, you actually know he genuinely likes you. 'It's not a put-on smile, he genuinely finds me very funny which is quite lucky.' Advertisement

She alleges she was 'trafficked' to London in March 2001, where she was photographed next to Andrew in Maxwell's house.

Andrew has insisted he has 'no recollection' of meeting Miss Roberts and has repeatedly denied her account of events.

He told a 2019 Newsnight interview he was at a Pizza Express restaurant in Woking, Surrey, on the day they supposedly went dancing and had sex.

He has hired a team of well-known US lawyers to fight Miss Roberts' civil claim in New York, where a preliminary hearing is due to be held next month.

His legal team will seek to have the case thrown out, but have said they will challenge the allegations on a point-by-point basis if the lawsuit is allowed to go ahead.

Miss Roberts has also alleged she has suffered 'significant emotional and psychological distress and harm' because of her alleged abuse and is claiming damages which could run into millions of pounds if her case succeeds.

In her lawsuit, she claimed Andrew knew she was a victim of sex trafficking by Epstein, and also knew she was a minor under US law.

The lawsuit alleged she was 'compelled by express or implied threats by Epstein, Maxwell and/or Prince Andrew to engage in sexual acts with Prince Andrew, and feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions for disobeying Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew due to their powerful connections, wealth, and authority.'

Maxwell is to face a criminal trial next month accused of procuring and trafficking underage girls for Epstein. She denies the allegations.

Andrew stepped back from public life after the disastrous Newsnight interview over his relationship with convicted paedophile Epstein, 66, who was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on trafficking charges in 2019.

It comes as the duke's siblings have reportedly agreed at a secret summit in January that he should never be allowed to return to royal duties, or any public role.

Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward have agreed there is 'no way back' for Andrew, according to The Sun on Sunday newspaper.

Prince William also fears the scandal surrounding his uncle is 'dangerous' for the Royal Family and could pose a reputational threat to the monarchy.

A source told The Sunday Times: 'William is no fan of Uncle Andrew.'

Another source told the newspaper: 'There is no way in the world he's ever coming back, the family will never let it happen.'

William, Charles and the Queen held separate talks when Andrew stepped back from his royal duties, following his Newsnight interview over Miss Roberts' allegations.

He has kept a low profile since that interview, although he did speak to television cameras outside All Saints Chapel, Windsor Lodge, after the death of Prince Philip in April.

Queen, 95, worships in public for first time since Covid pandemic struck as royals close door on Andrew and Scotland Yard quiz Virginia Giuffre over claims he raped and sexually assaulted her at 17

ByChris Jewersand Katie Feehan For Mailonline

The Queen has been pictured joining the congregation at a church service on the grounds of Windsor Great Park for the first time since the pandemic struck.

Queen Elizabeth has been attending private services throughout the pandemic for the last 18 months but as lockdown restrictions have eased, she attended the service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of the nearby Royal Lodge.

The last time the Queen was pictured at the chapel was with late husband Prince Philip in July last year after the lockdown wedding of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Dressed in matching mauve coat and hat, the Queen appeared serious while she was driven to the church as legal difficulties facing her son Prince Andrew over allegations he assaulted American Virginia Giuffre.

It has been claimed the Duke of York will not return to public life after Charles, Edward and Anne closed the door on him and William branded him a 'threat to the royal family'.

Pictured: Earlier today, the Queen was pictured being driven to a public service for the first time since Covid began

Service attended by the Queen (pictured) took place at the Royal Chapel of All Saints on grounds of Royal Lodge at Windsor

Prince William (pictured left with the Duchess of Cambridge) sees his uncle Prince Andrew as a threat to the Royal Family and will never let him return to public life, according to a new report

The Duke of York (pictured in April after the death of his father, Prince Philip) has come under intense scrutiny for his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffery Epstein, and has been accused of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre at Epstein's New York home two decades ago

Sarah Ferguson 'is likely to be subpoenaed' if Prince Andrew fails to get Virginia Roberts' case thrown out of court in New York Relatives, aides and even ex-wife Sarah Ferguson could be forced into courtrooms to answer questions about Prince Andrew should the Duke's sex abuse case get the green light to go ahead in New York later this month. The Duke is privately preparing to hand over 'personal documents' in an intrusive process that could see relatives and Royal aides dragged into proceedings, reports the Telegraph. That could include ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has remained fiercely loyal to the embattled Duke, who is likely to face subpoena if Andrew fails to get his case thrown out. Royal insiders fear any such move would be a 'pretty traumatic' process that Andrew's lawyers would only ever enter with 'due caution', the Sunday Telegraph reported last week. The Duke has until October 29 to respond to the civil suit, with a remote hearing scheduled for November 3. Advertisement

Scotland Yard is also reported to have spoken to the Duke of York's sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre over claims she was raped and sexually assaulted by Andrew when she was 17.

The royal has come under intense scrutiny over the claims and over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffery Epstein.

Andrew, who is not facing any criminal charges, 'categorically' denies Ms Giuffre's claims against him and is thought to be keen to make a return as a working royal.

However, according to sources close to him, Prince William sees his uncle as a threat to the Royal Family and doesn't intend to let him return to public life.

The 39-year-old, who is second in line to the throne, is said to have been involved in crisis talks with his grandmother and father - The Queen and Prince Charles - over the decision to suspend Andrew from public duty.

It was also reported that Andrew's siblings - Charles, Anne and Edward - also ruled out his return to public duty at a meeting in January.

'There is no way in the world he's ever coming back, the family will never let it happen,' a royal source said, according to The Sunday Times. 'William is no fan of Uncle Andrew,' another source, a friend of William's, is reported to have said.

A third source was quoted saying that Prince William is 'triggered' by his uncle's perceived 'ungracious and ungrateful' attitude towards his position, which Williams considers 'a risk' and a 'threat to the family.'

'Any suggestion that there isn't gratitude for the institution, anything that could lead anyone in the public to think that senior members of the royal family aren't grateful for their position, [William thinks] is really dangerous,' the Sunday Times quoted the source as saying.

MailOnline was told that Buckingham Palace was not commenting on the matter.

Speaking to the The Sun, a source said: 'Nine months ago Charles, Anne and Edward had a meeting, a summit, and agreed there was no way back for him.'

It has been reported that Andrew's siblings - Prince Charles (pictured on Tuesday in Scotland), Princess Anne and Prince Edward - also ruled out his return to public duty

Speaking the The Sun , a source said: 'Nine months ago Charles, Anne (pictured left) and Edward (pictured with The Queen, right) had a meeting, a summit, and agreed there was no way back for him'

Sussexes' no-show at Diana party A party to honour the life of Diana, Princess of Wales will not be attended by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, it was revealed yesterday. The couple and their children Archie, two, and four-month-old Lilibet Diana will not return to Britain for the celebration at Kensington Palace on October 19. Harry, 37, was expected to join brother William at the event and his absence will be seen as another sign of the rift between them. The party was postponed from July 1, which would have been Dianas 60th birthday, by Covid restrictions although the brothers did made a brief appearance together then to unveil a statue of their mother. Harry had been expected to return for the rescheduled party but a spokesman for the Sussexes has reportedly confirmed he will not attend. Kensington Palace declined to comment. Advertisement

Virginia Roberts, who now goes by her married name of Giuffre, was last night reported to have been interviewed by officers after she filed a civil lawsuit in the US claiming that she was forced to have sex with the Prince on three separate occasions by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this year that Ms Giuffre had launched legal action in the US. Andrew, 61, has always vehemently denied her claims and any wrongdoing.

According to The Sunday Times, detectives recently quizzed Ms Giuffre after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick warned that no one is above the law.

The move could pave the way for a criminal investigation into the claims.

Ms Giuffre claims she was trafficked to the duke in March 2001 after being flown to London by Epstein and his alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell.

A photograph of Andrew, Ms Giuffre and Ms Maxwell, taken in the socialites mews house that night, was first published by The Mail on Sunday.

During his infamous interview with the BBCs Newsnight in 2019, Andrew denied the claims, saying that he had been at a Pizza Express restaurant in Woking, Surrey, that day.

His lawyers accepted that the Prince had been served with the civil suit on September 21, after Ms Giuffres team spent weeks trying to deliver it to him.

Last night, a Met spokesman said: We would not discuss who we may or may not have spoken to as part of any enquiry.

The development could lead to the Met opening a criminal investigation of Ms Giuffres claims that have been consistently and strenuously denied by the Duke.

The reports comes two days after it was announced that Andrew's legal team will be allowed to review a previously secret settlement which his lawyers hope will shield him from a sex abuse lawsuit in the US.

A US District Judge on Wednesday granted permission for the Duke of York's lawyers to receive a copy of a confidential agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre.

Ms Giuffre (pictured) is launching a US civil case against Prince Andrew, accusing him of sexually abusing a woman two decades ago, when she was underage

Ms Giuffre (allegedly pictured here in 2001 with Prince Andrew) is accusing the prince of having sex with her knowing she had been trafficked by Epstein and she was underage. She alleged this took place at the London home of Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell

Rich backers send value of Harry firm to 3bn By Calum Muirhead City Correspondent The value of the California-based mental health start-up that hired Prince Harry has topped 3billion after securing new funding from some of Silicon Valleys biggest players. BetterUp, which took on the Duke of Sussex as chief impact officer in March, has raised 220million from investors, valuing the company at around 3.4billion. One of the leaders of the funding round was Iconiq Capital, a secretive investment firm which has managed the money of tech billionaires including Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Other backers include Mubadala, a sovereign wealth fund connected to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed. BetterUp offers companies coaching regimes for their employees on topics ranging from mental fitness to nutrition and parenting. Its app costs around 181 per month for each user. Customers include Google, the Hilton hotel chain and movie studio Warner Bros. BetterUp said the funding boost will help its expansion and fuel new product innovation. The company recently announced plans to open a London office and hire 75 staff. Chief executive and co-founder Alexi Robichaux said: This funding will continue to accelerate our mission to bring the most comprehensive and powerful suite of tools to individuals and help them thrive, unlock their peak performance and live with purpose and clarity. The latest funding round takes the total amount the firm has raised to 441million and follows a similar 92million injection in February. While Harry receives a salary from BetterUp, the firm has not disclosed how much he is paid or if he owns shares or stock options. The prince and Meghan have netted several lucrative deals since their move to California. It was revealed last year they had signed a multi-year production deal with Netflix for content including documentaries, films and childrens programmes. They also announced a podcasting deal with Spotify to produce content. Both contracts are said to be worth tens of millions of dollars. Advertisement

Ms Giuffre, who has also accused Epstein of abuse, signed a settlement deal with the financier in 2009 as part of a Florida state case - to which the duke was not a party.

The deal between her and Esptein, who died in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges, has remained confidential.

Epstein's estate had agreed to let Prince Andrew's legal team review the legal document, but court approval was needed.

At a hearing in Manhatten last week, District Judge Loretta Preska granted the approval.

At a hearing last month, Andrew Brettler, a lawyer for the prince, told the judge overseeing Ms Giuffre's lawsuit that he believed the agreement 'absolves our client from any and all liability.'

During the first pre-trial hearing of the case last month, he said: 'There has been a settlement agreement that the plaintiff has entered into in a prior action that releases the duke and others from any and all potential liability.'

However, David Boies, one of the lawyers representing Ms Giuffre, said in a court filing last month that he believed the settlement was 'irrelevant' to her case against the prince.

He said: 'Although we believe that the release is irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew, now that service has been accepted and the case is proceeding to a determination on the merits, we believe that counsel for Prince Andrew have a right to review the release and to make whatever arguments they believe appropriate based on it.'

Mr Brettler said in an email he expects to receive the agreement soon from Ms Giuffre's lawyers.

Ms Giuffre is accusing the prince of having sex with her knowing she had been trafficked by Epstein and she was underage.

She alleged this took place at the London home of Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

She also said the prince abused her at Epstein's mansion in Manhattan, and on Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

She claims she was trafficked by Epstein, the duke's former friend, to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17 and a minor under US law.

She is seeking unspecified damages, but there is speculation the sum could be in the millions of dollars.

Andrew faces an October 29 deadline to formally respond to Giuffre's lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages.

Epstein, a registered sex offender, killed himself at age 66 in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

At a hearing last month, Andrew Brettler (pictured right), a lawyer for the prince, told the judge overseeing Ms Giuffre's lawsuit that he believed the agreement 'absolves our client from any and all liability.' However, David Boies (pictured left), one of the lawyers representing Ms Giuffre, said in a court filing last month that he believed the settlement was 'irrelevant' to her case against the prince.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to helping recruit and groom underage girls for Epstein to abuse. Her trial in Manhattan is scheduled for November 29.

It comes as it was reported last week that relatives, aides and even ex-wife Sarah Ferguson could be forced into courtrooms to answer questions about Prince Andrew should the Duke's sex abuse case get the green light to go ahead in New York later this month.

The Duke is privately preparing to hand over 'personal documents' in an intrusive process that could see relatives and Royal aides dragged into proceedings, reports the Telegraph.

That could include ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has remained fiercely loyal to the embattled Duke, who is likely to face subpoena if Andrew fails to get his case thrown out.

Prince Andrew, 61, is privately preparing to hand over 'personal documents' in an intrusive process that could see relatives, Royal aides and even ex-wife Sarah Ferguson dragged into his legal proceedings. Pictured together in 2019

The Queen (pictured left, at the Balmoral Cricket Pavilion in Scotland yesterday) is spending millions of pounds funding Prince Andrew's (right) fight against sex abuse allegations, reports say

Royal insiders fear any such move would be a 'pretty traumatic' process that Andrew's lawyers would only ever enter with 'due caution', the Sunday Telegraph reports.

The Duke has until October 29 to respond to the civil suit, with a remote hearing scheduled for November 3.

The news comes after one of the most dramatic cases of royal redemption after Prince's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson accompanied him to Balmoral in August as senior members of the Royal Family met for the first time since the civil suit was filed.

The Duchess has also said she is '100 per cent' certain that Andrew is telling the truth about his part in the scandal surrounding convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

She told the Financial Times: 'I want him [Andrew] to come through this. I want him to win.'

When asked why she was sure of his probity, she replied: 'No question. I know everything about him. I think he is an extraordinary person.'

The news comes as it was revealed the Queen is spending millions of pounds funding Prince Andrew's fight against sex abuse allegations.

Royal courtiers are said to expect the final legal bill to run into millions as the civil case against Andrew lingers for months or even yearsAnd a potential settlement or damages payout would cost millions more on top of the overall bill.
Australians were glued to their TV screens after Gladys Berejiklian announced her shock resignation as NSW Premier - but all may not have been as it seemed.

In the minutes after Ms Berejiklian's announcement ten days ago, media helicopters broadcast footage of what appeared to be the fallen Premier racing home from her office to her home in Sydney's north in a white Jeep.

Vision appeared to show Ms Berejiklian pausing in her driveway as a crowd of media gathered outside, before the car reversed out of the driveway and took off for the city again.





Now it can be revealed it was all an elaborate con - with the car hundreds of thousands of TV viewers watched actually a decoy, according to a new report.

The Australian's Media Diary column claimed on Monday that the decoy was a clever tactic dreamed up by Ms Berejiklian's media director, the former Seven News reporter Sean Berry.

Ms Berejiklian was apparently in a white Jeep (pictured) after her resignation as media crews followed her but it turns out this was a decoy

Ms Berejiklian's former media director Sean Berry (pictured) reportedly came up with the idea of the decoy white Jeep

Schapelle Corby pulled a similar stunt when she returned to Queensland from Bali in 2018 with her minders using a decoy car to mislead the press pack.

And in the most famous example of a media helicopter chase, local news stations in the U.S, leased seven helicopters to follow a white Ford Bronco containing OJ Simpson as it traveled along California's freeways in 1994 while 95 million Americans watched.

Mr Berry declined to comment.

The revelation Ms Berejiklian used a decoy was slammed on Twitter as a 'childish waste of time and money' on Monday.

Ms Berejiklian (pictured) resigned on October 1 just before the NSW capital was set to emerge from a gruelling four month lockdown

The former premier's resignation was prompted by the NSW anti-corruption watchdog, ICAC. announcing it would be investigating her.

Specifically the ICAC is looking at whether Ms Berejiklian encouraged or allowed corrupt conduct by her secret ex-boyfriend and former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire between 2012 and 2018.

It will also investigate whether she breached public trust by not reporting any suspicion of corrupt conduct.

Mr Maguire admitted being involved in a cash-for-visa scheme and seeking secret commissions for brokering property deals. He was forced to resign in 2018.

Ms Berejiklian - who appeared to have been crying at her resignation - denied any wrongdoing and slammed the watchdog for announcing its investigation into her as the state emerges from a four-month Covid lockdown.

'Resigning at this time is against every instinct in my being and something which I do not want to do,' she said.

The ex-Premier appeared at her Willoughby office on Wednesday which was awash in a sea of flowers and cards voicing support for her

Since she resigned, Ms Berejiklian has been keeping a low profile.

She did make a brief appearance at her electorate office in Northbridge on Wednesday morning to thank the community.

Mr Berry (pictured) is a former television news reporter based in Sydney

Wearing a mask and flanked by Federal Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman, she picked up flowers and cards which were left outside the door by devastated constituents.

The now-former premier said the messages of support were 'very comforting' and pledged to read every single one of them.

'I want everyone to know that I will read every single card, every single message,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Asked how she has been going since stepping down, the former premier said: 'Oh OK thank you'.

Ms Berejiklian revealed what she said in a message to her Liberal Party colleagues which was read to them by her successor Dominic Perrottet on Wednesday.

'I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone, and I want everyone to get behind Premier Perrottet, I know he will be an outstanding leader,' she said.

'Follow the Premier's words and make sure we come out of this lockdown as safely as possible.'

Ms Berejiklian had been premier since 2017.

The white Jeep parked outside Ms Berejiklian's Lower North Shore home before driving off without anyone exiting (pictured)

There has been talk of her entering federal politics with Prime Minister Scott Morrison voicing his support.

'We have a proper selection process in our party and there are many different ways that she could (contribute). They don't necessarily need to be in the parliament,' Mr Morrison said.

Former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance also thinks the move would be good.

'If Glad can get cleared up, whatever these issues are, you know, through the public hearing process, I think she'd be unreal,' Mr Constance told ABC radio on Tuesday.

'You couldn't have a more hard-working, deeply principled, you know, Australian female politician than Gladys Berejiklian.
Patients are enduring a postcode lottery, with the worst-hit areas of the country served by half as many GPs as the best.

Official figures reveal the average number of people per family doctor has risen 5 per cent to 2,038 over the past six years.

But in some areas the figure is nearly 3,000  a stark contrast to the best-provided districts which have just 1,600 patients per GP.

High population growth and a shrinking health workforce are behind the huge disparities.

The shocking figures will put fresh pressure on ministers to tackle poor access to face-to-face appointments and treatment.

A string of deaths suggests that cancer and other serious illnesses are being missed because so many consultations are now carried out by phone or video.

A Daily Mail campaign is calling for in-person appointments to be the default option.

Patients are enduring a postcode lottery, with the worst-hit areas of the country served by half as many GPs as the best as population increases and lack of doctors is blamed for the disparity

The NHS is battling a soaring backlog as a result of the Covid pandemic, with the Government admitting the record waiting list for hospital treatment will worsen before it gets better and could reach a massive 13million.

The GP data comes from an analysis by House of Commons Library staff for the Liberal Democrats.

These figures that have been uncovered are probably one of the main reasons why there is such a postcode lottery over face-to-face appointments, said Dennis Reed of the older peoples group Silver Voices.

He called on the Department of Health to review GP contracts to ensure that doctors were working sufficient hours and in all areas of the country.

It shouldnt just be left to chance as to whether you live in an area with good coverage or not, he added.

There should be some sort of incentive whereby GPs are encouraged to go where theres very low coverage, and others could be incentivised to come out of retirement.

The NHS is battling a soaring backlog with the Government admitting the record waiting list for hospital treatment will worsen before it gets better and could reach a massive 13million

Excluding trainees, the number of family doctors fell by 1 per cent from 28,115 in September 2015 to 27,752 this June.

At the same time the population of England has increased by 3.2 per cent.

In Fylde and Wyre, Lancashire, there are 2,833 patients per GP, the highest ratio in the whole of England.

The next most over-stretched area is Hull with 2,761 people per family doctor. The 36 per cent rise there over five years is blamed on the number of local doctors plummeting.

Portsmouth has seen the sharpest rise in patients  40 per cent  meaning there are now 2,559 per doctor in the city.

Lung cancer and mental health issue diagnoses 'still virtual' People with lung cancer and mental health issues are still not getting diagnoses in person. The Mail is campaigning for more face-to-face GP consultations, but there is also evidence from around the country that some patients are still unable to see hospital consultants and mental health experts in person. In one case a man was told in a call that he had a year to live, the health scrutiny committee of Wakefield Council in West Yorkshire was told. He has since received an apology. Another patient was told remotely she had lung cancer and one woman was misdiagnosed with Parkinsons over the phone. Meanwhile a mother from Bridgend in Wales who attempted suicide and was sectioned in 2019 has not had a face-to-face appointment in 18 months. Aimee, 29, told the BBC: All my treatment has been solely over the phone with a GP. A Welsh government spokesman said it was investing 42million this year into improving mental health and wellbeing. Advertisement

The best ratio in the country was in Liverpool, with 1,614 people per GP, followed by Oxfordshire and Wirral.

In Fylde and Wyre just 69 GPs have to cater for a population of 195,906 but in Liverpool 310 of them serve 500,474.

Separate figures from the British Medical Association show that the number of fully-qualified GPs has dropped by 1,803 since 2015.

Many have quit or switched to part-time or locum work to avoid stress, ill-health and burnout. Even the number of surgeries has dropped, partly because of mergers but also through staffing issues.

Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said: This postcode lottery is leaving our hard-working GPs overstretched and patients waiting too long for treatment.

Its clearer than ever that the Government needs to boost funding, train more doctors and get people the service they deserve. The Government is letting down patients who deserve a fair deal.

Dr Richard Vautrey of the BMA said: These figures clearly highlight the serious pressure that is being placed upon general practice at present, as the shortage of GPs alongside a large increase in demand means that many practices are struggling.

In many parts of the country it is very difficult to recruit and retain sufficient GPs, practice nurses and other staff.

This then adds further pressure on an already overburdened workforce, with the risk of burnout and some leaving the profession altogether.

A 2019 league table from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ranks Britain 22nd worldwide, with an average of three physicians per 1,000. This puts the UK below most European nations as well as Russia and Australia.

The list is topped by Austria with 5.3 physicians per 1,000.

Ahead of the last election the Conservatives promised to get 6,000 more doctors in general practice by 2025. A previous pledge to get 5,000 more by 2020 was not met.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Last year a record-breaking number of doctors started training as GPs.

'We are grateful for the tireless efforts of GPs throughout the pandemic and have invested 270million to expand capacity. We are committed to increasing the number of training places available to 4,000 a year.
A former MasterChef contestant has had her cookbook withdrawn from circulation after another writer accused her of plagiarism.

Elizabeth Haigh, 33, who has won a Michelin star for her work at east London restaurant Pidgin, released her book Makan  which means 'to eat' in Malay  earlier this year.

It was widely praised, with Nigella Lawson, even proudly posting Mrs Haigh's recipe for the Chinese dish Mapo tofu on her website.

However, a lesser-known author  Sharon Wee  now claims many of the recipes and anecdotes in Makan are suspiciously similar to ones she published in her 2012 book, Growing up in a Nonya Kitchen.

Elizabeth Haigh, 33, is a former Masterchef contestant and won a Michelin star for her work at east London restaurant Pidgin. She released her book Makan  which means 'to eat' in Malay  earlier this year

Both books contain memories and recipes relating to the writers' Singaporean heritage.

The word Nonya refers both to a woman of Chinese or mixed ancestry and to a spicy Singaporean cuisine combining Malay and Chinese ingredients.

Miss Wee said there were striking resemblances between the two titles  and Mrs Haigh was accused of lifting 15 recipes and reminiscences from her work.

Yesterday Miss Wee said Bloomsbury, the publisher of Makan, assured her that it is withdrawing Mrs Haigh's cookbook from sale.

She said: 'I was distressed to discover certain recipes and other content from my book had been copied or paraphrased without my consent in Makan by Elizabeth Haigh and I immediately brought this to the attention of the book's publisher, Bloomsbury Absolute.'

Miss Wee added: 'I am grateful that Bloomsbury has responded to my concerns by removing Makan from circulation.'

Bloomsbury has removed all reference to Makan, pictured, from its websites.

Online bookshop Cook the Books said it was asked by the publisher to 'quietly withdraw' the title from its site.

Mrs Haigh, who now runs an award-winning Singaporean street food restaurant called Mei Mei in central London, has become a respected voice in the industry, recently hosting a BBC Radio 4 programme about the MeToo movement and bullying in the kitchen.

The 2011 MasterChef contestant has also hit out at other chefs including Heston Blumenthal and Marco Pierre White for their comments about female cooks.

Miss Lawson previously wrote of Makan: 'I just threw myself into this engaging, welcoming and rewarding book.'

But many of the recipes and prefaces are claimed to be barely changed from Miss Wee's publication.

For example, a recipe for sweet potatoes in ginger syrup seems to be directly lifted from the earlier cookbook.

Mrs Haigh (pictured centre) has become a respected voice in the industry, recently hosting a BBC Radio 4 programme about the MeToo movement and bullying in the kitchen. The 2011 MasterChef contestant has also hit out at other chefs including Heston Blumenthal and Marco Pierre White for their comments about female cooks

Miss Wee writes: 'Ginger is thought to 'pukol angin' (beat the toxic gases and dampness out of you to relieve aches and pains). Hence, post-natal mothers were given lots of ginger to 'beat the wind'.'

Meanwhile, Mrs Haigh's entry reads: 'Ginger is thought to have healing properties  'pukol angin' (to beat the toxic gases and dampness out of you to relieve aches and pains). This is why postnatal mothers were given lots of ginger to 'beat the wind'.'

The ingredients listed are also exactly the same. At no point is Miss Wee credited for her work.

Asked if she felt pressure to be 'authentic', Mrs Haigh said in an interview earlier this year: 'There is a constant pressure... I am Singaporean-born, I am British, I live in the UK, I run a Singaporean restaurant. I use English chickens, I don't use kampung [Malaysian] chickens  how can anything be authentic?'

The chef added: 'At the same time, I do everything with respect, which is how I have approached the topic of authenticity. It is food from my heritage, and it has a story to tell.'

Mrs Haigh did not respond to requests for comment last night.
Dominic Perrottet could only muster a vague answer when he was directly asked whether Dr Kerry Chant supported his changes to the NSW freedom roadmap.

The chief health officer will be absent from the Premier's media news conference celebrating restrictions lifting on Monday - the third time within days she's missed a milestone announcement.

The no shows have raised suspicions the premier and Dr Chant don't see eye to eye over his accelerated roadmap out of lockdown, despite her vocal support of the plan at the weekend.

In an interview with the Today Show on Monday, Mr Perrottet shut down talk of a fallout with Dr Chant, insisting the pair have a 'very strong' relationship.

Dominic Perrottet (right) has been forced to deny speculation he's had a falling out with NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant (left) in his first week in the job.

'Not at all. I am not sure where that's come from,' Mr Perrottet said.

'I think by far she is the best health officer in the country and we will continue to work closely together as we move through this period of time.

'As soon as I became premier, I spent two hours with her and Brad Hazzard and went through the challenges that lie ahead and I am confident we have the best team on the park as we move through this time.'

Mr Perrottet gave a less convincing answer when grilled by Today show co-host Allison Langdon as to whether Dr Chant supported his changes to the roadmap last week, including increases to home and outdoor gatherings.

Dominic Perrottet (pictured on Monday) gave an unconvincing response when asked whether the state's chief health officer supported his changes to the NSW roadmap out of lockdown

'There was no divergence from the approach we have taken before,' he replied.

'We look at and examine the health advice. We look at the mental health advice and the economic advice and then the government makes decisions off the back of it.

'It's the role of elected officials to consider the advice that is available and make decisions in the best interests of our state. It's the collective responsibility of the executive of the government and that's what 's occurred in the past and will occur going forward.'

Monday will be the third time within days Dr Chant won't be present for a milestone press conference as the state recorded less than 500 new cases for a second consecutive day.

More than 100 days in lockdown ended for millions of Sydneysiders when the clock struck 12.01am o Monday. Pictured is the queue of thirsty revellers outside Canterbury Leagues

On Friday, deputy Premier Paul Toole rejected reports she was not on board with changes Mr Perrottet introduced after stepping into his new role.

'I had a crisis cabinet the day before and Kerry Chant was in the meeting. We don't make decisions without the support of NSW Health or Dr Kerry Chant,' he said.

Earlier in the Today show interview, Mr Perrottet revealed he spoke to his predecessor's warring partner, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

'We had a great chat. It went quite well,' he added.'
Daniel Andrews has copped criticism from lockdown-weary parents after allowing thousands of punters to watch the Melbourne Cup before Victorian children can return to the classroom.

The Victorian premier will let up to 10,000 fully-vaccinated spectators attend the Melbourne Cup on November 2 and Oaks Day on November 4 as part of a trial to test Covid transmission at large-scale events.

School kids though will have to wait until November 5 - when the state is set to have hit its 80 per cent double vaccination target - to go back to face-to-face learning five days a week.

Education Minister James Merlino on Sunday said his government had no plan to fast track back-to-school plans unless vaccination rates grew significantly.

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Punters pictured at the Melbourne Cup. Daniel Andrews has copped criticism from lockdown-weary parents for allowing 10,000 to attend Oaks Day before kids can go back to school in Victoria

THE DELTA BLUNDERS: DANIEL ANDREWS' COVID MISHAPS SINCE PLUNGING VICTORIA INTO A SIXTH LOCKDOWN August 5 - Mr Andrews and his top officials celebrated a 'doughnut day' of zero cases on August 4, only for Victoria to enter its sixth Covid lockdown 24 hours later after the state recorded six new infections. He had written simply 'zero' in a post on his official Facebook account to celebrate the state's first day without a local infection since July 12. September 29 - The percentage of Victorians who thought he was doing a good job at managing Covid-19 crashed to a 2021-low of just 44 per cent. The figure slumped from 50 per cent two weeks before and is 19 points below Mr Andrews' 63 per cent peak recorded in May. October 1 - Victorian golfers were allowed to enjoy their sport for the first time in weeks - only for the Andrews government to ban them from using the toilet while on the course. Golf clubs in Melbourne were allowed to re-open on September 29 as a reward for the state reaching the 80 per cent single-dose Covid vaccination milestone. But the sport's governing body that evening revealed health officials had told them to keep all indoor facilities, including toilet blocks, closed to their members. October 8 - The Victorian premier was fined $400 for breaching his own lockdown rules by not wearing a mask two days in a row. The Victoria Premier failed to wear a mask outside Parliament on October 6 and October 7 and was fined $200 for each infringement. Police investigated after footage taken by journalists showed him walking though the car park after getting out of his car without a mask on. Advertisement

'If Oaks Day is contingent on 80 per cent, can't schools be?' Victorian Opposition Education spokesman David Hodgett told The Herald Sun.

'We are happy to see crowds returning to events, but why is the Melbourne Cup being prioritised before education.'

With Victoria now predicted to hit the 80 per cent coverage rate days ahead of schedule, parents have urged the state government to bring forward their back-to-school plan.

'The inconsistencies are glaring and frustrating,' lobby group #WhatsThePlanDan spokeswoman Associate Professor Caroline Dowling said.

'I think it's incredibly inconsistent and inconsiderate of the government to think it's okay to have 10,000 people at the Melbourne Cup when schools have not properly reopened.'

New South Wales is likewise planning to hold its Everest event for 10,000 punters this Saturday - prior to schools starting to re-open on October 18.

Last year, the Victorian state government was heavily criticised for allowing 1,000 horse owners to attend the Cox Plate while social gatherings were heavily restricted.

Premier Daniel Andrews' government has no plan to fast track back-to-school plans unless vaccination rates grow significantly

Bentleigh Secondary College students in Melbourne during the pandemic. School kids will have to wait until November 5 - when the state is set to have hit its 80 per cent double vaccination target - to go back to face-to-face learning

Victorian businesses meanwhile are trialling new Covid-19 vaccine authorisation systems to check their customers are fully vaccinated.

BodyFit Training in Bendigo is one of 15 regional venues participating in the trial starting on Monday.

The system will be scaled up so double-vaccinated Victorians can attend the Melbourne Cup and live music within weeks, under plans to open up the economy when the state hits 80 per cent vaccination targets.

Victoria on Monday recorded 1,612 cases, almost 300 fewer than the previous day, despite fears they could soon hit 3,000.

On Sunday Victoria added 1,890 infections to its caseload and an additional five deaths over the past 24 hours

Melbourne is spending its 253rd day in lockdown since the pandemic began, with restrictions likely to last many more weeks as the state inches towards a 70 per cent vaccination rate.

Meanwhile, NSW's lockdown ends today after 106 days with shops opening and stay-at-home orders revoked across the state.

Victoria will stay in lockdown until October 26, but will be subject to harsher restrictions including a ban on home visits until after 80 per cent vaccination.
More than a quarter of Londons gang murders are linked to drill music that glamorises violence, a study has revealed.

The report, which criticised Scotland Yards approach to knife crime, noted that black or ethnic minority people make up more than 80 per cent of gang-related murder victims in the capital.

Black people in London are five times more likely than white people to be hospitalised due to a stabbing, the Policy Exchange report found.

The analysis of ten years of data found that a combination of drill rap, social media, tit-for-tat revenge attacks and failures in police strategy are causing dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries each year.

At least 25 per cent of gang-related stabbings are linked to revenge, with social media posts and online scoreboards leading to a never-ending cycle of violence, the report said.

More than a quarter of Londons gang murders are linked to drill music that glamorises violence, a study has revealed. Pictured: Police on scene after 20-year-old Crosslon Davis - a member of the drill group Harlem Spartans - was stabbed to death in Deptford back in 2019

Specifically, the analysis found that of the 41 gang-related homicides in 2018, at least 15 (36 per cent) were directly linked to drill music, where either the victim or perpetrator was an aspiring drill rapper, or drill videos were used as evidence in the trial. This figure was 23 per cent for the 44 gang-related homicides in 2019.

Drill rappers are known to taunt rival gangs in their music videos with threats of extreme violence, which often become a reality.

Crosslon Davis, 20, a member of the Harlem Spartans drill group, was hacked to death by four youths in Deptford, south-east London in December 2019. Elijah Morgan, 20, and Jedaiah Param, 21, were jailed for a minimum of 28 years in April.

Huge brands are being blamed for encouraging the violent taunts by paying the rappers to endorse products or offering free merchandise to wear in the music videos. The Daily Mail revealed in 2018 that Adidas was one such company.

Pictured: 20-year-old Crosslon Davis was a member of the Harlem Spartans drill group when was hacked to death by four youths in Deptford, south-east London in December 2019

The Policy Exchange report also names the company, highlighting its social media campaign with drill rapper Irving Adjei, just three weeks before he was jailed for possessing a knife last year.

Adidas rejected the claims, saying: We condemn all forms of violence and in no way condone gang culture or the carrying of knifes.

The damning report found little evidence of any long-term strategy working to reduce knife crime, despite boasts from London Mayor Sadiq Khan about the effectiveness of his policies.

Policy Exchange senior fellow Trevor Phillips said: If we are to reduce the number of young Londoners  and yes, especially black boys  being killed... we have to start by being realistic about who this is affecting, where and why.
Tyson Fury told crowds of supporters 'they will talk about this night for 1,000 years' as he partied into the night following his thrilling trilogy fight victory over Deontay Wilder.

The Gypsy King, 33, beat Wilder in the 11th round on Saturday despite being floored twice by the Bronze Bomber seven rounds earlier to retain his WBC and Ring Magazine titles in Las Vegas.

Following his triumphant win, the boxer was seen swigging 800-a-bottle vodka, jumping on top of the DJ booth and singing to fans as he celebrated until 3am at Vegas's Hakkasan nightclub, which is situated next to the MGM Grand Arena where he beat Wilder.

The shirtless boxer told revellers: 'Am I the greatest heavyweight of my era? Without a doubt. I believe I could beat anyone in history.

Tyson Fury (pictured with DJ Steve Aoki) partied into the night with fans as he celebrated his triumphant win at Las Vegas's Hakkasan venue on Saturday

The boxer told crowds of supporters 'they will talk about this night for 1,000 years' as he partied into the small hours

The shirtless boxer beat Wilder in the 11th round on Saturday despite being floored twice by the Bronze Bomber

'They'll be talking about this f***ing fight a thousand years from today. They'll say where were you? You were all here with the champ!'

Earlier in the night Fury declared himself the 'greatest heavyweight of my era' after retaining his WBC title.

He said: 'I can only beat whoever's in my era and I've done that all my life. I can only beat the best of my day and I've done that. I'm the greatest heavyweight of my era, without a doubt

'I've had three fights with the biggest puncher in the history of my sport, in my division. And he caught me twice in the fourth round. But I was never thinking ''this is over''. I was thinking, ''OK, good shot, but I will get you back in a minute.'' And I did.'

Fury entered the famous Hakkasan nightclub, where he partied with wife Paris, brother Tommy, 22 and the rest of his entourage, at around 12.15am, The Sun reports.

The father-of-six was seen entering the club to the AC/DC hit You Shook Me All Night Long and later dancing on top of a stage in front of hundreds of partygoers, holding what appeared to be a Bud Light beer.

The shirtless Fury was also seen singing along to Queen's 'We Are The Champions' with his team before blowing kisses to the crowds and jumping on top of the DJ booth.

As the celebrations continued, the boxer was also spotted drinking from 800 bottles of Grey Goose vodka and singing Sweet Caroline as the crowds chanted his name.

Following his triumphant win, the shirtless boxer sang to the crowds and jumped on the DJ booth

Fury was also congratulated by American DJ Steve Aoki (pictured together) who was present at the Las Vegas fight

Before reaching the venue, Fury was congratulated by American DJ Steve Aoki who was present at the Las Vegas fight venue for the Briton's victory on Saturday night.

Aoki was in charge of the DJ set for the afterparty in Hakkasan, and was seen trying to motivate dancers at the club in a video published on his Instagram story.

The Hakkasan venue was where Fury celebrated his February 2020 win over Wilder, with Aoki running the set after that victory as well.

The Grammy-nominated artist has worked with the likes of Will.i.am, the Backstreet Boys and Blink-182, and is known for throwing cake into his audiences during gigs.

Fury also posed for photographs with his WBC and Ring Magazine belts with Aoki, before doing the same with his support team that includes trainer SugarHill Steward and wife Paris.

Tyson Fury (right, pictured with wife Paris) celebrated his win over Deontay Wilder at the Las Vgas nightclub on Saturday night

Fury (left) was seen dancing with his top off at Las Vegas' Hakkasan nightclub after his victory

The Gypsy King was also seen singing along to 'We Are The Champions' at the Las Vegas venue

The Gypsy King also paid tribute to those closest to him for helping him through the thrilling Wilder fight.

Fury said in his post-fight interview: 'I'm the WBC champ, Ring Magazine champion and the lineal champion.

'You know what, I have to say thank you to my trainer SugarHill because if it wasn't for Sugar, America's own, Detroit's own, I wouldn't have got through that fight tonight.

'He told me: get your jab working big dog and chew that right hand down the middle.

'Only the big dogs pull it out late on in fights. And I said: ''Yes, I got ya'' and I pulled it out the bag.

Fury (middle) won via an 11th round stoppage in Vegas during the trilogy fight with Wilder

Fury's wife Paris took to social media on Saturday night to pay tribute to her victorious husband, uploading an image of the pair with his retained belts, captioning the snap: 'Best man walking! And I love him and am incredibly proud.'

The win was Fury's second triumph over Wilder after the Briton beat the Bronze Bomber in February of last year, but the Gyspy King was forced to take on the American once again instead of facing countryman Anthony Joshua this year.

Victory over Wilder means Fury can now pursue a unification fight for the remaining heavyweight belts, which are currently held by Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk who beat Joshua last month in London.

However, Joshua is due to rematch Usyk next year so the all-British unification heavyweight match-up could still take place, providing the Watford-born boxer wins the second fight, which is due to take place next year.

Fury endured a tough rivalry with Wilder which saw both fighters go on expletive-laden rants against each other during the press conference and weigh-in meets that preceded Saturday's trilogy fight.

Fury (right) was snapped with American DJ Steve Aoki (left) who did the music set at Hakkasan

Fury (back) is now one step closer to a unification clash for all the heavyweight belts

The Gypsy King revealed that he tried to congratulate the American for his efforts after the fight but Wilder was too disconsolate to acknowledge Fury's gesture.

Speaking about the conversation, Fury recalled: 'I said ''well done, mate'' and he said ''I don't want to show any sportsmanship or respect.'' I said ''No problem.'' I was very surprised. Sore loser. Idiot.'

The American has repeatedly made excuses for his defeat in the pair's second meeting - and claimed he won the first fight despite the decision of the judges.

'I'm a sportsman,' Fury added in an interview on BT Sport. 'I went over to (Wilder to) show some love and respect and he didn't want to show it back. So I pray for him.'

Fury ended his post-fight interview by serenading the crowd with 'Walking in Memphis', though replaced the American city with Vegas for his rendition.

The Briton has been known to sing after his victories, with Fury treating the crowd to 'American Pie' when he beat Wilder back in February 2020.
A tidal wave of text scams is sweeping Britain as fraudsters seek to cash in on an online shopping boom.

Millions of people have reported receiving a fake parcel delivery text in recent months, with one of the most common mimicking Royal Mail. And victims caught out by these convincing messages can lose anything from a few pounds to life-changing sums of money.

Recipients are typically asked to pay a modest charge or shipping fee for the delivery of an item, and directed to an online form where they can enter their details.

But in reality, the websites are fake and have been set up by crooks to harvest victims personal data, which they can then exploit to steal even more money.

This might involve posing as your bank to trick you into handing over your savings, or stealing your identity to take out loans in your name.

Millions have reported receiving a fake parcel delivery text recently, with one of the most common mimicking Royal Mail (pictured) which can cost victims life-changing sums of cash

Professional criminals operate fraud factories, churning out scam messages to random mobile numbers at speed and in bulk. It costs them little, but makes them hundreds of millions of pounds a year from victims.

These scam texts come in all sorts of different guises. And it is a constantly evolving threat, with crooks adept at keeping up-to-date with current events, such as news emerging about the pandemic.

Text messages will typically copy genuine communications sent by organisations to customers. And the bogus subject matter can cover anything from parcel deliveries to vaccinations and Covid passes.

What to do if you fear you've been caught out IF you think you have been scammed, contact your bank straight away. Ensure you use a telephone number you know to be correct. This could be found on one of your statements, the banks website or on the back of your debit or credit card. You should also report fraud attempts to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at actionfraud.police.uk. Those in Scotland should call Police Scotland via 101 or Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000. Advertisement

Fake parcel delivery scams are the most common text frauds, according to UK Finance. And three in five people are estimated to have received one in the past year, according to research by consumer group Which?

Others imitate PayPal, TV Licensing, the DVLA, your bank, Amazon, the taxman and other official bodies. Any organisation is considered fair game  so much so that experts advise you to trust no one in a text.

M embers of the British public filed more than 146,000 reports of suspicious messages with Action Fraud in the latest financial year.

This is an 80 pc increase compared with the previous year and is thought to be only the tip of the iceberg as so many go unreported.

More than a third of reports related to text messages, with the majority of the remainder linked to phone calls. But fraudsters often use both methods in the same scam, starting with a text then moving to a phone call. This call may follow the text message, but not always immediately after.

Fraudsters often imitate your bank and raise suspicions about suspected fraud on your account.

And once they have won your trust, he or she will try to convince you to shift money to a safe account.

An account that actually belongs to criminals. The crooks will withdraw or transfer the money almost immediately, making it hard for banks to trace.

Sarah Sinden, manager of the Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign at banking trade body UK Finance, says: We have a trust reflex when we think were communicating with an organisation or someone authoritative.

'We dont have the same level of suspicion wed have if someone asked for the same details in the street.

Text scams are sophisticated and convincing as fraudsters capitalise on online shopping boom

Katherine Hart is lead officer on scams for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, a consumer protection organisation.

She says: Scams are forever evolving and scammers jump on any opportunity. Renewing passports could be the next big thing among fraudsters, along with texts about energy-saving grants.

How to block menacing landline pests at home Thieves routinely strike fear straight into the sanctuary of home. Armed with a story and a commanding tone, they hound people on landline phones. Most are initially robocalls. An automated voice warns of your imminent arrest for non-payment of tax, or of your impending disconnection from the internet. You might be instructed to press one to avoid whatever crisis is supposedly unfolding. Ultimately you are connected to a person ready to lie and steal your money. Other calls are live from the outset, dialled by a criminal or sales pest. Callers imitate BT, broadband providers, and even the police  quoting rank and fictional badge numbers. They spin yarns about Amazon Prime memberships or flog dodgy pension deals. Tens of thousands of nuisance calls are reported by the public each month. These are recorded by the Information Commissioners Office  the UKs data protection watchdog. Complaints more than doubled in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period last year. The ICO monitors companies that break communication rules, rather than chasing fraudsters. But its not easy to tell the difference. Katherine Hart, from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, warns the calls always sound urgent. She says: It will put you into some sort of panic mode. Just put the phone down. If you are worried about whether a call is legitimate, hang up and call the organisation yourself. Use a number from a trusted online source or directory enquiries. To contact your bank, use the number printed on the back of your debit or credit card. Consider calling from a different handset too, such as a mobile. Some landline providers offer free call-filtering tools, which block scammers. To opt out of legitimate sales and marketing calls, register with the telephone preference service at tpsonline.org.uk. Advertisement

'The text might suggest clicking on a link to save money on energy bills or to find the best energy grant for home improvements.

Another emerging trend is impersonation scams. A fraudster messages pretending to be a relative or friend saying they have a temporary new number and need you to send them money.

The Trading Standards Institute issued a warning last month about it. In a real-life example, a woman called Alison had a text addressing her as mum, saying: I dropped my phone down the loo (sad emoji) this is my new number.

Alison replied, asking if the message was from her son Will. Naturally, the fraudster said yes.

The next day the fraudster asked Alison for 2,600 to pay a loan shark. Alison tried to call the number she believed was Wills, but was told he couldnt take the call.

Fortunately, Alison didnt complete the transaction properly and soon found out her son was not in strife.

Ms Hart says: The person in the text says they need urgent help. The first thing any parent reading such a message will do is try to protect their child. It exploits a persons emotional vulnerability.

Professionals fighting financial crime refer to this as a hot state. Its the moment of panic where something so unsettling makes people leap into action without thinking rationally about financial security.

Ms Sinden says: Criminals are experts at what they do. They will look at what measures the banking industry puts in place and think of ways round them. They will work using scripts, and there is an answer for everything.

Treat any request in an unsolicited text with extreme caution, and never click on links or reply.

Sending a message back demonstrates your number is in use and that you will engage.

Ms Sinden says: Criminals take advantage of the fact we dont like to say no or appear impolite.

Report suspicious texts for free by forwarding them to 7726, which spells out spam on a mobile keypad. It takes a few seconds, adds Ms Sinden.

And it allows phone companies to build intelligence, block the fraudsters, and help stop other people from becoming victims.

Those relating to HM Revenue and Customs can also be forwarded to 60599, charged at your networks rate.

The taxman says it will never send a text about a rebate or penalty. Nor will it ask for personal or payment information in a text.

Similarly, banks will never ask you to transfer money out to a secure or safe account. Consider downloading anti-virus software for your mobile phone. Anti-virus apps from McAfee, Norton, AVG and Bitdefender can be downloaded via your phones app store.

If you have been contacted by a new number by someone claiming to be a family member, take steps to verify their identity.

Ms Hart says: Try to call their last known number. Be very cautious if money is asked for.

Visit takefive-stopfraud.org.uk.

Steve Friend lost 3,500 in Royal Mail scam

I lost 3,500 to bogus bank scam

Married father-of-two Steve Friend, 52, received what he thought was a text message from Royal Mail in March.

Like many people in lockdown Steve shopped online. So, a demand for 2.50 to deliver a parcel seemed plausible.

But after clicking on the link and making a payment, he was called a week later by a woman claiming to be from Lloyds Bank who wanted to discuss suspected fraud on his account. This included transferring money via online banking to a safe account.

Steve, who owns the company Lexden Builders and lives in Colchester, Essex, says: It makes your blood run cold when you think about how youve been done over.

The fraudster told him to call his bank to finalise the process. Only then did he end up speaking to the real Lloyds Bank. He was told all previous conversations were a scam. It bamboozled me, adds Steve. I didnt know who to trust.

Some 5,000 of Steves money was recovered, but he lost 3,500.

And Lloyds Bank refused to refund the remainder because he had ignored online banking security warnings. Steve says he only did what he thought the bank was asking him to do.

He has referred his case to the Financial Ombudsman, which settles disputes between financial companies and customers.

A spokesman for Lloyds Bank says: Your bank or a proper company will never ask you to move money to a different account. If anyone does, its a scam.

Susan Carmichael was almost caught out

1.80 Post Office fee scam almost caught me

Fraudsters used both text messages and emails to snare Susan Carmichael.

The 67-year-old retired teacher from the West Midlands had ordered goods from Switzerland earlier this year.

One parcel had duly arrived, but Susan was anxiously awaiting the delivery of a second  a gift for her niece.

When she received an email from Royal Mail in February, explaining she owed 1.80, it seemed to solve the mystery of her missing package. She paid the fee with her bank card.

A text message followed asking her to click on a link and submit further information for the release of the parcel. This text raised Susans suspicions so she called the company she originally ordered from.

Susan says: It uses FedEx, not Royal Mail. I also looked back at the original email and noticed a spelling mistake. I called my bank right away to cancel my card.

Susans bank wanted to know if she had clicked on the link in the text. Sometimes this can trigger a download of malicious software onto a persons phone without them knowing. Fraudsters can then access sensitive information stored on the phone.

I dont want to think about what that link could have led to, adds Susan. I still feel foolish and thought I was quite savvy. In a certain set of circumstances, I think a lot of people could fall for this scam.

Pictured: Emmeline Hartley became the face of fraud text scams after losing 1,000 through the Royal Mail scam sweeping the nation

Cruel trick that cost me every penny I had

Emmeline Hartley became the face of the fraud text epidemic when she reported that she had been scammed out of every penny.

The young actress, 28, made the mistake of responding to a text supposedly from Royal Mail asking her to pay a 2.99 postage fee.

Two days later she received a call from a scammer pretending to be from her bank  claiming her account had been compromised.

Terrified, she followed instructions to transfer all the cash she had  around 1,000  to a safe account.

It was only when the scammer asked her to move her overdraft too, that she realised she had been conned.

Barclays agreed to refund Emmeline after the scam in March. And after her story went viral, she says she has received hundreds of messages from scam victims asking for advice.

Yet she still gets at least one call a month from a scammer pretending to be from her bank plus bogus texts.

Emmeline, from Birmingham, says fraudsters have taken advantage of the nations vulnerability in the virus crisis  and the online shopping boom.

She says: If you are caught off guard it is so easy to be emotionally manipulated. I was in a hurry, I didnt take enough care.

Not only was everyone ordering stuff online, but also everyone was in a bad place with their mental health and more likely to be caught off guard.
Pregnant women who have not been vaccinated now make up nearly a fifth of the most ill Covid patients in intensive care.

Medical experts urged hesitant mothers-to-be to get the Covid jab  warning they put themselves and their babies at risk of severe illness and death by not doing so.

Misinformation by so-called 'anti-vaxxers' was blamed by officials for fuelling false beliefs that the jabs pose risks to expectant mothers.

NHS England said 17 per cent of Covid patients receiving treatment through a special lung-bypass machine were unvaccinated mothers-to-be.

Data also showed pregnant women accounted for 32 per cent of all females aged between 16 and 49 in intensive care on the machine used when a patient's lungs are so damaged by Covid that ventilators do not work.

NHS England said data from more than 100,000 Covid jabs in pregnancy in England and Scotland, and a further 160,000 in the US, show that there has been no subsequent harm to the foetus or infant. (Pictured: Claire Bromley, 33, was left in a coma for a month after contracting Covid while pregnant)

Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: 'We do understand women's concerns about having the vaccine in pregnancy, and we want to reassure women that there is no link between having the vaccine and an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth.' (pictured: Claire Bromley and her husband Sam)

Known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines, they add oxygen into the bloodstream.

NHS England said this figure has risen from six per cent at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

England's chief midwife, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, said the data is 'another stark reminder that the Covid-19 jab can keep you, your baby and your loved ones safe and out of hospital'.

Addressing mothers-to be, she said: 'You can receive vaccination at any time in pregnancy, but the risks that unvaccinated pregnant women face of becoming severely unwell if they catch Covid-19 show exactly why we advise you to do so as soon as possible.'

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) said the statistics are a 'damning indictment of the lack of attention given to this vulnerable group as restrictions have eased'.

Sarah McMullen, director of impact and engagement at the NCT, warned against listening to anti-vaxxers.

She said: 'We've been extremely disappointed to hear of so much misinformation and confusion about the vaccination programme.

We strongly encourage pregnant women to consider having the Covid-19 vaccination and have information on our website to help them make a decision.'

NHS England said data from more than 100,000 Covid jabs in pregnancy in England and Scotland, and a further 160,000 in the US, show that there has been no subsequent harm to the foetus or infant.

Claire Bromley, 33, from Kent, in hospital after she contracted coronavirus while pregnant. The NHS is encouraging pregnant women to get the covid-19 vaccine as new data shows that nearly 20% of the most critically ill Covid patients are pregnant women who have not been vaccinated

Virus left me in a coma for month Unjabbed mum-to-be Claire Bromley, 33, spent almost a month in hospital with Covid and said the risk 'far outweighs any doubts' about the vaccine. She was admitted to hospital in Kent with breathing difficulties a few days after testing positive and was put on a ventilator in a medically induced coma. Medics feared she might need an emergency C-section at just 26 weeks. But her condition improved and her pregnancy is proceeding normally. She said: 'I can honestly say the risk of not having the vaccine far outweighs any doubts about having it.' This undated handout photo grom NHS England shows Claire Bromley, 33, from Kent, in hospital after she contracted coronavirus while pregnant Advertisement

Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said medics understand women's concerns but want to offer reassurance that the vaccine is safe.

He said the 'disproportionate' number of unvaccinated pregnant women in intensive care shows there is a 'significant risk of severe illness from Covid-19 in pregnancy'.

He said: 'We are urgently calling for all pregnant women to come forward for their vaccinations. There is robust evidence showing that the vaccine is the most effective way to protect both mother and baby against the possibility of severe illness from Covid-19.

'We do understand women's concerns about having the vaccine in pregnancy, and we want to reassure women that there is no link between having the vaccine and an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth.'

Public Health England data shows more than 81,000 pregnant women have received the first dose of a Covid vaccine, and around 65,000 have received their second dose, NHS England said.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid added his voice to calls encouraging pregnant women to have the jab, saying the latest figures on those in hospital are 'desperately sad' and that vaccines will give 'significant protection'.
Sarah Everard's murder has damaged public trust in the police as it was revealed almost 2,000 police and community support officers have been accused of sex offences including rape, sexual assault and child sex offences over the past four years

Home Office minister Damian Hinds today claimed the police feel 'more let down than anybody' about the murder of Sarah Everard by Britain's most hated officer Wayne Couzens.

Almost 2,000 police and community support officers have been accused of sex offences including rape, sexual assault and child sex offences over the past four years, official data has revealed amid the outcry over Sarah's horrific abduction and murder by a serving Met policeman.

As it was revealed that many other rogue officers are being punished in secret hearings and granted anonymity in many of the most serious cases, Mr Hinds told Times Radio: 'I think everybody is shaken by this terrible case. It is also really important to take a moment once again to pay tribute to all the men and women who serve in our policing service who feel more let down than anybody by this terrible sequence of events.

'They put themselves in danger day after day and in protection of the rest of us and they deserve our support.

'It is actually more important even for them than for anyone else that this inquiry gets to the bottom of this.' He added: 'This case goes to the heart of that question of trust.

Couzens' horrific crime has shaken trust in the police, and today it emerged 2,000 police and community support officers have been accused of sex offences including rape, sexual assault and child sex offences since 2017.

The allegations - made mostly against men - include more than 370 of sexual assault, nearly 100 of rape and 18 of child sex offences, according to Freedom of Information figures - and just eight per cent of those accusations led to a dismissal, 39 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales said.

Police officers across the country accused of serious offences - including having sex with a female colleague on police premises, sleeping with a drug dealer and even taking cash from a dead person - have been granted anonymity after being dismissed or disciplined in secret hearings.

Met chief Cressida Dick has faced calls to resign after Sarah Everard's murder by Wayne Couzens and a review will now re-examine historical sexual misconduct allegations involving officers still serving in the force

Do rogue officers face justice? Misconduct hearings explained There are two types of public hearings for the most serious cases of misconduct. Chief constables can hold accelerated hearings when evidence is irrefutable, often because an officer has pleaded guilty to a crime. Open hearings, in which officers are named and the public can attend, are the starting point of legislation and Home Office guidance. Officers can be granted anonymity, or hearings can be private, because of extenuating circumstances. These can include national security, the risk of prejudicing a court case or risks to welfare of parties. Home Office guidance states: 'Blanket restrictions should be avoided and careful consideration should be given to which parts of the hearing can remain open.' Advertisement

Forces are reportedly holding hearings in private despite misconduct legislation being designed to maintain 'transparency where possible'. They are reportedly sending out ambiguous and anonymised misconduct outcomes that fail to detail the officer's rank and nature of their offending and have blocked journalists from making the argument for open proceedings.

Official figures seen by the Times show forces also delete public misconduct outcomes relating to the most serious offenders, including the notice that detailed the sacking of serving Met officer Wayne Couzens, who kidnapped, raped and murdered Miss Everard in March.

It comes three days after it was announced that Baroness Casey will lead a review into Scotland Yard's culture and vetting processes which will re-examine historical sexual misconduct allegations involving officers still serving in the force.

The review, in response to Sarah Everard's murder by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens, will re-examine historical sexual misconduct allegations involving officers still serving in the force.

A separate independent inquiry announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel last week will investigate the 'systemic' failures that allowed Couzens, 48, to be employed as a police officer despite reports of indecent exposure and other signs he could be dangerous.

The parliamentary and diplomatic protection officer was said to have been referred to as 'The Rapist' by former colleagues in the Civil Nuclear Constabulary because he made women feel uncomfortable. In March this year, he used his police-issue handcuffs and warrant card to stage a fake arrest of Miss Everard, a 33-year-old marketing manager, before killing her.

The Times reported that in the past month there were more than 40 misconduct outcome notices published relating to officers and staff in England and Wales - and nearly half of them were anonymised.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that there have been 1,147 hearings since 2018. Forces were unable to say whether 502 of them were held in public or private. Of the remaining 645 hearings, one in four were held in private, the paper added.

The National Police Chiefs' Council told the paper: 'Without question, it's expected and important in terms of accountability and public trust for every force to demonstrate the greatest levels of transparency possible around misconduct hearings and outcomes.'

The body said dismissed officers were placed on the barred list. However, the list is only searchable by the name of the officer, which is not possible in cases where they are given anonymity.

The End Violence Against Women Coalition - which includes organisations such as Rape Crisis and Women's Aid - said few officers faced 'any meaningful consequences' for sexual misconduct against women and girls.

The group's deputy director Deniz Ugur called for a radical overhaul of how police respond to violence against women, adding: 'Ultimately, we need to address these widespread institutional failings before we can even begin to address women's confidence in the police.'

A separate study from Bournemouth University found there were 514 proven cases of sexual misconduct across 33 forces in the past five years - the most common of which was 'abuse of position for a sexual purpose'.

According to the Bournemouth research, the most common sexual misconduct offence involved officers allegedly using their power to form a relationship with a victim for sexually motivated purposes.

In March this year, Couzens used his police-issue handcuffs and warrant card to stage a fake arrest of Miss Everard, a 33-year-old marketing manager, before killing her

One such officer was detective constable Jatinder Bunger who was jailed for ten months in May. The former Lancashire Police officer admitted sending sexual messages to victims and obtaining intimate images from the phones of vulnerable women - including a rape victim.

The research also found that, of the 514 proven cases of sexual misconduct, 15 per cent involved officers who were at sergeant rank or higher.

Thirty officers were at a senior level of inspector or above - with the highest-ranking being an assistant chief constable. Separate data shows there were more than 500 claims of sexual offences against officers and staff at Scotland Yard between 2016 and 2020.

The findings are the latest blow for the police service and come just a week after the Mail revealed that nearly 1,000 officers and staff have been probed for posting offensive social media content.

The freedom of information figures are set to be broadcast in Channel 4's Cops on Trial: Dispatches tonight.

The National Police Chiefs' Council's Louise Rolfe told the programme: 'We absolutely must, in policing, get to the bottom of what might have been behind these cases.

'We know, very sadly, a small number of people are attracted to policing because of the power, the control and the opportunity it affords them. Our vetting processes are designed to root those people out.'

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it was down to individual forces to stamp out abuses of police powers.
Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn led the tributes to Tyson Fury after his epic 11th-round victory over Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas.

Wilder was looking to win back the WBC belt that had been taken from him in the pair's second fight back in February 2020 and was sent to the canvas in the third round before delivering a stunning reply with two knockdowns of his own in the fourth.

However, just as he did in their first bout, Fury showed remarkable resilience to back up and keep going, with The Gypsy King wearing his opponent out and sending Wilder down in the 10th round before delivering the knockout blow.

Tyson Fury defended his WBC and Ring magazine belts after knocking out Deontay Wilder

A brilliant right hand from the Briton caught the American cold in the third round in Las Vegas

"Am I the greatest heavyweight of my era? Without a doubt. Number one!" - @Tyson_Fury #FuryWilder3 pic.twitter.com/aEPrdFgMYi  Boxing on BT Sport  (@BTSportBoxing) October 10, 2021

Speaking to Steve Bunce after the fight, Fury was asked whether he had made that step from a champion to a great.

'100%,' the 33-year-old replied. 'I know I'm the greatest heavyweight of my era, without doubt. Number one.

'Look what I've done: I came to America in my last six fights, I fought the most devastating puncher in the history of our sport, not once, not twice, but three times.'

Warren, Fury's promoter, proudly claimed in the aftermath that Fury was 'THE BEST HEAVYWEIGHT OF OUR ERA!', with rival Hearn, who represents Anthony Joshua, offering his congratulations, saying: 'Great fight! Big balls from both!'

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson paid tribute to both men after an all-time classic contest at the T-Mobile Arena.

'That was one of the greatest fights I've ever seen. #1 [v] #2. And #1 is undefeated going in.

However, the undefeated fighter was knocked down by two powerful punches in the fourth

THE BEST HEAVYWEIGHT OF OUR ERA.@Tyson_Fury     Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) October 10, 2021

Great fight! Big balls from both!  Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) October 10, 2021

That was one of the greatest fights Ive ever seen.

#1

#2

And #1 is undefeated going in.

Congrats to my friend & champion @Tyson_Fury

What a beautiful & resilient performance.

What a on the shield heart @BronzeBomber has.

I was inspired tonight by both men #FuryWilder3  Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) October 10, 2021

'Congrats to my friend and champion @Tyson_Fury. What a beautiful and resilient performance.

'What a "on the shield" heart @BronzeBomber has. I was inspired by both men tonight #FuryWilder3'.

Piers Morgan wrote: 'What. A. Fight. Two absolute warriors with hearts of a gazillion lions.

Fury recovered his composure though and ground down Wilder before finishing the contest

Frank Warren hailed his fighter after Fury remained undefeated with his 31st win in 32 bouts

What. A. Fight.

Two absolute warriors with hearts of a gazillion lions.

Congrats Champ @Tyson_Fury on a magnificent win - I thought you were done in the 4th, but youre never done.

And huge credit to @BronzeBomber - unbelievable guts right to the end. An epic battle.  pic.twitter.com/iMaTEWYEqu  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 10, 2021

"Am I the greatest heavyweight of my era? Without a doubt. Number one!" - @Tyson_Fury #FuryWilder3 pic.twitter.com/aEPrdFgMYi  Boxing on BT Sport  (@BTSportBoxing) October 10, 2021

'Congrats Champ @Tyson_Fury on a magnificent win - I thought you were done in the 4th, but you're never done.

'And huge credit to @BronzeBomber - unbelievable guts right to the end. An epic battle.'

Michael Owen also had his say, tweeting: 'What a fight. @Tyson_Fury talks the talk and walks the walk. Absolute legend with the heart of a lion'.
Deontay Wilder broke his hand during his enthralling trilogy bout with Tyson Fury Malik Scott has claimed, as the Bronze Bomber's trainer offered up an explanation for the American's snub of the Gypsy King after their blockbuster.

Wilder, 35, floored Fury, 33, twice in the fourth round in Las Vegas having been decked himself in the third, before the Briton rallied to end the fight in the 11th round.

The heavyweight titans entered the fight with plenty of animosity. Fury was angered by Wilder's cheating allegations from their second fight in February 2020, and the American vowed to use gloves with thinner padding after taking umbrage with the horse hair used in Fury's gloves before the fight.

Deontay Wilder broke his hand during his thriller with Tyson Fury, his trainer has claimed

'I'm very happy with what's going on with the gloves,' Wilder said before the fight, via Michael Benson. 'Since they wanna have little-to-no padding, we're gonna have the same. May the best man win.'

And now Wilder's trainer, Malik Scott, has revealed that his fighter broke his hand during the eleven-round contest. The 35-year-old was taken to hospital but is now recovering in a Las Vegas hotel.

'I took him up into his room, he's seen a doctor afterwards,' he told ESNews after the bout.

'Everything's cool... he busted his lip, he broke his hand, broke his finger, knuckle, something like that. But life goes on.'

Wilder, 35, was knocked out by the Gypsy King, 33, after eleven sensational rounds of action

The American's trainer, Malik Scott, says that his man broke his hand during the fight

The cause of the injury is unknown, although Wilder opted to use gloves with thinner padding after taking issue with Fury using gloves with horse hair before the fight

It is not known whether the injury was caused by the thinner padding of Wilder's gloves, but the latest claim by his team adds to a list of lamentable excuses used by the Bronze Bomber after their fight 20 months ago.

The 35-year-old had claimed that his poor performance was due to his ringwalk outfit weighing too much, that Fury had eggweights in his gloves, that his water was spiked and that his old trainer, Mark Breland, was disloyal in throwing in the towel.

After Fury's victory, the Gypsy King was disappointed that Wilder was not able to put his differences to one side and embrace his heavyweight rival in the ring, with the 33-year-old blasting the American's lack of sportsmanship.

Scott added that despite putting everything on the line in the ring, nothing has changed Wilder's attitude towards Fury.

Fury was upset with Wilder's lack of sportsmanship in refusing to embrace him after the fight

Scott said that Wilder still holds negative energy towards Fury despite their thrilling fight

'Deontay looks at Fury as a man he had serious issues with concerning allegations and things he'd seen,' he said. 'After they released all that energy, he still felt the way he felt.'

Wilder is yet to make any excuses himself after Saturday night's fight, and admitted that he wasn't 'good enough' following his defeat by Fury.

'I did my best, but it wasn't good enough tonight. I'm not sure what happened,' he said.

'I know that in training he did certain things, and I also knew that he didn't come in at 277 pounds to be a ballet dancer.

'He came to lean on me, try to rough me up and he succeeded.'
But Chennai managed to knock off the total with two balls remaining

Brisk fifties by opener Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant powered Delhi to 172-5

MS Dhoni smacked three boundaries in the final over to secure the victory

Chennai Super Kings breezed into the final of this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's brisk cameo secured their thrilling four-wicket victory against Delhi Capitals in Sunday's qualifier in Dubai.

Chasing 173 for victory, three-time champions Chennai needed 13 off the last over from Tom Curran and Dhoni smacked three boundaries to seal win with two balls to spare.

Delhi can still make Friday's final if they can beat the winner of Monday's eliminator between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders in the second qualifier on Wednesday.

Former India captain MS Dhoni managed to get his side over the line with two balls left

Brisk fifties by opener Prithvi Shaw and captain Rishabh Pant powered Delhi to a strong 172-5 after being put into bat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Chennai bowler Josh Hazlewood dismissed Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer cheaply but Delhi could not be denied a rollicking start.

Delhi dropped Shaw on 42 but Chennai's catching in the outfield was sharp though and Faf du Plessis took a blinder near the boundary to cut shot Shaw's knock of 60.

Pant added 83 runs with Shimron Hetmyer (37), and remained unbeaten on 51 off 35 balls.

Chennai lost du Plessis early in their reply but Ruturaj Gaikwad (70) and Robin Uthappa (63) kept them firmly on course with their century-plus partnership.

Iyer dragged Delhi back into the contest with his electric fielding - taking two brilliant catches in the deep and then firing in a throw which resulted in Ambati Rayudu's run out.

Former India captain Dhoni played a crucial 18 not out off six balls to see his side home.

'Obviously it is very disappointing, and I can't have enough words to describe how we are feeling,' a dejected Pant said.

'We are going to rectify our mistakes, learn from it and hopefully, we can move on and play the final.'
He may have rocketed to fame following his appearance on Love Island in 2018.

But three years on, Dr Alex George has proved relentlessly that he was destined to embark on a journey outside of the world of reality television.

The physician, 30, serves as the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador within the Department for Education - but revealed to MailOnline that his understanding of well-being wasn't always ingrained in him.

EXCLUSIVE: Dr Alex George candidly discussed his well-being journey to MailOnline and urged people to 'reflect' during World Mental Health Day

'When I was going through school and university, I didn't feel like I had the understanding of how to actually look after myself,' he admitted.

This notion is what pushed him to write his bestselling book, Live Well Every Day, which he described as a 'collation' of the things he wished he'd known.

And it was clear that Alex's now brimming knowledge on all things mental health and well-being has succoured him in everyday life.

Reflecting: The physician, 30, serves as the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador within the Department for Education - but revealed that his understanding of well-being wasn't always ingrained in him

Making a change: The Welshman described his bestselling book, Live Well Every Day, as a 'collation' of the things he wished he'd known

Detailing his own routine, the Welshman explained: 'I focus on trying to do the little things. This morning I didn't get a chance to [go outside]. I noticed it doesn't get my day in the right rhythm and I didn't feel as good. I don't feel as clear or as calm.'

His evening regime often includes finding time to put down his phone and have a bath, a luxury which Alex wallows in.

'If I didn't invest in myself I would feel so much worse,' he added.

Close to his heart: With World Mental Health Day falling on Sunday 10 October, it's bound to be marked poignantly by Alex, who sadly lost his youngest brother Llyr last July to suicide

With World Mental Health Day falling on Sunday 10 October, it's bound to be marked poignantly by Alex, who sadly lost his youngest brother Llyr last July to suicide.

'Mental health isn't just for one day, it's for every day,' he insisted.

'I think World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for everyone to stop and use it as a marker to reflect on what they're doing for their own mental health whilst supporting others.'

Campaigning for change: The University of Exeter graduate has fully immersed himself into his governmental role and recently took a trip to CHD Living care home in Kingston, Surrey, as part of a new campaign entitled Ment-ALL health

The University of Exeter graduate has fully immersed himself into his governmental role and recently took a trip to CHD Living care home in Kingston, Surrey, as part of a new campaign entitled Ment-ALL health.

Teaming up with KIND Snacks on the project, Alex explained: 'We wanted to raise awareness around old generations in particular - and the idea of mental health being for everyone, regardless of demographic.'

Research has revealed a vast generational gap in the awareness, understanding and acceptance of mental health, something which Alex's visit reinforced.

'When we spoke about taking care of yourself and your health, the suggestions about nature, being outside, art, creativity the link wasn't always drawn between the benefit for our bodies - and for our minds.

'Old generations have grown up in a time where mental health was viewed very differently' he stated.

The podcast host also candidly discussed his usage of social media, after revealing he came off Twitter as he 'found it not to be helpful'.

Inspiring: Alex is an advocate for kindness, positivity and promoting healthy habits, but also adopts an inspiring mantra when it comes to dealing with criticism

'Social media can be really powerful but you need to use it in the right way. I came off Twitter because I found it not to be helpful. It wasn't producing positive mental health.

'I use Instagram as my primary social media, and of course Tik Tok and YouTube,' he said.

Alex is an advocate for kindness, positivity and promoting healthy habits, but also adopts an inspiring mantra when it comes to dealing with criticism.

'If it's someone you wouldn't ask an opinion of, why would you take the criticism?' he remarked.

Alex's inspiring future appears to be lined with further campaigns, with him particularly keen to create early support hubs and community centres where young people can go and seek support.

When asked what's in the pipeline, he joked: 'I try to look at just one day in advance at the moment!'

For confidential 24/7 support in the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Sam Frost received widespread backlash after she uploaded a video revealing she was unvaccinated and called on the public to be less judgmental.

Now, The Bachelor's Dr Matt Agnew has joined the chorus of those criticising Home And Away's Sam for peddling misinformation online.

Posting to Instagram on Saturday, the 34-year-old astrophysicist shared an essay lampooning Sam's claims about the Covid jab, as well as her use of the word 'segregation' when referring to the way society 'judges' unvaccinated people.

'At its simplest, it's a dog whistle': The Bachelor's Dr Matt Agnew, 34, (left) has slammed Home And Away's Sam Frost, 32, (right) for 'dog whistling' about the Covid jab and 'inappropriately' using the word segregation in her tearful video about being unvaccinated

'Sam Frost has opened up with a lengthy monologue about being unvaccinated. At its simplest, it's a dog whistle,' Matt began his post.

Insisting that he doesn't want to 'add to the pile on', Matt proceeded to expertly dissect and disprove the claims The Bachelorette star, 32, put forward in her video.

First, Matt responded to Sam's assertion that 'there are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated' including 'medical history, their concerns, family history or religious reasons'.

Pro-vaccine advocate: Posting to Instagram on Saturday, the astrophysicist shared an essay lampooning Sam's claims about the Covid jab, as well as her use of the word 'segregation' when referring to the way society 'judges' unvaccinated people

Matt explained that a person's beliefs are not a valid reason why someone should be exempt from getting the life-saving jab.

'There are NOT a lot of different reasons why someone shouldn't be getting vaccinated. There is one reason: medical. And that is a rather broad reason too,' he wrote.

'It encompasses many things including immunocompromised individuals, people that may experience anaphylaxis to particular components of the vaccines, and (in the case of *live* vaccines) pregnant women.'

'You are affecting others': Insisting that he doesn't want to 'add to the pile on', Matt proceeded to expertly dissect and disprove the claims The Bachelorette star put forward in her video

He then took aim at Sam's emotional video, in which she broke into tears and spoke about her mental heath struggles due to being judged for refusing the jab.

'An appeal to show compassion and empathy was made, while displaying none of those characteristics by choosing to put the lives of those who *can not* get vaccinated at risk,' Matt wrote.

'Anti-vaxxers often skip this step. You are affecting others,' he wrote.

'It should not be used haphazardly': Matt also slammed Sam for using the word 'segregation' - a term usually used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion, sexual orientation

Matt proceeded to slam Sam for using the word 'segregation' - a term usually used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion, sexual orientation.

'The use of the word, 'segregation', is inappropriate considering the historical significance of the word. It should not be used haphazardly when it carries such immense weight and meaning to others,' Matt wrote.

Finally, Matt took a final swipe at Sam for using her public platform to disseminate 'misinformation'.

'With a social media presence, there comes a social and moral obligation': Finally, Matt took a final swipe at Sam for using her public platform to disseminate 'misinformation'

'With a social media presence, there comes a social and moral obligation. Misinformation is a hugely problematic issue, and the unregulated proliferation of information through people with large social media followings is a large contributor to that.'

Matt has been a vocal pro-vaccine advocate and regularly called out other reality stars and Aussie celebrities who have either shared vaccine misinformation or confessed their reasons for not getting the jab.

Sam deactivated her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon, shortly after revealing in an emotional post that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result.

The Home and Away star called for less judgement towards unvaccinated Australians.

'I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it's getting to a point now in the world where there's a lot of segregation,' she said.

'There's a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it's taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling - particularly if they're on the side of they don't want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.

Gone: Sam deactivated her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon, shortly after revealing in an emotional post that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result

'There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.'

Sam then shared that she herself has not been vaccinated, but clarified that she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as her psychologist about her decision.

Breaking down in tears, the star said: 'It's a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.

'And you're too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, "Well it's none of your damn business why I'm not! And there's good reasons why I'm not and I don't want you to judge me".'

Medical: The Home and Away star shared that she herself has not been vaccinated, but clarified that she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as her psychologist about her decision

She explained that it was important for the unvaccinated to look after their mental health, especially as freedoms return for fully vaccinated Australians.

'I'm struggling a lot with my mental health and I like to think that I'm pretty on to it. I see a psychologist regularly. So I can't imagine what it's like for people who don't have a support network around them,' she said.

She also admitted that she could 'get in trouble' for coming out publicly as unvaccinated, before urging people to treat each other with more kindness and compassion.

It's unclear if Sam's choice to remain unvaccinated will affect her role on Home and Away.
Maggie Gyllenhaal brought understated elegance to the opening ceremony of the Lumiere festival in Lyon this Saturday.

The 43-year-old actress has made her feature directorial debut with a movie called The Lost Daughter that will screen during the weeklong event.

She slid her svelte frame into a black floor-length gown that featured a plunging neckline hinting at her enviably trim midriff.

Looking fab: Maggie Gyllenhaal brought understated elegance to the opening ceremony of the Lumiere festival in Lyon this Saturday

Maggie accented the dress with an understated matching blazer, adding a quirky touch to the look with trendily mismatched earrings.

The sister of Jake Gyllenhaal wore her hair in a bob reminiscent of the flapper era and sharpened her unmistakable features with makeup.

She flashed her megawatt smile as she made her way around the red carpet on a pair of vertiginous black stilettos.

Once inside the ceremony she took the stage and could be seen holding a sign declaring the festival officially open.

Incoming: The 43-year-old actress has made her feature directorial debut with a movie called The Lost Daughter that will screen during the weeklong event

When you got it: She slid her svelte frame into a black floor-length gown that featured a plunging neckline hinting at her enviably trim midriff

En vogue: Maggie accented the dress with an understated matching blazer, adding a quirky touch to the look with trendily mismatched earrings

Her fellow directors who will have films shown at the festival include Jane Campion who is also the recipient of this year's Prix Lumiere.

Maggie is attending the festival as a 'special guest' in a category that also features Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino and French composer Philippe Sarde.

Another 'special guest' is Rebecca Hall - who just like Maggie is a Hollywood actress screening her feature film directorial debut.

Swanking about: The sister of Jake Gyllenhaal wore her hair in a bob reminiscent of the flapper era and sharpened her unmistakable features with makeup

Hoofing it: She flashed her megawatt smile as she made her way around the red carpet on a pair of vertiginous black stilettos

'Ouvert!': Once inside the ceremony she took the stage and could be seen holding a sign declaring the festival officially open

Maggie's new film has already played such events as the Venice Film Festival, the New York Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival.

Its upcoming schedule will see it whirl through the BFI London Film Festival, the Film Fest Gent and the SCAD Savannah Film Festival among others.

The film, adapted from a novel by the hit Italian author Elena Ferrante, will drop on Netflix on New Year's Eve after two weeks of limited theatrical release in America.

Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson head a cast that includes Jessie Buckley, Peter Sarsgaard, Dagmara Dominczyk, Paul Mescal and Ed Harris.

In the offing: Her film, adapted from a novel by the hit Italian author Elena Ferrante, will drop on Netflix on New Year's Eve after two weeks of limited theatrical release in America

Esteemed company: Her fellow directors who will have films shown at the festival include Jane Campion who is also the recipient of this year's Prix Lumiere
She is one of Australia's most in-demand models.

And on Saturday, Natalie Roser showed off her incredible figure as she posed for a beachside photo shoot in Sydney.

During the shoot, the 31-year-old model flaunted her sensational physique in a series of high-cut swimsuits and bikinis.

Wild thing! Natalie Roser, 31, (pictured) showed off her incredible figure in high-cut swimsuits as she posed for a beachside photo shoot on Saturday

Natalie showed off her trim pins in a leopard print swimsuit as she posed up a storm on the shore.

Her glossy hair was left out and she appeared to be wearing a neutral palette of makeup for the shoot.

After posing for several photos, Natalie changed into a bright blue low-cut swimsuit.

Strike a pose: Natalie showed off her trim pins in a leopard print swimsuit as she posed up a storm on the shore

Natural beauty: Her glossy hair was left out and she appeared to be wearing a neutral palette of makeup for the shoot

She then joined another model as they laughed and posed for candid photos on the path.

For the photos, Natalie stunned in a black and white figure-hugging swimsuit and sunglasses.

The beauty also changed into a skimpy black bikini top and high waisted checkered bottoms.

Beauty in blue: After posing for several photos, Natalie changed into a bright blue low-cut swimsuit

All smiles: She then joined another model as they laughed and posed for candid photos on the path

Summer bliss: For the photos, Natalie stunned in a black and white figure-hugging swimsuit and sunglasses

In July, Natalie revealed that behind her picture-perfect Instagram feed, she's been fighting a secret health battle with scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to bend sideways.

The Newcastle-born beauty prepared to undergo surgery to correct the curvature in May, which develops in roughly one in every 15 Australian girls during puberty from age nine to 14.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that typically develops during the growth spurt stage just before puberty.

While the condition, which is estimated to affect about three percent of teenagers worldwide, can be caused by disorders such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown.

Most cases are mild and resolve naturally, but some spine deformities worsen as children grow.

Looking good: The beauty also changed into a s black bikini top and high waisted checkered bottoms

Secret health battle: In July, Natalie revealed that behind her picture-perfect Instagram feed, she had been fighting a secret health battle with scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to bend sideways
Georgia Fowler has lashed out at her online critics.

The former Victoria's Secret model took to her Instagram Stories on Sunday to hit back at trolls who claimed she was 'fishing for body image compliments' with a post she'd uploaded two days prior.

The controversial post featured Georgia posing topless with her newborn daughter Dylan cradled in her arms, displaying her svelte baby body.

'This was a special moment': Georgia Fowler, 29, has defended her decision to share Instagram photos of herself posing topless in underpants while cradling her newborn daughter Dylan on Instagram, after critics accused her of 'fishing for compliments'

The 29-year-old, who was also accused by critics of filtering the images before posting them, addressed Sunday's post 'to those writing negative comments'.

'This was a special moment I wanted to share with you,' the New Zealand-born model wrote.

Georgia then revealed that the candid snap was taken while she wore 'a maternity pad' and 'with a filter-like smear' that is actually 'bottom balm or nipple cream' accidentally smeared on the lens.

Critics: Georgia received criticism on Instagram in the comments beneath her topless photos - some of which Georgia responded to directly

'The only thought of my body was how powerful it is, to grow life and bring it into this world.'

The new mother then declared that ''dropping baby weight' was 'the least of her concerns'.

'I challenge you all to not default to body judgement at first sight,' concluded the lingerie model.

Speaking out: On Sunday, Georgia responded to the backlash, writing: 'This was a special moment I wanted to share with you'

Fowler shared the original photo on Friday, after giving birth to her baby daughter Dylan last month.

Her flat tummy in the photo prompted a wave of comments claiming that Georgia's post was self-serving.

'Enjoy your baby and the beautiful moments .. without panty pics,' wrote one fan.

Sweet: The lingerie model went topless in the images and wore Calvin Klein underwear as she enjoyed skin-on-skin bonding with her baby

'When did the unrealistic post-partum supermodel skinny-naked photo shot become a thing,' mused another.

She looked in a state of bliss as she enjoyed skin-on-skin bonding with her baby.

'Someone told me having a child is like finding the key that unlocks a secret door to your heart in which love flows out of endlessly and forever,' she wrote in the caption.

'This couldn't be more true. We love you so much Dylan Aman.'

Georgia and her boyfriend Nathan Dalah welcomed Dylan just three weeks ago in September.

'Someone told me having a child is like finding the key that unlocks a secret door to your heart in which love flows out of endlessly and forever,' she wrote in the caption. 'This couldn't be more true. We love you so much Dylan Aman'

'Dylan Aman Dalah. 17.9.21. Welcome to the world. We love you so much,' she wrote as she shared a series of photos of the adorable newborn.

Georgia announced she was expecting her first child with the FISHBOWL co-founder back in April.

At the time, she shared the news by writing: 'We can't wait to meet you, little one.'

New addition: Georgia and her boyfriend Nathan Dalah welcomed Dylan just three weeks ago in September

'It's been hard to keep this one quiet, but now it's pretty hard to hide,' she added.

'Nathan and I couldn't be happier to share our exciting news with you. We cannot wait to meet you little one and begin our next adventure together. The best is yet to come.'

The couple confirmed their romance in February last year.
Sharon Gaffka looked typically chic as she stepped out in London on Saturday night.

The recent Love Island contestant, 25, commanded attention in a pair of dazzling red floral trousers, which she paired with a white shirt.

Posing up a storm for photographers with her hand on her hip, she accessorised her look with a delicate chain necklace and a coordinating silver watch.

Emerging: Love Island's Sharon Gaffka looked typically chic in a white shirt and red floral trousers as she stepped out in London for a fun-filled Saturday night

The brunette beauty wore her luscious locks in a sleek middle parting and completed her ensemble with a pair of casual white trainers.

Meanwhile, Too Hot To Handle's Christina Carmela appeared to be having a whale of a time as she headed to MKNY House in Mayfair.

The reality star sent pulses racing as she flashed her toned pins in a black miniskirt.

She teamed the trendy number with a neon orange crop top and kept warm in a smart onyx blazer.

Clutching a charcoal Gucci handbag by its gold chain, she elevated her height with a pair of tangerine lace-up heels and wore her gorgeous brown tresses in beachy waves.

Sensational: Posing up a storm for photographers with her hand on her hip, she accessorised her look with a delicate chain necklace and a coordinating silver watch

Gorgeous: The brunette beauty wore her luscious locks in a sleek middle parting and completed her ensemble with a pair of casual white trainers

The night in the capital comes after Sharon spoke out about her new-found fame in a recent interview on FUBAR Radio with Bobby Norris and Stephen Leng.

Speaking on Access All Areas, the reality star revealed a group of fans had followed her home before messaging her on Instagram asking for a photo.

The incident, which happened last week, seemed to have shaken Sharon up as she said: 'There was a group of girls I'd walked past that were coming out of the train station.

'They partially followed me home and messaged me on Instagram saying they were in a field near my house, being like, 'where are you? We're looking for you!' because they wanted to get a photo.'

Stunning: Meanwhile, Too Hot To Handle's Christina Carmela appeared to be having a whale of a time as she headed to MKNY House in Mayfair

Sharon revealed she appreciates the support from enthused fans of the hit reality show, but she explained that this was: 'too close to [her] house for comfort.'

The Oxford born star not only fears for own safety, but her family's too: 'My younger brother looks quite similar to me as well,' she said.

Continuing on: 'Because it's a small town, if you know who I am, you'd know my brother. I just worry about him walking around as well, just as much as me.'

Sharon sent a text to her younger brother to alert him about the fans hoping for a photo, saying: 'Be careful coming over to my house today because there's very excitable teenagers outside somewhere!'
Dawn French has revealed she was so upset with an unauthorised biography of her that she paid fans 20 each to hand over the book.

The comedian said she considered legal action, but in the end took up writing herself so she could set the record straight.

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Ms French recalled: The book came out and  it may seem like tiny errors  but they add up to a misrepresentation of you.

There were big untruths in this book about my dad and my mum  who was still alive then  and she was massively hurt by it and wanted me to get the lawyers involved.

Dawn French has revealed she was so upset with an unauthorised biography of her that she paid fans 20 each to hand over the book

But I realised that if we were going to do this, Mum would have to stand up in court and answer questions about her marriage to my dad. It wasnt worth it.

The Vicar Of Dibley star  who did not name the books author  said she took drastic action to get the books out of circulation while on tour with her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders.

She continued: Because it was the only book out there about me, people would bring it for me to sign. These are lovely people. I didnt sign, but what I started to do was take the book and give the person 20.

Jennifer said, You cant keep doing that, youre not going to earn anything off the tour.

So my only recourse was to write my own book. Im glad I did it. She went on to write her autobiography, Dear Fatty, in 2008, which was written in the form of letters to members of her family.

She appeared at the festival in conversation with author Bernardine Evaristo, who won the Booker Prize in 2019, and spoke of her best-selling novel Because Of You.

The Vicar Of Dibley star  who did not name the books author  said she took drastic action to get the books out of circulation while on tour with her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders (pictured)

The star, 63, also revealed how she found it difficult to process criticism when acting on the stage.

She added: If someone says I cant concentrate because all Im looking at is her big fat bum  which is the kind of criticism I get  then I cant do that scene without thinking about it. And I dont want that kind of nonsense in my head.

I dont look at the reviews until the last night. Its a kind of tradition if Im doing theatre, like where I have done my own show  I get all the reviews and have a big rum. On the very last night I read them, drink the rum and then its gone.

Last week, she revealed how shed let the natural grey of her hair show, having been inspired by US actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred in the 2019 film Knives Out.
Christina Ricci has married hairstylist and baby daddy Mark Hampton.

The 41-year-old actress, who is currently pregnant with her second child, revealed the happy news by sharing photos of their intimate nuptials to Instagram on Saturday.

'Mr. and Mrs.,' captioned the Addams Family star, who posed with flowers in her hands as she leaned close to her new husband under a flower arch.

I do! Christina Ricci has married hairstylist and baby daddy Mark Hampton

For their special day, Ricci wore her brown hair in a sleek ponytail, a light smokey eye, a nude lipstick and pretty pair of earrings.

Meanwhile, her man wore a linen button-down and smiled brightly in the series of pictures posted on their respective Instagram accounts.

Their trip down the aisle comes just months after she received a restraining order against her ex-husband James Heerdegen, amid allegations of domestic violence.

Big announcement: The 41-year-old actress, who is currently pregnant with her second child, revealed the happy news by sharing photos of their intimate nuptials to Instagram on Saturday

In August, the newlyweds announced they were expecting their first child together with a sonogram picture posted to her Instagram account, along with the caption, 'Life keeps getting better.'

Ricci and Hampton appear to have got close this past year, working on a number of fashion shoots together. Often, Ricci has left a series of heart emojis under pictures of herself that Hampton has posted.

In July, she shared a sweet birthday tribute about her man, which described him as her 'favorite person, gorgeous human, bringer of all things happy, magical and good.'

Surprise! In August, Ricci, 41, revealed she's having a baby... one year after filing for divorce from husband James Heerdegen

'I love you ... this next year is going to be the best one yet,' she gushed.

Hampton is an industry professional who has worked with A-List talent and big name brands like Banana Republic and Hugo Boss.

His impressive work includes editorials for Vogue, Dazed and Confused, Elle and Q Magazine, and has worked on fashion shows for Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Calvin Klein.

In April this year, Ricci and her estranged husband reached a custody arrangement after their contentious split prompted accusations of abuse from both sides.

Expecting: In August, the newlyweds announced they were expecting their first child together with a sonogram picture posted to her Instagram account, along with the caption, 'Life keeps getting better'

The arrangement was submitted to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in May, according to reports at the time.

The agreement favored Ricci, allowing the actress custody of their son after she relocates to Vancouver, Canada to film a new project, with Heerdegen getting visitation rights.

Ricci also agreed to pay 'reasonable costs for travel and accommodations,' which include 'economy airfare' for her ex. She will also get to choose where he stays during his visitation trips.

The expectant mom was granted a restraining order against Heerdegen in January. He attempted to obtain his own restraining order later that month but was denied.

Heerdegen made shocking accusations while filing for a temporary restraining order, claiming his ex abuses alcohol and prescription drugs, making her a danger to their young son.

Agreement: Christina Ricci and ex Heerdegen have reached a custody arrangement which will let their six-year-old son Freddie live with his mother in Vancouver, Canada while she shoots a project. His father will have visitation. They're seen in 2019 above

He also claimed he had to check their son's bottles of breast milk for fear of it being contaminated with alcohol she drank the night before.

His filing came just days after Ricci accused him of physically abusing her.

She said she had to hide knives in the house because she feared Heerdegen could kill her after he allegedly said he would only feel sorry for her if she was 'dismembered into small pieces'.

Exes: Ricci pictured with Heerdegen in 2013

A judge granted Ricci a domestic violence restraining order against Heerdegen in early January, six months after she filed for divorce.

Ricci and Heerdegen were married on October 26, 2013, they welcomed their son together the following year.

In 2017, Ricci talked about how becoming a mother changed her.

'Marriage shows you your flaws in how you deal with things, and having a child forces you to grow up at the speed of light,' she told Net-a-Porter's digital magazine The Edit.

'I'm a completely different person than I was before I had my child.'
Shannen Doherty has been sharing about her experience living as a cancer survivor, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

First diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, the Beverly Hills 90210 star is opening up about the emotional battle she endured when she lost her hair during chemotherapy treatments in her latest Instagram post on Saturday.

'When I started chemotherapy, I tried a cold cap in hopes of saving my hair. While it works for many and is amazing, it didn't work for me,' Doherty began in the caption of two emotional photos that show her breaking down in tears.

Cancer survivor: Shannen Doherty, 50, shared two photos taken after her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2015, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month; she is seen in a photo posted on her Instagram page on August 26

The 50-year-old actress went on to share that her 'hair was falling out in clumps' when she washed it.

'I had bald spots and it became increasingly harder to cover those up. I finally made a decision to shave what was left of my hair,' she explained.

'It was a battle on its own. I loved my hair. It had defined me to a certain extent and provided me with a security blanket of sorts.'

She ended the post by adding, 'I'm sharing with you the day the decision was made to shave my head. #breastcancerawareness'

Heartbreaking: The Beverly Hills 90210 alum detailed her battle to keep her hair during chemotherapy treatments in 2016

Her story: The actress revealed she made the decision to shave her head when clumps of hair were falling out during chemo; she can be seen sobbing with tears during treatments

In one of the black-and-white photos, Doherty can be seen crying and being comforted, as she grabbed at her thinning hair.

She's sobbing with tears over her hair loss in the second snap of the post.

Due to the presence of multiple tumors, Doherty had a single mastectomy in May 2016, which was followed by the chemotherapy treatments and radiotherapy, because the cancer was more advanced than previously thought.

By 2017, Doherty went public and announced that her cancer was in remission.

But in February 2020, she revealed the cancer had returned the previous year, and that she is now in stage four.

Just two days ago, Doherty posted two photos of herself bald, and revealed she'd like to share more of 'my personal journey from my first diagnosis to my second.'

Humor as a medicine: Doherty shared how wearing funny pajamas cheered her up during those hard chemotherapy treatments

Just two days ago, Doherty posted two photos of herself bald, and revealed she'd like to share more of 'my personal journey from my first diagnosis to my second.'

'Is it all pretty? NO but it's truthful and my hope in sharing is that we all become more educated, more familiar with what cancer looks like. I hope I encourage people to get mammograms, to get regular checkups, to cut thru the fear and face whatever might be in front of you,' she wrote in the caption.

'I had many nose bleeds from the chemo. Not sure if any of you experienced this. I also was beyond tired. I cheered myself up by putting on funny pajamas that my friend Kristy gave me. Did they actually cheer me up? Yes!! Lol. I looked ridiculous and in that ridiculousness, I was able to laugh at myself. Finding humor helped get me thru what seemed impossible. I hope we all find humor in the impossible. #breastcancerawareness'

Doherty, who's originally from Memphis, Tennessee, has been married to photographer Kurt Iswarienko since 2011.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic held its very first concert on Saturday night since shutting down 579 days ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And stars turned out in droves to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to welcome Gustavo Dudamel and his famed orchestra back to the stage.

Angela Bassett and actress Helen Hunt led A-listers hitting the red carpet before the classical concert and its subsequent homecoming gala.

Homecoming: Angela Bassett and actress Helen Hunt led A-listers hitting the red carpet before the Los Angeles Philharmonic's homecoming concert and gala on Saturday night

Bassett radiated youth as she rocked a figure-hugging black pantsuit embellished with sequin appliques.

The 63-year-old American Horror Story star wore a bustier top beneath her suit jacket and accessorized with a pair of dangly earrings.

Her ageless visage was impeccably made up and her curly tresses voluminous.

Helen Hunt donned a rivaling pantsuit with a sleeveless design that allowed her to showcase her toned arms.

Ageless: Bassett radiated youth as she rocked a figure-hugging black pantsuit embellished with black sequin appliques

Perfect pairing: The 63-year-old American Horror Story star wore a bustier top beneath her suit jacket and accessorized with a pair of dangly earrings

The 58-year-old Twister star paired her top with some wide-legged trousers and accessorized with several necklaces.

Hunt's signature blonde strands were worn down and softly curled.

Cynthia Erivo was the obviously belle of the ball as she walked the carpet in a quirky pink gown with a dramatic fringe skirt that showed off legs.

Stunning: Her ageless visage was impeccably made up and her curly tresses voluminous

Stylish: Helen Hunt donned a rivaling pantsuit with a sleeveless design that allowed her to showcase her toned arms

The 34-year-old actress completed the elegant ensemble with some nude toned heals and a glistening nose ring.

Lake Bell flashed her toned midriff in a black bralette top layered beneath a loose fitting blazer.

The 42-year-old Man Up star posed with one hand tucked into the pocket of her wide-legged trousers.

Glamour girl: Cynthia Erivo was the obviously belle of the ball as she walked the carpet in a quirky pink gown with a fringe skirt that showed off legs

Finishing touches: The 34-year-old actress completed the elegant ensemble with some nude toned heals and a glistening nose ring

Cool factor: Lake Bell flashed her toned midriff in a black bralette top layered beneath a loose fitting blazer

Michelle Rodriguez mixed casual and classy by stepping out in a patterned bomber jacket and a pair of sparkly stiletto heels.

The Fast And Furious star's brunette hair was worn curly and she highlighted her toned legs in a pair of black pants.

Dudamel could hardly contain his joy over the return of his famed orchestra as he posed for photos beside his wife Maria Valverde.

Nailed it: Michelle Rodriguez mixed casual and classy by stepping out in a patterned bomber jacket and a pair of sparkly stiletto heels

Beaming: Gustavo Dudamel could hardly contain his joy over the return of his famed orchestra as he posed for photos beside his wife Maria Valverde

The 40-year-old composer donned a classic tuxedo, while his 34-year-old wife stunned in a strapless black gown with a bow on the bust.

Good Girls star Retta looked gorgeous in an off white tulle gown and a bright white Chanel blazer.

Choreographer Kathryn Burns looked classically beautiful in a black dress with a mesh upper half, while posing beside actor Skylar Astin.

Herbie Hancock looked cool in a monochrome getup complete with a button down shirt and trousers.

Princess: Good Girls star Retta looked gorgeous in an off white tulle gown and a bright white Chanel blazer

Dynamic duo: Choreographer Kathryn Burns looked classically beautiful in a black dress with a mesh upper half, while posing beside actor Skylar Astin
As one of the world's most in-demand actors, he's constantly working out to stay in shape for his many film roles.

But Chris Hemsworth hit the weights for a different reason on Sunday, with the Thor star admitting he needed a lift after 'a few too many celebratory drinks over the weekend.'

'Woke up this morning, motivation levels at an all-time-low. A bit flat, a little dusty,' the 38-year-old told his Instagram followers.

Dusting off the weights: Chris Hemsworth, 38, (pictured) performed a brutal workout on Sunday after admitting he needed a lift after 'a few too many celebratory drinks over the weekend'

However the Extraction actor said he was determined to 'sweat out the demons' and so put his body through a gruelling workout.

The father-of-three then outlined his routine, which included lunges, ball slams, push ups and chin ups.

'And now I feel a hundred percent,' the actor revealed, before showing video of the high intensity routine.

Sweat it out! 'Woke up this morning, motivation levels at an all-time-low. A bit flat, a little dusty,' the beefy Hollywood star told his Instagram followers

Exercise or exorcism? The actor said he was determined to 'sweat out the demons' and so put his body through a gruelling workout

One of Chris' many upcoming film roles is in the latest instalment of George Miller's iconic Mad Max series.

Mad Max will be making a return to its roots after it was announced that filming for the latest instalment, Furiosa, would take place in Broken Hill, NSW, next April.

Peter Price, who is the owner of the nearby Silverton hotel, revealed his excitement about the high-octane series coming back to the outback region in an interview with Weekend Today hosts Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern on Saturday.

Thrilled: Shooting for the newest Mad Max film, Furiosa, will take place in Broken Hill next April as Silverton hotel owner Peter Price (right) revealed his excitement for the upcoming production on Weekend Today

Wilkins firstly asked Price about how the local residents of Silverton and Broken Hill have reacted to the news.

'I'm sure they're going to be as excited as they were forty years ago,' Price responded, referring to the production of Mad Max 2, aka The Road Warrior, which took place in the same area four decades earlier.

'As much as we've always enjoyed Mad Max 2, with the museum here and all that sort of stuff, we are really looking forward to this new film that's going to be done out this way,' he said.

Driving back to its roots: The hotel owner told Weekend Today hosts Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern about the reaction from the local residents in Broken Hill and Silverton after it was announced that Mad Max would return to the region

The Silverton Hotel owner stated that the production will hopefully bring much-needed tourism dollars to the region, which has suffered due to the Covid pandemic.

'We're looking forward to a big influx of tourists coming this way,' Price continued. 'Some of this stuff that's going to happen next year is going to certainly bring that, I'm sure.'

'I'm sure they're going to be as excited as they were forty years ago': Price reflected on the filming of Mad Max 2, aka The Road Warrior, which took place in the same area four decades ago. Pictured: Australian actor Vernon Wells as Wez in Mad Max 2

'Being an Australian movie that was done 40-odd years ago, and it still generates so much interest. We're getting people everyday coming this way to have a look at the museum.'

Price concluded that the new film would only 'add to all that'.

Mad Max Furiosa is set to begin production in Broken Hill next April and is scheduled for release in 2024.

'We're looking forward to a big influx of tourists coming this way': The Silverton Hotel owner stated that the production will hopefully bring much-needed tourism dollars to the region, which has suffered due to the Covid pandemic

It tells the origin story of a young Imperator Furiosa, who will be played by Anya Taylor-Joy.

The movie will also star Chris Hemsworth and have George Miller back in the director's chair.

Furiosa was originally portrayed by Charlize Theron in the 2015 blockbuster, Mad Max: Fury Road.
Olympic swimming legend Ian Thorpe was admitted to hospital last week following complications resulting from shoulder surgery.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ian, 38, spent five days in intensive care at Macquarie University Hospital after contracting a serious infection in hospital.

The swimmer is believed to have been admitted to have an abscess removed, related to a previous shoulder surgery.

Complications: Olympic swimming legend Ian Thorpe, 38, (pictured) was rushed to ICU after battling serious infection following shoulder surgery, according to reports on Sunday

A spokesperson for the five-time Olympic champion said he's 'all good now' and was released from hospital on Thursday night.

It comes ahead of Ian's debut on Celebrity Masterchef, which airs on Sunday night at 7.30pm on Channel Ten.

Ian retired from swimming at the age of 24 after breaking 22 world records and winning an abundance of medals.

Infection: According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ian spent five days in intensive care at Macquarie University Hospital after contracting a serious infection in hospital

The Olympic star battled crippling depression in his teens and he previously said it had led him to drink during the night in the lead-up to the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Last year, Ian admitted he retired from his career at such a young age because he wasn't able to deal with the enormous amount of pressure.

'We had a team psychologist but people felt that if we saw him, then we had an issue,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

Career: Ian retired from his swimming career at the age of 24 after breaking 22 world records and winning an abundance of medals. Pictured at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000

'When I saw him, he asked why I was doubting my ability and then gave me a pep talk. From there it was up to me.'

Ian went on to say he believes he could have competed in 'another two Olympics' at the time, if he didn't have 'pressures.'

Ian is now the chair of the Australian Institute of Sport's Athlete Wellbeing Advisory Committee and supports other athletes who are facing similar problems.

The swimmer is also patron of ReachOut, a health organisation that provides support for under 25s with everyday issues and difficult times.
Ruby Rose called out radio broadcaster Steve Price for his 'mean' comments after he accused her of 'flaunting her freedom' overseas while Aussies remain in lockdown.

Steve thought it was tone-deaf for Ruby and Natalie Bassingthwaighte to have shared footage to Instagram of their night out in New York together on Saturday.

After Steve made the remarks in the comments section of Natalie's post, Ruby, who has been living in the US for nearly a decade, slammed him for his 'awful' accusation.

Vocal: Ruby Rose SLAMMED Steve Price for his 'mean' comments after he accused her of 'flaunting her freedom' with Natalie Bassingthwaighte in New York while Aussies are in lockdown. Natalie (right) shared footage of herself and Ruby (left) to Instagram on Saturday

Natalie, 46, who is in New York from her hometown of Byron Bay as she prepares for the Australian production of Jagged Little Pill, shared a video to Instagram of herself and The Orange Is the New Black star cheering on a busy New York street.

Steve, 66, who appears regularly on Channel Ten's The Project, made his thoughts perfectly clear in the comments section.

'Don't you hate it when privileged Aussies flaunt their freedom while ordinary people are locked up losing their livelihoods and mental health. Sad lack of compassion,' he wrote.

Tone-deaf? Steve (pictured on Channel Ten's The Project) thought it was tone-deaf for Ruby and Natalie Bassingthwaighte to have shared footage to Instagram of their night out in New York together on Saturday while many Aussies are struggling in lockdown

Not holding back: Steve accused Ruby and Natalie of 'flaunting their freedom' in the comment's section of Natalie's Instagram post

Ruby, who has since become a Hollywood actress since leaving Australia for the United States nearly 10 years ago, quickly defended herself and Natalie.

'This is such an awful, horrible mean thing to write on someone's page. I think if you step back out of your obvious and understandable frustration, you will see both myself and Natalie care very much about mental health,' she began.

'I live In the States and have for almost a decade. I haven't been home in years and I miss my family deeply. Natalie, the kind and extremely compassionate person in this video is working, and soon, she can take back what she has been working on here for the Australian audiences.

Great pals: Natalie, 46, who is in New York from her hometown of Byron Bay as she prepares for the Australian production of Jagged Little Pill, shared a video to Instagram of herself and The Orange Is the New Black star cheering on a busy New York street

'Broadway JUST opened up again two weeks ago here and people cried and celebrated everywhere, including the media. We need the arts, it's imperative for people and their mental health. It creates jobs and will be something that brings a lot of joy for Aussie audiences.'

Ruby said that while she 'understands' his anger at what is happening in Australia, his comments towards Natalie were 'out of line'.

'I am so sorry you have lost loved ones as many of us have during this time. However, I think you will find Natalie not accepting this opportunity and staying at home not making an income doesn't solve anything?' she wrote.

In memory: Natalie's post was in memory of a mutual friend they 'lost' and 'miss', according to Ruby's response to Steve

'Her kids are almost at an age where they can read these comments and for that alone, I'd say you don't give a damn about mental health or compassion, or you wouldn't be calling people names in the comments sections. Really odd.'

Ruby went on to reveal how the post was in honour of a friend they 'lost and miss', and that she doesn't want to 'argue' with Steve or 'upset' him.

'Steve Price, I do not wish to argue with you or upset you. I do wish you nothing but the best during these really challenging, soul testing times,' she concluded.

Hitting back: Ruby, 35, who has been living in the US for nearly a decade, responded to Steve by saying that while she 'understands' his anger at what is happening in Australia, his comments towards Natalie were 'out of line'

Lengthy response: 'This is such an awful, horrible mean thing to write on someone's page. I think if you step back out of your obvious and understandable frustration, you will see both myself and Natalie care very much about mental health,' she wrote

It has been a challenging time for Australians with Sydney set to be released from lockdown on Monday after a gruelling 106 days in lockdown while trying to manage a devastating outbreak of the Covid Delta variant.

Meanwhile Victoria recorded 1,890 new Covid-19 cases and five new deaths overnight on Sunday.

About 58 per cent of Victorians over 15 are vaccinated with the state on track to meet the 70 per cent milestone by October 26, which will end its sixth lockdown.
Tilly Ramsay has reportedly laughed off claims that she has a crush on her Strictly Come Dancing partner Nikita Kuzmin.

The daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, 19, and her pro partner, 23, set tongues wagging when they were seen leaving his flat together.

However, a source told The Sun Online that Tilly sees Nikita as more like a big brother and she's also becoming close with his girlfriend Nicole Wirt.

Rumours: Tilly Ramsay has reportedly laughed off claims that she has a crush on her Strictly Come Dancing partner Nikita Kuzmin

They said: 'Tilly finds the stories really funny. Lovers? She's been saying he's more like a brother. Tilly says Nikita is literally the funniest person she's ever met but there's nothing at all going on behind the scenes.

'They are too busy having fun and she's also spoken to his girlfriend a couple of times on Facetime.

'Tilly thinks Nicole's amazing - an absolutely incredible dancer. She's been really supportive of them and been wishing them well in private throughout the series.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Strictly Come Dancing for comment.

It comes after Tilly told Hello! that her relationship with Nikita is strictly platonic as they throw themselves into training for Movie Week.

Partners: The daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, 19, and her pro partner, 23, set tongues wagging when they were seen leaving his flat together

Rumours swirled that the duo were set to be victims of the show's famous 'curse' after the pro's girlfriend Nicole penned a crypical message about 'not being supported.'

However, Nicole also shared a photo of Tilly and Nikita's waltz from week one and wrote: 'Cheering on my faves' and said their performance was 'mesmerizing'.

After Tilly and Nikita were seen heading back to her flat one evening, the daughter of TV chef Gordon Ramsay set the record straight, clarifying: 'No no - we were filming a VT for the show, we really are just good friends and dance partners.'

Nikita added that his family and his girlfriend Nicole have been hugely supportive since he joined the Strictly lineup earlier this year.

A source said: 'Tilly finds the stories really funny. Lovers? She's been saying he's more like a brother'

He said: 'My family and my girlfriend have been an amazing support since I started Strictly. I try to call them every day to update them on how it's going.

'We're used to living far away from each other. I lived in Denmark for most of my youth, then I lived in a separate city in Italy to them, then in Germany for the last five years.

'It would be a dream for them to come and watch Strictly live. My mother is a huge Strictly fan  she knows more about the show than I do!'

Later in the day Tilly took to Instagram to share a beaming team shot alongside Nikita against the glitsy Strictly studio backdrop.

Proud: Nikita previously said that his family and his girlfriend Nicole Wirt (pictured) have been hugely supportive since he joined the Strictly lineup earlier this year

'Getting ready for movie week!! This dance is so much fun I cannot wait for you guys to see it,' she teased.

'Also had to get @nikita__kuzmin some matching slippers so he wouldnt steal mine @bbcstrictly,' she quipped.

It comes after Tilly, who is single, insisted that she is on Strictly to focus on the dancing, which she is juggling with her university work.

Speaking to new! magazine, she said: 'Yes, I am single but I'm here to focus on dancing.

'I'd have been crazy to say no to Strictly Come Dancing. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and most importantly I really want to learn to dance.'
Lisa Wilkinson is speaking up about the sexual assault she suffered at the age of 15.

In a special interview conducted by Hamish Macdonald on The Sunday Project, the 61-year-old detailed the trauma she endured at the hands of a man who was the father of a school friend - and a friend of her own father, Raymond, too.

'It was someone who was a father of a very close school friend of mine. But he was also someone that my dad knew really well,' Lisa said.

Open: Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) is speaking up about the sexual assault she suffered at the age of 15. In a special interview conducted by Hamish Macdonald on The Sunday Project, the 61-year-old detailed the trauma she endured as a teenager

'And the second and final time that it happened, my dad came to pick me up from the sleepover I was meant to have that night.

'I got to the door and my friend's father arrived at the door just after me. And with the same hand that had just been on my body, he reached out and shook the hand of my father. And said, "Ray, it's great to see you."'

Tearfully, she continued: 'To me, safety was always in the arms of my father. He was the most incredible man and seeing him for the moment made a lot of it better.

'It was someone who was a father of a very close school friend of mine. But he was also someone that my dad knew really well,' Lisa said

Lisa detailed: 'My friend's father arrived at the door just after me. And with the same hand that had just been on my body, he reached out and shook the hand of my father. And said, "Ray, it's great to see you"'. Lisa is pictured with her father Raymond

'And I just chose to never speak about it, to never do anything about it, and I've only very recently told my girlfriend what happened.'

Lisa said that finally discussing the assault 'lifted a weight' off her shoulders.

'I feel in telling the story of what happened to me at 15, I'm linking arms with so many women around the country who until this year, hadn't told their stories either,' she said.

Difficult: Lisa was a 15-year-old school girl when she experienced the assault. She is pictured with her friends as a teenager

'I just chose to never speak about it, to never do anything about it, and I've only very recently told my girlfriend what happened,' Lisa said. Pictured as a teenager

Wilkinson says she was inspired by the bravery of Brittany Higgins, a former Liberal staffer who alleges she was raped in Parliament House in March 2019.

'I wasn't actually going to write about that and I only made that decision earlier this year after witnessing the incredible courage of Brittany [Higgins],' Lisa told Stellar Magazine on Saturday.

'I thought, if [women] don't come forward and don't show how incredibly common these experiences are, then the perpetrators win. And I couldn't be a party to that,' she added.

Weight: Lisa said that finally discussing the assault 'lifted a weight' off her shoulders. 'I feel in telling the story of what happened to me at 15, I'm linking arms with so many women around the country who until this year, hadn't told their stories either,' she said

Inspired: Wilkinson says she was inspired by the bravery of Brittany Higgins (pictured), a former Liberal staffer who alleges she was raped in Parliament House in March 2019

Lisa will document her assault in her new memoir, It Wasn't Meant To Be Like This.

Ms Higgins shocked the nation earlier this year when she alleged she was raped by a colleague in former defence minister Linda Reynolds' office after a boozy night out in March 2019. She made a complaint to police in February.

Bruce Lehrmann, currently in Queensland, is charged with sexual intercourse without consent at Parliament House in March 2019.

The 26-year-old faces one charge of sexual intercourse without consent which has a maximum sentence of 12 years in jail.

'I wasn't actually going to write about that and I only made that decision earlier this year after witnessing the incredible courage of Brittany [Higgins],' Lisa told Stellar Magazine

Shock: Ms Higgins shocked the nation earlier this year when she alleged she was raped by a colleague in former defence minister Linda Reynolds' office after a boozy night out in March 2019. Pictured meeting with the Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese in Sydney in April

Acting for Lehrmann, barrister John Korn told the ACT Magistrates Court in September he was instructed to enter a plea of not guilty.

Lisa has been outspoken on the case and in March, she appeared at the Australian March4Justice protest, where she read a speech written by Higgins.

'The first phone call I made after I was asked was to Brittany Higgins,' she said on The Project at the time.

'I felt it was really important that Brittany's words be heard tomorrow.

Talking: Lisa has been outspoken on the case and in March, she appeared at the Australian March4Justice protest, where she read a speech written by Higgins. Pictured together

'The first phone call I made after I was asked was to Brittany Higgins,' she said on The Project at the time. 'I felt it was really important that Brittany's words be heard'. Brittany Higgins is pictured at the Canberra March 4 Justice on March 15

'Brittany said yes and she has written the most powerful words for me to deliver in Canberra tomorrow. So I feel extremely honoured to be able to be her voice.'

Lisa told Hamish on Sunday night: 'She has inspired survivors of sexual abuse everywhere. To tell their story and to believe that they will be listened to and heard and that their story matters.

'I had to include something that happened to me when I was 15 as well. And her bravery just meant that if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be telling my complete story.'

For confidential support contact 1800RESPECT
Lisa Wilkinson recalled feeling 'humiliated' when she was dismissed from Nine and the Today show in October 2017 over a reported gender pay gap dispute.

The 61-year-old, who sat alongside co-host Karl Stefanovic for 10 years before joining The Sunday Project in 2018, fought back tears as she told The Sunday Project's Hamish Macdonald how 'pathetic' she felt when told by her agent of her ousting.

When asked just how 'big' the pay gap was, Lisa hinted at it being quite significant and said she was 'very expendable'.

Emotional: Lisa Wilkinson (pictured), 61, fought back tears as she revealed on The Sunday Project how she felt 'humiliated, betrayed and pathetic' when she was dismissed from Nine and the Today show in October 2017 over a reported gender pay gap dispute

Lisa revealed that she was told by her agent of her dismissal from Nine while standing 'in aisle six at Woolies (sic) holding a can of tuna'.

'I felt stupid and humiliated and betrayed... and pretty pathetic,' she said, fighting back tears.

The former magazine editor revealed how Nine was unaware she was looking for employment elsewhere while the reported gender pay gap dispute was discussed.

Ousted: Lisa revealed to Hamish Macdonald (left) that she was told by her agent of her dismissal from Nine while standing 'in aisle six at Woolies (sic) holding a can of tuna'. 'I felt stupid and humiliated and betrayed... and pretty pathetic,' she said, fighting back tears

Abrupt departure: Lisa sat alongside Karl Stefanovic (left), 47, for 10 years before joining The Sunday Project in 2018. The former magazine editor revealed how Nine was unaware she was looking for employment elsewhere while the reported gender pay gap dispute was discussed

'No one knew I had this offer from Channel Ten. I think the idea was to humiliate me because I'd been in negotiations to try and close the gender pay gap,' she said.

When asked just how 'big' the pay gap was, Lisa hinted at it being quite significant.

'Doesn't get much bigger than the gap that I experienced. I was very expendable. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to the audience. I was told, "That's it".'

The journalist went on to admit that she's 'not really in touch' with former co-host Karl and took a few moments before responding to whether she'd like to be friends.

Reported pay gap dispute: When asked just how 'big' the pay gap was, Lisa hinted at it being quite significant. 'Doesn't get much bigger than the gap that I experienced. I was very expendable. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to the audience. I was told, "That's it"'

Moving on: The journalist went on to admit that she's 'not really in touch' with former co-host Karl and took a few moments before responding to whether she'd like to be friends

'I'd rather we didn't use this, if you don't mind,' she said, while pausing to reflect. 'I don't want to look like... but I was hurt. I was hurt. But you pick up and you move on and that's exactly what I did.'

Lisa was believed to have quit Today because Karl, 47, as her male co-host, was reportedly earning $2million a year with a potential bonus that could take his salary to $3million if ratings were a hit, The Australian wrote in 2017.

Lisa was said to be on a $1.1million a year contract, with Nine only willing to increase the amount to $1.8million, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Painful: 'I'd rather we didn't use this, if you don't mind,' she said, while pausing to reflect. 'I don't want to look like... but I was hurt. I was hurt. But you pick up and you move on and that's exactly what I did'

Reports: Lisa was believed to have quit Today because Karl as her male co-host, was reportedly earning $2million a year with a potential bonus that could take his salary to $3million if ratings were a hit, The Australian wrote in 2017

Rival network: Since joining The Sunday Project in 2018, Lisa has landed sit-down interviews with A-list stars. Pictured with co-hosts Tommy Little (left) and Waleed Aly (right)

The amount was reportedly not enough for her to stay with the network, prompting her departure.

In an interview with The Herald Sun in December 2018, Lisa applauded the 'integrity' and high 'calibre' of her colleagues at Ten, referencing Carrie Bickmore, Fifi Box, Amanda Keller, Julia Morris and Gorgi Coghlan.

'One of the absolute bonuses that I really hadn't anticipated in moving to Ten, is the calibre of my colleagues,' she said.

Since joining Ten, Lisa has quickly become the network's 'go-to' for securing sit-down interviews with A-list stars including David Beckham and Kim Kardashian.

However with Covid and international travel restrictions, The Australian believes Lisa has changed her approach to focus on issues at home that she's passionate about.
Shanina Shaik put on a leggy display as she stepped out with Jasmine Tookes in West Hollywood on Saturday night.

Former Victoria's Secret model Shanina, 30, wore a brown minidress which she left unbuttoned at the front to create a plunging neckline.

The garment finished high above the knee with a slight split to the front, leaving her slender pins on show.

Stepping out: Shanina Shaik, 30, put on a leggy display as she stepped out in a brown mini-dress and boots to Craig's restaurant in West Hollywood, California on Saturday night

She had on a pair of high-heeled brown leather boots which finished just below the knee and she carried a Dior bag on a strap on her shoulder.

Her long black tresses tumbled down onto her shoulders and she wore some simple make-up to highlight her pretty features.

Jasmine, 30, who also rose to fame on the Victoria's Secret runway, wore a stylish white trouser suit.

Famous friends: The former Victoria's Secret model was joined by Jasmine Tookes, 30, who wore a white trouser suit with a bag by JW PEI for the evening

Fashion forward: Jasmine's garment finished high above the knee with a slight split to the front, leaving her slender pins on show

She had on a black top underneath her jacket which matched the colour of the high-heeled shoes on her feet.

The fashionista carried a white leather back packed full of belongings on her arm.

Shanina and Jasmine walked side-by-side after enjoying a meal together at celebrity haunt Craig's restaurant.

Making the most of herself: She had on a pair of high-heeled brown leather boots which finished just below the knee and she carried a Dior bag on a strap on her shoulder

Strutting their stuff: Jasmine, 30, who also rose to fame on the Victoria's Secret runway, showed off her chic style in her suit

Ready to roll: The pair were seen in the back of a taxi as they travelled home after dining out in Los Angeles

Shanina served as a bridesmaid last month at Jasmine's wedding to Snapchat executive Juan David Borrero.

The wedding came a year after the businessman proposed in in September 2020 with a whopping 190k diamond ring.

'Si, mi amor!  We're engaged!!!' she gushed on Instagram at the time.

Good pals: Shanina served as a bridesmaid last month at Jasmine's wedding to Snapchat executive Juan David Borrero

It is said that Jasmine's Snapchat executive beau shocked her with the proposal after whisking her away for a surprise trip to Lake Powell, a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona.

Speaking to Vogue about her big moment, Jasmine revealed: 'It was a complete surprise!'

She added that she cried many 'happy tears' and said the proposal was 'the best day I couldve ever imagined.'
Molly Mae-Hague looked delighted as boyfriend Tommy Fury FaceTime called her from Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning after watching his brother demolish Deontay Wilder in a thrilling heavyweight contest.

Tommy, 22, was ringside as Tyson Fury convincingly defeated Wilder inside 11 rounds at the T-Mobile Arena during the third fight of their trilogy.

Calling Molly-Mae, 22, who watched the fight from the couple's Manchester home, he could barely articulate his delight as she beamed from the corner of his phone screen.

Chuffed: Molly Mae-Hague looked delighted as boyfriend Tommy Fury called her from Las Vegas after watching his brother demolish Deontay Wilder in a thrilling heavyweight contest on Saturday evening

Sharing a clip of their video chat on Instagram, Molly-Mae said hearing of Tyson's win was 'the best call ever'.

Tommy's trip to the US to watch the fight comes as Tyson's wife Paris said she thinks Molly-Mae and Tommy will get married.

She told The Sun: 'I do look at them and think: "Aww, you are like what we were like when we were young." I think they will get married.'

Family affair: Tommy, 22, was ringside as Tyson Fury convincingly defeated Wilder inside 11 rounds at the T-Mobile Arena during the third fight of their trilogy

Molly recently took to Instagram to share an adorable photo of her and Tommy snuggled up in bed as he cared for her following her surgery to remove a 'benign' lump in her breast and a separate mass in her finger.

She had previously spoken about discovering a non-cancerous lump in her breast and had been referred for a biopsy.

Posing for a picture with her beloved cuddly toy Elly Belly, Molly-Mae smiled as she revealed she has had the lump successfully removed.

Phone home: Sharing a clip of their video chat on Instagram, Molly-Mae said hearing of Tyson's win was 'the best call ever'

Champion: Tyson could be seen on the screen at the arena with his belt over his shoulder after winning the fight

Romance: Tommy's trip to the US to watch the fight comes as Tyson's wife Paris (pictured) said she thinks Molly-Mae and Tommy will get married

Alongside the snap, she wrote: 'I spoke about a lump I found in my boob on a recent vlog of mine, well I had it removed today. Check your bodies people!!'

Further updating her fans, the Pretty Little Thing creative director said: 'Also had a lump removed from my finger that I've spoken about a few times too.'

'Also having a canula put in my hand has always been without a doubt my BIGGEST fear... so that in itself today is a HUGE achievement for me.'

Cute: Molly-Mae Hague cuddled up to her boyfriend Tommy Fury in recent Instagram posts as she recovered from surgery after a cancer scare

Hospital: Molly-Mae previously revealed she has had surgery to remove a 'beign' lump in her breast and a separate mass in her hand

Molly-Mae previously told YouTube channel she'd been referred for a biopsy after discovering a benign lump in her breast had grown, but reassured her followers that it's 'not serious.'

The star explained she previously had the lump checked by doctors, who reassured her that it was benign and non-harmful.

She told her fans: 'I basically noticed a little lump in my boob, went to get it checked and it was completely fine, completely benign.'
Hollyoaks star Katie McGlynn has said it has been 'weird' being so physically close to a partner in Strictly Come Dancing after getting used to social distancing.

The actress, 28, said she had been socially distanced from other actors in her work since the start of the pandemic.

She said starring on the programme has been a 'brand new' experience where she has had to learn to communicate without using her voice, gestures and facial expressions.

Awkward: Hollyoaks star Katie McGlynn, 28, has said it has been 'weird' being so physically close to a partner in Strictly Come Dancing after getting used to social distancing

'It's literally using my body and with Covid, I have been social distanced from other actors, so it's just weird having to be close to somebody,' she said.

'When we did the tango it just felt very strange having to be that close to somebody and you kind of have to move as one, in sync. So it's very strange.

'But like I said, all this is brand new to me so I'm just absorbing it all and trying to get better.'

Up close: The actress said she had been socially distanced from other actors in her work since the start of the pandemic, but is working closely with Gorka Marquez, 31, on Strictly

Katie praised the teaching of her professional dance partner Gorka Marquez, 31.

'I think because you spend so much time together, you kind of learn what works, how to teach different people and we have the same sense of humour so we laugh all day and he teaches me in a way that I get it,' she said.

'He's been writing it down like a script.

New skills: She said starring on the programme has been a 'brand new' experience where she has had to learn to communicate without using her voice

'He's super supportive and after last week, I lost my confidence because we were in the dance off and he was so supportive and positive.

'He's just brilliant, I couldn't imagine having a different partner in this experience.'

She added that seeing actress Nina Wadia become the first celebrity to be eliminated from the competition was 'brutal'.

Speaking out: 'It's literally using my body and with Covid, I have been social distanced from other actors, so it's just weird having to be close to somebody,' she said

'You kind of forget that somebody has to go home,' she said.

She added she was 'really upset' to see Nina leave.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One this evening at 7.10pm.
Killing Eve star Fiona Show sparked concern when she attended the BFI screening of the film Passing.

The actress, 63, who plays Carolyn Martens on the hit BBC show, needed the help of crutches as she arrived for the special screening of the film.

Wearing a cream ribbed zip up jumper and a pair of black loose fitting trousers, Fiona was beaming as she kept it casual for the the BFI premiere.

Worried: Killing Eve star Fiona Show, 63, sparked concern when she attended the BFI screening of the film Passing on crutches

The star was on hand to support the films lead Ruth Negga at the special VIP screening.

Despite her unexplained injury Fiona was still in high spirits for the screening, as she posed with her crutches.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Fiona Shaw for comment.

Support: The actress who plays Carolyn Martens on the hit BBC show, needed the help of crutches as she arrived for the special screening of the film

Passing, a 2021 film by British director Rebecca Hall, is an adaption from Nella Larsen's acclaimed 1929 novel, of the same name.

The films director has admitted that for her the film 'is a deeply personal film with Hall mining her family's own history of passing.

To deliver a richly layered examination of race, class and sexuality, and the lives we choose  or choose not  to lead.

Fiona recently hit the headlines when she sensationally hit out at ageism towards women in the film industry.

After starring in the acclaimed film My Left Foot with Daniel Day Lewis in 1989, she went to Hollywood.

Recalling the time she arrived in LA, she told the Guardian, ' I was told You're very old.' I remember thinking, 'that's bad.' She was 28.

Award winner: Speaking on the role of MI6 chief Carolyn Martens of which one the 2019 Bafta was one that she feels she waited 'all her life for'

She finally won a role in the film Three Men and a Little Lady, in which she played a frumpy headteacher, 'completely finished my film career,' she says, laughing.

She added speaking to the Ipaper, 'Once you've passed the age of being a heroine you're doomed'.

However she admitted that the role of MI6 chief Carolyn Martens of which one the 2019 Bafta was one that she feels she waited 'all her life for'.

Fiona describes her character in Killing Eve 'as a bag of monkeys,'. 'I don't know what she's up to.'

'That unknowability is key to her magnetism viewers are drawn to the MI6 boss'.

'Who, in many respects, is a deeply unlikeable character  because', says Shaw, 'she's mysterious'.

Heroine: Fiona found fame in the Oscar winning 1989 film My Left foot

She knows a lot more than she lets on She is sometimes playing a longer game than her behaviour might appear to show.

'The personality needed to work in MI6 is not warm and cuddly. Because you have to be wary of everything everyone says to you'.

'You also have to be very careful of what you say, how you behave and who you love. It makes for really good tension.'
Gemma Collins has revealed she has donated bags of her bras to charity after feeling guilty about spending over 1,000 on a dinner at Salt Bae's Nusr-et restaurant in London.

The former TOWIE star, 40, took to Instagram last week to share clips of herself at the Knightsbridge eatery as she enjoyed a night out with boyfriend Rami Hawash, 45, and told of her shock at being charged 1,450.

Gemma shared snaps and clips from the date which saw her and Rami and his son Tristan, three, being served by owner Nusret Gokce.

Charity: Gemma Collins has revealed she has donated bags of her bras to charity after feeling guilty about spending over 1,000 on a dinner at Salt Bae's Nusr-et restaurant in London

Speaking on The Gemma Collins Podcast, the reality star admitted she felt bad about how much money she spent afterward and wanted to give something back.

She said: 'I felt a bit sick. It was an amazing experience, and to be honest I would have paid that to meet him anyway, because I love him. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

'But I started to feel really bad the next day because I was like, "Oh my gosh, there's people starving in the world."

'I just started feeling really bad about it all, so I was like, "Right, what can I do?"'

Expensive: The former TOWIE star, 40, took to Instagram last week to share clips of herself at the Knightsbridge eatery as she enjoyed a night out with boyfriend Rami Hawash, 45, and told of her shock at being charged 1,450 (pictured with Salt Bae)

Gemma acknowledged she went a bit 'over the top' and noted she had never spent that much money on a meal before.

After deciding she wanted to 'give some good back to the universe,' her friend came up with the idea of donating her old bras.

Gemma explained: 'It really started playing on my mind, so I instantly went and I started to clear out every single bra that I owned

'Literally, I sent four bags of really nice bras to the charity. So I feel like I've done my thing.'

Good cause: After deciding she wanted to 'give some good back to the universe,' her friend came up with the idea of donating her old bras

Culinary whizz: In a video shared to Gemma's Instagram last week, Salt Bae could be seen slicing the meat, which was covered in gold leaf

The media personality added that she 'wasn't planning to go out again anytime soon'.

The venue is known for it's hefty prices and reportedly charges 9 for a coke, 30 for prawn tempura cocktails and 100 for a burger.

A 15 per cent service charge is also added to the bill.

Sharing clips of her visit to the restaurant on Instagram last week, Gemma wrote: 'When the GC meets . @nusr_et YEAH BABY bring me that salt action #nusret #saltbae ...

'This guy, the most amazing energy, his presence is electric and fun and defo one to go visit @nusr_et.'
Claire Foy cut a chic figure in a sophisticated all-black look as she joined Benedict Cumberbatch, 45, for an advanced screening of The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain on Sunday.

The pair appeared to be in a jovial mood as they entered the venue at Regent Street Cinema ahead of the film's 2022 release.

Claire, 37, looked effortlessly chic in black trousers and a stylish cold shoulder top which she paired with stilettos.

New film: Claire Foy cut a chic figure in a sophisticated all-black look as she joined Benedict Cumberbatch , 45, for an advanced screening of The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain on Sunday

Benedict looked stylish in a quirky white shirt embellished with colourful patterns which he layered over grey T-shirt.

He donned casual blue jeans which he paired with brown sued shoes.

The actors beamed for the camera as they embraced and stroked a cat for a few snaps.

Gorgeous: The actress cut a stylish figure dressed all in black, teaming a knitted a one-sleeved top with tapered trousers

Fun: The pair appeared to be in a jovial mood as they entered the venue at Regent Street Cinema ahead of the films 2022 release

Looking good: Claire looked effortlessly chic in black trousers and a stylish cold shoulder top which she paired with stilettos

Cute: Benedict looked stylish in a quirky white shirt embellished with colourful patterns which he layered over grey T-shirt

The stars posed with the movies director and co-writer Will Sharpe who looked dapper in a grey suit.

The new flick follows Wain, played by Cumberbatch, as he highlights the 'ridiculous, frightened and brave nature of cats' through his art while he looks after his family and falls in love with Emily (Claire Foy).

The period drama, which sees the 1800s through to the 1930s, also features Andrea Riseborough, Aimee Lou Wood, Richard Ayoade, Taika Waititi, Nick Cave and Olivia Colman.

Looking good: The brunette beauty styled her hair in a chic bun and opted for a bold red lip

Cast: The stars posed with the movies director and co-writer Will Sharpe who looked dapper in a grey suit

Fun night: They appeared to be in a giddy humour and in great spirits before the screening

Stylish: He donned casual blue jeans which he paired with brown sued shoes

The film is set for release in UK cinemas next year, while it will be released in the US from 22nd October, and will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on 5th November.

In the flick Benedict looks completely different as he underwent a geriatric makeover for his role.

In the first look trailer, the actor sported spectacles, thinning white hair and a beard - making him look miles apart from his usual handsome looks.

Pose: Claire oozed confidence as she posed for pictures before the screening

Funny: Showing off her silly side the star made faces as she posed for photographers

Furry friend: The actors beamed for the camera as they embraced and stroked a cat for a few snaps

Sweet: The pair looked pleased to be reunited for the screening

The new trailer for his upcoming film comes as Benedict spoke about playing a gay character in The Power of the Dog - where he plays 'sadistic rancher' Phil Burbank who strikes up a relationship with Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

While Cumberbatch isn't gay, Benedict revealed in an interview with IndieWire that they did speak about him playing a gay character often, adding, 'It wasnt done without thought.'

'I feel very sensitive about representation, diversity, and inclusion,' he said at the Telluride Film Festival.

New look: In the flick Benedict looks completely different as he underwent a geriatric makeover for his role

New flick: The new flick follows Wain as he highlights the 'ridiculous, frightened and brave nature of cats' through art while he looks after his family and falls in love with Emily (Claire Foy)

The Power Of The Dog: The new trailer for his upcoming film comes as Benedict spoke about playing a gay character in The Power of the Dog

'One of the appeals of the job was the idea that in this world, with this specific character, there was a lot that was private, hidden from view,' he added.

While it's never specifically stated what his character's sexual preference is, the actor has played a gay man before, portraying Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

'It wasnt done without thought. I also feel slightly like, is this a thing where our dance card has to be public? Do we have to explain all our private moments in our sexual history? I dont think so,' he added.
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Rebecca Hall dazzled as she walked the red carpet in a purple dress for the premiere of her directorial debut Passing at the London Film Festival on Sunday.

She was joined by Ruth Negga, who looked stunning in a figure hugging pink midi dress with puffed sleeves.

Rebecca, 39, looked stunning in the stand-out number which boasted three quarter length sleeves and and a ruffled hem.

Wow! Rebecca Hall (left) dazzled in a purple sequinned gown as she attends the premiere of her directorial debut Passing with star Ruth Negga (right) at the London Film Festival

Actress Ruth, 39, who plays Clare in the film, had a flawlessly applied layer of make up on consisting of dark purple lipstick and winged eyeliner.

She had her raven tresses in an elegant up-do while wearing pink satin heeled shoes.

Rebecca, meanwhile, wore dark eyeshadow and a neutral lip colour while flashing a smile.

Gorgeous: Rebecca who is the director of the new release, looked stunning in the stand-out number which had three quarter length sleeves and and a ruffled hem

Amazing: Actress Ruth, who plays Clare in the film had a flawlessly applied layer of make up on consisting of dark purple lipstick and winged eyeliner

The film follows the surprise reunion of two school friends, which then sparks a mutual obsession which threatens their carefully constructed lives.

It is an adaption from Nella Larsen's acclaimed 1929 novel, of the same name. The flick also stars the Sorry To Bother You actress Tess Thompson, who plays Irene.

The film aims to deliver a richly layered examination of race, class and sexuality, and the lives we choose  or choose not  to lead.

Rebecca has admitted that the film is deeply personal.

Good spirits: Ruth had her raven tresses in an elegant up-do while wearing pink satin heeled shoes while she posed with the director, who wore dark eyeshadow and neutral lipstick

Her opera singer mother Maria Ewing is from Detroit, Michigan and is bi-racial with African American and Dutch ancestry.

Her grandfather was also bi-racial and Rebecca says both family members struggled with their identity, with the actress saying it wasn't always openly talked about.

She explained to The Playlist: 'It wasnt hidden from me exactly but it was hidden from me and not talked about.

New release: The film follows the surprise reunion of two school friends, which then sparks a mutual obsession which threatens their carefully constructed lives, and also stars Tessa Thompson

'When I got older, I would have these conversations with my mother where it would come up, "Can we talk about where you came from?" And sometimes she would say yes and sometimes say no.'

She added that her grandfather was passing for white too, with the reasons heartbreaking reasons behind the situation.

Rebecca said: 'I came across [Passing] at a time when I was trying to reckon creatively with some of my personal family history, and the mystery surrounding my bi-racial grandfather on my American mothers side.

Family history: Rebecca (pictured with her opera singer mother Maria Ewing in 2010) has admitted that the film is deeply personal with her mining her family's own history of passing

'In part, making this film is an exploration of that history, to which Ive never really had access.'

Rebecca later attended the Passing post premiere reception at Little House in Mayfair, which was attended by film producer Margot Hand and actor Andre Holland.

She also looked loved up as she posed with her husband Morgan Spector.

Earlier on Sunday, Killing Eve star Fiona Shaw sparked concern when she attended the VIP screening of the film.

The actress, 63, who plays Carolyn Martens on the hit BBC show, needed the help of crutches as she arrived for the special screening.

Anticipated: It is an adaption from Nella Larsen's acclaimed 1929 novel, of the same name, and the flick also stars the Sorry To Bother You actress Tess Thompson, who plays Irene

Party: Rebecca later attended the Passing post premiere reception at Little House in Mayfair

Stunning: She posed with film producer Margot Hand and Ruth

Wearing a cream ribbed zip up jumper and a pair of black loose fitting trousers, Fiona was beaming as she kept it casual for the the BFI premiere.

The star was on hand to support the film's lead Ruth at the special VIP screening.

Despite her unexplained injury Fiona was still in high spirits, as she posed with her crutches.

Stars of the film: Rebecca posed with Ruth and the leading actor Andre Holland

Sweet: Rebecca looked loved up as she posed with her husband Morgan Spector

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Fiona Shaw for comment.

Fiona recently hit the headlines when she sensationally hit out at ageism towards women in the film industry.

After starring in the acclaimed film My Left Foot with Daniel Day Lewis in 1989, she went to Hollywood.

Recalling the time she arrived in LA, she told the Guardian, 'I was told "You're very old."' I remember thinking, 'that's bad.' She was 28.

Worried: Killing Eve star Fiona Show, 63, sparked concern when she attended the screening on crutches

She finally won a role in the film Three Men and a Little Lady, in which she played a frumpy headteacher, 'completely finished my film career,' she says, laughing.

She added speaking to the Ipaper, 'Once you've passed the age of being a heroine you're doomed'.

However she admitted that the role of MI6 chief Carolyn Martens of which one the 2019 Bafta was one that she feels she waited 'all her life for'.

Support: The actress who plays Carolyn Martens on the hit BBC show, needed the help of crutches as she arrived for the special screening of the film

Award winner: Speaking on the role of MI6 chief Carolyn Martens of which one the 2019 Bafta was one that she feels she waited 'all her life for'

Fiona describes her character in Killing Eve 'as a bag of monkeys, I don't know what she's up to.

'That unknowability is key to her magnetism viewers are drawn to the MI6 boss

'Who, in many respects, is a deeply unlikeable character  because', says Shaw, 'she's mysterious.'

She knows a lot more than she lets on She is sometimes playing a longer game than her behaviour might appear to show.

'The personality needed to work in MI6 is not warm and cuddly. Because you have to be wary of everything everyone says to you'.

'You also have to be very careful of what you say, how you behave and who you love. It makes for really good tension.'

Heroine: Fiona found fame in the Oscar winning 1989 film My Left foot
Maggie Gyllenhaal cut a stylish figure at The Last Daughter photo call during the 13th Festival Lumiere in Lyon, France on Sunday.

The 43-year-old actress looked effortlessly chic in a black blazer which she paired with a casual white T-shirt and jeans.

The star - who has made her feature directorial debut with the film - beamed as she posed for photographers.

Chic: Maggie Gyllenhaal cut a stylish figure at The Last Daughter photo call during the 13th Festival Lumiere in Lyon, France on Sunday

Maggie paired her outfit with stylish designer white loafers and a thin black belt, and her brunette locks were styled in soft curls and she added red lipstick for a pop of colour.

Keeping accessories to a minimum she donned a silver bracelet and elegant rings as she arrived to continue promotional duties for the film.

It comes after the star brought understated elegance to the opening ceremony of the festival on Saturday.

Casual: The actress looked effortlessly chic in a black blazer which she paired with a casual white T-shirt and jeans

Director: The star - who has made her feature directorial debut with the film - beamed as she posed for photographers

Looking good: Maggie paired her outfit with stylish designer white loafers and a thin black belt as she made her arrival for the photocall

She slid her svelte frame into a black floor-length gown that featured a plunging neckline hinting at her enviably trim midriff.

Maggie accented the dress with an understated matching blazer, adding a quirky touch to the look with trendily mismatched earrings.

The sister of Jake Gyllenhaal wore her hair in a bob reminiscent of the flapper era and sharpened her unmistakable features with makeup.

She flashed her megawatt smile as she made her way around the red carpet on a pair of vertiginous black stilettos.

Once inside the ceremony she took the stage and could be seen holding a sign declaring the festival officially open.

Style: Her brunette locks were styled in soft curls and she added red lipstick for a pop of colour

Her fellow directors who will have films shown at the festival include Jane Campion who is also the recipient of this year's Prix Lumiere.

Maggie is attending the festival as a 'special guest' in a category that also features Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino and French composer Philippe Sarde.

Another 'special guest' is Rebecca Hall - who just like Maggie is a Hollywood actress screening her feature film directorial debut.

En vogue: It comes after the star brought understated elegance to the opening ceremony of the festival on Saturday

Hoofing it: She flashed her megawatt smile as she made her way around the red carpet on a pair of vertiginous black stilettos

'Ouvert!': Once inside the ceremony she took the stage and could be seen holding a sign declaring the festival officially open

Maggie's new film has already played such events as the Venice Film Festival, the New York Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival.

Its upcoming schedule will see it whirl through the BFI London Film Festival, the Film Fest Gent and the SCAD Savannah Film Festival among others.

The film, adapted from a novel by the hit Italian author Elena Ferrante, will drop on Netflix on New Year's Eve after two weeks of limited theatrical release in America.

Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson head a cast that includes Jessie Buckley, Peter Sarsgaard, Dagmara Dominczyk, Paul Mescal and Ed Harris.

In the offing: Her film, adapted from a novel by the hit Italian author Elena Ferrante, will drop on Netflix on New Year's Eve after two weeks of limited theatrical release in America
Lily Rabe looked radiant as she attended the photocall for her latest picture The Tender Bar at the Nomad Hotel during the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday.

The pregnant actress, 39, was glowing as she sweetly cradled her growing bump in an unmissable yellow gown featuring a sweet ribbon around its waist.

She wore her gorgeous sandy tresses in a sleek side parting and sported a pair of dazzling dangling earrings.

Wow! Lily Rabe looked radiant as she attended the photocall for her latest picture The Tender Bar at the Nomad Hotel during the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday

Accentuating her natural beauty with a full face of make-up, the American Horror Story cast member beamed with delight as co-star George Clooney joined her for a series of snaps.

The Ocean's Eleven actor looked suave in a black suit while his stunning wife Amal was a vision in a beautiful strapless white gown adorned with sequins.

The raven-haired beauty kept her glossy tresses in a sophisticated half-up half-down style and completed her look with silver drop earrings.

Bumping along: The pregnant actress was glowing as she sweetly cradled her growing bump in an unmissable yellow gown featuring a sweet ribbon around its waist

Happy: Accentuating her natural beauty with a full face of make-up, the American Horror Story cast member beamed with delight as co-star George Clooney joined her for a series of snaps

The barrister completed her gorgeous look with an elegant red lip as she proudly posed with her husband.

Actor Grant Heslov coordinated with Mr Clooney, and filled onlookers with squad goal envy as he joined the team on the red carpet.

Lily and her longtime partner Hamish Linklater, 45, are expecting their third child together, with the couple announcing the news last month.

Twinning: Grant Heslov (right) coordinated with Mr Clooney, and filled onlookers with squad goal envy as he joined the team on the red carpet

In hysterics: Lily couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she cradled her pregnant tummy

Out of this world: Lily wore her gorgeous sandy tresses in a sleek side parting and sported a pair of dazzling dangling earrings

Angry: The fun-and-games soon stopped as George shot a stern expression towards photographers

The Tender Bar is a coming of age drama which the story of a Long Island boy named J.R. (Ready Player One's Tye Sheridan) who seeks out father figures at his uncle Charlie's (Ben Affleck) bar.

A his mother (played by Lily) struggles to provide him with opportunities while they continue to reside with her father (played by Christopher Lloyd), J.R. decides to take hold of his future and pursue romantic and professional dreams.

The film is based on J.R. Moehringer's bestselling memoir of the same name and the screenplay was written by William Monahan, who penned The Departed.

Dapper: The Oceans Eight actor looked suave in a black suit while his stunning wife Amal (far right) was a vision in a beautiful strapless white gown adorned with sequins

Ethereal: The barrister completed her gorgeous look with an elegant red lip as she proudly posed with the group

Beauty: The raven-haired beauty kept her glossy tresses in a sophisticated side-swept style, and completed her look with silver drop earrings

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Max Casella, Sondra James, Max Martini, Michael Braun, Matthew Delamater, Rhenzy Feliz, Ivan Leung, Briana Middleton and newcomer Daniel Ranieri.

Development on The Tender Bar began in 2013 with Hidden Figures director Theodore Melfi set to helm the film, before he exited the project.

After several years of difficulties, Amazon Studios acquired the rights to the project in July 2020, with George being confirmed to spearhead the feature in December.

Centre of attention: Lily certainly stood out from the crowd in the eye-popping number

Happy: She beamed from ear-to-ear while chatting with a reporter

Coming soon: Development on The Tender Bar began in 2013 with Hidden Figures director Theodore Melfi set to helm the film, before he exited the project

Ben's role was confirmed in February, with much of the rest of the cast being added then in March.

Principal photography on the upcoming project began earlier this year at various locations in and around Boston.

George's eighth directorial feature will stream on January 7 on Amazon Prime Video, hitting limited US theaters on December 18.
Bill Murray sent onlookers into hysterics as he larked around with Jarvis Cocker at The French Dispatch UK premiere during the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday.

Proving his comedic days are certainly not behind him, the actor, 71, ruffled Tricia Tuttle's gorgeous ginger tresses while an amused Jarvis, 58, looked on.

The director of festivals for the British Film Institute shot a puzzled expression as the funnyman used both of his hands to mess up her luscious curls.

Hilarious: Bill Murray (right) sent onlookers into hysterics as he larked around with Jarvis Cocker (left) at The French Dispatch premiere during the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday

The Groundhog Day star looked dapper in a brown blazer and cream trousers, which he sported above a casual royal blue shirt.

He accessorised his ensemble with a suave black panama hat while musician Jarvis cut an eye-popping burgundy shirt and a light brown suit jacket.

Jarvis doesn't feature in the movie - but it boasts a stellar cast of top actors.

Wreaking havoc: Proving his comedic days are certainly not behind him, the actor, 71, ruffled Tricia Tuttle's gorgeous ginger tresses while an amused Jarvis, 58, looked on

Oh no! The director of festivals for the British Film Institute shot a puzzled expression as the funnyman used both of his hands to mess up her luscious locks

Fashion forward: She donned a sensational translucent black maxi dress featuring floral prints, while completing her outfit with a pair of dazzling white boots

Looking good: The Groundhog Day star (right) looked dapper in a brown blazer and cream trousers, which he sported above a casual royal blue shirt while musician Jarvis (left) cut an eye-popping burgundy shirt and a light brown suit jacket

Timothee Chalamet, Tilda Swinton and Bill are among a star-studded cast in Wes Anderson's upcoming film.

On Friday, Searchlight Pictures released a one-minute clip featuring scenes from the movie, which follows a group of journalists and is based on the writings of The New Yorker.

Written and directed by Anderson, the film's all-star ensemble also includes Benicio del Toro, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Adrien Brody, Lea Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Mathieu Amalric, Lyna Khoudri, Stephen Park and Owen Wilson.

Stellar ensemble: Timothee Chalamet, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray were seen among a star-studded cast in the new trailer for Wes Anderson's upcoming film The French Dispatch

The comedy drama, which is fully titled The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun, is set in a fictional 20th-century French city and centers on three different storylines.

The anthology film follows the development of a series of stories published in the titular magazine, and opens with editor Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Murray) on the paper's last day.

The French Dispatch is scheduled to be released on October 22.
Reality star and public health advocate Abbie Chatfield has expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of Sam Frost's 'medical exemption' for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Home and Away star claimed on Saturday she was refusing the vaccine and therefore wouldn't be able to enjoy the benefits of Freedom Day, before suggesting she had a valid medical reason for not getting the jab.

However, Abbie said on Sunday this claim 'makes no sense' because people with genuine medical exemptions will have the same freedoms as vaccinated NSW residents from Monday, October 11.

Doubts: Reality star and public health advocate Abbie Chatfield (pictured) has expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of Sam Frost's 'medical exemption' for the Covid-19 vaccine

Abbie said that if Sam did have a medical exemption then she 'doesn't lose any of her privileges like going to restaurants'.

'She will be allowed to do the things we're allowed to do tomorrow [Monday] as vaccinated people,' she added.

'If you have a legitimate medical exemption, you're fine. You're treated the same way as a vaccinated person.

'So it's either her medical exemption isn't legitimate enough for her to have that or she has it and is choosing not to use it. It makes no sense.'

Claims: Sam (pictured) claimed on Saturday she was refusing the vaccine and therefore wouldn't be able to enjoy the benefits of Freedom Day, before suggesting she had a valid medical reason for not getting the jab

Bachie feud: Abbie said on Sunday this claim 'makes no sense' because people with genuine medical exemptions will have the same freedoms as vaccinated NSW residents from Monday

Good point: Abbie said those with valid medical exemptions are 'not doing videos crying on the floor talking about being a second-class citizen it seems you want to victimise yourself'

Abbie went on to say: 'Also the people who do have legitimate medical exemptions are the ones who I see posting begging for everyone to get the vaccine because they're the people who are at most risk for Covid.

'They're not doing videos crying on the floor talking about being a second-class citizen it seems you want to victimise yourself.'

The Bachelor star also hit back at claims she was 'bullying' Sam, who recently deleted her Instagram account following criticism of her anti-vax stance.

'All these anti-vaxxers are raging saying I'm a bully because of my post on Sam Frost but literally what I said was, "Babe, I chose peace today,"' Abbie said.

'How was that bullying? I didn't add any commentary. Like these people want to be victims so badly and saying she was bullied to the point of leaving Instagram because of Abbie Chatfield.

'I didn't f***ing bully her, I didn't even go on my phone yesterday after I posted that. My phone died and I left it off.'

Rubbish: The Bachelor star also hit back at claims she was 'bullying' Sam, who recently deleted her Instagram account following criticism of her anti-vax stance

Abbie's comments come after Sam's employer Channel Seven clarified the network's stance on Covid-19 vaccines and said she was still an employee.

A spokesperson said: 'Seven strongly encourages vaccination for all our people and all Seven productions strictly adhere to the public health Covid-19 safe protocols.

'All Home and Away cast and crew also undertake Covid-19 testing three times a week in addition to other preventative measures.

Statement: Abbie's comments come after Sam's employer Channel Seven clarified the network's stance on Covid-19 vaccines and said she was still an employee

'Sam Frost continues to work on Home and Away and follows the safety protocols in place.'

Sam, 32, deactivated her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon, shortly after revealing in an emotional video that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result.

The actress called for less judgement towards unvaccinated Australians.

Protocols: A spokesperson said, 'Seven strongly encourages vaccination for all our people and all Seven productions strictly adhere to the public health Covid-19 safe protocols... Sam Frost continues to work on Home and Away and follows the safety protocols in place'

'I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it's getting to a point now in the world where there's a lot of segregation,' she said.

'There's a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it's taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling - particularly if they're on the side of they don't want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.

'There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.'

Confession: Sam deactivated her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon, after revealing in an emotional video that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result

Sam then said she hadn't been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision.

She added tearfully: 'It's a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.

'And you're too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, "Well, it's none of your damn business why I'm not! And there's good reasons why I'm not and I don't want you to judge me."'

Medical advice: Sam said she hadn't been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision

She explained it was important for the unvaccinated to look after their mental health, especially as freedoms return for fully vaccinated Australians.

'I'm struggling a lot with my mental health and I like to think that I'm pretty on to it. I see a psychologist regularly. So I can't imagine what it's like for people who don't have a support network around them,' she said.

She also said she could 'get in trouble' for coming out publicly as unvaccinated, before urging people to treat each other with more kindness and compassion.

Words: She admitted that she could 'get in trouble' for coming out publicly as unvaccinated, before urging people to treat each other with more kindness and compassion

Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word 'segregation' when referring to the way society 'judges' unvaccinated people.

'Segregation' is usually used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion or sexual orientation.

'Sam Frost, if you want fewer people to judge you and more people to empathise with you - maybe, just maybe don't use the word "segregation" 30 seconds into your video. This isn't 1950s Alabama. You ain't Rosa Parks,' tweeted journalist Antoinette Lattouf.

'Watching Sam Frost tearfully speak about "segregation" because she chooses not to get vaccinated and being called "brave" by her followers is taking me to a level of "what the f**k" I didn't know was possible,' added comedian Em Rusciano.

'It's not segregation so I would suggest you change your terminology because that is so disrespectful to people who have been segregated because their race, religion, sexual orientation,' wrote another person on Twitter.
She recently described her '40s' as her favourite years.

But Elsa Pataky looked nowhere near her age in a makeup selfie she posted on Sunday night.

The Spanish actress, 45, appeared markedly youthful in the photo as she posed alongside a donkey and one of her twin sons.

What's my age again? Elsa Pataky, 45, looked years younger as she posed for a makeup free selfie with a donkey and one of her twin sons on Sunday

The wife of Chris Hemsworth dressed in a flowing white shirt and her blonde locks were out in natural waves.

In an interview with news.com.au's body+soul in December 2019, Elsa revealed the secret to her youthful appearance.

'I always tell women not to get scared [of] being muscly because it keeps everything up when you get older and everything starts sagging.

So the only way to keep it up is the muscle,' she said.

Secrets: The mum-of-three recently credited intermittent fasting with helping her maintain a youthful glow, and said Chris' mum, Leonie, 60, had been a huge inspiration

The mum-of-three also credited intermittent fasting with helping her maintain a youthful glow, and said Chris' mum, Leonie, 60, had been a huge inspiration.

'The first person we knew who started [intermittent fasting] really strict was Chris' mum, actually. She just looks amazing! She's 60 almost, 59, and every year looks even better...' she said at the time.

But despite her youthful good looks, Elsa added that she was loving being in her 40's, calling it 'the best age': 'I would never go back to my 20's, I like this age. Like everybody says, your 40's are like the new 20's and I feel like this is true.'

Meanwhile, last month it was revealed that Elsa and her husband of 11 years, Chris Hemsworth, had submitted plans to build a second 'Westfield-style' home near their existing Byron Bay mega-mansion.

Hot couple: Elsa is married to Hollywood hunk Chris Hemsworth

The A-list couple also came under fire after building a large stable complex on their existing property, knocking the top off a hill to create an enormous horse ring.

'Apparently his mates call it "El Caballo Blanco" - named after a large equine Andalusian theme park that operated in western Sydney in the '70s, '80s and '90s,' a source told Daily Mail Australia in August.

Elsa spoke about her love of horse riding in an interview with Australian Women's Health in March, and said it had kept her sane during lockdown.

'When we were in lockdown, I could still ride, so it was [all about] my family, my husband and my horses,' she told the publication.

'It's such a passion, kind of like meditation for me. I think it's important for your mind to have something you enjoy - a hobby that's just for you and your time.'
Khan was the one who set Pakistan on the path towards nuclear weapons in the 1970s. Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, the Interior Minister, said that Khan died in Islamabad.

A state funeral was held at the capital's Faisal Mosque, a massive white-marble mosque. A honor guard carried his body and military and political dignitaries performed funeral prayers.

Pakistani flags flew at half-staff

Khan was embroiled in controversy even before he returned from the Netherlands in 1970s where he worked at a nuclear research center.

According to research by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he was later accused of taking the Dutch facility's centrifuge technology for uranium enrichment that he would use to create Pakistan's first nuclear weapon.

Khan, who was a doctorate holder in metallurgical engineering at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, offered to launch Pakistans nuclear weapons program after India's first "peaceful" nuclear explosion in 1974.

He offered technology to Pakistan's nuclear weapons program and reached out to Zulfikar Ali Khan Bhutto, the then-Prime Minister. Bhutto accepted the offer, still sane from the 1971 loss to East Pakistan, which was later renamed Bangladesh. He also remembers the capture of 90,000. Pakistani soldiers by India. "We (Pakistanis), will eat grass even go hungry, but will have our own nuclear bomb (nuclear bomb)," he famously stated.

Since then, Pakistan and India have pursued their nuclear weapons programs together. Both countries have been declared nuclear weapons states since 1998, when they carried out tit-fortat nuclear weapons testing.

The allegations and criticisms about Khan's involvement in Pakistan's nuclear program, and Pakistan's involvement in it, have been ongoing.

The U.S. accused Khan of selling nuclear secrets to Iran and North Korea during the 1990s, when Washington sanctioned Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. During the Soviet occupation in neighboring Afghanistan for 10 years, successive U.S. presidents had certified that Pakistan wasn't developing nuclear weapons. American law required the certification to allow U.S. assistance to rebels in Afghanistan through Pakistan.

In 1990, months after the 1989 withdrawal Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989, Washington placed crippling sanctions on Pakistan, thereby ending all humanitarian and military aid.


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Vimukti leaders said the government should make mental health and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) testing a mandatory precursor to rehabilitation of survivors of human trafficking, implementation of community health programmes for sex workers at least in three districts where the populations are higher, and support NGOs to provide trauma care to victims.  Representational image/AP

VIJAYAWADA: Vimukta, a forum of sex workers and survivors of trafficking, said on Saturday that all primary health centres and urban health centres, hospitals and clinics should be equipped to offer counselling and psychological treatment.

Speaking at a meeting ahead of World Mental Health Day on Sunday, Vimukti president S. Meharunnisa and secretary G. Pushpavathi said it was time for the government to take up community-level mental health treatment services and campaigns to prevent suicidal tendencies among informal labour including sex workers, especially due to the lockdowns.

They said that as the Covid-19 pandemic had led to stringent lockdowns and other restrictions, thousands of sex workers had been unable to perform work and earn. They said that arrests, fines, violence, disruption in supply of aid by law enforcement agencies, and compulsory deportation had been reported by sex workers, fuelling concerns that the pandemic was intensifying stigma, discrimination, and repressive policing.

Among other demands, the Vimukti leaders said the government should make mental health and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) testing a mandatory precursor to rehabilitation of survivors of human trafficking, implementation of community health programmes for sex workers at least in three districts where the populations are higher, and support NGOs to provide trauma care to victims.
The report shall reach this court before the next date of hearing, the judge added and posted the case on October 27. (PTI Photo)

Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed the Chairman of Chennai Port Trust to immediately call for a meeting with the heads of other agencies, to constitute a committee to check overloading of trailer lorries.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh gave the direction on Friday, while passing interim orders on a writ petition, highlighting the dangers in allowing the overloaded trailers to ply in the City.

The judge observed that the writ petition portrayed a very disturbing scenario caused due to overloading of the trailer vehicles which are criss-crossing the city. The danger envisaged is quite understandable since Chennai Metro Rail work is going on across in many places, the road is weak and any overloading will result in the road itself sinking and causing a greater disaster.

Earlier, a similar plea was made before the Supreme Court, which gave certain guidelines. However, there is no use in merely having certain guidelines and it is important to monitor the same to ensure that the guidelines are followed, the judge said.

"In view of the above, there shall be a direction to the Chairman, Port of Chennai, to immediately call for a meeting with the Commissioner of Transport, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-Traffic), the Traffic Manager, Port of Chennai, the general managers of relevant container terminals. In the meeting, a decision shall be taken to form a Committee and certain guidelines shall be drafted to ensure check and balance to properly monitor and take action against the persons who are involved in overloading of trailer lorries."

"The Committee shall be made responsible for proper monitoring of the guidelines to be drafted by the Committee and this court will regularly monitor the progress shown and ensure that some control is established against the overloading vehicles," the judge said.

The report shall reach this court before the next date of hearing, the judge added and posted the case on October 27.
Lakshmamma said there was a need to create an awareness among people to minimise the damage in the event of a major seismic activity. (Representational image: PTI)

Bengaluru: An earthquake of 3.0 magnitude was recorded in Kalaburagi on Sunday, the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) said. The earthquake was felt two km north east of Kodadur in Kalgi Taluk of Kalaburagi district at 6.05 AM, it said.

"As per the Seismic Intensity map of the said earthquake from the Epicentre, the intensity observed is low and the earthquake might be felt up to a maximum radial distance of 7-12 km," the KSNDMC said in a statement. There was no loss of life or damage to property, officials said. KSNDMC said that these type of earthquakes do not create any harm to the local community, though there may be slight tremors observed locally. None need panic as the intensity observed is low and not destructive, it added.

On October 1 and October 5, mild tremors between 2.5 to 2.9 magnitude were felt near Basavakalyan in Vijayapura. The region where the tremors were felt is close to Latur and Killari, which had experienced a massive earthquake in September 1993.

The Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority commissioner Manoj Rajan told PTI that there were many factors behind the tremors, but there was no need to panic since these were mild jolts.

However, he said there will be a brainstorming session with prominent geologists very soon on the seismic activities in the region.

The Deputy Director of the Mineral Administration Dr Lakshmamma said the authorities are already on the alert following the earthquakes.

"The KSDMA officials are already alert on this issue and are studying the phenomena. We have also instructed the senior and junior geologists in our department to find out whether there is any disturbed area in terms of geological events in the past," she told PTI.

Lakshmamma said there was a need to create an awareness among people to minimise the damage in the event of a major seismic activity and added that she would soon speak to KSDMA officials in this regard.
New Delhi: The government has permitted the export of Russia's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light domestically produced here as the jab has not yet been approved for emergency use in India, sources said on Sunday.

Indian drug firm Hetero Biopharma Limited has been allowed to export 40 lakh doses of Sputnik Light to Russia, sources in the know of the developments told PTI.

Sputnik Light is the same as component-1 of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V which is being used in India's anti-COVID inoculation programme after getting emergency use authorisation from India's Drug Regulator in April.

The Russian ambassador had urged the Indian government to allow the export of Sputnik Light produced by Hetero Biopharma, one of the partners of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in the production of the jab, to his country till the vaccine gets emergency use authorisation from India's drug regulator.

In a communication to the Centre, Russian Ambassador Nicholay Kudashev had stated that Hetero Biopharma Limited already has manufactured one million doses of Component 1 of the Sputnik V and two million doses of the Sputnik Light but the six-month shelf life of the vaccine may expire before its registration which will result in the wastage of vaccine doses, sources said.

"The government has permitted Indian drug firm Hetero Biopharma to export 40 lakh doses of Sputnik Light to Russia. The decision was taken this week following detailed deliberations," a source said.

Over the past months, the RDIF has been working closely with Indian pharmaceutical companies to ramp up the production of Sputnik vaccine in India that could be used in the local and global markets, the ambassador had stated in his communication last month.

At the moment RDIF together with Dr Reddy's Laboratories is working with authorities concerned on the registration of the Sputnik Light in India.

"We would like to note that Indian manufacturers of the Russian vaccine are discouraged by the current ban that prevents the use of the produced Sputnik Light vaccine in India and its export to other countries," stated the communication from the ambassador to V K Paul, chair of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC).

If permanent or time-to-time permission could be granted to Hetero Biophar Limited to export the produced Sputnik Light vaccine by selling it to RDIF until its registration in India, this could encourage the company to scale up the production of the vaccine and provide the Indian market with more supplies of the Sputnik Light by the moment of its regulatory approval, it said.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had in September given permission to Dr Reddy's Laboratory Limited to conduct phase-3 bridging trials of Sputnik Light in India.

The DCGI's permission was based on the recommendations by the Subject Expert Committee on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO), which held its meeting on August 5.

According to the recommendations of the SEC meeting held last month, Dr Reddy's, which has tied up with the RDIF to market the jab in India, presented updated safety, immunogenicity and efficacy data of Phase III clinical trial of Sputnik Light vaccine conducted in Russia, along with the proposal to conduct the clinical trial in India. "After detailed deliberation, the committee recommended for grant of permission for conduct of Phase III immune-bridging clinical trial in Indian population subject to the condition...", the SEC recommendation had said.

The Committee noted that the firm has now presented the safety and immunogenicity along with the longevity of the antibodies, which gives a measure of the persistence of antibodies in the participants.

In July, the subject expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation had refused to grant emergency-use authorisation for Sputnik Light.

The single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine demonstrated 79.4 percent efficacy according to analysed data taken from 28 days after the injection was administered as part of Russia's mass vaccination program between December 5, 2020 and April 15, 2021. An efficacy level of almost 80 percent is higher than that of many two-dose vaccines.

Sputnik Light has proven effective against all new strains of coronavirus, as demonstrated by the Gamaleya Center during laboratory tests, a press release from RDIF had said on May 6.
Lakhimpur Kheri: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was produced before a court here late on Saturday night, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the October 3 Lakhimpur violence.

After around 12 hours of questioning in connection with the violence in which eight persons including four farmers were killed, a medical team examined Ashish Mishra in the crime branch office here after which he was taken for production before a judicial magistrate, who sent him to custody, senior prosecution officer SP Yadav told PTI.

He said an application for police remand of Ashish Mishra was submitted to the judicial magistrate who fixed it for hearing for 11 am on Monday.

Ashish Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit last Sunday.

Farmer leaders and opposition parties had been demanding Mishra's arrest but the minister and his son had denied the allegations.

Two BJP workers and their driver were allegedly lynched by angry farmers in the incident. Local journalist Raman Kashyap also died in the violence, which has triggered a political storm and put the BJP government on the back foot in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Ashish Mishra, who is known as 'Monu Bhaiya' in the area, spent the night in the district jail. He had appeared before the SIT at around 10.30 AM on Saturday after a second summons was served to him the previous day when he did not turn up for interrogation. He was arrested at around 11 PM on Saturday after being grilled by the SIT at the crime branch office in the Police Lines.

Aged around 35, Ashish Mishra looks after the political activities of his father in his Kheri Parliamentary constituency.

The Supreme Court had on Friday questioned the non-arrest of the accused, directed preservation of evidence and mulled transferring the probe to another agency.

Without mincing words, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana had said, the law must take its course against all accused and the government has to take all remedial steps in this regard to inspire confidence in the investigation of brutal murder of eight persons.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the agitation against the Centre's three farm laws, had alleged that the violence was held under a pre-planned conspiracy and demanded the arrest of the minister and his son.

The farmer unions said if the government does not accept their demands by October 11, they will take out a 'Shaheed Kisan Yatra' from Lakhimpur Kheri with the ashes of slain farmers.

The SKM has also gave a call for a rail roko protest across the country from 10 AM to 4 PM on October 18 and a mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26.

Ajay Mishra should be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested on charges of spreading disharmony, murder and conspiracy. He is also protecting the culprits in the case, SKM leader Yogendra Yadav had alleged during a press conference in Delhi.

A nine-member team headed by by the SIT team headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal has been formed to investigate the FIR lodged against the minister's son and others in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

After two men were arrested on Thursday in the case, police had put up a notice outside Ashish Mishra's house asking him to appear before it.
New Delhi: India and China will hold the 13th round of Corps Commander meeting on Sunday morning to discuss disengagement from the Hot Springs area in the Ladakh sector.

The talks are being held even as Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane said on Saturday that if the Chinese military maintained its large-scale deployment through the second winter, it may lead to an LoC-like situation (Line of Control) though not an active LoC is there on the western front with Pakistan. He said in response to Chinese deployment, the Indian Army too would maintain its presence on its side which is "as good as what the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) has done".

The Corps Commanders talks are scheduled at 10:30 am in Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

During the 12th round of the Corps Commander meeting, both sides had agreed to pull back from Gogra. Before Gogra, Indian and Chinese troops had disengaged from Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso in Ladakh. India and China had undertaken partial disengagement in Hot Springs last year so an agreement on a pullback from it could be reached.

However, till now China has shown no interest to deescalate the situation in Depsang plains where it is blocking Indian troops from patrolling.

The talks are being held on Saturday even as new propaganda pictures of Indian soldiers under PLA custody from last year are being circulated on Chinese social media. This is in response to India and Chinese face-off in Arunachal Pradesh last week where some reports suggested that a small group of PLA soldiers was detained by Indian troops.

"Yes, it is a matter of concern that the large-scale build-up has occurred and continues to be in place, and to sustain that kind of a build-up, there has been an equal amount of infrastructure development on the Chinese side," Gen. Naravane said.

"So, it means that they (PLA) are there to stay. We are keeping a close watch on all these developments, but if they are there to stay, we are there to stay too," he said.

"But what this would, especially if they continue to stay there through the second winter, definitely mean that we will be in a kind of LoC situation though not an active LC is there on the western front," he said.

"But definitely, we will have to keep a close eye on all the troop build-up and deployments to see that they do not get into any misadventure once again," the Army chief said. He said that it is difficult to understand why China triggered the standoff when the world was reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic and when that country had certain issues on its eastern seaboard. "While all that is going on, to sort of open up one more front is very difficult to understand or fathom," he said.

"But whatever it might have been, I do not think they have been able to achieve any of those because of the rapid response done by the Indian armed forces," the Army Chief added.

Asked to comment on the overall situation in eastern Ladakh, Gen. Naravane referred to a recent statement by a spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs and said he had clearly mentioned that whatever had happened on the Northern border was because of the massive build-up by the Chinese side and the non-adherence to various protocols.

"So that is very clear as to what was the trigger for all that has happened," Gen. Naravane said. The Army chief said following the standoff in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army realised that it needed to do more in the area of ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance).
As per the present schedule, counting would be held on October 12 and all the newly elected local body representatives will take office on October 20.  AP file photo

Chennai: The bid to have a one-upmanship over the other between the DMK and AIADMK continued on the second day of polls for the rural local body elections in 35 unions of nine districts and for filling up vacancies in the other districts when all skirmishes were between workers of the two parties.

Though no major incident was reported from anywhere, many villages were tense with the DMK and AIADMK supporters working hard till the last moment to win each and every seat, keeping the authorities and security personnel on their toes.

Among the places that witnessed minor fights were Kattankalathur, Porur, Theruhambakkam and Kallakurichi and in Ganganallur in Vellore a AIADMK supporter was allegedly stabbed.

In Kallakurichis Pootai village election was stopped for about two hours as some miscreants made away with a bunch of booth slips at the election officials desk and in Vellores Perumugai a power cut forced the officials to conduct polling with lights beamed from their mobile phones.

A mistake in details printed in the booth slips for a Panchayat Union ward members election caused some confusion, leading to some disruption in the polling at Puthuseri village in Kanchipuram district.

A 55-year-old election officer assigned to the Veedur booth in Villupuram district died of a heart attack before the start of polling at 7 am. He had stayed overnight in the village to start the polling in the morning.

Voters, in general, exhibited enormous enthusiasm in exercising their franchise with entire villages, first time voters to aged persons, walked to the booths and waited in the queue in most of the places.

Among the VIPs who cast their votes on Saturday as Speaker of the State of Assembly M Appavu, who turned up at a booth in Periyanayakiplayam village in Valliyur.

In Kalingapatti MDMK general secretary Vaiko, along with his son Durai Vaiko, who is a budding politician, and brother Ravichandran voted.

As per the present schedule, counting would be held on October 12 and all the newly elected local body representatives will take office on October 20. Subsequently, Presidents and vice presidents for the District Panchayats and chairpersons and vice chairpersons for the panchayat unions would be elected by the new ward members on October 22.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK has written to the State Election Commission to announce the results immediately after counting was over, to webcast or telecast the counting process and not to allow third parties, including MPs and MLAs, into the counting centres.
The truth is that there is no Nobel Prize in Economics, yet it is the most prized of the Nobels. The winners of these prizes often acquire the voice of God in the intellectual discourse of nations. What is thought of as the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is officially the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of the late Alfred Nobel. The prize was established in 1968 by a donation from Swedens central bank to commemorate the banks 300th anniversary. It is now easily the most awaited of the Nobels. The 2021 laureate will be announced on Monday, October 11.

Last year it was given Robert Wilson and Paul Milgrom for their contribution to auction theory. Humans have been selling things to the highest bidder or buying things from the cheapest source for thousands of years and sellers for the highest price they can get. These days, goods and services change hands for astronomical values at auctions daily, not just at Sothebys or Christies but also by states selling natural resources. Wilson and Milgrom translated their theories into practice and created new auctions for goods and services that are difficult to sell through traditional means, such as radio frequencies. Their discoveries have benefited sellers, buyers and taxpayers around the world. I am sure their work would have knocked the stuffing out of Vinod Rais absurd projections of 2G values.

The winners in 2019, the husband and wife duo of Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, won it ironically enough for their study in eastern Odisha of one the most spectacular development economic bombs of recent times. It was a scheme to replace open-fire cooking used by three billion of the worlds poorest people with more efficient, less polluting stoves. The $400 million project was backed by the United Nations and launched by former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in 2010. It set out to reduce indoor air pollution, which kills two million people a year, while empowering women and helping the environment. After initial success, millions of stoves built in India were largely abandoned within four years.

Banerjee and Duflo studied the reasons for it and told the world why such an altruistic and even rational project flopped. The reasons were quite mundane, something which the worlds finest development economics and policymaking minds didnt anticipate. The new stoves needed more attention, were prone to breaking down and took longer to cook food. They couldnt be moved because they were tethered to fixed chimneys, sending the smoke outside.

I dont think Prime Minister Narendra Modis genius factored the more mundane considerations when the Government of India launched its colossal public toilets scheme, which we know now is also a spectacular flop. Open defecation is once again rampant. Its little wonder that Mr Modi has given the duo a big avoid.

But the Economics Nobel winners also spawned spectacular flops. The hedge fund Long Term Capital Management (LTCM) had a plan to apply the expert knowledge and theories of academics to the real world. The collapse of this $125 billion fund directly led to the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 1998 Russian default that brought the financial world to the brink of collapse. LTCM had recruited some of the biggest names in economics and trading, hiring people like the 1997 winners of the Nobel Prize for Economics Myron S. Scholes and Robert C. Merton to sit on their board of directors. But the combined brilliance of the top academics and bankers couldnt spot the coming disaster. Both failures highlighted an inability to understand how ordinary people behave.

Classical economics was linked closely with psychology. Adam Smiths other great work was The Theory of Moral Sentiments, and dealt with the psychological principles of individual behaviour. Smith emphasised the concept of empathy, the capacity to recognise feelings that are being experienced by another being. Jeremy Bentham described utilitarianism as the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong, and he is considered by many as the father of the welfare state. Classical economic theory, also known as laissez faire, claims leaving individuals to make free choices in a free market leads to the best allocation of resources. Since individuals made the choices, the emphasis was on understanding human beings and their behaviour as individuals and as groups.

Neo-classical economists base their thinking on the assumption that people have rational preferences: that individuals maximise utility and firms profits; and people act independently. Consequently, neo-classical economists distanced themselves from psychology and sought explanations for economic analysis heavily based on the concept of rational expectations. For most of the last century, economics became increasingly mathematical. Much of economic theory came to be presented as mathematical models, mostly calculus, to clarify assumptions and implications.

Its not as if the switch was complete. Many great economists like Vilfredo Pareto, John Maynard Keynes and Joseph Schumpeter continued to base their analysis on psychological explanations. In more recent times, this school of economics has been given greater importance and is reflected in the award of Nobel Prizes to behavioural economists like Daniel Kahneman of Princeton University and to Richard Thaler at Chicago. Banerjee and Duflo are considered development economists but the focus of their research was in how beneficiaries looked at gift horses.

Every politician worth his salt knows that the national mood and perceptions are decisive in determining national outcomes. And people do not always make rational choices, something that marketers of diverse products like automobiles and soap, and political dreams know. But economists took their time recognising this, and the Nobel Committee even longer.
Recalling January 1990 brings horrendous memories of the selected targeting of Kashmiri Hindus by Islamists who were Pakistani proxies determined to cleanse the Valley of any non-Muslim presence. That was at the beginning of the proxy war launched by Pakistan when violence rocked Kashmir and terrorism took root. That targeting led to an exodus of many while some others remained and courageously bore the threats which came their way. Three decades later, those threats seem to be once again translating into acts. Seven persons, six from the minority communities (Hindu and Sikh), were recently gunned down by terrorists without remorse in an audacious attempt to challenge the Indian State just when stability appeared to be emerging and incidents of violence receding.

Both the killings of 1990 and 2021 had a similar reasoning. The peaceful coexistence of communities is anathema for the grand design of Pakistan which perceives that this phenomenon replicates Indias secular model. It believes that as long as this replication exists with the presence of symbols of tolerance and pluralism, the desire of the people towards affinity with Pakistan is unlikely to manifest itself. This belief extends from the idea that Islamic nations must be united under the ideology of Political Islam stretching from the Middle East through Afghanistan to Pakistan and that the only way to wrest J&K and integrate it with Pakistan is by extending Political Islams ideological influence into it.

The Pakistani grand strategy failed to make headway against the Indian political and security response, although tactically the resort to minority killings did take place from time to time. In the dynamic situation of the last three decades, terrorist elements have often chosen to message their continued capability by attacking these soft targets through criminal acts. We cannot forget the milestones of the proxy war which include minority targeting at Wandhama, Nandimarg and Chittisinghpura, besides many others.

It is entirely the courage and faith that the minorities repose in the political and security communities which has kept them back in the Valley. This is the reason why the Indian establishment has to robustly prevent any repeat and provide 100 per cent security to the minorities of Kashmir. Already, a number of Hindu and Sikh government and other workers have abandoned their work and have headed for Jammu. I recall the aftermath of Chittisinghpura in March 2000, when 36 Sikhs had been gunned down by the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and the manner in which government officials, politicians and even Army officers appealed to the minority Sikh community not to resort to the extreme option of leaving Kashmir; that would have exposed the inability of the Indian State to guarantee the security of its own citizens. It is now the key priority once again; securing Kashmirs minorities.

The minorities reside in two ways in the Valley. There are clusters such as Baramula, Tral and Mir Bazar, where a segment of the minority Sikh population resides; these probably need incidental security. But there are others who live in large numbers in isolated houses that are well known in their majority neighborhoods. Besides that, there is some movement for work and existence at the workplace itself. Providing physical security at all places is pretty much impossible, hence the term soft target. Cluster living can resort to the village defence committee system which was successfully followed in the Jammu region, but that would be fraught with danger as the availability of weapons would also be a great temptation to terrorists in the light of major curtailment on availability of military wherewithal. As the strength of terrorists reduces, it is also usual for the reduction of the Armys domination operations and checks through vehicle checkposts. These measures impose caution on people and act as a deterrence for the movement of terror groups; they must be restored in good measure with renewed vigour while also seeking public cooperation. The offensive aspects must include renewed intelligence and a marked campaign against all overground worker networks in J&K. The latter have been under focus for some time but could be showing signs of flagging. Terrorist resurgence, which is being attempted through the trigger of Afghanistan and the inspiration brought forth among Islamist elements by the return of the Taliban 2.0, normally rides on the back of networks. The counter terrorism (CT) grid of the Indian Army and other security forces is sufficiently experienced to remould focus at short notice.

It is essentially offensive in nature, and minority protection forms a subset of its strategy. It relies considerably on the intelligence generated by the J&K police and Central agencies and hopes its generic domination operations will also secure the minorities. This may have to change if the proxies have to be denied any further success. The CT grid will have to cater to small team domination of multiple identified zones where the minorities reside or work. Transit routes too need security. While doing all this, it is controlled aggression that might need to be applied and we must be prepared for allegations of excesses and human rights violations.

Counter terrorism operations are not just robust and kinetic actions and the social domain plays an equally significant role in neutralising the aims and effectiveness of terror groups. The current targeting of minorities has been claimed by the so-called The Resistance Front, an umbrella organisation of prominent terror groups put together by Pakistans ISI to escape the FATF strictures; a non-Islamic name is seen to contribute to the perception that this is a home-grown Kashmiri outfit. While the governments outreach to majority youth and citizenry in general is making good progress, the effort to change the perception towards terror groups needs greater focus. The abhorrence for Pakistans ways and how these will lead the whole of J&K into a bigger trap of violence and counter violence must be dwelt upon for all segments of society. The realisation of the importance of the presence of minorities for J&Ks larger image must be emphasised. A surge of nationalism has been taking place with the presence of symbols such as the tricolour at prominent landmarks in Kashmir. Equal vigour will need to be brought among the youth and others in favour of diversity and the virtues of being counted as a land and people who respect humanism and not obscure ideologies which target those with alternate culture and faith. India as a nation has far too many virtues to allow obscurantist thinking such as minority targeting to rule within any part of its borders.
The company's new rules will also apply to Google ads served as part of the YouTube Partner Program. (Photo: AFP/File)

Washington: Amid an increasing pressure to tackle misinformation on climate change on the world's largest video platform- YouTube, the parent company Google has announced that it will start demonetising content on the platform that includes climate change denial.

As per Mashable India, not only Google will demonetise the content but will also limit monetisation tools to creators who post videos that deny climate change.

The major change in the company's ad policy comes, after the increase in the number of extreme weather events caused by climate change.

Reportedly, scientists and activists have been increasing urging more concrete action to both tackle climate change as well as misinformation about the issue.

"In recent years, we've heard directly from a growing number of our advertising and publisher partners who have expressed concerns about ads that run alongside or promote inaccurate claims about climate change," the company said in a statement.

"Advertisers simply don't want their ads to appear next to this content. And publishers and creators don't want ads promoting these claims to appear on their pages or videos," Mashable India said quoting Google's statement.

The company further stated that the "content that includes claims that climate change is a scam or a hoax, or which deny well-established scientific consensus proving that the earth is warming up, or those that claim carbon emissions from human activities such as burning fossil fuels or producing meat do not contribute to climate change" will be demonetised under the new guidelines.

Google already restricts monetisation for certain types of sensitive content on the platform. Earlier, the tech giant also announced that it will ban all types of content that feature misinformation regarding the COIVD-19 vaccines.

However, Google has not yet made it clear whether it will remove the content entirely from the platform as it did with vaccine-denial content.

According to Mashable India, the company's new rules concerning climate change were drafted with consultation from authoritative sources and will apply to Google ads served as part of the YouTube Partner Program.

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BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to achieve "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, and did not directly mention the use of force after a week of tensions with the Chinese-claimed island that sparked international concern.

Taiwan responded to Xi by calling on Beijing to abandon its coercion, reiterating that only Taiwan's people could decide their future.

Democratically ruled Taiwan has come under increased military and political pressure from Beijing to accept its sovereignty, but Taipei has pledged to defend its freedom.

Speaking at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Xi said the Chinese people have a "glorious tradition" of opposing separatism.

"Taiwan independence separatism is the biggest obstacle to achieving the reunification of the motherland, and the most serious hidden danger to national rejuvenation," he said on the anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the last imperial dynasty in 1911.

Peaceful "reunification" best meets the overall interests of the Taiwanese people, but China will protect its sovereignty and unity, he added.

"No one should underestimate the Chinese people's staunch determination, firm will, and strong ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Xi said. "The historical task of the complete reunification of the motherland must be fulfilled, and will definitely be fulfilled."

He struck a slightly softer tone than in July, his last major speech mentioning Taiwan, in which he vowed to "smash" any attempts at formal independence. In 2019, he directly threatened to use force to bring the island under Beijing's control.

'PROVOCATIVE STEPS'

Still, the speech was poorly received in Taiwan.

The presidential office said they were a sovereign independent country, not part of the People's Republic of China, and had clearly rejected China's offer of "one country, two systems" to rule the island.

"The nation's future rests in the hands of Taiwan's people," the office said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a meeting commemorating the 110th anniversary of Xinhai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China October 9, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a meeting commemorating the 110th anniversary of Xinhai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China October 9, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

In a separate statement, Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council called on Beijing to "abandon its provocative steps of intrusion, harassment and destruction" and return to talks.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson reiterated Washington's "rock-solid" commitment to Taiwan and said the United States will "continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan."

"We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan," the spokesperson said.

China's air force mounted four straight days of incursions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone from Oct. 1, involving close to 150 aircraft, though those missions have since ended. Xi made no mention of those flights.

Taiwan officially calls itself the Republic of China, the name of the country established in 1912 after the fall of the Qing dynasty.

That government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with the Communists, who set up today's People's Republic.

Taiwan marks Oct. 10, the date when the anti-imperial revolution began in China, as its national day, and President Tsai Ing-wen will give a keynote address in Taipei on Sunday.

Tsai, speaking at a pre-national day reception at an air base in northern Taiwan's Hsinchu on Saturday night, thanked the armed forces for protecting Taiwan, though did not mention the tensions with China.

"We will continue to work hard to hold fast the front lines of democracy and freedom," she said.

China commemorates the revolution by harking back to republican leader Sun Yat-sen's calls for patriotism, national rejuvenation and good governance.

Xi used the speech to underscore the need for "a strong force to lead the country, and this strong force is the Chinese Communist Party".

"Without the Chinese Communist Party, there would not be a New China, and therefore no rejuvenation of the Chinese people," he said.

Xi has tightened party control in all aspects of life and is almost certain to break protocol and stay on as Communist Party boss for a third term late next year, when a congress will elect a new leadership for the following five years.
Former CEO of Yes Bank Rana Kapoor and other top employees got illegal gratification in the form of a property in a prime location in Delhi, at much less than the realisable market value, belonging to Avantha Reality Ltd for sanction of a loan to ARL and for extending concessions, relaxations and waivers in the already existing credit facilities provided to Avantha Group companies and for advancing new and additional loans to them, ED told a Delhi court.

The CBI suspected that the discounted transaction for the 1.2 acre-bungalow on Amrita Shergill Marg in Delhi was a gratification to Kapoor through the company Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd in return for non-realisation of over Rs 1,900 crore in loans from Yes Bank to Avantha Realty and group companies.

In June 2021 the CBI had booked Thapar and others in a fresh case of fraud of Rs 2,435 crore in the State Bank of India (SBI) and other banks to probe an alleged fraud case at the CG Power and Industrial Solutions.

A Delhi court on Saturday took cognisance of a charge sheet by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against businessman and Avantha Group of companies promoter Gautam Thapar and 20 others in connection with Rs 500 crore money laundering case.

Also Read | CBI files charge sheet against former Yes Bank MD Rana Kapoor in cheating case

Special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal summoned the accused persons and companies on five dates from October 20 to November 30, noting that the presence of such a large number of accused persons and their counsels on a single date may not be conducive for adhering to the Covid SOPs.

"I hereby take cognisance of offence as there are sufficient grounds to proceed against the accused persons arraigned in the present complaint," the judge said.

The final report, filed by ED's Special Public Prosecutor N K Matta, alleged that the accused committed criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery for diversion and misappropriation of the public money from 2017 to 2019 and caused loss to the tune of Rs 466.51 crore to YES Bank.

Thapar, 60, was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on August 3 after the agency carried out raids against him and his linked businesses in Delhi and Mumbai.

He is currently in judicial custody.

The ED was probing an alleged transaction between his company Avantha Realty, Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor and his wife, who are already being investigated under the PMLA by the agency.

The case of money laundering was filed by the ED after taking cognisance of an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CBI had last year booked Kapoor and his wife Bindu for allegedly obtaining a bribe of Rs 307 crore through the purchase of a bungalow in a posh Delhi area from a realty firm at half the market price and facilitating around Rs 1,900 crore bank loans to it in return.
An apartment complex in Bengaluru is having its moment in the sun as it showed the way in adopting green energy in a major way.

One of the largest and most advanced solar power installations in the country was brought online across 13 towers of the Brigade Gateway Enclave in Malleswaram on Saturday, a move that will help the complex harness the 2,365 hours of sunlight the city receives annually.

Covering 19,300 square feet of rooftops and using micro-inverters on each panel, the 354.4 kilowatt system will potentially help save up to 530 tons of carbon emission annually, said Sunil Thamaran, MD Enphase Energy India.

Whereas other solar systems operate using string-inverters, our system operates on micro-inverter technology," Thamaran said. "Each solar panel generates 50 volts of Direct Current (DC), which goes to the attached micro-inverter and is converted into 230 volts of Alternating Current (AC)."

According to Thamaran, "there are advantages to this system". "If one of the micro-inverters fails, the system will largely remain unaffected and will continue to work, he said.

This is not the case in string-inverter systems where the entire system feeds generated power to one major inverter, which is susceptible to failure, he said, adding that each micro-inverter has an Internet-of-Things (IOT) connection, allowing for real-time monitoring of the inverters.

But does this mean that the apartment complex will be going off the grid? Not exactly.

Srinivas Kumar, CEO of RenXsol, the firm which installed the system, said the panels will generate some 4.78 lakh units of power annually, whereas the apartment complex consumes about 6.92 lakh units annually as of now. Solar power will satisfy up to 69% of the power demands of the complexs common areas and elevators, he said.

Another highlight, Kumar said, is that the "system is tied to the state governments Net Metre scheme.

For example, the system generates 110 units during the course of the day and about 50 units are used during daytime by the apartment complex. So the balance 60 units, which have been exported to Bescom, will be used by the apartment complex at night, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who is also the minister for IT/BT, lauded the apartment complex for taking one more step towards becoming a sustainable enclave.

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Top filmmaker S S Rajamouli is set to begin the promotions of his upcoming film Rise Roar Revolt (RRR) in the coming weeks, according to reports in the Telugu media. The team is planning to visit several cities --right from Mumbai to New Delhi-- as part of the campaign in order to help the flick become hot property in the Hindi market, The film has already managed to create a buzz among moviegoers even though the promotions haven't really been as strong as expected.

The 'Beem for Ramaraju' and 'Ramaraju for Bheem' videos garnered a fair deal of attention due to their cinematic brilliance. Similarly, the first single--titled Dosti-- hit the right notes with its grand musical arrangement. The perception is that the buzz surrounding the film will reach new heights once the cast and crew decide to take an active part in the promotions.

Also Read | 'Baahubali 2' to 'Vikramarkudu': 5 popular movies to watch on S S Rajamouli's birthday

RRR is touted to be a period drama and revolves around the fictional friendship between two real freedom fighters--Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju. Jr NTR plays the tribal leader while Ram Charan essays the role of 'Manyam Veerudu'. The film is likely to feature grand war sequences and an emotional narrative. It stars Bollywood A-lister Alia Bhatt as the female protagonist and marks her Tollywood debut. Her character will most probably have intense scenes with 'Mr C'. RRR has an impressive supporting cast that includes Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Olivia Morris, Alison Doody and Ray Stevenson.

It was to hit the screens on October 13 but that did not happen due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The pan-India movie will premiere in theatres on January 7 as a Sankranti release. The film will face competition from films such as Valimai and Radhe Shyam that are slated to hit the screens around the same time.

Rajamouli, meanwhile, has already finalised his next movie. He will collaborate with Mahesh Babu after RRR hits the screens.
While Bashar al-Assad is still shunned by the West who blame him for a decade of brutal war in Syria, a shift is under way in the Middle East where Arab allies of the United States are bringing him in from the cold by reviving economic and diplomatic ties.

The extension of Assad's two-decade-old presidency in an election in May did little to break his pariah status among Western states, but fellow Arab leaders are coming to terms with the fact that he retains a solid grip on power.

The chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan has firmed up a belief among Arab leaders that they need to chart their own course. Anticipating a more hands-off approach from Washington, now preoccupied by the challenge of China, Arab leaders are driven by their own priorities, notably how to rehabilitate economies hammered by years of conflict and Covid-19.

Political considerations also loom large in Arab capitals such as Cairo, Amman and Abu Dhabi. These include their ties with Assad's most powerful backer, Russia, which has been pressing for Syria's reintegration, and how to counter the influence carved out in Syria by Iran and Turkey.

Read | US says it won't normalise or upgrade diplomatic ties with Syria's Bashar al-Assad

Turkey and its support for Sunni Islamists across the region - including a swathe of northern Syria that remains outside Assad's grasp - is of particular concern to Arab rulers who can make common cause with Damascus against Islamist groups.

But while the signs of Arab rapprochement with Damascus are growing - King Abdullah of Jordan spoke to Assad for the first time in a decade this month - US policy will remain a complicating factor.

Washington says there has been no change in its policy towards Syria, which demands a political transition as set out in a Security Council resolution. US sanctions targeting Damascus, tightened under President Donald Trump, still pose a serious obstacle to commerce.

But in Washington, analysts say Syria has hardly been a foreign policy priority for President Joe Biden's administration. They note his focus on countering China and that his administration has yet to apply sanctions under the so-called Caesar Act, which came into force last year with the intent of adding to the pressure on Assad.

After being warned against dealing with Damascus by the Trump administration, Arab states are pressing the issue again.

"US allies in the Arab world have been encouraging Washington to lift the siege on Damascus and allow for its reintegration into the Arab fold," said David Lesch, a Syria expert at Trinity University in Texas. "It appears the Biden administration, to some degree, is listening."

It marks a shift from the early years of the conflict when Syria was expelled from the Arab League and states including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates backed some of the rebels that fought Assad.

Breaking down barriers

The decade-long conflict, which spiralled out of a popular uprising against Assad during the "Arab Spring", has killed hundreds of thousands of people, uprooted half the population and forced millions into adjacent states and Europe as refugees.

Anti-Assad rebels still have a foothold in the north, with support from Turkey, while the east and northeast is controlled by Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States.

But while the conflict is unresolved, Assad is back in control of most of Syria thanks largely to Russia and Iran, which were always more committed to his survival than Washington was to his removal, even when chemical weapons were fired on rebel areas.

Jordan, Syria's neighbour to the south, has been leading the pack on the Arab policy shift with an ailing economy and a rocky patch in relations with its wealthy Gulf neighbour Saudi Arabia.

The border between Syria and Jordan was fully reopened for trade last month, and Amman has been a driving force behind a deal to pipe Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon via Syria, with an apparent US nod of approval.

"When Jordan breaks these barriers and establishes ties and it's at this pace, there will be countries that will follow suit, Samih al-Maaytah, a former Jordanian minister and political analyst, told Al Mamlaka, a state-owned broadcaster.

The crossing was once plied by hundreds of trucks a day moving goods between Europe, Turkey and the Gulf. Reviving trade will be a shot in the arm for Jordan and Syria, whose economy is in deep crisis. It should also help Lebanon, now suffering one of the sharpest economic depressions in modern history.

"Im absolutely sure the Jordanians feel that the US will not sanction them," Jim Jeffrey, former US Special Envoy for Syria under Trump, told Reuters.

"Theres a tremendous buzz among media, among friends in the region, that the US is no longer aggressively sanctioning Assad under the Caesar Act or other things."

The mood was reflected at last month's U.N. General Assembly, where Egyptian and Syrian foreign ministers met for the first time in a decade, and at the Expo 2020 Dubai exhibition, where the Syrian and Emirati economy ministers discussed the revival of a bilateral business council.

Saudis hesitant but could be next

The UAE had invited Syria to Expo 2020 despite attempts to "demonise the regime", said Syria's ambassador to the UAE, Ghassan Abbas, speaking to Reuters at the Syria pavilion where the theme was "We Will Rise Together".

"Is there a new approach in dealing with Syria? Yes."

Aaron Stein, Director of Research at Foreign Policy Research Institute, said the Biden administration "isnt interested in expending diplomatic capital to prevent regional governments from doing what they think is best vis-a-vis the regime".

US policy in Syria is now focused on fighting Islamic State militants and humanitarian aid, he said.

A US State Department spokesperson said: "What we have not done and will not do is express any support for efforts to normalise or rehabilitate the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad, lift a single sanction on Syria, or change our position to oppose the reconstruction of Syria until there is irreversible progress towards a political solution."

While many US allies in the region pursue fresh ties with Damascus, regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia still appears hesitant.

"The big effort is to get Saudi Arabia and Syria into some kind of reconciliation, and I think Saudi is coming around, they are just waiting for the US," said Joshua Landis, Syria specialist at the University of Oklahoma.
Austria's disgraced outgoing chancellor Sebastian Kurz joins a long list of European leaders who have had to resign over corruption claims during the past 10 years. Here is a recap.

On January 13, 2021, Estonia's prime minister Juri Ratas stepped down after a corruption investigation was launched into his Centre Party over ties with a property firm.

Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat resigned on December 1, 2019, after daily demonstrations over accusations that he interfered to protect associates in an investigation into the 2017 murder of anti-corruption blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Muscat's chief of staff Keith Schembri, a childhood friend, was convicted of corruption in relation to the case.

In February 2018, the double murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, who had been probing alleged ties between top politicians and the Italian mafia, plunged Slovakia into a political crisis.

Prime minister Robert Fico resigned in March after the public backlash over the killings, followed a month later by the interior minister and the police chief.

A deadly nightclub blaze drew tens of thousands of protesters into the streets in Bucharest in October 2015, forcing Social Democrat prime minister Victor Ponta to resign.

In May 2018, Ponta was cleared of fraud and other charges by the country's high court after a corruption investigation.

In June 2013, centre-right prime minister Petr Necas was forced to resign after being implicated in a corruption and abuse of power scandal involving his top aide and mistress. Prosecutors have said they will not file charges.

The mistress, now his wife, was given a suspended prison sentence for illicit use of military intelligence to spy on Necas's wife in the hope of speeding the divorce.

Germany's leaders have come under close scrutiny since former chancellor Helmut Kohl was fined and forced to quit his post as honorary chairman of the Christian Democratic Union, after he admitted to managing secret funds for the party in the 1990s.

Christian Wulff resigned as German president in February 2012 following an accusation of influence peddling. He was later cleared of accepting payments that amounted to some 700 euros ($744) when he was state premier of Lower Saxony.
The Jordanian government's ministers have submitted their resignation ahead of a reshuffle, state-owned al Mamlaka television said on Sunday.

The reshuffle would be the fourth since Bisher al-Khaswaneh became prime minister in October 2020, official sources said.

The British-educated Khasawneh, a veteran former diplomat and palace aide, was appointed by King Abdullah to restore public trust over the handling of the coronavirus health crisis and defuse anger over successive governments failure to deliver on pledges of prosperity and curbing corruption.

Khasawneh's government has won International Monetary Fund praise for its handling of the economy during the pandemic and had negotiated a four-year IMF programme worth $1.3 billion, signalling confidence in Jordans reform agenda.

The economy posted its deepest contraction in decades last year, hit by lockdowns, border closures and a sharp fall in tourism during the pandemic, but the government and the IMF both predict a rebound this year of around 2%.

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Taliban representatives ended their discussions with a US delegation in Doha and have begun a meeting with European Union representatives, Qatar-based Al Jazeera television reported on Sunday.

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A British academic at the centre of a row over transgender rights and free speech has hit out at a "campaign of harassment" in an online statement published on Sunday.

The furore over Kathleen Stock's view that people can change their gender but not their biological sex is the latest in a series of similar rows at university campuses across the UK.

Government ministers, some of whom have tweeted support of the academic, are currently pushing through legislation that will require universities in England to protect free speech.

Stock has faced accusations of transphobia and calls for the dismissal of her views.

The feminist professor of philosophy said in a statement on her website she had been unable to attend a debate because of fears for her safety on campus at the University of Sussex in southern England.

"Since the beginning of the week, I've been subject to a campaign of harassment, explicitly designed to have me fired for my academic views," said Stock, who vigorously denies transphobia.

"Things escalated from there and now the police are involved and treating it as harassment."

A group campaigning for Stock's dismissal has described itself on Instagram as "an anonymous, unaffiliated group of queer, trans and non-binary students who will not allow our community to be slandered and harmed".

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Insisting that there was no panic about power situation in Delhi, Union Power Minister R K Singh on Sunday warned Tata Power of action for sending SMSes to power consumers counselling judicious use of electricity.

Singh, who held meeting with officials of power distribution companies in the national capital, producers and the power department said sending SMSes to consumers was irresponsible behaviour.

We warned Tata Power CEO of action if they send baseless SMSes to customers that can create panic. Messages by GAIL and Tata Power qualify as acts of irresponsible behaviour, the minister said.

Read | Centre scrambles all resources to avert power crisis

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (DDL) on Saturday sent phone messages to its customers in Delhi, requesting them to use electricity judiciously in the afternoon. Tata Power DDL operates in the northwest Delhi region of the capital.

Singh said there was no power crisis in the country and the panic was created unnecessarily.

NTPC has also been advised to offer normative declared capacity to the Delhi DISCOMs as per their allocations from gas based power plants under respective PPAs.

If any DISCOMs is found to resort to load shedding despite power being available as per Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), action would be initiated against them.

However, the Delhi government did not buy the Centre's assurances.

The Centre's assurances failed to satisfy the Delhi government. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused the BJP-run Central government of running away from the coal crisis.

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A five centuries-old Durga Puja started by the Tripura royal family remains the ultimate draw in this northeastern state, despite the "invasion" of modern theme based pujas organised by numerous organisations.

The celebration of Durga Puja was started by the Tripura royal family over five centuries ago in Udaipur, which was then their capital. With time, it shifted to Amarpur and finally to Agartala in early 18th century by Maharaja Krishna Kishore Manikya Bahadur, who built a temple dedicated to the mother goddess some 183-years ago.

When Tripura signed the instrument of accession with the Government of India on October 15, 1949, it was agreed that the daily puja and associated expenditure at the Durgabari temple, Tripureswari Kali Temple at Udaipur in Gomati district and some other temples would be funded and looked after by the state government. To adhere to the accession pact, the district magistrate of West Tripura, who is designated the sevayat (servitor) of the puja, has to supervise rituals at the temple.

Read | People throng Puja pandals; WB govt says avoid crowds

The state government pays for the daily puja as well as the grander Durga Puja held in the month of 'Ashwin' (Autumn) in accordance with the Indian calendar. However, the head of the royal family as the titular custodian of the temple remains associated with all functions which are held here including the Durga Puja.

The Goddess at the Durgabari Temple here, however has two arms instead of the traditional 10.

History has it that the then Maharani Sulakhshana Devi, wife of Maharaja Krishna Kishore fainted after seeing the Goddess with ten arms, Panna Lal Roy, who has been researching the history and heritage of the state, said. On that night, the Maharani is supposed to have had a dream where goddess Durga advised her to worship a Durga idol which has only two hands visible while the remaining eight are hidden at her back, according to Roy. Thus the idol at the Durgabari temple which stands in front of the 120-year-old Ujjayanta Palace, considered to be eastern India's largest Durga temple has a unique two-armed statuette of the mother goddess.

The Chief Priest of the temple Jayanta Bhattacharya said, "the idols of Durgabari that lead the `Dashami' (tenth day of festivities) procession are the first to be immersed at Dashamighat here with the state police standing guard of honour to the deity, and its band playing the national anthem."

Earlier, buffaloes were sacrificed to the goddess at the temple. However that tradition was stopped three years ago after the High Court of Tripura banned animal sacrifice in the state.

Tripura has more than 2,500 Durga pujas, with about 1,000 of them concentrated in Agartala alone. Many of these are theme-based with elaborate pandals (Marquees) based on historic temples elsewhere in the country, while others have innovative sculptures.

However the traditional Durgabari puja remains the biggest draw for devotees given its historic importance and the association of the royal family with it.

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In a bid to enhance trade between the northeast region of India and Bangladesh, business associations from both sides are working on setting up a chamber of commerce. While chambers of commerce for increasing business relations between the two countries are already in existence, the need for a trade body comprising representatives from the northeastern states and the neighbouring country is being pitched, a source said.

Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur, the Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Guwahati, has been advocating enhanced trade relations between NE India and his country.

"My office has always been lending all help and cooperation for improving trade relations between the two countries. We have been supportive of endeavours to bring the two neighbours closer," he told PTI. "The North East region of India is quite far from the national capital, and when talks between India and Bangladesh are held on trade issues, problems related to the region are often not addressed, the source said.

The trade between the NE region and Bangladesh is still confined to traditional items such as limestone, coal and stone chips, he said, adding that there is an urgent need to expand the commodity basket.

"North-East India and Bangladesh have a natural advantage to increase trade ties as the NE region shares international boundary with the neighbouring country. But this advantage hasnt been exploited to its potential. That is why the proposal for forming a chamber of commerce especially for this region comes to the fore," the source said.

A preliminary discussion among traders from both sides has already been held, and since such a chamber of commerce would be a private body, there would not be much difficulty in forming it, he said. A directory of contact details of major exporters and importers of NE India and Bangladesh was published by a private body last year, and the initiative was applauded by the trading community, the source said.

Need for revisiting current models of development to accelerate growth as well as to ensure more productive relations between the two countries was also highlighted at a seminar on India-Bangladesh relations, with a focus on North East India, by the Indian Army in September.

It was also pointed out that geopolitical considerations must not overshadow trade relations between the two neighbours. Shamsher M Chowdhury, a former Bangladeshi diplomat, had stressed on the importance of seamless connectivity between the two countries, while former Indian Ambassador to Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar Gautam Mukhopadhaya had said more investments were needed in increasing productivity in the NE region.

He had emphasised on the need to expand the number of trading items with Bangladesh, currently confined to extracted natural resources. The trade between the two countries was recorded at $9.5 billion in 2019, of which Indias export to Bangladesh was valued at $8.2 billion.

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Ahead of the Durga Puja festival, Odisha witnessed a slight rise of Covid-19 cases, as the state reported 652 fresh infections on Sunday, 126 more than the previous day, a health department official said.

The coronavirus tally rose to 10,31,696 in the coastal state, while the death toll also climbed to 8,249 with seven new fatalities - Khurda (5), Angul and Nabarangpur (1 each) - he said.

Odisha had logged 526 fresh cases on Saturday, 524 on Friday, 582 on Thursday and 593 on Wednesday.

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Among the new infections reported on Sunday, 92 or 14.11 per cent are children and adolescents in the age group of 0-18 years.

Khurda district registered the highest of 331 single-day cases followed by Cuttack at 70, the official said.

Six districts - Boudh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri - did not report any fresh case in the last 24 hours.

The state now has 5,083 active cases, and 10,18,311 patients have recovered from the disease, including 597 since Saturday.

It has thus far conducted over 2.06 crore sample tests. The positivity rate stands at 5 per cent.

The official said a total of 93,73,608 people have been inoculated with double doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

Meanwhile, the state government has extended the night curfew by two hours in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack from October 11 to October 20.

The night curfew will be imposed from 8 pm to 5 am, said Commissioner of Police S K Priyadarshi.

We will take stern action against people who violate the guidelines and night curfew restrictions during the period If need arises, arrests will be made following review of the extent of violation, he said.

Cuttack and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporations have already issued guidelines for Durga Puja celebrations.

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An energy crisis is looming in some states, including Delhi and Punjab, due to a combination of factors such as excess rainfall hitting coal movement and imported coal-based power plants generating less than half of their capacity due to record-high rates.

In a year when the country produced record coal, rains hit movement of the fuel from mines to power generation units, impacting power generation in many states, including Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

While power producers and distributors have warned of blackouts as generation units are running with coal stocks of as low as two days, the Coal Ministry said that the country has adequate coal stocks and low inventory does not mean generation will stop as stocks are being continuously replenished.

Also Read | Coal shortage: Punjab's power plants run at reduced capacity, power cuts imposed

Another factor that has contributed to the present crisis is power plants that used imported coal to generate electricity, have either curtailed generation or completely stopped as a spurt in international energy prices has made it difficult for them to meet the commitments to states at a particular rate.

Tata Power, which has signed contracts to supply 1,850 MW of electricity to Gujarat, 475 MW to Punjab, 380 MW to Rajasthan, 760 MW to Maharashtra and 380 MW to Haryana from its imported coal-based power plant at Mundra in Gujarat, has stopped generation. Adani Power's Mundra unit too is facing a similar problem.

Power plants across the country regulated generation after stock ran low. Against the requirement of maintaining 15 days to 30 days of stocks, over half of the country's 135 coal-fired power plants, which in total supply around 70 per cent of the nation's electricity, have fuel stocks of less than two days, as per the data from the grid operator.

Also Read | India tweaks policy to use biomass pellets in coal-fired power plants

The Coal Ministry, however, said the stocks being reported by power plants are rolling stock, which means stocks are being replenished on a day by day basis. "There are about 40 million tonnes of coal stock at the mines and another 7.5 million tonnes at power plants," a top ministry official said. "Evacuation from mines to power plants has been an issue as due to excessive rains mines get flooded. But this is now being sorted out and supplies to power plants are rising."

Tata Power Distribution Ltd (TPDDL), which supplies electricity to parts of the national capital, on Saturday warned of intermittent rotational power cuts as units supplying electricity to Delhi discoms have coal stocks to meet generation requirements for 1-2 days, its CEO Ganesh Srinivasan said.

Also Read | Coal crisis: India left with few options to avoid power crunch

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "a power crisis" Delhi could face. "I am personally keeping a close watch over the situation. We are trying our best to avoid it," Kejriwal said. "We have stopped generation at Mundra as the high cost of imported coal is making it impossible to supply under present PPA terms," a Tata power spokesperson said.

Adani Power did not immediately offer any comments on the issue. Electricity supplies in Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to have been impacted due to the coal crisis. Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) too cited the same reason for imposing rotational 3-4 hour load shedding at several places in the state. PSPCL said two units each at Talwandi Sabo power plant, Ropar plant and one unit at the Lehra Mohabbat, 475 MW plant have been shut.

Also Read | Odisha industries facing coal crisis, seek CM's intervention

Rajasthan is resorting to one-hour power cuts on a daily basis. The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) said that power will be suspended in parts of Chennai for carrying out maintenance work in the city. Jharkhand and Bihar are also among the worst affected by the coal shortage. In Andhra Pradesh, acute supply shortfalls were pushing it towards unscheduled power cuts, adding that crops could dry up if there is no electricity to power irrigation pumps.

"More water is required in the last stage of harvesting and if it is denied, fields would dry up and farmers stand to lose," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

Also Read | Power generation hit at Karnataka's thermal plants as coal supply dips

In Odisha, the industry was facing a coal shortage and had petitioned the state government to ensure an adequate supply of the fuel. The crisis facing states has been in the making for months. As India's economy picked up after a deadly second wave of Covid-19, demand for power rose sharply.

Electricity consumption has jumped almost 17 per cent in the last two months alone when compared to the same period in 2019. At the same time, global coal prices increased by 40 per cent and India's imports fell to a two-year low.

The country is the world's second-largest importer of coal despite also being home to the fourth-largest coal reserves in the world. Power plants that usually rely on imports are now heavily dependent on Indian coal, adding further pressure to already stretched domestic supplies.

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived here on Sunday as part of his four-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia with an aim to further expand bilateral ties with the three Central Asian countries.

Jaishankar will be in Kazakhstan from October 11 to 12 to attend the 6th Ministerial meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday.

The CICA meeting is being held in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the current Chair of the grouping.

"Delighted to arrive in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of FM Ruslan Kazakbaev. Looking forward to a productive visit," Jaishankar tweeted soon after he landed at the Manas International Airport here.

Jaishankar was welcomed at the airport by Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Aibek Artykbaev and Indian Ambassador Alok A Dimri, the Indian Embassy here tweeted, sharing pictures of the minister's arrival in Bishkek.

Delighted to arrive in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of FM Ruslan Kazakbaev. Looking forward to a productive visit. pic.twitter.com/IR57CkXqas  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 10, 2021

During his stay in Bishkek, Jaishankar will hold talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart apart from calling on President Sadyr Japarov.

"This will be his first visit to the country as the external affairs minister," the MEA had said, adding that some agreements are also expected to be signed during the visit.

Jaishankar's three-nation visit will be a continuation of India's increased engagement with countries in its "extended neighbourhood", according to the MEA.

It is learnt that the developments in Afghanistan are expected to figure prominently in Jaishankar's talks with leaders of the three central Asian countries.

Jaishankar will visit Armenia on October 12 to 13 during which he will have meetings with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan and call on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

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Kashmiri Pandits in the US have strongly condemned the recent targeted and gruesome killings of civilians in the Valley by the militants and asked the Indian government to re-evaluate its Kashmir policy and provide proper security to the minority community if it wants them to return.

At least seven people were killed by militants in Kashmir Valley in the last five days. Of those killed, four belonged to minority communities.

The Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), a socio-cultural organisation of the Kashmiri Pandits in the US, has expressed shock and anguish over the gruesome killings of pharmacy owner Makhan Lal Bindroo, street food vendor Virender Paswan and two teachers -- Deepak Chand Mehra and Supinder Kaur.

Also Read | Kashmiri Pandit families return from Valley, protest in Jammu against civilian killings

Kaur, a Srinagar-based Sikh, and Mehra, a Hindu from Jammu, were killed two days after The Resistance Force, a shadow outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the deaths of three people on Tuesday.

Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit and owner of Srinagar's most famous pharmacy, was shot dead at his shop that evening. Minutes later, 'chaat' vendor Paswan from Bihar was gunned elsewhere in the city. Almost simultaneously, another civilian, Mohammad Shafi Lone, was killed at Naidkhai in Bandipora.

Three days before that, militants shot dead Majid Ahmad Gojri at Srinagars Karan Nagar locality. Later that Saturday night, they gunned down Mohammad Shafi Dar at Batmaloo.

According to the KOA, emotions of rage and helplessness ran high when the Kashmiri Pandits residing in various parts of the US heard of the "gruesome, targeted killings of innocents in Kashmir by the terrorists".

"These incidents brought back the painful memories of 1990, when members from the community were killed, women were raped, children rendered orphans, resulting in the exodus of over 400,000 people to save lives and honour, said KOA president Dr Archana Kokroo.

"The recent targeted killings have terrorised the minority community in the Valley and many are fleeing their homes again," Kokroo said.

"Our peace-loving and progressive community has survived the brutality of the forced exodus of 1990 due to our perseverance and hard work. We continue to live by our values of non-violence. Killing another one of us is not a victory for the terrorists, Kokroo said.

"This is the saddest event that every humanitarian must mourn. India is an independent nation and all Indians have constitutional rights and freedoms. A few interlocutors should not be able to threaten human rights with violence, said Lavanya Vemsani, a Professor of Indian History and Religions in Shawnee State University, Ohio.

Also Read | Plea urges CJI to take cognisance of killing of Hindu, Sikh minorities in Kashmir

"The government must increase security in the Valley, especially for the non-Muslim minority," Vemsani said.

Dr Ashok Moza, president and founder of Chemicals Inc, said the government of India "needs to consider creating clusters of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits and other non-Muslims in different parts of the Valley and offer them protection just like Israel has provided to its citizens on the West Bank."

"The recent killing is a clear reminder that non-Muslims in general and Kashmiri Pandits in particular are unsafe in the Valley, Moza said.

Commenting on the recent killings, long-time social and cultural activist in Boston Sanjay Kaul, who is also the vice president of the World Hindu Council, said that the government "must re-evaluate its Kashmir policy and provide proper security to the community and work on building their confidence if they are encouraging them to live in the Valley.

The Kashmiri Pandit community is once again on the edge as their woes continue even after 32 years in exile, he said.

Reacting over the incident, Pran Chaku, distinguished technologist and a long time Houston resident, said, "This incident has horrified and shocked Kashmiri Pandits globally. I hope the government acts sternly. If the security of the minority community and their right to live in their place of birth cannot be guaranteed, then the government has failed us."

Padma Shri awardee Subhash Kak, Regents Professor Emeritus at the prestigious Oklahoma State University, said: It has been heartbreaking to read about the brutal killings by terrorists in Srinagar. We must stand resolute and fight this evil for good.

Rajesh Kachroo, a PK-ReHinGe activist in Virginia, advocated establishment of a homeland for Kashmiri Hindus in east and north of the river Jhelum and adoption of the 1991 Marg darshan Resolution of Panun Kashmir.

"We have reiterated that the only safe option for Kashmiri Hindus, who are refugees in their own country, is establishment of homeland, east and north of the river Jhelum and adoption of the 1991 Marg darshan Resolution of Panun Kashmir, Kachroo said.

"KOA sends its deepest condolences to the families of the dead and pray that there are no more killings. We all stand in solidarity with the families of these bravehearts, KOA Secretary Anil Ganju said.

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The senior military commanders of India and China on Sunday had the 13th round of negotiations to resolve the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh, focussing particularly on terms for a mutual withdrawal of troops from the Patrol Point 15 on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Lt. Gen. P G K Menon, the commander of the XIV Corps of the Indian Army, met Maj Gen Liu Lin, his counterpart in the South Xinjiang Military District of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The meeting took place on the communist countrys side at the Chushul-Moldo point on the LAC on Sunday. It started at 10:30 a.m. and continued till 7:00 p.m.

Also Read | Ahead of talks, Army Chief says India will not pull back troops as long as China does not withdraw build-up along LAC

A source in New Delhi said that the two sides discussed ways to build on the disengagement on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso (lake) in February as well as the Gogra Post in August and to mutually withdraw front-line troops from Patrol Point 15 a.k.a. Hot Springs.

The Patrol Point 15 is one of the LAC points, where the face-off is still continuing.

The two military commanders are expected to brief the outcome of the talks to their superiors in the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA in New Delhi and Beijing respectively.

Also Read | Made some progress; but larger problem remains: Jaishankar on eastern Ladakh row

After India and China pulled out troops from both the banks of Pangong Tso earlier this year, the disengagement in Gogra Post and Hot Springs were perceived to be the low hanging fruits for the negotiations to resolve the stand-off along the LAC. But the 11th round of talks between the military commanders of the two sides on April 9 last ended in a stalemate, which was broken only after the senior diplomats of the two sides had a video conference on June 25 and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dushanbe on July 14.

The senior military commanders of India and China finally had the 12th round of talks at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point on the LAC on July 31. The two sides discussed a possible agreement on disengagement on Gogra and Hot Springs.

Also Read | India matching Chinese troop build-up on disputed border: Army chief Naravane

But the Chinese PLA backtracked from a deal with the Indian Army on withdrawal of troops from Hot Springs and only agreed on disengagement from Gogra Post. The top brass of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government in New Delhi too finally gave its nod for resolving the face-off at Gogra Post only.

New Delhi and Beijing simultaneously announced disengagement of troops from Gogra Post on August 6  about a week after the 12th round of talks between the military commanders.

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Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday termed the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri as "tragic" and said this was not an ordinary crime as it was committed because of a "particular callous attitude" towards a democratic protest.

He also said that "one should not see an opportunity in this tragedy".

Eight people died in the violence and of them, four were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Infuriated farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver.

Read | Lakhimpur violence: Ashish Mishra sent to 14-day judicial custody

Farmers claimed that Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time.

"The fact is that the attitude which led to the tragedy. This was not an ordinary crime, this was a crime committed because of a particular callous attitude towards the democratic protest," Khurshid told PTI on Sunday.

"This attitude, if it continues, is going to be devastating for many people in the Indian democracy. I think that this has to be vigorously fought," he said.

He added that the symbol of resistance has become the farmers' protest.

Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been holding protests since the enactment of three farm laws in September last year and demanding these be repealed.

When asked as to how the Congress will counter the "BJP's hindutva", Khurshid said, "Let me make it clear. This is a Hindu majority nation. Uttar Pradesh is a Hindu majority state. You cannot honestly believe that the major must not have a voice in deciding how the state is run."

"It will have a voice. But the majority's voice cannot completely negate the minority. It cannot happen," he said.

The Congress leader, who is in Uttar Pradesh, which goes to assembly polls next year, also said that his party has a campaign on Hinduism.

"Our Hinduism campaign is that Hinduism is inclusive, Hinduism is secular. And, therefore Hinduism wants to move hand in hand with other religions including Islam," he said.

"They say that Hinduism is alone. We say that Hinduism is accompanied by other religions. I am confident that the state will decide in our favour," Khurshid added.

About preparations of the Congress at the grassroot to strengthen itself before the polls, he said that the elections are also about the mood of the people.

"The mood of the people as far as we have judged is very adverse to the present BJP government (in Uttar Pradesh). I think that their colossal failure during the COVID-19 pandemic is not being forgotten. It is a very sensitive thing. You don't want to seek votes or campaign on the misery that was inflicted on the people by the inaction of the insensitive government," he said.

"But, I do believe that there is a lot of disquiet and anger against this government. How this anger will pan out in the election, who will finally be seen as an alternative that can defeat and replace the government, I think all that will become apparent during the dynamics of the election," Khurshid remarked.

When asked to comment on who is currently leading the Congress, he said, "Mrs Sonia Gandhi is our president, Mr Rahul Gandhi, Mrs Priyanka Gandhi are our leaders. Rahul Gandhi does not have to be president to be the leader. He is a leader. You ask me questions about him, because he is a leader."

The BJP attacks him, because he is a leader, and he will remain a leader, the Congress leader said.

"Once you accept somebody as a leader, you must take their advice of what to do. I cannot tell my leader what you should not do. I have to follow what my leader says," he said.

On who will be the face of the party in the upcoming 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, Khurshid said, "When I had said that Priyanka Gandhi is our leader, then who will be the CM face, she will decide. Who am I to decide it, if she is our leader? She will decide."

"We cannot contract her decisions and discretion. She is our leader, and she is free to say whatever she wants to say, and she will at an appropriate time," he said.

Hitting out at political rivals, who say that both the Gandhi siblings are political tourists in Uttar Pradesh, the former state Congress chief said, if they (the BJP) think that they (Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi) are no challenge to them, then they should do their own work.

"Have these people (BJP) never done tourism? Somebody undertakes spiritual tourism, somebody does another type of tourism. Have they never done tourism? Why are they so afraid?" Khurshid asked.

On AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi involvement in politics in Uttar Pradesh, Khurshid said people who are getting attracted to Owaisi's party, should think whether he will be able to solve the problems of the country.

Asked whom the Congress will support, SP or BSP, if there is a hung assembly, he said, "We are hoping for the best for Uttar Pradesh. We do not want to compromise with the best, we do not want to restrict the best. We are with optimism, confidence, dedication and with commitment going to the polls."

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UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is a "coward" and was so "scared" of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra that he kept her in custody and did not let her visit Lakhimpur Kheri after violence there, said Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday.

Baghel said this referring to the detention of Priyanka in Sitapur following the violence, in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed last Sunday.

Addressing the partys "Kisan Nyay Rally" in Varanasi, he also slammed the BJP, saying it divides people in the name of religion, which they "learnt from the British".

Also Read | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Congress knocks on President Kovind's doors, seeks justice for victims

Targeting Adityanath, Baghel said that he had heard and believed that seers do not fear anyone but Yogi proved to be a "big coward".

"He is such a coward that he got afraid of a woman, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, that he did not allow her to go to Lakhimpur Kheri and kept her in jail for four days. The UP chief minister will be such a big coward, I never knew this," Baghel said.

"When I reached Lucknow from Raipur, I was not allowed to move out of the airport. When I said that I want to go to the UP Congress office and that I want to meet Priyanka Gandhi, I was told that I cannot go out of the airport. Such a coward and frightened person, I have not seen," Baghel said.

Also Read | Priyanka Gandhi turns to hindutva to counter BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Sharpening his attack, Baghel said that Yogiji had come to Chhattisgarh a number of times but they never stopped him.

"And, I am telling him now to come to Chhattisgarh. But, with what face will he come to Chhattisgarh? He had said that the farmers' income will be doubled but this did not take place," the CM said.

"But, our leader Rahulji went to Chhattisgarh and promised the farmers that Rs 2,500 per quintal will be given to them for paddy and today Chhattisgarh is the only state to do so," he claimed, accusing the BJP of indulging in rhetoric (jumlebaaji).

Also Read | Lakhimpur Kheri violence not ordinary crime: Salman Khurshid

Urging people to vote for the Congress in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, he said that his party always fought for farmers.

"The RSS and Savarkar used to act as informers of the British while on the other hand, it was Mahatma Gandhiji, who fought for the farmers. (Jawaharlal) Nehruji and Sardar Patelji also fought for the farmers," he said.

"They (BJP) know how to make people fight in the name of religion and this quality of divide and rule they have learnt from the British. This has been going on since the freedom struggle," he alleged.

Read | PM selling national assets for peanuts: Priyanka

On the issue of stray cattle, Baghel accused the BJP of seeking votes in the name of "gaumata" but doing nothing for it.

"In Chhattisgarh, we purchase cow dung at Rs 2 per kg and making vermicompost from it," he said.

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The gravity of an offence and specific allegations are the parameters that should be looked into by a court while granting anticipatory bail to an accused, the Supreme Court has said.

A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna made the observations while setting aside an order passed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court granting anticipatory bail to two persons accused in a murder case.

The top court said that it had to determine whether, on the basis of the material available at this stage, the high court applied the correct principles in allowing the applications for anticipatory bail.

Also Read | Plea urges CJI to take cognisance of killing of Hindu, Sikh minorities in Kashmir

"Courts ought to be generally guided by considerations such as the nature and gravity of the offences, the role attributed to the applicant, and the facts of the case, while considering whether to grant anticipatory bail or refuse it," the bench said.

The top court was hearing appeals challenging anticipatory bail granted to two accused in connection with an offence registered under Sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

The apex court said the offence is of a serious nature in which a person was murdered and the FIR and the statements indicate a specific role of the accused in the crime.

Also Read | SC denies details of BCI meeting under RTI Act

"The order granting anticipatory bail has ignored material aspects, including the nature and gravity of the offence, and the specific allegations against the accused. Hence, a sufficient case has been made out for cancelling the anticipatory bail granted by the high court," the bench said.

The apex court said that facts need not be examined in detail at the present stage and it would examine whether the high court had correct principles for the grant of anticipatory bail.

"The material at this stage cannot be examined with a fine-tooth comb in the manner of a criminal trial. What needs to be determined is whether the parameters for the grant of anticipatory bail were correctly formulated and applied by the single judge," the bench said.

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Sore over the short shrift it recently received from the RJD, its old but domineering ally in Bihar, the Congress on Sunday chose to let off some steam, charging Lalu Prasad's party with trying to weaken us despite the deep respect the grand old party had for the former chief minister.

In the assembly polls last year, we could not realise our potential because the RJD made us give up many seats where we were strong, and compelled to contest constituencies where we did not have a good chance, AICC secretary in-charge for Bihar, Bhakt Charan Das, who was here to oversee preparations for the upcoming by-polls to two assembly seats, alleged.

He expressed dismay over the RJD's unilateral announcement of candidates for by-elections to Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan, though the latter was lost by a small margin last year by the Congress, which was confident of wresting the seat from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) this time.

Also Read | Congress in dilemma as regional parties train guns

As an alliance partner, we wonder what the RJD seeks to gain by trying to weaken us. Even if it goes on to win the by-polls, will two extra seats help it form the next government? Can the RJD ever form a government in Bihar without the Congress supporting it, asked Das, who took over after the party's poor show in the state caused his predecessor Shaktisinh Gohil to step down.

In the assembly elections last year, the five-party Grand Alliance that is headed by the RJD and comprises Congress and three Left parties, fell short of the majority mark by about 15 seats.

The RJD emerged as the single largest party in the state assembly, while the Left performed beyond expectations. However, the Congress stood out as the weak link, as it could win less than 20 seats despite having contested 70 of the 243-strong assembly.

Relations have become strained between the two parties ever since the recent induction of Kanhaiya Kumar into the Congress. The former JNU student leader is seen as a potential rival of Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son and heir apparent of Lalu Prasad.

The Left, which has been left with an axe to grind against the Congress following the exit of the CPI rising star, has chosen to throw its lot behind the RJD in the upcoming by-polls in Bihar.

However, Das claimed that Congress candidates for the two seats were going to win and the RJD will have to explain to the people why it acted the way it did, unmindful of the fact that we need to remain united till the next Lok Sabha elections and the assembly polls of 2025.

Having ruled Bihar for the most part till the 1980s, the Congress went into a state of steady decline ever since it was unseated from power by the Janata Dal, of which the RJD and the JD(U) are splinter groups.

An alliance with the RJD allowed the Congress to share power in the last tenure of Rabri Devi, who succeeded husband Lalu Prasad as the chief minister.

It again briefly enjoyed power in the state after the Grand Alliance that came into being with arch rivals Lalu and Nitish joining hands swept the polls in 2015. The JD(U) leader, however, returned to the NDA less than two years later.

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The National Conference suffered a major setback in Jammu as two prominent leaders Devender Rana and Surjit Singh Slathia resigned from the party on Sunday.

They are likely to join the BJP in Delhi on Monday.

"Dr Farooq Abdullah has received & accepted the resignations of Mr Salathia & Mr Rana. No further action or comment is deemed necessary," a National Conference spokesman tweeted.

Rana, who was NCs provincial president of the Jammu region, also announced the decision to quit the National Conference during a brief interaction with media persons outside his house here, ending over week-long speculation about him leaving his party and joining the BJP.

I along with (senior party colleague and former minister) S S Slathia resigned from the basic membership of the National Conference, he told reporters.

Rana, a former MLA and younger brother of Union minister Jitendra Singh, had taken over the post of provincial president of the National Conference in 2011 after relinquishing his office as political advisor to the then chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Now the voice of J-K will come from Jammu which should get its rightful place, Rana, who was considered as the backbone of the National Conference in Jammu province, said.

He said his political philosophy would be based on the proposed Jammu declaration.

Rana said his only concern is the interests of Jammu and the wishes and aspirations of the people of the region.

The Jammu declaration is an attempt in this direction where people from all walks of life including political parties need to come together, he added.

Rana had proposed the 'Jammu declaration' on January 30, a charter to forge unity and reinforce trust between diverse communities and divergent regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

The core of the declaration will be to engage the people in inter-region and intra-regional dialogue to bridge the fault-lines being created by divisive forces on the basis of region and religion, Rana had said.

Asked whether his leaving the National Conference is a big loss for the party, he said people come and go and so the resignation of the two leaders would have no impact on it as the NC is a very big party.

I enjoy good relations with both (NC president) Farooq Abdullah and (vice president) Omar Abdullah, he said.

After proposing the Jammu declaration, Rana had said the BJP was the only party which gave a big response to it.
RSS-linked magazine "Panchjanya", in its latest edition, has targetted the Christian church and priests over the widespread allegations of sexual exploitation.

The magazine, that would hit the stands on October 17, has, in the cover story, dwelt on the complaints of sexual exploitation of children and nuns across the world, and demanded an investigation into those allegations in India also.

Citing the instance of France, the magazine said that over 3 lakh children were exploited between 1950-2020, and around 3,000 priests were named as accused.

Also Read | India would have become Pakistan if not for RSS: K S Eshwarappa

Panchjanya mentioned that an independent enquiry committee set up in 2018 came across those details during its probe. It also termed Pope Francis' apology in 2019 over these complaints and incidents a "formality under pressure", noting that despite it, episodes of similar nature have not seen any downward trend. It also cited complaints and incidents of sexual exploitation reported from various parts of India, underlining that the people of the country have been seeking probes against the church and priests.

Claiming that such incidents are on the rise in India too, it referred to several incidents in Jharkhand and Kerala, besides the rape of a woman in Missionary College, Chennai, and of a nun from Kerala. Panchjanya held the style of functioning of the church responsible for the worldwide decline in the number of nuns.

It said that in Kerala, the number of nuns has reduced to only 25 per cent and therefore, the church is taking into its fold, girls from poor families in states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha "under the guise of deceit, coercion and allurement".

Also Read | Catholic Church in France had 3,000 child abusers, reveals probe

Earlier, in its October 10 edition's cover story, the RSS-linked magazine had slammed the Congress and its former President Rahul Gandhi, saying the country's oldest political party is passing through its "worst-ever phase".

The Panchjanya had been in the news for its previous issues attacking Infosys and its leader N.R. Narayana Murthy over the glitches in the income tax portal, and then Amazon and its chief, Jeff Bezos, calling the global e-commerce giant "East India Company 2.0".

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Truce is being worked out between G-23 leaders and the Congress leadership in the party ahead of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting slated for Saturday. The CWC, which is the highest decision making body of the party, is likely to give a nod to the organisational polls, which is the key demand of the dissenting group.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is reaching out to the other camp through emissaries. Kamal Nath has been talking to the dissenting group and Priyanka has also been trying to reach out to the G-23 by involving Bhupinder Hooda's son Deepender Hooda with her protest on Lakhimpur Kheri violence. She has also taken the junior Hooda to Varanasi for her rally.

The sign of thaw emerges from the Congress letter, which has been written by party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal seeking an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind to submit a memorandum on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The signatories of the letter include Ghulam Nabi Azad -- on the second number after Rahul Gandhi. Azad is one among the G-23 leaders.

Also Read | Congress Working Committee to meet on Oct 16; troubles in party, Assembly polls on agenda

The Congress has been mired with internal rift since August 2020 last year when a letter was written to Sonia Gandhi for visible and effective leadership. Last month Ghulam Nabi Azad again wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi for calling CWC meet, and now the Congress high command has called the meeting on October 16.

Senior party leader Kapil Sibal had recently said, "There is no president in our party, so we do not know who is taking all the decisions. We know it, yet we don't know, one of my senior colleagues perhaps has written or is about to write to the interim president to immediately convene a CWC meeting so that a dialogue can be initiated."

But after the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the G-23 has toned down its statements. One of the G-23 leaders Anand Sharma has been all praise for the Gandhis, "Commending @RahulGandhi and @PriyankaGandhi's courageous act of compassion and solidarity with farmers whose sons were killed. A sincere and expressed commitment to fight for justice for the bereaved farmers which must be supported by all who respect the rule of law."

Commending @RahulGandhi and @PriyankaGandhi's courageous act of compassion and solidarity with farmers whose sons were killed. A sincere and expressed commitment to fight for justice for the bereaved farmers which must be supported by all who respect the rule of law.  Anand Sharma (@AnandSharmaINC) October 6, 2021

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A counter FIR was lodged by the police in connection with last week's violence at Lakhimpur Kheri which only mentioned the killing of the three BJP workers and a local scribe and nothing about the killing of the four farmers.

The FIR, which was lodged by a BJP worker identified as Sumit Jaiswal, did not name anyone but said that unidentified people killed three saffron party workers and a local scribe and indulged in rioting.

Read | 'Attempt to make Lakhimpur issue Hindu vs Sikh battle'

According to the FIR, Sumit was present in the function organised at union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra's native village of Banwaripur in the district on October three in which UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was the chief guest.

Sumit claimed that he and another BJP worker Shubham Mishra were attacked with swords and lathis by the farmers near Tikonia while they were on way to attend the function. The driver of the vehicle Hariom was dragged out of the vehicle and brutally assaulted as a result of which he suffered serious injuries.

He further claimed that he managed to escape from the spot but came to know later that Shubham, another BJP worker and the driver were lynched by the farmers.

Police officials said that the counter FIR was lodged a day after the incident and that unidentified assailants were booked under section 302 (murder) and others of the IPC.

The police had lodged an FIR on the day of the incident in which Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra had been charged with running over four farmers with his SUV at Tikonia. Ashish was arrested on Saturday night and was remanded to 14 day judicial custody.

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Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was produced before a court here late on Saturday night, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the October 3 Lakhimpur violence.

After around 12 hours of questioning in connection with the violence in which eight persons including four farmers were killed, a medical team examined Ashish Mishra in the crime branch office here after which he was taken for production before a judicial magistrate, who sent him to custody, senior prosecution officer SP Yadav told PTI.

He said an application for police remand of Ashish Mishra was submitted to the judicial magistrate who fixed it for hearing for 11 am on Monday.

Read more: Lakhimpur violence: Minister's son Ashish Mishra 'evaded' crucial questions, cops say

Ashish Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit last Sunday.

Farmer leaders and opposition parties had been demanding Mishra's arrest but the minister and his son had denied the allegations.

Two BJP workers and their driver were allegedly lynched by angry farmers in the incident. Local journalist Raman Kashyap also died in the violence, which has triggered a political storm and put the BJP government on the back foot in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Ashish Mishra, who is known as 'Monu Bhaiya' in the area, spent the night in the district jail. He had appeared before the SIT at around 10.30 AM on Saturday after a second summons was served to him the previous day when he did not turn up for interrogation. He was arrested at around 11 PM on Saturday after being grilled by the SIT at the crime branch office in the Police Lines.

Aged around 35, Ashish Mishra looks after the political activities of his father in his Kheri Parliamentary constituency.

The Supreme Court had on Friday questioned the non-arrest of the accused, directed preservation of evidence and mulled transferring the probe to another agency.

Without mincing words, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana had said, the law must take its course against all accused and the government has to take all remedial steps in this regard to inspire confidence in the investigation of brutal murder of eight persons.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the agitation against the Centre's three farm laws, had alleged that the violence was held under a pre-planned conspiracy and demanded the arrest of the minister and his son.

The farmer unions said if the government does not accept their demands by October 11, they will take out a 'Shaheed Kisan Yatra' from Lakhimpur Kheri with the ashes of slain farmers.

The SKM has also gave a call for a rail roko protest across the country from 10 AM to 4 PM on October 18 and a mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26.

Ajay Mishra should be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested on charges of spreading disharmony, murder and conspiracy. He is also protecting the culprits in the case, SKM leader Yogendra Yadav had alleged during a press conference in Delhi.

A nine-member team headed by by the SIT team headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal has been formed to investigate the FIR lodged against the minister's son and others in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

After two men were arrested on Thursday in the case, police had put up a notice outside Ashish Mishra's house asking him to appear before it.

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The National investigation agency (NIA) swooped down in Kashmir on Sunday and carried out multiple raids in connection with ISIS-Voice of Hind and the Bathindi IED recovery cases.

Reports said the premier probe agency sleuths accompanied by J&K police and CRPF personnel conducted raids at 16 locations in Srinagar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla and Sopore in connection with the two cases.

Sources said the raids were carried out at nine locations in connection with an alleged conspiracy of the international terrorist organisation ISIS to radicalise and recruit youth to wage war against India. They added that NIA sleuths seized mobile phones, laptops and other electronic gadgets from the suspects during these raids.

The initial investigation by the NIA has revealed that the ISIS terrorists operating from various conflict zones along with cadres in India, by assuming pseudo-online identities, have created a network wherein terror groups propaganda material is disseminated.

The dreaded terror outfit has been releasing an online monthly India-centric magazine by the name of Voice of Hind (VOH) since February 2020, which emerged as a fountainhead of large-scale radicalisation of Muslim youth in the Valley. Earlier on July 11, the NIA had carried out raids in Kashmir in a similar case and detained several suspects.

On Sunday raids were also conducted across seven locations in Srinagar, Sopore and Anantnag in the NIA's ongoing investigation into The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be the frontal organization of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.

Reports said TRF commander Sajjad Guls house was also raided in Srinagar. Gul is believed to be operating from Pakistan.

The TRF case pertains to the LeT militant arrested with 5 kg IED in Bhatindi in Jammu on June 27. The premier probe agency had carried out searches on September 21 this year at eight locations in J&Ks Anantnag, Baramulla, Kulgam, Srinagar, Doda and Kishtwar districts in the same case.

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Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday launched a scathing attack against the BJP in PM Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi, saying only the ruling party leaders and their "billionaire friends" are safe in the country.

Vadra said this during a "Kisan Nyay Rally", days after eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Union Minister Ajay Mishras son Ashish Mishra has been arrested in connection with the case.

Also Read | Priyanka Gandhi to begin UP's poll campaign from Modi bastion Varanasi

Addressing the rally, Priyanka said when she speaks to people, they tell her that there are no jobs and income.

Farmers, Dalits and women are feeling harassed, she claimed.

People may belong to any caste and religion, they are not safe, the Congress leader alleged.

"In this country, the prime minister, his council of ministers, people from his party and their billionaire friends are safe. Understand this properly. The country is getting damaged," the Congress leader said.

Also Read | After Yogi's broom barb, Congress wants to 'sweep' UP polls

Before the rally, Priyanka visited the Kashi Vishwanath and Kushmanda temples.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Prayers of different religions were recited at the rally.

Senior UP Congress leader Pradeep Mathur told PTI that Congress workers from different walks of life accorded a warm welcome to the party general secretary.

State Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said with Sunday's event, the party has launched itself aggressively for the upcoming 2022 UP Assembly elections.

"The Congress under the leadership of Priyankaji will comprehensively defeat the demon power, which has unleashed itself in various parts of the state," Singh said.
In the backdrop of recent killings of members of a minority community in Srinagar, security forces have detained hundreds of people for their alleged separatist links in Kashmir.

Sources said as security agencies are clueless about The Resistance Front (TRF) militants, who carried out a series of target killings, including some Kashmiri Pandits and a Sikh teacher, a major crackdown has been launched and over 400 suspects have been either detained or arrested.

Those detained and arrested in the crackdown include members of Jamaat-e-Islami J&K, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and stone throwers or people on the suspected list of overground workers (OGWs). The detentions are a part of the investigation to break the chain of attacks in the Valley, they said.

Read | Plea urges CJI to take cognisance of killing of Hindu, Sikh minorities in Kashmir

Sources said around 70 people have been detained in Srinagar only, where most of the civilian killings were reported. Before being killed by the police in Alouchibagh area of Srinagar last month, Abbas Sheikh, the chief of TRF, had succeeded in creating several sleeper cells in the city, which seems to be getting active lately, they added.

TRF, a new militant outfit, which according to the police is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks in the city.

A senior police officer said that the arrests were made to find a link between the recent attacks on the civilians. However, as of now we havent found any link with the recent attacks in the city. We are clueless about new sleeper cells of militants and have no knowledge of them. It is a major challenge for us, he said.

Also Read | Wont attend to duties till govt ensures security: Kashmir Sikh body

The crackdown will continue as top officials of RAW, IB and counter-insurgency experts have reached Kashmir to assist the security agencies here, he revealed.

Small groups of OGWs armed with pistols have carried out a spate of killings in recent weeks, taking the number of civilians murdered in Kashmir this year to 28.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also summoned 40 school teachers in the target killing case which they are formally taking for investigation. These teachers have been directed to report at the NIA Camp Office in Srinagar on Sunday at 4 pm.

Also Read | Kashmiri Pandits say killings a terror plan to drive them out from valley
The state government has sounded a terror alert in the state during the 'pujas' -- an indication that West Bengal is the new terror target.

Though senior police officers are yet to jump to any conclusion, arrests made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Kolkata Special Task Force (STF) in the last few months show the movement of terror modules in the state.

Also Read | 5 century-old Durga Puja, started by royal family, remains big draw in Tripura

According to the NIA, these terror operatives use the porous Bangladesh border to enter the country. The alert issued by the state home department asked Durga puja organisers to set up systems to monitor crowd movement. They have been asked to install CCTV cameras and watchtowers in the vicinity of puja pandals and work in close coordination with the local police station.

The notice also mentioned that immersion of all idols has to be completed between October 15 (Dashami) and October 18 in consultation with local police stations. "In the context of the prevailing threats from divisive and terrorist groups to destabilise the country and to create law-and-order problems, you are advised to exercise utmost vigilance during the celebration of the festivals," the statement read.

Also Read | BJP opposes use of shoes to 'decorate' Durga puja pandal in Kolkata, seeks chief secy's intervention

It further suggested, "The community puja organisers should be asked to engage adequate numbers of volunteers in puja pandals to keep a vigil on the movement of suspicious persons and all the volunteers should be directed to keep in touch with local police constantly. The state government's effort to involve the puja committees in the security mechanism is a significant development. It shows that the state home department is planning for a wider safety and security chain which in itself is conclusive enough to understand the importance and the possibility of an attack," a senior official of the state home department said.

The NIA arrested Aal Halif alias Abu Ibrahim -- one of the most dreaded IS handlers in this subcontinent from Bengaluru in 2020. This IS handler was a meritorious student of economics before his entry into the terror world. Halif disguised as Sujit Chandra Debnath was working as an assistant of a mason in Bengaluru.

Also Read | Kolkata gears up for subdued Durga Puja celebrations

Similarly, Kolkata STF -- the elite Kolkata Police force arrested three JMB handlers -- Naziur Rahman Pavel, Mikail Khan and Rabiul Islam -- who sneaked into India and were residing in the posh residential area of the city. To avoid detection, Pavel used the Hindu name Jayram Bepari. He and Mikail Khan alias Sheikh Sabbir befriended two Hindu women in the Haridevpur area and had planned to get married. This would have helped them recruit more people without arousing suspicion.

These are not isolated examples but there are several other instances when the terror handlers have been using religion as a tool to fox the investigators. "Religion is no more a taboo for the terror groups rather they are using it as a tool to hide their identity. Changing religion is no more an important thing for these handlers rather they are using it effectively to dodge surveillance," a senior Kolkata Special Task Force Officer (STF) said.

Read | People throng Puja pandals; WB govt says avoid crowds

Another factor that is keeping the police and the investigation agencies on the tenterhooks is the lockdown and the subsequent unemployment which is making the work of these terror groups easier. Taking advantage of the porous border with Bangladesh and unemployment, international terror groups like JMB, Ansarullah Faction and even Islamic State are trying to spread their network in the state.

The aim is to make West Bengal, the headquarters of the terror activities in entire eastern India. Sometimes through direct interaction and at times through online, they have been targeting brainy but unemployed young boys and girls in the state. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Special Task Force (STF) of the Kolkata Police have secured this information from the three JMB terrorists who were arrested by the STF sleuths recently from a colony in the southern outskirts of Kolkata.

The investigation officials are worried that because of systematic brainwashing by these terror groups many meritorious but unemployed youths are getting lost from mainstream society.

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A Kerala man accused of cheating using fake antiquities was found to have faked a DRDO document also.

Police sources said that a fresh case would be registered against Monson Mavunkal as a document of 'DRDO' recovered from his house was found to be fake. The document was used to make others believe that he was in possession of iridium.

Already six cases were registered against him in connection with cheating complaints as well as the allegation of trying to help the accused in a sexual assault case.

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Kerala's Kasargod district, which has been witnessing protests by endosulfan victims and their families for due compensation, is now witnessing a fresh row over a move to destroy the remining stock of the pesticide.

The district administration's move to destroy around 1,450 litres of endosulfan that has remained unused for over two decades after the use of pesticide was banned in the district has triggered concerns among the local people.

While the locals are concerned that the move to destroy the endosulfan stock at the spot itself may lead to health hazards for the people in the localities, the district administration is of the view that the pesticide is being destroyed scientifically. Though the pesticide producer was earlier approached for taking back it and destroying it, they had rejected the proposal.

A meeting of the endosulfan victims' forum in Kasargod on Sunday decided to be prevent any move to destroy endosulfan within the district itself.

Read | No end to the plight of endosulfan victims of Kasargod

Endosulfan stock is kept in barrels at three places in the district - around 915 litres at Periya, around 450 litres in Rajapuram and around 75 litres in Chemmeni. In 2012 there were concerns over leakages of the pesticide and hence the demand to destroy the stock gained momentum.

Endosulfan victims forum leaders Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan told DH that any attempt to destroy the endosulfan stock in the district itself would be resisted as the people of the district already suffered its effects. He also alleged that the producers, Hindustan Insecticides Limited, refused to take back the stock and destroy it, citing local protest and concerns.

Meanwhile, Kasargod district authorities said that endosulfan was being destroyed scientifically with the help of experts from Agricultural University and Plantation Corporation of Kerala. A three level process using spirit would be used to destroy the pesticide without causing any sorts of health hazard, said the official.

The endosulfan victims of Kerala are still protesting against the alleged denial of due benefits to them. They have been staging demonstrations over the years raising demands for including more victims in the government's official list of victims as well as to pay the compensation of Rs 5 lakh ordered by the Supreme Court.

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The three partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra have appealed to the people to wholeheartedly support Monday's state-wide bandh called by them to protest the killing of four farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri.

The shutdown has been called by the ruling allies - Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

Also Read | Maharashtra govt condoles death of Lakhimpur farmers, MVA calls for bandh on Oct 11

"The state-wide bandh will commence from 12 midnight," NCP spokesman and state minister Nawab Malik said on Sunday. The workers of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress are meeting citizens with an appeal to participate in the bandh wholeheartedly and express their solidarity with farmers, he said.

"The BJP-led central government has allowed the loot of agriculture produce through the three newly-enacted farm laws and now the kin of its minister is killing farmers. We have to show solidarity with the cultivators," he said. The MVA demands that Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misha be sacked, the NCP leader added.

"It was only after the Supreme Court's intervention that the minister's son was arrested," he said. The Union minister's son Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday night by the police in Lakhimpur Kheri in connection with the October 3 violence there.

Also Read | Lakhimpur Kheri killings give new lifeline to Opposition ahead of UP election

He was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said that the workers and leaders of his party would observe "maun vrat" (vow of silence) outside the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai to register their protest.

"We appeal to all Congress workers and people to participate in the bandh and ensure its success," he said. Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut had on Saturday said his party would participate in the bandh with full force. He had also said that it was necessary to wake people up against the "anti-farmer" policies of the central government.

Also Read | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Congress knocks on President Kovind's doors, seeks justice for victims

The three ruling allies have made it clear that the bandh was not stated government-sponsored, but called by the parties.

The Kisan Sabha has extended support to the bandh and said its workers in 21 districts of the state are coordinating with like-minded organisations to ensure that the bandh gets a good response.

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Staff shortage, lack of infrastructure and dearth of basic facilities  a survey by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) found many of the primary health centres, which spearhead the governments public health outreach, in a bad shape months after the state government initiated the process of ramping up Karnatakas public health infrastructure.

Since the start of the pandemic, the government has spent nearly Rs 6,000 crore scaling up medical infrastructure.

But how much has the public health infrastructure in the state actually improved during this period?

While officials and experts told DH that the pandemic had led to the improvement of many general hospitals in the region, they agreed that not all of the resources have gone where needed. The lions share of resources ushered in the pandemic have been soaked up by district hospitals. This is partly apt, because districts in Karnataka are large, said Dr Prashanth N S, Assistant Director (Research), Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru.

In district hospitals, this has meant the addition of new medical equipment, upgrades to intensive care units and improvement of oxygen resources, to prevent a repeat of the tragedy at Chamarajanagar district hospital in May, when 24 people died due to oxygen shortage.

But the concentration of these resources at the district level is also leaving several people out of healthcare coverage.

There is only one district hospital for 10 lakh people and one taluk hospital for every lakh and half patients, both of which are not enough. And in the meantime, nothing has been done to improve the quality of the more profuse 2,508 primary health centres across the state, Dr Prashanth said.

One of our biggest problems is a shortage of human resources, said Dr Suresh N (name changed), the administrator of a PHC in Bengaluru Urban district.

We cater to an average of 480 OPD patients a month and we have a regular staff strength of 11 members. I am the only doctor here. There is another Ayush doctor helping with Covid-19 cases but we are concerned that this doctor and many of the auxiliary staff brought in for Covid-19 duties will now be withdrawn, Dr Suresh said.

As a precursor to the withdrawals, one of two ambulances stationed at the centre for Covid-19 duties have already been taken away from the primary health centre (PHC).

While the PHC has access to some support from non-governmental organisations, it also lacks some basic medical infrastructure.

Our labs, for one, need to be upgraded. Currently, we can only do Complete Blood Count (CBC) tests, but we would like to do thyroid and liver tests. We also need a warmer for newborns. The one we had broke down about eight months ago and a replacement has not been sent. We require this warmer for underweight babies, otherwise it will be very difficult [to save the life of the child], Dr Suresh said.

Speaking from rural PHCs, ASHA workers confirmed the staffing shortages while simultaneously highlighting inadequate supplies of medical supplies. For all of the talk of improvements to be made to PHCs, nothing has really changed, said one Asha worker from Ballari district.

At our centre, there is only one doctor here and there is a big queue everyday. Because of the governments lack of support, there are hardly any stocks of medicine. Patients who come to the PHC find that they have to purchase drugs on their own from local pharmacies. Many angrily tell us that they came to the PHC under the belief that it was free. What is the difference between this PHC and a private clinic? they ask.

There are 28 non-Covid health programmes that we have to restart  but with the manpower challenge, it is going to be difficult. Moreover, our Covid resources will not be of much help, the doctor said.

Staff shortages have also beset general hospitals. Speaking to DH, Shivamogga District Health Officer Rajesh Suragihalli said that a dearth of trained staff has imposed major problems for treatment.

Taluk general hospitals are in need of three additional anesthetists, three physicians to handle any pandemic or medical emergency situations effectively, he said.

The dearth of trained staff nurses who can treat critically ill patients in intensive care units will pose a major challenge in the future. When Covid-19 was at its peak, nurses were appointed on contract basis. But they needed training. It became an impediment then. So, the government must continue the services of such staff so that any kind of situation can be managed. The number of beds can be increased in a day but this can't be done with regard to human resources.

It was a problem that the Commissioner for Health, Dr Thrilok Chandra, said that the state is trying to fix.

We are empowering PHCs with oxygen concentrators, so the first point of care can be the PHCs itself, he said.

Work underway

Some 750 PHCs are being given Rs 20 lakh each under the CM-AMRUT scheme, where basic electrical and civil infrastructure are to be upgraded. By the end of the year, it will be completed. Apart from that, manpower-wise, most of the vacancies have been filled up by general duty medical officers and also the rural candidates who have come in.

When it came to human resources, he added that 850 general duty medical officers are permanent.

Apart from that we have taken compulsory rural service MBBS graduates as well. We have around 100 vacancies, but we have released the second list as well, so that will be filled up shortly, he said.

The dearth of resources at PHCs has certain ramifications, according to Teena Xavier, a member of Maternal and Child Health Campaigns (Karnataka).

For example, during Covid-19, nobody spoke about malnutrition and maternal deaths but these are serious and ongoing problems. Ordinary people could not get the medical assistance they needed, either because the programmes were not running or because healthcare staff were prioritising Covid-19 cases. In Bengaluru Urbans Jigani PHC, for example, the staff were completely overburdened with Covid-19 cases, Xavier said.

ASHA workers, however, confirmed that non-covid services had badly been affected. One worker in Ballari district explained that the district, which is the scene of major vaccine hesitancy, had created a Catch-22 situation.

Medical workers were finding it difficult to carry out vaccinations, the completion of which would allow them to focus on their other roles  including following up on pregnant women and maternity cases.

Coincidentally, KSLSA officials who also surveyed the Jigani PHC found that the staff were working hard.

The centre had a staff of 20 who were seeing an average of 1,800 patients a month, while also having treated 3,672 Covid-19 patients since the pandemic began.

The stretching of resources has led to at least four maternal deaths in the Jigani area, Xavier said. This is significant because in NFHS-5, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said maternal deaths had largely been eliminated. That is clearly no longer true, she added.

Covidisation of healthcare

It is not just expectant mothers whose lives are endangered by what one expert described as the Covidisation of healthcare, but also those suffering from a host of rare diseases unconnected to Covid-19.

For Gagandeep Singh Chandok, President of Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society of Bangalore, the pandemic has meant an 18-month long tussle with the government to get help for the Thalassemia sufferers in the state.

The community has been largely deprived of state subsidised medicine and blood supplies since March 2020.

Because of the high cost of Thalassemia medication, the Government of India distributes drugs free of cost to the community through the National Health Mission (NHM).

However, the lives of 17,000-odd people afflicted with the condition in Karnataka was thrown into turmoil last year, after it became clear that the governments plan to sanction a tender to procure new stocks of drugs had collapsed.

Chandok said members of the community have been scrambling to procure drugs independently, but most would have to spend anywhere between Rs 14,750 to up to Rs 30,000 per month. Most people cannot afford it, he said.

As dire as Bengalurus Thalassemia community is, at least they have a voice through their society leadership, Dr Prashant pointed out, saying that others have not been so fortunate.

For example, incidences of sickle cell anemia are large among adivasis and OBCs. Who is there to speak for them? Already, many of these groups do not trust government healthcare services and for many communities, it is difficult to access healthcare, he said.

He warned that the full impact of the governments inability to scale up health resources to tackle both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 issues will not be manifest until decades later.

Malnutrition has risen as feeding and anganwadi programmes are not running properly, maternal and pediatric health care has suffered as Asha workers and ANMs are busy with covid-19 vaccination duties. The neglect of basic health services will have a generational impact that will be felt 20 to 30 years from now, he added.

(With inputs from Nrupthunga S K in Davangere)

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Does the wanton violence at Lakhimpur Kheri make nonviolence look fragile and insignificant? Or does it instead expose the futility of violence?

These questions need to be processed before we can re-examine that old and persistent doubt  namely that nonviolent protest can only work against somewhat responsive rulers, not against those who appear indifferent.

In a moment of acute outrage, of the kind triggered by the Lakhimpur Kheri killings, there is a wide spectrum of responses.

At one end of the spectrum are those who reacted by killing some of the occupants of the vehicles that mowed down the protesters. This response may be rooted in our most primitive instincts of raw rage and a surge of energy to lash out at the assailants. This is the eye for an eye approach that would surely make the world blind.

At the opposite end of this spectrum are those who know that to choose the path of nonviolent political action is to risk life and limb. For those who do so by practice and training this moment of grief is also a call to reaffirm and strengthen resolve.

In between are probably the vast majority of people who admire nonviolence as an ideal but see it as impractical for ordinary humans. They believe that nonviolence is for mahatmas and they may see the tragic incidents of last week as proof of this.

Also read: Lakhimpur Kheri case: Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son arrested after 11 hours of questioning

It is, therefore, vital to first look at nonviolence as a phenomenon in nature  rather than as a moral and ethical ideal.

Margaret Mead, the cultural anthropologist, was once asked which artefact she would identify as marking the beginning of civilisation. She did not point to a stone tool or the beginnings of the human ability to make and tame fire. Mead referred to a 15,000-year-old human fossil which had a broken and healed femur bone. This fossil is proof that some people fed, protected and nurtured that injured person long enough for the bone to heal.

At a time when humans were mostly wandering herds, stopping for those who fell marked the beginning of civilisation.

In the mid-1980s, a group of natural and social scientists examined a wide range of evidence to conclude that the human brain is not hardwired to be violent.

Of course, violence is one of our instincts, but it is not our dominant tendency. The collective statement issued by that group of scientists, known as the Seville Statement on Violence, was later endorsed by the UNESCO and many academic bodies.

However, when some of the key academics behind the Seville Statement took their findings to mainstream media, they were rebuffed. Some journalists said they would be more interested if the scientists had found a gene for violence.

Also read: Follow 'raj dharma' and sack Ajay Mishra: Congress to PM Modi

The reason for this is obvious. Violence has drama and action.

The wars and conflict in history get far more attention than what happened in peace times. But it is violence that requires as much or more training than nonviolence.

Lt Col Dave Grossman, a one-time officer in the American army, wrote a book titled On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society. Grossmans key insight is that most people have an inbuilt resistance to killing people. This resistance, wrote Grossman, exists as a result of a powerful combination of instinctive, rational, environmental, hereditary, cultural, and social factors.

By contrast, practitioners of nonviolence, when they accept suffering without retaliation, become more fearless.

Collective action

For this to happen in any substantial way the nonviolent action must be collective  as the farmers struggle is, however disparate it may be internally.

But there is a possible divide that can undermine such a collective. This is between a nonviolence based on the power of love and nonviolence that is merely a tactic or even thinly veiled passive resistance.

Gandhi tirelessly reiterated that passive resistance is not nonviolence  because it tends to be provisional and can turn into violence when faced with an extreme provocation or a winning opportunity.

Over the last 70 odd years, there has been a wide variety of innovations in nonviolent political action which fills the space between nonviolence based on love-thy-enemy and utterly pragmatic tactical nonviolence. Gene Sharp was probably the most prolific scholar and ideologue of nonviolent action that does not depend on winning over or loving the opponent. It was Sharps teachings that informed the nonviolent struggle known as the Arab Spring.

Power vs protest

Either way, the obvious assumption behind nonviolent political action is that any ruler finds it harder to unleash physical force on unarmed and nonviolent protesters.

Though this assumption has sometimes proved to be wrong, it is broadly validated by protest movements across the world. This happens when, as Ashis Nandy said in a recent Ahimsa Conversation, the patience of the protesters is greater than the impatience of those in power.

Also read: Those who killed BJP workers in Lakhimpur not culprits, says Rakesh Tikait

The farmers protest has by and large demonstrated patience, persistence and unflinching valour. The pain of grief and rage at this moment will test all these qualities. But there is a glow of light at the other end of this tunnel. The source of this light is the knowledge that ahimsa strengthens faith in the eventual victory of justice.

This faith may be based on the historical certainty that no brute force lasts indefinitely. Or it can be anchored in an awareness about the far greater power of love and compassion.

Above all, the Lakhimpur Kheri incident illustrates the key insight of political philosopher Hannah Arendt  that it is impotence that breeds violence. This is because, Arendt wrote, Politically loss of power tempts men to substitute violence for power.

From this perspective, it is the collective power of the farmers and of nonviolent protest that now appears stronger.

(Rajni Bakshi is an author and founder of the online platform Ahimsa Conversations)

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Kangana Ranaut wants Shah Rukh Khan to apologise like Jackie Chan after Aryan Khan's arrest in drug case?

Actor Kangana Ranaut has shared an Instagram post about Jackie Chan, posting it on her Instagram story feature.

Taking to her Instagram story on Sunday, the 'Panga' actor shared a trivia about Jacky Chan and reminded fans how the iconic star had publicly apologised after his son Jaycee was caught in a drugs scandal in 2014.

He said, "I am ashamed of son's act, this is my failure and I will not intervene to protect him" and after that, his son was jailed for six months.

In 2014, Jaycee was arrested and jailed for the possession and distribution of marijuana, and for accommodating drug users at his apartment in Beijing. Chan was sentenced to six months in state prison and served out his full sentence behind bars.

Sharing the post, Kangana wrote, "#JustSaying".

This post comes days after the 'Queen' star commented on superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan's arrest in an alleged drug case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

She had slammed those who had come forward to defend Aryan Khan.

"Now all Mafia Pappu coming to Aaryan Khan's defence.... We make mistakes but we mustn't glorify them ... I trust this will give him perspective and also make him realise consequences of his actions.... Hopefully it can evolve him and make him better and bigger It's good not to gossip about someone when they vulnerable but it's criminal to make them feel that they did no wrong .... #Word," she wrote in an Instagram story post at that time.

Many fans and stars from the film industry including actor Hrithik Roshan, Raveena Tandon, Shekhar Suman, and Vishal Dadlani among others have extended their support to Shah Rukh Khan and his family personally and over social media.

Superstar Salman Khan and Karan Johar were also spotted visiting Shah Rukh Khan's Mannat residence after the controversy busted out in media.

An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night.

Eight persons including Aryan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Vikrant Chhoker, Ismeet Singh, Nupur Sarika, Gomit Chopra, and Mohak Jaswal were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court on October 4 which remanded them to NCB custody till October 7. They were arrested on October 3 in connection with the drug seizure on the cruise ship.

As per the NCB, Aryan along with others has been booked under Section 8C, 20B, 27 (Punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 35 (Presumption of culpable mental state) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

A Mumbai Magistrate court had on Thursday sent Aryan and seven others to judicial custody for 14 days. His bail plea was denied by a Mumbai Court on Friday. (ANI)
Shekhar Suman reveals Shah Rukh Khan was the only actor who came to him after his elder son died to express his condolences

Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan Khan remains in judicial custody as the NCB investigation related to the Corledia cruise party continues. The anti-drug agency is try to bust the narcotics racket in the city by investigating the accused and making more arrests while several Bollywood celebrities voice their support for Shah Rukh Khan.

Actor Shekhar Suman has now come out in support of the Bollywood superstar and revealed how when he had lost his elder son Aayush, Shah Rukh was the only actor, who came to him personally, hugged him and expressed his condolences.

While Shah Rukhs family goes through these trying times, Shekar tweeted his support as he wrote, My heart goes out to Shahrukh Khan and Gauri Khan.As a parent i can totally understand what they are going thru.It's not easy for parents to go thru this kind of torment and ordeal no matter what @iamsrk.

My heart goes out to Shahrukh Khan and Gauri https://t.co/NfuiZvw9JJ a parent i can totally understand what they are going https://t.co/e0bGNbRaT9's not easy for parents to go thru this kind of torment and ordeal no matter what @iamsrk  Shekhar Suman (@shekharsuman7) October 9, 2021

He further added, When i lost my elder son Aayush at age 11 Shahrukh Khan was the only actor who came to me personally while i was shooting at film city,hugged me and conveyed his condolences. Im extremely pained to know what he must be going thru as a father. @iamsrk

When i lost my elder son Aayush at age 11 Shahrukh Khan was the only actor who came to me personally while i was shooting at film city,hugged me and conveyed his https://t.co/LLwSlEJiOt extremely pained to know what he must be going thru as a father @iamsrk  Shekhar Suman (@shekharsuman7) October 9, 2021

Shekhar who was in the news last year for demanding justice for late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death also mentioned his father and further wrote, I did not know Sushant's father, yet wen he lost his son i cld understand that he must be totally devastated and that's why against my family's wish, at the height of covid19, during lockdown i went to meet him. For i know the trauma of losing a child.

I did not know Sushant's father,yet wen he lost his son i cld understand that he must be totally devastated and that's why against my family's wish,at the height of covid19,during lockdown i went to meet him.For i know the trauma of losing a child.  Shekhar Suman (@shekharsuman7) October 9, 2021

Aryan Khans NCB custody ended on Thursday post which the start kid was remanded to judicial custody with two other accused in the cruise drug bust. His bail plea was rejected on Friday and futher action on his lawyers behalf can only be expected after Monday. Aryan is presently in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
Amazon Great Indian Festival 2021 is going on and offers buyers a chance to grab the best deals on hard disk Amazon. The e-commerce giant has all tied up CITI Bank to provide extra discounts and savings to customers on purchases made on CITI bank credit cards, debit cards, and EMI transactions.

You can check out the deals on the hard disk on Amazon below.

WD 2TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive

Price  Rs 2,450.00

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The WD 2TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive provides automatic backup for your important data and is easy to use. The hard disk comes with password protection + 256-bit AES hardware encryption. It runs on Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, and Chrome OS. For other operating systems it requires formatting. The Western Digital Discovery software for Western Digital backup offers password protection and drive management which makes it ideal for your storage needs. The hard disk has a super speed USB 3.0 port; USB 2.0 compatible, and comes with a 3-Year manufacturer's limited warranty. View deal here.

Seagate Expansion 1.5TB External HDD - 2.5 Inch

Price  Rs 2,450.00

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Seagate Expansion 1.5TB External HDD - 2.5 Inch hard drive offers an extra layer of protection for your data with the included 3-year Rescue Data Recovery Services. The sleek, stylish and simple portable drive design is meant for making music, photos, movies, and more on the go. The drive provides automatic recognition of Windows and Mac computers for simple setup. It has a simple drag-and-drop file saving option and is USB 3.0 powered. View deal here.

Western Digital WD 1.5TB Elements USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive Compatible with PC, PS4 & Xbox

Price  Rs 2,450.00

Deal Price  Rs 1,799.0

Western Digital WD 1.5TB Elements USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive Compatible with PC, PS4 & Xbox is USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatible hard disk drive. It is formatted NTFS for Windows10, and Windows 8.1. The drive promises Fast transfer rates and can improve PC performance. It has a high capacity in a small enclosure and will meet all your storage requirements. The hard drive has WD quality inside and out and is formatted for Windows. View deal here.

Seagate Game Drive 4 TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD

Price  Rs 2,450.00

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Seagate Game Drive 4 TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD allows you to store 100+ games with 4 TB of portable hard drive storage. The drive provides hands-on experience with no-lag time and full-throttle performance with an external hard drive. The hard drive offers an easy quick step-by-step setup and has plug-and-play USB 3.0 connectivity with no power cable needed. The drive has a classic black and blue design. It is a flawless accessory for any gaming setup and will help you backup all your games, videos, etc. The drive has a small, travel-ready form factor that means you can take it for your adventures anywhere and anytime. Now enjoy long-term peace of mind with the three-year limited product warranty. View deal here.

Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB Portable External HDD

Price  Rs 5,600.00

Deal Price  Rs 3,399

Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB Portable External HDD has a Matt finish compact casing. It has a super speed USB 3.0 port and comes with an easy plug-n-play operation. The hard drive has a built-in internal shock sensor. The hard drive is ready to use with Microsoft Windows and requires no other software installation. It comes with an intuitive drag and drop files to and from your PC or laptop. It is powered by USB 3.2 Gen1 technology and is compatible with USB 2.0 devices, as well. View deal here.
Google Chrome is the leading search engine in the world, however many of its competitors and four of Googles biggest rivals believes that the position it holds within the industry is unfair.Google owns around 63 71 percent of the market users when it comes to internet browsers, however many believe that it is a monopolist behaviors and the tech giant wouldnt be where it is today, if it had not bought up so many places where it stands as a default browser.While on the web you may observe that Google is the first default search engine when you log in to a browser. This is because Google has collaborated and signed deals with a lot of big names to keep it as their default search engine. Mozilla and Apple Safari has Google as its default browser and the search giant in return pays them for this.However, Googles four biggest rivals which namely are DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Lilo, and Qwant believe that this behavior is unfair and that all other search engines deserve equal representations. Hence they have called out to regulators in order to see this monopolist behavior and take actions against it.The call to the regulators was made after Google was made to remove themselves as the defaulted browser in most parts of Europe by the EU, and was fined around 5 million dollars as well.After Googles removal as the defaulted browser, new Android phone users are provided with the option of five most popular search engines within their region along with seven alternatives that they can choose from.The fact that EU was able to remove Google as a defaulted browser gave Googles rival a hope that possible if they file a lawsuit, their demands will be heard as well.Googles rivals have also mentioned that is regulators will not take action against this default monopoly, it will be highly disappointing and though nothing will change much for Google, other equally deserving search engines will not receive the light they deserve.It is fair though, while Google has applied a pretty good strategy to make a name for themselves in the world and has successfully managed to do so, the behaviors is still uncompetitive and it steals the chance off from other search engines to make a name for themselves no matter how good they are.No further comment has been made by the regulators up until now, and we cant wait to see what decisions do they take with this matter.Creator: SOPA Images | Credit: LightRocket via Getty Images
Local

Jordan administration condemns downtown buildings owned by Jason Shelton

Adam Robison | DAILY JOURNAL The old Jefferson Davis Hotel on Spring Street with caution tape around it. The city of Tupelo condemned the building on Friday and ordered that it be demolished. Adam Robison | DAILY JOURNAL In this file photo from October 2021, the old Jefferson Davis Hotel on Spring Street is surrounded by caution tape. The city of Tupelo has condemned the historic building, one of two set owned by former mayor Jason Shelton that may soon be demolished. Adam Robison | DAILY JOURNAL The old Jefferson Davis Hotel on Spring Street with caution tape around it. The city of Tupelo condemned the building on Friday and ordered that it be demolished. Adam Robison | DAILY JOURNAL A sign affixed to the old Jefferson Davis Hotel on Spring Street that says the building is unsafe for occupancy. Adam Robison | DAILY JOURNAL A building owned by former Mayor Jason Shelton has been condemned by the city of Tupelo. Adam Robison | DAILY JOURNAL A building on Spring Street has been condemned by the city of Tupelo, and it has ordered the building to be demolished.

TUPELO  The administration of current Mayor Todd Jordan wants to demolish a pair of historic buildings in downtown Tupelo owned by former Mayor Jason Shelton.

Located on Spring Street, east of the Lee County Justice Center, the two buildings have been cordoned off with caution tape and affixed with signs bearing the citys seal and warning that people are barred from occupying the structures.

Tupelo Communications Director Scott Costello said in a statement that the administration is taking action against the properties as part of ongoing revitalization efforts.

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We're working through that process with the assistance of the buildings' owner in an effort to get this accomplished," Costello said.

Tanner Newman, the director of Development Services, said that the impetus for the condemnation order was a complaint from a citizen who expressed safety concerns to city officials related to the building.

Safety is our No. 1 priority, Newman said.

RELATED: Mayor Todd Jordan sworn in, pledges to reshape delivery of government services

The administration has given Shelton, who served as mayor from 2013 to 2021, 30 days to remedy any code violations outlined by the citys building inspectors. Shelton could resolve the issues either by repairing the structures or demolishing them himself.

The former mayor tied the fate of these properties to his own electoral fate.

Elections have consequences, Shelton said. I was on the wrong side of this past election.

Shelton, a Democrat, was the immediate predecessor of Jordan, a Republican. Shelton did not seek re-election, and Jordan won a contested primary and a contested general election to become mayor.

Though he wasn't on the ballot, Shelton frequently criticized Jordan on social media and endorsed Jordans Democratic opponent.

If Shelton does not fix the violations outlined by Development Services, then the case could be brought before the citys blight review committee, which is an internal group of city officials that deliberate on whether or not a building should be razed.

If the review committee agrees that the buildings should be demolished, then Development Services will recommend that the Tupelo City Council vote to give them the legal power to tear the buildings down.

At that time, the city must give proper notice for a public hearing that Shelton could come and adjudicate his case before the elected officials if he were to contest the order. Shelton could also litigate the order through the court system.

But, Shelton said he has no intention to fight the condemnation order and will pay to have the buildings torn down.

It is what it is, Shelton said. Its unfortunate that this is one of the larger historic buildings in town.

READ ALSO: Jason Shelton exits City Hall after two terms as Tupelo's mayor

Even if the Council were to vote to give the administration the authority to tear the buildings down, city officials could still work with Shelton to find another solution. If the city were to demolish the buildings with taxpayer dollars, a lien would be assessed against the properties.

The two buildings are located in the city's historic downtown area. One of the buildings is attached to the Shelton familys old law firm. The larger building was once the Jefferson Davis Hotel, a notable building in the area.

Shelton does not contest that the buildings are in disrepair and may pose some safety concerns, but believes the buildings are worth preserving and investing in. The former mayor estimates it would cost a minimum of $3 million to renovate, money which he says he doesnt have.

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Shelton said he has been in negotiations with three or four people about potentially purchasing the two pieces of property, but they have fallen through for various reasons.

Since the buildings are located in the historic downtown district, the buildings could qualify for some type of historic preservation tax credits  but the credits would have to flow through the city.

When Shelton was an elected official, ethics laws would have prevented him from using tax credits to renovate a building he had a financial stake in. But now that the former mayor is out of office, he could be eligible to benefit from the credits.

Ward 5 Councilman Buddy Palmer has been a proponent of historic preservation in the city and served on the Council when Shelton was in office. Palmer said he would like to have the building preserved, but he also understands the safety concerns.

It would be nice to have it preserved, but it would take a lot to do it, Palmer said. But if the building is a danger, the city has to do what it has to do.
Harrisonburg, VA (22801)

Today

Rain showers early with clear skies overnight. Low around 30F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain showers early with clear skies overnight. Low around 30F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
GUTHRIE [ndash] Darris Dean Flowers passed away on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. He was born Jan. 26, 1942, to Denman Marion Flowers and Margie Gray Flowers. A Celebration of his life occurred on Oct. 9 with family and friends at his home in Guthrie, OK. Darris was especially proud to donate his bod
A local Senator has told the Seanad of his aspirations for a coastal greenway in Louth, stretching from Carlingford to Drogheda, passing through both Blackrock and Dundalk.

Fine Gael Senator for Louth, John McGahon, has said that he wants Louth to have a destination greenway, similar to the Waterford greenway and that it should run along the coast of the entire county.

Speaking in the Seanad last Thursday, Senator McGahon said that building a coastal greenway all along the Louth coast would be a big project and queried what central government could do to help local authorities with these projects.

My goal and long-term vision is to see that coastal greenway stretching from Drogheda right up the coastline with a wonderful view of Dundalk Bay, the Mourne Mountains in County Down, the Cooley Mountains in north Louth, stretching through Blackrock, Dundalk and on out to Carlingford, said Senator McGahon.

Naturally, this is a big project and big vision. What can Government do to try to help local authorities with that and to find out what about the big picture here?

Senator McGahon said that he expected something like this to take between 10 to 15 years to be completed and there was no-point saying it could be magicked up any time soon.

In response to Senator McGahon, Minister of State Josepha Madigan said that for the development of future greenways in Louth, Louth County Council should have continuous engagement with Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Just after his first week of official practice, new transfer Jesse Miritello persuaded sever
Baltimore RNLI was called out this afternoon to provide a medical evacuation from Cape Clear Island off the coast of West Cork.

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat just before 2.40pm, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide a medical evacuation for a woman living on the island.

The Baltimore all-weather lifeboat crew arrived at North Harbour in Cape Clear Island at 2.58pm. The casualty was transferred onboard the lifeboat and they departed the Island at 3.14pm.

A spokesperson for Balitimore RNLI said that the lifeboat returned to the station in Baltimore at 3.37pm and the casualty was handed over to the care of HSE Ambulance crew at 3.43pm.

There were five volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat: Coxswain Jerry Smith, mechanic Sean McCarthy and crew members Colin Whooley, Don ODonovan and Jim Baker.

Conditions at sea during the call out were calm with a westerly force 3 wind, no sea swell and excellent visbility.

Speaking following the call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: "If you find yourself in a medical emergency whilst on an island call 999 or 112."
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You'll have to wait ever-so-slightly longer to see Star Trek actor William Shatner head to space. Blue Origin has delayed Shatner's launch aboard NS-18 by a day to October 13th at 9:30AM Eastern following predictions of strong winds in West Texas. The rough weather was the "only gating factor," Blue Origin said in a statement, noting that the passengers began their training today (October 10th).

Shatner's flight is a publicity grab on multiple levels. It's no secret that Jeff Bezos' outfit is eager to have Captain Kirk reach space, but Shatner will also be the oldest person to make such a journey at 90 years old. The previous record-setter, aviation legend Wally Funk, traveled aboard a Blue Origin flight at 82 years old. Other passengers include Blue Origin mission VP Audrey Powers and two corporate executives, Planet Labs' Chris Boshuizen and Medidata's Glen de Vries.

The timing isn't great beyond the weather. The liftoff will come just weeks after an essay described a "toxic environment" at Blue Origin, including an alleged reluctance to deal with sexual harassment as well as poor attitudes toward safety, the environment and basic internal criticism. Shatner's flight might create positive buzz, but it might also paper over issues within Blue Origin's ranks.
Funeral service for Lois Brandt, of Moore, formerly of Enid, is 1 p.m. Saturday, November 20, 2021, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Enid. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation with family is noon at the church.
The new U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, said Saturday the United States has asked the Mexican government to allow agents, including those from the Drug Enforcement Administration, to work in Mexico.
The first look at an outline of the Alamos history that will guide a $400 million makeover disappointed several people involved with the project.

The planned 100,000-square-foot museum and renovated plaza will tell the 300-year history of the mission and battle site, and members of the Alamo Citizens Advisory Committee have repeatedly said theyd like to include different cultural perspectives.

Consultants discussed Mission San Antonio de Valeros evolution into a village barrio, fort, U.S. Army depot and center of a community plaza before the Alamo was partially restored as a historic site. But their presentation last week fell short of the committees expectations.

Two of the committee tri-chairs  Aaronetta Pierce and former City Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran  said they expected more about Native Americans and the freed and enslaved Black people in early Texas.

On behalf of the 4 million African Americans who live in Texas today, it is inconceivable to think that we cannot be included in the beginning, ground-foundational discussion of the story of the battle, Pierce said.

On ExpressNews.com: Alamos ties to slavery stirs local debate

Although there were honorable men that fought with duty, honor and bravery for independence from Mexico, Pierce said, the role of early Black Texans and slavery, which was instituted after the Texas Revolution, should have been referenced in the presentation.

Viagran, also vice chair of the Alamo Management Committee, which is guiding the public-private project, expected to hear more about historical diversity, too.

At the very beginning, even if its high level, even if its draft form, that is a gaping hole, Viagran said.

Gallagher & Associates / The Alamo Trust /Gallagher & Associates / The Alamo Trust

Patrick Gallagher, the projects program manager, soothed their concerns. He said the presentation was just the start of a five-year development process, including two to three years in concept and design work. The number of subject matter specialists on the project will likely grow from about 20 to 50 as the team creates a content script for the Alamo that will span 700 pages or more, Gallagher said.

As part of the museum, plans for a 4,000-square-foot civil rights exhibit in the area of a lunch counter in the 1921 Woolworth Building will likely begin in early 2022, he said. Gallagher assured the panel the project would offer diverse perspectives and encourage visitors to reach their own conclusions about the Alamos history and legacy.

Well find more voices than I think youll be comfortable with. Because oftentimes, those voices are going to be in conflict, he said. This is not going to be a pretty story at times. This is going to be a complicated story.

It was the first time since Mayor Ron Nirenbergs reset of the project in March that tension has surfaced publicly on the diverse 30-member citizens panel.

Part of the letdown among some members was that the committee held a series of thought-provoking content discussions over the summer that touched on controversial topics, including slavery and the location of cemeteries in Alamo Plaza.

Marvin Pfeiffer /Staff Photographer

Patricia Mejia, Southeast Side representative on the citizens panel and one of nine members who have served since it was formed in 2014, recalled another member once whispering in her ear: I know exactly whos writing this story, and none of these sessions matter.

Its kind of painful.  But today kind of reminded me that that actually couldve been true, said Mejia, who did not name the other member.

Still, Sue Ann Pemberton, the only tri-chair to have served since 2014, said the draft narrative plan presented to the panel was not fully fleshed out but appears true to the vision and guiding principles that some group members helped painstakingly craft that year.

Bruce Winders, the Alamos former on-site historian for 23 years who is now a consultant on the project, told the group the project has to get young people connected to history again and leave visitors wanting to return to the Alamo with a story that goes beyond the traditional telling of the 13-day siege and battle.

The days of saying, This is the one viewpoint  those days are gone, he said. Weve got to be able to look at it from different perspectives.

On ExpressNews.com: Advisory panel breathes new life into Alamo plan

Viagran said shes working on scheduling a committee meeting this fall to maintain trust with the panel, whose work is absolutely important to the project.

Im really proud of this group for sticking with it and for continuing to invest and have the difficult conversations, she said after the meeting.

I would hope that people who are in this process are going to believe in the work and to do the work, she said. Were here to do the messy, uncomfortable and, hopefully, very productive and prosperous work.

The committee will probably meet again in listening groups by late November to talk about the content presentations and how they relate to the guiding principles and narrative plan, Viagran said. Shortly after Nirenberg appointed her in March to replace then-Councilman Roberto Trevino on the two Alamo committees, members of the citizens panel said theyd been left out of key decisions and updates on the project.

None of us want to go back that way, Viagran said.

shuddleston@express-news.net
June Gonzalez, 7, has drawn flowers with chalk before but never as many as she did this weekend.

By late Saturday morning, she had drawn 17 of them along a curb at Carver Library and had plans for more. The colorful work  including a red one because thats one of her favorite colors  formed the top of the mural her father, local artist Raul Rene Gonzalez, was creating for the 18th annual Chalk It Up event.

To evoke this years theme of The Spirit of San Antonio, Gonzalez had written the word community in the space set aside for his work and was filling in the letters with his own chalk flowers.

Artpace, a nonprofit residency program for artists, organizes the Chalk It Up event each year. It had been held in downtown San Antonio for 16 years. But to prevent large crowds in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it moved to the citys libraries for 2020 and this year, Artpace Communications Manager Casie Lomeli said.

Gonzalezs large chalk mural spanning multiple parking spaces was one of 20 drawn on sidewalks and pavement at 10 separate libraries, one in each City Council district.

Downtown is great and its so much fun, but spreading out across every City Council district brings Chalk It Up to people and places that may have never heard of it before, Lomeli said. I think it definitely makes it more accessible.

Alongside the artists murals, Artpace had designated spaces where community members could grab a piece of chalk and contribute their own work.

At the Carver Library, Frances Garza, 38, drew sunflowers on a sidewalk alongside her 11-year-old daughter, Natalie, and 6-year-old son, Adam. The family has been going to Chalk It Up for the past four years. Garza, a teacher at Foster Elementary who is working to start an art club there, said she is glad the murals were split up at different libraries because it provided a less crowded and safer way to enjoy the event.

Josie Norris /Staff photographer

Seventeen-year-olds Eris Carvajal and Yasu Chavez said Saturday was their first time attending Chalk It Up. The two were drawing Halloween-themed pictures and other artwork at Landa Library on Saturday afternoon.

Its really good since we are social distancing but still having fun, Chavez said.

Full-time artist Kat Cadena, 27, said she always went to Chalk It Up when she was growing up. This was her first year as a featured artist in the program. Her mural was contained within a parking space at Landa Library.

Cadena said this years theme of The Spirit of San Antonio made her think of literal spirits of people who lived in the area years ago so she drew the face of an Indigenous woman as a spirit.

Nineteen of the 20 murals being created Saturday were by established San Antonio artists, including Gonzalez and Cadena. Nine high schoolers in Artpaces Teen Council created the other one.

The Teen Council is a nine-month, paid leadership development program that Artpace education coordinator Ashley Mireles said is meant to develop students into advocates for contemporary art.

Josie Norris /Staff photographer

Artpace pays each of the featured artists $520 for their work. Event sponsorships help make Chalk It Up the second-largest fundraising event for Artpace, behind the groups annual gala, most years.

Chalk It Up is a really important event for a city, Cadena said.

She motioned to the Teen Council high schoolers working next to her. These kids are learning to collaborate with each other to create work thats a public artwork even though its ephemeral, its going to disappear when it rains.

This is a really important learning experience for the community to collaborate together and to work in the same space and practice appreciating each other.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
Officers were called to a home on the near West Side for at least the third time in as many days after a man continued to threaten violence Saturday, San Antonio police said.

The 44-year-old man refused to come out of the home in the 100 block of South Park Boulevard, leading to a tense standoff that lasted through most of the day.

The saga began Thursday when the man threatened his landlord with a machete, according to San Antonio Police Department spokeswoman Mariah Medina. The man was in the process of being evicted, she added.

Police tried to persuade him to leave the house, Medina said. But when they were unsuccessful, they made the decision to de-escalate the situation and depart, she said, adding that the goal was to resolve the situation peacefully. When they were called back on Friday, mental health officers accompanied them, but were no more effective at convincing the man to emerge.

On Saturday, police were notified that the man had posted threats to burn the house down, kill himself and kill others on social media.

Officers were sent back out to the house that morning, police said, and blocked off the surrounding area. Although the man wasnt believed to be a danger to the community, precautions were taken because a church and a school were located nearby, according to police.

Shielded behind an armored vehicle known as a BearCat, hostage negotiation and SWAT teams at one point told the man they were not going to hurt him and they wanted to hear his side of the story. Theres no need to be scared, they said. They asked the man to consider his family and surrender.

As negotiations continued into the day, onlookers gathered outside the barricaded area.

Late in the afternoon, two female relatives were arrested on charges of interfering with police, police said. One of the women kicked out the window of a patrol car; police said she would be charged with criminal mischief.

After several hours of active negotiations, the man surrendered about 5:15 p.m.

Once in custody, the man, who has not been identified, was arrested on two pre-existing counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. It isnt yet clear what charges he may face for his actions in recent days.

The man has an extensive criminal record that includes several violent offenses, Medina said.

caroline.tien@hearst.com
TRIP REPORT



Route: Nikola Tesla Airport - Frankfurt Airport

Trip taken: September 2021

Scheduled flight time: 2 hours 5 minutes





It took more than 20 months for me to get back to flying - the flight from Belgrade to Frankfurt was my first since the pandemic. Apart from being very cautious about the potential Covid administrative obstacles for entering Germany, the preparations for the flight resembled the previous era, expect for one key detail. Although Air Serbia did send the reminder for the flight via email, calling the passengers to check-in online, it turned out that Serbian citizens could not complete the process on the website. Only the bearers of a German passport were allowed to complete the procedure for the flight to Germany, while all others would have had to go through the detailed inspection of Covid certificates at the airport.





Having arrived at Nikola Tesla Airport well ahead of schedule, I had enough time for the ground procedure that is not too different to what could be seen before the pandemic.





The first check of Covid certificate is performed at the start of the check-in queue, only passengers with appropriate Covid and German registration documents could continue.





Air Serbia check-in counter was not crowded





The highly appreciated self-check-in was not an option





Moving through passport control, where Covid documents are not required when departing from Belgrade, I have discovered that the departures hall has been almost totally overhauled.





During renovation, some signs at Belgrade Airport are temporary



Boarding was completed ahead of schedule and about a half of the seats on YU-APE were occupied. Most of the passengers were seated in the front rows, so the fact that I was given a window seat (that I asked for during the check-in) in the last row was also an opportunity take all three seats.





With just a few minutes after the scheduled departure time, the Airbus A319-100 left Belgrade and we had a very smooth and pleasant flight to Frankfurt.



The only free option on board in Air Serbia is a tiny bottle of water and branded version of the locally produced potato chips. Afterwards, the cabin crew was very busy selling sandwiches and beverages from the paid menu The only free option on board in Air Serbia is a tiny bottle of water and branded version of the locally produced potato chips. Afterwards, the cabin crew was very busy selling sandwiches and beverages from the paid menu





The arrival at Frankfurt Airport was ahead of schedule, with the disembarkation being very smooth and quick. Passport and Covid certificate control were also very efficient as the flight from Belgrade was obviously the only flight at that terminal at that time.





The arrivals hall at Frankfurt Airport Terminal B was almost deserted - only a few flights were arriving at one of the busiest European airports in the pre-pandemic era. Quick delivery of luggage and empty airport shuttle were the last positive aspects of what was to me a very successful return to flying.





Share your travel experience by submitting a trip report to exyu@exyuaviation.com




Farming should be as high-yield as possible so it can be limited to relatively small areas, allowing much more land to be left as natural habitats while still meeting future food targets, according to new research.

Most species fare better under this land sparing approach than if farming tries to share land with nature  as wildlife-friendly agriculture still damages most biodiversity and requires far more land to produce the same amount of food.

This is the conclusion of University of Cambridge researchers, who took into into account over 2,500 individually assessed plant, insect and vertebrate species from five continents.

The review, conducted by Professor Andrew Balmford, also suggests that land sparing sequesters more carbon.

Figuring out how to feed, clothe and power 11 billion people without causing mass species extinction and wrecking the climate is this centurys greatest challenge, he said.

Preserving diverse life while meeting humanitys needs will mean enormous trade-offs, but the evidence is starting to point in one direction.

In a paper published in the Journal of Zoology, he lays out the case for securing the highest levels of production from land already farmed, in order to spare remaining wilderness from cows and ploughs.

He added: Most species fare much better if habitats are left intact, which means reducing the space needed for farming. So areas that are farmed need to be as productive as we can possibly make them.

Some species thrive on traditional farmland, particularly in Europe, where light grazing by livestock can imitate disturbance once caused by large prehistoric mammals, creating habitats for many species that otherwise struggle.

As such, some low-yield farming should be factored in, the researchers explained, but at a low level.

The UK government-commissioned National Food Strategy (NFS), published in the summer, recommended that his three-compartment model  harnessing high-yield farming in order to leave space for many more protected habitats, with pockets of traditional agriculture to preserve farmland-associated species  should form the basis of a new Rural Land Use framework.

The NFS points out that around 21% of farmed land in England will need to be re-wilded to some extent or used for biofuel if the UK is to meet its net zero targets, and that the entire bottom third of farmed land produces just 15% of English agricultural output.

Cambridge University's latest paper summarises a decade of global research on trade-offs between crop production and biodiversity.

This includes Cambridge-led studies on bird and tree species in India and West Africa, finding that  while all species are losers if mid-century food targets are met  more species fare least badly under extreme land sparing: concentrated farming that allows for more natural habitat.

Colleagues have replicated these findings in field sites ranging from Mexico and the Pampas to Colombia and Kazakhstan, said Professor Balmford.

Most species are specialized to particular environments. Even minor disruptions reduce their populations. This is why so many species decline even with gentler farming.

Retaining and increasing habitats to create patchwork landscapes of nature and mostly high-yield farming will not just preserve species in isolated areas but allow them to seed and repopulate entire regions and nations.

Professor Balmford highlights the success of just four square kilometres of restored wetland near Lakenheath in the east of England.

Covered with carrot fields as recently as 1995, the site is now a launchpad for egrets spreading northwards under climate change, and home to the first breeding cranes seen in The Fens for over 300 years.

In addition to biodiversity benefits, emerging evidence from areas including the Andes, the US and the UK suggests land sparing is an ally in the fight against climate change, as carbon storage levels are higher if high-yield production allows for more natural vegetation.

Previous research suggests that if 30% of UK land was spared for woods and wetlands, it could store enough carbon to offset almost all emissions from UK farming by 2050  and provide a boost to wildlife.

Support for land sparing is not a whole-hearted endorsement of industrial production, says Professor Balmford. Driving up farm yields also means supporting smallholder farmers and adopting nature-based agricultural science.

Farming systems can only be usefully compared when theyre actually meeting societys food needs. You cant convince people to save nature if they are hungry.

"We need to ensure we can harvest enough from the biosphere while preserving the planet, he added.

Conservation has to be pragmatic if we are to interrupt an ecological catastrophe.


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Sheer Qorma, a short film that stands to represent the LGBTQA+ community with a heart-warming story starring Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta and Swara Bhasker. It is produced by Marijke de SouzaThe film has already won the Best Short Film Audience Award at the Frameline Film Festival and qualifies for the BAFTA 2021. Adding another feature to its already heavy hat, director Faraz Arif Ansari and Divya Dutta are now travelling to the US to represent the film at the DFW South Asian Film Festival.

Talking about the same, Divya said, Very excited to go with my director for this amazing trip to Dallas and to New York. It's such pride that one feels when you see Sheer Qorma flying high at every possible festival. Its exciting to see, in person the love the film is receiving.





Furthermore, Faraz too shared their excitement for the upcoming trip and said, I am supremely excited that Divya Dutta and I get to travel to the US and be a part of DFWSAFF & NYCSAFF in Dallas and New York City with our film Sheer Qorma. We are grateful to the US Consulate for granting us the NIE to promote queer cinema, inclusion and open a larger dialogue on queer rights in the United States. This would be the first time that we would be attending a film festival in person and watching the film with a live audience in a big screen theatre just like good old times! Later, I will also be traveling to San Francisco to screen the film in collaboration with Frameline and Parivar Bay Area. Also, I had to add that I am very excited to wear fabulous clothes on the red carpet by some of the leading Indian designers, Siddartha Tytler, Mehraab & Dania Siddiqui. Heres hoping we win many awards!
Futora, an Israeli fintech startup, raised $6m in funding.

The round was led by TAU Ventures, Tel-Aviv Universitys investment fund, North First Ventures, J-Ventures from Silicon Valley, and Sergio Fogel.

The company intends to use the funds for ongoing product development and for build out of the sales processes in Europe and the US.

Founded in 2020 by Asaf Seri and Ayal Leibowitz after selling one of the Israeli fintech pioneers, Modelity Technologies, to the German LPA, Futora leverages a tech system that enables banks and financial institutions to create investment products that are personally customized for each client. The platform includes a marketplace of retail banks and large investment banks trading on the hedging instruments of the financial products.

The system is now being piloted in a number of banks in Israel and abroad.

FinSMEs

10/10/2021
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Quote: LockedOnSync Originally Posted by



Goals: Replace the stock system with a fairly decent setup that is better all around. I listen to pretty much every type of music, but primarily Rock and Heavy Metal. I guess my main requirement is to feel a solid bass drum thump in my chest. The stock system (Sync 3 Sony amplified with sub) just doesn't cut it. Remove the factory sub and amp. Wireless connection to DSP. Use factory wiring for the front and rear speakers. Keep factory HU, do not loose the factory chimes and sounds, nav, phone etc. Speakers fit in the stock locations without modification (brackets ok, must maintain stock appearance). Rear seats must fold all the way up and lock. (Ok with putting subs under rear seat, but prefer behind seat to keep the under seat storage) Parts on the way: Rockford Fosgate DSR-1 and AFO2 wiring harness for the DSP (Might return this in favor of the PAC Amp Pro / DSP with optical input based on comments thus far) JL Audio 900/5 Amp (100W RMS to the front and rears 500W to the sub(s)) Still considering: Front Speakers (Leaning toward Focal Performance PS 165FX) Rear Speakers (Leaning toward Focal PC 165F) Sub options (Leaning toward JL Audio Stealthbox) DSP options (more research to do, optical input / configuration via tablet / phone (wireless) desired) Would like to do a 6x9 component set for the fronts, just not finding anything that looks like it compares to the Focal's. I'd consider the Kappa perfect 900 or Morels if I could get the tweets to fit in the stock location and maintain the factory look.



Thoughts? Anything else I should be considering? Been quite awhile since I've done an audio install, but I feel like I'm headed in the right direction thanks to all the posts I've read over the last few weeks.Goals:Parts on the way:Still considering:Would like to do a 6x9 component set for the fronts, just not finding anything that looks like it compares to the Focal's. I'd consider the Kappa perfect 900 or Morels if I could get the tweets to fit in the stock location and maintain the factory look.Thoughts? Anything else I should be considering?

I did Focal PS165FXE in the front doors and Focal PC165FE in the rear doors. Replaced the tweeters in the pillars with the Focal from the PS165FXE. I used a JL VX600/6i amp and ran one speaker per channel so I had level, EQ and time control.JL non powered micro sub behind drivers side rear seat that is two ported 8" drivers and powered it with an Audiocontrol LC-1.800 amp.I wanted to limit the parts needed and blow myself out of the seat when when Lemmy hollered at me. I was successful in limiting parts but I am not blown away. The JL amp takes care of the hi/low conversion as well as DSP and EQ functionsjust fine. I do not like to sound the focals produce as it is harsh and lacks force. I have setup different profiles and a tap of the remote mounted inside the console switches between them. Turn the same dial to adjust sub level to allow one remoteagain limiting parts. I am going to move to the Focal ES165KX2 but $1,300 for speakers is brutal. I cant pump in more power as they start to stink a bit with what they are fed now. I did lose the chimes from the speakers due to having an ampso the radio cant "see" the speakers any longer. The chimes now come from the cluster only. The sub is "ok" but I wont put a sub under the seat as I need that space so it must go behind the seat. The two 8" are not slackers by any means butI have had W7 drivers and several thousand watts before so my personal yard stick I fear is skewed. For the space the subs use and the output they can produce they are a good buy. It took playing with the eq and levels to get them at their best.The JL TUN software is not bad and JL puts out tons of videos on it. I have a calibrated mic from Audiocontrol I use with RTA software to make adjustments the SA-4100. I am sure I have left some performance on the table due to the level ofcontrol in the JL amp but I am at the limits of my current skill with their software and not having a full scale RTA to use.
The European Medicines Agency has concluded that a booster dose of the BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines "may be given to people with severely weakened immune systems, at least 28 days after their second dose," according to a statement Monday.

This is a breaking story, more to follow.

The-CNN-Wire

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SPARTANBURG, SC (FOX CAROLINA) - One person is dead and two others are injured after a crash on I-26 in Spartanburg County, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Rwandan Leader Included in 'Predators Gallery' By Lisa Vives Global Information Network New YORK (IDN) - In the years he's been president, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has never learned to love ...

By Lisa Vives

Global Information Network

New YORK (IDN) 

In the years hes been president, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has never learned to love free speech on the internet.

Long before the trial of prominent YouTube commentator and genocide survivor, Yvonne Idamange, the President issued a dire warning: Those that you hear speak on the internet, whether they are in America, in South Africa, or in France, they think they are far.

"They are far, but they are close to the fire. The day they get closer, the fire will burn them."

Freedom of expression?

Freedom of the press? Some of them insult people daily, he said on the 16th anniversary of the genocide. They insult me every day. I could care less. In their cartoons, they call me HitlerI ignore them, this doesnt get to me at all. I hold them all in contempt.

For his bluster, President Kagame has the dubious distinction of appearing with leaders of 37 countries on a page that Reporters Without Borders calls the Predators Galleryportraits of leaders who in their positions of power suppress press freedom by targeting, harassing, jailing and attacking journalists.

The dubious award comes as Rwandan social media activist Yvonne Idamange, a 42-year-old mother of four, has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars and fined the equivalent of $2,000 for using social media to accuse Kagame and his government of dictatorship and of exploiting the genocide.

At her trial by the Kigali High Court, judges concurred with the president. Her opinions, they said, incited violence and public uprising, denigrated genocide artefacts, spread rumours and violent assault, among other charges.

Her request that the trial be broadcast online was rebuffed. She accused the court of bias and boycotted the proceedings.

Human Rights Watch has been documenting the governments crackdown on speech. In June 2021, they reported, more than 20 bloggers and YouTubers had been detained or disappeared since the beginning of the year.

This year, Reporters without Borders included President Kagame in its Predators Gallery.

Since taking office, they wrote, Kagame hides behind the memory of the 1994 genocide in order to justify tight control of journalists and media organizations in Rwanda. The crime of insulting the person of the president of the Republic has been used mainly to muzzle the press.

Other African leaders on the Gallery include Issaias Afwerki of Eritrea, Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Salva Kiir of South Sudan, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. [IDN-InDepthNews  05 October 2021]

Photo source: Reporters without Borders

IDN is the flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate.

Visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

We believe in the free flow of information. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, except for articles that are republished with permission.



https://www.indepthnews.net/index.php/the-world/africa/4783-rwandan-leader-included-in-predators-gallery
Calvary United Methodist Church seeks and invites all to become disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and our world.

More About Calvary United Methodist Church

Calvary United Methodist Church seeks and invites all to become disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and our world.

We are located in historic Frederick, Maryland, on the corner of Second Street and Bentz Street.

We hope that you will join us at Calvary United Methodist Church as we grow as disciples in authentic community. Please check out our website to learn more about our ministries, and don't hesitate to contact our office or our pastors and staff if you have specific inquiries.

Thinking of visiting us for the first time? Check out this information before you come!

Many people make Calvary UMC what it is--and enable our many ministries to occur. From those who have given today's congregation a wonderful legacy to the lay, staff and clergy leadership to work together with the entire Calvary family.

The best way to get to know Calvary is to join us for worship and our ministries. This website also provides a great deal of information to introduce you to Calvary and to keep you aware of the latest news at Calvary.

Please don't hesitate to contact the office, our pastors, staff or congregational leadership if you have any additional questions.
People from Corvallis, Eugene, Lebanon, Sweet Home and everywhere in between gathered at the Benton County Courthouse on Saturday morning to protest a potential vaccine mandate for middle and high school students in the Corvallis School District.

The protest was organized by a group of Corvallis parents. These parents dont want Corvallis School District Superintendent Ryan Noss to go through with instituting a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all medically eligible 12-18-year-olds in order to attend school in person.

Noss announced that he was investigating the possibility of implementing the vaccine requirement for middle and high school students during a CSD board meeting on Sept. 23. Noss is expected to provide an update on the districts decision during a board meeting Thursday.

(This event) is really just to inform the community about whats going on and that the Corvallis School Board actually may have the power to dictate the medicine that our kids take, Melissa Norland said. The vaccine should be a parents choice whether their child gets it. I feel like the school board should be focusing their energy on a quality education for our students and not this mandatory vaccine.

Norland has a child who is a Crescent Valley High School sophomore.

Parents werent the only ones in attendance on Saturday. Middle and high school students  and even younger children  stood outside the courthouse holding signs protesting the potential mandate.

Ava Tangney is a sophomore at Crescent Valley High School. She said she plans to request an exemption from the vaccine should the school district move forward with the mandate.

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Its not fair that theyre pushing the vaccine on us, Tangney said. The side that pushes the vaccine and talks about equality are going to keep kids from going to school.

Attendees werent just from Corvallis. Some didnt have any direct connections to the Corvallis School District. For example, Cindy Nelson drove up from Eugene to protest the mandate.

Nelson said she works with children who have suffered injuries from vaccines and that she has personally suffered injuries from vaccines. This is why she felt the need to drive to Corvallis and spend the morning protesting, she said.

As attendees waved signs saying My child is not your guinea pig, many drivers honked in support of the rallys message. Occasionally, other drivers expressed their opposition to the groups beliefs with comments such as get vaccinated.

During the rally, two speakers addressed the crowd. Dana Robinson, a board member of Oregonians for Medical Freedom, said she was impressed with the events turn out.

When people see others speak, it encourages them to also speak out, Robinson said. Its so important. There are so many people that do not want the school boards to manage these vaccines.

Following Robinsons remarks, Albany functional nutritionist Luke Yamaguchi spoke to the crowd. He said he believes that Noss and the school district are well-intentioned. However, he alleged that the vaccine mandate will promote segregation in schools and lead to unvaccinated students being seen as dirty.

After all that weve been through with the COVID pandemic, wouldnt it be better to bring our children together rather than to segregate them apart from one another? Yamaguchi asked.

David Eveland, who has a daughter at Crescent Valley High School and helped organize the rally, said the school district should not have the authority to force blanket medical decisions onto students.

Its amazing how many people showed up and want to stand up for the medical freedom of their children, he said.

Among the spectators was Oregon State Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin. Gelser Blouin represents District 8, which encompasses Corvallis, Albany, Philomath, Millersburg, Tangent and unincorporated parts of Linn and Benton counties.

Gelser Blouin said she was in attendance to hear what some of her constituents feel on the topic of vaccine mandates in schools.

Its important to listen to everyone, she said. I appreciate how strongly everyone feels about this. I know some of my other constituents feel very strong the other way  Im proud of the work that Ryan is doing.

She added that she communicated with Noss and verified that students with medical exemptions would be able to attend in-person classes.

During the rally, protesters were urged to write to Noss and board members. Sheets with board members contact information were passed out during the event.

This isnt an anti-vaccine message that we want to send, Norland said. This is an anti-mandate on our kids message.

Maddie Pfeifer covers public safety for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6091 or Madison.Pfeifer@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @maddiepfeifer_

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Linn County passed 100 total COVID-19 deaths this week, and there are outbreaks that have caused 10 deaths and 139 cases continued at nursing homes in Albany and Lebanon, according to weekly data from the Oregon Health Authority.

More mid-Willamette Valley schools also had cases of the illness, and statewide, deaths continued to remain high despite drops in both cases and hospitalizations.

Data from the OHA shows that there have been 9,533 cases of COVID-19 reported across the state since last Friday, a decrease of more than 1,300 from last week. There were 167 new deaths during that same timeframe, up from 133 the previous week.

Ten of those deaths were in Linn County, which has now tallied 107 COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic. Benton County, by contrast, had zero deaths last week and its death toll stands at 30.

OHA and national data has previously showed a roughly two-week lag with deaths dropping after cases and hospitalizations, though that has not been reflected in the most recent data for Oregon.

There were 602 cases reported in Linn County since last weeks report, compared to 155 in Benton County. Linn County has now recorded 11,843 cases to date, while Benton County has recorded 5,085.

Nationwide, there were 99,055 new cases tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 1,550 new deaths. The tally since the start of the pandemic is now over 44.1 million cases and more than 700,000 deaths.

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Nursing homes

There are five mid-valley nursing homes with outbreaks, all in Linn County. They include: Meadowlark Senior Living in Lebanon (nine cases since July 26), Timberview Care Center in Albany (five cases since Aug. 5), Oregon Veterans Home in Lebanon (22 cases since Aug. 10), Avamere Rehabilitation of Lebanon (75 cases and four deaths since Aug. 19), and Regency of Albany (28 cases and six deaths since Sept. 17).

Avamere and Regency did not return calls this week to speak about their response to the outbreaks or answer questions about their residents and employees vaccination rates.

School cases

There are three local schools with caseloads that reach the definition of an outbreak, which is described by the Oregon Health Authority as multiple cases within two weeks and from separate households. The three schools with outbreaks are all in Linn County: Centennial Elementary in Scio (four cases since Sept. 29), Central Linn High School in Halsey (two cases since Sept. 22), and Green Acres Elementary in Lebanon (10 cases since Sept. 21).

There are 60 mid-valley schools with recent cases, a separate category from outbreaks  38 in Linn County and 22 in Benton County.

The list of Linn County Schools with recent cases reported to the Oregon Health Authority are as follows:

Harrisburg Elementary (nine students and one staff case since Sept. 30), Harrisburg Middle School (four students since Sept. 29), Timber Ridge School in Albany (nine student cases since Sept. 29), West Albany High School (four students and two staff since Sept. 29), South Albany High School (10 students since Sept. 29), Scio High School (one student since Sept. 29), Lebanon High School (20 students since Sept. 29), Harrisburg High School (four students since Sept. 29), Takena Elementary in Albany (12 students Since Sept. 28), Waverly Elementary School in Albany (five students since Sept. 28), Green Acres Elementary School in Lebanon (12 students and one staff Sept. 28), Lacomb School in Lebanon (three students since Sept. 28), Calapooia Middle School in Albany (10 student cases since Sept. 26), Hamilton Creek in Lebanon (eight students since Sept. 26), Central Linn Elementary in Halsey (two students since Sept. 25), Foster Elementary in Sweet Home (three students since Sept. 25), Central Linn Junior/Senior High School (five students since Sept. 25), Sweet Home Junior High (one student since Sept. 24), Santiam Elementary in Mill City (one student since Sept. 23), Central Elementary in Albany (three students and one staff since Sept. 22), Periwinkle Elementary in Albany (three students since Sept. 22), Sand Ridge Charter School (two students since Sept. 21), Memorial Middle School in Albany (two students since Sept. 21), Sunrise Elementary in Albany (one student since Sept. 21), Seven Oak Middle School in Lebanon (five students since Sept. 21), Albany Christian School (six students since Sept. 20), South Shore Elementary in Albany (two students and one staff since Sept. 20), Lafayette Elementary in Albany (three students since Sept. 19), Riverview School in Lebanon (one student since Sept. 18), Central Valley Christian School in Tangent (one student since Sept. 18), Sweet Home High School (two students since Sept. 18), Meadow Ridge Elementary in Albany (two students since Sept. 17), Mari-Linn School in Lyons (one student since Sept. 14), Oak Heights Elementary in Sweet Home (two students since Sept. 14), Standard Christian School in Albany (one student since Sept. 14), Oak Elementary in Albany (one student since Sept. 13), Hawthorne Elementary in Sweet Home (one student since Sept. 13), Scio Middle School (one student since Sept. 10).

The list of Benton County schools with recent cases reported to the Oregon Health Authority is as follows:

Garfield Elementary School in Corvallis (four students and one staff case since Oct. 2), Corvallis High School (seven student cases since Oct. 1), Lincoln Elementary School (six students since Sept. 30), Santiam Christian Schools in Adair Village (two students since Sept. 19), Monroe Grade School (three students and one staff since Sept. 27), Alsea Charter School (four students and one staff since Sept. 27), Linus Pauling Middle School (five students and one staff since Sept. 27), Cheldelin Middle School in Corvallis (four students since Sept. 26), North Albany Middle School (two cases Sept. 26), Philomath Middle School (one student since Sept. 25), Philomath High School (three students and one staff since Sept. 25), Mountainview Elementary in Corvallis (five students since Sept. 25), Crescent Valley High in Corvallis (seven students since Sept. 25), Muddy Creek Charter School in Corvallis (two students since Sept. 22) , College Hill in Corvallis (two students since Sept. 19), Kings Valley Charter School in Philomath (three students since Sept. 18), Adams Elementary in Corvallis (two students since Sept. 17), Philomath Elementary (three students since Sept. 16), Jaguar Elementary School in Corvallis (two students since Sept. 15), North Albany Elementary (one student since Sept. 13), Wildcat Elementary (one student since Sept. 11), Oak Grove Elementary School in North Albany (one student since Sept. 9).

Vaccinations

Vaccinations administered in Oregon increased for the third consecutive week, to more than 61,000 doses across Oregon. There have now been more than 2,765,000 people vaccinated across the state, with a little less than 219,000 of those still needing to complete their vaccine series. Part of the increase in vaccinations is due to third shot boosters, which have now begun to be rolled out.

The percentage of breakthrough cases ticked up this week to a new high since the summer. According to OHAs weekly outbreak report, the proportion of breakthrough cases is now 24.4%, up from 21.6% the previous week. Serious cases of COVID continue to be higher among the unvaccinated, and less than 1% of them have died. Of the more than 28,000 breakthrough cases that have been identified in Oregon, 237 of them have died.

Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn.

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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
INVESTIGATION  Sen. Cris Dush (R., Jefferson), who took over and renewed the election investigation in August after it was inactive for months, said any legislative fixes to the voter registration system will come after the inquiry ends.
Dominic Rufran, Matthew Stacey and Oliver Morgan are pictured mid-scene on location for Saint Bernard. Stacey carefully planned every shot prior to each day of shooting of the independent film written and produced by Anthony Syracuse.
Pune, Oct. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Smart Windows Market Outlook To 2027: In 2020, the global Smart Windows market size was US$ 3027.3 million and it is expected to reach US$ 5521.7 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 8.7% during 2021-2027.

Global  Smart Windows Market  Research Report 2021-2027 is a historical overview and in-depth study on the current & future market of the Smart Windows industry. The report represents a basic overview of the Smart Windows market share, competitor segment with a basic introduction of key vendors, top regions, product types, and end industries. This report gives a historical overview of the Smart Windows market trends, growth, revenue, capacity, cost structure, and key drivers analysis. The report further investigates and assesses the current landscape of the ever-evolving business sector and the present and future effects of COVID-19 on the Smart Windows market.

Get a Sample PDF of report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/18683461

Scope of the Smart Windows Market Report:

Smart glass or switchable glass (also smart windows or switchable windows in those applications) is a glass or glazing whose light transmission properties are altered when voltage, light or heat is applied.

Gentex was the global biggest manufacturer in Smart Windows industry, with the revenue market Share of 38% , followed by AGC Inc., Saint Gobain, View Inc, PPG, Smartglass International, Polytronix, Glass Apps, RavenWindow, Pleotint, Vision Systems, SPD Control System, Scienstry.Asia-Pacific is the largest Smart Windows market with about 34% market share. North America is follower, accounting for about 30% market share.

"Final Report will add the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on this industry."

TO UNDERSTAND HOW COVID-19 IMPACT IS COVERED IN THIS REPORT

The Major Players in the Smart Windows Market include: The research covers the current Smart Windows market size and its growth rates based on 5-year records with company outline of key players/manufacturers:

Gentex

AGC Inc.

Saint Gobain

View Inc

PPG

Smartglass International

Polytronix

Glass Apps

RavenWindow

Pleotint

Vision Systems

SPD Control System

Scienstry

On the basis of product type, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share, and growth rate of each type, primarily split into:

Active Glasses

Passive Glasses

On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share, and growth rate for each application, including:

Residential

Commercial

Transportation and Aerospace

Others

Enquire before purchasing this report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/18683461

The Smart Windows Market competitive landscape provides details and data information by players. The report offers a comprehensive analysis and accurate statistics on revenue by the player for the period 2016-2021. It also offers detailed analysis supported by reliable statistics on revenue (global and regional level) by players for the period 2016-2021. Details included are company description, major business, company total revenue and the sales, revenue generated in Smart Windows business, the date to enter into the Smart Windows market, Smart Windows product introduction, recent developments, etc.

Purchase this report (Price 3900 USD for a single-user license) - https://www.industryresearch.biz/purchase/18683461

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2016-2020

2016-2020 Base Year: 2020

2020 Estimated Year: 2021

2021 Smart Windows Market Forecast Period: 2021-2027

With tables and figures helping analyse worldwide Global Smart Windows market trends, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

Some Points from TOC:

1 Study Coverage

2 Executive Summary

3 Global Smart Windows Competitor Landscape by Players

4 Breakdown Data by Type (2016-2027)

5 Breakdown Data by Application (2016-2027)



Detailed TOC of Global Smart Windows Market @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/TOC/18683461









Part II: Global Smart Kitchen Market Outlook To 2027:

Smart kitchen appliances refers to the introduction of microprocessors and computer technology to the production of electrical equipment, the formation of intelligent kitchen, electrical products with active monitoring of their own failure and active control and active adjustment and other intelligent functions.

Global Smart Kitchen key players include Whirlpool, Electrolux, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Haier Group, etc. Global top five manufacturers hold a share about 55%.

North America is the largest market, with a share about 50%, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific, both have a share about 40 percent.

In terms of product, Multi-sided is the largest segment, with a share over 35%. And in terms of application, the largest application is Residential, followed by Commercial Use.

Request for a Sample PDF of Report at https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/18669389

Market Analysis and Insights: Global and United States Smart Kitchen Market

This report focuses on global and United States Smart Kitchen market.

In 2020, the global Smart Kitchen market size was US$ 1817 million and it is expected to reach US$ 10870 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 29.2% during 2021-2027.

The Major Players in the Smart Kitchen Market include:

Whirlpool Corporation

Electrolux

Samsung Electronics

LG Electronics

Haier Group

BSH

Miele & Cie KG

Panasonic

Robam

Midea

TO UNDERSTAND HOW COVID-19 IMPACT IS COVERED IN THIS REPORT

The report proves to be an effective tool that players can use to gain a competitive edge over their competitors and ensure lasting success in the global Smart Kitchen market. All of the findings, data, and information provided in the report are validated and revalidated with the help of trustworthy sources. The analysts who have authored the report took a unique and industry-best research and analysis approach for an in-depth study of the global Smart Kitchen market.

Based on product type, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share, and growth rate of each type, primarily split into:

Smart Refrigerator

Smart Cookers

Smart Kitchen Hoods

Other

Based on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share, and growth rate for each application, including:

Commercial Use

Home Use

With industry-standard accuracy in analysis and high data integrity, the report makes a brilliant attempt to unveil key opportunities available in the global Smart Kitchen market to help players in achieving a strong market position. Buyers of the report can access verified and reliable market forecasts, including those for the overall size of the global Smart Kitchen market in terms of revenue.

For More Information or Query or Customization before buying, Visit at https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/18669389

Some of the key questions answered in this report:

What will the market growth rate, growth momentum, or acceleration market carry during the forecast period?

Which are the key factors driving the Smart Kitchen market?

What was the size of the emerging Smart Kitchen market by value?

What will be the size of the emerging Smart Kitchen market in 2027?

Which region is expected to hold the highest market share in the Smart Kitchen market?

What trends, challenges, and barriers will impact the development and sizing of the Global Smart Kitchen market?

What are the sales volume, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of the Smart Kitchen market?

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2016-2020

2016-2020 Base Year: 2020

2020 Estimated Year: 2021

2021 Smart Kitchen Market Forecast Period: 2021-2027

Detailed TOC of Global Smart Kitchen Market @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/TOC/18669389

With tables and figures helping analyze worldwide Global Smart Kitchen market trends, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

About Us:

Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Industry Research is a credible source for gaining market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs.
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two months ago in July 2021, Bluetti announced their release of an industry first, modular solar power station - the AC300 and its accompanying LFP battery module, the B300 (3,072Wh).

Word spread fast, and before anyone knew it, the AC300 was trending throughout the United States.

Now, at long last, after months of waiting, the AC300 and B300 are finally here .

Now both products are available for order.

Solar Vs. Gas Generators (Why Should Everyone Go Solar?)

Solar Generator:

No added noise/extremely quiet operation - 35dB (As quiet as whisper)

Free, clean, endless renewable power source from the sun or wind.

Increases your daily solar consumption 24/7

Extremely low maintenance (due to barely any moving parts)

Seamless UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) when power outages occurred

Gas/Propane Generator

Noisy operation 70dB (As loud as a washing machine)

Emissions, deadly toxic carbon monoxide (The generators must be used outside)

(The generators must be used outside) Higher carbon footprint - (Uses fossil fuels for power)

Requires maintenance - (Lots of moving parts to maintain)

Monthly fuel costs - (Fuel is not free like the sun)

A solar generator uses free energy from the sun instead of using costly dirty fossil fuels. It's available to get this free energy continuously from the sun for the lifespan of solar panels, which is usually around 25 to 30 years. And, unlike most conventional fuel or gas generators, solar generators have absolutely no moving parts and do not use a liquid fuel. This means the ongoing costs will be low.

Aside from the financial gains of using a solar generator, choosing this green technology over other fossil fueled systems has various environmental and health benefits. Gas powered generators lead to air pollution alongside noise pollution, and while the latter is simply annoying, the former contributes to climate change and respiratory disease.

Last but not least, most heavy duty gas powered generators can weigh a lot, sometimes up to 250 pounds. In comparison, Bluetti's AC300 weighs a mere 44 pounds and the B300 74lbs.

Where To Buy The AC300 & How Is It Delivered?

BLUETTI products can be bought on the official website: https:// bluettipower.com

AC300 paired with 1 B300 battery module now starts at $2899 (original price is $3699, that is $800 OFF for a limited quantity).

battery module now starts at $2899 (original price is $3699, that is $800 OFF for a limited quantity). AC300 paired with 2 B300 battery modules starts at $3648 (original price is $4498, that is $850 OFF).

For one-stop shopping, a total amount of a thousand bucks can be saved when buying certain AC300 solar bundles .

Orders will be delivered in 3~5 weeks from purchase date, according to Bluetti's statement.

If you are looking for raw power, then it's quite simple. AC 300 is an ideal option, get the power here: www.bluettipower.com

Press Contact:

Amanda@bluetti.com

Related Images











Image 1: Bluetti AC300









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
Waukesha, WI (53187)

Today

Variable clouds with snow showers. Temps nearly steady in the low to mid 30s. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 20F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Governor Northam Requests Major Disaster Declaration for Buchanan County Flooding and Landslides

Request seeks to help Virginians recover from damages sustained from major August 30 rainfall

RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam yesterday requested that President Biden approve federal assistance to Buchanan County and its citizens through a Major Disaster Declaration. The unincorporated area of Hurley, in Buchanan County sustained major damage from an extreme rainfall event on August 30, 2021, resulting in 8-10 inches of rain, flash flooding, and landslides.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management coordinated joint preliminary damage assessments with both the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration. The damage estimates are $13.8 million for public infrastructure, including road washouts, water line damages, and debris removal. The assessments also showed 31 homes were destroyed, 27 sustained major damage, and 8 had minor damage from this extreme rainfall event.

If the federal assistance is approved, three programs would become available to Virginia. The Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs would go a long way in assisting these vulnerable populations with recovery efforts as well as protect against future disasters.

When I visited Hurley, I saw firsthand how these areas are suffering and need our help, said Governor Northam. I promised Hurley residents that I would do everything I could to help them, and I intend to keep that promise. As we continue with the recovery efforts, I am formally requesting a Major Disaster Declaration from the federal government to ensure that we get access to critical programs and funding that are necessary to assist those who were affected by this disaster.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management stands committed to assisting the communities impacted by this event and recognize that these areas are some of our most vulnerable in the state, said Virginia Department of Emergency Management State Coordinator Curtis Brown. Our teams have been on the ground since the start of the event and we are using every available resource to aid in the recovery from this disaster, which includes working to get a declaration to make federal assistance available.

Individual Assistance

If approved, disaster survivors may apply for financial assistance directly to FEMA to make repairs to their homes. Other programs such as disaster unemployment, crisis counseling, and disaster legal services may also be available. FEMA would also likely set up a Disaster Recovery Center for survivors to seek these services.

https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/disaster-survivors

Public Assistance

If approved, local, state, and private non-profit organizations with infrastructure damage or emergency and debris removal expenditures, may apply to FEMA for reimbursement of 75 percent of eligible costs. The FEMA Public Assistance program could take years to be fully reimbursed for disaster related expenditures. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management is the administrative agency for this grant program.

https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210318/what-fema-public-assistance

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

If approved, Virginia will receive funding for projects to reduce the future funding. This program could take 5-7 years to implement. The application phase of this program is 12 months, and then FEMA may take 6-18 months to award the project based on environmental and historic review compliance or technical feasibility review. Federal assistance is approved at 75 percent of the total eligible project costs. Local governments and state agencies will apply through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management as the administrating agency.

https://www.fema.gov/es/grants/mitigation/hazard-mitigation

If a Major Disaster Declaration is approved by the President, then formal communications about how to register and apply for assistance will be publicized. If the Individual Assistance program is denied, then the Virginia Department of Emergency Management would apply for assistance through the Small Business Administration for small interest loans for survivors to make repairs in Buchanan County.

# # #
Grand Haven, MI (49417)

Today

Windy with snow showers before midnight. Winds will diminish some overnight. Low 33F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Windy with snow showers before midnight. Winds will diminish some overnight. Low 33F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.
GREENWICH  In most elections, the contest to watch is the one at the top of the ticket. But in this falls municipal races in Greenwich, many pundits are focused on the complex race for the powerful Board of Estimate and Taxation.

The 12-member BET controls much of the municipal spending, including the towns capital budget. And the majority Republicans and the minority Democrats have been vocally split on many issues in the past year, especially when it comes to funding for the Greenwich Public Schools.

The Nov. 2 election will determine whether the Republicans will hold their majority, which carries the critical tie-breaking vote, chairmanship and control of the agenda, or whether the Democrats will get regain the power it briefly held two years ago.

The race for the BET in Greenwich is not competitive individually but rather as a whole. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party have each put up six candidates for the 12-member board and all of them will be elected. In the end, the party that gets the most collective votes among its six candidates gains the majority on the BET, and, ultimately, control of the purse strings in Greenwich.

In the past, the Republicans always won the majority, often by large margins. But in 2017, the Democrats won an upset victory and took control of the BET for the first and only time in recorded town history. The GOP retook control in the 2019 election, however.

With less than a month before the election and absentee ballots going out, Democratic Town Committee Chair Joe Angland said the Democrats are out campaigning in town, knocking on doors and promoting its entire slate of candidates, with a lot of focus on the BET race.

We are not going to be quiet on this, Angland said. Were revving up, and we will be more public about it. Were definitely doing to be public about it. Gaining majority control of the BET is a very high priority to us, he said.

That was echoed by BET member Leslie Moriarty, chair of its Democratic Caucus and a possible chair if the Democrats take the majority.

Were going to aggressively challenge the Republicans in this race, Moriarty said.

Dan Quigley, the Greenwich Republican Town Committee chair, said the GOP candidates are also out on the stump to get out their message, too.

Our BET Republican team is committed to spending taxpayer dollars wisely to keep Greenwich the best managed municipality in Connecticut, with outstanding services and facilities, Greenwich RTC Chair Dan Quigley said. They will be working hard to earn and retain the trust of voters this November.

The changing makeup of registered voters could play a role in the showdown, In 2017 and 2019, Republicans had more registered voters than Democrats in town.

But as of Sept. 17, Democrats had 12,496 registered voters in town and Republicans had 11,995. Both parties remain far behind unaffiliated voters, who now total 16,018 people in Greenwich.

Candidates for the Board of Estimate and Taxation The BET in Greenwich has 12 members, with six from each party. The party that garners the most votes collectively in the November election will earn the majority on the board and the important tie-breaking vote as well as chairmanship. Here are the candidates: Democrats: Incumbents: Leslie Moriarty, Miriam Kreuzer, Laura Erickson, David Weisbrod and Jeffrey Ramer. Newcomer: Stephen Selbst Republicans: Incumbents: Karen Fassuliotis (current chair), Bill Drake and Leslie Tarkington. Newcomers: Dan Ozizmir, Michael Basham and Nisha Arora. See More Collapse

Campaign problems

In the wake of the Democratic victory for the BET in 2017, the State Elections Enforcement Commission issued a fine of $52,000 against Tony Turner, DTC chair and a member of the BET at the time, for breaking campaign finance laws during the race. Turner did not admit or deny responsibility in the settlement but accepted the fine, saying he had followed the SEECs advice and that the issue came down to improper attribution in campaign advertising.

The SEEC also levied $1,000 fines against the five other members of the Democratic Caucus, three of whom are on the ballot again in 2021, as part of a settlement. They claimed they had been misled by Turner, which he denies. The SEEC determined the other five Democrats only committed unintentional violations.

The issued fractured the BET, with Republicans demanding an investigation into their Democratic colleagues and Turner breaking with the Democrats to support the Republican motion. Ultimately, the Republicans swept back into power in 2019 and no local investigation was ever held.

Democrats on the trail

To get out the Democrats message, Angland said the six Democratic candidates are knocking on doors as they look to educate voters, especially those who have just moved to town, about the BET, what it does and how it is elected.

This is incredibly important given the role of the BET in town, he said. The BET, in many respects, runs the town. And there were a host of six-to-six votes, and the Republicans had the tie-breaking vote because they got the most votes in the last election. Were going to try and make sure that people understand that when they go to the polls. We will be urging them to vote our entire slate.

To that end, Angland said the debates over school funding could motivate voters to head to the polls  and to vote for the Democrats.

Voters need to see the diametrically opposed positions of the Democrats and Republicans on the BET with respect to schools, Angland said. There are people who dont necessarily vote in a lot of municipal elections but who do care a lot about schools. If they can see theres a real difference in what the parties are proposing on schools, they may come out there.

In 2020, proposed pandemic-created cuts to the school budget, which ultimately did not have to be made, spurred a parent protest outside Town Hall. In 2021, there was a split on the BET along partisan lines on school infrastructure projects at Julian Curtiss and Central Middle School. In April, there was another partisan split over plans to fund repairs at North Mianus School.

GOPs focus

Quigley, the RTC chair, pointed to the record that the Republican team is running on this fall. Since the 2019 election, the BET Republicans have successfully guided our community through the unprecedented economic challenge posed by the pandemic, he said.

Former BET Chair Michael Mason, who resigned from the board over the summer and is now the towns director of labor relations, is a veteran of many BET campaigns. He said the BET evolved during his 18 years on the board and pointed out that when it was created in the 1920s, it was designed to be a neutral board making financial recommendations. Even recently, Mason said the BET was not considered to be truly part of the municipal election because each party put up six candidates each and they were all elected.

Fast-forward all these years and the dynamics are completely different, Mason said. The politics have entered into the BET, for good or bad.

He added, When it comes to campaigning for the BET, its going to be who can actually take issues and concerns of the town and quantify them and demonstrate a plan thats believable and understandable.

But to win, Turner said the Democrats need more than an issue: They need money for a campaign that he said would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover mailings, phone banking and other outreach to get out the vote.

Without significant funding to run it as a campaign I dont think its going to be possible, Turner said. There may be an issue or two thats embedded in the campaign, but how much money do you have behind that?

Angland said the money Turner says is needed is not feasible.

I dont expect that we will have that type of money to devote to the race, Angland said. Hard work and sound ideas will have to suffice.

Others say they are eager to see the Democrats mount a campaign based around funding for the public schools.

James Waters, a Greenwich parent and a Republican, has been outspoken in recent years on the budget, saying not enough has been done to fund capital projects in town. And he blasted the BET leadership, accusing the Republican caucus of opposing the schools at every turn by not acting on critical infrastructure issues in the public school buildings.

These arent partisan issues and a town finance board should act constructively to get things done rather than kick every can down the road, Waters said. And yet, the Republican BET has rebuffed any and all attempts by the Democratic caucus to find middle ground. Most people I talk to, including Republican, Democrat and unaffiliated voters, believe that the Republican BETs incompetence demonstrates a clear need for change in November.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  Evan Osnos, a noted journalist and author who grew up in Greenwich, spent a decade overseas before returning to the United States in 2013.

And something seemed different when he returned to his home country, more than a little off, he recalled, in a discussion at the Greenwich Public Library about his newest book, Wildland: The Making of Americas Fury.

Its like coming home, and you see the roof tiles are slipping here and there, the front lawn needs some work. Its a moment of candor, Osnos said. His return also fell on the date of the federal government shutdown in October 2013, and Osnos had to explain to a group of Finnish tourists in Washington, D.C., that this was an unusual event in the nations history. It was very different, he said, in ways that seemed particularly ominous.

That homecoming moment after years in China and Iraq also made him recall some of the conversations and internal monologues that he had experienced as a journalist overseas, explaining how the Americans see themselves and want to be seen by others.

We are not prefect, Osnos told the audience at the Greenwich Library on Thursday night. We stand for some basic big ideas, moral ambitions like: the rule of law, the basic attachment to fact and the pursuit of truth, and the essential idea that you could pursue greater opportunity in life, or perhaps transform your place your condition.

He told the audience that he did not believe those beliefs could be stated with complete certainty anymore. All three of those ideas are in doubt, under attack in some ways, said Osnos, who set out to explore that loss of faith in the American belief system in his new book.

In a discussion moderated by a fellow Greenwich High School graduate and New Yorker magazine staff writer, Andrew Marantz, Osnos described how, for his book, he returned to three places he had lived in the past: Greenwich, Chicago and Clarksburg, W.Va., where he took his first journalism job after college at a local daily newspaper.

Osnos explained how he wanted to tie together those three disparate communities and find out how they connected. I wanted to take these three very different parts of the country and put them in a conversation with each other, the author said, as well as to explore what he believes has been the decline in social cohesion over the past decade.

He spoke to a mining engineer in West Virginia, who he began to feel something in the system was failing him. He wrote about the fund managers in Greenwich, the engine room of American capitalism, in his words, and how decisions made by financial executives who live in multimillion-dollar mansions have caused deep economic and environmental distress in places such as West Virginia.

Osnos drove around Chicago with a former gang member who spent many years behind bars, who was close to his own age. It was impossible for me not to look at him and say, What if that guy had been growing up on Round Hill Road, and sitting next to me at Greenwich High? How might his world have been different, and his sons world? There was a cascade of advantage and disadvantage, Osnos said.

The author, who now lives in Washington, was not particularly optimistic that the trends he documents in his work of narrative nonfiction can be be reversed, or even addressed. But documenting the human costs of income inequality and hopelessness was still a valuable enterprises, Osnos said, especially for people in places such as Greenwich.

These thin lines of connection are felt in ways that we dont acknowledge every day, but they end up shaping the country in a profound way, Osnos said.

Marantz, who has also written about the decline in public trust and the rise of political extremism, called the book by Osnos both unsettling and rewarding.

The book discussion was co-sponsored by UJA-JCC Greenwich.

Osnos said it was a distinct pleasure to give a talk at the Greenwich Library, where he had spent many hours in this building pretending to do homework.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
Pure Android is still touted as an advantage by some brands and it has no shortage of fans. But its rare these days  there are Googles phones, obviously, Sony, Nokia, Motorola and Asus also try to stick close to stock. OnePlus did as well, but OxygenOS is already in the process of being merged with Oppos software.

What if you could have a flagship from Samsung, Sony, Motorola or HTC, but with no customizations from the manufacturer. No carrier-supplied bloatware either. Wouldnt that be nice?

That was the idea behind the Google Play Edition program, which used the hardware from the regular versions of phones but removed as many of the non-stock features as possible. Not everything, of course, the hardware differed from the Nexus phones, so you couldnt just run the Nexus ROM. But GPE phones got as close to stock as possible.

The program got a great start at the Google I/O 2013 event where a special edition of the Samsung Galaxy S4 (the Snapdragon 600 version) was presented. No TouchWiz in sight, just stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. In the US this model was available exclusively through Google Play and sold at $650, which was higher than the $580 price tag of the regular version.

The HTC One also arrived in 2013 and swapped out Sense UI with stock Android. The Google Play store initially charged $600 for one, but dropped that to $500 the following year. The starting price was again higher than the non-Google version, which went for $575 in the US.

Is that what happened, the prices were too high despite having the same hardware? Well, that certainly didnt help, but you may have noticed that we only quoted US prices and that is no coincidence  the Google Play Edition phones had very limited availability. Google has never been good at selling hardware products globally, so limiting these phones to its own store made a major contribution to GPEs failure.

By the way, we reviewed the Galaxy S4 GPE as well as the HTC One GPE back in the day. Both were superior to the Nexus 4, though if you read the reviews to the conclusion, you will know that we missed some of the features added by TouchWiz and Sense and the extra cost didnt make too much sense. Not to mention that the Nexus 4 was a $300 flagship killer.



Galaxy S4 GPE compared with the Nexus 4  HTC One Google Play Edition

While some use pure Android as a synonym for good, the reality is that Google was always slow to adopt new features  those arrived on custom skins first and eventually made their way to AOSP after a few versions. Were not saying that this is a bad thing, AOSP has to be the stable common ground for all Android implementations. Potentially half-baked cutting edge features have no place there.

And keep in mind that pure Android is something that not many have seen  even the Pixel phones have proprietary software on them, its just that its made by Google.

The last of the 2013 generation of GPE phones was a version of the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, though it dropped the Xperia branding so it was just the Sony Z Ultra. It was again limited to the US Google Play Store and cost $650 at launch. That was actually a bit cheaper than the Xperia version ($670), though both received price cuts in 2014  $200 off for the GPE phone and $230 for the Xperia phone.

There was also a Google Play Edition tablet based on the LG G Pad 8.3 as an alternative to the Nexus slates. This one was $350 at launch, which was as much as a fully-loaded Nexus 7 (2nd gen) with 32 GB storage and LTE connectivity. The G Pad had only 16 GB storage and no LTE, making it comparable to the $230 Nexus 7. The LG tablet did have a larger display and a newer Snapdragon 600 chipset, though. Still, pricing was clearly a major issue with these Google Play Edition devices.

The Moto G was a highly popular mid-ranger back in 2013  it was pretty cheap at $180 and quite capable. And Motorola was still owned by Google at that point, so it was already running stock Android. Even so, Motorola released a Google Play Edition in 2014 at the same price as the regular version  $180 for 8 GB, $200 for 16 GB.

HTC went in for seconds with the HTC One (M8) GPE. It was announced alongside the regular version of the phone and cost $700, $50 more that regular version. Worse, the Developer Edition of the phone was also $650 and you were free to flash whatever software you wanted on that  the hardware was the same on all three versions. What was Google thinking? Anyway, the older HTC One GPE got a $100 discount to $500 that same day.

Despite multiple leaks, a Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition never actually materialized.

Google pulled the plug on the Moto G GPE on January 7 2015, which left only the HTC One (M8) GPE available  that was also put out to pasture on January 21. With no Galaxy S5 GPE and no new additions from Motorola (which had been sold to Lenovo a few months before), the Google Play Edition program came to an end less than two years after it started.

Higher prices, limited availability and missing features, looking back at it the Google Play Edition phones had no chance at success. They were niche products that only smartphone geeks would appreciate. And then not all of them, since the Nexus 4 and 5 were pretty capable and pretty cheap.

There never was a successor to the Google Play Edition program. The closest we got is Android One, which began in 2014. Makers can advertise 2 OS updates, 3 years of security patches and a stock UI. Even better, they can sell these wherever, avoiding the limited availability mistake of GPE.

While HMD Global is pretty keen on releasing Android One Nokia phones, most other makers arent and as a result One phones are quite rare. It seems that stock Android isnt such a big draw.

Android itself has changed quite a bit, making such pure versions less necessary. The interface is customizable enough that you can tuck away most of the iffy bits from maker skins. And those skins have gotten quite good over the years, many actually enjoy the features they bring.

As for software support, getting 2 OS updates on a mid-range phone isnt that unusual today, some series even get 3 updates. And an extra year of security patches. It helped that Google made major internal changes to Android to make developing and deploying a new version simpler.

Android will never be like iOS where one company dictates everything about the hardware and software. For better or for worse, Android offers a great variety of both.
Week 40 in review: Windows 11 is out, Pixel 6 and M1X Mac coming in October

Welcome to another week's recap. The biggest story in the past seven days was Windows 11 - Microsoft released the free upgrade to Windows 10 to supported hardware. Windows 11 brings a design overhaul, a new Start Menu, better window management and more. However early reports suggest Windows 11 is detrimental to performance on some AMD machines, so if you have one of those you might want to wait a bit until the bugs are fixed.

Google also dropped its next major OS - Android 12 was officially released, but it turned out that Pixel devices will only get it in the next few weeks. Here's all that's new with Android 12.

Speaking of Pixels, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will be unveiled on October 19, possibly alongside a Pixel Fold and a smartwatch. We saw a number of promo images of the Pixel 6 duo, confirming the cameras - 50MP wide + 12MP ultrawide on the 6 and an additional 48MP telephoto on the 6 Pro, water resistance, 33W charging and a new wireless charger with Nest Hub mode.

The Google Pixel 6 will start at 649, while the Pixel 6 Pro is rumored to cost 899.

Apple's much-anticipated new MacBook Pro is expected later this month with the new M1X chipset. We're likely to see a new 16-inch and possibly even a 14-inch, while the M1X would be a 10-core unit with a 16 or 32-core GPU.

Finally, Nokia unveiled the T20 tablet. It has a 10.4-inch 2000x1200px IPS LCD, an 8,200mAh battery and a 12nm Unisoc Tiger T610 chipset. The Nokia T20 (Wi-Fi) will start at 200 for the 3/32GB model, the 4G LTE model starts at 240.

See you next week!



Microsoft releases Windows 11 Available as a free upgrade to Windows 10 users.





Google Pixel 6 Pro's camera samples shown off in new leak The camera samples corroborate previous leaks claiming the smartphone will sport a 50MP primary camera.





Google Pixel 6 promotion leaks from German retailer, reiterates 649 price Electronics retailer Saturn plans to bundle a free pair of Bose headphones and the Pixel 6 will go for 649.





Possible new Infinix Note model photographed in the wild with a retouched UI XOS is getting a new coat of paint - the homescreen, icons and widgets look different. Also, there is a 64MP camera on the back.





Facebook Whistleblower interview aired the night before Monday's Facebook outage [EDIT] Facebook explains what caused the outage and in another report, Facebook's PR replies to the allegations made by the whistleblower.





Nokia T20 10.4" tablet unveiled in Wi-Fi and 4G flavors The tablet should last 15 hours on a single charge. It will get 2 years of OS updates and 3 years of monthly security patches.





A cache of Pixel 6 images leaks, confirming features we already knew about The extensive leaks have detailed everything from the 50 MP GN1 sensor to the 33W fast charging. The official reveal is set for October 19.





New One UI 4.0 beta brings RAM Plus, Material You themes and more Samsung is rolling out a new version of the Android 12 beta software to Galaxy S21 units in several countries.





Plot twist: the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is going to be released in January, S22 series delayed The Fan Edition phone was reportedly cancelled, but a delay in the launch of the new generation may have brought it back from the dead.





ASUS announces GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition graphics card The first graphics card in the world that features Noctua fans.





Lenovo Legion Play is an upcoming Android handled console It will offer users the ability to play mobile games as well as stream their PC games on the go.





Huawei Matebook 16 unveiled with Ryzen 5000H APUs, 3:2 16" IPS LCD The factory-calibrated display supports HDR imagery, covers 100% of sRGB and has a peak brightness of 300 nits (with DC dimming).


As a young teen, Julian Mendiola remembered using 30 minutes of dial-up internet time on anonymous group chats on the website People From Guam.

There was a group chat dedicated to gay and bisexual people, and he had met someone his age who had already discovered their identity and was willing to guide him on his journey.

I gained a relationship with this person, but I knew my parents would never approve, the 29-year-old Yona resident said. The loving strict parents they were ended up going on to my People From Guam profile and discovered my messages with this person and questioned me about it.

Out of shock, Mendiola denied it, and his relationship with his family had started to deteriorate.

Because of this lie I created, I couldnt be authentically me, Mendiola said. I started to rebel and ran away from home in hopes to pursue a new life.

He enjoyed his new life, but there was always something missing  his family. Eventually, he worked up the courage to introduce his family to someone he loved.

We ended up moving back home, and I finally felt accepted, Mendiola said. Since then, my family has been amazing and supportive through everything I do.

National Coming Out Day

Current and former residents talked about their coming out experiences and how their lives changed for the better afterward for National Coming Out Day, which is celebrated annually on October 11.

Stephanie Patterson, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in trauma and relationships said that it is vital for parents to recognize when their child shares something vulnerable, like opening up about their sexuality.

No matter how many times the child may have rehearsed and thought about how to discuss this with you, the truth is they are terrified and fragile at that moment, Patterson said. And every child wants nothing more than to be accepted by their parents.

Sister helps

Before coming out, former Tamuning resident Sofia Auxilian was sure that she was not heterosexual, but she didnt know how to describe that part of her identity yet adequately.

However, her pansexual older sister, Joey Auxilian, helped her gain clarity about herself. Her sister taught the 20-year-old about the history and culture of the LGBTQIA+ community and explained the various terms and labels.

I vividly remember the day when she was teaching me about the term queer and its definition, Sofia Auxilian said. After her explanation, things clicked and connected, and I found the word I have been searching for to describe myself.

From that day on, she didnt have a grand reveal when she came out. Instead, she would casually come out to people.

Coming out should be on your own terms and no one elses, Sofia Auxilian said. When it seems like no one will support you, I assure you that youre not alone on this journey.

Rough times

Gary Ogo, a freelance makeup artist and model for Pitbull Empire Guam, was around 17 when he started exploring his sexuality. He had a few guys he fancied in school while still being attracted to girls.

At this age was also the year where Guam was in the early stages of marriage equality, so it was a pretty rough time for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community to come out, the Dededo resident said. Ive seen some get bullied, called names and harassed even.

The 23-year-old remembers constantly feeling angst coming out. Worry always lingered in his mind while all the questions kept floating in his head whenever he talked to people or met someone new.

Fully accepting himself took a while, but he came to love and accept himself after running in the pageant circuits from 2018-20.

Never have I truly felt more open and loved till I threw myself into that scene where Ive met so many amazing, welcoming, and accepting people of backgrounds  To those out there thats unsure of coming out, youll experience loss, but know that you will also experience growth, Ogo said. Be who you want to be darling cause you cant always be everyones cup of tea. The world is your catwalk, so walk all over that stage baby.
GFD command post set up for search and rescue in this July 22, 2020, file photo
Friends were mourning 23-year-old former Marine Jaron Weilbacher, who was found unconscious and unresponsive and then later pronounced dead in front of Kings Restaurant in Tamuning after a disturbance early Saturday.

Two former Marines and close friends, Ted Welch and Branden Washburn, who served with Weilbacher, fondly remembered him as a fun-loving, compassionate and positive person.

He was probably the smartest one out of all our group. Hes the fastest to catch on to things and honestly a pretty great leader, pretty great Marine. I know I was older than him but I pretty much looked up to him, Washburn said. I cant think of anybody that had any negative thing to say about Jaron. He was that kind of guy that just got along with pretty much everybody we worked with, friends with everybody.

Welch also mentioned how Weilbacher continued to support his team.

He would always be there to be on your back but he was always the kind of guy thats ready to listen and still support you, added Welch.

He didnt really care about who you were, what your background is, he just cared about who you were as a person and thats what mattered to him. If he accepted you, then you were a part of his group and he would do anything for you.

Arrests made

Three suspects were identified and later arrested in the case with help from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Department of Defense police at Andersen Air Force Base, according to Guam Police Department spokesman Sgt. Paul Tapao.

Police arrested Fiataugaluia Ahkee, 31, on suspicion of aggravated assault, assault, reckless conduct, guilt established by complicity and criminal facilitation.

John Mike Muliaga, 22, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, reckless conduct, guilt established by complicity and criminal facilitation.

Ahkee and Muliaga were booked and confined at the Department of Corrections.

Joseph Kendy Decady, 36, was arrested in connection with criminal facilitation. He was booked and released.

Although police reports have been forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for prosecution, the case remains open, Tapao said.

Disbelief

Weilbachers death had Welch and Washburn in shock and disbelief.

Both saw various posts on social media about his death and reached out to family and friends closest to him on island who further confirmed the news.

I reached out to his sister to see...we were really worried about him because we saw some stuff on Facebook and she passed the news to me. Its still kind of sinking in. Its pretty rough, Washburn said.

Welch said she contacted Weilbachers girlfriend, who couldnt explain what happened. She couldnt tell me everything, she couldnt do it, he said.

Another friend called him back and said, Its too much for her, but Jays gone.

I was immediately in tears. Theres no other way I could respond to it. After that its been kind of ways of acceptance and denial that Jays gone, Welch said.

Honor

Welch said he and others who served with Weilbacher have reached out to different organizations and groups to come up with ways they can pay their respects and see their fellow Marine one last time.

If they are unable to come to Guam, Welch said they will plan some type of memorial service in the states to honor him.

They are also putting together a GoFundMe page for Weilbachers family and help them in any way they can during this time.
Island Girl Coffee n Quenchers is honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month with their signature Pink Drink.

In their long-time partnership with the Guam Cancer Care, for their "Save the Susu" campaign, Island Girl highlights their pink drink which is made with Earl Gray tea, Strawberry and milk.

Island Girl General Manager Shalyn Allen said that what they are doing for Breast Cancer Awareness Month this time around is that theyll donate a dollar for every purchase of the "Pink Drink" to Guam Cancer Care.

We just thought it was time for us to give back a little bit more to this group and bring more awareness, said Allen.

After speaking with Guam Cancer Care, they explained a little bit more about what they do and why they bring awareness to Guam, to encourage women in Guam to have their mammograms. They gave me a little more detail and (an) in-depth explanation for what theyre doing for October and what they do with their proceeds, so it just made it more special for me.

Allen said that this campaign is especially important to her as both of her grandmothers had breast cancer.

One had a mastectomy and has been a survivor for almost 20 years, while the other lost her battle to the disease.

The one I lost to breast cancer, I was super close to her, Allen said. She was a beautiful soul and its heartbreaking to not have her in our lives now. But she did make an impact, and I want to keep allowing her memory to create (an) impact. This is a great way for me to be able to do that and celebrate her.

Allen adds that during the pandemic, its important to still bring awareness to breast cancer.

She said that breast cancer is a critical disease that many residents on island still deal with it today and it shouldnt be forgotten.

Along with the Pink Drink, Island Girl Coffee n Quenchers is bringing awareness with their staff wearing pink every weekend.

The Pink Drink is available for the month of October.
The University of Guam Endowment Foundation is asking for residents to donate to its Guam G is for Giving campaign which will support workforce recovery initiatives in response to employment problems the island has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executive Director Katrina Perez said that they now want to focus their fundraising efforts on workforce recovery.

Through all of this, we are going to continue to need engineers and scientists to build and to problem solve, Perez said. Were going to need more social workers and nurses to address health care issues. Were going to need more entrepreneurs, businesses and administrators to create work opportunities and spur along economic recovery.

Recent social distancing restrictions; however, have challenged the organizations fundraising efforts.

Youre probably used to us having fundraising concerts and galas and things of that nature, but were very restricted and as an effect, the amount of funding we have been relying on has not been coming through, said Perez.

70 hours

To continue raising money for G is for Giving, the foundation is promoting a campaign called the Join the 70 Hour Club, where someone online can donate 70 hours of their salary to a UOG program or school of their choice.

A payroll deduction form can be requested from info.uogendowment.org and the number of payroll deductions can be selected between one to six years.

As a certified IRS 501(3), or a charitable non-profit organization, someone who donates to the foundation will receive a monthly tax contribution letter that can be used for tax reporting purposes.

Continued efforts

Despite challenges, the foundation has found ways to help the island during the pandemic such as providing student nurses to help alleviate some of the pressure on nurses on the front lines by having the students take care of administrative work, allowing them to focus on patients.

The university also helps with contact tracing instruction, call centers and mass vaccination sites, such as the UOG Calvo Field House.

The School of Business and Public Administration has provided local establishments with information to understand the governments restrictions and advise whats best for their businesses.

The situation is frustrating Perez said, because in 2022 the foundation will be celebrating its 40 year anniversary and UOG will be celebrating its 70th. She anticipates that fundraising efforts will need to continue to be virtual, stripping the opportunity to appropriately celebrate both milestones.




Haiti - FLASH : 106 Haitians found locked in a container in Guatemala





Saturday, October 9, following a report concerning an abandoned trailer at kilometer 114 of the road that leads to Cocales Nueva Concepcion Escuintla (Guatemala), agents of the National Civil Police (PNC), after hearing cries and blows from inside the container (TC007CBH), rescued a group of migrants locked inside, said Jorge Aguilar, spokesperson for the National Civil Police (PNC).



Aguilar, said that inside the container the police discovered 126 illegal migrants, men, women and children, including 106 from Haiti, 11 from Nepal (South Asia) and 9 from Ghana (West Africa), who were trying to cross Guatemalan territory to cross into Mexico and join the United States.



Apparently they would have been abandoned by the "coyotes" (smugglers) they had paid for the trip...



After rescuing them, the security forces gave them humanitarian attention and then took them to a refuge at the Guatemalan Institute for Migration (IGM).



According to Alejandra Mena, spokesperson for IGM, the group of illegal immigrants in an irregular migratory situation will be expelled from Guatemalan territory and transferred to the border with Honduras because it is through this country that they entered Guatemala.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - USA : Under Secretary of State for Civil Security Uzra Zeya soon in Haiti





On Friday October 8, the United States Department of State informed that Under Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya will stay in Haiti and Panama from October 13 to 16, 2021.



In Haiti, Under Secretary Zeya will meet with Prime Minister Ariel Henry to discuss an inclusive, Haitian-led political dialogue that will lead to free and fair elections; how Haiti can provide better security for all its citizens; and support for returning Haitian migrants.



The Under Secretary will also meet with Minister of Justice Liszt Quitel to discuss the investigation into President Jovenel Moises assassination and the Bel-Air, La Saline, and Grand Ravine massacres.



Zeya will also meet with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and with UNICEF to thank them for their humanitarian assistance and earthquake recovery efforts in Haiti, including IOMs assistance to the Haitian government in receiving Haitian returnees.



These meetings will advance partnerships that are addressing the root causes of migration in Haiti, and support Haitian-led efforts toward the restoration of democratic institutions.





HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politic : The migration of Haitians on the agenda of Mexico and the USA





US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Mexico on Friday to present a new joint security plan and restore ties with an ally increasingly used by the Biden administration as a buffer to stem the flow of migrants heading to the United States.



At a press conference united US Secretary of State Blinken alongside Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard warned Haitian migrants that they will not be able to reach the United States illegally, while the Mexican Minister Marcelo Ebrard, said that many Haitians who have traveled South America to the border have been deceived into thinking that they could easily obtain legal status in the United States.



Recall that the United States has already repatriated more than 7,500 Haitians https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34953-haiti-news-zapping.html in Haiti in 3 weeks while allowing others to continue the process migration to the United States. For its part, Mexico has also recently started voluntary repatriation flights in Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34939-haiti-migration-mexico-repatriates-129-haitians.html



For the thousands of Haitians currently in an irregular migratory situation in Mexico, Ebrard said his country could offer them asylum. "If 15,000 people come from Haiti, want to work and want to be here, it is not a problem for Mexico," said Ebrard, adding however that finding employment opportunities was not easy adding that "The Mexico's asylum agency has been strained by the growing number of applications from Haitians, many of whom are unlikely to be granted refugee status because they left Haiti for economic reasons. "



Note that on the migratory front, cooperation between Mexico and the United States has strengthened, thus, migrants are prohibited from traveling by bus in Mexican territory if they do not have proper papers. However, many trucks that come to deliver goods to Mexico go back empty to the United States and carry migrants. A lucrative traffic for the crime which organizes its trips when it is not the drivers themselves who to make more money transport the illegal migrants.



Read also on the Haitian migration crisis :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34953-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34939-haiti-migration-mexico-repatriates-129-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34830-haiti-flash-biden-denounces-the-treatment-of-haitians-at-the-border-and-takes-responsibility-for-it.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34828-haiti-flash-no-more-migrants-under-the-del-rio-bridge.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34820-haiti-flash-us-special-envoy-to-haiti-daniel-foote-resigns.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34812-haiti-migration-crisis-congresswoman-maxine-waters-revolted-and-angry.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34811-haiti-flash-haitian-migrants-from-del-rio-escape-during-their-bus-transport.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34807-haiti-politic-dhs-does-not-tolerate-abuses-against-migrants.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34805-haiti-justice-two-un-agencies-concerned-about-the-american-deportation-of-migrants-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34799-haiti-usa-democrat-nancy-pelosi-in-defense-of-haitians-stranded-at-the-mexican-border.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34797-haiti-migration-crisis-the-government-calls-for-solidarity-with-our-compatriots-in-difficulty.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34786-haiti-flash-joe-biden-orders-the-deportation-of-thousands-of-illegal-haitian-migrants.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34770-haiti-flash-thousands-of-haitian-migrants-detained-in-the-usa-in-a-makeshift-camp.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34734-haiti-politic-200-illegal-haitian-migrants-intercepted-in-mexico-returned-to-guatemala.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34669-icihaiti-chiapas-a-caravan-of-haitians-marches-towards-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34658-haiti-mexico-muscular-interception-of-migrants-dozens-of-haitians-arrested-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34626-haiti-politic-more-expulsions-of-haitians-under-joe-biden.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34268-haiti-mexico-more-than-2-000-illegal-haitian-migrants-arrive-in-tapachula.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33352-haiti-flash-joe-biden-expels-more-haitians-than-donald-trump.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















Korean Drama | 2021

 Fantasy  Historical  Zombie

Directed by Kim Seong-hun ()

Written by Kim Eun-hee-I ()

TV Channel/Plateform: Netflix ()

Airing dates: 2021/07/23

1 episode - Fri

Synopsis

"Kingdom: Ashin of the North" is a sidequel from Kingdom season two and a backstory about the mysterious character Lee Chang's group encountered on their journey north to discover the origins of the infected. The surprising appearance of Jun Ji-hyun in the role of Ashin at the end of Kingdom season two intrigued audiences. In this eagerly anticipated bonus story, Jun as Ashin will unveil the mystery behind her identity. Park Byung-eun, who made a lasting impression in Kingdom season two as the head of the Royal Commandery Min Chi-rok, is also confirmed to star. The new story will detail what had happened to Ashin in the past in the northern region and how the two characters' fates intertwined.
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As his business continues to grow, former Hazard Community and Technical Colleges (HCTC) graduate Ryan Messer encourages people to invest in their communities and in themselves.

Messer, owner of Steel Blade Cuts located in Jackson, opened the doors to his salon in October 2020, shortly after graduating from Hazard Community and Technical Colleges (HCTC) cosmetology program that May, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when many businesses were unable to remain in operation let alone begin a new one. His success, said HCTC officials, comes after several years of unfortunate circumstances.

A lot of people dont go to outsiders, said Messer, a native of London. I was nervous about that at first, then that first week I was open I probably cleared close to $700-$800. Ive been here ever since, and its been working out, he said.

Like many in the region, Messer said he has battled with his own struggles throughout his life, especially in his journey to become a licensed cosmetologist.

Everything had to be cut. It was a mess, Messer said, explaining that similar to a customers hair situation, his former living situation when he moved from London more than three years ago was in need of change. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Messer said he had to stop going to barber school and had to give up a $14 an hour job in the London area in 2018 to move to the more rural Lee County where he said he was hard pressed to make minimum wage if he could find work at all.

While living in Beattyville, Messer said he decided to continue his education at the Lees College Campus in October 2018 where the now retired HCTC Instructor Susan Johnson taught cosmetology. Life, he said, unfortunately didnt get any easier for him at that time, with bills coming in and winter weather picking up. I didnt have the means to make it to school sometimes financially because there are no jobs in Lee County that will work with your school schedule, and your schedule would be Monday through Friday from like 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Messer. What job will hire you in Lee County when everything closes at 4 p.m.? It was really tough.

Helping hands at HCTC got him through many rough patches, Messer said, including making sure he was warm, clothed and fed at times when he wasnt sure what he could do otherwise. Tips from customers at the cosmetology program also allowed him some security in knowing hed have some gas or food money just from coming into school that day.

There were times when I didnt want to go to school or wake up or nothing and Id get calls from the teachers saying hey are you coming in, we need you here, he said. Susan Johnson was a big help to me in my time at school. Without her help and the help of staff and even the president, Dr. Lindon, I dont know where I would have ended up, Messer said.

In the middle of his first semester, Messer relocated to Hazard and with the help of HCTC staff was able to secure housing in the city. Messer said the support of so many at HCTC helped stoke the fire of his determination to finish school and be the best he could be. I always thought Id be kind of good at what I was doing because I try really hard. Yeah, I mess up and stuff, but I feel like if you have a desire to want to do better then youre going to do better, he said.

I really just wanted to get out and cut hair, Messer said. Now, Im cutting 50-60 people a week, making good money and I didnt have anything to start with.

Messer said since his salon has opened, hes made sure to give back to his community as much as he is able to.

One gentleman came in who said he needed to get cleaned up for a job interview in Lexington that he was really nervous about. So, I cleaned him up nice and he tried to pay me, and I said dont pay me now, pay me later after you land that new job, said Messer. He went up there and he got that job and knowing I took a little part in that  because appearance is a big thing in job interviews  its really great.

Messer encourages anyone interested in furthering their education, no matter what program theyre looking into, to invest in themselves and not to wait.

I went from nothing to a little bit of something I guess you could say, Messer said. Im not better than anybody, I just put my foot down and got it done. If I can do it, then anybody can do it because I didnt even have the means to do it and I made a way.

If anyone is interested in enrolling in the cosmetology or any other programs at HCTC, call, (606) 487-3293. To find out more about Hazard Community and Technical College, go to hazard.kctcs.edu, and follow the college's social media pages Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
The story, as Ted Nelson tells it, sounds positively bonkers.

A few months back, Nelson said, a man with a chainsaw showed up on his doorstep offering to trim some limbs on a pin oak.

I wanted it done. The price was reasonable, so I signed him up, Nelson said. When he finished, I paid him.

An unorthodox arrangement, but it worked for both parties. No harm, no foul. But a few weeks back on Sept. 5, the roving tree cutter showed up again and pitched his services.

Nelson declined. He looked mad, but he left, he said.

A little while later, a tree from an adjoining property fell into Nelsons yard. It looked as if itd been cut. Weird, but not a big deal. He hired a tree service to chip it up and filed a police report.

Then on Sept. 22, a rainy Wednesday, the guy with the chainsaw returned. I told him to hit the road, Nelson said.

Next thing Nelson knew, a Douglas fir in his yard came down. A clean cut indicated that itd been done by a chainsaw.

Two cut trees in two weeks was too far-fetched to be mere coincidence. Nelson suspected the door-to-door tree guy but didnt say much about it.

Then via social media, Nelson learned that the same thing had happened to others. Thinking it the work of a vindictive tree cutter no longer seemed outlandish.

Case inactive

A police report from the Sept. 5 incident reads like lip service. Definitely doesnt sound like a priority.

It lists the date and time, a street address and the officers name. The incident was written up as vandalism  tree on property in a line provided for a description.

Down at the bottom, an x was placed in a case status box labeled inactive.

Through the magic of Facebook  the platform is both a blessing and a curse  Nelson learned that a friend of his wifes had witnessed a similar incident in the Mount Tabor area.

I was working in my yard a couple weeks ago, said Melinda Lawson. A truck pulled up, then I heard a chainsaw running for 5 minutes and then the guy got back in his truck.

Weird, right? What happened next, Lawson said, was even stranger.

The man started walking into her backyard and looking at her trees. He said, Id like to cut these for you, she said. I told him, Not today.

Around the same time, an elderly neighbor came over and told Lawson that a tree had fallen across his driveway and was blocking his garage.

You could see where it was sawed off, Lawson said.

Her husband, meanwhile, had gone over to help the neighbor clear the driveway. And he managed to get a word with the tree cutter, whod left a business card with Lawson.

The tree man naturally denied any involvement or even being at the neighbors home. But there was one problem.

He was caught on a doorbell camera (at the neighbors house), Lawson said. We have his picture.

The Lawsons, too, filed a report with the Winston-Salem police telephone reporting unit.

And like Nelson before them, they were given the same pat advice: If the man comes back around, call 911.

Not exactly what anyone was hoping to hear.

They told us it wasnt a priority, Nelson said. With all the shootings, the guns in schools and drive-bys, you name it. I get it.

Still, the victims would have liked to see more attention paid. Especially considering that they have a business card, a doorbell camera photo and the license tag of the mans truck.

It doesnt seem like it would take Sherlock Holmes, or Barnaby Jones for that matter, to run a license plate or ask a couple questions.

We emailed the departments new public information officer last week with a description of whats been happening and a report number and posed two questions: What can be done about it? And what have you done about it?

(Thats the citys new media protocol. Speaking on the record to actual cops with firsthand knowledge of any given situation is verboten. Thats not the PIOs fault. Thats a policy decision made by the brass and downtown city officials.)

We didnt hear anything back. Again, there are much more pressing matters and a declining number of officers to deal with them, but to regular folk, finding freshly cut trees in their yards is a problem.

We just got back from (out of town), Nelson said Thursday. Everything was OK, and no more trees were down. But I was worried that a chainsaw could have been taken to the house.

Given everything else thats occurred, its not as crazy as it sounds.
St. Joseph, MI (49085)

Today

Windy with snow showers before midnight. Winds will diminish some overnight. Low 32F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Windy with snow showers before midnight. Winds will diminish some overnight. Low 32F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Low 29F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Low 29F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Lima, OH (45805)

Today

Sunshine gives way to increasing clouds toward sunset. High 43F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

A few flurries possible. Low 27F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
NEW YORK (AP)  Southwest Airlines canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend, blaming the woes on air traffic control issues and weather.

The airline canceled more than 1,000 flights, or 28% of its schedule, as of 5 p.m. ET Sunday, according to flight tracker FlightAware. That was the highest rate by far of the major U.S. airlines. Next in line were Allegiant and Spirit, which had respectively canceled 5% and 4% of their flights on Sunday, according to the flight tracker. American Airlines canceled 2% of its flights.

Southwest Airlines said in an emailed statement that it had experienced weather challenges in its Florida airports at the beginning of the weekend, which were compounded by unexpected air traffic control issues in the same region. Those issues triggered delays and prompted significant cancellations for the airlines beginning Friday evening.

Weve continued diligent work throughout the weekend to reset our operation with a focus on getting aircraft and crews repositioned to take care of our customers," said Southwest Airlines. With fewer frequencies between cities in our current schedule, recovering during operational challenges is more difficult and prolonged."

The company said that it's allowing customers to explore self-service rebooking options on Southwest.com, where they can get updates on the status of their travel.

However, Henry H. Harteveldt, president and travel industry analyst at The Atmosphere Research Group, based in San Francisco, points to other causes for the cancellations.

First, he says Southwest has scheduled more flights than it can handle, a problem that started in June. He also noted that Southwest operates whats known as a point-to-point route network, and when a delay occurs, it cascades along the remaining flight segments. That's because, for example, a Southwest flight departing Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the airline's home base of Dallas may make multiple stops along the way.

But Harteveldt says the most troubling reason is the likelihood that some pilots who oppose Southwest's decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations are participating in an illegal job action where they call in sick or are engaging in a work slowdown.

In a statement Saturday, the airlines pilot union, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, said that's not the case.

SWAPA is aware of operational difficulties affecting Southwest Airlines today due to a number of issues, but we can say with confidence that our pilots are not participating in any official or unofficial job actions," it said.

Harteveldt noted Southwest's woes could linger and affect its fourth quarter financial performance.

All of this is happening as people are in the midst of booking their Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year holiday travel, he said. Its very possible that some people who might normally book on Southwest may see this news and choose to fly other airlines.

___

Follow Anne DInnocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio
When 96-year-old Tennie Ivy was first diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer last November, her initial inclination was to allow the disease to take its course. After all, she had lived a long and happy life, and she feared suffering from the well-known negative effects from chemotherapy and radiation.

But one unfilled life goal helped convince her to take the life-extending treatments her doctors had planned out for her: She wanted to see the youngest of her four grandchildren get married, an event that had been scheduled to take place last June 2020, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic had been postponed until July of this year.

Tennie, now 97, has survived chemotherapy, radiation and surgery and was able to travel by car from Houston to Greenville, South Carolina to attend the wedding of her grandson Andrew Haag.

It was just wonderful, Tennie said of the joyful event. It was more than wonderful, because I had lived.

Born in the small town of Bassfield, Mississippi, Tennie was raised on a farm. She lived most of her life in Jackson, Mississippi, with her late husband, Allen Wilson Ivy, a long-haul transport truck driver. Because his job took him away from home, Tennie was often left alone for long periods of time to raise the couples two children, Elaine and Allen Wayne Ivy.

Following the death of her husband in the late 1990s, she remained in Jackson for another 18 years before moving in 2015 to the East Montgomery County area, to live with daughter Elaine and Elaines husband, Dale.

Elaine said hearing of her mothers initial diagnosis was a jarring emotional experience for her.

Everything was going fine, she was feeling great, Elaine recalled. But then her mother found a knot on her breast. When I first saw it, I kind of had an idea of what it was.

Shes always been very strong, the rock of our family, she said. The thought of losing her that quickly was quite emotional. I just wasnt ready for that.

Following the diagnosis, Tennie faced an agonizing decision: to do nothing, which would inevitably lead to her death, or to undergo a difficult and potentially painful treatment regimen. We had a lot to talk about, because she had said that if she was diagnosed, we werent going to do anything, Elaine remembers. It was ultimately her decision. It was her life, but we of course wanted her to fight and be here with us longer.

Tennie recounted her thought process leading up to her life-affirming decision.

I was never going to take chemo. I had heard how terrible it was and how terrible radiation was, that it burns you, and all of that. Thats all I ever heard about it, she said.

In the end, she decided to accept the doctors recommendation for an aggressive course of treatment, using chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the large tumor to the point where it could be removed through surgery.

They gave me the option of what could happen if I didnt do anything, and that wasnt a very pleasant thought, she said. So, I said, OK.

Her first round of chemo took place on December 3, 2020. Ultimately, the brave patient underwent seven chemo treatments, 30 radiation treatments, one blood transfusion and a left mastectomy.

Everything went beautifully. I was never sick but one time, Tennie said. I was able to eat, and went on about my life. She praised the level of care she received from the doctors and nurses at Methodist Hospital, where she received her treatment. I cannot say more about all of them. No one ever gave me the impression that Shes old. Whats the use? and that was a lot of help.

She also credited her family for providing her with the support she needed to get through a very difficult time. My daughter was very good. She took care of all this, Tennie said. Dale, her son-in-law, helped keep her spirits up by teasing her about the relatively easy time she had undergoing the treatment process. He laughed and said that all I lost through all of this was my hair, she said.

Elaine said she was amazed at how hard her mother had fought to beat her disease. Whenever her doctors would suggest making changes to her course of treatment Tennie would think about it, and then agree to follow their recommendations. She went into it saying, Ill try.

Because the hospitals COVID protocols only permitted one family member at a time to visit a patient undergoing treatment, Elaine assumed that role, while Dale, who had retired as a systems analyst with the Federal Aviation Administration in 2019, provided moral and logistical support at home.

With the chemo, we had to have certain things. I would call and say were going to need this or that at home, Elaine said.

Dale would also accompany Tennie on walks as she tried to build up her strength while undergoing treatment. Prior to her cancer diagnosis, Tennie had walked a mile every day and she said she is determined to continue that exercise regimen post-treatment.

In February, Tennie underwent the surgery in which the doctors removed her left breast and three lymph nodes. I was a little uncomfortable right after that, but as far as severe pain, no. I had no severe pain at any time, she said. In fact, Tennie said the only pain medications she took were those they administered to her in the hospital. She took none at home.

Her last radiation treatment was in May, which gave her enough time to recover to be able to attend her grandsons wedding in July. The family decided to make a road trip out of the event.

With COVID we just didnt want her flying. She had already been through so much, so we just put her in the car to take her there, Elaine said. It took three days to get there and three days to get back, so it was not too bad.

The groom said he was very happy that his grandmother was well enough to be able to attend the wedding. It honestly meant the world to me, Andrew said.

Its hard to put into words, he said. It was the happiest day of my life, obviously because I was getting married, but even more so because I knew what she went through to be there.

Elaine said shes extremely grateful that Tennie decided to undergo treatment and was able to attend Andrews wedding, and hopefully many future family events.

We were just amazed, thankful and blessed that she did as well as she did and of course that shes still here with us, she said. Im just amazed at her strength and how hard she fought. Shes just a great example for me and our family and all our friends.
OnScene TV

A person was killed after their vehicle was hit by a wrong-way driver Saturday in northwest Houston.

They were driving south in a Toyota Matrix about 9:45 p.m. when someone driving the wrong way in Dodge Journey struck their vehicle head-on in the 14700 block of Texas Highway 249, according to the Harris County sheriff's office.
LaTonya Payne sat in the Texas Roadhouse booth Monday night, surrounded by family and friends, to commemorate what should have been her sons 14th birthday.

Payne, 49, scrolled her iPhone. A grandson played with crayons. The waiter set down black, paper-lined baskets filled with dinner rolls. Last they were here with him, Corinthian Giles ate six or maybe seven of them.

That memory made her smile, a memory apart from the cancer that hospitalized her son, the infection that required surgery, and the bone marrow transplant they thought could cure him but didnt.

Payne ordered a 10-ounce ribeye, well-done, with loaded mashed potatoes and green beans. One wouldnt know in this clanging, crowded restaurant what this family had been through.

The mother was a 20-mile drive from Fifth Ward, a historic neighborhood northeast of downtown Houston. She raised Giles there. Its also where researchers this year found a cancer cluster for childhood leukemia like her son had.

State health officials didnt link it to a cause, but the study came amid an increased focus on what is now a Union Pacific site, where workers over decades before Giles was born treated wood ties with a preservative called creosote.

The practice stopped in the 1980s, but creosote seeped into the ground and groundwater. Its considered a probable human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A spokesperson for Union Pacific did not respond Monday to a request for comment on the cancer cluster and Giles story. In a previous statement, the company said it sympathized with residents who had health issues.

Giles, technically, was Paynes nephew, but shed cared for him since he was two weeks old. Two of her other kids were here eating with her. So was Giles biological brother, Paynes dad, two of her grandkids and two friends.

They seemed a happy, comfortable, teasing bunch. Except that talking about what shed been through could bring Payne to tears. And her dad and son-in-law wore t-shirts with his face: Giles on an ATV, at Sea World, at home.

The house was quieter now, without his loud video games and rapping in the shower. Hed acted like an old man when he was little, earning the nickname Mister. He was an out-of-the-box thinker, feisty but compassionate, known to wander around in his underwear.

Rest easy, Paynes friend, Valencia Burton, said as they blessed the food. Rest easy.

The disease attacked Giles in 2016, when severe pain woke him in the middle of the night. Eventually the doctors diagnosed him. Payne later that year was diagnosed with breast cancer and began to question the safety of where they lived.

All thought Giles had beaten his cancer until last October, when it came back. Payne slept at the hospital between shifts at work in the Texas Medical Center. She saw him through the chemotherapy, the lumbar punctures, the bone marrow aspirations.

Now she ate and packed up her leftovers, talking about her new job, COVID policies and Giles love for Voodoo donuts. Her daughter, Uniqua Parker, 29, saw Payne pulling together for her family amid the hurt. They all missed his phone calls. They wished they were celebrating with him.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Fifth Ward rail yard meeting dominated by frustration, confusion

The weight of the loss is still there, sometimes numbing, sometimes hitting all at once. He died last month at age 13. But he didnt want pity, his sister said. And Payne was pushing through so people would know his story.

TCEQ updated residents during a problem-ridden virtual meeting in June on the companys latest plans for cleaning up the rail yard. Theyve spent more than six years working out the details, and many find they still fall short.

The state tentatively found the plan meets requirements but is extending the public comment period so another meeting with residents can be held.

Around 9:30 p.m., Payne and her family readied to go, with the bill paid and the waiter thanked. Payne turned to her family, mask on, to-go box in hand.

Yall ready to roll? she asked.

They slid out of their seats, and there Payne was, helping her grandson get his mask on, telling Giles brother to give back a purse. OK honey, she said to her granddaughter, holding her hand and leading her out the door to go home.

emily.foxhall@chron.com

emily.foxhall@chron.com | Twitter: @emfoxhall
Dianna Cormier-Jackson has lived in Fifth Ward all 67 years of her life. And in the low-income neighborhood, northeast of downtown, she says she put up with certain things, such as greasy, gasoline-like smells.

They were treating wood with creosote at the rail yard near Cormier-Jacksons home, then owned by Southern Pacific. That stopped in the 1980s, but contamination remains.

Cormier-Jackson, a retired administrative assistant, is among those who arent putting up with that sort of environmental injustice anymore.

Two days after a fraught Monday night meeting about Union Pacifics plans to clean up the site it now owns, Cormier-Jackson explained how residents fought back. Many lacked computers to watch the virtual meeting; they streamed it in a community center and church.

Fifth Ward didnt have a homeowners association, Cormier-Jackson said, but Sandra Edwards was among those who had been organizing. They knew a richer, whiter neighborhood wouldnt tolerate what they faced.

If this had been over in River Oaks, or been over in Bellaire, Cormier-Jackson said, somebody would have done something way before now.

So they noticed that state and company officials on Monday didnt meet them in person, that they didnt apologize, that the technology for the meeting was a mess. Edwards said she knew why theyd worked at this for so long: The people who lived here were poor, Black and brown.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Fifth Ward rail yard meeting dominated by frustration, confusion

At some point, you say, This is not right, said Edwards, 55. We have good sense out here. Theres a lot of educated people out here and they are fighting back.

Cormier-Jacksons mother died with cancer in her lungs, liver and kidneys. She cared for older women in River Oaks and Bellaire to help send her kids to college. Otherwise, she was home.

Only then did Cormier-Jackson begin to realize the dangers of where they lived. The Environmental Protection Agency considers creosote a probable human carcinogen. State health officials identified higher rates of adult and childhood cancers in the area. (They didnt give a cause.)

The city sampled drinking water, surface water and air quality and found nothing of concern. When they tested storm sewers, they found benzene and napthalene, both hazardous to human health. The county too has hired a consultant to do testing.

Whether harmful vapor might be coming up from underground remains a contentious point: The city found some contaminants in testing late last year, but said the levels were so low they do not indicate inhalation risk.

State environmental officials and Union Pacific spent 6  years working out a plan to remediate the rail yard, but residents dont feel satisfied. The company plans to block contaminated water under the site with a wall that may go as deep as 75 feet. They plan to pull what else they can from the neighborhood with new wells. (The soil has already been remediated.)

The company in a statement said it sympathized with residents with health concerns and medical issues. They said theyve met with the community previously as theyve been working on this and asked for the recent meeting to be held in person. Still, they maintain that residents arent at risk of harm from the groundwater because they dont drink it.

But questions remained for Rodrigo Cantu, too, an environmental justice attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid who has advocated for residents through the technical and complex process. Would building the wall worsen the contaminations spread? Would there be enough wells, built deep enough?

Other neighborhoods with more resources or more power would have been able to stand up to an actor like Union Pacfic a long time ago, Cantu said.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Qualitys executive director has preliminarily found the plan meets statutory and regulatory requirements. The agency is accepting public input until Aug. 30 and then will respond to those comments.

This could lead to a new decision.

There may also be a hearing before an administrative law judge, who would make a separate recommendation to the commission.

Among those who will be watching is Shaunlee Babineaux, whos done plenty of research of her own into creosote, while also building her catering business. She worries some in the surrounding neighborhoods were were afraid to speak out; she argues the area has been the victim of classism.

Classism, she said. These things are not happening in areas where people have an income of at least 75,000 or more.

She felt people were failing on a basic level to think about what was right for a fellow human.

emily.foxhall@chron.com
Vaccines, booster shots, antibody therapies and even a new COVID-19 pill are helping Houston communities gradually beat back the delta surge, which caused infections to soar in August followed by a September peak in hospitalizations.

But CDC director Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday she thinks that our ability as a society to take collective action, including reaching higher vaccination rates, will be the key to ending the pandemic, CNN reported.

COVID HELP DESK: What do I need to know about Merck's new COVID pill?

"We have a lot of the science right now. We have vaccines, and what we can't really predict is human behavior," Walensky told CNN. "Human behavior in this pandemic hasn't served us very well."

Pockets of unvaccinated people, in particular, are at higher risk for future waves, Walensky said.

"We are battling with one another and not battling with the common foe, which is the virus itself," she said.

When it comes to "human behavior" and collective action, how are Houston and Texas faring?

CDC figures show 65.9 percent of Americans age 12 and older are vaccinated, a rate that dips to 62.5 percent of Texans, according to state data. In Harris County, which has remained at its maximum COVID-19 threat level since the delta surge began in August, 65.8 percent of the eligible population is vaccinated.

School districts, hospitals and other large employers have made large-scale attempts at mandating collective action through face mask and vaccine requirements. The policies have drawn both community praise and strident opposition from employees, activists and state officials.

Houston Methodist faced protests, lawsuits and national media coverage when it became the first hospital system nationwide to roll out an employee vaccine mandate in June. Methodist ultimately fired or accepted the resignation of 153 employees, a policy that elicited mixed reactions from Houstonians.

But as other health care institutions implemented similar vaccine mandates in August and September, they haven't seen the same level of controversy from employees or communities.

Baylor College of Medicine required its 9,000 employees to be vaccinated by Sept. 15 or face a series of warnings before termination. One employee resigned and five will be fired this week, Baylor confirmed.

RELATED: Vaccine mandate drama fades among Houston-area providers as deadlines pass

The goal, said Baylor's executive vice president Dr. James McDeavitt, was to take a more moderate approach than "mass termination." Managers met with employees to learn about why they were hesitant and to address misinformation, McDeavitt said.

In what amounted to a testament of faith in human behavior, Baylor allowed employees to list the type and date of their vaccination rather than immediately showing proof of vaccination, though McDeavitt said their answers are subject to audit.

"I think we had enough trust in our employees that we didnt expect there to be wide-scale fraud or people lying in any large group," he said.

School districts have become another arena of contention over mandates, this time for face coverings. Gov. Greg Abbott, a proponent of "personal responsibility" who said the time for such mandates is over, signed an executive order in May prohibiting local entities from requiring people to wear masks.

But as schools prepared for a return to in-person classes amid the delta surge, administrators and local health officials said they feared a potential surge in cases from thousands of children, many of them unvaccinated, mingling in classrooms. Texas hospitals hit pandemic highs for pediatric hospitalizations in mid-September, weeks after most schools reopened.

Several of the state's largest cities and school districts, including Houston ISD, defied Abbott's order in early August and announced students and staff would need face coverings.

INVESTIGATION: Are mask mandates actually helping Houston school districts slow the spread of COVID-19?

The resultant Texas-sized showdown over mask mandates has escalated into lawsuits by Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton against 15 school districts accused of violating the order, along with lawsuits challenging the governor's ban from Harris County, school districts, and student groups.

"There will be more to come as lawlessness continues across the state," Paxtons office declared in a September tweet announcing the latest batch of lawsuits against school districts.

Still, the statewide furor over requiring public health measures hasn't reached what may be the most masked places in Houston: Metro buses and trains. Under federal law, airlines and public transit agencies must require drivers and passengers to wear face coverings.

Across the city, metro bus drivers simply deny boarding to would-be passengers without masks  a policy that has gone "smoothly," agreed administrators and a union representative.

Julian Gill contributed to this report.

charlie.zong@chron.com
In 1986 my world was turned upside down and changed forever. My beautiful 26-year-old daughter Cathy was brutally raped and murdered by two 15-year-old boys. I was devastated to my core, as any mother would be, so some people may find it strange to learn that in the 34 years since this tragic loss, I have spent a lot of my time advocating for second chances for young people who commit crimes.

As the years passed following Cathys death my husband, John, and I struggled to make sense of it all. We went through many phases of grief, but eventually came to the realization that the boys who killed my daughter were just that  boys. Boys with difficult childhoods, boys whose brains were not yet fully developed, and boys with a capacity for positive change that is completely unique to children.

After I made that mental shift, I became very active in national efforts to end extreme sentences for children, and in particular, to end the practice of sentencing juveniles to life without the possibility of parole. I was part of the effort led by Gov. Rick Perry in 2012 that made Texas the first state to ban the practice of sentencing children to die in prison after a key decision (Miller v. Alabama) from the U.S. Supreme Court on the issue. After that, many other states began to follow suit and I offered my perspective and voice to the advocates who were spearheading the movement for reform.

A particularly memorable moment for me in this work occurred in Arkansas, where I met with a state representative, Rebecca Petty, who had also lost a child to violent crime  we talked about forgiveness, redemption and the vulnerability of children. We hugged, and we cried together, and through our conversation she went from an opponent of our bill to an enthusiastic sponsor, and ultimately played a key role in abolishing juvenile life without the possibility of parole in her state. Arkansas is one of many places where such reforms have taken hold  today, 25 states and D.C. have abolished the practice and the number continues to grow.

My personal experience has shown me that not only is reform important to my healing, to my faith, and to bringing restoration and healing to our country, but it is truly what is just and morally right. Kids who commit serious crimes can change  Ive now borne witness to it many times over. After being incarcerated for 23 years, one of the two teens responsible for my daughters death has become a law-abiding, productive citizen. He was released from prison in 2009, though his original sentence would have kept him there until he turned 70. And through my advocacy work, I have spent time and become friends with dozens of men and women who were incarcerated as children and are now leaders in their communities  they are some of the most remarkable people I know.

Today, I have my eye on Washington, where a Republican congressman from Arkansas named Bruce Westerman  whose seat was formerly held by Tom Cotton  is sponsoring legislation in the House to abolish life without parole for children. In the U.S. Senate, the First Step Implementation Act contains a provision that would do the same thing. This legislation is crucial to ensuring just treatment for the most vulnerable among us, and Texas senators should mirror the actions already taken by our state Legislature by helping First Step pass without exception.

We have seen that the treatment of children in the criminal legal system is no longer a partisan issue  politicians from both sides of the aisle have made that clear both at the state and federal levels. Indeed, after Perry led the effort here in Texas to end life without parole for children, our own Sen. John Cornyn partnered with Sen. Whitehouse, D-R.I., to sponsor similar legislation in 2018 known as the Corrections Act, which would have brought federal law in line with Texas by ensuring every child, regardless of the crime theyve committed, has the opportunity for sentencing review later in life. I hope that both he and Sen. Ted Cruz will carry Texas commitment to justice for children forward by supporting the First Step Implementation Act this fall.

As someone who has experienced unimaginable suffering at the hands of a child, but found forgiveness and healing within her heart, I implore my fellow Texans to extend the same mercy and grace by helping to abolish life without parole for children at the federal level once and for all.

White is a resident of Magnolia and an advocate for youth sentencing reform.
As both a migrant and an ethnic Mexican, Maria Jimenez faced terrifying language barriers at Franklin Elementary School in Houston in 1957. When I interviewed her for the Civil Rights in Black and Brown Oral History Project, she said she was told not to speak Spanish or (she) would be expelled, and consequently, she lived in the fear of being expelled. She could not even ask wheres the restroom or say, I need some water, since those were all offenses for expulsion back then.

The discrimination that Jimenez endured in her youth sparked a life of gender and race activism that is particularly relevant today as Texans grapple with a state government determined to undermine womens rights, restrict teachers in their discussions of race, and carve out districts that suppress the power of brown and Black voters.

In Houston, Jimenez played a lead role throughout the 1960s and 70s, as brown and Black students united to leverage their collective strength in transforming the ivory tower. This unity was critical in a segregated city where students of color were marginalized.

Houston Tejanas/os were largely segregated in the ethnic enclaves of the Segundo Barrio (Second Ward), Magnolia Park, Denver Harbor and the near Northside, where families lived below the poverty line, police brutality was rampant and speaking Spanish in schools was forbidden. This oppressive environment, found in barrios across the state, left lasting impressions on future Tejana/o activists, particularly regarding language.

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A member of UH MAYO, University of Houstons Mexican American Youth Organization, Daniel Bustamante recalled being placed in a Mexican elementary school in Mathis, northeast of Corpus Christi. On the first day, in a classroom of students who did not know English, the teacher wielded a stick and commenced hitting all kids who were speaking Spanish and telling them not to speak Spanish.

In the 1950s, when Bustamante was attending elementary school, Tejanas/os regularly encountered signs that read No dogs, no Negros, and no Mexicans and We serve whites only, no Spanish or Mexicans, reminding them of their marginalized place in society.

Instead of integrationist approaches, Tejanas/os opted for the militant rhetoric and direct-action tactics of the Black Power movement. Informed by the tactics and principles of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and the Black Panther Party, Jose Angel Gutierrez, Willie Velasquez, Ignacio Perez, Juan Patlan and Mario Compean formed MAYO in San Antonio in 1967.

Dismissing the value of whiteness, members of MAYO embraced their Indigenous heritage and rich Mexican history, asserting a bold, uncompromising identity.

While the founders of MAYO were men, Tejanos were not the only ones dedicated to racial liberation. Childhood experiences with entrenched racism and segregation in the Juan Crow South fueled Tejana participation in educational self-determination.

Maria Jimenez not only faced prejudice at school, but she also could only play at the designated Mexican park in her neighborhood and was forbidden from going to Mason Park, which was only a mile and a half away, because Houston parks were segregated.

Beyond language discrimination and physical confinement, Houston Tejanas experienced racial paternalism. Louise Villejo recalled that as she was growing up, she was always the little Mexican girl, and this Anglo perception of ethnic Mexicans translated into low expectations.

In school, Villejo was told that she would be a great beautician and was put in a certain level of classes, which were too easy for her. Although she was transferred to higher-level classes once she complained to the principal, Villejo understood that as a Tejana, there were no expectations, no support on how to go college or what that would entail.

Racial oppression and exclusion defined Tejanas lives in the 1950s and 1960s and set them on a path toward forging a culturally relevant education. For Tejanas, MAYO was the principal Chicana/o movement organization for channeling their social justice work and developing their racial and gender consciousness. While mujeres (women) were initially relegated to secretarial and housekeeping duties rather than leadership positions in MAYO chapters throughout the state, Tejanas soon asserted their voice in the decision-making process. Jimenezs keen awareness and organizational prowess placed her in a respected leadership role in Houston.

In 1971, Jimenez became the first female and Tejana/o Student Government Association president at UH. She received broad support from African Americans, Anglo radicals, women and international students. Seeking to meet the needs of working-class students, Jimenez fought for the establishment of night information centers and for student control of service fees. Moreover, she used her position to allocate university funds for community programs in Houston barrios and ghettos.

Jimenez recalled that UH MAYO and other organizations, including African American student organizations, realized early on that the value of being a part of a student association was the resources for the projects (they) had, and that they learned how to maneuver resources.

Through student government, money was allocated for a food co-op in the Northside, a joint (project) between UH MAYO and Barrio MAYO that served about 200 family members; in addition, resources went towards a tutoring program in Third Ward, a historically African American neighborhood.

Arturo Eureste recalled that male activists wouldnt disrespect Maria, and that if they ever did, the women would eat (them) up alive, since UH MAYO had many strong, educated Tejanas, including Louise Villejo and Ines Hernandez Tovar. As Tejanas advocated for ethnic studies, on the grounds that it was central to the fight for racial justice, they simultaneously called for gender liberation.

In addressing Tejana student issues, Jimenez advocated for day care, free contraceptives and a female gynecologist at the student health center. She believed that the small number of Chicanas in colleges (was) detrimental to La Causa, since the advancement and development of future generations was in the hands of Chicanas.

Jimenez confidently fought for gender equality in higher education because she understood that the history of the Mexican people included the fight for womens equality.

After decades of gender and race activism, from the 1960s to the 2020s, Jimenez lost her battle to cancer and passed Dec. 1, 2020. Her contributions persist, as she mentored the next generations, including Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, and County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Jimenez's life work offers a critical blueprint for countering oppressive structures.

Rodriguez is a history professor at Houston Community College. This piece is an excerpt from her chapter, Self-Determined Educational Spaces: Forging Race and Gender Power in Houston, in the new book Civil Rights in Black and Brown published by University of Texas Press.
Allen West, Texas' former GOP chairman who is running for governor, said Sunday that he is more committed to fighting vaccine mandates after receiving monoclonal antibody injections in his fight with COVID-19 and pneumonia. West is not vaccinated against the disease.

West said Sunday in a series of tweets that his oxygen saturation levels had recovered to normal levels after receiving the treatment at a Dallas-area hospital.

"I can attest that, after this experience, I am even more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandates. Instead of enriching the pockets of Big Pharma and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, we should be advocating the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy," West tweeted.

While experts agree that vaccines are the safest and most effective weapon against COVID-19, monoclonal antibody treatment is thought to help lessen the severity of the virus if taken soon after the initial infection.

Each treatment can cost Medicare hundreds or thousands of dollars to administer, while COVID-19 vaccines are free to the public and cost about $40 in taxpayer money.

West's campaign had previously tweeted that his wife, Angela West, had tested positive on Friday for COVID. Angela West, who has been vaccinated against the virus and also received the influenza vaccine, has been released from the hospital, Allen West said Sunday.

Allen West remains at the hospital while he awaits the results of a chest x-ray, he tweeted Sunday.

"Instead of jabbing Americans, and not illegal immigrants, with a dangerous shot which injects them with these spike proteins . . . guess what? I now have natural immunity and double the antibodies, and that's science," West tweeted.

West, who announced in July that he would challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, formerly led the state's Republican Party. Prior to that he served as a Florida congressman.

The tweets from his campaign said West was "already" taking hydroxychloroquine  an anti-malaria medication  and Ivermectin, two drugs popular with those opposed to getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Experts say both are ineffective to treat the virus.

Hydroxychloroquine made headlines last year when Trump touted it as a powerful tool to fight the pandemic. Studies later found the anti-malarial does little, while federal officials warned it can be dangerous.

Ivermectin, meanwhile, is another anti-parasite medication used to treat both humans and livestock.

The drug's popularity caused anti-vaxxers to buy up vast quantities of the drug from livestock supply outlets even as health experts again warned against using it to treat COVID because it doesn't do anything.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that both drugs are potentially dangerous for people who use them after contracting COVID-19.

West was elected to Congress in Florida in 2010. He gained headlines for his bombastic style and at one point accused Democrats of having as many as 80 communists in their House caucus. Despite becoming a Tea Party favorite, he was not re-elected. He subsequently moved to North Texas, and ran and was elected head of the state GOP party in 2020.

West then turned his sights on Republicans and began criticizing Republicans as much as Democrats, calling Texas House Speaker Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, a traitor for working with Democrats.

He resigned in June and announced he would run against Abbott, who former Pres. Donald Trump has endorsed.

West's tweets announcing his infection on Saturday came about a day-and-a-half after he appeared at a gala and fundraiser held by Mission Generation, an evangelical organization.

"It is a packed house here at the Mission Generation Annual Gala & Fundraiser!," his staff tweeted, along with photos of a crowded hall jammed full with tables full of seated spectators.

None appeared to be wearing masks.
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John McAfee found dead

John McAfee, the founder of antivirus software provider McAfee, has died at the age of 75 while awaiting extradition to the US.

The controversial British-American businessman was found dead in a Barcelona prison cell on Wednesday. Just a few hours before, Spanish prosecutors approved a request to extradite him to the US to face charges of tax evasion.

Spanish officials said paramedics attempted to revive McAfee, but their attempts were futile. They said "everything indicates" that McAfee killed himself.

His lawyer, Javier Villalba, has since confirmed that the tech entrepreneur committed suicide by hanging. He had spent nine months in a Spanish prison and maintained his innocence throughout.
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Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
1. SRK And Family Being Used As Smokescreen: Vishal Dadlani And Shekhar Suman Extend Support

Twitter

The Dard-E-Disco music-composer took to Twitter to write, "SRK and his family are being used as a smokescreen, a soft target to distract from the 3000kg Talibani-drug haul at the Adani port, and to distract from the murder of farmers by the son of a BJP member/MLA".



2. Kangana Ranaut Takes A Dig At Shah Rukh Khan, Says Jackie Chan Had Apologised After His Son's Arrest

Twitter

For the unversed, Jackie Chan was arrested after tested positive for marijuana and was caught with 100g of the drug after a raid at his home by the Police. He was in jail for six months in China.



3. Neena Gupta Has Never Seen A Happy Marriage, Says 'It Is Always Full Of Compromises'

Instagram/Neena Gupta

"I havent seen a happy marriage around me so I don't know. Its always full of compromises. I dont have an answer to this question myself. Each individual has to make their own choice according to what theyre looking for in life," she said.

4. To Have A 'Successful Career', TV Actress Rakshanda Khan was Advised To Undergo Nose Surgery

Indiatimes

In an industry that is obsessed with stereotypical beauty, Rakshanda Khan was told by a photographer, "Ek kaam karo nose ki surgery karva lo bada achha career Hoga".



5. Babil Khan Was Originally Supposed To Play The Younger Version Of Irrfan Khan In 'Sardar Udham'

Instagram

Sircar's first choice for the role was Irrfan Khan, who walked away from the role owing to his ill health. Not many people know Khan's son Babil would have also made his acting debut with this film as he was supposed to play the younger version of Sardar Udham Singh.


Microsoft's new claims about hacking have put Russia in the spotlight. The American tech giant claims to have assessed state-backed hacking activity over the last year.

Based on this, Microsoft found that Russia had the most rigorous state-sponsored hacking programmes, with a majority share of 58 per cent.

Reuters

Hacker capabilities are improving

The tech giant added that most targets of Russia include government agencies of the United States, followed closely by Ukraine, the United Kingdom and European NATO members, Associated Press reported.

For instance, the SolarWinds hack which remained undetected for long time led to data breach for Microsoft and also improved the capabilities of Russia-backed hackers to 32 per cent by June 30. Last years, this success rate stood at 21 per cent.

Also read: Teenage Hacker Who Found IRCTC's Security Hole Explains How He Did It

Opposed to common belief, China's state-backed hacking attempts accounted for less than a per cent of hacks detected by Microsoft. Even then, China had a higher success rate with 44 per cent.

Reuters

The findings were reported in Microsoft's annual Digital Defense Report, which assessed hacking attempts made between July 2020 and June 2021. The report added that the United States remains the most targeted country in terms of ransomware attacks.

At the same time, the report made no references to the state-backed hacking undertaken by the United States and was developed in collaboration with US government agencies.

Also read: Hacker Behind Largest Cryptocurrency Theft In History Returns Over $200 Million



Cristin Goodwin, the chief of Microsoft's Digital Security Unit told AP that state-backed hacking has seen a 10-20 per cent jump in success rate. In its previous findings, Microsoft reported that hacking attempts by Russia had jumped by 52 per cent between 2019-20.

Reuters

According to the report, such state-sponsored hacking programmes are undertaken by many countries to gather intelligence data and to gather edge over their adversaries. North Korea clocked in a high failure rate at a whopping 94 per cent in the last year.

Even then, the report also acknowledges what the tech company was able to detect. The truth about state-backed hacking may be far more sinister.

Do you think countries should continue to pursue digital espionage missions in the form of hacking? Let us know in the comments below. For more compelling content in the world of science and technology, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

Citation

Microsoft. (2021). Microsoft Digital Defense Report and Security Intelligence Reports.
A 20-year-old girl named Aditi Maheshwari from Chittorgarh, Rajasthan recently became the British High Commissioner to India for a day.

Maheshwari, who is pursuing her Bachelor's in Physical Science from Delhi University's Miranda House College was the winner of the 'High Commissioner for the Day' contest that is organised annually since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, British High Commission said in a press release.



ANI

Ms Maheshwari, who aspires to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), is the fifth winner of the India edition of the competition.

As the UK's top diplomat in India, Ms Maheshwari experienced a broad variety of diplomatic activities on Friday. She observed the India-UK Energy for Growth Dialogue alongside Ministers Raj Kumar Singh and Kwasi Kwarteng, the release said.



"She met with beneficiaries of a leadership programme for aspiring female politicians funded by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund, climate experts from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), who signed the UK in India Pledge for Progress, to show their leadership in gender equality and young leaders from the not-for-profit Global Youth," the British High Commission informed.

 And the winner is...Aditi Maheshwari from Chittorgarh, Rajasthan!



Congratulations on winning the British High Commissioner for a Day Challenge.



We would like to thank all the young women who participated in this competition. #DayOfTheGirl #COP26 pic.twitter.com/IQ4BEIKbFA  UK in India (@UKinIndia) September 29, 2021

Talking about her experience, Ms Maheshwari said, "I had applied for the competition last year as well and I'm really pleased that I got the opportunity. The interaction with senior diplomats and with women from 'She Leads' leadership programme were the two personal highlights of the day for me."

"I also enjoyed being driven around in an electric vehicle by the High Commissioner. The amount of work that both the UK and India are doing to tackle issues like climate change and gender inequality made me really hopeful as a young woman. I will cherish this day for a long time to come," she added.



The UK and India are working together to help ensure women and girls can reach their full potential.

As per the release, the applicants for this year's competition were invited to submit a one-minute video answering the question: 'How can young people best support tackle the global challenge of climate change?'



Would you like to work with me for a day?



Participate in the #DayoftheGirl competition.



Share your video by 22 September addressing 'How can young people best support tackling the global challenge of #climatechange?'

More details  https://t.co/sfTi5PzFkq pic.twitter.com/NPUbjJNUIc  Alex Ellis (@AlexWEllis) September 17, 2021

In India, the British High Commission is working with state governments, law enforcement agencies, education authorities and British businesses to promote gender equality.
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.
The HSE is being sued by a non-verbal man with disabilities who sustained a shattered hip in mysterious circumstances.

In papers lodged with the High Court his sister alleges the HSE and other parties allowed the injury to go undiagnosed, undetected and untreated for an unknown period.

Bruising on his right thigh was spotted by nursing staff a few days after he was admitted to Tallaght Hospital in Dublin on an unrelated matter on October 27, 2018.

According to a confidential HSE investigation report into the case of Patient X, who is severely intellectually disabled and has a history of falls, the bruising was noted two or three days prior to discharge.

He was discharged a few days later on November 2, but staff at the residential care home where he lives  and where he was discharged to  spotted significant bruising and had him admitted back to Tallaght Hospital on November 3.

Hip fracture discovered on examination

On examination, it was discovered the man, who has a very high pain threshold, had sustained a hip fracture  one most people would have found excruciatingly painful.

The doctor on call who examined him had him transferred to the emergency department in the early hours of November 4 where he underwent an X-ray and the fracture was confirmed.

He was finally operated on, on November 5, at least five days after he broke his hip, and he remained in hospital for another three weeks.

The hospital has since apologised for any pain and distress caused to him as a result of the fracture.

The Serious Incident Management Team that reviewed Patient Xs case said: There was a failure to follow up on the initial bruising, which was noted, resulting in the delay in diagnosing this fracture.

The review team was unable to find any definitive evidence that X sustained a fracture during his hospital stay. At interview staff confirmed X did not leave his bed at any point."

Documentation shows numerous entries, noting bruising to Xs right leg but there is no evidence that this was acted on.

According to the papers lodged with the High Court, issued on his behalf by his sister, he had a significantly displaced comminuted distal right femoral fracture which required operative treatment.

He has since been left wheelchair-bound and can no longer walk due to the severity of the injury he sustained.

The action is being taken against the HSE, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, and Cheeverstown Town House, in Templeogue, Co Dublin.

Suing through his sister and her lawyer Caoimhe Haughey, he alleges all three parties were negligent and breached their duty of care to him.

He also alleges they caused, permitted, or allowed him to fracture his hip in their care either before he was admitted to hospital on October 27 and allowed this fracture to remain undetected and untreated or they caused, permitted, or allowed it to happen when he returned from hospital on November 2.

The HSE and Tallaght Hospital are alleged to have also both exposed him to the risk of personal injury, and failed to adequately assess him while in their care.

The man is suing for damages, and costs.

The HSE, Cheeverstown House (Templeogue) and Tallaght Hospital did not issue any comment on being asked for one by the Irish Examiner.
Foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney has questioned whether UK ministers are actually in favour of an agreement in negotiations with the European Union around the Northern Ireland protocol.

In a tweet this morning, Mr Coveney said Westminister created a new "red line" barrier to progress that it knows the European Union cannot move on.

"EU working seriously to resolve practical issues with implementation of Protocol - so UKG creates a new 'red line' barrier to progress, that they know EU cant move on. are we surprised?

"Real Q: Does UKG actually want an agreed way forward or a further breakdown in relations?"

EU working seriously to resolve practical issues with implementation of Protocol - so UKG creates a new red line barrier to progress, that they know EU cant move on. are we surprised?

Real Q: Does UKG actually want an agreed way forward or a further breakdown in relations? https://t.co/4MhgEdlxAf  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) October 9, 2021

The protocol was negotiated to avoid a hard border with Ireland, by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the EUs single market for goods.

In response, the UK's Brexit Minister David Frost said he preferred "not to do negotiations by twitter."

"The issue of governance & the CJEU is not new. We set out our concerns three months ago in our 21 July Command Paper," he said

"The problem is that too few people seem to have listened.

"We await proposals from @MarosSefcovic . We will look at them seriously & positively whatever they say. We will discuss them seriously and intensively.

"But there needs to be significant change to the current situation if there is to be a positive outcome."

2. We await proposals from @MarosSefcovic. We will look at them seriously & positively whatever they say. We will discuss them seriously and intensively.



But there needs to be significant change to the current situation if there is to be a positive outcome.  David Frost (@DavidGHFrost) October 9, 2021

Indeed, Mr Frost is expected to use a speech in Portugal on Tuesday to call for significant changes to the post-Brexit agreement he negotiated, including over the role of the European Court of Justice.

His warning will come a day before the EU is expected to produce plans to resolve issues with the protocol, which has led to economic barriers between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Brexit Minister David Frost. Peter Byrne/PA

Mr Frost will use the speech in Lisbon to warn that compromises must go far further than this to address issues such as the role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland.

The EU now needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol head on, he is expected to tell the diplomatic community.

The commission have been too quick to dismiss governance as a side issue. The reality is the opposite," he will say.

The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and the consequent inability of the UK Government to implement the very sensitive arrangements in the protocol in a reasonable way has created a deep imbalance in the way the protocol operates.

Without new arrangements in this area, the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive.
BACKSTAGE at New Yorks iconic comedy club, Comedy Cellar, masked and standing in front of a poster that says Cover Your Cough!, comics Sam Morril and Ray Romano discuss being back performing.

Well, it seems like people are dying for it, says Romano. Theres a pause, and then both men burst out laughing. Wait, thats a bad choice of words  a real bad choice.

That moment appears in Morrils documentary 'Full Capacity' about the reopening of the citys clubs.

The strangeness of this time, and the humour we use to meet it, is being felt around the world as comics and audiences emerge into a world that has changed massively, and is still in churn.

Since 2018, Ive hosted a show in Brooklyn called Butterboy, with friends Aparna Nancherla and Jo Firestone. Each week, five stand-ups do short sets and another friend, Donwill, is the DJ. In March 2020, as the virus appeared in upstate New York, our producer Marianne Ways called a halt to it. Now, we are back.

So, after 14 years of doing comedy and 18 months of doing whatever the opposite of comedy is, I went back on stage  back to standing under lights and sharing my amplified thoughts with a group of strangers.

In the past, Ive felt more comfortable on stage than off; now I was unsure of what to say and how to act.

In the US alone, 700,000 people have died from a terrible plague. The rest of us have been separated from one another physically, psychologically, and politically. Our lives have changed utterly. Can we step into this new and evolving space with  jokes?

My pre-pandemic material was irrelevant, and I was all over the place. I tried out some new stuff and lost faith in it even as I was saying it. The audience were sweet, but I felt like apologising to them. Repeatedly saying sorry on stage is generally not a good sign. I felt extremely weird.

Then I watched Luke Mones, a wonderfully silly and talented comic, articulating just how I was feeling.

Were all just pretending like we havent lost our minds; were just walking around like everything is normal, like I just ate brunch in a plastic bubble in the bike lane, everything is fine," he said.

"Oh yeah, the rest of the world is on fire and I experienced true loneliness the last 18 months.

"My true circle of friends is much smaller than I thought it was, but I just had an omelette in the middle of the street!

Door to door atheist pic.twitter.com/zHvnxqH1Si  Luke Mones (@LukeMones) September 26, 2021

This is one of comedys gifts; naming what is happening around you, giving you something to relate to and recognise, no matter how unfamiliar the landscape is.

Stand-up comedy is immediate in the way few other crafts manage to be. Unlike theatre or film, when we have an idea for what we call (in an appropriately diminutive fashion) a bit, we can write it and deliver it the very same day, often working it out in real time.

Naturally, that can be an appalling thing to sit through, and it is a very shaggy process, but it can also reflect reality with great specificity and make the audience feel less alone.

I spoke to Dublin-based stand-up Gearoid Farrelly, who spent the pandemic doing some virtual shows, but mainly in thrall to every whim of his rather plain-looking but charismatic cat Boots.

Gearoid Farrelly and his cat Boots

In the cautious months earlier this year, Farrelly began to perform at outdoor, strictly monitored shows. His first show back was in July at the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre in Naul, Dublin, where audience members were in pods and escorted to toilets, and everything was executed with military precision, which was a brilliant way to come back because safety was prioritised.

Farrelly went on to the UK to do support for Sarah Millican, one of the biggest stars in Britain. Covid restrictions in the UK are looser, and were practically gone during the small and beautiful window before the Delta variant lunged into view. Farrelly described those shows as unlike any hed ever been a part of, particularly when the customary smattering of applause in the seconds between the lights going down and the performer appearing on stage quickly built to a roaring welcome.

"They would erupt and it would drag on," he said.

It was a big cathartic moment, where the crowd realised we had all been through something. It was incredibly emotional to feel a show youre part of is the line drawn under something like that.

Sadly, the line has been erased and redrawn many times since then, and we understand that Covid will be with us for a long time.

Comics and comedy clubs are determined to keep going, and nobody wants to go back to the days of virtual or outdoor shows. I never could face the shows that popped up in parks and peoples backyards in the past 18 months. For a comedy show to work, the atmosphere must be tightly controlled. I was put off by the multiple and unpredictable challenges of weather, acoustics, and the rambling general public.

Rosebud Baker is a wonderfully dark and hilarious comic living in New York. In Sam Morrills documentary, she relives one outdoor performance that made her question her compulsion to do comedy in such circumstances.

I was in Central Park in the daylight and I was telling a joke about abortion. And no one laughed except for a child in the distance. I heard a childs laughter and I thought: I am mentally ill."

Perhaps this urge to make strangers laugh at all costs is indeed mental illness, in some form. The impulse to do comedy has always struck me as something quite desperate. Of course, desperation is not without its charms. When you play it right, it can lead to a fun time with strangers.

I mean, when is the last time you had a fun time with strangers? To me, even the possibility seems like a miracle.

I asked comedian Josie Long about being one of the relatively few performers who did shows at the usually packed Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She is pregnant and told me she found herself constantly weighing up the risks to both herself and the audience, even when everyone was vaccinated and taking appropriate Covid precautions. Ultimately, she felt it was worth it.

Once I was on stage, it felt amazing, glorious and as if nothing had changed. It felt like a precious, free, and playful space again, she said.

That first night back, watching from backstage, my eyes were drawn again and again to the rows of people sitting in the audience. They were masked up, chuckling, and laughing, and clapping, and I felt a curious surge of love for them.

They could stay at home and literally lie in bed as they watch any number of perfect comedy shows on TV or online. Instead, they come out on a weekday night with a severe weather warning in place.

They line up and show a security person their vaccination certificate and their ID. They hand over money and take a seat. Then they spend 90 minutes with us, willing us on as we stumble our way back to funny.
The principles of openness, transparency, and accountability should be at the core of government and public administration. The embodiment of these principles in the day to day operation of public institutions is necessary to support trust in those bodies which is a cornerstone of a well-functioning democracy.

I have within my remit, as minister for public expenditure and reform, a suite of important legislation which supports and strengthens these principles and their operation. This encompasses Whistleblowing, Freedom of Information, Regulation of Lobbying and Ethics. In all of these, I have instructed my department to review existing legislation and to bring forward proposals to strengthen areas where weaknesses have been identified.

I would like to focus on one element of the work programme, the new Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill. The primary purpose of this draft legislation is to amend the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 to provide for the transposition of the EU Whistleblowing Directive. I will also be taking this opportunity to strengthen the existing legislation.

The 2014 Protected Disclosures Act was an innovative piece of legislation for its time, which drew heavily from recommendations of the Council of Europe, the G20, and the OECD, among others, as regards best practice in legislating for the protection of whistleblowers. At the time, Ireland was only the sixth country in the EU to enact a comprehensive whistleblower protection law and the 2014 act continues to be ranked highly in international comparisons for the protections it offers. A global study of whistleblower protection laws published in March by the International Bar Association and the Government Accountability Project ranked Ireland joint second in the world for the strength of its legislation.

Whistleblowers play an important role in corruption prevention in both the public and the private sector. Workers are usually the first to recognise wrongdoing in the workplace. In most instances, a worker will make a report to their employer, the employer addresses the wrongdoing and the case is closed.

However, where the necessary culture and processes are not in place in an organisation to accept and engage in a meaningful way with a report, there can be serious and damaging consequences for the worker who is acting in the public interest. Brave testimony to this effect has been given recently to the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, and Taoiseach as part of the process of preparing a fit for purpose Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill.

Persons who make protected disclosures are protected under law  they should not be treated unfairly or lose their job because they have made a protected disclosure.

The act establishes channels through which a disclosure can be made  to their employer, to an independent regulator known as a prescribed person, to a minister in the case of public sector workers, and publically.

It allows for a system of stepped reporting  to the employer in the first instance who is best placed to address a wrongdoing, then to an independent prescribed person if the employer does not engage in a meaningful way, and, finally, publicly if the prescribed person does not engage. However, it also allows for workers to make a report in the first instance to an independent prescribed person if that is their preference.

It provides for redress for workers who are penalised for making a protected disclosure with the option to pursue that through the Workplace Relations Commission or through the courts. Workers are also protected from civil or criminal proceedings if a disclosure of confidential information is necessary in order make a report of wrongdoing. The act also overrides anything in a non-disclosure agreement that would prevent a worker from making a protected disclosure or taking proceedings against their employer for penalisation for having made a protected disclosure.

Far from weakening the current system, the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill will strengthen the existing legislation in a number of important ways.

Volunteers, shareholders, unpaid trainees, board members, and job applicants are all currently excluded from existing protections under the 2014 act. This bill will change that and for the first time offer them the protection they deserve when they report wrongdoing.

The bill will also add clarity for workers who have proceeded with a protected disclosure.

It will introduce a requirement for all private sector companies with 50 or more employees to establish formal reporting channels and procedures. This will come into effect for companies with 250 or more employees from December 17 this year and for companies with 50 or more from December 2023. Companies in certain sectors and public bodies are already required to have formal reporting channels in place.

The bill will set out a standard process of acknowledgement, follow up, and, crucially, it will lay down clear obligations in terms of feedback within set timelines which must be followed, providing certainty to the whistleblower that their report is being engaged with in a meaningful and timely way. Under this legislation, there will be no room for kicking a protected disclosure into the long grass.

Crucially, the burden of proof in civil proceedings will be reversed with employers, not the whistleblower, required to prove that the act of penalisation did not occur because the worker had made a protected disclosure.

The bill will bring much-needed clarity to the interaction between protected disclosures and interpersonal grievances. For individual cases of bullying, for example, there are very clear employer obligations under employment law. However, if a culture of bullying or intimidation exists within an organisation then this would represent the basis of a protected disclosure. Far from making the current system weaker, this bill will make this distinction much clearer for an impacted worker.

The bill will establish a protected disclosures office in the Office of the Ombudsman. This office will support workers wishing to report to a prescribed person by directing them to the appropriate body. It will operate as a prescribed person of last resort, accepting and following up on reports where no prescribed person exists. This will ensure that no disclosure will fall through the cracks.

Finally, it will assist ministers in the assessment and follow up of reports made to ministers by public sector workers. The independence, impartiality, and experience of the ombudsman and his team is a natural fit for a best practice centre for managing protected disclosures. It is my strong view that this will improve outcomes for those public sector workers acting for the wider good, stepping forward to make a report of wrongdoing to a minister.

Following the valuable input of the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, I will publish the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill and I look forward to working with members in the Oireachtas in getting this bill enacted.

More information and the general scheme of the bill can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e20b61-protected-disclosures-act-guidance-for-public-bodies/#eu-whistleblowing-directive
Poles gathered in cities across the country to show support for the European Union after the nations constitutional court recently ruled that the Polish constitution overrides some EU laws.

Donald Tusk, the top opposition leader in Poland and a former EU leader, called for the protest, casting it as an effort to defend the countrys continued membership in the 27-nation EU.

We have to save Poland, no-one will do it for us, Mr Tusk said.

Protesters in Warsaw wave European Union and Polish flags in support of EU membership (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

Broadcaster TVN24 showed crowds gathering in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan and other cities with EU and Polish flags.

Thousands of people filled Castle Square in the historic centre of Warsaw, with people chanting We are staying! Some held signs with slogans including We are Europeans.

In Warsaw, whose mayor hails from Mr Tusks Civic Platform party, EU and Polish flags hung from lampposts and city buses ahead of the evening rally.

In Poland, critics of the right-wing nationalist government fear that the court ruling could lead to an eventual Polexit, or Poland being eventually forced to leave the EU over an impression that it is rejecting the blocs laws and values.

A protester in Warsaw holds a sign in support of Polands EU membership (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

The government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki denies that it is seeking to leave the bloc, although top members of the ruling party have recently used language suggesting this might be their aim.

EU membership is extremely popular in Poland, having brought new freedom to travel and a dramatic economic transformation to the central European nation, which had endured decades of communist rule until 1989.

Speaking to the crowd in Warsaw, Mr Tusk warned that a pseudo court  by order of the partys leader, in violation of the constitution, decided to take Poland out of the EU.

We want an independent, law-abiding, democratic and fair Poland, Mr Tusk said, before the crowd sang the national anthem.

Donald Tusk speaks from the podium during a demonstration in support of Polands EU membership in Warsaw (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

The court ruling, which was issued on Thursday by a court loyal to the nationalist government, marks a dramatic challenge to the primacy of EU law.

In a legal decision requested by Polands prime minister, the tribunal held on Thursday that the Polish constitution has primacy over EU laws in some cases.

Mr Morawiecki asked for the review after the European Court of Justice ruled in March that Polands new regulations for appointing Supreme Court justices could violate EU law and ordered the right-wing government to suspend them.
This week, I celebrated my twentieth year as a syndicated columnist. Every Wednesday, by 9 a.m., I have submitted 600 words to my editor -- 52 weeks a year multiplied by 20 years. You do the math.

My column began in Florida Today on October 5, 2001, the month after 9/11. The editor, Tom Clifford, asked me to write a spiritual response to the terrorist attack.

Sure, came my sarcastic reply. No problem. Ill just whip that out.

But I settled down and wrote a piece that concluded with

If the fear of death stops us from living, loving and longing for a peaceful future, then the planes that toppled the World Trade Center will also have succeeded in toppling the foundation of a peaceful society. Death is close, but life can be closer, and I choose life.

Clifford quickly titled the column -- Spirituality in Everyday Life. The theme seeks to prove that faith is useless if it doesnt work in day-to-day living.

My wife, Becky, often calls that column the best one Ive ever written.

My response is always the same: So its all been downhill since?

Shes rolls her eyes.

In 2002, I told you how she helped a college student save an escaped pig in holiday traffic.

Becky threw her arms up quicker than a charismatic in a tent-revival meeting to bring four lanes to a screeching halt while the young lady ran after her pig. Cars were careening and bacon was squealing as the young girl cornered her chase in roadside bushes.

In 2003, I shared the impact of gun violence on my depression. In the aftermath of the mass schoolyard shooting at Cleveland Elementary, I was asked to tell parents theyd lost a child.

She did not cry, I wrote about one mother. Neither she nor her son even moved. But suddenly, in something that can only be described as a sort of emotional ventriloquism, her grief shown in the eyes of her surviving sons eyes. A small tear traced a path along his frozen face.

Everyday spirituality also means laughing at myself, so Ive not held back on self-deprecating humor. Ive told you about dropping my military hat in the toilet, dropping my pants in the gym and accidently stealing a package of toilet paper.

In 2009, readers sent me packages and letters of support while I served as the chaplain for the Air Force Field Hospital in Balad, Iraq.

While there I wrote about a soldier who asked me to help him pray that God will forgive the insurgents that killed my friend.

What would that kind of prayer sound like? I asked.

You know the prayer Jesus said on the cross? he coaxed, as if trying to remind me of a forgotten password. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Forgiveness continued to be a theme of my writing as I shared my struggle to forgive a former colleague in 2011.

 over the years, the hurt grew so much in my head that I created something much bigger than what it really was. In my revised version, he wasnt just critical. He was a big liar out to get me. He was paranoid. He was  blah, blah, blah, went my revised side of history.

Readers even followed me with reassuring support as Becky and I sold all our belongings in 2015 to travel the world.

We drew a fiscal line in the sand to declare that we had more than enough things. We said goodbye to all the stuff that weighed us down. We saw wisdom in the biblical admonition from Hebrews 12:1 to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

But the greatest reward of my twenty years is how you readers have supported Chispa Project, a nonprofit started by my daughter, Sara, to establish libraries in Honduran elementary schools. Youve not only given thousands of dollars in the past five years, but youve come to Honduras on volunteer trips. Your response inspired the National Society of Newspaper Columnists to present me with the 2019 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award.

In addition to that, youve bought my books, hosted me for speeches, and sent me hundreds of compassionate emails and letters.

Its been such a great twenty years that Im setting my sights on 25. Hope you can join me.

Contact Chaplain Norris at comment@thechaplain.net or 10556 Combie Rd. Suite 6643 Auburn, Calif. 95602 or voicemail (843) 608-9715.
State of TexasA proposed redistricting from the Texas legislature will all be ensure that Walker County loses any voice it had in Washington.
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Virginia Beth Bounds Gray passed away Saturday, November 6, 2021 in Flint. She was born April 14, 1938 in Sacul, Texas to James and Callie Bounds. Funeral Services are scheduled for Friday, November 12, 2021 to begin at 1:00pm at Boren-Conner Funeral Home in Jacksonville. A visitation will b
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When it came to abolitionism, Tennesseans didnt have Free Speech
Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a public charity. It can be found at missouriindependent.com.
During session, Eric can be found at the Capitol in Hartford, reporting the information that readers want and need to know. For insights and updates on legislation, politicians, committees, and commissions that affect the entire state of Connecticut, follow Eric on Twitter: @BednerEric.
Germanys outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel said Israels security will be a top priority for every German government, during a farewell tour in the Jewish state Sunday near the end of her 16-year term in office.

Merkel, making her eighth and final visit as chancellor to Israel before retiring from politics, held talks with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett before visiting Jerusalems Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem.

After the crimes against humanity of the Shoah (Holocaust), it has been possible to reset and to reestablish relations between Germany, Merkel said, standing alongside Bennett.

I want to use this opportunity to emphasise that the topic of Israels security will always be of central importance and a central topic of every German government.

Bennett credited Merkel with fostering ties between the countries that have never been stronger and described her as Europes moral compass due to her support for Israel.

Before the visit, Bennett said he and the German leader were expected to discuss regional security and especially the Iranian nuclear issue.

Merkel had initially planned to visit in August, but delayed her trip during the chaotic exit of US and allied forces, including Germans, from Afghanistan.

The 67-year-old trained physicist is to receive an honorary doctorate from Haifas Technion  Israel Institute of Technology.

She, however, has no plans to meet Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who Merkel dealt with extensively as prime minister during his 2009 to 2021 tenure. Bennetts ideologically diverse coalition ousted Netanyahu in June.

 Reality of apartheid 

The chancellor is also not scheduled to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Under her leadership, Germany has advocated for a two-state solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict but she has faced criticism from activists for not pressing Israel to end its military occupation of Palestinian territory that began in 1967.

Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, criticised Merkel for regarding Israels 54-year occupation as temporary.

Maintaining this fiction has allowed the Merkel government to avoid dealing with the reality of apartheid and persecution of millions of Palestinians, he said in a statement.

The new German government should put human rights at the centre of its Israel and Palestine policy, he added.

More than 600,000 Israeli settlers have moved into the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which Palestinians hope will become part of a future state.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gazas two million residents since the Islamist movement Hamas seized control in 2007.

 Iran 

Germany and Israel forged strong diplomatic ties in the decades after World War II, with Berlin committed to the preservation of the Jewish state in penance for the Holocaust.

In 2008, Merkel stood before the Israeli parliament to atone on behalf of the German people in a historic address.

Ex-premier Netanyahu repeatedly described Iran as the greatest threat to the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

But policy regarding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, signed and supported by Germany, has been a rare point of difference between Berlin and Israel.

Israel is officially opposed to the deal that saw Iran agree to curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief and has criticised efforts by Germany, the United States and other signatories to revive it after former president Donald Trumps withdrawal in 2018.
Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel said Israels security will remain a top priority for every German government, during a farewell visit to the Jewish state Sunday near the end of her 16-year term in office.

Merkel, who held talks with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett before visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, voiced confidence that whoever followed her as chancellor will feel equally committed to Israels security.

After the crimes against humanity of the Shoah (Holocaust), it has been possible to reset and to reestablish relations, Merkel said.

I want to use this opportunity to emphasise that the topic of Israels security will always be of central importance and a central topic for every German government.

It was moving that Israel had come to trust post-war Germany, but this trust always has to prove itself, she added.

Bennett credited Merkel with fostering an unprecedented bond between the countries and described her as Europes moral compass due to her support for Israel.

Merkel had initially planned to visit in August, but delayed her trip during the chaotic exit of US and allied forces, including Germans, from Afghanistan. This is her eighth visit to Israel as chancellor.

She, however, had no plans to meet Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who Merkel dealt with extensively as prime minister during his 2009 to 2021 tenure. Bennetts ideologically diverse coalition ousted Netanyahu in June.

 Reality of apartheid 

The chancellor is also not scheduled to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Under Merkels leadership, Germany has advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but she has faced criticism from activists for not pressing Israel to end its military occupation of Palestinian territory that began in 1967.

Merkel told reporters that she and Bennett had not yet discussed Israels settlements in the West Bank, which Palestinians hope will be the heart of a future state.

Bennett reaffirmed his opposition to a Palestinian state, asserting that it would very likely become a terrorist state about seven minutes from my home.

Instead, he said he was focused on improving economic conditions for Palestinians.

Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, criticised Merkel for regarding Israels 54-year occupation as temporary.

Maintaining this fiction has allowed the Merkel government to avoid dealing with the reality of apartheid and persecution of millions of Palestinians, he said in a statement.

 Existential threat 

Germany and Israel forged strong diplomatic ties in the decades after World War II, with Berlin committed to the preservation of the Jewish state.

In a historic address in 2008, Merkel atoned for the Holocaust before the Israeli parliament on behalf of the German people.

Israels Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, the son of a Holocaust survivor, tweeted Sunday: Chancellor Merkel, there wasnt one moment in your long tenure when you attempted to evade the memory of the Holocaust.

Ex-premier Netanyahu repeatedly labelled Israels arch-foe Iran as the greatest threat to the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and Bennett on Sunday described the Islamic republic as an existential threat.

But policy regarding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme has been a rare point of difference between Germany and Israel.

Israel opposes the deal and has criticised efforts by Germany, the United States and other signatories to revive it after former president Donald Trumps withdrawal in 2018.

Speaking in Jerusalem, Merkel stood by Germanys attempts to resume the deal, though she acknowledged obstacles.

Iran has not given any sign it wants to restart discussions, Merkel said via a translator, adding that Tehran continued to enrich uranium in violation of the agreement.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumleys decision to contradict the COVID-19 quarantine guidance of public health officials is creating sharp divides in Louisianas school districts, which already were a hotbed of disputes over how to handle coronavirus infections.

By bucking the medical advice, Brumleys left school system leaders to debate whether to follow recommendations aimed at combating the pandemic or to side with those complaining about asymptomatic children repeatedly sent home to quarantine because of COVID-19 exposure.

An Associated Press review of a dozen larger Louisiana school systems shows a split in their response to Brumleys updated guidance.

As Louisiana was emerging from its fourth coronavirus surge, Brumley told school system leaders Sept. 29 that he was loosening the education departments quarantine guidance for Louisianas 700,000 public school students amid concerns about learning loss.

Hes no longer suggesting schools send home asymptomatic students who have come into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 as is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Instead, Brumley suggests parents could choose whether to send their children to school if they dont have symptoms.

Students have regrettably missed unprecedented days of school. These absences have consequences ranging from student learning to student well-being, Brumley wrote to school leaders. These quarantines have also placed an undue burden on parents trying to solve childcare dilemmas for their children when theyre forced to be absent from school.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Health are urging districts to stick with sending students home if theyve been close to someone infected.

Louisianas state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol sent a letter to district superintendents saying that roughly half of COVID-19 infections can involve people spreading the virus despite having no symptoms. She noted one-quarter of all COVID-19 cases in Louisiana since August have been among children. Already this school year, K-12 schools around Louisiana have self-reported nearly 21,000 student cases of COVID-19 and another 2,475 cases among faculty and staff.

The decision to quarantine cannot rest with parents of children who are at risk of spreading the disease to others; this would deprive other parents of any option to protect their children from exposure, Sokol wrote. In order to effectively curb COVID-19 transmission in schools, quarantine policies must be based on the best available evidence for disease control, not personal preference.

Larger school systems differ in how theyre responding to Brumleys latest guidance.

Public school districts in New Orleans, Monroe, East Baton Rouge Parish, Caddo Parish, Lafayette Parish and Jefferson Parish (where Brumley was superintendent until mid-2020) have refused to loosen their quarantine rules.

After consulting with medical professionals, we have decided not to implement this practice, Jefferson Parish Superintendent James Gray said in an online post.

The Bossier Parish school system said it needs more clarity before making changes.

But school officials in Livingston, Ascension, St. Tammany, Calcasieu and Tangipahoa parishes quickly embraced the policy shift, deciding to let parents choose whether to keep their children away from school if theyve been close to someone whos tested positive for COVID-19.

Our school nurses will continue to contact the parents or employees of close contacts and make them aware of all options available through our school system, pertaining to quarantines, Livingston Parish Superintendent Joe Murphy said in a statement.

Brumley noted local school districts already could set their own rules about whether to send students home for days because of exposure to COVID-19. But most districts had been following the education departments guidance that those students should be quarantined.

It likely was an easier decision to make when the education and health departments were on the same page in supporting the recommendations of infectious disease experts.

Brumley won praise for his position shift from the Republican Party of Louisiana and several conservative GOP state lawmakers who oppose mask mandates and coronavirus-related restrictions.

Ascension Parish Republican Rep. Kathy Edmonston called the new policy a common-sense approach that allows local control, gives parents choice and encourages students to continue attending classes when they are healthy.

Edwards disagreed, saying he told Brumley his new guidance was unfortunate.

I think ultimately it will be self-defeating in the sense that there will be more COVID in the school and not less and there will end up being more disruption to student learning and not less, the Democratic governor said.

School districts are deciding whether they want to take that risk.

___

EDITORS NOTE: Melinda Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000.

(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
The Overland Park Police Department offense report just came to light, but was filed by Principal David Ewers on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m., a couple of hours after hundreds of students walked out while holding signs saying things like, "Protect the victims, not the assailants," "It's not a joke," and
By Katie Bo Lillis, CNN

(CNN) -- The Biden administration is ramping up its efforts to secure America's far-flung critical infrastructure amid ongoing concerns from top US officials that Russia and China continue to seek a digital foothold inside the networks of pipelines, ports and other targets -- with the intention of gathering data or one day exploiting any access gained.

In a flurry of announcements this week, officials announced new cybersecurity mandates on the railroad and airline industries and fines for federal contractors who fail to report breaches. This second set of compulsory maneuvers follows cybersecurity regulations for US pipeline operators issued earlier this year, and a separate mandate that government contractors strengthen their networks.

The White House also announced last week that it is "working to deploy action plans for additional critical infrastructure sectors" after a 100-day push to improve cybersecurity in America's balkanized electricity grid.

One senior defense official says that protecting the transportation and energy infrastructure that Americans -- and the US military -- rely on is a priority.

"Those have direct implications for how well we can execute our military operations in the future," said deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks in an exclusive interview with CNN. "We believe that those are targets that a China or Russia would go after, when they're thinking about military campaigns."

China and Russia remain "the priority" focus for the Defense Department, Hicks said, "because they have so much capability, and then a secondary focus on Iran and others."

US has been hit by a string of ransomware attacks

The push comes as US officials are also grappling with a string of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure at the hands of cybercriminals, including an attack on Colonial Pipeline, which disrupted gas supplies on the east coast for the better part of a week in May.

Other, smaller hacks -- like the February breach of a water treatment facility in Florida that raised treatment chemical levels in the water to potentially poisonous levels -- have shown how some critical infrastructure sectors are better resourced to protect themselves than others. Big US electric utilities, for example, invest millions of dollars in cyber defenses, while small town water plants are often strapped for cash.

While the Department of Homeland Security is the lead agency working with private firms to improve their cyber defenses, Pentagon officials focus on protecting the defense industrial base from supply chain hacks and consider the cybersecurity aspects of future conflicts.

That's a relatively new concern for the Defense Department, long focused on more traditional "kinetic" threats against the US -- like terrorist attacks using conventional bombs, or even the nuclear threat from a rogue North Korea.

"That tying together of the homeland to military campaigns abroad is not something most Americans think about," Hicks said. "And it's not something for years, the Defense Department had to worry about."

"That is a significant change," she added.

But cybersecurity officials have long been concerned about Russian efforts to "preposition" against US critical infrastructure, Rob Joyce, head of the National Security Agency's Cybersecurity Directorate, said at the Aspen Cyber Summit last week.

"We've seen them actively use disruptive effects around the globe. And we've seen evidence of prepositioning against US critical infrastructure," Joyce said. "All things that can't be tolerated and we need to work against."

Some Russian hacking groups specialize in infiltrating critical infrastructure firms, both to collect information and, perhaps in some cases, to gain a foothold into networks in the event of a conflict, according to some US officials and private sector experts.

Challenge of securing infrastructure not under federal control

Part of the challenge for national security officials across government working on this problem is that the majority of critical infrastructure isn't under federal control. The government is left trying to cajole, persuade, collaborate and, at times, mandate a sprawl of different organizations to step up their own cybersecurity efforts.

One of the key lessons the Pentagon took from the SolarWinds hack, a Russian espionage operation that breached at least nine federal agencies in 2020, was that it made very clear for officials "the degree to which we are tied into and interdependent with a much broader commercial and industrial base and research center ecosystem," Hicks said.

The Pentagon's approach is "making sure that our industrial base partners are strong themselves, and that we have ways of helping them become aware of when they have challenges," she said.

In one DOD-specific effort to bridge the gap between federal know-how and the private sector, the US Cyber Command in 2018 awarded a partnership contract with a local digital security nonprofit to open an innovation center in Maryland that works with private industry to harden critical infrastructure networks -- from traffic lights to water treatment facilities.

Hicks noted that it "still does not appear with DOD investigations that there was a direct risk to DOD networks" from SolarWinds, but, she said, "we don't take that as anything other than a signal that, in this case, we did okay, but that we have to keep our guard up, because they'll keep coming at us."
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law directing regulators to eventually ban the sale of new gas-powered lawn equipment.

Newsom signed a law Saturday that orders state regulators to ban the sale of new gas-powered equipment that uses small off-road engines. That's a broad category that includes generators, lawn equipment and pressure washers.

The law says regulators must do this by Jan. 1, 2024, or whenever the board decides is feasible, whichever date is later.

Last year, Newsom ordered regulators to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035.
The National Federation of the Blind, after their most recent study in 2016, reported that there are over 110,000 persons with visual impairments or blindness in Wisconsin.

People who are visually impaired or blind in our local community are traveling to work, school, running errands, and enjoying recreational activities in the Kenosha area daily. So there are many people traveling our community that deserve the right to travel safely through their neighborhoods, shopping areas, and campuses.

What would you do when you are driving and see a person crossing the street or parking lot using a white cane? The White Cane Traffic Law was established in 1947 to enforce traffic practices that protect pedestrians that make use of the white cane to travel safely and independently.

Wisconsin Statute 346.26 requires that when a driver approaches a pedestrian utilizing an all-white or red-trimmed white cane or a dog guide, the driver must stop before approaching 10 feet of the pedestrian. This law ensures that the person that is blind or visually impaired has enough clearance to safely travel in close proximity to traffic without being at risk of injury.

The NFB was instrumental in advocating to the U.S. Congress the importance of safe travel while using white canes. A day was established for the purpose of recognizing and educating the significance of this mobility tool.

Since Oct. 15, 1964, White Cane Awareness Day has been recognized in the United States. In tandem with laws intended to create safety for Americans with blindness or visual impairments, traffic laws were developed to require drivers to be attentive to pedestrians that travel using white canes.

On Oct. 15 we are reminded to advocate and educate drivers on this important traffic law regarding users of white canes.

On behalf of Societys Assets, I am organizing a White Cane Awareness event in the Kenosha community for Friday, Oct. 15. To inform drivers in the community, I will collaborate with people that have low vision or blindness to use their white canes while traveling crosswalks throughout the city. The participants will also spread information about the White Cane Traffic Law using signage and handouts.

We appreciate the support of the Kenosha Lions Foundation. Please watch our Facebook page (societysassetswi) or website (www.societysassets.org) for event updates. Contact me at 262-925-6097 to register for the event or for more information.

If you are seeking more information on obtaining a white cane, reach out to Societys Assets. We are a resource for people with disabilities, including supportive home care/personnel care, home/vehicle modifications, advocacy, a loan closet with equipment, independent living skills training, peer support, benefits counseling, and transitions to life after high school or returning home from the nursing home. Call 800-378-9128.

Tami Frentzel is Independent Living Services Coordinator at Societys Assets.

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The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents at its meeting Friday paved the way for Gateway Technical College to begin offering two, two-year liberal arts degrees.

The UW Board of Regents voted to allow Gateway to begin offering associate of arts and associate of science degrees for the first time. The degrees were made possible through a partnership between Gateway and UW-Parkside. Gateway, UW-Parkside, the Wisconsin Technical College System and Gateways accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission, have already signed off on the new degrees, allowing the college to begin offering them in Fall 2022.

This is outstanding for our community and students, said Zina Haywood, Gateways executive vice president/provost . It provides yet another pathway to higher education.

Coursework in some categories required to complete the liberal arts associate degrees arent currently offered at Gateway  such as physical education or humanities courses  so students will need to take those at UW-Parkside.

Even though students will take some courses through UW-Parkside, they will still earn the Gateway degree.

This represents great synergy with UW-Parkside, said Haywood. Gateway is proud of  and grateful for  the spirit of collaboration exhibited by our partner, UW-Parkside, surrounding this work. Working together, we can transform lives in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Students who earn either of the degrees will also be able to transfer it to any UW System or other four-year institution.

Were very excited about what this collaboration between the two institutions will mean for students and our region, said Rob Ducoffe, UW-Parksides c provost and vice chancellor of academic and student affairs.

Most Parkside students choose to attend university close to where they live, and many start their higher education careers at Gateway. Not only will this help more students achieve their education goals, the Gateway-UW-Parkside partnership will yield more talent for employers and increase prosperity and quality of life in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Haywood said the new academic programs will have a positive impact on diversity efforts as they will be attractive to the communitys English Language Learners and students of color population, which is currently about 40 percent at Gateway.

Haywood and Ducoffe both noted that Gateway and UW-Parkside have partnered in the past through 14 articulation agreements, but that liberal arts degrees are much different. The articulation agreements allow Gateway graduates transfer credits to specific UW-Parkside programs, while the liberal arts degree opens graduate options to continue in all programs.

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A Kenosha woman, recognized for turning her life around after missteps as a teen, is among the most recent recipients of a gubernatorial pardon for past criminal infractions.

Erika Hinz was among 15 people who received pardons that were announced last week.

The Governors Pardon Advisory Board heard from applicants virtually on Sept. 10, and applications that were selected for expedited review or recommended by the board were forwarded to Evers for final consideration. As of Oct. 8, Evers has granted 278 pardons.

The Wisconsin Constitution grants the governor the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that restores some of the rights that are lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses. A pardon does not expunge court records.

According to the governors office, Hinz was 17 and in high school when she and a friend took a classmates and a teachers purses and spent the money they took. She has since earned her bachelors degree and volunteers at her childrens school in Kenosha.

Other pardons

Evers also granted pardons to the following people:

Dominic McFerrin was 17 when he took a car from a dealership and helped a friend take merchandise without paying for it from the electronics store where he worked. He has since obtained his bachelors and masters degrees, earned the support of the district attorneys office, and currently is a special education teacher in Milwaukee where he lives with his family.

Rahn Hortman was 19 nearly 30 years ago when he and some friends robbed a woman, taking her purse. Now a father and a grandfather, he owns his own business by day and works on his stand-up comedy by night. He lives in New Port Richey, Florida.

Rodney Poe was 17 when he and a friend robbed two men. He has since joined the Grammy award-winning R&B group Blackstreet, mentored children and incarcerated people, and opened a barbershop. He lives in Milwaukee.

Shane Rabe was 22 when he refused to pull over for a police officer. He has worked for over two decades as a driver and lives in Oshkosh with his family.

Alicia Sorel was 26 when she was found in possession of a controlled substance. She now works as a manufacturing technician and lives in Green Bay with her rescue dogs.

Thomas Pocian was 17 when he accepted and cashed stolen checks and 43 when he illegally possessed a gun. He has earned the support of the victim of his crime and is now a small business owner living in Kewaskum.

Dale Schott was 20 when he sold controlled substances to an undercover officer and 29 when a search of his residence revealed controlled substances. Now a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he has the support of the court on his pardon. He lives in Sobieski where he farms yellow perch.

Crystal Duran was 17 and pregnant when she translated to facilitate her boyfriends sale of controlled substances. She now works as a caregiver and lives with her family in Sheboygan.

James Stewart was struggling to make ends meet in his early 30s when he was found in possession of a controlled substance. He has earned his CNA license and lives in Milwaukee.

Keith French was 28 when a search of his home revealed controlled substances. He has since earned an associate degree and professional certificate, retired from a successful career in printing, and now works part-time for the school district where he lives in Hudson.

Bertha Redd was 24 and raising her three kids alone when she failed to report income and obtained excess food stamps. In addition to raising her children, she has earned her associate degree and is working toward her bachelors degree. She lives in Milwaukee, where she has worked for the city for over 10 years.

Anthony Regalia was 25 when a search of his home turned up controlled substances. He has since focused on his family and employment as an industrial mechanic. He lives in Wisconsin Rapids.

Alinda Masse was 19 nearly 30 years ago when she was caught in possession of a controlled substance. She has since earned her associate degree and maintained consistent employment while raising her son in Cedarburg.

Evan Williams was a senior in high school at 18 when he was caught in possession of a controlled substance. He has earned his bachelors and masters degrees and plans to pursue a Ph.D. He works as a senior sales executive and lives with his family in Wauwatosa.

About the pardon process

Under Executive Order No. 30, individuals convicted of a Wisconsin felony may apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have no pending criminal charges. Individuals currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon. Executive Order No. 130 established an expedited review process for applications that meet stricter criteria, including a greater length of time elapsed since sentence completion and nonviolent nature of the offenses.

The pardon application, instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions about the pardon process can be found on the governors website at www.evers.wi.gov/Pages/pardon-information.aspx.
WATERFORD  People who live in the Waterford area typically are attracted by the rural atmosphere, natural beauty and friendly neighbors.

Its also a very safe community, perhaps the safest in the state.

Waterford has been named the safest city in Wisconsin in a ranking produced by Safewise, a private group that researches and promotes safety and security.

The ranking, which last year honored the Town of Oconomowoc in Waukesha County, is based on crime statistics and population data for all municipalities that are considered mid-sized or larger.

Safewise lists the Town of Waterford, although officials said the safest city honor also includes the Village of Waterford. The two adjacent municipalities share one police department.

Village President Don Houston called the ranking well-deserved, and he predicted that it would entice more people to move to Waterford or open businesses there.

I think its fantastic for the community, he said.

Houston said being declared Wisconsins safest city is a testament to the hard work of the police department, which is based in the town and provides public safety in both municipalities.

They work hard. They do a great job, Houston said. Its about time they get some recognition.

The police department operates on a budget of $1.2 million a year, which funds nine full-time patrol officers as well as six part-timers, four reservists and other resources.

Waterford has not recorded a major violent crime in many years and has a relatively low rate of other crimes. In recent memory, the most serious incident occurred in March when two men from Milwaukee were charged with stealing a womans car at gunpoint.

Police Chief Matt Johnson said the safest city honor is a welcome achievement that must be shared with elected members of both the town board and village board.

Its a team effort, he said. Theyre very supportive of law enforcement, and they arent afraid to say it.

The town allocates about $900,000 a year for the police department, while the village spends about $300,000 to contract the department to patrol the village.

The town has about 6,300 residents, and the village has about 5,400.

Dawn Brummel, executive director of Explore Waterford, the local chamber of commerce, said she is grateful to have a safe community for businesses to operate and for people to live.

Waterford definitely has the small town appeal that attracts families who want to have a safe place for their children to grow up, Brummel said.

Waterford Town Board member Dale Gauerke said the distinction of being safe makes Waterford an appealing community, just as people are drawn to good schools, natural beauty and a friendly environment.

Its probably the most important thing of all, to feel safe, Gauerke said. Its kind of a good feeling.

SafeWise reported that Waterford recorded only 24 property crimes last year, with a rate in recent years of 3.7 property crimes per 1,000 people  far below the statewide average of 14.7 crimes per 1,000 people.

Johnson, who has been police chief since 2017, said residents in the community help to maintain public safety by staying alert and reporting any potential problems that they witness.

He mentioned that the Racine County Sheriffs Office offers assistance, too, whenever needed.

The chief said that while the safest city ranking is worth celebrating, he urged Waterford residents and others to remain vigilant about maintaining a safe community.

Its a good honor for us, he said. Well take it. And we hope it continues.

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Nothing like a tragic global pandemic to make everyone rethink their careers. This past year and a half have brought a lot of changes to the workplace. Many of us dont want to go back to the way things were. According to a Pew Research Center survey from late 2020, of the 71 percent of employees working from home because of the pandemic, more than half, given a choice, would want to continue working from home. Even for work that has to be done in person, there has been a large shift. Look at the rise of the independent worker in the gig economy. Pre-pandemic, more than a third of workers were already working in the gig economy  during the pandemic, participation exponentially increased among blue and white-collar workers. In fact, a report by Upwork found a 24 percent increase in people deciding to join the gig economy, with the top two occupations new freelancers entered into being computer engineering and business operations. Flexibility of setting and hours is one of the biggest benefits the gig economy offers, and the pandemic has underscored how important and needed latitude is in the workplace in general.

How does this translate to our sector, health care, and the role of the provider, which is usually not a position synonymous with flexibility? For many of us who practice medicine, our paths were set in stone decades ago with long hours, massive patient loads, admin duties, and licensing red tape all being the norm. Medical careers are still based around centuries-old guild-style apprenticeships in a way that most other education and work is not. The pandemic has started challenging that status quo.

Prompted by COVID-19, many physicians moved to telemedicine to continue seeing patients  probably the fastest and most efficient technology transformation in health care in the past few decades. The COVID crisis was a unique moment of accelerated change in health care systems and at the individual level. The mentality of clinicians has changed  we want more opportunities to practice the way we think will best help our patients and better sustain our careers. How can healthcare afford more flexibility to those it employs?

Approaching health care from both sides

Ive been a surgeon for more than 20 years. I also founded a provider credentialing software company six years ago where I serve as CEO. Taking this dual road, physician and entrepreneur, was by no means an easy path  in fact, Im honestly not sure Id recommend it  yet Im grateful because its afforded me a dual perspective when it comes to our health care system. Its inspired me to be less rigid and to approach the health care industry with a more flexible lens.

The pandemic has shown me that flexibility is actually very much wanted and needed in our sector and other industries. Flexibility to practice outside of the traditional four-walls-of-the-clinic. Flexibility to easily practice across state lines without mounds of red tape. Flexibility to meet our patients in the middle and give them more avenues to access care. The health care landscape is still very much stuck in the 20th century, and the turnover rate for physicians verifies this. A recent survey from The Medicus Firm included some compelling data, including nearly 20 percent of doctors plan to make a career change within 12 months and about 8 percent are definitely leaving  another 10 percent are most likely making a career change. This data says to me that physicians are burned out, physicians want flexibility in how they practice thats not really afforded to them in our current health care system, and physicians want change.

COVID-19 transformed the standard for health care

While not a new innovation, telemedicines use during COVID-19 skyrocketed, and its proven to be an essential tool for patients navigating hectic work schedules, childcare, and active lifestyles. But its also beneficial to the provider and health care organization. There are no silver bullets in health care, and that includes telemedicine  we still need to address the major challenges such as gaps in health equity that make telemedicine less accessible for some, as well as hesitancy to adopt its use. However, plenty of studies have shown telemedicines benefits; having that kind of flexibility leads to more productivity for the organization providing care, and it can provide more functionality all around, including eliminating overhead costs, removing the need for cleaning the office before and after every visit, and cutting down on waiting times. According to Astrud Villareal, MD, If you were to ask me now what words I associate with telemedicine, the ones I mentioned in the beginning still apply. However, new words have joined the group: gratitude and privilege. Its a privilege to take care of people, and Im feeling that lesson now more than ever.

Its important that health care policies also support this boom. For example, look at the changes we saw in licensing regulations during the pandemic. Last year, President Trump signed an executive order to permanently expand telehealth benefits for Medicare recipients beyond the pandemic and new legislation was introduced to Congress earlier this year to make these changes and flexibilities permanent. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact  an agreement created to streamline traditional medical licensing processes and take the burden off providers who want to practice in other states  continues to grow.

During COVID, licensing regulations changed quickly to enable providers to work when and where they were needed. This should be the norm, not the exception during a crisis. We should be joining with others in our sector to advocate for making the emergency rules around telemedicine privacy and reimbursement permanent.

Physicians need more flexible practice options

Flexibility in medicine has the potential to pivot around the needs of health practitioners with varying lifestyles. Now that weve spent more than a year experiencing what its like to work remotely, many people do not want to return to a cookie-cutter career in the office post-COVID-19. For primary care physicians, psychiatrists, mental health therapists, and other health professionals, we know that we are not tied to one avenue of practice anymore as the workplace has shifted in the past year. With telehealth and virtual care startups becoming a new standard, we can now practice medicine the way we want and embrace these new models that are about efficiency and personalized care. This opens up a world of opportunity to redefine what it means to work in health care.

My big takeaway: Absolutely, there are times when you need to be face-to-face with your patient. Yet looking at the broader picture, COVID-19 has shown us that in many instances, we can perform at an optimal level while remote. In my experience, Im often able to see more patients, and the quality of the connections I form with them is higher when I dont have to shuffle them around in an office. Aside from the bonds Im able to create with my patients, Im also more productive without the distractions of sitting in an office. Expanding the options that we as patients and providers have readily available to us is, in turn, making health care more efficient for all of us.

Kirk Heath is president and founder, Modio Health, a division of CHG Healthcare. He can be reached on Twitter @ModioHealth.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Technology continues to evolve every day. In the near-term future, portable and easily deployable robots will allow surgeons all over the world to perform minimally invasive surgery in an increasing number of procedure types and become even more effective surgeons. To achieve our goal of having a future surgeon workforce that meets the demands of an aging population and delivers good patient outcomes, we need training and knowledge-sharing at scale. Surgical robotics is poised to be an important part of the solution.

Barry Greene is a general and bariatric surgeon.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, Robotic surgerys impact on training the next generation of surgeons.

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Hosted by Kevin Pho, MD, The Podcast by KevinMD shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from.
While Donald Trump has held several rallies since the January 6 Capitol insurrection, his rally in Iowa Saturday was the most alarming by far.

At Trump's past post-presidency events, you wouldn't find the state's leading GOP officials attending en masse. In fact, at a rally in Georgia last month, Trump railed against the state's Republican leaders for refusing to assist him in illegally overturning the 2020 election. Trump even told the crowd he'd prefer potential Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams as governor over his fellow Republican who's currently in office, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Saturday's rally in Iowa, though, was different. This one was attended by longtime Iowa US Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson, and other mainstream Republican officials. Some of these very same people, who just nine months ago were slamming Trump for his role in the Capitol riots, were now only too happy to be seen supporting him. This is politics at its worst -- and at its most dangerous for our democracy.

The most hypocritical of the bunch is Sen. Grassley, who on January 6 was escorted by his security detail to a secure location to protect him from the pro-Trump mob that had laid siege on the Capitol. Grassley, who voted to certify the 2020 election, made a veiled reference to Trump in his statement, noting that the lawsuits filed after the election had failed and that "politicians in Washington should not second guess the courts once they have ruled."

In February, however, after Trump's impeachment trial for allegedly inciting the January 6 insurrection (allegations which Trump has denied), Grassley was even more direct with his criticism. He said in a statement that "President Trump continued to argue that the election had been stolen even though the courts didn't back up his claims," and "belittled and harassed elected officials across the country to get his way." Grassley added that Trump "encouraged his own, loyal vice president, Mike Pence, to take extraordinary and unconstitutional actions during the Electoral College count."

Grassley continued bluntly: "There's no doubt in my mind that President Trump's language was extreme, aggressive, and irresponsible," sharing his view that all involved in the attack -- including Trump -- "must take responsibility for their destructive actions that day."

Flash forward to Saturday, and there was Grassley beaming as Trump offered a "complete and total endorsement for re-election" for the 88-year-old Senator. Grassley responded, "If I didn't accept the endorsement of a person that's got 91 percent of the Republican voters in Iowa, I wouldn't be too smart."

To Grassley, it was "smart" to accept the endorsement of the man who spent Saturday's rally spouting the same falsehoods that led to the January 6 violence that caused Grassley to hide in fear. Trump's litany of dangerous election lies at his Iowa rally ranged from irresponsible claims he won Wisconsin "by a lot" in 2020, to lying that the results of the recently released Arizona audit support his false claim that he had actually won that state. He even declared that, "First of all, [Biden] didn't get elected, OK?" The crowd responded to Trump's buffet of lies by chanting, "Trump won! Trump won!"

But Grassley wasn't alone in his duplicity. Also attending the rally was GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson, who had released a statement on January 13 about the Capitol attack, saying, "I believe the President bears responsibility, and that is why I urged him personally to call off those who were violently storming the Capitol last week." Hinson added, "I wish he had spoken up sooner, but he did not."

Yet her view of Trump's role in the January 6 act of domestic terrorism, as the FBI has classified it, did not stop Hinson from attending Saturday's rally. Nor did the fact that, just days earlier, the Senate had released a 400-page report titled "Subverting Justice," about Trump's efforts to utilize the Department of Justice to help him illegally overturn the 2020 election. In fact, none of Iowa's elected GOP officials who attended the rally appeared to be concerned that Trump had asked the Justice Department nine times to undermine the election results in what appears to some to be an attempted coup.

You don't need to be a historian to recognize the danger in a political party showing blind loyalty to one person. These GOP elected officials just several months ago rightly criticized Trump and his role in the false election claims that led to the January 6 attack. With their presence at his rally this weekend, it seems they've now changed their tune.

Perhaps they now agree with Trump's lies. But it's more likely their flip-flop comes from recent polls showing that 91% of Republicans in Iowa view Trump favorably. That, and not wanting to face the wrath of Trump, like Georgia Gov. Kemp, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and other Republicans who have dared to speak truthfully about the election.

But who knows what Trump whim will be the next litmus test for remaining in his good graces? When even Grassley, Iowa's longest-serving US senator, thinks it's "smart" politics to no longer criticize Trump for his un-American attack on our democracy and instead praise him in a pursuit of an eighth term in the Senate, it's clear that the party is no longer defined by policy ideas but by absolute loyalty to Trump and his influence. To put it bluntly, today's GOP is how democracies die.

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EUGENE, Ore. -- Some customers at local pharmacies have reported abnormally long wait times and reduced hours at multiple local pharmacies.

"They just have not been able to fill prescriptions like they used to," Keyanoosh Gallagher, a customer of the Walgreens on River Road in Eugene, said.

Last week, Gallagher waited there for about two hours, she said. That was three days after she said the prescription was originally sent in.

"They said they were 900 prescriptions behind," Gallagher said in reference to the pharmacy at the same location.

But she said she doesn't blame the pharmacists filling the prescriptions.

"It's just really sad," Gallagher said. "I could see how understaffed they are and we're ready to find a different pharmacy although I don't know if it's going to be any better at other pharmacies."

Staff at both the River Rd. and Coburg Rd. Walgreens said the pharmacies were operating at reduced hours due to staffing shortages.

"This is a new one for me, them just literally not being able to fill prescriptions because they don't have the staff to do it," Gallagher said.

KEZI reached out to Walgreens for a statement about this situation.

It said in part, "Walgreens continuously reviews staffing levels, as we have throughout the pandemic. In communities where staffing shortages have impacted our stores, we have adjusted continuity plans with the goal of creating minimal disruption to our customers and patients."

Walgreens said it's working to recruit more employees with increased wages and a sign-on bonus.

"We are recruiting team members for pharmacy and retail positions across our 9,000 locations nationwide to support growing demand for COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, as well as flu shots and other routine vaccinations. To support this recruitment effort, we have launched several initiatives, including a sign-on bonus of $1,250.00 for full-or-part-time pharmacy technicians hired now through the end of October. To further invest in our current hourly team memberswho provide trusted care and services  were providing new incentives and have recently announced an increase of the starting hourly wage to $15.00 an hour. Our team members know that working at Walgreens is about fulfilling our purpose to make our neighborhoods healthier and therefore happier," according to Walgreens' statement.
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Those hoping for some kind of commitment  however conditional  on the completion of Kilkennys northern ring road will have been left disappointed at the details of the National Development Plan revealed this week.

Yes, there are a number of statutory obstacles still to overcome, but a commitment at this point in time would have been most welcome. Other longstanding road projects, such as Galway Citys ring road, is in there  albeit subject to further approvals.

Last week, Kilkenny Chamber unveiled its pre-Budget submission ahead of next Tuesday. Both the development of a TUSE campus here and the completion of the northern ring road are two of its main themes in terms of ensuring a sustainable and thriving urban centre, and for the whole county. Unfortunately, neither are referenced in the National Development Plan.

Elected representatives, council officials, and the business community (not to mention the general public) have at length pointed to the completion of the ring road as essential to Kilkennys development.

In 2007, then-councillor Michael O Brien described the failure to complete the ring road as a monument to political neglect. In a comment made now more than 15 years ago, he lamented the saga dragging on since the 1980s.

Is a commitment of some kind from Government at this stage too much to ask?

Blackout

The threat, however remote, of blackouts this winter is unacceptable and people must be reassured this will not happen.

Already, hikes to electricity and gas bills are on the way, and that is before further carbon taxes are inflicted. Most people accept that climate change policies are required, but all sectors of society must be taken into consideration. Ordinary people need to be reassured they will be able to keep the lights and the heating on.

It is not good enough that older people, people on the margins, or indeed anyone should be facing into the coming weeks of dark, cold evenings with a sense of fear.
In many parts of the country, what was traditionally known as Columbus Day is now being celebrated as Indigenous Peoples' Day. But it remains a federal holiday, so some businesses will be closed.

President Biden issued a proclamation commemorating Indigenous Peoples' Day Friday and acknowledged the destruction of native communities that followed the arrival of Christopher Columbus in North America in the 15th Century.

"Today, we also acknowledge the painful history of wrongs and atrocities that many European explorers inflicted on Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities," Biden wrote in Friday's proclamation. "It is a measure of our greatness as a Nation that we do not seek to bury these shameful episodes of our past  that we face them honestly, we bring them to the light and we do all we can to address them,"

More than 100 US cities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix and San Francisco. Several states including Minnesota, Alaska, Vermont and Oregon have chosen to celebrate Indigenous People's Day as well.

On Friday, White house press secretary Jen Psaki said Columbus Day will continue to be designated as a federal holiday, but noted the significance of Biden's proclamation. "Recognizing today as Indigenous Peoples' Day is something that the President felt strongly about personally, he's happy to be the first president to celebrate and to make it, the history of moving forward."

Here's what will be open and closed on Monday.

Open

Most supermarkets

Most drug stores

Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts

Target

Walmart

National parks

FedEx and UPS  Both will operate as normal and most retail locations will remain open.

US stock markets

Closed

Any agencies or institutions operated by the government, such as libraries, federal offices, and DMVs.

The Federal Reserve Bank

Most banks will be closed, one exception is TD Bank.

US Postal Services: USPS will not be delivering mail and post offices will be closed.

US bond markets

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As the search for Brian Laundrie continues in a Florida nature reserve, police said Friday that they have yet to find any physical evidence of Laundrie within the sprawling wilderness area.

Laundrie, whose fiance Gabby Petito was found dead in Wyoming nearly three weeks ago, has been the focus of an intensive search in the Carlton Reserve near his family home in North Port, after his parents told police he planned to hike there.

North Port police spokesman Josh Taylor told CNN's Randi Kaye that although nothing linked to Laundrie has been found inside the reserve, their efforts will continue there until they have better information.

North Port police did confirm this week that an abandoned vehicle notice was placed on a Ford Mustang belonging to the Laundrie family on September 14 outside a park that serves as an entrance to the reserve.

The parents, Chris and Roberta, went to the park that day looking for their son and saw the citation, according to Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino, a day after they say Laundrie told them he was headed for the reserve. His parents brought the vehicle home on September 15.

The search has been prompted entirely by information from Laundrie's parents, Taylor told CNN, and while the police department has received numerous tips from the public, police say none have panned out so far.

Laundrie has not been charged in Petito's death, but he is the subject of a federal arrest warrant for unauthorized use of another person's debit card in the days after she last spoke with her family.

Police say Laundrie was under surveillance before he disappeared

Petito, whose body was discovered September 19, was reported missing eight days earlier by her family who had not heard from her since late August.

When police, as part of the investigation into Petito's disappearance, went to the Laundrie family home on the night of September 11, he was not seen and there was no opportunity to speak with him, Taylor told CNN.

While Laundrie was not wanted for arrest at the time, he was being surveilled by police -- as best authorities could do so legally -- before he disappeared, Taylor told CNN, and authorities say they never spoke with Laundrie before he went missing.

On September 17, when police spoke with Laundrie's parents after they reported him missing, they refused to address Petito's disappearance or answer any questions about her, which police described as "odd," Taylor said. Laundrie's parents, who had their lawyer on speakerphone, would only speak about their missing son.

Laundrie and Petito had ventured on a summer road trip to western national parks, yet Petito was last seen in late August in a Wyoming restaurant and Laundrie returned home to Florida alone on September 1.

Nearly a week after Laundrie came back, he and his parents went camping for a brief stay at a site around 75 miles from their home, attorney Bertolino told CNN.

In late September, Laundrie's parents released a statement through their attorney, saying, "Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him. The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong."

Father participated in search this week

Chris Laundrie was seen Thursday morning entering the Carlton Reserve, after being asked by law enforcement to accompany them on their search, according to Bertolino.

"Chris was asked to point out any favorite trails or spots that Brian may have used in the preserve," the attorney said. Though the family provided what information they knew earlier, "it is now thought that on-site assistance may be better," he said.

"The preserve has been closed to the public and the Laundries as well but the parents have been cooperating since the search began," Bertolino said.

"There were no discoveries but the effort was helpful to all," he said.

Police on Thursday denied that a campsite had been found in the reserve during earlier search efforts. That confirmation came after a source close to the Laundrie family told CNN they were informed by investigators that police had made a discovery. The source on Thursday insisted that the Laundrie family had been told a campsite had been found.

"Is it possible that they thought that there might be a campsite out there or something they may have seen from the air, but when they got on the ground that's not what it turned out to be. Sure, I think that's a possibility," Taylor, the North Port Police spokesperson, said. "Bottom line is that investigators are telling me that no campsite was found out there."

As the search continues, Laundrie's parents believe he is still in the reserve, Bertolino said, and as a result, any public call they made for him to surrender to authorities would not reach him.

"In short, the parents believe Brian was and still is in the preserve so there was no reason to issue a plea on media that he does not have access to," the attorney said.

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ROCHESTER, Minn.- The weather might be unseasonably warm outside but winter is coming. It won't be long before Minnesotans go from wearing shorts and t-shirts to coats, hats, and gloves.

On Saturday, local businesses teamed up for an annual drive-by community coat drive at Barlow Plaza. Christopher and Melanie Schmidt from Group Results: RE/MAX have hosted the drive-by community coat drive for a few years now. Each year, they team up with local sponsors such as Hy-Vee, The Salvation Army, and KIMT News 3 to make sure everyone stays warm during the winter.

"We wanted to do something to help our community and make an impact," says Melanie Schmidt.

The drive benefits The Salvation Army. According to Schmidt, it needs at least 1,000 coats every year. Today, several hundred coats were donated. People including Mary Miller came out to get rid of cold weather gear not being worn anymore.

"They go to good use. Alot of people are in need right now," explains Miller.

Mike Jenkins and his wife also stopped by to get rid of their jackets. Jenkins is retired and feels now was a great time to get rid of his used coats.

"I don't go anywhere that I need a long coat. Hopefully, someone else can get some good use out of it."

The drive gives Jenkins and his wife Susan a chance to clear out unused items.

After people drop them off, the coats get put in a Two Men and a Truck vehicle and then are taken to The Salvation Army. It will be collecting hats, gloves, and coats all fall and winter long.
Jasper, TX (75951)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Low 39F. NE winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 39F. NE winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

A few passing clouds. Low 26F with temps rising to near freezing. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 26F with temps rising to near freezing. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Kokomo, IN (46901)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 24F. WNW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 24F. WNW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph.




North Korea is accelerating the drive to construct new apartment buildings in its capital city, state media showed Sunday, as it aims to provide 10,000 new homes within this year and 40,000 more by 2025.







North Korea has cleared tens of thousands of square meters of land in the western Pyongyang area of Mangyongdae to build more homes, according to its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper and Uriminzokkiri, a propaganda website.







North Korea claims Mangyongdae is the birthplace of Kim Il-sung, its founding leader and the late grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.







The Rodong Sinmun also said the North has recently completed the construction of new apartment buildings of more than 100 units in the eastern district of Pyongyang.







During the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party meeting in January, the North decided to build 50,000 apartments in Pyongyang by 2025, with the goal of creating 10,000 units annually.







In March, Kim attended a ceremony to break ground on building the 10,000 apartments in the capital and urged officials to push ahead with the project despite challenges that are "harsher than ever before."







The North's mass-scale construction project comes amid several economic challenges, including crippling international sanctions and protracted efforts to ward off the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)


gettyimagesbank



Google, Netflix to pay higher taxes in Korea from 2023



By Park Jae-hyuk



Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are on alert over the international community's agreement Friday to introduce the so-called "digital tax" from 2023 to ensure multinational tech giants start paying a certain amount of taxes to the counties they operate in and generate profits.



Both conglomerates said they will be keeping a close watch on the potential impact of the global tax deal on their operations.



The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) expressed concerns about the agreement, saying a considerable number of Korean exporters will be subject to the global minimum corporate tax rate, as the new rules will also apply to companies that are not engaged in ICT businesses.



"We want the government to analyze the effect of the digital tax thoroughly, so that Korean exporters can understand their burden accurately and adjust their strategies in expanding overseas," KCCI Economic Research Division head Lee Kyung-sang said in a statement Saturday.



The business lobby group, however, added that the introduction of the digital tax was inevitable to prevent global tech giants from avoiding paying taxes.



According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, 136 jurisdictions out of the 140 members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)  except for Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka  agreed to the Statement on the Two-Pillar Solution to Address the Tax Challenges Arising from the Digitalization of the Economy.



Under Pillar One, multinational enterprises with global sales above 20 billion euro ($23 billion) and profits above 10 percent will be included under the new rules, with 25 percent of profits above the 10 percent threshold being reallocated to market jurisdictions.



Pillar Two introduces a global minimum 15 percent corporate tax rate that will apply to companies with revenue above 750 million euro.



Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are expected to be subject to Pillar One, given that the former posted 237 trillion won ($198 billion) in sales and a 15.1 percent operating profit last year, while the latter posted 32 trillion won in sales and 15.7 percent in operating profit.



"It will take some time before the impact is felt across the industry here but we remain on alert to brace for possible impacts," said a public relations officer from one of the two companies on condition of anonymity.



As concerns have grown among the Korean businesses, the government emphasized that the new rules will have a limited impact on them.



The finance ministry said it will allow deductions in corporate taxes payable here for Korean multinational enterprises if they pay taxes in other countries in compliance with Pillar One.



The ministry also expects that foreign tech giants, such as Google, Facebook and Netflix, will pay a larger amount of taxes to the Korean government than the amount of taxes that domestic conglomerates will pay to the governments of the countries they operate in.



"Once the digital tax is introduced, Korean firms operating in other countries will be burdened with taxes overseas, but at the same time, this will provide a basis for the government to levy taxes on multinational enterprises doing businesses here," Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said during a National Assembly audit, Wednesday.



The two-pillar solution will be delivered to the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, then to the G20 Summit that will be held in Rome, Oct. 30 and 31.



If the G20 leaders give approval at the summit, Korean government officials will finish internal talks on technical details about the matter until early in 2022 and revise local tax laws by the end of next year.


Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 28F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 28F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) - The Oregon Court of Appeals has overturned the murder conviction and death sentence of a man found guilty of stabbing a woman to death in the late '90s.

According to court documents, 60-year-old Jesse Lee Johnson was convicted of aggravated murder in 2004 for the 1998 stabbing death of Harriet Sunny Laverne Thompson in Salem. He has maintained his innocence since his arrest more than 20 years ago. Before his 2004 trial, he declined to accept a plea agreement for first-degree manslaughter and first-degree robbery.

The court ruled that Johnson's defense attorneys failed to properly investigate evidence that could have affected the outcome of the trial, specifically, not interviewing a neighbor who repeatedly said she had information about the case.

Thompson's neighbor said she saw a white man arrive at Thompson's house the night she was killed, one who had been to Thompson's house "many, many" times. She said she heard loud noises and screaming, both of which intensified before she heard a loud thud followed by "total silence." She said the white man "flew" out of the house and ran away, and she saw a black man walking down the driveway about 15 minutes later like he "was in disbelief."

The neighbor said she approached an investigator at the scene of the crime the next morning, but the officer reportedly told her to go home and that he didn't need any help. As the investigation continued, another neighbor brought a detective to the first neighbor's house, but when she started telling him what she saw the night Thompson was killed, he stopped her and said "that won't be necessary." The neighbor said the officer then used racial slurs to describe the victim and potential suspects. Twelve years later, she said a photo of Johnson did not resemble the man she saw walking down the driveway that night.

Johnson's conviction and death sentence were automatically reviewed by the Oregon Supreme Court as required by Oregon Law. In 2007, the court affirmed Johnson's conviction and death sentence, according to the Marion County District Attorneys Office. Johnson pursued another challenge to his conviction in 2008, but after seven years of litigation, the post-conviction court denied his challenge in May 2015.

Judge denies Oregon murderers request for post-conviction DNA testing Marion County Circuit Court Judge Channing Bennett denied Jesse Lee Johnsons motion for post-conviction DNA testing Monday.

Two Portland lawyers, Ryan O'Connor and Jed Peterson of O'Connor Weber, represented Johnson in the appeal.

Todays opinion is a long overdue step toward righting a terrible injustice. Jesse Lee Johnson is an innocent man who has spent more than 20 years in prison sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. The evidence in this case shows that racism and police misconduct played a significant role in Mr. Johnsons wrongful conviction in 2004. I am hopeful that now, in 2021, and with the benefit of this Court of Appeals opinion, the prosecutors will do the right thing and drop the charges against Mr. Johnson.

Johnson is also represented by two attorneys with the Oregon Innocence Project in a separate, pending appeal for DNA testing.

The Marion County District Attorney's Office said prosecutors are reviewing the decision and speaking with the victim's family before deciding whether to retry the case.
BIG SANDY, Mont. - It was a big day in Big Sandy, on top of the high school homecoming game and the annual chili feed, the community came together to support each other in a big way, raising nearly $30,000 for the local volunteer ambulance team.

Dozens of people showed up at the First Bank of Montana parking lot as 17 tons of hay were auctioned off.

This past July, Big Sandy resident, Shane Chauvet was caught in a severe thunderstorm which nearly took his life. Luckily the volunteer ambulance crew was able to provide medical attention quickly.

Chauvet is a father of three and says he wanted to give back to the team in a way that would leave as big of an impact on them as they left on him.

"More than that, they gave me the opportunity to be a dad to them for the rest of their life, they didn't have to be raised by their mom alone. and so, I honestly that's, I don't think you can put a price on that, Chauvet said.

At the end of the night, hay bails had been donated back to the auction countless times, raising three times more than what was expected.

After auctioning off 23 bales of hay, Shane Chauvet announced an additional bail that would be sold, but the proceeds would go to a woman in town needing a kidney transplant.

"I had one bale of hay out on the ranch and I couldn't find a place for it except up on my bail bed. and I wanted to sell it for Kandi, to help defray the cost for her fundraiser"

When Chauvet was healing from his accident, Kandi Marino brought him baked goods and meals to help him feel better. Kandi had no idea she would be honored last night at the auction, and was completely caught off guard.

"So I'm just totally in shock and what the people in Big Sandy, you know, I didn't grow up here but they accept me the way I am, Marino said, with tears in her eyes.

Marinos bale of hay was donated many times and raised nearly $13,000 which will go to her upcoming medical expenses.

While they may have raised over $40,000 on Friday night, Shane tells me they are receiving checks in the mail from people who could not make it to the auction in person.
MISSOULA, Mont. - Now that we're moving into the fall, fire prevention at home is a hot topic, especially now as cold temperatures creep on us across Montana.

Officials are preparing us with fire prevention tips, and as many of us are trying to stay warm on cold days that lie ahead, it's now more important now to be prepared in case of a fire that can start from different areas of your home.

Especially as Montanans crank up the furnace to keep themselves and their families warm, although this comes as no surprise for those at the Missoula Rural Fire Dept., Deputy Fire Marshall, Pete Giardino shares common small fires can be avoided with a few precautions before a fire happens.

"We do see a little up uptick in home fires during the fall and winter months, and so we caution people to use good judgment when it comes to people firing up their fireplace, making sure the fireplace is clean," Giardino said.

And of course with holidays just around the corner mean more people use other areas more extensively, safety is first in preventing a fire.

"Being cautious around the kitchen, being aware of what's cooking and how cooking and attending the meal that you're making and not leaving it attended for any length of time, Giardino said.

Although it's fire prevention week here in Montana, the message remains the same, all year round. You're encouraged to check your home for those fire prevention essentials such as working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and existing exit areas as a safety precaution.
Representatives from the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency are, once again, considering dredging Trinkie Lagoon to remove an invasive species.

Ted Peters, director of the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency, announced plans to dredge the lagoon during a special budget meeting conducted by the Lake Geneva City Councils Finance, Licensing & Regulation Committee, Sept. 23.

The dredging would be to remove an invasive species known as starry stonewort, which was first found in the lagoon during the summer of 2018.

Peters said the environmental agency has considered dredging the lagoon in the past, and now feels it may be the best method for removing the starry stonewort.

Its been looked at considered to be dredged and considered not to be dredged, Peters said. Right now, it looks like the board of the GLEA voted to dredge it again and to go back and revisit that issue.

Peters said dredging the lagoon would cost about $700,000. He proposed that communities around Geneva Lake, as well as area businesses and organizations, share in the cost with the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency to help pay for the dredging.

He said the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency also plans to apply for grants and conduct fundraisers to help raise money for the project.

I think every group around this lake, including the many merchants, depend upon this lake and the quality of this lake, and I think kicking in to support the management of this lake specifically to deal with an aquatic invasive species to me seems like the right way to go, Peters said. Theres been some discussion on doing some heavy-duty fundraising to support this project.

Peters said the dredging probably would not take place until fall 2022.

So we got some time, but the permit process has started, Peters said. We hired an engineer, and the process has started and were moving forward.

Peters said the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency spent about $25,000 this year to hand pull the starry stonewort. He said the agency plans to continue to hand pull the starry stonewort next year, but does not feel it is an effective method for preventing the spread of the species.

I dont think were going to be doing as much hand pulling next year, Peters said. We got to kind of see what the results of this year were, but were getting a little disappointed with the hand pulling. Were getting the biomass out of there, but were not stopping the populations.

Peters said the agency has treated the species with chemicals, but that method does not seem to prevent the spread of the starry stonewort.

Every chemical treatment weve done, as well as other chemical treatments in Wisconsin, have proven to be useless, Peters said. They may brown the plant, knock it down a little bit, but it doesnt do anything to prevent the plant to reproduce. Often times, as with any other weed, once you threaten that plant it gets more aggressive.

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Rome [Italy], October 9 (ANI/Xinhua): Italy on Saturday began administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to people over the age of 60, a day after the procedure was authorized by the Health Ministry.

The decision followed the official green light earlier this month by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which stated the booster shot could be considered for all people over 18 after six months from their second dose.

Also Read | Georgia Building Collapse: 9 Killed After Residential Building Collapses in Black Sea Town of Batumi.

"In the light of EMA's latest deliberation, we can go ahead with the third vaccine dose to people of all ages with a fragile immune system and to all people over 60, always six months after the second dose," the Italian ministry said.

In late September, Italy had started administering third doses -- of either Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines -- to immuno-compromised people such as transplant patients, elderly people over 80 and residents in care homes, and healthcare workers.

Also Read | China Rains: Nearly 55,000 People Evacuated So Far in Shanxi Province, Level 3 Alert Issued After Heavy Rainfall Triggers Floods.

The third dose will be offered as an option, since vaccination against coronavirus remains strongly recommended but not mandatory in Italy.

Meanwhile, the pandemic situation appeared "under control," and the curve of coronavirus cases kept decreasing gradually, according to the latest weekly monitoring by the country's National Health Institute (ISS) updated to Oct. 3.

The incidence stood at 34 cases per every 100,000 inhabitants. The data for hospital bed occupancy were also encouraging, according to Giovanni Rezza, Director of the Infectious Diseases Department at the ISS.

"We register a 4.9 percent and 4.2 percent of bed occupancy in normal COVID-19 wards and intensive care units, respectively, which is well below the critical thresholds," Rezza explained in a video statement.

So far, the vaccination campaign in Italy has reached 79.9 percent of the target population (over 12), with over 43 million people fully immunized, official data showed.

To date, Italy has registered over 4.6 million COVID-19 cases, including more than 131,000 deaths, and over 4.4 million recoveries. (ANI/Xinhua)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Delhi | It yielded very good results. I had deployed 46 women constables on beat, incl Head Constables. Now when we were nearing 3 months of it, I held a meeting with residents & constables. Residents gave positive feedback: DCP (northwest) Usha Rangnani on 'Tejaswini' initiative pic.twitter.com/X6kz3l8mIa ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2021

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Nepal: Newly appointed Minister for Industry, Commerce & Supplies Gajendra Bahadur Hamal resigns from the post 3 days after his appointment



Hamal, brother-in-law of Chief Justice Cholendra JB Rana, faced criticism over his appointment despite not having membership of Parliament ANI (@ANI) October 10, 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.)
Houston is built on what amounts to a massive flood plain, pitted against the tempestuous Gulf of Mexico and routinely hammered by the biggest rainstorms in the nation.

It is a combination of malicious climate and unforgiving geology, along with a deficit of zoning and land-use controls, that scientists and engineers say leaves the nations fourth most populous city vulnerable to devastating floods like the one caused this week by Hurricane Harvey.

Houston is very flat, said Robert Gilbert, a University of Texas at Austin civil engineer who helped investigate the flooding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. There is no way for the water to drain out.

Indeed, the city has less slope than a shower floor.

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Harvey poured as much as 374 billion gallons of water within the city limits, exceeding the capacity of rivers, bayous, lakes and reservoirs. Experts said the result was predictable.

The storm was unprecedented, but the city has been deceiving itself for decades about its vulnerability to flooding, said Robert Bea, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and UC Berkeley emeritus civil engineering professor who has studied hurricane risks along the Gulf Coast.

The citys flood system is supposed to protect the public from a 100-year storm, but Bea calls that a 100-year lie because it is based on a rainfall total of 13 inches in 24 hours.

That has happened more than eight times in the last 27 years, Bea said. It is wrong on two counts. It isnt accurate about the past risk and it doesnt reflect what will happen in the next 100 years.

In an average year, Houston gets 50 inches of rain  as much as Harvey will deliver to some parts of the city.

The muddy rivers  notably the San Jacinto and the Buffalo Bayou  that meander through Houston struggle to carry much water.

Dams along the rivers were built mainly for water storage, not flood control. Because Texas is so flat, the dams cant hold much water, unlike western dams that are built in deep gorges.

Lake Conroe, a reservoir 43 miles north of the city, is one example. Completed in 1973, it has a capacity of 430,000 acre-feet, about 12% of Oroville Dam in California.

The San Jacinto River Authority, which manages water supplies, knew that Harvey was probably headed its way. But a spokeswoman, Rhonda Trow, said the authority chose not to release water from Lake Conroe in advance because the amount it held wouldnt have made a difference and could have caused flooding even before the storm hit.

But by Monday, the authority had no choice but to open the flood gates to send 79,141 cubic feet of water to flooded Houston every second.

The situation was similar on two dams on the Buffalo Bayou controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers up river from the Houston Ship Channel.

The long-term risks facing Houston are growing, owing to warming water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which will fuel more powerful hurricanes by increasing the moisture they carry.

Harvey caused a surge in the Gulf of Mexico that raised its level by as much as 15 feet along the Texas coast, Bea estimated. That meant that for some period of time, rivers were not flowing normally, leaving inland areas less than 15 feet above sea level with little drainage.

In Katrina, the level of the gulf surged by 28 feet, the largest ever recorded along the Gulf Coast, sending water pouring over levees and canal walls. But far less rain fell in that storm than in Harvey.

Beyond the climate change, Houston faces other growing risks for flooding.

(Kyle Kim)

Shuhab Khan, a geologist at the University of Houston, has documented that some areas of Houston are sinking at up to 2.2 inches per year, a rapid rate in geological terms.

While some of the subsidence is caused by natural movements of salt deposits, Khan said that most is the result of pumping oil and water from under the city.

So far, it appears some of the hardest-hit flooded areas, such as the Jersey Village nieghborhood, are also the ones affected by subsidence, he said.

In the 1930s, a new residential subdivision was built in the Brownwood neighborhood, which at the time was 10 feet above sea level. Forty years later, it was less than 2 feet above sea level, a subsidence blamed on ground water pumping along the Houston Ship Channel. The neighborhood was destroyed in Hurricane Alicia in 1983 and is now the Baytown Nature Center.

Another long-term problem is the citys rampant growth and urbanization. The city has 2.2 million residents and the metropolitan area has 6.5 million, all living in a state that eschews much of the zoning and land-use controls that help keep construction away from flood zones in states with more regulations.

It is naturally prone to flooding, said Don Riley, the former chief of the Army Corps of Engineers civil works division. People have built in this massive flood plain. They have to understand that.

The Corps and local officials have discussed ways to avert even greater risks by improving zoning, reducing the amount pavement to allow better drainage into the soil, building retention ponds in new housing developments and constructing new storm barriers. But when the Corps has tried to encourage land-use controls, the local reaction by politicians and developers has often been swift and furious, Riley said.

The problem is not decreasing, whatever the future of the weather is, he said. It will worsen in the sense that there will be more population. You have to be smart about where you put development.

The future defense of Houston is likely to be expensive, experts said. The Corps spent $14.2 billion to improve flood control in New Orleans after Katrina, which was aimed at building up levees and flood walls. But just this month, the city was again flooded when its decrepit pumping system was overwhelmed by rainfall.

In the aftermath of Katrina, the American Society of Civil Engineers said that New Orleans flood control was a system in name only.

Bea said that reflects the reality of Houston as well.

He estimated that it could cost hundreds of billions of dollars to build a system that would prevent future flooding, involving land-use restrictions, new flood barriers and other measures similar to those in the Netherlands. The Dutch system attempts to defend Amsterdam and Rotterdam from a 10,000-year storm event.

Exactly what Houston could do is far from certain. Gilbert, the University of Texas expert, said any big measures would take a lot of study. Chicago, for example, has massive tunnels hundreds of feet underground that can store 21 billions of gallons storm water and prevent sewage contamination of Lake Michigan, he noted.

Houston is excessively developed, he said. It has 6 million people with lots of concrete and lots of people in harms way.

ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @rvartabedian

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The remission system which allows sentences served by criminals and other offenders at jails in Portlaoise and elsewere is cut back is set to be reviewed.

The Minister of State at the Department of Justice who as responsibility for prisons, Hildegarde Naughton TD,has announced a review of how remission is applied to prisoners.

At present, the Department of Justice says prisoners sentenced to a definite term qualify for one quarter remission on the basis of good behaviour. Those serving life sentences, sentences for the enforcement of court orders or those sentenced for contempt of court are not eligible for remission.

However, a loss of up to 14 days remission can be imposed on prisoners for serious breaches of discipline, such as assaults, intentionally or recklessly damaging property, the detention of any person against their will, or for escape or absconding.

Following an inquiry into an incident, if a prisoner is found to have committed a breach of prison discipline, the governor of that prison may decide to impose one or more of a range of sanctions as specified.

Minister Naughton commented on announcing the review.

As Minister with responsibility for the Irish Prisons Service, I am anxious to ensure that the system of remission is proportionate and serves to rehabilitate prisoners, whilst also ensuring that appropriate sanctions are in place in instances where there is misconduct.

I want our prisons to be safe for prison staff and for other prisoners. The operation of remission is an important aspect of the prisons regime and I want it to play its part in making our prisons safer places. Where prisoners dont meet the standards that we can reasonably expect of them, that should have consequences. Of course, at the most serious end of the scale, the criminal law must take its course

As we conduct a review of penal policy, I have decided that the issue of remission and how it works in our prisons is ripe for review. The issue will now be considered as part of the wider, on-going review of penal policy underway in the Department of Justice which is due to be completed and published by the end of the year. I look forward to the outcome of the review and to a new regime that strikes the correct balance in how we deal with this important issue, she said.

The Prisoner Disciplinary System, which includes offences against Prison Rules, is governed by law and dealt with in the Prisons Act 2007 and the Prison Rules 2007. The system is generally referred to as the P19 system.

Under the Irish Prison Service Guidance for the Imposition of Disciplinary Sanctions, loss of remission is only a sanction for what is considered a Level 1 breach of discipline which includes, amongst other offences, when a prisoner:

 assaults any person

 Intentionally or recklessly sets fire to any part of the prison or any other property

 Detains any person against their will

 Escapes or absconds from lawful custody

Loss of remission can also be imposed for attempting to smuggle contraband into prison, climbing onto the prison roof, bullying and barricading cells.
A local anti-drugs taskforce which works with communities to reduce the harm from the misuse of drugs welcomed a Garda operation targeting drug dealers.

Operation Tara has yielded around 4m in seizures around the country in the past three months  including detections across the Kildare Garda Division.

Provisional Garda data from the start of July to the end of September shows that over 3m in cannabis was confiscated as well as over 500,000 of cocaine and small quantities of heroin.

Steven Joyce, a development worker with the South Western Regional Drugs and Alcohol Task Force (SWRDATF), which covers Kildare and west Wicklow, said about Operation Tara: This is a targeted response, which to date has been successful.

But Mr Joyce said there needs to be a continuous multi-faceted, multi-agency approach to the issue of sale and supply of drugs.

He added that this approach must be supported by demand reduction and treatment and by rehabilitation measures.

The SWRDATF said it continues to work proactively with stakeholder groups in the implementation of the various actions prioritised in the National Drug Strategys Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery blueprint as a health-led response.

The SWRDATF is a co-ordinating body established with a partnership approach mandate.

The function of the taskforce is to research, develop and implement, a coordinated, regional, response to substance misuse.
Have you ever wondered What happens to my pension if I die?

Maybe this is a question we need to give more attention to, after all, your pension is likely to be your biggest financial asset, possibly worth more than your house or any other savings you may have, and it may be crucial in helping to provide for your family, and perhaps your spouses own retirement.

There is no common set of rules governing how death and pensions relate. like everything else to do with pensions, its complicated, opaque, and full of jargon

What happens to your pension when you die will depend on a number of factors, such as, did you die before retirement? After retirement? Does the pension relate to current or previous employment? Pensions can also be unusual in how they are treated for the purpose of Inheritance. Particular attention should also be given to the treatment of post- retirement assets in this regard.

In this article I will examine what might happen to your pension benefits when you die.

Firstly, lets look at what happens if you die before retirement. There are many different types of Pension contracts in Ireland, Occupational Pensions, PRSAs, Personal Pensions, Buy-out Bonds etc, each of these pension types have different rules as to how the benefits are paid in the event of the death of the member.

If you are a member of a Pension scheme through your employer (an occupational Pension), and you die while you are still working, this is called Death in Service, then your estate will be entitled to a surrender value of your pension, which means the value of all contributions made into the policy by both the employer and employee.

There are rules, however, as to how this can be paid out. A lump-sum of up to 4 times your salary + the value of any contributions you have made can be paid out in cash to the estate. If the value of the pension exceeds this, then you would have to purchase a spouses pension with the remainder using whats called an Annuity.

Watch out for the small print, some pension schemes for example, wont give your estate back employer contributions if you die within 2 years of joining the scheme.

If you have a private pension on the other hand, such as PRSA or Personal pension then the entire value of the Pension pot would be paid as a Lump Sum to your estate.

Weve looked at what happens if you die pre-retirement but its much more likely that people will dies post-retirement, after they have taken a Tax-free Lump sum and invested the balance of their Pension in an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF). An ARF is quite unusual in that it is not treated the same as other assets for inheritance purposes. On your death your ARF will pass to your spouse, it will then become an ARF in his/her name and the same ARF drawdown rules apply. If your spouse has pre-deceased then your ARF may be passed on to your children. Children over the age of 21 will pay income tax at a rate of 30% but not Inheritance Tax at a rate of 33%. Also, receiving the ARF wont affect their Lifetime inheritance tax threshold (currently 335,000).

A small number of people may have chosen an Annuity rather than an ARF when they retired. Unfortunately, on death, an annuity will die with you and the payments will stop unless you have added extra features such as a spouses pension.

In summary, your Pension is most likely one of your most valuable assets and will form a substantial part of your estate when you die. You should always seek independent professional advice in this area.

Barry Kerr CFP is Founder & Managing Director of Wealthwise Financial Planning who are based in Carrick on Shannon and Galway. All details and views contained within this article are for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. Wealthwise Financial Planning makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness or suitability of any information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses arising from its use.
A Longford man, with a litany of previous no insurance convictions, has been jailed for a year at Carrick-on- Shannon District Court.

Jaroslaw Waskiewicz of Forthill, Aughnacliffe, Co Longford pleaded guilty to driving with no Learner Permit, no licence, no insurance and failing to produce documents at Doon, Boyle on September 29 last year.

Sergeant Michael Gallagher said the defendant was driving a black Mercedes and later produced a Polish driving licence which was invalid after he was stopped at Doon, Boyle on September 97 last year.

The court heard the defendant had four previous convictions for no insurance and other convictions, including one for sale or supply of drugs, possession of knives and assault causing harm.

Defence solicitor John McNulty said the case had been adjourned for his client to produce a licence, but it was not valid. He had insurance but it was not valid because of these offences and his licence was not valid.

The defendant was currently in custody on a drugs charge, and the matters before the court were for road traffic offences.

The defendant had been in custody since last November.

The solicitor asked the court to impose a concurrent jail sentence.

Judge Deirdre Gearty said the defendant had a litany of no insurance convictions from quite a number of years ago.

She jailed the defendant for a year backdated to November last year and banned him from driving for six years.

Leave for circuit court appeal was set at 100 own bond and 100 independent surety.
GARDAI are again warning that the number of pickpocketing incidents in Limerick city has increased in recent weeks.

While a warning was issued last week, several more incidents have been reported to gardai since them.

"In one incident, a woman put her handbag on her trolley while doing her grocery shopping and her purse was picked out of her handbag," said Sergeant Ber Leetch.

"Another lady tried on an item of clothing in a shop and laid her handbag on the floor next to her. While she was

distracted, her bag was taken," she added.

In the third incident which has been reported to gardai, two valuable pearl necklaces were picked out of a woman's handbag.

"She has no idea how they were taken only that they were taken from her bag. Be very suspicious if somebody gets too close to you, only carry a bag with a zip on the top and keep it closed," added Sgt Leetch.

Women are being advised to check their handbags before leaving home and not to carry any jewellery in their bag or anything of value that they do not need.
SEWERAGE is continuing to flow into the Deel in Askeaton, according to Fine Gaels Cllr Adam Teskey, who said he was getting phone calls on the matter day in and day out and was also getting letters from the Deel Anglers Association.

It is absolutely farcical, he declared at the September meeting of Limerick City and County Council.

There were high levels of e-coli in the river, the councillor said. We werent even able to measure them, they were so high.

Yet he continued: A treatment plant for Askeaton is not on the capital schemes list. And the next scheme is not until 2025.

We can monitor the problem but we cant solve it, he charged.

It is about time someone from Irish Water came down and listened to us once and for all, he said.

Cllr Teskey had called for the council executive to issue legal proceedings against Irish Water because of the problem.

I was told a public body couldnt issue legal proceedings against another public body, he told the meeting.
A LIMERICK charity which provides a vital service to people in distress has started an outreach service.

Limerick Suicide Watch, whose volunteers patrol the banks of the River Shannon several nights a week, are now also meeting people in locations away from the city, on a special information bus.

While the groups main focus is to keep eyes on the river, and identify and provide support to those in distress and who may be contemplating suicide, it has also expanded its focus to a wider geographical area, covering suburban and rural Limerick.

As part of this community outreach programme, the team visits schools, places of works, and local communities to promote positive mental health and encourage conversation around these issues, plus suicide.

The groups vice-chairman Alex Henriques said once a week for the time being, volunteers are heading away from the city centre to various locations.

We patrol the river four nights a week, but we want to expand and raise awareness. The only way we can do this is using the mobile unit we have, he said.

Our plan is to go to communities, to schools, youth services and GAA clubs around Limerick, in the nights we are not on patrol, he explained.

Alex said its important for the charity to be able to reach out to different sections of society, pointing out that not everyone in distress is to be found in the city centre at night-time.

People are in distress, not just on the river, but everywhere. A lot of people are impacted, and this will raise awareness of what we do. We know sometimes people might not want to talk outside, they might want a bit of privacy, and if they know we are in their community, they might come and talk to us, he said.

Limerick Suicide Watch depends on donations from the public and fundraising events to help fund training, safety equipment and the day-to-day operation of the group.

The group says it continues to look at other ways it can support Limerick people.

Last month, the Leader reported a new calendar which will raise funds for Limerick Suicide Watch.

For the second year in-a-row, artist and designer Karen Ryan has put together the 061 calendar, which will take on themes from the popular Lewis Carrolls Alice in Wonderland.

Many other local groups have also helped fundraise for Limerick Suicide Watch.
Over the past year or so, releases of three Walt Disney Co. movies designed for box-office appeal in China have been embroiled in political controversies, complicating a decade of unprecedented success in the market for the worlds largest entertainment company.

The Marvel film Eternals" is scheduled for release in early November, but its release in China is uncertain, distribution executives said, after its Chinese director, the Oscar winner Chloe Zhao, was recently lambasted over comments she made about the country in 2013.

That follows the unexpected plot twist for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," the first Marvel Studios epic to feature a lead Asian superhero, but has yet to secure a Chinese release weeks after its record-setting global premiere. The trouble started when Mulan," released in 2020, was torpedoed with revelations that it had sent film crews to a controversial province, as well as viewer complaints about historical inaccuracies.

All three movies were put into production when China seemed to have limitless box-office potential. Now they have become evidence of heightened tensions between the industry and Chinese censors, as well as a sign of how much Chinese response to Western entertainment has changed in just the past year.

Doing business in China means never being far from Chinese politics, a reality recent events show Disney and the broader entertainment industry are relearning as the worlds theatrical market opens as Covid-19 abates. The country went from being largely shut off to Western entertainment in the 1990s to the industrys most important international market.

Hollywood executives are now observing new scrutiny of Western influence by Chinese audiences, favoritism toward local releases by Chinese officials and an industrywide crackdown overseen by President Xi Jinping that have combined to potentially jeopardize any Hollywood export with a whiff of criticism of the country associated with it.

Disney has submitted unreleased movies to Chinese officials for review, but has yet to receive word on several titles, including Eternals," according to a person familiar with the matter.

The Disney titles join several other movies in limbo in China. The October releases Dune" and No Time to Die," the James Bond installment, are among the few major recent Hollywood movies to have secured release there. Months have gone by without word on other 2021 blockbusters, including Disneys Black Widow," which has proliferated on Chinese pirating websites.

Other major releases thought to appeal to Chinese audiences, including Space Jam: A New Legacy" and Snake Eyes," haven't been released. Months-old titles have yet to be screened by censors, according to distribution executives. And some of those movies that have been released in China, such as Free Guy" and Cruella," were approved with as little as two or three days notice to the studios, according to executives working in the country. China has also recently reshuffled its film bureau, further holding up decisions, distribution executives said.

Officials in recent months blocked Western imports during the week of national holidays, a typical practice that allows Chinese authorities to ensure audiences see homegrown movies on Communist Party landmark dates. Over the Oct. 1 weekend that included Chinas National Day, the Chinese war epic The Battle at Lake Changjin" grossed over $200 million in its debutmore than twice the amount of the No. 1 U.S. movie, Venom: Let There Be Carnage," in its home market.

Disney and the other studios stand to lose potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in box-office grosses, as well as Chinese fans, who could lose interest in the Marvel superhero series if they cant see films including Shang-Chi" and Eternals."

Disney remains the most heavily invested studio in China. After years of lobbying, the company in 2016 opened Shanghai Disney Resort, a $5.5 billion theme-park attraction that was among the first to reopen as the Covid-19 pandemic ebbed, providing Disney with park revenue as its U.S. locations stayed closed. Its 2019 Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Endgame" remains the highest-grossing American film in Chinese theaters.

Shang-Chi" was supposed to offer something for everyone: Hollywood-level spectacle, with a Chinese-led cast. While it has performed well enough to become the highest-grossing release since the pandemic in the U.S., it is a different story in China, where it has yet to be released.

Though the Chinese censors never comment on a decision, Hollywood insiders have one theory as to why: Online sleuths in China recently discovered comments its lead actor, Simu Liu, made in 2017, when he assailed China as a country where people die of starvation.

A representative for Mr. Liu didnt respond to a request for comment.

Such nationalism has infiltrated Chinas own entertainment industry, where directors are routinely hired to helm propaganda pictures and asked to declare publicly that they support the state, according to executives who work in China. Chinese actors with dual citizenship in other countries have recently renounced it, pledging support to China alone. That was the case with the Hong Kong actor Nicholas Tse, who recently renounced his Canadian citizenship. Some A-list stars who run afoul of Communist Party leadership have been denied roles and scrubbed from the internet.

The nationalism explains a similar controversy that engulfed Eternals" director Chloe Zhao last year during her Oscar campaign for directing Nomadland." Ms. Zhao, the daughter of a Chinese industrialist who studied in the U.S., was once proclaimed the pride of China" by state media when she started seeing success in the American film industry.

An interview Ms. Zhao gave in 2013 in which she said China was a place with lies everywhere" prompted state officials to largely scrub her from the Chinese internet. Her eventual victory at the OscarsNomadland" won best picture and she won best directorwasnt covered by Chinese media, and the news of the wins wasnt accessible on the Chinese internet.

A representative for Ms. Zhao didnt respond to a request for comment.

Disney and other studios face a tricky proposition when casting movies, since Chinese critics appear to have broadened the statute of limitations on what they consider offensive. Mr. Liu made his remarks two years before he was cast as Shang-Chi, when he was working in TV. Ms. Zhaos comments were made when she was a little-known independent filmmaker, not a director working with Hollywoods biggest studio.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text

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Dream11, one of India's most popular gaming apps backed by Tiger Global, has suspended operations in the southern Indian state of Karnataka after a complaint was registered against its founders claiming it was in violation of a new state gambling law.

"Following the recent media coverage, our Karnataka users have expressed deep concerns and anxiety on their safety and security. In order to allay our users' concerns, we have decided to suspend operations in Karnataka. This decision is without prejudice to our rights and contentions under law," Dream11 said in a statement on Sunday.

The online fantasy gaming platform took to Twitter to announce the suspension:

Police records on Saturday showed a case has been registered in India's tech capital Bengaluru, in Karnataka, following a complaint by a 42-year-old cab driver who reported it as being operational after a ban on online games involving betting came into force.

Dream11, which provides a fantasy gaming platform for various sports, last year became India's first gaming startup to be valued at over $1 billion. It has faced legal challenges in the past due to the similarities of fantasy gaming to gambling.

The state law, which came into effect last week, bans online games involving betting and wagering and "any act or risking money, or otherwise on the unknown result of an event including on a game of skill".

A Dream11 spokesperson said on Saturday that the company is examining its legal remedies, and added that "we are a responsible, law abiding company and will extend our full cooperation to any authorities".

Karnataka, home to some of the world's biggest tech companies and India's tech capital Bengaluru, is the latest Indian state that has banned such online games after Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu had also imposed such bans, but its bill was struck down by its high court.

Dream11 was still operational, but Paytm First Games was not.

An industry source had told Reuters earlier that these states were important for the gaming business and account for roughly 20% of the total business for companies.

Roland Landers, the chief executive of the All India Gaming Federation, said "the industry will challenge this in court and seek legal recourse".

Two other industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday that gamers and some companies were planning to file court challenges against the new Karnataka law.

The law imposes hefty fines and prison terms on violaters and has been implemented amid growing concerns that online gaming platforms, like gambling, are addictive and can cause financial harm.

With inputs from Reuters

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Home service marketplace Urban Company on Sunday denied allegations levelled by its women beautician partners of providing very low commission to them and claimed that the earnings are far more than the amount claimed by them.

Over hundreds of working women have protested outside the office of the unicorn start-up in Gurugram alleging abysmally low wages given to them and companies dealing with them in non-transparent manner.

A beautician partner of the company shared a screenshot that she got 67 as payout after providing a service worth 1,626.

One of the tweets recently claimed that a beauty partner made 67 for 4 orders. This is a mis-representation of facts. The screenshot shown is not that of her earnings page but a settlement ledger of the bank transfer," Urban Company said in a blog post.

It said that the partner accepted cash payments for 2 orders and online payment for the remaining two.

Her net earnings after UC commissions and other fees for the 4 orders in question delivered between 13 Oct was 1,941," UC said.

UC provided a calculation on the cost of service that it offers to users and wage paid to partners from that work.

Paytm founder managing director Vijay Shekhar Sharma tweeted in support of the clarification provided by the UC around complex cost structure involved in offering low cost services.

UC said that it has always been a platform where both customers and partners are equal stakeholders.

"The very genesis of Urban Company was to organize the home services industry for both customers and partners. In the absence of organized players, the market was controlled by middle-men and aggregators, who restricted market access and kept a lion's share of the margins.

However, we believe we have made the industry more transparent, reduced the number of middlemen and given a voice to the hitherto voiceless informal labour," the blog post said.

It said that under no circumstances, the company will ever shy away from doing the right thing for our stakeholders.

This has always been reflected in our business decisions and strategy. We are not perfect, and acknowledge that we might have made mistakes in our journey so far. In the coming weeks, we will be announcing some important programs which we believe will further enhance the earnings and well-being of our partner ecosystem," UC said.

The company claimed that its partners earn a net earnings of 280300 per hour, net of commissions, fee and all associated product and travel costs. As partners do more orders on the platform, and spend around 100 hours per month working for the platform, they see very healthy earnings of 25,00030,000 per month.

The top quartile of service partners earn over 36,000 per month net of all commissions and costs. Our platform is bouncing back strongly post the second wave, and we expect earnings to be even better in October and the months ahead," UC said.

The company said that it will publish an update on this blogpost at the end of October with the revised data.

Our estimates suggest that in the offline world, service professionals earn on average between 12,00015,000 per month," the post said.

The on-demand home services provider Urban Company in June raised $255 million (about 1,857 crore) in funding led by Prosus Ventures, Dragoneer and Wellington Management, ahead of its plans to launch an IPO in the next two years.

The series F round - which also saw participation from Vy Capital, Tiger Global and Steadview - takes Urban Company's valuation to $2.1 billion.

The company also responded to the product that it provides to its beautician partners. It said that the company sells products to service professionals.

These products are genuine, branded and at much lower costs than the offline world, with us passing almost all benefits of bulk procurement to our service partners (In FY21, our products business was operated at near 0 per cent net margin at a slight loss, which can be verified through our annual audited financial statements. Needless to say, partners receive physical GST invoices against all products sold)," UC said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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ACWA Power International, Saudi Arabias first $1 billion initial public offering since Aramco, is set to start trading in Riyadh on Monday.

The $1.2 billion IPO drew interest from investors looking for exposure to a business seen as key to the kingdoms plans to diversify its economy away from oil. Initial demand amounted to several billion dollars and advisers had to limit institutional investors allocations.

Riyadh-based ACWA, half-owned by the kingdoms sovereign wealth fund PIF, is selling an 11.1% stake at 56 riyals ($14.93) apiece, the top end of the offer range. The company will be valued at $10.9 billion and the PIF will continue to own a 44% stake after the IPO. Hottest Market

Hottest market:

Riyadh has been the hottest market for IPOs in the Middle East over the past years, though Abu Dhabi is catching up.

ACWA Power International, one of the kingdoms main vehicles for building renewable energy projects, on Tuesday priced its IPO at the top end of an original range, seeking to raise $1.2 billion. It is set to be the biggest offering in Riyadh since Saudi Aramcos listing in 2019.

While Aramcos record IPO in 2019 offered investors a slice of Saudi Arabias oil riches, ACWA dangles access to the renewable energy and hydrogen projects the nation sees as its future. ACWA, half-owned by Saudi wealth fund PIF, is expected to deliver at least 70% of the kingdoms renewable projects by 2030 and expects to meet its own net-zero emissions goal before an existing target of 2050.

The IPO is expected to be significantly oversubscribed," said Naveed Naz, financial controller of AlJammaz Group, a Riyadh-based family-owned agriculture and technology company that participated in the bidding process. We expect the company to be able to deliver its growth plans and triple in size within the next 7 to 10 years."

The PIF, which boosted its stake in the Riyadh-based energy producer late last year, isnt looking to sell any of its shares, said the people, asking not to be identified while speaking before the offering is complete.

The company will be heavily oversubscribed due to the nature of the offering, which depends on raising the capital and not exiting or selling," said Thamer Al Saeed, chief investment officer of Mada Investment Co.

The offering comes at at time where Saudi Arabian companies backed by the kingdoms $430 billion wealth fund are taking the lead in new offerings on the Middle Easts biggest stock exchange where IPOs across the region have been scarce. The record Aramco offering, which raised about $30 billion in 2019, has paved the way for more Saudi companies to float.

The kingdom also plans to rule the $700 billion hydrogen market. Its building a $5 billion plant powered entirely by sun and wind that will be among the worlds biggest green hydrogen makers when it opens in the planned megacity of Neom in 2025, as part of its first steps into shaping a global market for hydrogen. ACWA is a one-third partner in the project.

Plenty more IPOs are in the pipeline, including the stock exchange itself, the specialty chemicals business of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. and cargo firm Saudi Arabian Logistics Co.

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Iran plans to offer oil and gas condensate to any investor" in exchange for either goods or capital investment in the Islamic Republics sanctions-hit energy sector, the countrys oil minister said.

The ministry would welcome investment in both Irans upstream and downstream industries in exchange for oil or condensate, Javad Owji said in comments shown on state TV, without specifying whether the initiative is aimed at domestic or foreign buyers. The plans were presented to lawmakers on Sunday and are pending their approval, he said.

Its unclear whether the plans rely on the ailing 2015 nuclear deal being restored and US sanctions on Iran being lifted. Tehrans oil exports are effectively embargoed by Washington and sales have plummeted since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord.

Negotiations to restart the nuclear deal have been stalled since June when Iran elected hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi as its new president.

Owji said a global rise in oil demand bodes well for Iran and his ministry predicts energy demand will increase day by day" as economies ease lockdown restrictions and recover from the pandemic.

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HOUSTON : Kashmiri Pandits in the US have strongly condemned the recent targeted and gruesome killings of civilians in the Valley by the militants and asked the Indian government to re-evaluate its Kashmir policy and provide proper security to the minority community if it wants them to return.

At least seven people were killed by militants in Kashmir Valley in the last five days. Of those killed, four belonged to minority communities.

The Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), a socio-cultural organisation of the Kashmiri Pandits in the US, has expressed shock and anguish over the gruesome killings of pharmacy owner Makhan Lal Bindroo, street food vendor Virender Paswan and two teachers -- Deepak Chand Mehra and Supinder Kaur.

Kaur, a Srinagar-based Sikh, and Mehra, a Hindu from Jammu, were killed two days after The Resistance Force, a shadow outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the deaths of three people on Tuesday.

Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit and owner of Srinagar's most famous pharmacy, was shot dead at his shop that evening. Minutes later, 'chaat' vendor Paswan from Bihar was gunned elsewhere in the city. Almost simultaneously, another civilian, Mohammad Shafi Lone, was killed at Naidkhai in Bandipora.

Three days before that, militants shot dead Majid Ahmad Gojri at Srinagars Karan Nagar locality. Later that Saturday night, they gunned down Mohammad Shafi Dar at Batmaloo.

According to the KOA, emotions of rage and helplessness ran high when the Kashmiri Pandits residing in various parts of the US heard of the "gruesome, targeted killings of innocents in Kashmir by the terrorists".

"These incidents brought back the painful memories of 1990, when members from the community were killed, women were raped, children rendered orphans, resulting in the exodus of over 400,000 people to save lives and honour," said KOA president Dr Archana Kokroo.

"The recent targeted killings have terrorised the minority community in the Valley and many are fleeing their homes again," Kokroo said.

"Our peace-loving and progressive community has survived the brutality of the forced exodus of 1990 due to our perseverance and hard work. We continue to live by our values of non-violence. Killing another one of us is not a victory for the terrorists," Kokroo said.

"This is the saddest event that every humanitarian must mourn. India is an independent nation and all Indians have constitutional rights and freedoms. A few interlocutors should not be able to threaten human rights with violence," said Lavanya Vemsani, a Professor of Indian History and Religions in Shawnee State University, Ohio.

"The government must increase security in the Valley, especially for the non-Muslim minority," Vemsani said.

Dr Ashok Moza, president and founder of Chemicals Inc, said the government of India "needs to consider creating clusters of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits and other non-Muslims in different parts of the Valley and offer them protection just like Israel has provided to its citizens on the West Bank."

"The recent killing is a clear reminder that non-Muslims in general and Kashmiri Pandits in particular are unsafe in the Valley," Moza said.

Commenting on the recent killings, long-time social and cultural activist in Boston Sanjay Kaul, who is also the vice president of the World Hindu Council, said that the government "must re-evaluate its Kashmir policy and provide proper security to the community and work on building their confidence if they are encouraging them to live in the Valley."

The Kashmiri Pandit community is once again on the edge as their woes continue even after 32 years in exile, he said.

Reacting over the incident, Pran Chaku, distinguished technologist and a long time Houston resident, said, "This incident has horrified and shocked Kashmiri Pandits globally. I hope the government acts sternly. If the security of the minority community and their right to live in their place of birth cannot be guaranteed, then the government has failed us."

Padma Shri awardee Subhash Kak, Regents Professor Emeritus at the prestigious Oklahoma State University, said: It has been heartbreaking to read about the brutal killings by terrorists in Srinagar. We must stand resolute and fight this evil for good".

Rajesh Kachroo, a PK-ReHinGe activist in Virginia, advocated establishment of a homeland for Kashmiri Hindus in east and north of the river Jhelum and adoption of the 1991 Marg darshan Resolution of Panun Kashmir.

"We have reiterated that the only safe option for Kashmiri Hindus, who are refugees in their own country, is establishment of homeland, east and north of the river Jhelum and adoption of the 1991 Marg darshan Resolution of Panun Kashmir," Kachroo said.

"KOA sends its deepest condolences to the families of the dead and pray that there are no more killings. We all stand in solidarity with the families of these bravehearts," KOA Secretary Anil Ganju said.

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Busans Asian Contents & Film Market kicks off Monday in virtual format for the second year. But that COVID-enforced constraint may not be an impediment.

Market stalls operated on behalf of sales companies are virtual, and many Korean sellers will stay in place in Seoul, rather than making the trip to Busan. But the E-IP Pitching segment will be held live and on site.

The four-day ACFM will also include keynote presentations and conversations from Old Boy director Park Chan-wook and industry executives from companies including Walt Disney, Chinas iQiyi, and Koreas TVing and Korea Telecom.

In its first virtual year, the market welcomed 205 companies (buyers and sellers) from Korea and abroad, with some 833 contents of different sorts traded. This year the event is expected to be bigger, both as a result of the industry becoming more comfortable using a virtual platform for a market, and due to the burgeoning interest in Korean culture that has followed K-pops triumphal BTS, TVs Squid Game and films Oscar achievements with Parasite.

Organizers report 1,389 registered participants from 52 countries, a 57% increase from last year. They report 200 institutions and sales companies have registered for online booths. Between them, they will put on 318 market screenings. Some 112 festival selections are also available for online screening by registered market participants.

If we take the example of Squid Game, we cant deny the global popularity that K-content is enjoying, says Nam Dong Chul, program director for the festival, and a former executive on the market side.

Busans move to accommodate content other than pure feature film within the Busan has been under way for several years. Signaling that intention, the market changed its name from Asian Film Market to Asian Contents and Film Market in 2019. And the E-IP section was added before that.

We recognized that expanding our market to include drama, novels and web toons was essential. Of course, diving in to bring film and TV professionals together right away made no sense, but there is a sweet spot where synergies exist between both industries that we could start exploring.

This year the biggest (voluntary) innovation is the launch of the On Screen section, which plays host to original shows from OTT platforms, including Netflixs Hellbound, a fantasy thriller from director Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho, and HBO Asias Forbidden by Thailands Anucha Boonyawatana and Korea-based Korean-American Josh Kim.

Travel restrictions are reinforcing the Korean focus of both the Busan festival and the ACFM. Due to Covid, we invited fewer foreign guests, maybe only 5% compared to before, and have had to run the market online. But we hope to operate at 70-80% capacity next year, if conditions permit, says Nam.

He says that there have been past discussions about possible partnerships with Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) and the Busan Contents Market, Koreas two other big content sales events. It makes sense and we have thought about it. However, these markets have different organizations in charge and aligning objectives isnt simple, Nam said, Film is still our primary focus and we wont deviate too far from that. Instead, well build on what we have and continue to gradually expand.

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Disney has renewed for a second season Argentine psychological drama Limbo  Hasta Que Lo Decida, one of the companies earliest Star Plus Originals in Latin America.

The new order was announced this Saturday Oct. 9 by Leonardo Aranguibel, VP of production at the Walt Disney Company LatAm, in Cannes just after the world premiere of Limbo at Canneseries, where the 10-part series was the first to bow in main competition.

The decision to order Season 2 was made given the results of the first 10 episodes, now in post-production, and selection for Canneseries, Aranguibel explained.

Produced by Star Original Productions in partnership with Pablo Bossis Pampa Films and Gloriamundi Producciones, the series is developed by Argentinas Mariano Cohen and Gaston Duprat, writer-directors of the Venice feature Official Competition, starring Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, and The Distinguished Citizen. Limbo is directed by Agustina Macri (Soledad) and Fabiana Tiscornia (La reina del miedo). All key creators are expected to return for Season Two, added Aranguibel, who executive produces for Disney Latin America alongside Mariana Perez and Fernando Barbosa.

Two years back, Disney teamed with Pampa Films to make Monzon, which was selected for Frances Series Mania, closed Spains Conecta Fiction and won Best Series at the MipCancun Produ Awards. Limbo raises the bar in terms of artistic ambition.

Written by Margarita Garcia Robayo (Cosas peores), Ana Navajas (Estas muy callada hoy), Nicolas Diodovich (Terapia alternativa) and Javier Van de Couter (Historia de un clan), the series turns on Sofia (Clara Lago), 28, a young millionaire heiress who lives a life that others can only dream of  or follow on Instagram  party, partying her life away in Madrid nightclubs, doing drugs, alcohol, sex. She also has bubble baths.

But its clear from early scenes that something is wrong. Part is physical: She has a hearing impediment, wears a cochlear implant. But shes hiding from herself and her past.

At parties, you dont think. Thats why I like them, she says in an extended voiceover filling the early stretches of Limbo.

Is Sofia happy? Almost certainly not. Sometimes, she bursts out in tears, for seemingly no reason at all, she admits. Somethings pushed her to live 15 years away from Buenos Aires in exile in Madrid, distant from her family which owns one of Latin Americas biggest cosmetics businesses. Her exile may have something to do with her brothers, who nickname her Sou Sou, as in so so, decrying her lack of talent, as the only mediocre part of a exceptional lineage, she complains.

Then her father dies, forcing Sofia back to Buenos Aires, to contend with a entangled legacy that will expose a dark side of her past, the synopsis says.

Limbo is defined in early subtitles as a state of neglect or oblivion of the surrounding world. Lack of a sense of reality. A latent state. Suspension of time. LimboHasta Que lo Decida, the series, drives to the heart of one of Latin Americas banes: The disavowal of the ultra rich of their own reality and any responsibility for the regions endemic sorrows. It also weighs in as a calling card for the production values and social relevance of Star Plus Originals as they begin to release or hit big festivals around the world, Limbo being the first.

Variety talked to Araguibel, Macri and Tiscornia just after the series world premiere at Canneseries.

From the very first scene of Sofia sprawled on her bed surrounded by childhood memorabilia while an extended definition of limbo plays out over the screen, theres a sense of the series turning on disavowal  both Sofias about her own trauma and the familys about its true past. Could you comment?

Tiscornia: Thats a very interesting interpretation. Limbo, in a metaphorical and deep sense, turns on how a person tries to return to the scenes of her trauma and from a point of view of childhood suffering, find release, advance where shes been paralyzed, and break through her agglutinated emotions. Sofia has built a life, but its separate from her. Now, she can discover if, returning, she can confront a future with other weapons.

After Sofia gets on a private jet and flies back to Buenos Aires for her fathers funeral, the series narrates her return to a patriarchal context, a family business now run by her two brothers who have rejected her, writing her off as Sou-Sou. Theres a sense that the series will increasingly follow Sofias empowerment, as she proves her worth while discovering the familys real past.

Macri: Rejection is maybe too strong a word but, yes, she clearly forms part of a traditional family with a very patriarchal structure and a hugely powerful father who over-protected her, gave her everything she wanted. When the father dies, she can feel a certain sense of liberation to try become who she wants to be.

The series is told  literally when it comes to her voiceover  from Sofias point of view, from that of a young hypoacoustic woman, which frees a director from any sense of immediate realism, allowing you to show what Sofia sees, feels and hears when she wants to.

Macri: This was one of the things which really excited me about the project. To know that we had a protagonist whos a woman, with her deafness and particular way of hearing. This gives her a very singular way of seeing the world. We tried consistently to play as much as we could with this and explore her sensibility when seeing the world to see things as she does.

You take this to the point of Episode Two acquiring a dominant oneiric blue tone, or shooting an intimate scene, her reencounter with her best friend, in mid-shot; or counterpointing action with a contrasting soundtrack

Aranguibel: Its key what youre saying. The early episodes hint subtly at the trauma which leads to her deafness. Not being able to hear transforms her, closes her into herself. Its one key to the series told by such a present and personal narrator. The original idea came from Diego Lerner, president of Walt Disney Company Latin America. He has a direct connection with people who suffer deafness and with an organization in Argentina. It was Diegos idea to work around the theme of deafness and the transformation of a fragile, lost woman; how she finds empowerment and encounters herself and transforms her world.

Tiscornia: The implant and deafness in general hadnt really been treated in many series. We now have Sound of Metal but its one of the original aspects of the series.

You teamed with Pampa Films for Monzon, Leonardo, which set a new bar in Latin America, I think, for its sound design and soundtrack.

There are various throughlines with Monzon. Its the same production house, Argentinas Pampa Films. And the composers the same, Sergei Grosny. Given Sofias hypoacoustic, the soundtrack in Limbo can have even larger narrative importance than in Monzon. Its a beautiful piece of work, turning on when Sofia connects and turns off her implant.

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Negotiations on a new IATSE contract will resume on Monday, after the two sides concluded their talks on Saturday without a deal.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees  which represents 60,000 film and TV production workers across the country  has threatened to strike if it cannot reach a deal. In a message to members on Friday, International President Matthew D. Loeb sought to reassure those who believe the talks have dragged on too long, saying they should be resolved in days, not weeks.

Cathy Repola, the national executive director of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, advised members on Saturday night that the talks would continue, and that negotiators continue to stand firm on the priority issues.

It is in the best interest of all IATSE members across the country that we continue to bargain until it becomes apparent that we cannot reach an agreement, Repola wrote. That is what we intend to do while we simultaneously prepare for a work stoppage that we hope does not have to happen. We will reconvene on Monday and update you then.

Another business agent told members on Friday that it was important to allow enough time to bargain in good faith, as required under labor law. The membership is watching the talks closely, and some have grown impatient with the pace of discussions. The membership voted overwhelmingly, with 99 percent support, to authorize a strike if it becomes necessary.

The West Coast IATSE unions are holding a sign-making event on Sunday afternoon at the headquarters of the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600 and the Motion Picture Editors Guild, in Hollywood. A separate event will be held at the headquarters of the Affiliated Property Craftspersons, Local 44, in Valley Village.

The unions are seeking concessions on long workdays, including a weekend rest period, longer turnaround times, and increased meal penalties. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is bargaining on behalf of the studios.

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Ridley Scotts The Last Duel may hinge on two knights fiercely battling to the death, but the real protagonist is the woman at the center of the conflict, who was a footnote in history but finally given a voice by star Jodie Comer.

The Killing Eve actor plays Marguerite de Carrouges, a French noblewoman in the late 1300s who is raped by her husbands friend and testifies in court. The accused knight Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) denies the crime, so Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) challenges him to a trial by a duel to the death to determine whether or not Le Gris is guilty. However, if de Carrouges loses the duel, the last to be legally sanctioned in France, his wife will be burned at the stake as punishment for her false allegation.

I was looking forward to giving this woman a voice, Comer told Variety at the Saturday night premiere of The Last Duel in New York. There was so little information about her, and she was the one who experienced this horrific attack, yet there was a whole encyclopedia about the men and how they fought and what they wore and who they were. To hear the creators main focus was to give her the opportunity to speak her truth was what really grabbed my attention.

The movie is split into three chapters. Each is told from a different characters perspective of the events surrounding the rape and leading up to the duel. First is Jean de Carrouges, then Le Gris, and finally Marguerite de Carrouges, whose chapter is labeled as The Truth.

The more we learned about this culture in medieval France, the more incredible she became, Damon told Variety. She stood up and spoke truth to power, at great risk to herself again and again and to an ever widening group of people. She was an enormously brave, heroic person. Our takeaways reading the book was this was the kind of person you should make a movie about.

Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener co-wrote the script, which draws clear parallels to the politics and fights for womens rights today, despite taking place more than 600 years ago.

You certainly cant leave the movie and say, Well that was a long time ago. Thank god, thats not happening anymore,' Holofcener told Variety. Im sure people will come out of the movie saying, Jesus Christ, that was a long time ago and were still dealing with this. Maybe not people being burned at the stake in this countrybut things are getting better and more people are speaking out if they choose, and I think thats great.

Added Comer, Its pretty evident that weve come so far in so many ways, and yet in many we havent learned anything, especially in regards to women experiencing sexual assault and women still fighting for autonomy over their bodies. Its kind of depressing when you go, Oh gosh, it still feels like we have another 600 years to go. Hopefully that really isnt the caseIt really holds a mirror up to society.

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Catalan director Clara Roquets teenage female friendship drama Libertad and Ferit Karahans social drama Brothers Keeper, about Kurdish kids living in fear at a Turkish boarding school, won the best film awards respectively in the international and national competitions at Turkeys 58th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival which wrapped Saturday.

Libertad, a first feature that centers on a bond that forms during a summer in Spains Costa Brava between two young women from opposite sides of the tracks, was a recent Cannes Critics Week standout that has been making the festival rounds. Pic will soon segue from Antalya to the Rome Film Festival.

Brothers Keeper is based on helmer Karahans own experience and follows two friends, Yusef and Memo, at a secluded boarding school for Kurdish boys in the mountains of Eastern Anatolia. When Memo falls mysteriously ill, Yusuf to try to help his friend is forced to struggle through the bureaucratic obstacles put up by the schools repressive authorities.

Keeper, which had its Turkish premiere at Antalya, launched earlier this year from Berlins Panorama strand, where it won the sections Fipresci prize. Besides scoring best film it also won prizes for best screenplay and editing in Antalya.

The Turkish competitions other standout title was Kerr, the latest drama by minimalist moviemaker Tayfun Pirselimoglu in which a man named Can gets caught up in a hellish spiral after witnessing a murder in a small town where he has arrived to attend his fathers funeral.

Kerr won the sections prize for best director and also for its music, plus a nod from Turkish film directors association.

In the international competition, Costa Rican director Paz Fabrega won the best director prize for Aurora, her drama about female companionship prompted by an an unwanted pregnancy that launched from Rotterdam. Switzerlands Claudia Grob won best actress for her role in The Fam, which is set in a teenage girls residential care home in Geneva. And the best actor award went to Finlands Petri Poikolainen for playing the wheelchair-bound blind protagonist in Teemu Nikkis The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic.

The event, which is Turkeys oldest film festival and the countrys prime local cinema catalyst, is co-headed by chief Ahmet Boyacoglu and artistic director Basak Emre and hosted by the Municipality of Antalya with the support of the Republic of Turkeys Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The Awards

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM COMPETITION

Best Film: Libertad, dir. Clara Roquet

Best Director: Paz Fabrega (Aurora)

Best Actress: Claudia Grob (The Fam)

Best Actor: Petri Poikolainen (The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic)

NATIONAL FEATURE FILM COMPETITION

Best Film: Brothers Keeper, dir. Ferit Karahan

Dr. Avni Tolunay Special Jury Prize: Between Two Dawns, dir. Selman Nacar

Behlul Dal Best First Film Award: Anatolian Leopard, Emre Kayis

Best Director: Tayfun Pirselimoglu (Kerr)

Cahide Sonku Award: Ezgi Baltas, Feride Cicecoglu

Best Screenplay: Ferit Karahanm Gulistan Acet (Brothers Keeper)

Best Actress: Nihal Yalcn (Zuhal)

Best Actor: Tarhan Karagoz (The Cage)

Best Cinematography: Ozgur Eken (Commitment Hasan)

Best Music: Nikos Kyourgos (Kerr)

Best Editing: Serkan Sezgin, Ferit Kaarahan, Hayedeh Safiyari (Brothers Keeper)

Best Art Director: Billur Turan (Anatolian Leopard)

Best Supporting Actress: Nezaket Erden (Between Two Dawns), Ozay Hecht (The Cage)

Best Supporting Actor: Erdem Senocak (Between Two Dreams)

Turkish Film Critics Association Best Film Award: Pure White, dir. Necip Caghan Ozdemir

Film Directors Association Best Director Award: Tayfun Pirselimoglu, (Kerr)

NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION

Best Film: All-In, dir. Volkan Uce Special

Jury Prize: Expecting a Grain of Sand, dir. Asl Akdag

NATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION

Best Film: Ill Leave You Two Alone, dir. Elif Refig Special

Jury Prize: The Second Night, dir. Ali Tansu Turhan

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Image Comics has announced that Saga, Brian K. Vaughans and Fiona Staples best-selling comic series, will return to shelves with a new issue on Jan. 26. The double-length Saga issue will be the 55th in the series and will include 44 pages of story.

Saga follows a girl named Hazel and her family as they embark on adventures. The new entry will mark the beginning of the second half of Saga, promising its most epic chapter yet.

Other than my own family, collaborating with Fiona Staples on Saga is the most important thing in my life, so I cant thank readers and retailers enough for their patience, said writer Vaughan in a statement. I think our next 54 issues will be even more shocking, strange and spectacular than the first 54, so we cant wait to be back on the shelves at your local comic shop soon.

Ive really missed connecting with readers through the pages of Saga, so Im thrilled to roll up my sleeves and dive into this world again, Staples added. The next arc is really going places I never imagined and Im so grateful that were able to keep doing this.

Eric Stephenson, chief creative officer and publisher at Image Comics said, Saga launched at Image during the companys 20th anniversary in 2012, so it seems more than fitting that the series is returning to shops just in time for our 30th anniversary next year.

Saga #55 will be available at comic book shops on Jan. 26. Image projects the demand for the issue will be high and encourages fans to place pre-orders before Jan. 3.

Various Saga books and compendiums are available for purchase at bookstores and comic shops, as well as across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books and Google Play.

Heres a first look at the cover art for Saga #55.

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Around the time she was in the seventh grade, South African actor Thando Thabethe auditioned for the lead role in a school play. It didnt pan out the way shed planned  she landed a small part in the choir, sort of singing Kumbaya and not really doing much, she recalls, with a laugh  but a spark was lit. Even just being part of something that small at such a young age is what shaped me, knowing that this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life.

That life-long dream now has Thabethe poised for breakout success. First comes a star turn as Constable Nandi Cele in the crime drama Reyka, an eight-part series produced by Serena Cullen Prods. and Quizzical Pictures for the South African pay-TV channel M-Net that Fremantle is distributing globally. That will be followed by a lead role in Blood Psalms, an ambitious epic series co-produced by South African SVOD Showmax and Canal Plus Intl.

Local stories produced for a global audience, both series reflect not only Thabethes trajectory as a rising international talent, but also the growing reach of a South African industry poised to make a giant leap in the coming years. Were finding ourselves working in spaces and with people that we otherwise wouldnt imagine ourselves working in, she says.

Thabethe was only 14 when she landed her first major role in the hit sitcom My Perfect Family, acting alongside stars as Lillian Dube, John Lata and Baby Cele. It was a cast of South African actors that I watched as a little girl, so I sort of knew the gravity of it, she says. But I think a beautiful thing about being young is you dont overthink things.

Its a virtue that would power Thabethe through her burgeoning career as an actor and radio presenter. Despite making a name for herself in comedy, Thabethe jumped at the chance to play a starring role in the telenovela The Housekeepers, in which she played a girl looking to avenge the death of her mother.

It was a performance that broadened her range  and her understanding of her craft. I find acting very therapeutic, and I didnt know that doing comedy, she says. Its only once I started doing the dramas and the thrillers that I started seeing the therapy in it, and how a character can even mold you as a person.

The series, which broadcast on Mzansi Magic, a network owned by South Africas MultiChoice, began Thabethes relationship with the continents largest media group. I think the work that theyre doing is absolutely astounding  how theyre able to bring Africa to the world, she says. I think its so beautiful that theyre recognizing South African talent, and theyre giving it the space to live and flourish.

That recognition comes at a transformative moment for the South African industry. I worked in South African television when this was something that could not be achieved, Thabethe says. I think a lot of the time weve had our stories told by other people. And now, to be able to watch our people tell our stories in such powerful ways  I have goosebumps even talking about it.

Now Thabethe finds herself preparing to take on the world. Fresh off an audition for Viola Davis TriStar pic The Woman King, which is lensing in South Africa, she says shes been inspired by the elevation of Black productions that has happened in the U.S. over the years, citing influences such as Ava DuVernays When They See Us and Jordan Peeles Get Out.

But her bucket list as an actor includes working with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino, as well. Im like, Bring it on! she says.

Growing up in a township in South Africas KwaZulu-Natal region, coming from what she describes as not a very privileged background, Nomzamo Mbatha couldnt easily admit to her dream of becoming an actor. When she performed in school plays, she kept it a secret from her family; when it came time to pursue a degree in higher education, she chose accounting. I was a kid who knew from the get-go that she had to make something of her life, Mbatha tells Variety.

That didnt keep her from sneaking off to the movies every chance she got, or auditioning for a part in Isibaya, the flagship show for a new channel being launched by South African media giant MultiChoice in 2012. The talent search drew more than 600 participants, with Mbatha landing a role in a series that would go on to become the biggest daily telenovela on the continent. It really changed my life, and it changed the trajectory of my career, she says.

That trajectory is rapidly rising, with Mbatha appearing alongside Eddie Murphy in Paramounts Coming 2 America and starring across from Bruce Willis in the forthcoming thriller Soul Assassin, which tells the story of a former black-ops soldier who takes the place of a man who died as part of an experimental military program, in order to find out who killed him.

Yet despite making the great leap to Hollywood in 2019, a part of the South African star remains close to home. Mbatha still has close ties with MultiChoice; she recently worked with the company to enroll two mentees from underprivileged backgrounds in the MultiChoice Talent Factory  an initiative that offers paid, on-set training to film students  and describes the company as my first family.

They really know how to nurture and grow talent. For me, its really been a very cultivating environment to be in, she says. I know that Im able to foster different relationships under the umbrella of MultiChoice and under the umbrella of DStv.

After her success in South Africa, Mbatha admits the transition to Hollywood hasnt always been smooth sailing. Shooting Coming 2 America was a daunting task, she says, because of the bigness of the film, the legacy of the film, being surrounded by Hollywood royalty. But it emboldened her, too, as she constantly reminded herself that youve worked hard and you deserve to be here.

Playing across from Willis in director Jesse Atlas action-thriller presented a different but welcome challenge. Its important for me to be able to play in different roles, to show my range and to show what I can offer as an actress, she says.

That range extends to Mbathas interests off screen, where she serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.N. Refugee Agency, working to provide healthcare and education for refugees and IDPs. Advocacy plays a key role in her life. I think its important for us to be able to have something to say about things that are affecting us as human beings, she says.

Mbatha is encouraged to see how borders are coming down and the world of film and television is growing smaller, citing as inspiration the breakout success of British-Ghanaian multi-hyphenate Michaela Coel and her Emmy-winning hit I May Destroy You, and British actor Lashana Lynch, whos plays the first female 007 in No Time to Die.

For me, it gives me hope that I dont have to sound American to be a successful actress in Hollywood. I dont have to look American to be a successful actress in Hollywood, she says. Its really just a great time to be recognized as Black talent and to be given equal opportunity. In the past, the opportunities were just not there.

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Ben Affleck is an accomplished actor, producer, writer and director, proven by his two Academy Awards. So why does social media chatter generally refer to each of his new and effective outings worthy of Oscars consideration as a comeback?

In the middle of his newest film The Last Duel, it dawned on me. Nothing regarding his interpretation of Count Pierre dAlencon should work with his sensibilities as an actor. Yet he completely steals the show in one of three segments designed to belong to Jacques Le Gris (played by Adam Driver). Unfortunately, the Hollywood machine, critics and consumers have taken his abilities for granted. Perhaps it was the paparazzis focus on Bennifer (and its current sequel, Bennifer 2.0) or his openness regarding his struggles with sobriety. Either way, hes shown himself, on multiple occasions, an uncommonly invigorating actor when placed in the right hands.

My realization came three days after a BAFTA member screening of George Clooneys The Tender Bar, in which Affleck once again steals focus. His Uncle Charlie acts as a surrogate father to young J.R. Moehringer (Tye Sheridan, moving closer to his big Hollywood and Oscar moment) and is the type of conventional big brother to Dorothy (played exquisitely by Lily Rabe, an awards-worthy candidate if the movie catches on) everyone knows if you grew up in the tri-state area.

Unabashedly and charmingly genuine, Affleck brings a smile to your face in each scene he inhabits in the Amazon Studios film, showing similarities to past supporting actor nominees like Ethan Hawkes inconsistent father from Boyhood (2014) or John Hawkes meth-addicted Uncle Teardrop from Winters Bone (2010)  supporting characters that are flawed but give the essential acumen for their films protagonists to grow. Christopher Lloyd, playing the rugged and potty-mouthed grandfather to J.R., is also due for his dance with the Academy, and checks off many of those same boxes. There could be supporting actor traction for both of them.

In 1998, Affleck, along with his best friend Matt Damon, won best original screenplay for Good Will Hunting, in which he also played Chuckie, the ride-or-die confidant who taught us how to hustle money at a job interview. Afterward, Hollywood created two separate paths for the two youngest screenplay winners in Oscar history. Damons following three projects were Saving Private Ryan, Rounders and The Talented Mr. Ripley. Affleck followed up with Phantoms, Armageddon and Shakespeare in Love. You can see that each starred in their own Oscar favorites, but how the two were utilized and would be used over the next 20-some years has varied.

Though hes often been a punching bag for tabloids and snobby cinephiles, Affleck has been far more gifted than given credit. For every Pearl Harbor (2001) and Gigli (2003) to mention, revisit his turns in Boiler Room (2000), Gone Girl (2014) and his Golden Globe-nominated turn as Superman star George Reeves in Hollywoodland (2006). When placed in the right hands, he rises to the challenge, even at times exceeding expectations.

His career seemed to undergo a metamorphosis in 2007 with his directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, an adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel. Surprising many with his assured hand behind-the-camera, critics and awards voters didnt know what to do with Afflecks evolution into a capable filmmaker outside of nominating Amy Ryan in supporting actress. You also have to credit him with boosting his brother Caseys campaign that same year for his supporting turn The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as his impressive lead performance in Gone Baby Gone bolstered his reputation.

Appearing to have found his niche, Affleck moved into his 2010 sophomore effort The Town, this time taking on the leading role of bank robber Doug MacRay. He was flirting with the awards bodies and Academy voters this time, picking up noms from prestigious groups like the PGA and WGA. Ultimately, the awards circuit ended with a sole mention for Jeremy Renner in supporting actor.

Then came Argo, the thrilling look at the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Iran in 1981. BAFTA, Critics Choice, Globes and SAG all gave the film its top prize, which the Oscars then followed, even after a snub for Affleck in best actor and, more notably, director. I want to thank the Academy, Affleck said while accepting the best director prize at the Critics Choice Awards. The ceremony took place on the same day that the Oscar nominations, and his snub, were revealed. After that, his Oscars dance is history.

Even after winning best picture, which he shared with The Tender Bar producing duo Clooney and Grant Heslov (Ted Hope is also serving as a producer), it hasnt been a foregone conclusion that Affleck is one of our best. Perhaps the growing positive image was stained by taking on Batman in the Zack Snyderverse or the misfire of his next directing venture Live By Night. However, still, you find something remarkable like his turn as alcoholic Jack in last years The Way Back (2020), which was swallowed up in the noise of the early days of the pandemic.

Far more commercial than people would suspect, The Tender Bar is a crowd-pleaser in a year where voters and audiences are seeking more upbeat entries. Adapted from J.R. Moehringers memoir of the same name and written by Oscar-winner William Monahan, Tender Bar may find traction in the adapted screenplay category, especially given the thin nature of the competition this year.

Something is interesting about Clooneys eight outings as a director. He doesnt seem to have a signature aesthetic across his films. This isnt necessarily a bad thing, but that could explain why I believe that his movies post-Good Night, and Good Luck are so divisive. For example, I find The Midnight Sky to be the magnum opus of his entire filmography, and it received a mixed reception. However, those same detractors for his cerebral space movie will speak on the merits of Suburbicon (2017), something far more challenging to talk highly about. Its still unclear how the Academy at large will respond to this new coming-of-age film, which harkens to classics like Stand by Me (1986), which director Rob Reiner was snubbed for. As Clooney has been nominated in eight separate Oscar categories, it would be foolish to count him out of the conversation for best director and best picture, but both could be long shots for The Tender Bar.

In The Last Duel, Affleck provides a fascinating depiction of a sex-crazed royal who mirrors the boys club mentality and the silencing of womens voices that still permeates today. Director Ridley Scott makes his #MeToo movie in a genre he has excelled in. His 2000 epic Gladiator won best picture. The Last Duel likely wont be the Oscar vehicle for either Affleck or Scott, as The Tender Bar and Scotts upcoming House of Gucci seem to be more in line with what the Academy will respond to. Artisan categories such as production design, costumes and sound could be on the table for the period drama. At the same time, Emmy-winner Jodie Comers turn as Marguerite de Carrouges, playing three different interpretations of the historical figure, could pop up in best actress line-ups on the regional awards circuit.

An important note to address by all studios is the crutch of relying on the MPAA rating system to inform viewers of brutal scenes that could be triggering, like rape and other forms of sexual misconduct. I favor messaging at the top of the movie and/or a visible symbol on all marketing materials. We need to show more sensitivity and compassion to these victims.

So can Affleck make headway with the Academy this year, or will it continue to look elsewhere? Lets see how he works the campaign trail this season.

The Last Duel opens in theaters on Oct. 15, while The Tender Bar is scheduled for Dec. 17.

2022 Academy Awards Predictions
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After beating the odds last year by hosting a physical edition in the midst of the pandemic, Cannes chief Thierry Fremauxs Lumiere Festival kicked off in Lyon with great fanfare and prestigious guests including Paolo Sorrentino, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Netflixs co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Valeria Golino, Joachim Trier, Rossy de Palma, Melanie Laurent and Edouard Baer.

The festival, which unfolds in the birthplace of the Cinematograph and its creators, the Lumiere brothers, is dedicating its 13th edition to its long-time president Bertrand Tavernier, the beloved filmmaker who recently died.

During his opening speech, the usually voluble Fremaux had to take a moment to regain his composure as he paid an emotional tribute to Tavernier, his friend and close collaborator, with whom he worked side by side for nearly four decades at the Lumiere Institute.

Bertrand has left us with a heritage that is so major and so immense, and your presence here tonight proves that the adventure will go on, said Fremaux before a crowd of 5,000 in the Tony Garnier concert hall.

In a clip, the late Tavernier said, That was always the spirit of the festival, referring to the Lumiere Festivals ambition to bring together wide-ranging audiences and enjoy the collective experience of moviegoing.

While Netflix was once again MIA at Cannes due to the festivals rule requiring competition titles to open in French theaters, the streamer is out in force at the Lumiere Festival. Netflix has four films playing there, including Campions The Power of The Dog, Sorrentinos The Hand of God, and Gyllenhaals The Lost Daughter, all of which world premiered at Venice.

The presence of Sarandos, who made the trip especially to Lyon for the opening, underscores the friendly relationship between Fremaux and Netflix and hints at a potential comeback for the streamer in Cannes.

In town for just 24 hours, Sarandos took the time to visit Lyons Cinefabrique film school, that offers a free three-year program to students from diverse backgrounds.

A special tribute was also paid to the late Jean-Paul Belmondo, who attended the festival several times, including in 2013 when Lumiere laureate Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to the French New Wave icon with these words: Even the name Belmondo is not just the name of a movie star, not just the name of a man; its a verb that represents vitality, charisma, the force of will. It represents super-coolness.

The new president of the festival and Institut Lumiere set up by Tavernier, actor Irene Jacob, took to the stage and regaled the audience in a duo with French actor and director Alain Chabat with a rendition of La chanson dHelene, the famous song by French composer Philippe Sarde (which he wrote for Claude Sautets 1970 The Things of Life), who is being honored at Lumiere this year.

Among the guests were French actor and director Edouard Baer, who will present his upcoming film Adieu Paris! along with lead actors, Belgiums Benoit Poelvoorde and Francois Damiens, who amused the audience as they tried to tame the rowdy line-up of celebrities at the end of the ceremony by reading out the passage that traditionally opens the festival.

The ceremony was followed by the screening of a 4K digital version of Edward Sedgwicks 1928 silent movie The Cameraman starring Buster Keaton and Marceline Day, long believed to be lost, and restored by the Criterion Collection, the Cineteca di Bologna and Warner Bros. The film was accompanied on the piano by French composer Vincent Delerm  a perfect way to open whats recognized as one of the leading heritage film festivals in the world.

Speaking at the opening diner after the screening, with oysters, frogs legs and local delicacies on the menu in the city known as Frances gastronomic capital, British film critic Peter Bradshaw described Lumiere as the Shangri-La: Its this amazing treat, where you get to go and see wonderful restored movies and eat wonderful food. Its not like Cannes, Venice or Sundance: Lyon offers something different.

Asked what that is, he enthused: History, the culture of cinema. There may be premieres, but they are often built into a retrospective, as we see with Jane Campion this year.

While its growing influence on the film industry is undeniable, Lumiere remains first and foremost true to its motto: un festival pour tous  a festival for all.

The Lumiere Film Festival runs until Oct. 17.

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This past week, the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon inaugurated its newest governor into office and various local leaders from the city of Laredo and surrounding areas attended.

The inauguration of Gov. Samuel Garcia meant a new start for one of the richest states in the country of Mexico and also one promising to have many projects and works in partnership with the U.S. This goes especially with the City of Laredo as it is the only port the state of Nuevo Leon has with the United States.

At the inauguration, one of the invited guests was Rep. Henry Cuellar, who said he discussed many things with the new governor about trade, economics, security and even a potential presidential run in the future.

I got an opportunity to spend time before the inauguration with him and the eight or nine other governors over there from states like Oaxaca (and) Cabeza de Vaca (Tamaulipas), where we talked about the World Trade Bridge and other issues with all of the other governors and also spent time with the military that was there also, Cuellar said. We went in, had a private room where we all met, and then we had the inauguration, which is always good to see when somebody comes in with new ideas and things he wants to do. He did mention the work we did here in Laredo, what we did here in Colombia (Bridge) and the vaccines, which he expressed he was very grateful for the federal government for that help.

According to Cuellar, Garcias efforts to help take buses of people, workers and children to the borders with Laredo, McAllen and others from Monterrey allowed him to vaccinate more children than any other state in the Mexican Republic, which is something he accomplished even before becoming governor.

He had a good representation from the U.S., myself and others included, so he had a good cross-section of federal officials from the Mexican government, state officials and a bunch of local mayors and, of course, the large representation from the U.S. side that was present there, Cuellar said. I thought it was a good representation, and he also thanked the U.S. a lot and that just shows you how important the vaccines are for not only us but our neighbors as well.

One of the other officials who attended from the area was City of Laredo District IV Councilmember Alberto Torres Jr., who represented the city. He has also worked with Garcia in the past to find what is best for both cities.

The swearing-in ceremony of Gov. Samuel Garcia was full of excitement and support by those in attendance, Torres said. Dignitaries from all levels of the Mexican and U.S. government attended the Teatro Municipal de Monterrey to witness the official oath of office. During his gubernatorial address, Gov. Garcia touched on every aspect of the needs of the State of Nuevo Leon and specifically mentioned his intentions of establishing stronger ties with the State of Texas, which borders Nuevo Leon via the City of Laredo, Texas and Colombia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

According to the councilmember, just like the state of Nuevo Leon plans to take advantage of their geographical location and its port, the city must also take advantage of this and use its connection with Nuevo Leon to explore many ways of bettering trade, tourism and other economic aspects with the Mexican state.

Being that Laredo is a border city to the State of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, we must begin to give the government of Nuevo Leon the same value and importance we give Tamaulipas, Torres said. It is time we work closely with Nuevo Leon through Gov. Garcia so that we can maximize the use of the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, for the benefit of Nuevo Leon and Laredo. Increasing the utilization of the Laredo-Colombia Bridge, to at least 80%, would translate into more revenue for both entities. In order to accomplish this, the long overdue La Gloria-Colombia Road needs to get constructed.

According to the councilmember, during his tenure, Gov. Garcia is the second governor of Nuevo Leon who he has personally engaged with to get the La Gloria project accomplished. Even before his tenure, he said predecessors of past city councils had attempted to get this important project for the local economy done with no results. Nevertheless, he has confidence the new governor can get this done.

Gov. Garcia has assured us that the construction of such road should commence as early as February 2022 under his leadership, Torres said. This, without a doubt, is the project the City of Laredo expects to accomplish with Gov. Garcia at the helm of the Nuevo Leon government.

Cuellar said he believes Garcias initiative to work with Laredo, Texas and the entire U.S. before even becoming governor shows how he believes the partnership between the states will be great as new projects would ensue in the shared area.

I think the partnership with Texas, Laredo and Nuevo Leon will grow as he is talking about doing various projects that connect more together these entities, Cuellar said. Laredo is the largest port, and it is your port as it is the only port that you have, so the more we can work together on facilitating trade, aligning the hours between customs and SAT (Servicio de Administracion Tributaria or the Tax Administration Service) is something they have told me to look at.

One thing we must accomplish is to have the road on the Mexican side, (another) is to make sure that everything at Colombia Bridge is functioning to have the most efficient movement of traffic. One of the other things they have told me to look at is to have office hours of customs and SAT online and also to look for business to make sure people will be doing movements through there.

Economics was another main topic discussed during the inauguration, which Cuellar said he is pretty confident Garcia will be able to fulfill as the new governor is a businessman who has continually studied and worked in various countries around the world including the U.S. and Canada.

Monterrey is a powerhouse when it comes to the industrial industry, and they do make sure that we keep working with their companies, Cuellar said. Many of the people who came to get vaccines were the employees of American companies that are based in Monterrey. So we know the interconnection that we have between the U.S. and Mexico when it comes to economics. Its trade and it's also tourism that we need to improve and also security plays a very important role.

Tourism is also another important topic as you know the high amount of people that come from Monterrey to Laredo and vice versa and other areas. Tourism is very important, and I believe that this must be improved by Monterrey as well as many people dont know that they have a riverwalk, like San Antonio does. So they have a lot of attractions and other many things that many people are not familiar with that they must promote as tourism services. Monterrey has so many things to offer.

The congressman also said something being looked into by Mexico is the potential construction of a fast train from San Antonio into Laredo and then to Monterrey to expand tourism efforts. This is something under consideration with a Garcia administration.

Another issue briefly discussed was security, as many of Mexicos top military members were at the inauguration. However, Cuellar said the security situation continues to be volatile in the area as the governors of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon blame each other for not doing enough to stop some of the crimes occurring along the Nuevo Laredo-Monterrey Road.

The Nuevo Laredo-Monterrey road begins right after crossing Bridge I into Nuevo Laredo as historic Guerrero Avenue connects with Reforma. That then leads to the highway connecting Nuevo Laredo with Monterrey, where there has been a recent rise in kidnappings and killings in the area including of American citizens. Cuellar said he has told both governors that no matter on what side of the state border it occurs, he just wants both to do their part to secure safe passage of people through the area, especially the many American tourists who travel there annually.

Torres said the fact Garcias first international visit as governor-elect was to Laredo shows how important the city is for his goals to make Nuevo Leon a major economic player not just in Mexico but all of North America as well.

Prior to Gov. Garcia taking office, we had already met as he made his first international visit to Laredo, Torres said. The one thing I reminded Gov. Garcia was that the City of Laredo wants to work alongside him to ensure the La Gloria-Colombia project becomes a reality, to which he reassured me it would get done as he has proven to be a working public servant that delivers. I wished both the Governor and First Lady of Nuevo Leon, Mariana Rodriguez Cantu, the best in their endeavors in bringing a new Nuevo Leon to the people they represent.

Both leaders in attendance also speculated on the fact whether Garcia, who has long been rumored to be contemplating a run for president in Mexico, may do so during the next presidential election in 2024, as he would already have several years of being governor of one of the most important states in the country.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that almost all of the border wall contracts left in the Laredo and Webb County area were terminated, adding up to approximately $765 million in total.

In wake of the decision, many local leaders responded positively to the news.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) said it was a good thing as the border wall would not impact migrants seeking asylum. He said it would also not stop drugs, as 90% of cocaine enters the country through the various ports of entry and 63% of all undocumented people in the U.S. come through the country legally and then overstay their visas  with the No. 1 violator being Canadian citizens.

This is a team effort on this. We are very excited about it, Cuellar said. People have told me that they are concerned about folks coming in, and I want to emphasize that no one wants to see open borders, and we still want to see personnel, equipment and technology.

City of Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz also spoke positively about the news. This is a little more than one week after stating to a conservative media outlet in Washington that if the Biden administration didnt implement a virtual wall, locals would soon start begging for a (border) wall.

I personally think it is a good thing, Saenz said. President Biden ran and won on a virtual wall platform. Finally this week, after much insistence from myself and others, I am hearing reports that the Biden administration is seriously beginning to implement a virtual wall in our area. I certainly hope that he fully implements it. This is his opportunity to establish that a virtual wall can be effective in securing our border and to dispel the notion that a physical wall is the overall solution to border security in our region.

I am glad to see he is now moving in that direction. This is President Bidens chance to shine and prove once and for all, that at least in our region, a less expensive, common-sense approach  a virtual wall  will indeed secure our border.

Regarding Saenzs comments, Cuellar said that he fundamentally disagreed with the mayors idea that people would ever beg for a border wall. And he said it wouldnt work anyway as it would not stop migrants from claiming asylum once they reach the riverbanks.

Unless they put the wall in the middle of the river, it wont do much because once they touch the riverbanks, (theyre in the U.S.). And if the wall is five feet or 10 feet away from the riverbank, its not going to stop them, he said.

Local Attorney Ricardo de Anda, who is part of the No Border Wall Coalition, also chimed in on the topic saying the border wall was no real solution to the problem being seen right now.

Border barriers have absolutely no impact on a refugee family's decision to undertake a harrowing journey to seek asylum at the border, de Anda said. Indeed on the Texas border, asylum can be sought by refugees who reach U.S. soil without having to breach any barriers. What does attract refugees to our border are our asylum laws which call for their protection, as well as Republican misinformation declaring the border open.

One of the leaders of the local No Border Wall Coalition said Fridays announcement was a major victory against an issue which, rather than trying to stop the flow of migrants, actually focused on creating discriminatory policies against migrants.

This is a big step forward, said Tricia Cortez, the executive director of the Rio Grande International Study Center and co-founder of the No Border Wall Coalition. The wall was never about addressing immigration or border security. It was a campaign ploy. It had nothing to do with the people of Laredo or Zapata. It was Trumps slogan so much so that his administration waived dozens of federal laws that are meant protect us in order to build it.

We formed this Coalition, stayed engaged and never backed down. Getting to this extraordinary moment was always our goal. This cancellation of the contracts means that were getting back to the substance of the matter. We must get away from empty and harmful rhetoric and get into actual solutions for the issues that Laredo and the border is facing.

Cortez says although right now is a time to celebrate, she is more relieved than anxious to celebrate as for a long time she did think the border wall might be created and affect the livelihood of many people living in the area. And she stated that animlas and the environment now will also not be impacted.

This is more than a celebration, its a sense of relief, Cortez said. Our river is now protected. Our people and wildlife wont be displaced. Yes, we are very happy with this decision, but more than anything, were relieved.

A wall would have threatened our only source of drinking water, and would have forever removed our access to the river. Hopefully soon, we can restore the rule of law, which among other things respects the environment  by getting rid of these egregious waivers of federal law for our people and region.

One local environmental activist said the decision to terminate the border wall contracts was more than needed to safeguard the local environment. It was something she was wanting to see a long time for the sake of the local environment.

The Rio Grande is our only source of drinking water, said Virginia Palacios, who is the principal of VP Environmental. Trump had waived dozens of environmental laws to prepare for its construction. The cancellation of the wall contracts ensures our water source will be protected but also the many families whose homes were in the way of its proposed path or the new floodplain the wall would have created.

Cuellar said he does not believe the cancellation of the contracts and the current ongoing negotiation of the Merida Initiative, which focuses on security between the U.S. and Mexico, was a reason for the cancellations. However, he said he does believe the negotiations of such a contract show how security is a two-way street as the U.S. wants to stop the inflow of migrants while Mexico wants to stop the illegal inflow of guns going to cartels along the border.

I dont think there is a coincidence between the timing of this decision and the negotiation of the Merida Initiative as the Mexicans have been asking the U.S. to redo this agreement as (Mexican President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador) ... has talked about the Merida Agreement, Cuellar said. I have talked to Marcelo Ebrad (Mexicos foreign Ministry) several times, and then what happened with the Mexican general that got arrested and then released, so Mexico has been wanting to change this agreement because in part they have said, Hey, U.S., you want us to stop drugs, but you need to help us stop guns from going south.

Even among people who agree on the fact the termination of the contracts is a good thing, many have different views as to what would be the best solution to the matter. Palacios believes the solution relies on doing away with gun loopholes so fewer weapons are trafficked into Mexico, which is the main way drug cartels get their guns.

There's no silver bullet to solving all of these problems, she said. One solution would be to close gaps and weaknesses in United States gun laws that allow criminals to purchase guns. The U.S. is a large source of illegally trafficked firearms. Similarly, the demand for drugs in the U.S. is what forces drug trafficking. We should consider offering more ways to treat trauma and exploring decriminalization of substances that can be used safely.

Cortez says the solution to the issues on the border must focus on building robust infrastructure at the ports of entry to screen and process people coming into the country including refugees who are seeking asylum.

According to Saenz, he believes by following civility through the enforcement of the rule of law, judicial accountability and ethics reforms, border protection, and security of our sovereignty, this issue can be resolved. He says by being mindful of the need for national comprehensive immigration reform, showing more compassion and understanding as to why the asylum laws exist and are needed, work can be done. He says there is also a need for more long-term economic investment in poor and emerging countries so that they may sustain their people.

Most importantly, needed prayers for moral strength and guidance to governing bodies to enact such measures within the confines of what is authentically good, true and just, Saenz said.

Cuellar continues to call the border wall an antiquated solution and the wrong one when so many other things can be done to improve the area instead.

The wall is only a 14th-century solution, as it involves many other issues such as property rights and environmental work, he said. Of course we believe in security of the border, but it has to be done by putting technology, personnel and equipment in place and by entering into agreements with Mexico and Central America, so we dont play defense on the 1-yard line on the American border, and we do more in other countries itself.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Four days after the August earthquake that devastated the south of Haiti, Walkens Alexandre, a physician, was traveling to treat victims at a hospital when a motorcycle blocked his white Ford Ranger. Two men hopped off, pulled guns, commandeered his truck and hauled him to the outskirts of the capital.

He was held for three days while the kidnappers negotiated by phone with his family. He'd be set free for 30 times his monthly salary. Loved ones pleaded with relatives and friends to contribute to the ransom.

"Now I'm traumatized, fearful of people, and reminded of this every time someone slams a door, or I hear a motorcycle," said Alexandre, 43. "We don't feel safe in Haiti. There is always panic, always fear."

The most troubled nation in the hemisphere is now being held hostage by a surge in kidnappings.

With victims spanning all social classes and ransoms ranging from as little as $100 to six figures, Haiti now holds the tragic title of highest per capita kidnapping rate on Earth. Recorded kidnappings so far this year have spiked sixfold over the same period last year, as criminals nab doctors on their way to work, preachers delivering sermons, entire busloads of people in transit - even police on patrol. So great is the surge that this year, Port-au-Prince is posting more kidnappings in absolute terms than vastly larger Bogota, Mexico City and Sao Paulo combined, according to the consulting firm Control Risks.

Saddled with endemic poverty and violence, Haiti is no stranger to kidnapping waves. The country suffered a brutal surge from 2005 until the 2010 earthquake, which killed more than 220,000 people but had the effect of moderating kidnappings. Numbers have climbed steadily in recent years as violent gangs, unchecked by the government, have seized control over key portions of the country.

Analysts call the current wave by far the worst in Haiti's history. During the first six months of the year, there were at least 395 kidnappings, more than four times the 88 during the same period last year, according to the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince. After the assassination in July of President Jovenel Moise - who was accused of being in league with the very gang members who use kidnappings as a source of revenue and control - abductions dropped briefly, before surging to 73 in August and to 117 in September, according to the center.

Analysts blame the increase on growing desperation, an increasingly compromised police force and a general rise in gang activity amid a political vacuum. Haitian gangs are believed to be linked to influential politicians and business executives; some analysts suggest the kidnapping blitz could reflect upended deals and shifting alliances in the aftermath of Moise's death.

"The kidnapping and the insecurity we are living today is unprecedented in the history of this country," said Samuel Emieux Jean, founder of the consulting firm HaForS.

Haiti is confronting a convergence of crises: political instability, a collapse of the rule of law, the spread of violent gangs, shortages of food and fuel, and massive need in the earthquake-hit south. But the surge in abductions for ransom is rapidly emerging as the clearest sign of its descent into anarchy.

The recent wave includes the kidnappings of two senior bank executives, raids of evangelical churches, the nabbing of nearly 20 doctors and the seizures of fuel trucks and their drivers. A police officer was kidnapped this week in Cap-Haitien, the nation's second-largest city. He was only the latest of several officers abducted for ransom in recent months.

In Port-au-Prince, kidnappers now parade openly down streets, brandishing their AR-15s and other heavy guns. The Haitian National Police are too understaffed and ill-equipped to combat the growing threat. The U.S. Justice Department reported last year that the vast majority of guns recovered in Haiti and submitted for tracing were either manufactured in or imported from the United States.

Locals and foreigners alike are living in fear. The heads of several foreign companies told The Washington Post that the kidnapping wave led them to reassign staffers to remote work in other Caribbean countries, Europe or the United States. Other firms are leaving Haiti altogether.

"Every time you leave your door in Port-au-Prince, it's like a game of Russian roulette," said one European executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss security. "You don't know if you'll be kidnapped that day."

Maarten Boute, chairman of cellular phone provider Digicel Haiti, said his firm has resorted to moving staff only in armored cars with drivers trained for kidnapping scenarios. Because of the escalating risk, he said, he abandoned his Port-au-Prince home this year to move into a fortified hotel compound.

"Most people who can afford it and have visas have sent their family away, or moved outside the country," he said. "We are using armed security, armored cars and have patrols that [scout] roads. But we still avoid certain areas, or moving around, as much as we can."

In April, four people, including a pastor and a well-known pianist, were kidnapped during the middle of a service at the Seventh-day Adventist Gospel Kreyol Ministry Church in Diquini, in the outskirts of metropolitan Port-au-Prince. The brazen raid was streamed live on social media, launching a new modus operandi: targeting Christian worshipers during church hours.

In September, a preacher was killed and his wife kidnapped in front of a church in Port-au-Prince. On Sunday, kidnappers wearing Haitian National Police uniforms snatched a pastor and two worshipers from a church in the troubled Delmas 29 neighborhood.

Haitian officials say they're trying to combat the surge.

"We cannot leave the door open to criminals who, for too long, have been damaging society," Leon Charles, chief of Haiti's National Police, told reporters in Port-au-Prince last month.

Many of the thousands of Haitians expelled from Texas in the past month by the United States remain stranded in Port-au-Prince. They have felt particularly vulnerable as word spreads that many have returned to Haiti carrying what's left of their life savings in cash.

"You can't walk around after 6 p.m.," said Roody Etienne, 31, who was deported from Texas last month with his wife and child and is temporarily living in a gang-infested part of Cap-Haitien. "They kidnap everyone."

Mass kidnappings, meanwhile, are becoming more common. In May, armed men boarded a bus in Port-au-Prince and abducted more than a dozen passengers. In July, a busload of 16 people was kidnapped in the northern city of Gros-Morne. Hijacking buses, and cars with multiple passengers, has become a favored tactic of 400 Mawozo, one of the gangs most responsible for the kidnapping surge.

Some residents of the capital are commuting by boat to avoid gang-infested neighborhoods and roads. Some of the latest targets are fuel trucks and their drivers - so many that it's affecting supplies at Haitian power plants and gas stations.

David Turnier, president of the National Association of Petroleum Product Distributors, said seven fuel trucks were hijacked and their drivers held for ransom during just the first week of October. He said gas stations across the country have witnessed a 60 percent drop in fuel stocks.

Persistent fuel shortages caused by the hijackings are leading to intermittent blackouts. Some neighborhoods and cities go weeks without electricity. Abductions also raise the prices of goods and services such as transportation.

"It's catastrophic," Turnier said. "Some gas stations refuse to operate in this mess. They just close shop."

In Haiti, kidnappers are nabbing the poor as well as the rich.

Guilaine Pierre, a 50-year-old vendor who sells boiled eggs in the street, said her 25-year-old son was walking outside Port-au-Prince in February when bandits on a motorcycle grabbed him. Shortly after, she received a terrifying phone call.

"They demanded 50,000 gourdes" - about $500 - "and told me they would kill him if I didn't pay," she said. "I almost died when I heard this. Even today, I feel sick remembering it."

They held him for two days before releasing him for a reduced ransom equal to $223 - most of her savings. Like many kidnapping victims, her son, an agronomy student, was beaten during his ordeal. He required hospitalization for broken ribs.

"We are lost," she said. "Our only hope for change is God."

- - -

Faiola reported from Miami.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a one-page order late Friday reinstating the nations strictest abortion law in Texas, which bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks.

Earlier in the week, Democrats in Texas lauded the decision to issue a temporary injuction on the law.

Texas Democrats are celebrating the news of a temporary injunction to Abbotts dystopian abortion ban, Texas Democratic Party Co-Executive Director Hannah Roe Beck said in a statement. This ban is uniquely harmful, exceptionally cruel, and blatantly unconstitutional  and since this ban took effect, people across our state are facing unconscionable obstacles to important healthcare and gutted access to their constitutional rights. Im incredibly grateful to the federal government for stepping in, doing the right thing, and suing Texas Republican government to block this ban

This injunction is an important step, but because its temporary, abortion rights are far from safe in the state of Texas. Texas Democrats continue to urge Congress to codify Roe v. Wade and ensure abortion rights are finally, fully protected for all Americans.

In 2021, its an outrage that a handful of conservative politicians are still meddling in our right to make the most important, intimate decisions about our lives. Advocates have been fighting tooth and nail to protect Texans right to access abortion, and Texas Democrats  and people across Texas and around the country  have been rising up alongside them. We will not go back.

However, Texas asked a federal appeals court Friday to step in as soon as possible to restore the states near-total abortion ban and filed its emergency request for an appeal two days after U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman temporarily blocked the new abortion law in response to a lawsuit brought by the Biden administration.

In Fridays request, state attorneys argue that Pitmans order to temporarily block the law at the United States request violates the separation of powers at every turn. They ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals  considered to be perhaps the nations most conservative appellate court  to stop Pitmans order.

State attorneys argued the U.S. overstepped by suing the state since it will never be subject to one of the lawsuits allowed by the law and since the state does not enforce the law directly.

The new Texas law, known as Senate Bill 8, bans abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, but the state doesnt enforce it. Rather, ordinary people are empowered to file lawsuits against people or entities perceived to be helping someone get an abortion in the state in violation of the law. The law lays out a penalty of at least $10,000 for people or groups that are successfully sued.

Back in May, Texas Right to Life celebrated the bill advancing one step closer to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

"It's not only a law for actual enforcement, but think about how our laws can actually affect the culture and the conversation that we have about the unborn child," Kimberlyn Schwartz, the director of media and communication, said, via KVUE.

The one-page order by the appeals court late Friday gave the Biden administration, which had brought the lawsuit, until Tuesday to respond.

Laredos Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) was the only Democratic Representative to vote against the Reproductive Rights Bill  a response to the law allowing abortions  passed by The House at the end of September. He spoke about his decision, and his views on abortion, during a Zoom conference earlier this week.

Its called conscience, Cuellar said. I am a Catholic, and I do believe in rights and right to life.  Sometimes people vote because of political (views), they think this is a Democratic or Republican issue. To me, its a matter of conscience.

Cuellars anti-abortion stance is a major departure against his democratic competitors in next years election.

Both candidates in Tannya Benavides and Jessica Cisneros held a social media event in September with the Laredo Reproductive Health Coalition to discuss the impact of Texas Senate Bill 8. And each was also a part of the Rally for Abortion Justice event nationwide, which was locally held at TAMIU.

Each was critical of Cuellar at the time, with Benavides stating that they cant expect Henry Cuellar to be on our side because he has never been on our side, while Cisneros added that, Our anti-choice officials, including those in the State Legislature and Rep. Henry Cuellar, have decided to make healthcare even less accessible.

Cuellar didnt choose to comment after either event. But he did elaborate during his Zoom event, taking exception to those like Cisneros who refer to abortion as a womens health issue.

By the way, when people frame this as womens health  if you want to call it abortion, call it abortion, please call it abortion, Cuellar said. Womens health  I have added money for healthcare for women. I got two daughters and I surely want to make sure that we fight breast cancer and other things that affect mothers, so I have added millions of dollars on healthcare for women. But if you want to call it abortion, call it abortion. Its not a health issue.

Following the passage of the abortion ban in Texas back in September, several other states such as Florida filed similar legislation.

cecilia.trevino@lmtonline.com

thomas.lott@lmtonline.com
The Laredo Chamber of Commerce announced its new President & CEO as Gabriela Morales, who will start the role on Nov. 1.

Morales is an executive who carries over 20 years of experience with a deep focus on bilateral trade with Mexico, having worked for the City of Laredo and the U.S. Department of Commerce. She graduated from Georgetown University with her bachelors and MBA degree, which included a dual global MBA degree from ESADE Business School out of Barcelona, Spain.

After a nationwide search, the Hiring Committee for the Laredo Chamber received over 200-plus resumes for the position.

The Hiring Committee consisted of Jorge Leal (CEO of Laredo Medical Center); Bill Green (Publisher of the Laredo Morning Times); Gabriel Castillo (Senior VP of IBC Bank); Mike Marasco (President of McDonalds of Laredo); and Cliffe Killam (President & CEO of Killam Development).

I am thankful to our great Hiring Committee team for putting in the time and our Executive Committee for their support to bring onboard such a strong leader like Gabriela, said Killam, the Committee Chair and former Chairman of the Laredo Chamber. We are thrilled and believe she will have a big impact on the Laredo Chamber and on our community.

Morales brings a life-long commitment to advancing the Webb Countys and City of Laredos economic vitality. She started her professional career in the private sector at Border Transfer Services, Port of Laredo, where she excelled at managing imports-exports, overcoming trade barriers with Mexico and complying with the North America Free Trade Agreement requirements.

Immediately after, she was hired by the City of Laredo as sales, marketing and promoter of Laredos unique business environment recruiting Mexican businesses. In this role, Morales exceeded the set goals and brought into the city more than 150 new businesses on an annual basis.

After moving to Washington, D.C., Morales served in several capacities at the U.S. Department of Commerce  most notably leading a program for minority businesses to export to international markets. Under her direction, the program generated a $3 billion dollar increase to export-related transactions conducted by nationwide minority-owned firms.

For this, Morales was awarded the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal, the highest form of recognition the Secretary of Commerce grants for distinguished contributions to the U.S. economy. In addition, she has worked to help businesses understand and leverage opportunities presented by the implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

I am grateful to have been selected as the new President & CEO of the Laredo Chamber and am eager to contribute and help out any way that I can, said Morales, who added she is excited to return to her hometown. This appointment is the right fit and am looking forward to cultivating relationships with business, community and elected leaders.

For business inquires or to request a meeting with Morales, call the Laredo Chamber of Commerce at 956-722-9895.

About the Chamber

Founded in 1915, the Laredo Chamber of Commerce is Laredos and Webb Countys longest running business organization.

Headquartered at 2310 San Bernardo Ave. since 1974, the Laredo Chamber has been an advocate for the local business community for over a century.

With 608 members representative of every industry in the community, the Laredo Chamber is accredited with 5 stars by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Only 200 chambers out of 7,000 across the country are accredited by this organization.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

View Results
Raymond White Auctioneering recently held an online auction for a charming cottage in the village of Ardagh.

There was huge interest in advance of the Saturday, September 22 auction to be approved for bidding, with over 500 virtual and in-person viewings taking place.

The demand in the current market had viewers from the UK, Europe and USA, looking at the virtual tour online.

The auction began at 12 midday, had over 60 bids, the reserve being met within one minute, and the successful winning bid of 163,000 coming in within 20 minutes.

Jackie White, owner of Raymond White Auctioneering commented "This is a strong reflection of the current market, the auction attracted lots of attention, the property is walking distance from Ardagh village, and will make a great home with a little TLC."

She added, "It is clear that there is large demand in the market, particularly for residential investments, and we have added market-leading virtual tours and online auction facilities that enable investors to complete the full transaction online. We have already started planning our next online auction and are actively seeking property to list.

"Property prices in Longford are up 15% year on year, demand is high, with most of our house hunters having the finances in place, ready to move on a suitable property that may come up. Last weeks auction attracted bidders from all over the world through our virtual tours."
A Sligo man has been returned for trial to Roscommon Circuit Court on a charge of causing almost 150,000 in criminal damage to a hotel in County Roscommon, at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court.

He is also charged with arson.

Kevin Kelly (26) of St Marys, Pearse Road, Sligo is charged with damaging property to the building and contents to the value of 145,661 belonging to Andrew McGovern, Kilronan Castle Hotel, Keadue, Boyle on December 24 last year.

He is also charged that on the same date and location he entered a building 38 OCarolan Court, as a trespasser and stole a lighter.

And he is charged that on the same date and location damaged by fire a downstairs carpet and hallway belonging to another through arson.

Roscommon State Solicitor Kieran Madigan said the book of evidence had been served in the matter.

Judge Deirdre Gearty returned the defendant for trial to the next sitting of Roscommon Circuit Court on October 20.

He was remanded on the same bail conditions as previously.

The defendant was represented by solicitor John Anderson.
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(Alliance News) - Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has questioned if the UK wants "a breakdown in relations" with the EU in a late night Twitter spat with Brexit negotiator David Frost.

Coveney was responding to reports of a speech Frost is preparing to give in Portugal in Tuesday, in which he will make removing the role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland a red-line issue.

The speech will come a day before the EU is expected to produce "far-reaching" plans to resolve issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, which prevents a hard border in Ireland, but has led to economic barriers between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Brussels has indicated it will provide solutions on the flow of chilled meats and medicines into Northern Ireland from the UK, but has ruled out removing the oversight role of the ECJ.

Late on Saturday night, Coveney tweeted: "EU working seriously to resolve practical issues with implementation of Protocol a so UKG [UK government] creates a new "red line" barrier to progress, that they know EU can't move ona.are we surprised?

"Real Q: Does UKG actually want an agreed way forward or a further breakdown in relations?"

Responding, Frost said: "1. I prefer not to do negotiations by twitter, but since @simoncoveney has begun the processathe issue of governance & the CJEU is not new.

"We set out our concerns three months ago in our 21 July Command Paper. The problem is that too few people seem to have listened.

"2. We await proposals from @MarosSefcovic. We will look at them seriously & positively whatever they say.

"We will discuss them seriously and intensively. But there needs to be significant change to the current situation if there is to be a positive outcome."

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic announced last week that the EU is preparing to table "very far reaching proposals" to address issues that have arisen with the protocol.

He said the proposals, which will focus on customs, medicines, animal checks and representation for Northern Ireland politicians in the EU, carried a "political risk" because of threats by the UK government to trigger Article 16, which would override much of the protocol.

"I sincerely hope that it will be seen as such by our UK counterparts and they engage constructively in our discussion, because I think we have to move from the tough political rhetoric, from the threats we hear all the time, down to the business that actually solves the problems" he said.

But Sefcovic firmly ruled out removing the role of the ECJ.

He said: "To be quite honest, I find it hard to see how Northern Ireland would stay or would keep access to the single market without oversight of the European Court of Justice.

"Do we want to deprive the people of Northern Ireland of this tremendous opportunity, this huge advantage? Do we want to do that?"

Frost will use his speech on Tuesday to insist the ECJ is removed.

"The EU now needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol head on" he is expected to tell the diplomatic community.

"The commission have been too quick to dismiss governance as a side issue. The reality is the opposite.

"The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and the consequent inability of the UK government to implement the very sensitive arrangements in the protocol in a reasonable way has created a deep imbalance in the way the protocol operates.

"Without new arrangements in this area, the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive."

A UK government source threatened that Britain would trigger Article 16 of the protocol if the EU proposals amount to "tinkering around the edges".

The protocol was negotiated to avoid a hard border with Ireland, by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods.

But unionists have been pressuring for it to be scrapped because of the trade barriers it has created on products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.

Frost will also this week share a new legal text with the European Commission to propose the "foundation" for a new protocol to support the Good Friday Agreement.

By James Ward and Sam Blewett, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Hopes that UK firms could receive a major package of support to weather the energy crisis this winter faded as the Treasury denied there have been talks with the government's business department.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Sunday that he is working closely with Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help industry as wholesale gas prices spiral.

But a senior Treasury source insisted to the PA news agency that no such talks have taken place despite firms pleading for help to prevent further collapses.

Kwarteng said he is certain that the lights will stay on in the UK this winter as firms warned they may have to reduce working hours to sustain themselves during the crisis.

The minister guaranteed he will keep the energy price cap for consumers in place throughout the winter but said he will not "bail out failing energy suppliers", though he did not rule out a cap for firms.

Asked if he has approached the Treasury about subsidies, he told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday: "No, I haven't. We've already got subsidies in place and it's very clear that a lot of those are working.

"On the consumer side we've got an energy price cap, and on the industry side we have measures where we support industries, heavy electricity users.

"What I'm very clear about is we need to help them get through this situation a it's a difficult situation, gas prices, electricity prices are at very high levels right across the world and of course I'm speaking to government colleagues, particularly in the Treasury to try and see a way through this.

"I can't come on your programme and say we're going to have a price cap because we're trying to work out what the nature of that support might be."

Kwarteng acknowledged it is a "critical situation" but denied he has asked for billions of pounds worth of support when asked about whether he is considering a price cap for businesses or a winter package.

He told the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show: "I've not asked for billions, we've got existing schemes. I'm working very closely with Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, to get us through this situation."

But it was heavily disputed whether Sunak or his department have been involved in any talks.

A senior Treasury source bluntly told PA: "The Treasury has not been involved in talks."

Some Tory members of Parliament are among those calling for additional help for energy-intensive industries, such as steel manufacture, during the crisis.

Kwarteng faced demands for a "winter package of measures" to prevent further interruptions to supply chains during a meeting with industry representatives on Friday.

Energy Intensive Users Group Chair Richard Leese had told the BBC: "It's needed absolutely right now a gas prices are at an unprecedented level and the businesses that manufacture the goods that we need are trying to operate under these unprecedented conditions."

Asked if he was going to give extra help to energy intensive industries, like steel, Kwarteng said: "We're looking to find a solution."

Told by Andrew Marr that it sounds like a yes, Kwarteng replied: "No, that doesn't sound like yes at all. We already have existing support and we're looking to see if that's sufficient to get us through this situation."

Pressed if he is absolutely sure the lights will stay on this winter, the Business secretary replied: "Yes, I am."

Earlier, Kwarteng had written in the Sunday Express that keeping the price cap unchanged ahead of its next scheduled change in April is "non-negotiable for me".

He argued the cap will hold back instant bill hikes for millions of customers, but some company bosses have argued the move will ultimately be costly for taxpayers.

Proposing reforms including increasing the review of the cap from twice to four times a year, Utilita Energy's non-executive chairman Derek Lickorish said: "The cap is not fit for purpose."

"There is no doubt that there is going to be a huge cost paid by customers for failed suppliersacertainly well over GBP100 million for every 200,000 customers that fail," he added BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"The government has to look at means by which they can support not only energy suppliers but also big industry."

Kwarteng also suggested people could wrap up warmer this winter rather than use more energy.

Asked if he is advising people to wear another woolly jumper and pair of socks, he told Sky: "It's up to people a it's amazing how different people's cold thresholds can be very different.

"Some people feel comfortable wrapped up in lots of different clothes, others wear relatively little a I think people should be sensible. I think people should do what they feel comfortable with."

But he insisted he was not telling people to turn down their thermostat and said: "My job as an energy minister is not to tell people how many layers of clothing they should wear, that's not really my job."

By Sam Blewett, PA Deputy Political Editor

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Before Alexandria native Dylan Govender took his TOPS-funded computer engineering degree from LSU to Washington D.C., his professors, parents and friends encouraged him to do so, or risk getting stuck in Louisiana.

Pretty much no one recommended staying, Govender said.

He took their advice, moving two days after graduating in May and starting a job with a consumer goods company based in Ohio.

Govender misses what most Louisianans would: the food, culture, his friends and family. But at his new job, he feels challenged by his work. He can take a train to New York anytime he needs, and he feels his new home shares more of his values.

In engineering, the professors are like, Get out of here if you want to do anything meaningful, Govender said. My parents, when I told them I was leaving, they were sad but they were like, Yeah, you got to go. They were even thinking of coming to live with me here.

Pushed by a lack of professional job opportunities and pulled by the lure of big cities elsewhere, young people are leaving Louisiana, often with a college degreeand their parents are encouraging them to do so.

Louisiana has long been an exporter of college-educated young adults. The state has the second-worst net outmigration problem among college-educated residents compared to the other nine Southeastern statesbehind Mississippi onlyaccording to data compiled by Gary Wagner, an economist at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Texas pulls young graduates from Louisiana more than any other state. From 2007-2017, Louisiana lost over 17,000 young graduates to Texas. Other popular destinations include Colorado, Arkansas, Virginia and California.

Sixty percent of East Baton Rouge parents want their children to settle outside of the parish as adults, up from 45% in 2019, according to the Baton Rouge Area Foundations 2021 survey for its CityStats project, which has been measuring quality of life in the parish for 13 years. Respondents cited lack of opportunity, crime, poor quality of life and racism as the main reasons.

In the latest survey, only 7% of parents say they want their children to stay.

I dont think my children, if they stay here, are going to earn or live to their full potential, said Jill Michelle, a Baton Rouge mother of two boys. Theyre going to be held back here.

Michelle comes from a long line of Louisianans, dating back to at least the 1800s. She plans to move to Colorado with her family once her oldest son graduates high school, which would make her the first of her immediate family to move out of the state for good.

It isnt an easy decision. She wishes her children could stay near their family and enjoy the states unique blend of culture and food. But state officials havent done enough to make the area an attractive place to start a career and family, Michelle said, citing a lack of jobs and poor education system.

Baton Rouge business owner Meredith Beth-Wiggins feels the same. She encouraged her son to go out of state for college, though he decided to stay and attend LSU, where hes currently a senior.

Louisiana is always going to be here, Wiggins said. He can come back and settle if he wants. While hes young and doesnt have anything tying him to the state, [he should] spread his wings and explore.

Wiggins and her husband recently opened Cheba Hut, a casual marijuana-themed restaurant that is part of a chain of 50 locations in 14 different states commonly found in college towns. They also own a bakery that supplies local coffee shops.

We stay because we feel like theres a culture in South Louisiana that we want to change, Wiggins said. We have invested our time and money back into the economy here. Hopefully we can help.

At the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, an economic development organization operating in nine parishes around the capital area, Kelly Bienn and Andrew Fitzgerald work on connecting college students to Baton Rouge businesses.

They say there are plenty of professional opportunities in the Baton Rouge Metropolitanstudents just arent aware of them.

Larger companies have entire teams dedicated to talent pipelines, Bienn said, using marketing resources to attract talent from around the country. In Baton Rouge, the average business owner is also running the companys social media.

One thing that has been tough is for smaller and mid-sized businesses to get access to LSU or Southern (University) students or BRCC or any of those schools, Fitzgerald said. These are small five- and 10-person companies. They arent great at marketing and PR. Thats not what their strength is.

In 2020, around 82% of Baton Rouge businesses were either sole proprietorships or had between two and nine total employees, according to youreconomy.org, a business database.

Despite having access to over 50,000 college students from three schools, including the states flagship university, small and mid-sized businesses in the capital area struggle to find students, Bienn said.

That is frankly unacceptable when we have the states flagship in our backyard, Bienn said. We dont want Baton Rouge to not even be on the table for consideration, because right now for so many students its not. Its not even top five when theyre looking for a place to launch a career.

Govender spoke to recruiters from the company he currently works for his freshman year of college. They reached out to him again his senior year and offered him an internship that led to a full-time opportunity.

I didnt really find this job. It more like found me. Govender said. Of all the companies that reached out to me, 99.9% were outside of Louisiana. They were sending me t-shirts and water bottles. A small company [in Louisiana], if all they sent me was an email it probably just went to spam.

Brain drain, the phenomena of highly training or intelligent individuals emigrating from an area, affects most states in the South, except for Texas, which has diversified its economy and become home to three large cities rife with opportunities, all relatively close to home for Louisiana graduates.

Other states like New York and Illinois are retaining and attracting educated adults, according to a report by the congressional Joint Economic Committee.

Jobs in engineering and tech are especially in demand in the Baton Rouge area. Government efforts to attract tech companies to Louisiana have been met with some success.

The state has bolstered computer science programs in recent years, including at LSU, to attract talent to IBM in Baton Rouge, where roughly 50% of employees are Louisiana natives, according to the company.

Our labor market cant take 12,000 new [degree holders] every single year, Fitzgerald said. But we need to retain more than what we are.
Today

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 46F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 46F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 66F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Jefferson, GA (30549)

Today

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 36F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 36F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Plenty of sunshine. High 33F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 22F. WSW winds shifting to SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Ever since Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan Khan has been arrested by the NCB in connection with the possession of drugs at a raid, it has become one of the most debated issues on the internet. People are divided into two sections, one being the supporters and the others who are brutally bashing the stars family.

SRK has found support from his industry colleagues like Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Pooja Bhatt, Farah Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and others. Now, Vishal Dadlani has also come forward to support SRK and his family amid this difficult time. Vishal took to Twitter to bash people who are attacking SRK and said his family is being used as a soft target for distracting people from the 3000kgs Adani drug case.

He tweeted, If Composers count, I am. SRK and his family are being used as a smokescreen, a soft target to distract from the 3000kg Talibani-drug haul at the Adani port, and to distract from the murder of farmers by the son of a BJP member/MLA. Straight-up.

Heres the tweet:

 Vishal Dadlani Twitter

After his tweet started to get traction, people started to troll him for defending Aryan whos a negative influence on the countrys youth. One of the users wrote, I think its time you admit that you are given money by opposition to make statements like this so as to get the govt guilty even if they are not on every single step. Gane banane aye the ab toh politician hi bangye wah wah!! Another wrote, Dadlani ji, Range hatho pakda gaya hai..Court ne bhi bail reject kar di hai..abhi bhi aapko lagta hai saajish hai..Grow up..and accept the facts. Kuch Kashmir ke target killing par bhi boliye na..waha saap soongh jata hai kya.



Heres how people reacted to his statement:

 Vishal Dadlani Twitter

 Vishal Dadlani Twitter

 Vishal Dadlani Twitter

 Vishal Dadlani Twitter

 Vishal Dadlani Twitter

Apart from Aryan Khan, his friend Arbaaz Merchant and another accused, Munmun Dhamecha, were arrested on Saturday by the NCB officials. As per a report in Times Of India, the NCB alleged that they had seized 13 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of MD, 21 grams of charas, 22 pills of MDMA (ecstasy), and Rs 1.33 lakh in the raid.



NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede earlier told PTI, Shah Rukh Khans son, Aryan Khan is being questioned by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in its Ballard Estate office at south Mumbai. He was on a cruise ship where agency raided in the night and busted rave party.

What do you have to say about this entire fiasco? Let us know in the comments section below.
Editor's Note: As communities across the Midwest observed the 150th anniversary of a series of fires that occurred through the region, most notably the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the Tribune researched on the Great Fires that occurred in the Upper Thumb a decade later. This story is for Tribune subscribers, but is being provided for everyone for free as an example of the great work available to the community. Read more great journalism work from the staff at the Tribune by becoming a subscriber today.

In 1871, an extremely dry summer combined with high winds and unsound land-clearing practices led to catastrophic blazes in Michigan communities like Holland and Manistee as well as parts of the Thumb and the Upper Peninsula.

These Michigan fires were overshadowed by ones in Illinois and Wisconsin but left the affected communities devastated. Dozens of people lost their lives, and countless homes, farms, lumber mills and camps were destroyed.

As bad as the Great Fire of 1871 was, another blaze a decade later laid waste to the three counties that comprise the Upper Thumb  Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac.

These devastating fires of the late 19th century were the result of a tragic combination of factors, but the Thumbs early history centering on the lumber industry provided the most fuel for the fiery 1881 disaster that would alter the course of the regions future.

The Great Fire of 1871

On the night of Oct. 8, 1871, in the city of Chicago, a fire began in a barn belonging to the OLeary family. No one knows what happened in that barn  whether a cow kicked over a kerosene lantern or sparks from the pipe of drunken reveler ignited a pile of hay  but one thing is for certain: The fire would grow out of control and level the Windy City. The unfortunate Mrs. OLeary would die a recluse, still hiding from the public decades later after shouldering the blame for causing the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

What is known is that fires also wreaked havoc in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan at the same time, consuming towns on the Lake Michigan shore like Manistee and Holland. The Michigan fires, which burned for several days, made their way to the Thumb and claimed dozens of lives and countless homes and farms.

Some communities, like Port Austin, escaped the devastation and became havens for those fleeing the fire, according to the book Michigan on Fire by author Betty Sodders. Other towns, like Sand Beach (now known as Harbor Beach) were left in ruins.

Gerry Prich, a Huron County resident who conducted research for Sodders book, said the stories of children placed down wells and in fields to shield them from the flames are ones that will always stick with him.

Prich said he pays close attention to news reports of raging wildfires in places like California because he knows whats happening there is not unlike what Thumb residents experienced in the late 1800s. What Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties went through, he added, was exponentially worse.

We can't fathom, in this day and age, we cannot fathom anything even remotely close to what they would have gone through, he said.

When the smoke began to clear days after the 1871 fire, the Thumb communities of Sand Beach, Huron City, Forestville and White Rock had been leveled, and an estimated two-thirds of Huron County and Sanilac County residents were homeless.

Survivors later told tales of seeking refuge from the flames in the waters of Lake Huron and how the fire packed the power of a tornado and surrounded and consumed entire towns with a sheet of flame. Those who did survive suffered from burns, exposure and a lack of food and water, Sodders wrote, adding that one account told of a man seen carrying a bucket containing the bones of his wife and children.

The smoke hung thick in the air, blocking out the sun and making it difficult to breathe, and the bodies of the dead could be seen in the places they had fallen while trying to escape the flames. One family did survive, seeking shelter in a muddy field, though they had to share their refuge with a large bear.

Another family that hid in the bottom of a well did not survive, their bodies reportedly steam cooked by the intense heat, Sodders wrote. One historical account from the time claimed many trapped by the flames attempted suicide, with one man killing his entire family and then himself.

Perhaps forgotten among the victims were the thousands of animals  horses, livestock, wild game  that also perished. One wealthy farmer was alleged to have killed his prize horses before taking his own life, succumbing to despair after he was helplessly trapped by the flames, smoke and heat.

Unfathomable

After the devastation of the 1871 fire, the Thumb began to recover, grow and evolve. Bad Axe, previously known as Bad Axe Corners, gained its first residents, was chosen as the county seat, and a courthouse was erected there in the mid-1870s. The lumber industry thrived, and immigrants arrived from Canada to establish homesteads.

In the late summer of 1881, the Thumb had been suffering through a severe drought. A long, hot summer was continuing through September of that year, and a confluence of circumstances and environmental conditions had left the region vulnerable to another disastrous fire like the one a decade earlier.

The remnants of logging activity had created ample fuel for another devastating wildfire. Farmers also set field-clearing fires regularly as they cultivated the land and continued to do so when the smell of smoke began to creep into the area during the first week of September.

Fires in Lapeer County began to move to the northeast due to high winds that persisted. Soon, fires broke out all over the Upper Thumb. The horrific events of 1871 began to repeat themselves as people once again found themselves with nowhere to run, surrounded by smoke and flames.

Residents of Huron County again sought refuge in fields and Lake Huron. In Bad Axe, a large group huddled inside the courthouse, which provided them the protection that allowed them to survive the fire. In Sand Beach, a change in the wind helped hold back the flames.

Heavy smoke blotted out the sun, forcing people to use lanterns in the middle of the day. The fire burned so intensely even the parched land burst into flame. The waters of the Cass River became so hot that fish caught in the shallows were cooked and floated to the surface.

Wild animals gathered in the fields with livestock to avoid the burning forest land. Fields of potatoes, corn, onions and other vegetables were roasted, and fruit trees exposed to the intense heat would blossom in the early fall.

Once again, there was great loss of life. Bodies were reportedly found in a kneeling position, as if they died while praying for salvation, their prayers going unanswered. Those who did survive had their clothing burned off their bodies. The number of deaths in Huron County alone reached 70, with a total of 125 lives lost in Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola and Lapeer counties. Unconfirmed reports put the tally at close to 300. More than 1,500 homes were destroyed, and 3,200 families were left homeless, all of their worldly possessions lost.

After the last fires were extinguished, word spread around the country of the devastation suffered in the Thumb. Relief aid began to flood the region, including from a new organization founded earlier that year in Washington, D.C.

Clara Barton was inspired to start the American Red Cross in 1881 after hearing of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross Network while traveling through Europe after the Civil War. The Red Cross provided money, food, clothing, household goods, furniture and building supplies for the construction of temporary shelters, as well as seeds for the following years crops. Additionally, relief committees were set up throughout the state to disperse aid from the state of Michigan.

Never say never

A combination of unfavorable weather conditions and outdated environmental practices led to the Great Fires that devastated the Thumb in the late 1800s. A change in the landscape and the advent of modern firefighting techniques and technology make the likelihood of similar fire occurring again remote, but a firefighting expert with the state of Michigan said though the chances are small, they arent non-existent.

Jeff Vasher, a fire specialist and duty officer with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said modern logging practices are more environmentally sound than they were in 1881, and farmers are well-aware of the hazards and liabilities of setting fires to clear fields.

He added firefighters have things like helicopters, airplanes, bulldozers and other equipment that would enable them to keep fires from developing into the apocalyptic disasters they were 150 years ago. Vasher said if similar fires to the ones in 1871 and 1881 developed in the region today, water-scooping planes would dip down into the Saginaw Bay, pick up water and promptly drop it on the Upper Thumb.

Still, Vasher was reluctant to say a wildfire couldnt develop into a crisis causing major losses of life and property. Even with modern technology, factors like weather conditions cant be controlled, but he and his fellow firefighters are well-trained, experienced and well-equipped, and they would do everything they could to stop such a fire in its tracks.

I'm not going to say it can't happen, but the chances of (fires) getting that big is slim, Vasher said.

Expression of gratitude

On a grassy hill at the corner of Atwater and Minden roads east of Parisville in Huron County stands a large, white cross atop of a brick structure containing a statue of the Virgin Mary. Its one of the few monuments in the Upper Thumb dedicated to the catastrophic events of September of 1881. A plaque on the structure reads:

In Remembrance on this site The Great Fire of 1881 spared The Albert Lemanski family and farm. As the fire divided, some farms were burned and others untouched. Mr. Lemasnki erected the first wooden crucifix as an expression of gratitude.

The cross stands not only as a monument to those who died during those horrible events but also as a testament to the strength and perseverance of those who survived and would lay the foundation for what the Upper Thumb is today.
MANISTEE  The Manistee Area Racial Justice and Diversity Initiative will host an online webinar titled Understanding Systemic Racism, via zoom from 7-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 14.

Oct. 14 is the anniversary of George Floyds birthday, and educators across the country are teaching the truth about our nations history of systemic racism on that day. Residents are encouraged to join the organization in examining the ways systemic racism and other barriers to equality are embedded in various institutions in our society.
The results of the 2020 Census confirmed what had already been underway for many years: In Connecticut, the growth of the Hispanic and Latino population is the most striking of any group in the state.

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close this week, an analysis of answers that people who identified as Hispanic or Latino gave to the U.S. Census Bureau shows that as their numbers have grown at a rapid pace, this community in Connecticut has only become more diverse.

The states Hispanic and Latino population comprises people from a wide mix of origins. The largest group by far are residents who hail from Puerto Rico, followed by Mexicans, Dominicans, Ecuadorian, Colombians, and Guatemalans.

There are concentrations of Hispanic and Latino residents in large cities and some smaller towns across the state.

The Hispanic and Latino populations are expected to continue to grow in size and political power in Connecticut and nationwide, according to the Center for Puerto Rican Studies in New York. But a study from the center notes the communitys below average economic status, fewer citizens eligible to vote and a population that trends younger translate into under-representation in Connecticut.

This year, 12 out of 151 legislators in the Connecticut House of Representatives are Hispanic or Latino, and just one of the 36 senators are.

But members of Connecticuts Hispanic and Latino population  including some in its booming cohort of young adults  have been working to change that landscape.

Take for example, Mariza Davila-Madwid, whose family moved from Peru to Connecticut under a work visa when she was 13.

That visa expired as she was graduating from Danbury High School, leaving her undocumented and without the right to in-state tuition. She took a gap year to fund her first semester of college, and continued to work through school.

She also became an activist alongside peers in similar situations to hers.

We were lobbying, we were going to a lot of rallies, she said. I got very involved, because I knew that this was the only way that we could make a change.

The Connecticut legislature passed a law granting Dreamers like her the right to in-state tuition in 2011, and Davila-Madwid earned her undergraduate degree from Western Connecticut State University in 2012.

She met her now-husband, an American citizen, while in college, and now teaches Spanish at Bethel High School, where she is also overseeing a new Latino Awareness Club.

Davila-Madwid, who is pregnant, plans to speak Spanish with her children at home.

Still, Hispanic and Latino residents said they continue to face misconceptions about who they are and where they come from.

One such assumption people seem to have is that most of the Hispanic or Latino population is undocumented, said Valeriano Ramos, director of strategic alliances for Hartford-based Everyday Democracy.

In 2017, about 116,000 residents of Connecticut were likely unauthorized, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Around 62 percent came from Central and South America. But the majority are citizens, and many more are either naturalized or were born in Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory. Ramos, for example, was born in New York City and grew up in Puerto Rico.

Another misconception: Melia Bensussen, artistic director of the Hartford Stage, said a shared language often implies there is one community that fits the description of Hispanic.

For instance, Bensussen, who grew up in Mexico City, might use the terms Latinx and Latinidad to describe much the same populace that the Census categorizes as Hispanic or Latino.

In Bensussens experience living in several large cities, the reality is much more complex than that.

Hispanic and Latino residents are also urging for more support to be provided to the states growing population of youths who belong to a Hispanic or Latino family.

In the last decade, about 32,000 Hispanic or Latino children were born in or moved to Connecticut, the most of any racial or ethnic group.

The state and its schools have an imperative to provide those children with opportunities as well as Spanish-language classes, Ramos said.

While some children live in neighborhoods where theyll hear Spanish at the bodega or from their neighbors, many others are scattered across communities less dense with Hispanic language and culture, he said.

It's up to the schools to try to encourage them to continue learning the language, Ramos said. Schools are making some effort, but they could do more. Community based-organizations, I think, are doing a lot these days to try to preserve the culture.

Some are also working to boost economic and business ownership opportunities for Hispanic and Latino residents.

Per capita, Hispanic and Latino people on average earned roughly $27,000 less in Connecticut than whites in 2019, according to Census surveys. That figure has increased by about 26 percent since 2010.

Opportunity is exactly what Ruth Alustiza is trying to provide through the business she works as an executive director for, Newington-based Latin Financial. The company specializes in business loans and cash advances particularly for people from Puerto Rico.

Alustiza, who is Puerto Rican, said many of the customers she works with lack financial opportunities or the know-how to start their own businesses. Latin Financial funds all kinds of companies, she said, naming pharmacies, gas stations and spas as a few common ones.

Others, like Bensussen, are trying to help people to understand themselves and their communities better through the arts, theater and storytelling.

The theater that Bensussen oversees is putting on its first live performances since the beginning of the pandemic in the coming week.

This is the great gift of being mostly out of the pandemic, she said. It allows us to breathe and commune and hear stories together, that help to enlighten us about all aspects of our humanity.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Saturday that a peaceful reunification of Taiwan with China's mainland was in Beijing's interests, despite ratcheted up military threats against the self-governing island.

Xi spoke at an official celebration in Beijing's Great Hall of the People that focused largely on the need for the ruling Communist Party to continue to lead China as the country rises in power and influence.

Reunification of the nation must be realized, and will definitely be realized, Xi vowed before an audience of politicians, military personnel and others gathered in the hulking chamber that serves as the seat of China's ceremonial legislature.

Reunification through a peaceful manner is the most in line with the overall interest of the Chinese nation, including Taiwan compatriots," the leader added.

Xis remarks came just days after the Chinese military sent a record number of military aircraft flying towards Taiwan in exercises that the self-ruled island has called a threat. Over the course of four days, starting last week, the mainland Peoples Liberation Army flew fighter jets, bombers and airborne early warning aircraft 149 times towards Taiwan, with the largest single maneuver involving 52 jets.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 amid a civil war, with the then-ruling Nationalist Party fleeing to the island as Mao Zedongs Communists swept to power on the mainland.

Saturday's ceremony in Beijing was in honor of the 110th anniversary of the Chinese revolution that led to the overthrow of the Qing emperors and the establishment of the Republic of China under Sun Yat-sen. Taiwan celebrates Oct. 10 as National Day and Xi's address touched on common aspirations for a unified future, despite the stark differences between China's authoritarian one-party system and Taiwan's vibrant multi-party democracy.

Taiwan's National Day celebrations this year will feature a rare display of military equipment, including missiles and a performance by fighter jets to be held Sunday in front of the Presidential Office Building in the center of the capital, Taipei.

That marks the first inclusion of military hardware in Taipei's official celebrations in years, and the first since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016.

Local media coverage of rehearsals for the celebration showed large missile launch vehicles driving on Taipei's streets, although the missiles themselves were not directly visible.

In the past, the Taiwanese government has kept its missile capabilities out of the public eye to avoid appearing provocative, said Kuo Yu-jen, a defense studies expert at the Institute for National Policy Research in Taiwan.

Kuo added that Taipei feels it must demonstrate that Taiwan has the ability to deter Chinas threat as Beijing becomes overly assertive.

In years past, the national day celebration has featured choreographed performances by motorcycle-riding military police and overflights by the islands air force. However, missiles were not part of that display.

I think this is to raise Taiwans peoples morale, said Fan Shih-ping, a professor of political science at National Taiwan Normal University.

Taiwan's leader Tsai has placed a higher premium on national defense than her predecessor from the more China-friendly Nationalist Party, launching a revitalization of the islands shipbuilding industry and commissioning a program to build submarines domestically. She has also instituted reforms in the military, including improving benefits for military personnel and even increasing the quality of food served in the messes.

Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told legislators Wednesday that the situation with China is the most severe in the 40 years since Ive enlisted. Chiu later told reporters that he believed China would have comprehensive capabilities to invade Taiwan by 2025.

Since the split, Taiwan has been self-ruled, but its sovereignty is denied by Beijing, which has refused to renounce the option of using force to bring the island under its control. Beijing has also sought to isolate Taiwan internationally by barring it from the United Nations and other international organizations and opposing official contacts between its government and nations that recognize China, especially the United States, which is legally bound to consider threats against Taipei a matter of grave concern."

U.S. and Japanese officials have warned that China's growing capabilities pose a rising threat to Taiwan's security and that of the region.

The Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair, which tolerates no external interference," Xi said on Saturday. No one should underestimate the Chinese peoples strong determination, will and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The Colorado River winds through Lockhart Basin south of Moab. Lockhart Basin is among the many areas that President Donald Trump removed through a proclamation from Bears Ears National Monument. [Photo by Tim Peterson / Courtesy of Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition]
October 10, 2021

The MoA Week In Review - OT 2021-078

Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:

> Placing Deputy CIA Director David Cohen at the head of the U.S. team, which also includes the State Departments deputy Afghanistan envoy, Tom West, and a representative from the U.S. Agency for International Development, was intended to emphasize that point and to lead to discussions on terrorism. <

----

Other issues:

Bellingcat funded by US and UK intelligence contractors that aided extremists in Syria - Grayzone

Covid Delta Variant of Concern (VoC):

> People infected with the variants were, on average, younger, but still had higher risks of hospitalization and ICU admissions. With Delta infections, the risk of hospitalization was 108 per cent higher, admission to intensive care was 235 per cent higher and death, 133 per cent higher. <

Research Evaluation of the relative virulence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants: a retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada - Canadian Medical Association Journal

Data from Iran:

Mahan Ghafari |   @Mahan_Ghafari - 16:51 UTC  Oct 7, 2021

2/ a particularly worrying sign that natural infection didn't do much to stop the spread in many provinces despite several waves of infection.

Another key finding was that the estimated IFR increased by a factor of ~2 over the course of the epidemic (from wave 1 to 5).

Use as open thread ...

Posted by b on October 10, 2021 at 14:20 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Elisha Lucero was known in her family as a painter, a fisherwoman and a caretaker who had put aside her ambitions to nurse relatives through bouts of poor health.

She was also gripped by mental illness, and on a summer's night in 2019, the 28-year-old was behaving so erratically that a cousin called 911 from their suburban Albuquerque home. Sheriff's deputies banged on the door and demanded that Lucero, who stood 4 feet 11 inches with her shoes on, come outside.

When she did, the deputies shot her 21 times.

While the circumstances remain disputed - authorities say Lucero rushed toward them with a knife, a claim her family denies - the case prompted questions over what would have happened had mental health professionals responded to that call and others like it, rather than armed officers.

Now Albuquerque is trying to find out.

In one of the most tangible shifts in public safety since last year's killing of George Floyd spawned anti-police-brutality protests nationwide, New Mexico's largest city has established a new category of first responder. Starting in September, 911 dispatchers had an option beyond the police, with social workers and others in related fields patrolling the city and fielding calls pertaining to mental health, substance abuse or homelessness that otherwise would have been handled by an armed officer.

The contrast is vivid: The members of the freshly established Community Safety Department sport T-shirts, lean heavily on their de-escalation training and emphasize that they're not there to enforce the law or make arrests. Instead, they fill the trunks of their Honda Accord patrol cars with enticements designed to win the trust of the people they are seeking to help.

"We don't have a badge and a gun," Walter Adams said, after assisting a disoriented man who was sprawled on the pavement outside a shuttered gas station one recent afternoon. "We have water and snacks."

Whether the new department can make the desired impact is being closely watched not only here, but also in cities nationwide that are either attempting or contemplating something similar.

While many of the changes demanded by protesters in the wake of Floyd's killing remain unfulfilled - overall police budgets remain largely intact, along with rules that shield officers from liability - the concept of shifting the burden of mental health calls to unarmed responders continues to gain traction.

"We're seeing it all over the place," said Alex Vitale, coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College.

The appeal is clear: In places where the idea has been tried, Vitale said, the outcome has been "fewer emergency room visits, which are extremely expensive, fewer jailings, which are even more expensive, and fewer police interventions, which come with a huge risk of force."

Orlando's mayor recently proclaimed "great results" from its six-month pilot program. Denver's year-old approach has also yielded promising data, and has become a model being eyed by St. Louis and others. The best-established program is in Eugene, Ore., while major cities - including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington - are all in various stages of experimentation.

Unlike other reform ideas, this one has received a broadly warm reception from police chiefs, who say it can relieve some of the responsibility from their overburdened officers at a time when violent crime is rising.

Reform advocates, meanwhile, believe it can make a substantial dent in the problem of police brutality: Of the roughly 1,000 people killed by the police each year, more than a quarter have been in the throes of a mental health crisis, according to a Washington Post database.

"This new department is proving its worth whether crime is skyrocketing or whether there are issues around over-policing and racism in law enforcement," said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. "It works at both those problems."

Yet Keller, who spearheaded the creation of the Albuquerque Community Safety Department, known as ACS, also acknowledges a risk. Unlike many other cities, Albuquerque's program is no tentative pilot: It's a free-standing department, with a multimillion-dollar budget and ambitions to hire hundreds of responders, field tens of thousands of calls each year and fundamentally reshape an emergency response system that hasn't been altered this significantly since EMTs were added half a century ago.

"This is literally changing the system. So, we'll see. I think it's going to work, but it might not," Keller said from his 11th-floor City Hall office, with panoramic views of downtown and the mountains that rise beyond. "You've got to be careful if you want to go down this path."

Part of the reason for caution is that Albuquerque is struggling: The city of just over a half-million people faces surging levels of both violent crime and homelessness. The murder rate qualifies it as one of the most dangerous cities in the country.

"The streets of Albuquerque are rough," said Shaun Willoughby, a police detective who serves as president of the city's officers' union. "We are number one on every single bad list. And we have been forever."

Willoughby said he would like to be optimistic that social workers can achieve better outcomes and take some of the burden off officers. But the reality, he said, is that unarmed responders are putting themselves in peril operating in a city where weapons are so pervasive and violence so common.

"We worry for these clinicians," he said. "It's all fun and games until you get on scene and someone is wanting to fight."

Reform advocates counter that police in Albuquerque have long contributed to the problem, escalating situations that could have been defused with a lighter touch. The city's police have operated under federal monitoring since 2014 after investigators found a pattern of excessive force - particularly when dealing with people suffering mental illness.

"This department has a long history of violence," said Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico. Lethal use of force by officers has declined under the federal monitoring, he said, "but it could come back at any time."

It's in that context that Adams and his partner, Leigh White, set out one recent afternoon in a Honda Accord emblazoned with the department's logo. Their trunk was full of water and Cheetos; the screen perched on White's lap, a real-time look at the city's 911 log, was a litany of woe: suicide, fight in progress, child neglect, wanted person, missing person.

But their first call was of a sort they get more than any other: a UI, or "unsheltered individual." The man at the gas station, a caller reported, was facedown and not moving.

Such "down and out" calls are considered low acuity by the 911 system, and it can take four to five hours for the understaffed police force to respond. But the Community Safety teams are typically able to get there within minutes, not hours.

"We can take these calls and give people the assistance they need much faster," said Mariela Ruiz-Angel, director of ACS. "And that gives police the space to do other things. We don't want people to interact with the police unless they have to."

In this case, time was of the essence: the man was in evident pain, his hands bloodied and trembling, his body crumpled in on itself beside an empty wheelchair. Adams gave him a bottle of water but could see the man needed serious medical attention. EMS was called, and he was soon in an ambulance on his way to the hospital.

The outcome may have been the same had police responded. But Jenny Metzler, chief executive of Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, said the question of who responds to such calls still matters, given the fears that many who live on the streets have of interacting with the police.

"There's so much trauma for people experiencing homelessness. Uniforms and badges can be triggers," she said. "However well-intentioned or trained an officer may be, we have a ways to go before that perception and experience changes."

In many cases, the ACS response is substantively different from what the police would have done. Later that afternoon, Adams and White were called to an industrial zone where a man living out of his truck had allegedly siphoned water and electricity from a nearby business.

Through an unusual glitch in the 911 dispatch system, ACS and police units were both called to the scene.

To the officers, this was a possible crime to be investigated - and they let the man in the truck know he could face punishment.

The business is "paying for that water and now you're using it," said one officer, as he peered out from behind sunglasses. "That's technically larceny."

As the officer withdrew to check whether the business owner wanted to press charges, White approached with a different tack.

"You have a place to go? A home? Do you need resources?" she asked the man, whose face bore a Band-Aid that barely covered a jagged laceration. "Food? Clothing? A shower?"

"I'm good," said the man, as he kept a wary eye on the other officer.

Back in the car, White and Adams - both of whom have long experience in behavioral health services through stints in the corrections, probation and juvenile justice systems - were frustrated. The man might have needed counseling or treatment or just a place to spend the night. But any hopes of establishing a rapport had been dashed when the officer raised the prospect of charges.

"If you don't come off as threatening," White said, "then people are much more likely to work with you than against you."

There is also a significantly lower risk of violence, they said.

A less confrontational and more compassionate response would have made a difference for Lucero, the 28-year-old who was shot to death by Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies, said her sister, Elaine Maestas. The family received a $4 million settlement in the case, but the sheriff's office has denied wrongdoing.

After her sister's death, which is being investigated by the New Mexico attorney general, Maestas became an advocate for the sort of approach that ACS embodies. The old system, she said, didn't work for anyone.

"We've put on the shoulders of officers a job that they're not equipped to handle, and we're risking the lives of loved ones who need our help," said Maestas, who now works on police accountability issues at the ACLU.

But Maestas said the new Community Safety Department, however welcome, is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle as officials seek to redefine how they handle mental health.

New Mexico has some of the worst rates of drug overdose deaths, suicides and mental health-related illnesses in the nation, problems that have been exacerbated since the previous governor, Susana Martinez, dismantled the behavioral health system amid allegations that its providers were committing fraud.

"The system is broken," said Ruiz-Angel, the ACS director. "We try to do what we can, but there are so many gaps."

Just how many was laid bare when White and Adams responded to a call at a motel that serves people receiving housing support and other assistance. The manager had had an argument that morning with guests who wouldn't leave, and he wanted help getting them out.

He called for the police, but got ACS instead.

"Whoever you guys are, I'm glad you're here," the manager said. "This is a business. I can't just let someone stay here forever."

The couple, it turned out, weren't the only ones giving him trouble. In rooms across the motel, set beneath a roaring highway, people were unwilling to check out because they didn't know where else to go.

"I tried VIC. They can't help me," pleaded the veteran in Room 302, referring to the Veterans Integration Center. "I tried Goodwill. They can't help me."

A woman with a black eye and bruises up and down her legs said the motel, with its dingy curtains and crumbling concrete, had been like "a resort" but that she needed to be out by Friday. She asked where she could find a place to stay so she didn't have to rely on her ex-boyfriend.

The ACS responders could give recommendations, referrals and words of encouragement, but not much more.

When Adams and White finally found the couple, it turned out they were already on their way. They were out of their room, their belongings stashed in a stairwell, along with a pair of pit bulls. A relative, they said hopefully, would soon pick them up and give them a room - at least for a little while.

White stepped forward with her usual offer: How could she help? What did they need?

Nothing, the man said. "But thank you for checking on us, and making sure we're OK."
age 95, a long time resident of Beggs, OK, transitioned in her grandsons home in Tulsa, OK with family at bedside. Arrangements are pending with House of Winn Funeral Home-Okmulgee.
Eight days into the school year, all five of Amber Cessacs daughters  ages 4 to 10  had tested positive for COVID-19.

Having them all sick at once and worrying about long-term repercussions as other parents at their school, and even her own mother, downplayed the virus, broke something inside of me, Cessac said.

The anxiety and the stress has sort of been bottled up, she said. It just felt so, I dont know, defeating and made me feel so helpless.

Like parents everywhere, Cessac has been dealing with pandemic stress for more than 18 months now.

Theres the exhaustion of worrying about the disease itself made worse by the spread of the more-infectious Delta variant, particularly among people who refuse vaccinations, which has caused a big increase in infections in children.

Online school disrupted kids educations and parents work. Then the return of in-person school this year brought rising exposures and community tension as parents fought over proper protocols. The politicization of masks, vaccines and shutdowns have worn many parents out. Deciding whats OK for children to do and what isnt can feel fraught.

Parents are exhausted on a level weve not seen before, said Amanda Zelechoski, a Purdue University Northwest psychology professor who co-founded the website and nonprofit Pandemic Parenting. We have been in survival mode for a year and a half now and it is relentless.

Schools are, for many, a constant worry. Theres evidence that masks in schools help reduce virus spread, and a majority of Americans support requiring masks for students and teachers. But that breaks down sharply along partisan lines. Some Republican governors have tried to ban mask mandates. District policies on masks, testing and quarantines vary widely. Soon after schools reopened in August, the rate of coronavirus infections forced dozens of districts to back off in-person learning.

The charter school Cessacs four older daughters go to doesnt require masks. Her children, who are too young to be vaccinated, told her they were among only a handful of kids in their classes to wear masks. But shes sent them back to school as they recovered.

Its not any better anywhere else, she said. All the moms, we feel stuck in this situation. Theres nothing we can do.

More than 5.5 million children in the U.S. have tested positive for COVID-19, with 20% of all child cases coming since this school year began, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Kids are at lower risk of severe illness or death, but at least 498 have died.

Vaccines have been available for children as young as 12 since May, but vaccination rates lag behind adults. Federal data show about half of 16- and 17-year-olds are vaccinated, while 43% of 12- to 15-year-olds are; two-thirds of U.S. adults are vaccinated.

And while a vaccine for younger children is expected before the end of the year, they remain more vulnerable. Many parents felt lost on how to best protect them.

You still had parents struggling with decisions, and what is safe for my family, and feeling left behind or invisible because other segments of society were able to move on, Zelechoski said.

Over a million students left U.S. public schools in the 2020 school year, which was marked by widespread remote classes. Its not yet clear whats happened this academic year, but fights over mask mandates have led some parents to alternatives.

Sheila Cocchi, a single mom still dealing with health problems after suffering COVID-19 in February, is paying a teacher to give her 10- and 14-year-olds classes at home for 10 hours a week along with an online program. She also works from home.

Last year, it was like OK, the whole worlds gone crazy and were all having to adjust to this. Now its a different kind of stress, she said. Were trying to get this under control as a nation, or at least as a state, and theres so many people who are not participating in that. I would like for my children to be in school as much as anyone.

Other parents say they know being back at school is whats best for their kids, and they just hope its OK.

Heather Buen, who works for a utility and is a Democratic politics organizer, keeps at her kids to wear masks and wash their hands, even when other children or even teachers dont.

Its a lot of effort to maintain that, she said.

She thinks seeing their dad, an electrician, get COVID-19 helped scare them into sticking to preventive measures. The five children in school have not gotten sick, and Buen said she feels reassured because it seems more students and staff are wearing masks now than at the beginning of the school year. Still, parents from three districts, including hers, have sued, saying schools are violating students constitutional rights because theres no mask mandate.

The lawsuits, school board meeting fights, dissension between family members and friends is also a source of stress.

The bashing on both sides, thats been the hardest thing, said Sarah Brazwell, who has a 3-year-old in day care and a 9-year-old in elementary school. Shes not ready to get vaccinated and, despite overwhelming evidence that face coverings protect against the virus, she said wearing masks in her town is a little pointless because so few people do.

Child care  finding it, paying for it, worrying about the spread of sicknesses from it  has been a huge stress during the pandemic. Labor is in short supply and it can be difficult to find a spot. Infections and exposures, and even minor colds at day cares can mean children get sent home for days or weeks, forcing parents to scramble repeatedly for child care.

Deanna Manbeck, board president of her childs small, non-profit day care, carries the weight of responsibility to the roughly 20 families there. Masks are required for teachers but not vaccines out of fear staff will quit.

How could I tell parents that we can no longer care for their children and they have to find a new center over an optional mandate? As a mom, I want all teachers to be vaccinated  but were not in the position to mandate them, she said.

Jeff Sheldon and his wife began interviewing nannies for their two sons, a 3-year-old and a baby, after day care closures and routine childhood illnesses kept their children home for weeks at a time this summer. He and his wife took sick days and worked from home. Their mothers also helped.

We cant keep living with the uncertainty of class closing at a moments notice, he said of day care.

While Sheldon was more able than his wife, who works for the public school system, to work from home, the pandemic has underscored the burden for women in particular balancing child care and work, and millions of women have left the work force.

Taking a leave was a brief consideration for Dr. Ankita Modi, a pediatrician. She was upset the thought even crossed her mind, she said, but she was that desperate. In her school district, masks are optional, theres no remote school option and she says the contact tracing is ineffective. Local health officials agreed and threatened legal action against the district before agreeing on new procedures at the end of September.

Her youngest child, 11, isnt old enough to be vaccinated; the other two are. It feels like youre knowingly putting them at a real concrete risk every day, she said. That, as a parent, is really unnerving. I dont think anybody has slept well since school has started.
Watertown, SD (57201)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 22F. S winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 22F. S winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Associated Press Writer

A man convicted of strangling and shooting the wife of a suburban Dallas physician is set to die, closing a chapter in one of the area's most complex and prolonged murder cases.

Former auto insurance appraiser George Anderson Hopper faced lethal injection Tuesday for the 1983 slaying of Rozanne Gailiunas, 33, who was choked with pantyhose and shot twice in the head. The mortally wounded woman _ raped, tissue stuffed down her throat, tied to a four-poster bed _ was found in her Richardson bedroom by her then 4-year-old son. She died two days later.

Hopper, 49, who evidence showed received some $1,500 for the killing, would be the fourth Texas inmate executed this year if his appeals fail.

Defense attorneys argued Hopper's confession was obtained improperly because detectives continued questioning him after he asked to be returned to his jail cell to think about what he wanted to do.

"Any reasonable interpretation of the English language clearly indicated that (Hopper) invoked his constitutional protections," Roy Greenwood said in his petition pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Hopper's initial trial lawyer also offered little help, the appeal contends.

Hopper is the last link in a complicated chain that prosecutors said was initiated by Dallas socialite Joy Aylor. She wanted Gailiunas dead because Gailiunas was dating Aylor's estranged husband, testimony showed.

Gailiunas and her husband, Peter Gailiunas Jr., were separated, as were Aylor and her husband, Larry Aylor, a Dallas home builder. Rozanne Gailiunas planned to marry Larry Aylor, according to testimony.

"Unfortunately, there's not anything that's ever going to undo or be able to repair the heartache and grief that this act has caused so many of us," said Dr. Gailiunas, who has remarried and practices in Dallas. "But nevertheless, to the extent this will at least start that healing process, we'd like to get it over with."

Joy Aylor fled to Canada with $200,000 and her new lover, a Dallas attorney, on the eve of her 1990 murder trial. After the lawyer was arrested in remote western Canada on a drug charge, Joy Aylor disappeared to France.

For two years she assumed a false identity as Elizabeth Sharp, living in a villa outside Nice. She was located after her lover's a rental car was involved in a minor traffic accident.

Joy Aylor was imprisoned for two years while prosecutors negotiated with the French government. After she was returned to Texas, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1994. Under terms of the extradition, prosecutors agreed to not pursue the death sentence, which is illegal in France.

Hopper, who has been on death row since 1992, and Aylor, imprisoned near Gatesville, declined recent interview requests.

Others related to the case also are in prison.

Buster Matthews was sentenced to life for trying to kill Joy Aylor's husband in a separate 1986 sniper attack financed by Joy Aylor.

Bill Garland, a former pest control contractor, pleaded guilty in 1995 to accepting money from Joy Aylor to arrange that unsuccessful murder attempt. Garland also pleaded guilty and received 30 years in prison for using money from her to hire Hopper.

Brian Lee Kreafle, a former auto mechanic, was sentenced to 30 years after pleading guilty to soliciting capital murder and admitting to transferring instructions and money to Hopper.

Authorities said Joy Aylor contacted Garland about arranging the slaying. Garland hired Kreafle, who hired Hopper.

It was Carole Garland, his wife and Joy Aylor's sister, who tipped police about the plot and helped detectives by recording conversations implicating Joy Aylor.

When Hopper initially was questioned, he fled police during an interview under the guise of needing a drink of water. He was picked up six months later, amid a nationwide manhunt.

"Most crimes happen in a few moments of time," recalled Kevin Chapman, the lead prosecutor in the trials of Hopper and Aylor. "This one _ the crime, the coverup _ spanned five years. I had a notebook with 60 pages of dates, just dates of events, a ton of bank records, phone records, file cabinets full of stuff."

Chapman, now in private business in Austin, said it was remarkable the principles all had jobs and came from good families with solid backgrounds. Joy Aylor, who worked as a decorator, had wealth and social standing.

He said Hopper, married and the father of two daughters, was likable and charismatic.

"I viewed it as a thrill killing," Chapman said. "He stripped her, tried to have sex with her, for $1,500. It was a power thrill deal.

"It should have been a lot different. He should have been a productive member of society."
The energy crisis that has led to shortages and blackouts in Europe and Asia could hit the United States this winter, said the CEO of an energy firm.

Weve actually had discussions with power utilities who are concerned that they simply will have to implement blackouts this winter, Ernie Thrasher, the head of Xcoal Energy & Resources, was quoted by Bloomberg News as saying. They dont see where the fuel is coming from to meet demand.

He added that utilities are switching from natural gas to coal during the fall and winter months to keep up with the demand.

The global demand for power has increased as economies attempt to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, triggering natural gas shortages primarily in Europe and Asia.

Power producers including Duke Energy have warned customers that bills may spike during this winter. Dukes Piedmont Natural Gas unit stated Tuesday that higher gas prices and low production will raise customer bills by approximately $11 per month in North and South Carolina.

That whole supply chain is stretched beyond its limits, Thrasher, whose Pennsylvania-based company works in coal logistics, said. Its going to be a challenging winter for us here in the United States.

Meanwhile, the New York State Public Service Commission told Bloomberg it is monitoring utilities in New York to determine whether theres enough fuel for the winter.

The utilities have hedged approximately 70 percent of their residential electricity needs, the agency said, adding that it expects to meet demand this season.

The benchmark U.S. natural gas contract has been rallying, lately hitting seven-year highs, but its $5.62 per million British thermal units price is a far cry from the $30-plus being paid in Europe and Asia, Reuters noted.

However, the U.S. market is worried about the coming cold, particularly in New England and Californiawhere prices for gas to be delivered this winter are far above the nationwide benchmark. In New England, buyers are expecting gas to cost more than $20 per million British thermal units.

In New England, gas for January delivery is soaring, trading this week at more than $22 at the regions Algonquin hub, which would be the highest price paid in a month since January and February of 2014.

Henry Hub prices continue to climb for the winter months, but we should see even bigger increases on the East and West Coasts for New England and California, said Matt Smith, lead oil analyst for the Americas at commodity analytics firm Kpler.

Reuters contributed to this report.

By Jack Phillips

Jack Phillips is a reporter at The Epoch Times based in New York.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Empirically grounded technology forecasts and the energy transition (PDF) Institute for New Economic Thinking

In response to our opening question, Is there a path forward that can get us there cheaply and quickly?, our answer is an emphatic Yes!. Our quantitative analysis supports other recent efforts using up-to-date data and technology assumptions that reach a similar conclusion. The key is to maintain the current high growth rates of rapidly progressing clean energy technologies for the next decade. This is required to build up the industrial capabilities and technical know-how necessary to produce, install and operate these technologies at scale as fast as possible so that we can profit from the resulting cost reductions sooner rather than later. The belief that the green energy transition will be expensive has been a major driver of the ineffective response to climate change for the last forty years. This pessimism is at odds with past technological cost-improvement trends, and risks locking humanity into an expensive and dangerous energy future. While arguments for a rapid green transition often cite benefits such as the avoidance of climate damages, less air pollution and lower energy price volatility, these benefits are often contrasted against discussions about the associated costs of transitioning. Our analysis suggests that such trade-offs are unlikely to exist: a greener, healthier and safer global energy system is also likely to be cheaper.

Big if true. Readers?

The Cheap and Easy Climate Fix That Can Cool the Planet Fast Bloomberg. Methane.

Californias Oil Leak Is Part of a Larger Disaster in the Making New York Magazine

Coal Industry Is Getting Ample Funding to Pile Into New Plants Bloomberg

In Global Energy Crisis, Anti-Nuclear Chickens Come Home to Roost Foreign Policy

The Nasty Logistics of Returning Your Too-Small Pants The Atlantic. Supply chain follies.

Crews Are Abandoned on Ships in Record Numbers Without Pay, Food or a Way Home WSJ. See NC summarizing the crew change crisis over a year ago. I suppose well be seeing stories about a shipping labor shortage next. People just dont want to work!

How supply chain chaos and sky-high costs could last until 2023 American Shipper

Musk Says Tesla Software Update Delayed by a Few Days Bloomberg. Tesla Inc is delaying the rollout of the FSD Beta 10.2 software update due to last-minute concerns. FSD = Full Self-Driving. What could have gone wrong?

#COVID19

Nationally Representative Social Contact Patterns in the United States, August 2020-April 2021 (preprint) (PDF) medRxiv. From the Discussion: Overall, national contact rates in Spring 2021 were similar to those in Fall 2020, with most contacts in both surveys reported at work. The number of contacts reported was not uniform across groups, with those identifying as non-White, non-Black, non-Asian, and non-Hispanic reporting high rates of contact relative to other racial and ethnic groups. Contact rates were highest among those with lower incomes and in specific occupational categories, including retail, hospitality and food service, and transportation. While the number of contacts reported were mostly similar from baseline to follow-up, younger adults (aged 25-34) reported higher numbers of contacts at follow-up as compared to baseline. Finally, we found that those testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies reported a higher number of daily contacts than those who were seronegative. Collectively, these findings provide robust empirical evidence for differences in social behavior among demographic groups, highlighting the profound disparities that have become the hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multicomponent Strategies to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Transmission  Nine Overnight Youth Summer Camps, United States, JuneAugust 2021 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC. The combination of high vaccination rates among persons eligible for vaccination, frequent testing, podding, modified programming, masking, physical distancing, and attention to hand hygiene afforded campers and staff members safe engagement with their peers and camp community. These findings also highlight important guiding factors for development and implementation of COVID-19 prevention protocols in other youth-focused settings, including schools and related youth programs. Ventilation is not mentioned, but from what I recall of summer camp, most everything was outdoors or might as well have been. Notice, however, that since CDC recommends these strategies for schools, they continue to suppress aersosol transmission and endorse the hygiene theatre of handwashing.

China?

Myanmar

Malaysia to Begin Interstate Travel as 90% Adults Fully Jabbed Bloomberg

India

Syraqistan

African agriculture without African farmers Al Jazeera

UK/EU

Biden Adminstration

Democrats en Deshabille

Our Famously Free Press

Deathly Silence: Journalists Who Mocked Assange Have Nothing to Say About CIA Plans to Kill Him FAIR Google and YouTube to prohibit advertisements on content with false information on climate change CBS. Greenwald calls attention to this language: Google said it will look carefully at whether a piece of content is making a prohibited claim or simply discussing it. If a policy of prohibited claims on Covid had been in effect in early 2020, neither masking nor aerosol transmission would ever have gotten traction, at least within the Googlesphere. The same is true for claims about Iraqi WMDs or RussiaGate. In all these cases, claims from the margins were correct, and would have been censored. The same would be true of MMT.

Sports Desk

The NWSL Was Working As Intended Defector

Health Care

Zeitgeist Watch

LEGO to release a 9,090-piece scale model of the Titanic  its biggest set ever CNN FOMO, totally: Already own a trained arabian hunting falcon? Collateralize it. Secure a loan financing another falcon. That falcon? Collateralize it too. There's no end to the number of falcons you can buy. The bank bundles its interests into a Falcon Backed Security and sells it. EVERYONE WINS pic.twitter.com/l5Ob8Yj17o   UAE Exotic Falconry & Finance (@FalconryFinance) October 9, 2021 (We have linked to this site before, but this is a revised pitch.)

Imperial Collapse Watch

Photographs from Chris Arnade, on a walk through Buffalo. Really worth looking through the entire gallery: So begins my walk, from Tonawanda to Lackawanna, (How Seuss-ian!) around some nice old school charm. Hopefully to end in a bar in time for happy hour pic.twitter.com/RLL8unKxZq  Reginald & No-Name  (@Chris_arnade) October 9, 2021 These photos could have come from no place other than America, and no time other than this (post-deindustrialization).

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Black real estate agent, clients file lawsuit after being handcuffed by Michigan police during home tour USA Today

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

How the worlds biggest brain maps could transform neuroscience Nature. Its not neuroscience Im worried about:

A Mars Rover Explored a Wasteland and Found an Oasis The Atlantic

The Wild Joy of Foraging My Own Food Texas Monthly. I doubt very much this will scale.

Antidote du jour (via):

Bonus Antidote:

The Japanese  Puffer Fish is probably nature's greatest artist  To grab a females attention he creates something that defies belief  pic.twitter.com/AiuQY9XzhN  Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) October 9, 2021

Apparently, judgements about Beauty can cross species.

Another Bonus Antidote (Ignacio):

Los pulpos cambian de color mientras duermen. Estos cambios de color corresponden a dos estados de sueno:

 Sueno tranquilo.

 Sueno activo, similar a nuestra fase REM, que es cuando los humanos sonamos mas. Suenan los pulpos? #DiaMundialDelPulpopic.twitter.com/wllJh5UdMn  Fundacion Biodiversidad (@FBiodiversidad) October 8, 2021

For World Octopus Day.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
(Natural News) A far-left politician from Pennsylvania by the name of Christopher Rabb recently introduced legislation that would have forced all men 40 years of age and older in his state to be sterilized. Rabb received a torrent of backlash as you might expect, prompting him to claim that the whole thing was a parody.

The bizarre episode in American Idiocracy came about after Texas recently imposed new abortion restrictions in defense of unborn human life. Leftists all across the country became triggered, including Rabb who decided he would try to punish men and their reproductive rights.

Somehow in Rabbs mind, telling women that they cannot murder their unborn babies after a certain point of gestation is the same as forcing men to get vasectomies so they can no longer impregnate women.

Rabbs little stunt did not go over so well among his constituents, or the rest of the country for that matter. Part of his damage control was to later claim that the legislation was just a parody, and that nobody should have taken it seriously.

Therefore, I will be introducing legislation that will require all inseminators to undergo vasectomies within six weeks from having their third child or 40th birthday, whichever comes first, Rabb wrote in a memo prior to introducing his bill.

Further, this legislation will allow Pennsylvanians to take civil action for unwanted pregnancies against inseminators who wrongfully conceive a child with them.

Forcing men to get vasectomies is not the same as telling women that they cant murder their unborn children

Since American politicians apparently have nothing better to do with their time these days, Rabb decided it was pertinent to waste his constituents tax dollars coming up with this cringeworthy bill  which nobody except himself found funny, by the way.

Rabb later tried to save face by claiming that it was all just a joke. He also says he received threats of violence over the legislation, which he proceeded to use as more ammunition against his concerned constituents.

This bill will not pass or even come up for a vote, but its just an idea that is troubling folks so much so that their natural response is to wish death, Rabb proclaimed, pretending to prove some kind of point.

Performing a forced surgical procedure that prevents a man from reproducing is of course not the same thing as restricting the ability of women to murder their unborn children, especially since women have the right to not get pregnant in the first place. But to constituent Kimberly Smith, the two are the same.

I dont think its one monolith to just have the burden of reproductive [sic] and pregnancy to be placed solely on females, Smith illogically whined to NBC 10 News in Philadelphia.

Had Rabbs legislation been passed, men in Pennsylvania would have only been allowed to have a couple of children. After that, they would have needed to go in for a vasectomy or else potentially be turned in by their neighbors and doctors, who would have been awarded $10,000 for their service to the state.

If there was any doubt that todays progressive left [has] utterly and completely disregarded your personal medical freedom, then let this be the nail in the coffin, wrote Pennsylvania Rep. David Rowe, a Republican, in a Facebook post.

Rowe went on in the post to call out Rabb for engaging in full damage control in an attempt to salvage his reputation.

More of the latest news about the lefts response to increased abortion restrictions can be found at Abortions.news.

Sources for this article include:

NBCPhiladelphia.com

BigLeaguePolitics.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The UCHealth hospital system in Colorado will no longer provide organ transplants to anyone who refuses to get vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

In an announcement, the Denver-based institution said that it will now systematically deny organ transplants to the unvaccinated in almost all situations because non-jabbed patients are supposedly much more likely to die if they test positive for the Chinese Virus.

To keep everyone safe, those who refuse to modify their DNA with mRNA (messenger RNA) poisons will be left to die without the organs they need. This, says UCHealth, will help to flatten the curve.

State Rep. Tim Geitner, a Republican, came out publicly against UCHealth for this policy, which he says has already left an unvaccinated Colorado Springs woman without the kidney transplant she needs to survive.

Geitner says the decision by UCHealth is disgusting and discriminatory, noting that a letter the woman received from the transplant center at the systems Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora explained that she will be inactivated on the kidney transplant list unless she gets jabbed.

The woman now has 30 days to decide what she wants to do. If she just says no to the experimental injection drugs from Donald father of the vaccine Trumps  his own words  Operation Warp Speed scheme, she will be permanently removed from the transplant list.

U.S. organ transplant network says it does not discriminate against donors, recipients

While UCHealth has declined to speak about this particular case, officials have admitted that nearly all transplant recipients and organ donors must get injected with an Operation Warp Speed poison needle in order to receive any further care there.

According to spokesman Dan Weaver, the same policy applies at many other transplant centers across the United States that have also decided to set up a system of medical apartheid that discriminates against people with compromised immune systems, as well as those with natural immunity.

An organ transplant is a unique surgery that leads to a lifetime of specialized management to ensure an organ is not rejected, which can lead to serious complications, the need for a subsequent transplant surgery, or even death, Weaver wrote in an email.

Physicians must consider the short- and long-term health risks for patients as they consider whether to recommend an organ transplant.

In the U.S., a non-profit group called the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) coordinates the transplant process. It says that unlike UCHealth, it does not have any policies in place that discriminate against the unvaccinated.

Transplant centers like UCHealth, said spokeswoman Anne Paschke, make such decisions according to [their] individual medical judgment.

Even though it has an obligation to do no harm and provide care to everyone who needs it, regardless of injection status, Geitner admitted during a Facebook Live video presentation that there is very little the UCHealth hospital system will do to accommodate patients who refuse Fauci Flu shots.

The really sad thing is that the woman who needs a kidney already found a possible donor and already has antibodies in her body to fight any potential Chinese Virus infection that might come her way.

Meanwhile, people everywhere are dying from Wuhan Flu shots by the tens or even hundreds of thousands, and UCHealth could not care less about any of them.

While more than a third of Americans have yet to get one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, leaders and companies have increasingly embraced vaccine mandates over intense opposition from Republicans, who champion personal choice, reported Outline.

The unvaccinated may face unemployment or more expensive health insurance and in some places are barred from parts of public life, such as indoor dining.

The latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) fascism can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Outline.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has banned Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of mRNA (messenger RNA) technology, from accessing its journal website.

In a series of tweets, Malone complained that the NEJM apparently manually blocked his IP address in a petty act of retribution for him speaking out against the dangers of injecting people with mRNA, especially in the midst of a plandemic.

This is fascinating, Malone wrote in a tweet. I am apparently no longer allowed to read the New England Journal of Medicine. They have blocked my internet protocol address.

While Malone is aware of how to get around IP blocks, including by using a VPN (virtual private network), he says he still finds it fascinating that the NEJM would even take the trouble to do this. The NEJM has yet to respond to Malones allegations.

Malone has been very outspoken against Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination, particularly in younger people who have an almost zero risk of getting sick after testing positive.

Interestingly, Malone was blocked from accessing the NEJM right after it published a series of studies about post-vaccination myocarditis, which has become a common occurrence particularly in young people who get jabbed with Fauci Flu shots.

I am going to speak bluntly, Malone is quoted as saying.

Physicians who speak out are being actively hunted via medical boards and the press. They are trying to delegitimize and pick us off one by one. This is not a conspiracy theory  this is a fact. Please wake up. This is happening globally.

Malone was dubbed a terrorist for speaking out against mRNA injections at Romes International COVID Summit

According to Malone, the Branch Covidians who ran the International COVID Summit that took place recently in Rome dubbed him a terrorist for defying the prevailing narrative about Chinese Virus injections.

My crime? Advocating for early treatment of COVID-19, Malone says. I suggest that merits a bit of mediation.

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) recently went a step further by threatening all of its members with revocation of their medical licenses if they get caught spreading any kind of misinformation about Wuhan Flu shots. This includes suggesting that people get early treatment rather than an injection.

Due to their specialized knowledge and training, licensed physicians possess a high degree of public trust and therefore have a powerful platform in society, whether they recognize it or not, the FSMB threatened in a letter.

They also have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interests of their patients and must share information that is factual, scientifically grounded and consensus-driven for the betterment of public health.

Despite being the guy who came up with mRNA technology in the first place, Malone is now being censored and blacklisted from all the major Big Tech platforms, some of which are actually rewriting history to erase him from existence.

Malones thoughts and statements are just incongruent with what the plandemic purveyors are pushing, so he has to go. This is what happens when medical fascism becomes all-powerful.

I remember reading world history in seventh grade, where the Pharaohs of Egypt would have the names and faces of prior Pharaohs stricken / carved off of all monuments, because they did something to annoy the current Pharaoh, wrote one Natural News commenter, drawing parallels from history to the current situation.

The Pharaohs of Big Tech are repeating history. I remember thinking, what a bunch of power hungry, narcissistic lowers. All part of the gaslighting of the world.

The latest news about mainstream medicines attack on Malone and others like him can be found at MedicalCensorship.com

Sources for this article include:

DCClothesline.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Hundreds of police officers and health workers in Australia have resigned due to vaccine mandates issued in two states.

Across the globe, governments have tried many measures to curb the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Some insist on vaccine mandates that continue to encroach on every citizens right to health freedom.

Health workers in NSW and police officers in Queensland quit

On Oct. 6, local media reported that health workers from New South Wales (NSW) and police officers in Queensland have resigned because of coronavirus vaccine mandates.

An estimated 136 health workers in NSW and an unknown number of police officers in Queensland have quit their jobs due to vaccine mandates on the their workplace. (Related: Almost 75% of unvaccinated workers to quit if companies make vaccines required  survey.)

It was earlier announced that health workers in NSW should get at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine by Sept. 30. Since then, 1,200 workers have been idled and put on paid leave, which will expire after two weeks.

The health union isnt surprised, even claiming that the loss of employees is negligible compared to at least 140,000 employees in the states health sector. The government also expects more resignations.

The resignations of NSW health workers have taken place while the state is trying to recruit nurses from interstate and overseas to prepare for what authorities believe may be a peak in coronavirus cases that require hospitalizations this October.

Some NSW regional hospitals are also offering applicants travel and pay incentives. According to reports, the states health department is in discussions with the commonwealth about expediting the credentialing of overseas qualifications to hire foreign nurses, particularly intensive care and emergency department nurses who are in demand due to the pandemic.

According to the NSW governments website, a health care worker should have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine before they can work. Starting Nov. 30, a health care worker must have had at least two doses of a vaccine, unless they have a medical contraindication certificate in a form approved by NSW Health.

Police officers face disciplinary actions for not getting vaccinated

In Queensland, police officers have also resigned because of the Oct. 4 deadline for officers to have at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

According to Steve Gollschewski, the states deputy commissioner, on Oct. 5 the total number of those who resigned might be fewer than 100 out of the states 15,000 police officers. While the total figure changes on a daily basis, Gollschewski says the numbers are low.

He notes that its expected that some officers will refuse vaccination and that the state will be dealing with those who refuse to get inoculated.

Gollschewski refuses to reveal the total number of officers who resigned, but insists that it is just a handful per district across the state. He says that a more accurate number may be available within the end of the week.

In a statement released on Oct. 4, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) announced that it is checking to see who among its members are refusing to get vaccinated.

QPS has said that those who dont want to get vaccinated may need to face disciplinary action if they dont have an approved exemption. Starting in October, officers who refuse inoculation without an exemption will be suspended from duty with pay with a seven-day Notice to Show Cause process commenced, it says.

Meanwhile, a group of seven officers led a legal challenge against Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll over the vaccine mandate in the Supreme Court early in October.

The officers, who are currently on stress leave, have won the challenge, granting them a 12-day delay to the mandate. Despite the win, the seven officers still need further exemptions to continue their professions.

On Oct. 4, Australian workers joined a strike against mandatory vaccinations in dozens of cities across Australia as deadlines loom for workers in various sectors. Protesters include airline staff, construction workers, health care workers, firefighters, miners, nurses, paramedics, police, truck drivers and teachers.

Australians continue to resist lockdowns and vaccine mandates with the help of organizations like National Education United and Reignite Democracy Australia. Citizens also use Telegram groups to coordinate and share their efforts and resources, with like-minded individuals sending letters, signing petitions, launching lawsuits and organizing peaceful demonstrations to fight for their right to health freedom.

Visit HealthFreedom.news to learn how other countries are fighting back against oppressive coronavirus mandates.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

TheGuardian.com

NSW.gov.au

BrisbaneTimes.com.au
(Natural News) Project Veritas released video on Wednesday of a whistleblower at Pfizer who accused the pharmaceutical company of trying to hide the connection between its new COVID-19 vaccine and aborted babies.

(Article by Jim Hoft republished from TheGatewayPundit.com)

In a new Project Veritas video, Pfizer employee Melissa Strickler provided emails from corporate executives asking staff to avoid mentioning the fetal cell lines that the company used to test its COVID vaccine.

From the perspective of corporate affairs, we want to avoid having the information on fetal cells floating out there, Vanessa Gelman, senior director of worldwide research at Pfizer, wrote in an email dated Feb. 9, according to the whistleblower.

This directly contradicts earlier remarks by Catholic ethicist Dr. Joseph Meaney who went on national television to say the fizer COVID vaccine did not use aborted babies.

This was not true.

Dr. Joseph Meaney, Ph.D, a bioethicist and president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, joined the EWTN Catholic Television Channel to discuss the Pfizer COVID vaccine.

Dr. Meaney told EWTN viewers that no aborted baby cell lines were involved in the Pfizer COVID vaccine development and production.

Dr. Joseph Meaney, Ph.D.: The good news is not at all. Its a new type of vaccine, mRNA-type similar to the Moderna vaccine, that does not use any cell lines whatsoever in its production. So, in that case, there are no cell lines involved in its development and production.

Dr. Joseph Meaney flat-out lied to Catholics about the Pfizer vaccine and should be shunned. https://t.co/6eqQpPGMzM  PinoleroGringo (@gringo_pinolero) October 7, 2021

Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com
(Natural News) This is rich  and meaty, too.

Chef Daniel Humm very proudly and visibly announced in May that his high-end Manhattan restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, would emerge from its COVID closure with an entirely plant-based menu. The way we have sourced our food, the way were consuming our food, the way we eat meat  it is not sustainable, he told NPR at the time.

(Article by Selwyn Duke republished from TheNewAmerican.com)

What he didnt tell the outlet is that hed still have what has been called a secret meat room for the pseudo-elites.

Humm certainly claimed to be going whole veggie hog. While youd still be able to get milk and honey for your coffee, his restaurant was not just eliminating meat, but fish, too. Its price tag of more than three Franklins was staying the same, though.

Yet if Clara Peller (of Wendys commercial fame) were resurrected to ask Wheres the beef?! Eleven Madison Parks richest patrons would know.

As the New York Posts Page Six reports (as presented by commentator Monica Showalter):

Just call it Eleven Madison Pork: It emerges the citys most exalted vegan restaurant has a secret meat room for the mega-rich. This May chef Daniel Humm had announced with much flowery fanfare that his Eleven Madison Park restaurant would reopen in June from its pandemic closure with a fully plant-based vegan menu. But not just any meager meatless menu: Its 12 courses for $335. However, it seems those principles are off the plate in the restaurants private dining room  [which] comes complete with a meat-heavy menu that includes foie gras, beef tenderloin, roasted chicken and pork. Page Six has exclusively obtained the private dining room menu, which features dishes such as the highly controversial foie gras, beef carpaccio and butter-poached lobster with black truffle and celery root. Plus, there is pork seared with red cabbage and cocoa beans, roasted chicken and beef, scallop, halibut, trout and sturgeon, which is listed as endangered in some areas. Not to mention a series of local cheeses.

While it was not reported if local cheeses meant those made in rat-infested NYC, my, the above does sound delectable, though a bit rich for my tastes (in price, not palate-piquing potency).

But then theres the fare for the poor millionaire. Telling the New York Times in May about his pandemic pondering (and proving that an idle mind really is the Devils playground), Humm said, It became very clear to me that our idea of what luxury is had to change. We couldnt go back to doing what we did before.

While the restaurants ingredient costs will go down, labor costs will go up as Mr. Humm and his chefs work to make vegan food live up to Eleven Madison Parks reputation, the Gray Lady also related.

Theyd better work harder, however, if a Tuesday write-up by Times restaurant critic Pete Wells is any indication. While he did have some kind words for Humms establishment in what NBC called a withering review, he also said of a type of beet dish, The one at Eleven Madison Park tastes like Lemon Pledge and smells like a burning joint.

Wells also noted that in some dishes, vegetables were forced to do so much work impersonating meat that you almost feel sorry for them,' related NBC.

You know you have too much time and money on your hands when you can devote so much energy to trying to make veggies identify as meat (a bit like a boy identifying as a girl). But this type of moral preening is common among the arts-and-croissants crowd.

Monica Showalter reminds us that Barack Obamas 60th birthday bash in Marthas Vineyard (you know, that place refugees are never sent to) was, along with being a maskless affair, also an (allegedly) plant-based one. Moreover, The 2020 Golden Globes featured a vegan menu, as will the 2021 Met Gala, a major fashion-industry event, reported Bloomberg.

This agenda is also being foisted on schools, as Meatless Mondays depriving kids of critical nutrition to satisfy the elites and their bows to the god of global warming, Showalter also informs.

As for Humms place for swells, its not hypocritical  just misunderstood. As Page Six further reports, a restaurant source insisted the meat dishes were prepared in a separate kitchen from the vegan fare and claimed foie gras had not been on the private dining menu since the restaurant reopened as a plant-based venue.

The source, somewhat fishily, also claimed, The private dining room is operated as a separate business to the main restaurant, even though it clearly bears the same name and branding on its menu, Page Six continued.

Whats more, MSNs EATER reports a restaurant spokesman as expressing that the restaurant plans to transition to a vegan private dining room by January 1, 2022.

That decision was made prior to this weeks coverage,' according to the spokesman, EATER continues.

As for Humm, even if his clientele were principled enough to be deterred by the apparent hypocrisy, hed be fine. Page Six also tells us hes dating billionaire philanthropist widow Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of the late Steve Jobs (well, we know who does the cooking in that relationship!).

Despite this, Humms restaurant got the max [$5 million] on Joe Bidens COVID restaurant bailout relief, known as the American Rescue Plan, while others, mostly small fry, got nothing, notes Showalter. Yes, leftists love the little guy so much they want to keep him just the way he is  little.

Showalter also notes studies showing that vegetarianism isnt all that healthful. But the pseudo-elites neednt worry because theyll always live a private-meat-room life. Oh, theyre not necessarily insincere when bloviating about sustainability. They just mean that having the hoi polloi enjoy lifes pleasures is unsustainable.

If only the top 0.01 percent do, the Earth will just smile wide.

As for high-end dining, $335 meals are ostentatious, amounting to trophy dinners as much as anything else. If you know where to go, you can get the best possible food for 17 to 30 dollars a dish. So if someone has character to match a robust wallet and really wants to feel better about himself, get a $20 meal  and use the rest of that Eleven Madison Park money to help the ruling class victims.

Read more at: TheNewAmerican.com
(Natural News) Tom Renz slams the government for easily dismissing the heroes of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the latest episode of Lawfare with Tom Renz on Brighteon.TV. Renz talks about how thousands of healthcare workers are losing their jobs for refusing to be experimented on with the COVID-19 vaccine.

Some are getting canceled within their companies or organizations. Thats the situation nurse Dani Kurtz has found herself in.

Kurtz, who used to be a labor and delivery nurse at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, tells Renz: As things developed with this whole pandemic, I started asking questions, and when I was asking those questions, I just came to dead end after dead end within my organization to the point where I would be pulled into the managers office, oh, listen, the way youre going about doing this, just hold off.'

She adds that she was asked to stop asking questions for allegedly instigating an environment of fear  something that she noticed people have actually been doing from the corporate level all the way down. First, the fear of the virus, then the fear of the unvaccinated. (Related: COVID-19 fatality rate DROPS to lowest level on record despite mainstream media fearmongering about delta variant.)

They were basically telling me to stave off my critical thinking abilities while they come up with the answers that they were going to go ahead and deliver, and were going to go ahead and just do that, she says.

Government, corporations instigate fears

The government and big corporations have been instigating fear regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. President Joe Biden tells the American people that fully vaccinated people are at an incredibly low risk of getting the disease.

Only one out of every 160,000 fully vaccinated Americans was hospitalized for COVID per day, Biden says. Were going to protect the vaccinated from unvaccinated co-workers.

While the position of the government allows them to introduce and enforce stricter measures to contain the outbreak, not all methods are effective enough to compel people to follow and coercive measures to ensure compliance are not always the answer.

Fines and jail time for those who defy standard operating procedures and attempts of negative reinforcement to avoid total lockdowns are some of the strategies implemented but have not gotten the desired effects.

Power, influence and trust are not static elements. The attempts of governments to stop the pandemic have led to contradictory and confusing messages, and this has affected the publics trust in experts, like those from the health departments. The public is now questioning their directives and the statistical data shared because of the lack of progress, increase in cases, deaths and political discourse.

Challenging and questioning assumptions can be uncomfortable for the government and corporate bodies, but these questions, similar to the ones raised by Kurtz, need to be done for the safety of the population.

Progress in managing and overcoming the pandemic needs rational behavior, and there must be support and compliance from both sides. Compliance comes from a combination of management and influence, as well as persuasion and communication. The government and higher-ups cannot achieve them through quick solutions through fearmongering and the blame game.

Watch the Oct. 5 episode of the Lawfare with Tom Renz here: You can catch new episodes of the program every Tuesday at 11:30-12 a.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Get more COVID-19 updates at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

NYPost.com

NST.com
(Natural News) The Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the United Kingdom has released a new dataset showing that 81 percent of everyone who died in the month of September after testing positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) was fully vaccinated in accordance with government guidelines.

In the U.K. alone during the month of September, some 30,305 people died within 21 days of getting injected for the Chinese Flu. This was an inadvertent admission by the ONS, which had previously told inquiring minds that they do not hold this information.

It turns out that they do hold this information, but did not want to make it public because it wrecks the mainstream claim among governments and medical systems that Fauci Flu shots are safe and effective.

The ONS report, used to dupe the public into believing just 1% of fully vaccinated people have died of Covid-19, didnt include Covid-19 deaths that have and are currently occurring in this extremely strange third wave of Covid-19 deaths, reported Humans Are Free.

Strange because Covid-19 deaths have been and still are many times higher than this time last year, despite the fact summer has been on our side, as well as an allegedly 95% effective vaccine.

One year ago, the number of covid-related deaths pretty much flat-lined. This was before Donald father of the vaccine Trump unleashed his rushed-to-market Operation Warp Speed injections, for which he is still going around bragging are one of his greatest accomplishments.

This year, however, the world is seeing a massive surge in new cases of the Chinese Virus. The numbers are so high that Humans Are Free reported that this is something you would expect to see in the middle of winter with a 95% effective vaccine.

Winter is coming: What will become of the fully vaccinated?

The shots are obviously not 95 percent effective, unless by effective they mean that these injections are injuring and killing most of the people who take them. Perhaps this is the real goal of the plandemic, which was obviously never about saving lives of flattening the curve  unless human beings are the curve, of course.

In that case, the world population really is being flattened at warp speed, and millions remain none the wiser due to their willful ignorance and blind trust in the system to somehow have their best interests in mind.

Not only are the vast majority of all covid deaths now occurring among the fully vaccinated, but so are the vast majority of all new cases. Pretty much the only people still having trouble with Chinese Germs are those who took the jabs, in other words.

Week after week, hospitals are filling up with fully jabbed people who are getting sick and dying in droves due to their immune systems being wrecked by spike proteins and whatever other poisons are contained within those mystery vials.

This is data that anyone can look at, by the way. Anyone who claims to support science is lying to themselves if they continue to believe the likes of Tony Fauci and CNN when it comes to the new normal of widespread Chinese Virus vaccination compliance.

The data clearly shows the jabs do not prevent infection or transmission, and it clearly shows that even in summer and early autumn they are increasing the risk of hospitalisation and death rather than reducing the risk, reports Humans Are Free, noting that this is all happening in summer when sickness and death should be at a minimum.

The problem we now face? Winter is just around the corner.

That latest injury and death tolls from Fauci Flu shots can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

ONS.gov.uk

HumansAreFree.com

Yahoo.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) On Wednesdays broadcast of the Fox News Channels Fox News Primetime, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) stated that the Department of Justice didnt do anything about the mob of people who surrounded him and his wife in D.C., but is now going after moms at school boards over areas that have nothing to do with federal law and the crime of dissent.

(Article by Ian Hanchett republished from Breitbart.com)

Paul said, You know, both my wife and I have been through a lot, not only being  myself being shot at  the ballfield when Steve Scalise was nearly killed, being there when a mob of 100 surrounded us, threatening to kill us, holding us essentially hostage until policemen came and broke us free. They were assaulting the policemen as they were trying to get us to the hotel. One of the policemen was ultimately bloodied and had a laceration that required stitches above his eye.  We asked them to investigate the mob of 100 to see who paid for them to come to D.C., who was putting them up in thousand-dollar-a-night hotels? Not one thing was ever done by the Department of Justice. But now, moms at school boards are being told that theyre criminals, potential domestic terrorists for the crime of dissent.

He later added, Look, there are all kinds of laws about decorum and there ought to be. The idiot woman that goes in the bathroom filming Sen. Sinema in a bathroom. That is illegal, according to every local ordinance, and you should punish it, punish that person. If you go to a school board meeting and youre disruptive and you dont obey the rules of the school board meeting, then there will be local punishment, but it has nothing to do with the federal law. It has nothing to do with the Department of Justice.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
Tesla, founded in Silicon Valley in the early 2000s, is relocating its headquarters to Texas, where billionaire CEO Elon Musk already resides, while the company will continue to manufacture automobiles in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Musk made the revelation at Tesla's almost finished Texas Gigafactory in Austin on Thursday evening at the company's annual shareholders meeting. Although the relocation isn't unexpected, he didn't say when the existing Palo Alto headquarters might close.

"To be clear," Musk added, "we will continue to increase our efforts in California." "This isn't about Tesla abandoning California. Instead, our goal is to raise Fremont's and a Nevada gig's output by 50 percent."

Related Article: Electric Car Interest Sky Rockets in the UK During Fuel Supply Crisis



Tesla in California

Although California remains Tesla'slargest market and source of vehicle production in the United States, Musk has become increasingly critical of the state in recent years, most notably after health officials in Alameda County, where the company's Fremont factory is located, imposed restrictions to protect worker safety and health during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. As a result, Musk, whose libertarian beliefs have evolved, relocated to Austin in 2020.

After Musk threatened to leave, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Tesla owner, told CNBC in a May 2020 interview that he wasn't "worried about Elon departing anytime soon."

On the other hand, Musk has grown increasingly irritated by California's stringent regulations while warming to the appeal of Texas, which is cheaper and less controlled. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stated in September that the billionaire entrepreneur "likes the social policies" in the state after the state approved stringent abortion legislation, as well as stricter voting restrictions and looser gun controls.

"California is the cradle of invention, the world's fifth-largest economy, and home to the world's biggest ideas and companies-that success is not due to, but due to, our progressive policies," said Erin Mellon a spokesman for Newsom.

"We defend our employees, public health, and women's freedom to choose." "These are California's core principles, and we'll keep generating more employment than any other state, outperforming the national recovery and keeping the lowest COVID-19 case rates in the country," she added.

Relocating Headquarters

Tesla is the first manufacturer to relocate its headquarters in the state since Toyota revealed intentions to relocate its North American headquarters from suburban Los Angeles to suburban Dallas. Lucid Motors, Fisker Inc., and Rivian are all electric car companies located in California.

"We believe this was a smart strategic move for Tesla as the company is aggressively building out its Austin footprint and over time with Cybertruck and more Model 3/Y production Musk is now doubling down on its Texas footprint with capacity ramping into 2022," Wedbush Securities equity analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a research note. "While Fremont will remain important for Tesla in terms of Model 3 manufacturing, we believe this is the first step toward Tesla making Austin its domestic and worldwide core site over the next decade, with its recent displeasure with California regulators likely hastening this shift."

Need More Space

The company's need for more space, high house costs in the Bay Area, and long commutes for workers were among the concerns Musk mentioned.

"We're in Austin, and our plant is just five minutes from the airport and fifteen minutes from downtown," Musk explained. "Here on the Colorado River, we're going to construct an ecological paradise. It's going to be fantastic."

Also Read: Will Charging EV Batteries Be as Effecient as Pumping Fuel?

For more news about making the environment sustainable, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
The US Coast Guard said Friday that an anchor likely damaged an underwater oil pipeline in Southern California many months to a year before a break spilled tens of thousands of gallons of petroleum.

Hastened Investigation

According to Capt. Jason Neubauer, commander of the Coast Guard's office of investigation and analysis, a giant vessel may have impacted the enormous pipeline, fractured the concrete casing but not necessarily produced the narrow fracture from which oil poured last weekend.

The extended timetable was predicated in part on discovering marine vegetation on the pipe during an underwater survey.

He noted that the pipe, which was discovered intact last October, may have been struck by other ships' anchors multiple times throughout the period.

However, no ships have been discovered.

"For the entire year, we're going to be watching at every vessel movement over that pipeline and every close incursion from the anchor," the skipper added.

Pipeline Conditions

According to Neubauer, the pipeline was dragged as far as 105 feet down the seabed.

He believes this implies a huge vessel was involved. Cargo ships carrying multiton anchors pass through the region regularly from Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.

Beaches were polluted, and seabirds were killed as a result of the spill.

According to an Associated Press examination of more than 10,000 complaints submitted to federal authorities, at least 17 pipeline incidents carrying crude oil or other hazardous liquids have been connected to anchor strikes or suspected anchor strikes since 1986.

Studying Government Records

According to government records, in certain situations, such as the 2012 from an ExxonMobil pipeline in Louisiana's shallow Barataria Bay, a direct impact by a barge or other boat was also considered a possibility. However, an anchor strike is never clearly confirmed.

The evidence of an anchor hit was evident in others. For example, during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, a drifting drilling rig pulled a 30,000-pound anchor across a Texaco pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico, producing a dent that subsequently blew open when the line was re-started.

In the Gulf of Mexico in 2003, a 7,000-pound anchor was discovered approximately 10 feet from a minor spill on a Shell Oil pipeline.

Although a trench in the sandy bottom appears to lead to a bend in the underwater line in a Coast Guard video published Thursday, experts have differed on the importance of the brief, blurry pictures. A tiny, 13-inch-long break in the bar was shown in an earlier video.

Considering Other Factors

The second video appears to show a trench in the seabed formed by a dragging anchor leading to the broken pipeline, according to Robert Bea, an engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former Shell Oil engineer.

Other factors, such as water currents in the seabed, are anticipated to be considered by investigators as possible causes of the pipe's movement and damage.

It'll take some time.

"Validation - or corroboration - of the findings from the analysis is required. This procedure may result in even more inquiries, "Bea remarked. "Internal pressures in the pipeline created the crack, based on the form of the trial. But, if that's the case, how come the pipeline didn't burst? "when was it?

According to Frank G. Adams, president of Houston-based Interface Consulting International, "doesn't necessarily seem like anchor damage," he wrote in an email.

When an anchor or other large item strikes a pipeline, "physical damage occurs, which might lead to a fracture," he added.

Related Article: Disastrous California Oil Spill Cleanup Faces More Challenge Due to Stormy Weather



Initial Reports

The initial reports of a probable spill off Huntington Beach surfaced on Friday evening, but the leak wasn't located until the morning of Saturday. While the exact extent of the leak is unknown, the Coast Guard amended their estimates on Thursday to include at least 25,000 gallons and no more than 132,000 gallons.

About 5,500 gallons of crude oil were retrieved from the water, according to the Coast Guard. In addition, small quantities of oil have been reported washing up on the beach in San Diego County, some 50 miles from the original spill location.

Local health authorities stated Friday that air tests from locations where oil might spread are below background levels - similar to air quality on a regular day - and that the contaminants found are below California health requirements.

The impact on wildlife has been minor thus far - 10 dead birds and another 25 found alive and treated - but environmentalists warn that the long-term consequences might be far worse. While cleanup on the beach continues, certain Laguna Beach beaches reopened on Friday. However, the public can still enter the ocean.

Critical Hours

Investigators are trying to figure out what happened in the critical hours after the initial indications of an oil spill.

The tiny hole visible in one video might explain why there were symptoms of an oil slick on Friday night, yet the leak went unnoticed for more than 12 hours by the pipeline operator.

When pipelines break catastrophically, the breach is generally considerably larger, referred to in the industry as a "fish mouth" rupture because it gapes out like a fish's mouth, he added.

Amplify Energy, a Houston-based firm that owns and manages three offshore oil rigs as well as a pipeline south of Los Angeles, claimed it was unaware of the leak until its workers saw an oil sheen on the sea at 8:09 a.m. on Saturday.

According to authorities, the leak happened roughly 5 miles offshore at a depth of around 98 feet. According to Amplify CEO Martyn Willsher, a 4,000-foot piece of the pipeline was displaced 105 feet and twisted back like a bowstring.

Also Read: Marine Bacteria Found Capable of Biodegrading Diesel and Oil: Can it Clean Up Oil Spills?

For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!




Last week I told you about an immersion-cooling firm called LiquidStack being spun off from its parent company, the blockchain company BitFury. The story mentioned how Microsoft was experimenting with immersion cooling, and now Microsoft has pulled back the curtain on the whole show.

Its been trying out immersion cooling for two years but is now going full throttle, at least at its Quincy, Washington, data center. Situated in the middle of the state, the city of Quincy is tinyjust 6,750 as of 2010but the Columbia River cuts through it, making it ideal for a hydropower-based data center, and there are several data centers in this tiny town.

The company said the initiative started with the same observation everyone has about data-center cooling: With CPUs drawing more than 300 watts per chip and GPUs drawing up to 700 watts per chip it needed something more effective to carry off heat.

Air cooling is not enough, said Christian Belady, distinguished engineer and vice president of Microsofts data center advanced development group in the companys Innovation blog. Thats whats driving us to immersion cooling, where we can directly boil off the surfaces of the chip.

Microsoft uses the Wywinn DataTanks, which they said are each about the size of a couch, filled with equipment submersed in dielectric fluid made by 3M that is non-conductive of electricity. The liquid has a boiling point of just 122 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that CPUs and GPUs under load will hit real fast. The bath boils off and is caught by coils that run through the tank and enable the vapor to condense. The condensed liquid then falls right back into the tank.
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

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Rain. Low near 40F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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NEW MILFORD  After opening its primary care practice in 2017, New Milford Hospital saw a need for further specialty services to better serve patients. A third-floor wing that opened at the end of February is meeting that need  and doing it New Milford style.

The wing, which had housed administrative offices, is a multi-speciality unit with four medical specialty offices and a fifth office for cardiology on the first floor. Added services include pulmonology, gastroenterology and general surgery.

Dr. Thomas Koobatian, the hospitals executive director, said the multi-speciality services have made hospital care more convenient for patients.

Primary care doctors do rely on specialists like a cardiologists or pulmonologists for patients with special needs in those areas, he said. Since they serve so many older residents in New Milford, allowing them options that eliminates extra travel, even as close as Danbury, can lessen the burden.

I think the access really is the most important thing, Koobatian said.

According to Koobatian, the primary care addition was very successful and has kept them busy in recent years, but actually created a need for specialists that doctors could refer patients to. The hospital has already logged roughly 3,000 visits to the wing so far, according to Koobatian.

Its been very successful. Theyve really gotten quite busy, quite quickly. Its a beautiful, brand new design, all the equipment is modern, he said.

But it wasnt just about adding new specialties to the wing. The hospital wanted to make the area inviting and familiar.

We also wanted to make it really comfortable a lot of people dont like going to a hospital, Koobatian said.

They turned to art.

Serving the people, not just the ailment

The 100-year-old hospital hasnt just focused its services to the needs of the community, but also to the character and style of New Milford, as well. All along the corridor leading to the multi-specialty wing are photos of New Milfords Barn Quilt Trail.

So, as patients wander through the new wing, they will get a glimpse of home.

Thanks to a donation from Julie and Bob Bailey, this gallery of photos, depicting the 19 different quilts on the states only Barn Quilt Trail, will be on display for all to see.

It really does connect our patients to our community, Koobatian said. As soon as they get out of the elevator, theyre looking at two beautiful barn quilt photos.

Terri Nackid, Nuvance Healths leadership and planned gifts officer, brought the idea for this new gallery to Julie Bailey, a member of the Barn Quilt Trail committee. Soon, the hallway was filled with images of New Milfords art.

It was a happy thing that this came together in this way and it was a perfect way to show the barn quilt in a setting that really made sense, said Nackid. The hospital is really at the heart of the greater New Milford community. We just really wanted to have another way to celebrate that.

The large 8 foot by 8 foot squares depict colorful, hand-painted, historical quilt patterns that were uniquely chosen by barn owners with input from local artists. Each barns quilt square is made in the traditional New England or modern original style and contains elements of the family or farms story. Thats part of the reason for the gallerys inclusion in the hospital.

The hospital is really at the heart of the greater New Milford community. We just really wanted to have another way to celebrate that, said Nackid.

While the idea for the project dates back to 2013, the first phase of painted quilt square installations began in 2017.

The photos on display at the hospital were shot by local photographer and graphic designer, Linda Pouder, and are also featured on the New Milford Barn Quilt Trail website.

Julie Bailey said she hopes people will be inspired to bring a Barn Quilt Trail to neighboring towns, and create an even larger network of trails to attract tourists.

They will have hundreds if not thousands of patients who will pass through those doors every year, said Julie Bailey.

Koobatian has even picked out some favorites  photos that remind him of another time in his life.

I went to medical school at the University of Vermont, so I just love the ones with the cows, he said, referring to three patterns hanging at farms in the area titled Grandfather Hipps Cow, Holstein Cow and Cows and Baskets.

The art also serves a larger purpose.

If it is convenient to access the services and its comfortable, theyre more likely to make that connection and to follow through on other appointments later on because it is an easy thing to get to, and its a pleasant atmosphere, Koobatian said.

Anything that we can do to reduce stress will help with the patients overall health.
Bjoern Wylezich / TNS

A Hartford man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison Friday for his role in a gunfight in the city last year.

William Tisdol, 22, also faces three years of supervised release at the conclusion of his sentence, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Mahomet-Seymour Junior High student Erin Dallas, 13, pets Winston, the University of Illinois Police Departments comfort dog who worked and lived with the late Lt. Aaron Landers, at an annual lunch Sept. 21 that the student council hosted to honor first responders in at the courtyard at the school in Mahomet. Winston is still living with Landers family, but goes to work at the department daily. First National Bank of Mahomet donated the meal. The council held a penny war among the classes and raised $1,500 that was donated to Peacemaker Project 703, started by the family of fallen Champaign police officer Chris Oberheim. Student Kalista Granadino said they wanted to hold the lunch because first responders are heroes. They help everyone with whatever is needed. Allie Dilger said to the first responders, Thank you for everything you do to serve and protect our communities, and just remember you have a lot of supporters.
Brett Kepley is a lawyer with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid Inc. Send questions to The Law Q&A, 302 N. First St., Champaign, IL 61820.
Several East Texas Baptist University nursing students were recently presented with the Polly Cargill Nursing Scholarship on behalf of the Cargill family and East Texas Baptist University. ETBUs Denesha Bluford, Diana Garcia, Camryn Johnson, Cameron Kaufert, Victoria Miles, Marissa Morgan, Katie Muldowney, Brittan Price, Cameron Schmitz, Katelynn Smith and Laura Staley received the scholarships during a reception at the Marshall Grand.
Testimony on Friday in the trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing four patients at a Tyler hospital showed he was not the assigned nurse for any of the patients who died.
He sent His word and healed them, and saved them from their destruction.

Psalm 107:20
Researchers at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health's Perinatology Research Branch in Detroit have discovered that the more severely infected with COVID-19 a mother is, the more likely she is to experience preterm birth.

In "SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent development of preeclampsia and preterm birth: evidence of a dose response relationship supporting causality," published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the researchers reported that the rate of preterm birth in about 1,000 pregnant women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was a function of the severity of infection.

The more severe the SARS-CoV-2 infection, the greater the risk of preterm birth. There was a dose-dependent relationship between the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the risk of prematurity." Roberto Romero, M.D., DMedSci, chief of the Perinatology Research Branch and professor of Molecular Obstetrics and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine

The WSU/PRB researchers conducted the study in collaboration with the Fetal Medicine Foundation of London, finding that the rate of preterm birth in about 1,000 pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 depended on the severity of their infection. The excess rate of premature birth, they report, is largely due to medically-induced preterm birth brought about by concerns for the health of the mother, such as preeclampsia.

Preterm birth, the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, is defined as one that occurs before 37 weeks of gestation. Two-thirds of preterm births are due to spontaneous onset of preterm labor. The remaining third is due to medical conditions that affect either the mother or the unborn baby that necessitate delivery.

The more severe the COVID-19 infection, the greater the risk of preeclampsia, a sudden increase in blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. The condition is responsible for 76,000 maternal deaths and more than 500,000 infant deaths every year. Some mothers develop seizures (eclampsia) and suffer intracranial hemorrhage, the main cause of death in those who develop the disorder. Some women develop blindness. The babies of preeclamptic mothers are affected by the condition and may develop intrauterine growth restriction or die in utero.

Doctors appear to be medically inducing early delivery to save the lives of mothers infected with COVID-19 in the cohort studied.

Regardless of those medically induced preterm births, the researchers said, the possibility that COVID-19 infection causes preeclampsia must be considered.

"The principal finding is that there is a dose-response relationship between the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the risk of subsequent development of preeclampsia and preterm birth," Dr. Romero said. "Patients with severe COVID-19 have a five-fold greater risk of preeclampsia than asymptomatic patients. Moreover, the relative risk of developing preeclampsia in women with moderate or severe COVID-19 was 3.3-fold higher than in those with asymptomatic or mild infection."

In addition to Dr. Romero, the research team included Adi Tarca, Ph.D., professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and adjunct professor of Computer Science at Wayne State University and a member of the PRB; Jonathan Lai, M.D., Fetal Medicine Research Institute, King's College Hospital, London; Stamatina Iliodromiti, M.D., Centre for Women's Health, Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London; Anoop Rehal, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, West Midlands; Anita Banerjee, M.D., Women's Services Department, St. Thomas' Hospital, London; Christina Yu, M.D., Department of Fetal Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College National Health Services Trust, London; Gergana Peeva, M.D., Department of Fetal Medicine, Homerton University Hospital, London; Vadivu Palaniappan, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London; Linda Tan, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Lewisham, London; Mahishee Mehta, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Northwick Park Hospital, London; and Kypros Nicolaides, M.D., Fetal Medicine Research Institute, King's College Hospital, London.

This research was supported by a grant from the Fetal Medicine Foundation (charity no: 1037116 ). In addition, this research was supported, in part by the Perinatology Research Branch , Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine , Division of Intramural Research , Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS); and in part with Federal funds from NICHD/NIH/DHHS under contract no. HHSN275201300006C.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded grants to researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania to support "highly innovative and broadly impactful" biomedical science through the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. The seven awards total approximately $8.2 million over five years,

The High-Risk, High-Reward Research program catalyzes scientific discovery by supporting research proposals that, due to their inherent risk, may struggle in the traditional peer-review process, despite their transformative potential. Program applicants are encouraged to pursue trailblazing ideas in any area of research relevant to the NIH's mission to advance knowledge and enhance health.

The 2021 Penn Medicine recipients are among 106 national awardees:

New innovator awards

Amber Alhadeff, PhD

Harnessing Sensory Food Circuits to Influence Feeding Behavior

Alhadeff, an adjunct assistant professor of Neuroscience, is taking a unique approach to understanding obesity by evaluating the power of taste, smell, and nutrient neural circuits in modifying eating behavior. Her team will also uncover how sensory and nutritive information is integrated in the brains of mice to predict future weight gain. Successful completion of this project will transform our understanding of how our brain and environment interact to promote overeating and obesity.

Peter S. Choi, PhD

Exploring Hidden Determinants of Splicing with Genome-Targeted Proximity Labeling

Choi, an assistant professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, will examine the connection between epigenetics and RNA splicing to uncover their relationship in both healthy and unhealthy contexts, as well as to identify new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in diseases such as cancer.

Erica Korb, PhD

The Epigenetic Encoding of Learning and Memory

Korb, an assistant professor of Genetics, will seek to uncover the transcriptional signature encoding a memory within a neuron and how this is influenced by epigenetic mechanisms. Through this work, Korb's lab hopes to understand how the physical world influences gene regulation in the brain to allow us to learn, adapt, and become the people we are today.

Mustafa Mir, PhD

Quantifying the Dynamics of Gene Regulation and Nuclear Organization During Embryogenesis

Mir, an assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, will integrate cutting-edge techniques to directly visualize and quantify how the regulation of gene expression is orchestrated during embryonic development. The critical new information that will be gained from the proposed experiments have the potential to lead to novel therapeutic approaches to prevent or repair defects that arise from aberrant gene expression during development, in aging, and in cancer.

Liling Wang, PhD

Illuminating Transcriptional Condensates Using an Integrated Approach

Wang, an assistant professor of Cancer Biology, is investigating the functions and mechanisms of a newly-recognized form of transcriptional assembly, in order to better understand gene regulation. Successful completion of this project would establish a new model of gene control and have the potential to transform how we target gene dysregulation in cancer and other diseases.

Transformative research awards

Ben Black, PhD

Mendelian Inheritance of Artificial Chromosomes

Black, an associate professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, along with co-principal investigator Michael Lampson, PhD, a professor of Biology, are aiming to construct the first synthetic mammalian artificial chromosomes that follow Mendel's laws, from minimal components. Success will transform fundamental understanding of what comprises a mammalian chromosome and have wide-ranging applications in synthetic biology and biotechnology, such as creation of animal models for drug development and as sources of personalized organs for transplantation.

Pioneer awards

Jennifer Phillips-Cremins, PhD

From 3D Genomes to Neural Connectomes: Higher-Order Chromatin Mechanisms Encoding Long-Term Memory

Phillips-Cremins, PhD, an associate professor of Bioengineering and Genetics, is seeking to unravel the functional link between long-range 3D genome folding patterns and synaptic plasticity during the encoding of long-term memory in the mammalian brain. Because many key neurological disorders are thought to be diseases of the synapse, successful completion of this work will provide a foundation for future studies unraveling the role for misfolded genome topology on the onset and progression of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
New research warns that the United States could experience a severe influenza outbreak after public health measures like face masks and social distancing are lifted. These measures have protected people from COVID-19 and influenza-;incidence of influenza declined 60 percent during the first ten weeks following the implementation of the measures-;but is also leading to greater numbers of Americans susceptible to the flu as immunity to the virus wanes.

The findings by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health are published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

The use of public health measures like face masks and social distancing has declined substantially since the 2020/2021 flu seasons, although not yet to pre-pandemic levels. To what extent the flu might reassert itself in the U.S. this winter likely hinges on how much these behaviors continue.

In the short term, measures to control the spread of the coronavirus will likely continue to suppress the number of influenza infections, but after these measures are relaxed, with greater population-wide immune susceptibility to influenza could lead to a large outbreak. This year, it's more important than ever to get your flu shot. While we're rightly focused on protecting ourselves against COVID-19, we shouldn't forget about the flu, which can be fatal." Sen Pei, PhD, senior author, assistant professor of environmental health sciences

Pei and colleagues used a computer model of influenza A/H1 and B, which circulated in early 2020, to quantify the reduction of incidence and transmission after the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) in most states on March 15, 2020. NPIs include travel restrictions, face masks, social distancing, public education on prevention measures, and school closures. They also projected influenza transmission at the national scale over the next five years. The model used data from the CDC FluView website.

A large outbreak followed by years of severe flu seasons

According to the model's projections, as public health measures are relaxed, a large-scale influenza outbreak will likely take place. In subsequent seasons, outbreaks will also be elevated, gradually return to pre-pandemic levels. Over the last decade, U.S. influenza deaths ranged from 12,000 in 2011-12 to 61,000 in 2017-2018. "Our projections show that the downstream, ripple-effects of pandemic public health measures could persist for a number of years," says Pei

How bad could the flu outbreak be?

It could be really bad. The longer the control measures are in place before they are lifted, the greater the number of individuals who will be susceptible to an influenza infection-;a situation that could lead to a more severe outbreak in parts of the country that had high levels of adherence to masking and other public health measures during the pandemic. Additionally, the researchers anticipate that the global suppression of influenza activity during the pandemic may make it difficult to predict future circulating strains to inform the production of influenza vaccines. As a result, vaccine effectiveness might be reduced. Furthermore, suppression of influenza during the pandemic could lead to a surge of multiple influenza strains, including the A/H3 strain which has a high mortality rate and hasn't been widely circulating since the 2018-2019 season. All these factors would contribute to a more severe outbreak.

Or maybe not. The suppression of influenza during the 10-week study period could be overstated in the data due to people's reluctance to seek medical care for non-emergencies during the pandemic. Another question is whether or not antigenic escape (viral mutations that allow it to evade the immune system) rather than waning immunity is the predominant mechanism in the accumulation of population susceptibility to influenza. If so, influenza would have less opportunity to mutate while public health measures are in place. A more durable influenza immunity would also result in fewer people being susceptible to influenza when public health measures are lifted. All these possibilities would contribute to a less severe outbreak.

Regional variation in 2020 influenza activity

During the study period, changes in Influenza A activity varied by public health region, from a reduction of 68 percent in Region 3 (Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.) to 88 percent in Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio). Influenza B activity ranged from 32 percent in Region 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) to 91 percent in Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska). Unusually, Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) saw an increase in influenza incidence-;an outcome the authors attribute to elevated medical visits early on in the pandemic that detected influenza cases that would have otherwise gone undetected. Due to this bias, the authors excluded Region 2 from their projections.

The study's first author is Yuchen Qi, former MS student in biostatistics. Jeffrey Shaman, professor of environmental health sciences, is a co-author.
Penn State College of Medicine researchers are involved in an ongoing study looking at the relationship between proteins called cytokines in saliva and COVID-19 infection to help predict the severity of infection. In a preliminary analysis of saliva samples from 150 children, the researchers found that levels of two cytokines were higher in those with severe COVID-19 compared to those without severe infection.

The study, to be presented at the 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, is looking at cytokines and microRNAs (non-coding RNAs) in saliva in children. These biomarkers may control the inflammation in the body once infected with the virus and help determine the seriousness of the infection.

Since pediatric COVID-19 infections are rising across the country, there is an urgent need to understand which children are at risk for severe infection. This non-invasive and painless method for determining COVID-19 severity could have the potential to help clinicians begin timely and appropriate treatment, which may improve patient outcomes." Dr. Steven Hicks, pediatrician at Penn State Health Children's Hospital and coauthor of the study

The majority of children with COVID-19 infection have had mild illness, but some children have developed severe complications such as respiratory failure or inflammation of the heart, Hicks and coauthors note. Cytokines are proteins found in blood and saliva that may be produced in response to an infection. Studies in adults have shown that certain cytokines are elevated in the blood of patients with COVID-19 and may predict how severe the illness will be.

The goal of the study is to be able to identify children at risk for severe disease by integrating these biomarkers and social determinants of health using artificial intelligence. The researchers are obtaining saliva samples from 400 children ages 18 and younger with COVID-19 infection who seek emergency medical care at two children's hospitals: Children's Hospital of Michigan and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Analysis of saliva samples is being performed at Penn State College of Medicine, while model development using artificial intelligence is being performed at Wayne State University.

In addition to finding that levels of two cytokines in the preliminary analysis were higher in those with severe COVID-19 compared to those without severe infection, dozens of microRNA levels were found to be altered, with the majority of them being significantly lower in the saliva of children with severe infection. Ongoing analysis will seek to validate these results and confirm the importance of saliva cytokines and microRNAs, combined with social factors, including where children live.

Usha Sethuraman, Kathleen Mert, Nirupama Kannikeswaran, and Paige Sambor of Central Michigan University; Dongxiao Zhu and We Chen of Wayne State University; E. Scott Halstead of Penn State College of Medicine; and Srinivasan Suresh of University of Pittsburgh are also contributing to this research. Chen discloses a relationship with Moderna and Novavax. Hicks serves as a consultant and scientific advisory board member to Quadrant Biosciences. These companies played no part in the current research study. The other authors declare no conflicts of interests related to this research.

The study was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through the National Institutes of Health's Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program (grant number 1R61HD105610).

The study, "Severity Predictors Integrating Salivary Transcriptomics and Proteomics with Multineural Network Intelligence in SARS-CoV2 infection in Children; SPITS-MISC," will be presented at the 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, at 3 p.m.
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a novel machine learning algorithm and used it to identify previously unknown mixtures of toxic air pollutants that appear to be linked to poor asthma outcomes later in a child's life.

The study examined early exposure to dozens of pollutants potentially experienced by 151 children with mild to severe forms of the disease. While some cases could be linked to an individual, established air pollutant, others appeared to be linked to mixtures of pollutants that had never been associated with asthma. The results and a description of the new algorithm were described in an article in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

"Asthma is one the most prevalent diseases affecting children in the United States. In this study, we developed a list of air pollutants a young child may be exposed to that can lead to longer-term problems with asthma," said Supinda Bunyavanich, MD, MPH, MPhil, Professor of Pediatrics, and Genetics and Genomic Sciences, at Icahn Mount Sinai and a senior author of the study. "Our results show how breathing individual and combinations of pollutants may lead to poor asthma outcomes. We hope that having a more comprehensive, holistic view of air pollution may one day be able to reduce the chances that children will be burdened by asthma."

Affecting about seven percent of children in the United States, asthma is a lung disease that can cause people to wheeze, suffer chest tightness, and bouts of coughing. Although several studies have shown that breathing individual toxic air pollutants, or "air toxics", raises the chances a child may suffer from asthma, little is known about what happens when the pollutants mix.

In this study, the researchers used a novel machine learning algorithm to find that 18 individual chemicals may be linked to poor asthma outcomes later in life. Specifically, they looked at whether a child needed daily asthma-controlling medication or had to visit an emergency room or spend time in the hospital as a result of their condition. However, they also found new associations between the outcomes and 20 different pollutant mixtures. Several of the chemicals in the mixtures had never been linked to long-term asthma risk.

Like many scientists, we wanted to provide a more comprehensive picture of how air toxics contribute to childhood asthma. Traditionally, for technical reasons, it has been difficult to study the health effects of more than one toxic at a time. We overcame this by tapping into the power of machine learning algorithms." Gaurav Pandey, PhD, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Study Senior Author

The study and development of the algorithm was led by Yan-Chak Li, PhD, a bioinformatician in the Pandey lab, and Hsiao-Hsien Leon Hsu, ScD, Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at Icahn Mount Sinai.

The researchers first mapped emissions estimates for 125 known pollutants to the residential areas and birth years of 151 children from the New York metropolitan region who were part of Mount Sinai's Airway in Asthma study. The emissions data were obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency's National Air Toxics Assessment resource.

Then, the researchers applied a novel algorithm, which they named "Data-driven ExposurE Profile (DEEP) extraction", to test out whether increased levels of the pollutants observed early in the child's life were correlated with asthma problems reported around 12 years of age. DEEP relies on a powerful machine learning algorithm called "eXtreme Gradient Boosting (EXBoost), which builds hundreds of "decision trees," or possible ways that each pollutant, alone or in combination with others, could be associated with the asthma problems seen later in the patient's lives.

The results showed that some pollutants may have worked alone. For instance, exposure to the ammonia-scented waterproofing agent trimethylamine raised the chances that a child with asthma would have to spend a night in the hospital.

Other pollutants could act alone or in mixtures. Most notably, exposure to acrylic acid raised the chances a child needed daily medication. Mixing acrylic acid with other chemicals not only increased this possibility, but also raised the chances of emergency room visits and overnight hospitalizations.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that some pollutants, such as toluene and cobalt compounds, were only associated with poor outcomes when mixed with other compounds. In fact, 16 of the chemicals they evaluated fell into this category.

"As a physician who treats children with asthma, I was struck by how many potential air toxics are not on our radar," said Dr. Bunyavanich. "These results changed my view of the heightened risk some children face."

Finally, the researchers found that demographic factors may play additional roles. For example, exposure to a combination of hydroquinone and ethylidene dichloride was the strongest predictor of overnight hospitalizations. The study found that children who fell into this category were also younger and from lower family incomes than ones who were not exposed to the pollutants.

"Our study is an example of how machine learning has the potential to alter medical research," said Dr. Pandey. "It is allowing us to understand how a wide variety of environmental factors-;or the exposome-;influences our health. In the future, we plan to use DEEP and other computer science techniques to tackle environmental factors associated with other complex disorders."
Vaccine clinical trial participants are to be offered the option to get additional vaccine doses from next week, to ensure they can travel abroad to countries which currently only accept vaccination records with approved for deployment COVID-19 vaccinations.

The UK recognises those who are in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials as fully vaccinated for the purpose of certification, both domestic and international. The majority of other countries currently do not recognise clinical trial volunteers and require visitors to have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine that has been approved for deployment by the relevant medicines regulator.

The government has therefore taken the decision that those who are in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials who have not had a vaccine that is approved for deployment will be given the opportunity to receive two additional doses of an approved vaccine. This will allow them to have the necessary certification status to travel abroad to countries which do not currently recognise trial vaccinations.

The additional doses will initially be offered to those taking part in the Novavax trial, which includes the vast majority of those in ongoing trials for vaccines not yet approved for deployment. The offer will then be rolled out to participants in other relevant trials within the coming weeks. Novavax participants will be offered two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with an eight-week interval between first and second doses.

In addition, people who have received both doses of a vaccine as part of a clinical trial will also be offered a booster jab, if eligible in line with the wider boosters advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This is to ensure the protection they've received from vaccination as part of the trial is prolonged over the winter months.

This new approach, which will apply to England, has been developed with the independent experts on the JCVI and the chief investigators for the clinical trials.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said:

COVID-19 vaccine trials have been absolutely integral to our response to the virus, and as a result we now have our renowned vaccination programme, which continues to save lives. I urge as many people as possible to continue contributing to these trials. The measures we have taken will allow UK COVID-19 vaccine trial participants to travel freely overseas once they have had the additional vaccinations. Those volunteers now have the flexibility to make a decision for themselves so they can, for example, visit loved ones abroad. We should be very clear that the results from these trials benefit the whole world, and it has to be said that if more countries around the world had reciprocated by allowing UK volunteers to enjoy fully vaccinated status for overseas travel, these measures would not have been necessary. As a separate issue, those in trials who are eligible for boosters should receive the booster dose in order to ensure the highest possible protection over winter."

The move follows the Health and Social Care Secretary's appeal to global health leaders last month at the G20 meeting for clinical trial pioneers to have their vaccination status recognised globally.

NHSX and NHS Digital are working at pace to reflect these doses in the COVID Pass for international travel as soon as possible and further details will be set out in due course. Given the value clinical trial participation adds to global public health and science, the UK already recognises trial participants as fully vaccinated and continues to urge other countries to do the same.

The government is working closely with international counterparts to ensure a longer-term solution can be reached for these individuals, and is in active conversations with other countries through groups such as the G7, the EU Commission and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Letters will be sent out to clinical trial participants shortly, outlining further details and next steps. Participants will be contacted by the trial team, who can respond to any questions they may have, and should not contact their local NHS or GP. Vaccinations will most likely take place at hospital hubs.

Booster jabs for those eligible will be offered no earlier than six months after the individual's second dose.

Principle Investigator of the Novavax clinical trial Professor Paul Heath said:

I very much welcome this development on behalf of the more than 15,000 participants in the Novavax trial and my colleagues in the 35 UK trial sites. For too long the participants have been disadvantaged in terms of international travel because this vaccine is not yet approved for deployment - but trial participants now have the flexibility to receive booster doses, or additional doses for travel purposes, if they wish to."

All clinical trial participants can already gain access to an NHS COVID Pass for domestic purposes. They should have received a letter confirming their participation in the specific vaccine study and confirming that they have the same protected status as someone who has received the approved vaccines. Participants should contact their clinical trial site if this is not the case.

There are around 52,000 people currently taking part in trials across the UK, with 21,000 given a vaccine not yet approved for deployment by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Around 15,000 of these are taking part in the Novavax clinical trial.

The Vaccine Taskforce and the MHRA are working with the vaccine companies to help ensure their COVID-19 vaccines are authorised as quickly as possible, if they meet the high standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

The decision to license a vaccine is made by the MHRA, who must carefully, independently and scientifically review the data to ascertain how it protects people from COVID-19 and the level of protection it provides.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission. The recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800 000 children since 2019.

This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control. Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year." Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa. More than 260 000 African children under the age of five die from malaria annually.

In recent years, WHO and its partners have been reporting a stagnation in progress against the deadly disease.

"For centuries, malaria has stalked sub-Saharan Africa, causing immense personal suffering," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. "We have long hoped for an effective malaria vaccine and now for the first time ever, we have such a vaccine recommended for widespread use. Today's recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease and we expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults."

WHO recommendation for the RTS,S malaria vaccine

Based on the advice of two WHO global advisory bodies, one for immunization and the other for malaria, the Organization recommends that:

WHO recommends that in the context of comprehensive malaria control the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine be used for the prevention of P. falciparum malaria in children living in regions with moderate to high transmission as defined by WHO. RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine should be provided in a schedule of 4 doses in children from 5 months of age for the reduction of malaria disease and burden.

Summary of key findings of the malaria vaccine pilots

Key findings of the pilots informed the recommendation based on data and insights generated from two years of vaccination in child health clinics in the three pilot countries, implemented under the leadership of the Ministries of Health of Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. Findings include:

Feasible to deliver : Vaccine introduction is feasible, improves health and saves lives, with good and equitable coverage of RTS,S seen through routine immunization systems. This occurred even in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

: Vaccine introduction is feasible, improves health and saves lives, with good and equitable coverage of RTS,S seen through routine immunization systems. This occurred even in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reaching the unreached : RTS,S increases equity in access to malaria prevention. Data from the pilot programme showed that more than two-thirds of children in the 3 countries who are not sleeping under a bednet are benefitting from the RTS,S vaccine. Layering the tools results in over 90% of children benefitting from at least one preventive intervention (insecticide treated bednets or the malaria vaccine).



: RTS,S increases equity in access to malaria prevention. Strong safety profile : To date, more than 2.3 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in 3 African countries  the vaccine has a favorable safety profile.

: To date, more than 2.3 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in 3 African countries  the vaccine has a favorable safety profile. No negative impact on uptake of bednets, other childhood vaccinations, or health seeking behavior for febrile illness : In areas where the vaccine has been introduced, there has been no decrease in the use of insecticide-treated nets, uptake of other childhood vaccinations or health seeking behavior for febrile illness.

: In areas where the vaccine has been introduced, there has been no decrease in the use of insecticide-treated nets, uptake of other childhood vaccinations or health seeking behavior for febrile illness. High impact in real-life childhood vaccination settings : Significant reduction (30%) in deadly severe malaria, even when introduced in areas where insecticide-treated nets are widely used and there is good access to diagnosis and treatment.

: Significant reduction (30%) in deadly severe malaria, even when introduced in areas where insecticide-treated nets are widely used and there is good access to diagnosis and treatment. Highly cost-effective: Modelling estimates that the vaccine is cost effective in areas of moderate to high malaria transmission.

Next steps for the WHO-recommended malaria vaccine will include funding decisions from the global health community for broader rollout, and country decision-making on whether to adopt the vaccine as part of national malaria control strategies.

Financial support

Financing for the pilot programme has been mobilized through an unprecedented collaboration among three key global health funding bodies: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and Unitaid.
(Newser)  Update: The Canadian man who pulled the wool over the eyes of the New York Times, among others, by weaving tales of time spent as an ISIS executioner, admitted to his lies in a Canadian court on Friday. In doing so, Shehroze Chaudhry, now 26, saw the charges against himperpetrating a hoax involving the threat of terrorismdropped. His lawyer said Chaudhry's stories "were mistakes borne out of immaturitynot sinister intent and certainly not criminal intent," reports the Times. It was determined that Chaudhry never traveled to Syria or engaged with ISIS. Under the deal, he must keep going to counseling and must live with his parents in Ontario for the next year. Our original story from Dec. 2020 follows:

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A big mea culpa from the New York Times: Executive editor Dean Baquet admits that the story of a Canadian man who traveled to Syria and became an ISIS executioner was so compelling that terrorism reporter Rukmini Callimachi and her editors failed to press hard enough to verify itand ignored some red flags. The Times has now retracted key episodes of its hit 2018 podcast series Caliphate involving Shehroze Chaudhry. After the podcastin which Chaudhry described executing civilians and attending terrorist training campsraised concerns in Canada, investigators determined that he had never even been to Syria, the CBC reports.

The 25-year-old was arrested by the Mounties last month and charged with hoax terrorist activity. The Times review found it's possible Chaudhry did go to Syria but at most for a few weeks, and that photos he supplied of ISIS fighters could be found on the internet. Associates in Canada, where Chaudhry works in his family's suburban Toronto kebab shop, describe him as a fantasist, though they say he does hold radical views. Baquet admits that even when facing many holes and inconsistencies in Chaudhry's story, the podcast team tried to find ways that it could still be true.

"We fell in love with the fact that we had gotten a member of ISIS who would describe his life in the caliphate and would describe his crimes," Baquet tells NPR. "I think we were so in love with it that when when we saw evidence that maybe he was a fabulist, when we saw evidence that he was making some of it up, we didn't listen hard enough." Baquet says Callimachi, a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist who joined the Times in 2014, will be reassigned. (Read more New York Times stories.)
(Newser)  Update: A Black real estate agent and the clients he was showing a Wyoming, Michigan, home to have filed a federal lawsuit against the city after being held at gunpoint, detained, and handcuffed during the August showing. Police were called by a neighbor who suspected a Black squatter who had been arrested at the home the week prior had returned, reports MLive. The Wyoming Department of Public Safety denied race was a factor in the incident, saying officers "responded reasonably ... based on the information available to them at the time." The suit countered that the group had driven to the home in a Mercedes, making it obvious they weren't the squatter. Our original story from Aug. 7 follows:

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A real estate agent showing a house to a potential buyer saw cops on the lawn. His first thought was, Hes not going to buy this house now. Eric Brown, who is Black, initially assumed there was a problem outside the house, NBC News reports. But the potential buyer, Roy Thorne, an Army veteran, grew alarmed when he realized the house was being surrounded, the Washington Post reports. Thorne was shopping for a home in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area and brought his 15-year-old son Samuel along. I was scared for my son, Thorne said. When Thorne, who is also Black, saw the police outside he called to them. The police pointed their guns at the house and ordered the two men and the boy outside.

The police kept guns drawn on them until they were done handcuffing them, and, Brown says, when he asked what was going on he didnt get an answer. Finally he convinced an officer to check his credentials and let him demonstrate how he used an app to open the house. He says police told him a White neighbor had reported a break-in, and that a squatter had broken into the house recently. Police apologized, but the damage was done, Thorne said. If you see a crime, report a crime. But if you see us just living life the same way you do, just let us do that, Thorne said. (Read more police misconduct stories.)
(Newser)  After the Ever Given was freed from the Suez Canal, its crew was held on the ship for four months while the owners agreed to a financial settlement with Egyptian authorities. It's not unusual in the shipping industry for crews to be detained or merely abandoned, without pay, with no way to go home. Such abandonments seem to be reaching record numbers, the Wall Street Journal reports, after more than doubling from 2019 to 2020, to 85. A union estimates that more than 1,000 employees are on container ships or bulk carriers now, abandoned, but the true number might well be higher. Some are stuck for years on ships that have run out of food and fuel.

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Companies sometimes just abandon a ship when the cost of repairs is too high or they're deep in debt, partly because selling can take years, even if a buyer is found. Some governments make crew members stay on the ship until the owners pay fees owed to port authorities. Often, crew members don't want to leave anyway for fear they'll lose any chance at receiving back wages. In recent months, a United Arab Emirates company abandoned seven container ships and dozens of crew members it owes a year's pay.

Conditions are brutal. Some of the 14 workers on a cargo ship that's out of food have thought about suicide. "We cannot survive here," an engineer on an abandoned ship off Iran said in a video. "Please help us." An official with the International Transport Workers Federation who receives dozens of pleading messages from crew members each day said, "It's a global humanitarian crisis." Four crewmen spent 32 months 12 miles offshore trying to stretch rations"Breakfast, lunch and dinner, all we ate was rice," one saidbefore begging a charity for food.

Shipping industry laws and regulations, and the lack of accountability for shipping companies, contribute to the problem, per the Journal. The countries where ships are registered, called flag states, are supposed to make owners look after the crewsincluding supplying them with provisions, paying them on time, and repatriating them when their contracts are up. That doesn't always happen, and nobody enforces the rules, said the founder of Human Rights at Sea, an advocacy group. "The flag state hot-potato exercise helps people offload the problemit's no one's responsibility," he said. (Read the full Journal piece for much more.)
(Newser)  Update: An arrest has been made in the killing of a 26-year-old police officer in Georgia who was working his first shift with a new department. Damien Ferguson, 43, was arrested Sunday and charged with the murder of Dylan Harrison, Fox reports. Harrison was shot dead outside a police station in Alamo in what police described as an ambush-style attack around 1am Saturday. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Harrison was apparently murdered in retaliation for arresting one of Ferguson's associates across the street from the precinct hours earlier. Investigators say Harrison used his Taser on the Ferguson associate after the man resisted arrest. Our original story from Oct. 9 follows:

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A Georgia police officer was killed during his very first day on the job with a new department Saturday. Dylan Harrison, 26, had just started as a part-time officer with the Alamo Police Department when he was shot at 1am outside the station. Suspected shooter Damien Anthony Ferguson, a 43-year-old ex-felon who had formerly been convicted of charges including aggravated assault on an officer, is being sought. No motive or details on what led to the shooting, which took place in a county about 120 miles west of Savannah, have been released.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains Harrison, who is survived by a wife and 6-month-old son, "held multiple overlapping law enforcement jobs" with small police departments, which is typical among officers in this rural part of Georgia. He worked part-time for the Cochran Police Department from September 2018 to May 2020 and was currently employed as a full-time drug task force agent in Dodge County. As for the Alamo Police Department, the Journal-Constitution cites records showing it had just nine officers, five of whom worked part-time, and oversaw a population of 3,300 people.

Harrison is the first Alamo officer ever killed in the line of duty and the fifth in the state this year. 11Alive spoke with his mother-in-law, who said Harrison was texting with his wife of two years just prior to being shot. "He was super nice to everybody, give you the shirt off his back no matter what," she said of her son-in-law. CNN reports a $17,500 reward is being offered for information that leads to Ferguson's capture. (Read more police officer stories.)
(Newser)  People are on edge. Flying is still safe and were not trying to scare you. But theres no getting around that theres been a massive uptick in the number of unruly passenger incidents. Way back in August the FAA released a public service announcement asking people to please not freak out and distract the pilot. The agency also pleaded with airlines and airports to cut back on the booze. Its not overstating things to say that air rage is something people are noticing. The FAAs graph of unruly passenger incidents shows a climb starting in 2020 thats steeper than a jets takeoff path. All this to say, when passengers reported a man on a flight from Indiana to New York for suspicious behavior, authorities took it seriously.

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Flight 4817 on American Airlines regional American Eagle brand arrived at La Guardia and the plane didnt even taxi to the gate, CNN reports. The plane stayed away from the terminal, and passengers were evacuated on the tarmac. Police and emergency crews were at the ready. Laura Bergdoll of Indianapolis was on the flight and said flight attendants started yelling Evacuate! Evacuate! as soon as the plane landed. Eventually, New York Port Authority police interviewed the man deemed suspicious by his neighbors, and the passengers around him, determining that he had reached for his luggage which scared his neighbors. NY Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted that there was no reason to believe New Yorkers were in danger, and that appears to be true. A Port Authority spokesperson told Newsweek that the passenger who was detained did not make any verbal threats and was not observed holding a suspicious item. He was released after being detained briefly. (Read more unruly passenger stories.)
(Newser)  Abdul Qadeer Khan, the scientist most responsible for making Pakistan a nuclear power who became a rogue dealer of nuclear technology and equipment, has died. He was 85. Doctors said Khan had COVID-19 and died of breathing difficulties, the Wall Street Journal reports. Pakistan held a state funeral for him Sunday at Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, and flags were lowered to half-staff. Much of Pakistan regarded him as a hero for giving the nation a deterrent against India, its rival that already had nuclear capability. "Without Dr. A.Q. Khan, Pakistan would not have had nuclear weapons," said a former nuclear official in Pakistan. "But his loose behavior also endangered the Pakistan program."

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Kahn succeeded by building a global network of suppliers to acquire equipment needed to assemble a bomb in the 1970s and '80s. He then profited personally by using the network to sell his expertise to other countries, many of which the CIA considered rogue, such as Iran, Libya, South Africa, and North Korea, per the New York Times. The US, which was especially concerned that terrorists would acquire the technology, took evidence of his trafficking to Pakistan's government, which placed him under house arrest in 2004, and Khan admitted his actions to the country on national television. He was freed in 2009, per CNN, but security agencies limited his movements after that.

Former CIA Director George Tenet later wrote of informing Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. "A.Q. Khan is betraying your country," Tenet reported saying. "He has stolen some of your nations most sensitive secrets and sold them to the highest bidders." Khan was never charged with any crimes and lived his life in a comfortable villa in Islamabadunder guard. In 2010, he said in an interview that the civil war after Bangladesh became independent prompted his actions; Indian forces had supported the separatists. "My objective in making the atomic bomb was that Pakistan becomes safe," he said. "I wanted that what happened in 1971 should never be repeated again." (Read more obituary stories.)
(Newser)  The Beatles, who broke up more than a half-century ago, might instead have gone on making music for years, Paul McCartney says. But they went their four ways, and after receiving much of the popular blame since because he had broken the news, McCartney wants to make clear that it wasn't his idea. "I didn't instigate the split," McCartney said. "That was our Johnny." He said John Lennon "walked into a room one day and said, 'I am leaving the Beatles.' Is that instigating the split, or not?" McCartney made the comments in a BBC Radio interview to be released Oct. 23, the Guardian reports, ahead of the delayed release of Peter Jackson's TV documentary, Get Back.

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There were issues, some around the band's new manager, Allen Klein, but McCartney said Lennon was just ready to move on. "The point of it really was that John was making a new life with Yoko," he said. But he doesn't blame Yoko Ono, Lennon's wife, saying, "They were a great couple. There was huge strength there." The split was bound to happen, McCartney said, once Lennon "wanted to go in a bag and lie in bed for a week in Amsterdam for peace. And you couldn't argue with that." Lennon thought his decision to leave the Beatles was "quite thrilling," McCartney said.

McCartney, 79, said he did not. "This was my band, this was my job, this was my life, so I wanted it to continue." He said the Beatles were still doing good work: "Abbey Road, Let It Benot bad." Instead, he, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were left to "left to pick up the pieces," McCartney said, in what he called the "most difficult period of my life." Lennon was born 81 years ago Saturday, per People, and Ono and McCartney posted photos to mark the day. Ono's shows Lennon and their son Sean blowing out birthday candles; they shared a birthday. McCartney's shows the two bandmates holding guitars up like violins. "Happy Birthday thoughts for John," McCartney wrote. (Read more Beatles stories.)
(Newser)  The 911 calls began pouring in early Sunday, as callers "frantically begged for help," police said, after shooting started in a crowded Minnesota bar. A woman, who was in her 20s, was killed, and 14 other people were taken to hospitals, KSTP reports. They're expected to survive, officials said. St. Paul police said Sunday that three men have been arrested, all of whom were being treated at hospitals, per WCCO. Several people opened fire, officials said, adding that no motive for the shootings has been determined.

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First responders found what Police Chief Todd Axtell called "a hellish situation" at the Seventh Street Truck Park bar in downtown. Steve Linders, a spokesman, said: "There were gunshot wound victims lying in the street outside the bar. There were gunshot wound victims lying on the sidewalk outside the bar. There were gunshot wound victims lying on the floor inside the bar." Bystanders helped police until it was determined safe for paramedics to enter the crime scene. Police have not yet released the victims' identities. They suspect other people might have been hurt and asked that they contact the department.

"We won't stop until we find the people responsible for this madness," Axtell said. "We will do our part to hold them accountable." Linders added: "We had people in the city of St. Paul out on a Saturday night having a good time, and we had other people who decided to pull guns with reckless disregard to human life and pull the trigger over and over and over and over again," per the New York Times. Mayor Melvin Carter pointed to the urgency of developing more successful public safety strategies. (Read more mass shootings stories.)
(Newser)  A Navy nuclear engineer and his wife are facing charges of trying to sell secrets to a foreign government. Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Diana, are accused of agreeing to exchange data for thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, the Baltimore Sun reports. The couple, who live in Annapolis, MD, were arrested in West Virginia on espionage charges. Toebbe, who has a top secret security clearance worked on the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. His wife is a teacher. A Department of Justice press release says Toebbe sent a package to a foreign governmentnot named in the release or the criminal complaintwith a sample of data and instructions on how to buy more. The package, which included a letter reading, Please forward this letter to your military intelligence agency. I believe this information will be of great value to your nation. This is not a hoax, made its way to the FBI in December 2020, the Washington Post reports.

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An undercover FBI agent drew him out until they reached an agreement. Toebbe left data cards in West Virginia and Virginiahis wife serving as lookoutone hidden in a peanut butter sandwich and another in a chewing gum wrapper. The Toebbes got a down payment of $10,000 and another payment of $70,000, both in cryptocurrency. He also somehow got a signal from the unnamed foreign countrys embassy, but the DOJ isnt saying what that was. The information on the cards was about Virginia class submarines, which can carry cruise missiles. Officials say Toebbe handed over thousands of pages of information that apparently took years to accumulate. In message he thought was to a foreign government, he wrote that he had cash and passports and hoped to be taken in if he were ever found out. (Read more espionage stories.)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Human Rights Committee at the Council of Representatives has stressed that the ability of the Kingdom of Bahrain to prevent the issuance of an international resolution at the UN Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the UN Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts (GEE) on Yemen proves the outstanding success of the Bahraini diplomacy in this regard.

The committee said that the Bahrain-initiated vote, which was adopted by other countries, such as Russia, and is the first of its kind to be issued by the 47-member council, will enhance the kingdoms regional and international role, as it reflects the confidence of the international partners in the efficiency of Bahraini diplomacy which calls for peace and stability all over the world, especially in countries suffering from conflicts and wars, including brotherly Yemen.

The panel indicated that the GEE on Yemen had misused its mandate, describing the Houthi militia leader as the Leader of the Revolution, on the one hand, and calling the militias as the de facto authorities, on the other, hence the need not to extend its tenure.

The committee pointed out that the kingdom adopts the political solution in brotherly Yemen, without any external interference, particularly from Iran, so that the Yemeni people enjoys security and stability, calling on the international community, represented by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner, to investigate transparently and impartially into the actions of the real perpetrators of war crimes in Yemen, namely the Houthi terrorist militia and those who support them with money and weapons.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain yesterday strongly condemned the attack using explosive-laden drones by Iranbacked Houthi militia on King Abdullah Airport in Jizan.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi militia in Yemen said a hostile projectile hit the airport in Jizan, injuring five civilians.

There were five minor injuries among civilians, passengers and airport employees, the agency quoted a coalition spokesman as saying.

In all, the attacks that occurred late on Friday and early yesterday resulted in injuring ten people.

The first attack caused injuries to six Saudis, three Bangladeshis, and a Sudanese, said Saudi state media, citing a coalition spokesperson.

Falling debris also shattered some facade windows of the airport, the spokesman said.

The coalition said they intercepted a second explosives-laden drone early yesterday.

No details or injuries and damages are available.

State TV said that Air traffic remains normal and not affected at King Abdullah airport.

Houthis, which regularly launch drones and missiles against civilians and civilian establishments in the kingdom, are yet to claim the attacks.

Bahrains Foreign Ministry statement deploring the attacks praised the vigilance and efficiency of the coalition forces in intercepting the booby-trapped drones. Bahrain also affirmed its firm support to Saudi Arabia in all the deterrent measures it takes against those who try to harm its security, stability and safety of its lands, citizens and residents.

In the past few years, the airport and its neighbouring city Khamis Mushayt have witnessed repeated Houthi drone and missile strikes.

In August, Houthi drone strikes on Abha International Airport injured at least eight people and damaged a civilian aeroplane.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The ongoing development projects at the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club will place Bahrains name on the international racing map in the sport, said Works Minister.

Essam Khalaf, the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, said several projects are on the way to promote the sport of Horse racing in the Kingdom.

The projects will enable Kingdom to host international competitions and events and place its name on the map of horse racing at the international level, said the minister. Essam Khalaf was at the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club to review the progress of works and future requirements.

Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa, the Executive Director of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club, Undersecretary for Works Affairs, Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director of Construction Projects Department, Maryam Abdullah Amin, and Director of Building Maintenance Department, Huda Mirza Abbas, were present.

Khalaf said the ministry is keen to implement the projects in cooperation with Horse Welfare Authority, Rashid Equestrian Racing Club and other relevant authorities.

These projects will be a qualitative leap for the sport of horse racing, Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa, the Executive Director of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club, said.
Agencies | Kuwait City

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Kuwait has reiterated its firm stance rejecting all forms of terrorism and extremism regardless of their causes and motives and stressed that it supported of all international efforts to combat it.

In a speech during a discussion of measures to eliminate international terrorism in the sixth committee of United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Second Secretary Bashar Al Muwaizri pointed out that the fight against terrorism needs international efforts to confront this criminal scourge by taking measures to ensure respect for human rights, the rules of law and to prevent impunity.

The Coronavirus pandemic has temporarily reduced the threats of terrorism phenomenon, but it also had a negative impact on the social and economic level that terrorist groups may exploit to broadcast their propaganda and promote their terrorist ideas, he added, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

Al Muwaizri said that the reintegration and rehabilitation of foreign terrorist fighters and their families constitutes a major challenge for the international community, in addition to hold accountable and prosecute of terrorist acts.

He stressed the need to develop comprehensive strategies for prosecution and to rely on integrated policies to address the root causes of the terrorism while strengthening international judicial cooperation.

Kuwait continues its efforts to combat terrorism and its financing, as the Supreme Committee of the Insurance issued a set of rules on combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
BETHEL  The police department is looking to improve efficiency and productivity through technological upgrades.

Bethel police are seeking $125,500 to upgrade the departments current computer-aided dispatch and records management system software.

The proposed upgrades have been in the capital plan for a long time, First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said Tuesday, when the Board of Selectmen voted to forward the request to the finance board for consideration.

Chief Stephen Pugner said the department acquired its current system about 15 years ago, thinking that the vendor would expand its territory in the Northeast  but that never happened.

We thought other departments were going to follow us and that we would be one of the first in Connecticut (but) it never panned out, Pugner said.

Being the only agency in the Northeast with the software has put a strain on the departments ability to operate as efficiently as possible, Pugner said, which is why its looking to team up with a new vendor: NexGen.

NexGen representative Jaime Scatena said the public safety solutions company currently services 156 of Connecticuts 169 municipalities and its software would greatly improve Bethel police operations.

With the departments current CAD system, Pugner said the Bethel officers cant write accident reports outside the station.

The guys have to come in off the road and use the computers in the station to do the accident reports, he said. Its not efficient.

The departments current system could be upgraded to allow officers to write reports outside the station, Pugner said, but it would cost about $40,000.

At this point, we dont want to sink any more money into our current system, he said.

With NexGen, Scatena said Bethel police would no longer need to pay extra for system upgrades  theyre done automatically and free of charge as part of the service agreement.

The software would also allow Bethel police to issue and submit traffic tickets electronically all from the scene of an incident.

Right now, we hand write tickets, go to the station and mail it to the state, Pugner said. This new CAD system would allow us to  type the ticket into the computer system from the car, print it out and hand it to the person, and it goes directly to the state after we review it.

While a ticket can take about 15 minutes to write by hand, Scatena said NexGens software allows officers to write an e-ticket in three to five minutes.

This time-saving aspect not only allows officers to get back on patrol sooner, she said, but is a great asset to the safety of civilians and officers.

Being able to disperse a ticket quickly to avoid getting hit on the side of the road when a car has been pulled over is very important, Scatena said.

Pugner said the state will soon require all tickets to be submitted electronically and the department will be left with two options if it keeps its current system  either spend tens of thousands of dollars to update it, or have someone manually enter tickets into a computer at the station to send them to the state. The latter, he said, would be very time consuming.

The $125,500 price tag for the NexGen software reflects a deal offered by the vendor, Pugner said, but it comes with a caveat  the town must sign a contract with the company by the end of the year.

When we first priced out this product, it was close to $200,000. The price has come down a little bit, and then they recently gave us a deal that I say is hard to refuse, he said.

If the police departments request is approved, Knickerbocker said the funding would come out of the towns capital and non-recurring fund  or possibly its federal American Rescue Plan funds.

The Board of Finance is expected to consider the request during its next meeting on Tuesday.
Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday after 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Ashish was arrested as he was not cooperating during the interrogation in the case.

Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Tenis son Ashish Mishra, who was arrested on Saturday night, was produced before the Judicial Magistrate and will be in judicial custody for the time being, his lawyer Avdesh Kumar Singh informed. A local court will hear the matter on October 11 on whether Ashish Mishra should be sent to police custody or not, he said.

He (Ashish Mishra) will be in judicial custody for the time being. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate and the police had demanded three-day custody, to which we objected. The matter will be heard on October 11 and it will be decided whether Mishra will be sent to police custody, Singh told reporters here. Ashish Mishra was later taken to the district jail.

Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday after 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. According to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and Monitoring Committee Chairman Upendra Agrawal, Ashish was arrested as he was not cooperating during the interrogation in the case. He was not cooperating during the interrogation and didnt answer a few questions, he stated.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.

However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKMs allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place. As many as eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. Two accused identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey were arrested earlier in connection with the incident.
Jaishankar on Sunday embarked on a three-nation tour of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the progress in India's bilateral ties with the three countries as well as share views on developments in the region, the ministry further said.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Sunday arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev. Delighted to arrive in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of FM Ruslan Kazakbaev. Looking forward to a productive visit, Jaishankar tweeted. Jaishankar on Sunday embarked on a three-nation tour of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

The EAM will be undertaking the tour from October 10 to 13. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Jaishankar will be in the Kyrgyz Republic on October 10-11. He will leave for Kazakhstan on Monday. He will then visit Armenia on October, 12-13, the MEA said.

The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the progress in Indias bilateral ties with the three countries as well as share views on developments in the region, the Ministry further said. It will be a continuation of our increased engagement with countries in our extended neighbourhood, added the Ministry.

This is the first visit of Jaishankar to Kyrgyzstan as External Affairs Minister. He will hold a bilateral meeting with Ruslan Kazakbayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, apart from calling on President Sadyr Japarov. Some agreements, MoUs are also expected to be signed during the visit, the MEA said.

From October 11-12, Jaishankar will be in Kazakhstan to attend the 6th Ministerial meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Nur-Sultan. Kazakhstan is the current Chair and initiator of the CICA Forum. Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, and call on the Kazakh leadership.

Established in 1999, CICA is a forum aimed at enhancing cooperation through elaborating multilateral approaches towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. It currently has 27 member states and 9 observer states and 5 observer organisations India is a member of CICA since its inception in 1999 and has been actively participating in various activities conducted under the aegis of CICA.

Jaishankar will also be visiting Armenia on October, 12-13. This will be the first-ever visit of an External Affairs Minister of India to independent Armenia. Jaishankar is scheduled to have meetings with his Armenian counterpart as well as call on the Prime Minister and President of the National Assembly of Armenia.
EAST HAVEN  Police are asking for the publics help in identifying shooters in an incident that resulted in several vehicles and a local McDonalds being struck by gunfire.

Officers were dispatched around 1:10 a.m. to Rumba Cafe Bar and Lounge at 679 Main St. for a report of gun shots in the area, East Haven police said in a press release.

Once police arrived, several vehicles in the parking lot were observed to have been struck by gunfire, as had the McDonalds adjacent to the parking lot, police said.

After reviewing video surveillance footage, police determined that a man believed to be in his 20s wearing a red backward hat, black T-shirt and dark colored jeans entered a newer model blue vehicle, the release said.

The man returned to the rear parking lot of Rumba in possession of multiple firearms and then fired multiple shots, police said.

Rumbas patrons in the parking lot fled and ran for cover, police said. One of the vehicles struck had two occupants but neither was injured, according to police.

Police also shared Sunday night that there was a second shooter.

The video shows the second shooter, who appears to be in a dispute with several other individuals, police said.

He then appears to retrieve a firearm from a newer model black vehicle before returning fire across his vehicle toward the parking lot, police said.

East Haven Police are asking for help in identifying the men, vehicles and a woman who was inside Rumba with one of the shooters all night.

All information obtained will remain anonymous. Anyone with any information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective Joe Carangelo at jcarangelo@easthavenpolice.com or 203-468-3827. The public can also reach out via Facebook or Instagram.

christine.derosa@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  The city plans to use $500,000 of its $122.1 million in federal pandemic recovery funds to help Columbus House buy the New Haven Village Suites extended-stay motel at 3 Long Wharf Drive to continue providing COVID-safe shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, Columbus House would use the property  which the state has rented with federal aid dollars during the pandemic to provide emergency COVID-safe housing and reduce the density of congregate shelters  to help increase the citys stock of affordable housing, city records show.

The proposal, which city officials said also would require a larger commitment of funds from state government, is one of many nuggets contained in a monthly financial report that details how New Haven plans to spend, and in many cases has spent, its federal pandemic recovery funds so far.

Columbus House CEO Margaret Middleton said the motel has been of great value to Columbus House  which essentially moved its operations there almost overnight in spring 2020  and other service providers during the pandemic, helping to provide safer housing for people experiencing homelessness.

Shes hoping the deal goes through.

Were really proud to have moved just over 641 households into permanent housing since the start of the pandemic, Middleton said. The thing that was really exciting about the hotel as a property is that it has 112 units, so it offered the potential of creating like 75 units of permanently affordable housing.

She said that would be a great silver lining of COVID if it resulted in the creation of additional affordable housing in the community to help keep people from becoming homeless.

Weve been really grateful for the city of New Havens support for people experiencing homelessness during this pandemic, Middleton said. The citys been a really good partner ... and I think thats why you see that (funding) number in there.

A significant contribution from the state

A city official speaking on condition of anonymity said the 3 Long Wharf Drive purchase is contingent on the state making a significant contribution and is complicated by the fact that the current asking price is considerably above the appraised value.

The appraised value of the 3.03-acre property, located directly behind the Jordans Furniture building, is $6.3 million.

The property is owned by HTA-YLW New Haven LLC, which is registered with an address in Hartford. HTA-YLW New Haven LLC, which has Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP of Scottsdale, Ariz., listed in state filings as principal, bought the property for $1.6 million in 2016, city records show.

Columbus House did approach us, although they are primarily working with the state, said city Community Services Administrator Dr. Mehul Dalal.

We hope it happens, Dalal said.

I think our commitment is to work with them on finding a solution and ideally, the solution would be maintaining a non-congregate solution, Dalal said. It really is a safer and more humane solution across the board, having non-congregate housing.

The citys contribution would still be subject to the public input process, he said.

This is a proposal that the city was very interested in, given that we could safely house almost 200 people in non-congregate spaces, Dalal said.

$122.1 million in federal funds

The $115.8 million coming New Havens way via the American Rescue Plan includes a $90.5 million direct allocation to the city and New Havens $25.29 million share of New Haven Countys funding, said Michael Gormany, the citys acting controller.

In addition, the city is receiving $6.3 million in the earlier CARES Act funding, which includes a $3.6 million Community Development Block Grant, a $2.6 million Emergency Solutions Grant and $160,000 from the federal Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program, Gormany said.

The money is being put to a broad range of community uses, including youth engagement, the citys Clean and Safe program, arts and culture, replacement of lost revenue, basic needs, public health and safety, housing assistance, supporting at-risk populations, economic resiliency and emergency shelter.

The $500,000 allocation toward possible purchase of 3 Long Wharf, which would come from CARES Act funding and has not yet been spent, is one of several proposed outlays to Columbus House, which is among the citys major providers of emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

The city also has allocated $400,000 to help Columbus House hire a new rapid rehousing case manager, eviction prevention case manager and employment specialist and provide rental assistance and client support for credit repair. It has spent $60,239 of that to date.

In addition, it allocated $140,093 to Columbus House for HVAC upgrades, shelter improvements and cleaning related to COVID-19 at the agencys main shelter.

Social service agencies benefit

Columbus House is just one of many social service agencies that would benefit from the funding to varying degrees. Others include Catholic Charities/Centro San Jose; Christian Community Action; CitySeed Inc.; FISH of Greater New Haven; Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services; Marrakech; New Haven Ecology Project; r kids inc.; Solar Youth; and Vertical Church, among others.

Among the other, larger expenditures listed in the financial report are:

$977,816 to replace lost public sector revenue to pay for government services that might otherwise see funding sources interrupted by the pandemic.

802,393 to the CASTLE program to provide housing stabilization and support to households at risk of foreclosure or eviction as a direct result of the pandemic, of which $244,772 had been spent.

$402,762 for parks and playground improvements.

$250,000 to the New Haven Partnership Loan Program to provide support and assistance to small businesses, of which $81,640 had been spent.

$223,639 for program administration and oversight.

$146,474 to Liberty Community Services to hire 1.6 full-time equivalent service navigators to make showers and laundry available by appointment, provide prepared meals and packaged food and beverages, buy two sets of commercial grade washers and dryers and maintain an inventory of laundry and personal grooming supplies.

$90,000 to Christian Community Action to supplement the salary of the neighborhood services advocate, who provides services to families and senior citizens needing emergency food and information.

$85,000 for COVID testing.

$85,000 to New Reach emergency shelter to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 with regularly-scheduled deep cleanings, Plexiglas room dividers to be placed between beds in shared client rooms and common areas and other protective equipment.

$70,000 to Youth Continuum to expand services to youth by providing adequate physical space, isolation space and additional clinical assistance.

$60,000 to the Marrakech Taking Initiative Center, or TIC, to hire one manager and one engagement specialist to extend program hours by an additional 25 hours per week and purchase COVID protection equipment.

$50,000 to provide daycare with outreach through Casa Otonal residents.

$50,000 to Liberty Community Services to hire a dedicated outreach worker to unsheltered people living in places unfit for human habitation.
NEW HAVEN  A few dozen New Haven Public Schools students now know  from personal experience  that indigenous people arent just folks from the past whom you read about in history books or watch in Netflix movies.

They also know, just in time for Indigenous Peoples Day, that not all indigenous folks look the same; that, in fact, they can hail from all over the world, and that you may not even know youre talking to one unless they tell you.

Most importantly, they know what indigenous people are: the first people who lived in a place.

The kids, from at least six city schools, got a first-hand learning experience when they met Friday via Zoom with a couple of members of the Association of Native Americans at Yale.

Native tribes today are able to combine the past and the present, said Yale sophomore Lexy Beard, 20, who grew up in Warren, N.J., far from her Lumbee Tribes lands in southeastern North Carolina.

As she spoke, the students, who ranged from pre-K to eighth grade, were looking at a photograph on Zoom of a thousands-of-years-old native beading tradition adapted to create an image of Baby Yoda from the The Mandalorian.

The amazing thing about indigenous people is that were all tied together because were the first peoples of the world, Beard said. But our cultures are all really different.

Even within the Association of Native Americans at Yale, theres been a lot of discussion of late about changing some things to reflect that the organization doesnt just represent Native Americans but also indigenous people from other parts of the world, she said in an earlier interview.

Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October  the same day as Columbus Day  as a reminder that when Columbus discovered America, a whole bunch of indigenous people already had lived here for thousands of years.

The students learning about it this time around came from East Rock Community & Cultural Studies Magnet School, ESUMS  Engineering and Science University Magnet School, John C. Daniels ID Magnet School, King/Robinson Interdistrict Magnet School, Beecher Museum Magnet School and Riverside Academy.

In the first of two hourlong Zoom sessions with city students and their teachers, Beard and fellow Yale student Evan Roberts  a member of the native Alaskan Tlingit tribe who grew up in Longmont, Colo.  explained what indigenous people are, all the different places they can come from and that if something or someone is different, it does not mean that its bad or wrong.

In addition to Native American tribes  beginning with the Quinnipiac and Algonquian tribes that once inhabited local lands here in Connecticut  they talked about native Canadian people, native Hawaiians, the Maori of New Zealand, Australian aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders and native Samoans, both living and in movies, such as Disneys Moana.

They told the kids about some famous indigenous people, including Dwayne The Rock Johnson, who is Samoan, and Jason Momoa  Aquaman  who is native Hawaiian.

It was very cool, said Anthony, a student in Nicole Wischert Raccios fifth-grade class at East Rock School.

I just want to say, the kids enjoyed it and they were really engaged, Raccio told Beard at the tail end of the Zoom presentation.

Tricia Simon, magnet resource teacher at East Rock School, said the school had third- and fifth-graders participating.

Because East Rock focuses on cultural studies, it really ties well into conversations our students already are having, Simon said. It gives the student the opportunity to hear first-person stories, first-person voices.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Partly cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 33F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 33F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
FILE  In this Sept. 27, 2021 file photo, Shyrel Ritter, a certified nursing assistant at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, receives her COVID-19 booster shot at her workplace in New York. Home health aides who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccination are barred from working in New York as of Friday, Oct. 8, under a new state mandate that one industry group warned could lead to thousands of caregivers losing their jobs. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The Adamawa State Police Command says it has deployed operatives to restore order after youths attacked the Ngurore Police Station in Yola S...





The Adamawa State Police Command says it has deployed operatives to restore order after youths attacked the Ngurore Police Station in Yola South Local Government Area and kidnapped two residents.

The police command stressed in a statement released Sunday morning that it moved into action as part of the ongoing coordinated efforts at restoring public order in Ngurore town and its environs.

It said that this followed the unfortunate attack on Ngurore police station and House of Alhaji Umaru of Nasarawo B that resulted in the kidnap of Hawwa Umaru and her daughter in the early hours of Sunday.

The statement which was signed by Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, ordered the deployment of additional operational assets to restore order.

The statement clarified the deployed assets as Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Crack squad and Anti-Kidnapping units.

The Operational units are expected to carry out confidence-boosting patrols within the hotspots in coordinated operations with the gallant men on ground to rescue the kidnapped victims and apprehend the culprits, the police said.

It added that the Head of the Police Intervention Team, SP Babagana Abubakar, is already on ground coordinating Police investigative, operational and rescue responses.

The CP calls on citizens to go about their businesses in the most peaceful and law abiding manner and report any suspicious person(s) around their neighborhoods to the police, the statement said.
The Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, has commended the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PL...





The Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, has commended the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) for the peaceful conduct of the 2021 local government elections in the state.





The Deputy Speaker specifically hailed Governor Simon Bako Lalong for providing a conducive atmosphere for the will of the electorate to prevail in the just concluded local government election in the state.





Wase, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, on Sunday, tasked all the new 17 chairmen that won the election to be magnanimous and hit the ground running by providing dividends of democracy to the electorates.





I want to express our profound appreciation to the Governor and the good people of Plateau State for reaffirming their support in our party by overwhelmingly electing our candidates and also appreciate the role played by the security agencies in maintaining peace throughout the exercise.





I want to appreciate all APC supporters for turning out to cast their votes in a mature manner and I urged them all to sustain the same spirit in the forthcoming elections, he said.





Wase said the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has again provided yet another opportunity for continued synergy by the state and local government to further bring about socio-economic development to the state.
Data show more people in U.S. have died so far this year from COVID than last year
This month marks the 100th anniversary of a striking addition to downtown New Orleans: the opening of the Hibernia National Bank building. In the century since, the cupola atop the Carondelet Street building  especially when illuminated at night  has become an icon on the citys skyline.

Hibernia was founded in New Orleans in 1870. At the turn of the 20th century, bank leaders unveiled plans to erect a new bank building. At the time it was completed in October 1921, the 23-story Renaissance-style building was not only the tallest building in New Orleans, but also tallest in the state (until the State Capitol was built a decade later). In the 1940s, Hibernias height made it the perfect choice as home for WDSU-TV, the citys first television station. In its early years, the stations transmitting tower was located on the roof of the building, with a studio and offices inside.

Originally the banks cupola  355 feet in the air  was lit as a navigation beacon for ships traveling the Mississippi River. Over the years, lighting the cupola for various holidays became a tradition. It was lit in the appropriate colors for Christmas, Hanukkah, Mardi Gras, St. Patricks Day, the Fourth of July and Halloween.

Capital One acquired Hibernia in 2006 and the office building closed soon after, although the bank on the first floor remained open. HRI Properties acquired the building and began a $57.3 million renovation in 2011, converting it into luxury apartments. The cupola was restored, and LED lights were added.
For half a century, from her house on Lamanche Street, Hattie Craft sold frozen cups, raised seven children, and fought for better conditions in her neighborhood, the Lower 9th Ward.

Today, her daughter, Alice Craft Kerney, is hosting a car parade to celebrate Crafts 99th birthday. The line of cars will form at 2:45 p.m. on Huntington Park Drive near Benson Court and drive past Craft Kerneys house in the 7100 block of Benson Court at 3 p.m.

Craft is known for her activism, but also for her generosity, said Craft Kerney, who recalls how her mother discreetly handed frozen cups to children who couldnt afford to buy them and was always ready to feed hungry neighbors. Their homes iron security door was crafted with a slot big enough to slip a plate of food outside, at any hour.

Her kindness always preceded her, said Craft Kerney. She has a big heart.

Craft shrugged her shoulders at the praise. She didnt know any other way to act, she said. I dont like to be stingy.

Service to others is such a hallmark of Crafts life that her favorite poem is about a woman who was rebuked by God for rejecting three needy people at her door.

As a 14-year-old Sunday school student, she won a cake for memorizing the 11-stanza Bible poem, which she later expanded into a complete six-character play and hosted at her church. She can still remember all the lines she wrote for the lead character, speaking to a barefoot, hungry child at her door: I said, Oh, someone else will feed you, baby  you really are in need of care. But I cant stop to give it. You must hasten on elsewhere.

Crafts political activism began in 1965, after Hurricane Betsys storm surge flooded the Lower 9th Ward, leaving behind saltwater and sewage. Shed met her husband, Sim Craft Sr., when both of them worked at the Roosevelt Hotel. They lived Uptown in a room on Valmont Street until they bought a lot in the Lower 9th Ward in 1955. That year, Craft's husband spent every weekend worked with a group of friends to build their home from the ground up.

After Betsy, Sim Craft scraped and shoveled the mud off the Lamanche Street floors, then washed everything down with a hose. They were given a small broom and a pail, and they got a small payment from the Red Cross for furniture, which they had to spend at the same time in a selected store. But it wasnt enough.

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We didnt get nothing, hardly, for Betsy, said Craft.

So she and her husband rebuilt, piece by piece, with their own money.

Craft ended up fighting for flood aid and improvements as the secretary of a group called Betsy Flood Victims, launched to demand food stamps for survivors. Hunger had become desperate, to the point that newspaper accounts noted that police were stationed at the Agriculture Street dump and other places to prevent people from trying to salvage the spoiled food from refrigerators that were being dumped there.

Craft, a graduate of McDonogh 35 Senior High School, took notes, then typed them up after long weekly meetings.

Craft Kerney remembers going with her mom and sleeping on the benches of Mercy Seat Baptist Church during the meetings. Forty years later, Craft Kerney, a registered nurse, would react to post-Katrina health care gaps by helping to launch a clinic in the Lower 9th Ward.

In the wake of Betsy, the flood victims group demanded adequate levees, loan forgiveness for hard-hit homeowners unable to make mortgage payments and $10,000 grants to rebuild damaged houses. Few of their legislative demands were met, but they did finally persuade the city to remove mounds of sodden flood detritus, some of which sat untouched until June 1966, when the feds agreed to pay 90% of the cost to complete the work. The group also helped organize college students sent by the American Friends Service Committee, who organized cleanup squads and built a playground.

For the next few decades, the group continued to push for neighborhood improvements. In mid-1978, Craft and other women stood on street corners to gather signatures on petitions demanding that newly elected Mayor Ernest Dutch Morial pave the neighborhoods gravel and shell-topped roads. The mayor himself came to Lamanche Street and agreed with their conclusions, she said.

He said, This is a disgrace. Dont worry. Youre going to get a street, Craft recalled. Within a few months, records show, city contractors began building concrete roadways in the area.

The next thing we knew, they were bringing machinery, said Craft, noting that the flood victims group grew after the street-paving success. Other neighbors saw we could work together to make life better, she said.
NEW ORLEANS

LaVerne Toombs will step down as executive director of the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, effective Nov. 12.

Toombs has been a public servant for over 20 years and decided to semi-retire. The chamber plans to conduct a regionwide search to select a permanent replacement.

BATON ROUGE

Kristin Thomas-Martin, operations manager of ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Plastics, has been elected to the Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance's Board of Directors.

Thomas-Martin began her career in 2006 with ExxonMobil at the Baton Rouge Chemical Plant after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a chemical engineering degree and working at Dow Chemical Co. for two years. She left Baton Rouge in 2010 and worked at ExxonMobil plants in Houston and Brussels. In 2019, she began working as operations manager at the Baton Rouge Polyolefins Plant.

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Cathy Griffiths has been promoted to chief quality officer of Woman's Hospital.

She has served as Womans vice president of quality since 2014. She is responsible for quality, regulatory/accreditation, risk management, patient safety, infection control, pharmacy, utilization management, organization-wide education and social services.

Griffiths has served as an instructor of nursing for LSU Health since 2011. She earned a bachelor's in nursing from Loyola University New Orleans, a masters in health care management from the University of New Orleans and a doctorate in nursing science from LSU Health Sciences Center.

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Katherine LeBlanc has been named chief marketing officer for Smalls Sliders.

Smalls Sliders opened their first location in September 2019 in Baton Rouge and has plans to open a second location this fall.

LeBlanc most recently served as chief marketing officer of Twist Brands. She was a marketing leader for several iconic New Orleans brands including Smoothie King and Dickie Brennan & Co.

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Dr. Breanna Campbell has joined Baton Rouge General as an infectious disease specialist, treating patients at the hospital's Bluebonnet campus.

Campbell earned undergraduate degrees in biology and Spanish from Texas Tech University. She then completed her medical degree, with an additional certificate in global health, at Texas Tech University School of Medicine and her residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Campbell then completed an infectious disease fellowship at the University of Virginia.

AROUND LOUISIANA

Donald W. Washington has been appointed to the board of directors for Home Bank.

Washington most recently served as the director of the U.S. Marshals Service. He previously served as a member of the board of directors for Home Bank from June 2016 until he was sworn in as director of Marshals Service on March 29, 2019. He is a former partner in the law firm of Jones Walker. He earned his juris doctor degree from South Texas College of Law and his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
A 30-year-old registered nurse with two children under age 4 is not who many would picture as a typical stage-4 breast cancer patient.

Age is one of many factors related to an increased risk of breast cancer, and only about 4% of those diagnosed are under the age of 40, according to data from Susan G. Komen.

But for Pearl Rivers Brittany Mistrot, this isnt just a statistic  this is her journey. The young mother, who has spent the last four years at Slidell Memorial Hospital as a nurse, has become the patient.

Mistrot was 33 weeks pregnant with her second child, when she discovered a strange lump in her breast. Doctors explained it away as a clogged milk duct, a problem common among mothers whose milk can come in early for breastfeeding during pregnancy.

But a series of events  a fall in the bath tub, breast engorgement after she gave birth and further growth of the mass  proved this wasnt just an ordinary motherhood misfortune. It was the start of a battle the young mother never expected.

It was breast cancer.

It was like a punch in the gut to me, said Mistrot.

Doctors thought the cancer was stage 1 or 2, and she started chemotherapy treatments right away. But in August, results of a PET scan showed the cancer was incurable stage 4 and had spread to her liver, lungs and bones.

By September, it had spread to her brain.

Mistrot has been getting treatments at the Slidell Memorial Cancer Center, but doctors have suggested she seek further treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.

Mistrot may be among a minority of women who face this fight at such a young age, but the issue of breast cancer is an ever-present one across Louisiana and the St. Tammany Parish community, and no age is exempt.

Breast cancer incidents in Louisiana are rising, said Heather Johnson, director of early detection and education with the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Some 4,000 incidents of breast cancer and 670 deaths across the state are expected to occur this year alone, she said. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has been hosting free breast-cancer screenings throughout the year, she said, and about 11% of the women requiring additional testing were under the age of 40.

While incidence rates for women overall are similar to recent years, those under 50 in both Louisiana and St. Tammany Parish are rising, she added.

Early screening is vital, she said, and is key in catching cancer at a stage where it is most treatable.

Many women have pushed off screenings because of COVID-19, she said, an issue that has been ongoing since the start of the pandemic. That delay, however, can prove fatal for members of the community as cancers can go undiagnosed or untreated, Johnson said.

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In the meantime, Mistrots family is realigning itself as the unforeseen hurdles of cancer have upended their lives. She has a 5-month-old daughter, Bristol, and a 3-year-old son, Beau. Her husband, Brendon Mistrot, 33, has been her rock, she said. Brittany Mistrot has continued to work at Slidell Memorial Hospital doing administrative work, as working as a floor nurse is too risky because of COVID-19, she said.

Its never been, Why me? Its, Why my family?' she said. Why do they deserve this to be part of their story? I refuse to believe this is it and God gave me these kids to take me away this early.

Her mission is to focus on the glass being half full. Its all about looking for blessings and focusing on her goal of getting the cancer into remission. She has handled chemo and radiation well, she said, with no symptoms.

She has lost all of her hair from chemo treatments, which she jokes makes her match her husband.

I knew it was coming as a nurse. I knew it was inevitable, she said, with good spirits. My husband is bald, so it makes the punch a little less.  Hes always giving me tips on how to care for the bald head. Its our joke: We match now.

Brittany Mistrot has focused on embracing her large network of family and friends who have rallied around her. The Pearl River community even hosted a benefit event in September to raise money for her treatments, and a firefighter friend is wearing her name on his pink badge. Both the Slidell police and fire departments are wearing pink badges for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, along with the pink police cruiser. Anyone can sign the pink car for a minimum $5 donation and proceeds go to the Slidell Memorial Cancer Center.

Once everybody got past the shock of what we were told, everybody has come together, both sides of the family doing anything and everything they can do to help us, said Brendon Mistrot. Its really brought everybody closer.

The couple echoed each others sentiments that the situation is sad, but theyre trying not to focus too hard on the future and, instead, embracing the present. The family loves camping and has trips planned throughout the year, some they are moving up just in case. Brittany has doubled up classes for her graduate degree and family time has become precious. Their children have no clue, said Brendon Mistrot, because they are so young, but the cloud of uncertainty continues to weigh heavy.

We cant look 82 years into the future saying well be old together. Now, its, How much time can we have together? Its changed everything, said Brendon Mistrot.

We are trying to see as much and do a much together as we can.

For Brittany Mistrot, however, shes no quitter and this isnt where her story ends.

My hope is that my story can help other people and give them strength. When I was getting treatments at the cancer center theres so many people, women and men, young and old, and no one was giving up. Thats important in anyones cancer journey: Not giving up, said Brittany Mistrot. I hope my strength and my story can help other people in their journey. To see a light at the end of the tunnel as dark and as grim as it may be.

And for those who may be going through a similar struggle, she had this advice: Always fight for yourself.

That lump was there six months before it was diagnosed as breast cancer, and it was brushed off as a clogged milk duct, and I didnt fight for extra tests, she said. Always fight for yourself. If you dont feel like the process is fast enough, fight some more.
When Mandeville resident Joe Starzyk woke up one morning with an idea for a unique character, it ended the long break hed taken from playwriting. For more than 27 years, he hadnt put a pen to paper or his fingers to his keyboard.

That character  an unusual uncle  became part of Starzyks full-length, award-winning play Wedding Secrets. It will make its north shore  and Louisiana  debut when it opens Oct. 15 at Playmakers Theater in Covington, launching the 66-year-old community theaters 2021-2022 season.

I woke up with an idea that was based on one of the characters, where this character would always appear as someone different every time they met somebody else in the play, Starzyk said, adding that he based the character on the accents he sometimes makes up to enliven his grocery shopping trips.

Ill find myself talking in accents for no apparent reason other (than) just to amuse myself, he said.

Wedding Secrets, which Starzyk described as a classic farce, follows a young couple who marry after a whirlwind romance, unbeknown to their families.

At a dinner intended to celebrate their engagement  where the families will meet each other for the first time  the couple finds out various family members also have secrets: being in debt, being separated and being an angsty teen who has issues with her parents, for example.

Once everybody gets together, a lot of issues start to come out. And theres the grooms uncle who lives in the basement of his sisters home, and whenever he appears to one of the brides family members, he's a different character, said Starzyk, who first wrote plays while attending Shimer College in Illinois and studied playwriting at Oxford University in England during a study-abroad program.

A Massachusetts native, Starzyks interest in playwriting started when he got involved in theater and starred in shows in high school. Many of the plays he wrote in college came to the stage. But you graduate from college, you start having to get jobs, and life just goes in its own direction, he said of his hiatus from playwriting.

He wrote Wedding Secrets in 2007 as a project with his youngest daughter, who was 14 at the time and involved in theater. This actually was the first full-length play I wrote when I got back into playwriting, he said. I wrote a part for her and a part for a friend of hers. And a part for myself.

Once I started writing, I got fairly prolific, he said of the nearly 13 full-length plays and three dozen short plays  many of them comedies  hes written since Wedding Secrets. Many, including Wedding Secrets, have won awards in playwriting competitions across the country and have been performed in multiple states.

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Getting a play from the page to the stage is really all about elbow grease and marketing yourself, Starzyk said.

There are a lot of competitions, and there are different websites you can go to find out about the competitions. You enter a bunch, and you hope you get chosen for some so your work gets seen somewhere.

Wedding Secrets will introduce north shore theater audiences to Starzyk, who moved from Troy, New York, to Mandeville with his wife, Mary Daigneault, in 2019. The relocation brought them closer to several family members, including their three grown daughters  Arin, Becky and Samantha  who also had made moves of their own to New Orleans and the north shore.

No one was from this area originally, he said, but said his niece and sister now also call this area home.

Before the move, Starzyk had researched and reached out to some New Orleans and north shore theaters to determine what was going on locally.

Ultimately, season tickets  gifted to the couple by their eldest daughter, a New Orleans police officer  brought Starzyk and Daigneault to Playmakers Theater. During the first show they attended, he struck up a conversation with board Vice President Arden Dufilho.

He began working with Playmakers on a fundraiser that I had done a number of times for not-for-profits in New York called Play with Your Food. These were always really successful. People love them because its fun, and they get a night out, he said of the event, which features performances of short plays in-between meal courses.

Scheduled for April 2020, Play with Your Food had to be postponed because of state-mandated COVID-19 shutdowns.

Now, he is directing the 13-member cast for Playmakers production of Wedding Secrets, something that helps him ensure the play is performed the way he intended it to be.

This way it comes the closest to what my vision was when I was writing it, he said.
A man was stabbed at Elysian Fields Avenue and Treasure Street (map) near the Seventh Ward at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

A man got out of his car and began fighting with the victim and then cut him; the victim went to an area hospital in a personal vehicle, police said.

The cutting is one of several crimes to take place in New Orleans in a 24-hour period from 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday. Here's what else we know from preliminary information from the NOPD:

The Chase Bank branch in the 1400 block of North Broad Street (map) in Bayou St. John was nearly robbed Saturday morning at about 10:15 a.m. when a man handed a teller a note asking for money.

Soon after, the man picked up his cell phone and was believed to be recording before running away without any money, the NOPD said.

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A 44-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint Saturday at about 9 p.m. when three people approached him from behind while riding his bike in the 1900 block of Port Street (map) in St. Roch, according to police.

One subject had a gun and demanded the victim's bike. One of the men beat the victim with the gun and rode away on his bike, police said. Police arrested 23-year-old Mack Lastrap close by. The other two subjects ran away, according to the NOPD.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is asked to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.

+2 After Bourbon Street club goer was hit in the head with a bottle, NOPD seeks suspect A Bourbon Street club patron was injured over the weekend when someone hit them in the head with a bottle, according to New Orleans police.
Twice in the last year, barges moored at a Lafitte boat salvage yard have broken free during hurricanes and smashed into the Leo Kerner swing bridge, the only way for Barataria residents to access the mainland on the other side of Bayou Barataria.

Last week, the Jefferson Parish Council took aim at the company, Tom's Marine and Salvage, asking state and federal authorities to investigate it.

A barge at Tom's on Jean Lafitte Boulevard, broke loose during Hurricane Ida and destroyed the bridge. It wasn't the first time it had happened. A barge tied up at Tom's also broke loose during Hurricane Zeta in Oct. 2020 and struck the bridge, knocking it out of service.

"This is long overdue for this company to be looked at," Jefferson Parish Council member Ricky Templet said. "This business has not been a good neighbor ... They've had a total disregard of the safety of the residents."

The Parish Council unanimously adopted a resolution Oct. 6 asking state authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard or any other permitting or regulatory agency with jurisdiction to investigate the Ida incident and "take all appropriate actions for any instances of noncompliance." The resolution also calls for the parish attorney's office to pursue any legal remedies to recover costs.

Templet said he wants to see Tom's shut down.

"I don't think we can afford to allow this to continue," Templet said. "Any agency that gives them a permit I would ask to revoke their permit to do business in Jefferson Parish."

Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. said that Tom's has been a regular source of headaches for city leaders and first responders.

"He has total disregard for the safety of not only Jean Lafitte but Jefferson Parish overall," he said.

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The Kerner swing bridge is the sole vehicle route for people traveling to Barataria which, like Jean Lafitte, lies outside the federal levee protection system. The entire area took a roundhouse shot from Ida, with high winds causing widespread damage and storm surge pushing water over levees and into people's homes.

Soon after the storm had passed, however, a fire destroyed six houses in Barataria, with firefighters attempted to use floating pumps to extinguish the flames because they couldn't get trucks to the area.

Eventually, the Louisiana National Guard installed a temporary floating bridge connecting Lafitte and Barataria. The bridge could only take one lane of traffic at a time and lines to get across were often long. A bigger temporary bridge opened Thursday that should allow for better connectivity.

'Heart-wrenching and terrible': 65-year-old drowned in Hurricane Ida's floodwaters in Lafitte A woman who drowned in Hurricane Ida's floodwaters in the Lafitte area  and was well known as the founder of a fan club for former Jefferson 

"Tom" Khai Dinh, the owner of Tom's Marina, angrily disputed the claims in an interview Wednesday.

"They look at me, a working man, and they complain," he said. "I don' think it's fair.

Dinh said he doesn't understand why his company is being singled out over damage done during what was a Category 4 storm when it made landfall near Port Fourchon.

"I had 7 to 8 feet of water in my yard," he said. His business, like all of Lafitte, is struggling to recover, he argued.

"We are all in the same boat," he said.
As New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell weighs whether the city can once again host a full-blown Carnival celebration in 2022, she surely has 2020 hindsight in mind.

After that years Mardi Gras season turned out to be one of the first superspreading events of the countrys coronavirus pandemic, the mayor got walloped with retroactive criticism, questions by national media and snark on social media suggesting she was remiss in not anticipating the tragedy and called the whole thing off.

The finger-pointing was never fair. The coronavirus was out there by the start of Carnival that year, and understood to be highly contagious. But by Mardi Gras day, there were just 15 confirmed cases in the United States, and the first diagnosis in Louisiana was still nine days off. The first instance of community spread in the U.S. was identified on Ash Wednesday. Some individuals might have taken extra precautions or avoided the weekslong celebration, but people all over were going about their business.

There was also no guidance from the federal government suggesting the festivities should be canceled based on projections about the virus course, which Cantrell later said she would have followed even though she would have surely faced a revolt on the streets.

But the second-guessing left a mark.

After canceling parades in 2021  an easy decision given that vaccines were not yet widely available  Cantrell is now back in the hot seat, considering whether to greenlight next years big event. At a meeting Thursday with the Mardi Gras Advisory Committee, she voiced cautious optimism but no final word. Still up in the air are safety protocols  not just vaccine requirements for float riders, but perhaps for visitors, which would be a whole lot trickier. Theres also the factor that nobody here can control, or really predict: whether COVID-19 cases wax or wane come winter.

Were doing everything we can to ensure that Carnival happens, she said, while warning that she intends New Orleans to move forward without any regrets at all.

Despite the early complaints, Cantrell has built up a decent store of credibility on these judgment calls.

When COVID-19 swept through the city in the weeks following Mardi Gras 2020, she quickly decided to get tough and impose restrictions, always citing the lost lives of friends and neighbors as justification.

Not every incremental decision landed well or made sense in retrospect. But her overall approach, to buckle down now and live to fight, party, or simply experience another day, was the right call, most of her constituents seem to agree.

Fellow New Orleans politicians, those who are always her allies and those who are more situationally so, give her high marks on her response. The cranks who whined that her tough realism rather than the pandemic itself was the cause of lost business couldnt find a candidate who wanted to challenge her reelection. And the numbers, relatively high vaccination rates in the city and contained spread of COVID-19, vindicate the citys approach to date.

Looking ahead, the mayor and her public health advisers have new tools at their disposal, not the least of which are vaccines that will likely soon be available to younger parade enthusiasts. Theyre also facing a different sort of pressure than they did last year, when the decision to cancel met with little resistance.

As levelheaded as Cantrell has been in handling the pandemic, she also needs to be realistic about the citys tolerance for another year without its signature event. The pressure is on to make the parades happen, with whatever safety protocols are needed.

If Carnival turns out to be a go, people will still be able to decide for themselves whether theyre ready to hit the parade route. But they can take some comfort in Cantrells obvious inclination to err on the side of safety, even if that means saying no.

And just imagine how exciting, and reassuring, a yes from the mayors office could be.
Mardi Gras 2021 was the quietest anyone can remember. There were no parades. There were pockets of household, street and neighborhood celebrations. Mardi Gras without parades was like red beans without rice.

Remember, vaccines had not been widely administered back then, so it made sense not to encourage thousands to gather to have a good time with family, friends and strangers theyve never met in their life.

A significant factor with a calmer-than-normal Mardi Gras Day last year was the weather. It was the coldest ever recorded with a low of 32 degrees, several degrees below the 1899 record of 38. Only the hardcore, well-lubricated were up for that kind of weather.

If the Farmers Almanac is any indication, were in for a winter whopper in February, just in time for Carnival season. As Mardi Gras approaches on March 1, we may be in for some hard and heavy winter weather in February, according to the often-reliable weather prediction source.

With wintry weather on the horizon for other parts of the nation, people from up north and elsewhere may opt for more moderate climes in New Orleans as they seek comfort and warmth with fantastic food, incredible music, dancing and, er, parades.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and New Orleans Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno talked with the Mayors Mardi Gras Advisory Committee Thursday afternoon about COVID-19 safety protocols and what Carnival 2022 might look like. As we anticipate the possibility of some resemblance of a normal Mardi Gras in 2022, its a good idea to look at ways we can help.

Im not ready for as many as 1.4 million visitors rushing in to do things they wouldnt do at home, so we have to do what we can to avoid a catastrophe.

We have to start with the unvaccinated. Weve got to get more of our family, friends, neighbors and colleagues to visit COVID-19 vaccine distribution sites to start the vaccine series if theyre 12 years old and up. The last time I looked, I saw 153 pages of vaccine distribution sites. Its hard to believe anyone can honestly say they cant find the vaccine. It's free, paid for by the U.S. government.

We have to go to school. Lets hope that the best school districts make it clear to parents and kids that its best for all schoolchildren that anyone sick with the virus, or potentially sick with the virus, stay home and quarantine. If we want a shot at a reasonable Carnival season, our kids must be healthy. They should have fun, too.

We have to count on the Krewe of Boo. Cantrell has approved the Oct. 23 parade, calling it a step towards the return of Mardi Gras. But unless Im mistaken, when Madam Mayor said she will be keeping a close eye on how it unfolds, she wasnt talking about just the parade. The Boo better be on its best behavior. I havent heard whether the 6:30 p.m. parade will roll with only vaccinated participants but that would be smart. I havent heard whether theres going to be a masquerade ball and a Zombie Run. But those are the kinds of things where Rudy Rona is likely to lick his lips and look for ways to cause trouble.

We have to count on Saints fans not acting like devils. I know thousands were excited enough to see the New Orleans Saints play in the Caesars Superdome that they willingly cooperated with the COVID-19 protocols by getting vaccinated or showing proof that they were virus-free. But far too many failed to cooperate with the mask requirement. Pull them up over your mouths and noses, folks, or youll prompt the mayor to take more drastic action to keep us safe.

Carnival is only a short few months away, but we cant wait to get ready. Im hopeful about the upcoming season, but I cant imagine normalcy quite yet. I think Ill count on the return of Yardi Gras and the Krewe of House Floats.
Editor's Note This article is brought to you by LaHatte Law Firm, LLC.

The last month has been a busy one for New Orleans based local attorney Joey LaHatte. In the weeks since Hurricane Ida struck, hes been helping area residents deal with insurance companies and ensure they receive all payments and services they are owed.

The number one question people are asking right now is, Where is my adjuster?, said LaHatte, the managing member of LaHatte Law Firm, LLC. The adjusters dont show up or they speak to someone and all of a sudden, theyre not with the company anymore. People call a company and have to answer the same questions all over again.

While the process can be frustrating, LaHatte said its important that people continue to contact their insurance company until their needs are met. He recommends doing so in writing so there is traceable evidence of a persons attempts to reach the company and all responses.

A phone call oftentimes wont be logged. If you call them 10 times, theres not going to be anything that says you did that, LaHatte said. Its a lot different if you email them 10 times. They have an obligation under the law to respond to that. Send pictures and put everything in writing. It can make a big difference.

In addition, LaHatte said theres been an influx of storm responder companies in the region after the hurricane. While some are legitimate, others have no interest in doing quality work. Rather, they will do a poor job and bill an insurance company directly on the residents behalf, often for much more money than they should receive. The end result is a resident ends up with shoddy repairs and an insurance company that does not want to pay more since they have already been billed.

People are in a panic, so theres a tendency to sign anything, LaHatte said. I keep counseling people to do your research.

Before signing anything with a contractor, LaHatte recommends searching for the contractors name and company on the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors website. Its a good sign that the company is legitimate if they are licensed and registered in Louisiana. He also suggests people ask for contractors license numbers before making any agreements and taking pictures of their drivers license.

LaHatte also cautions people to avoid any contractors or companies who refuse to provide an estimate before doing any work.

If they wont give you an estimate with or without a signature, thats a sign that they are trying to bill your insurance company excessively, he said. If they wont provide an estimate, dont be afraid to kick them off the property. Some will offer to give you an estimate if you sign something, which is a huge red flag. No one should sign a piece of paper to get an estimate for repairs.

LaHatte noted that many experts, including the Louisiana Department of Insurance itself, recommend that people get multiple estimates, including at least one from an independent party, before signing anything. LaHatte Law Firm, LLC has its team of recommended estimators who can provide such work.

LaHatte said one common misconception is that people believe they can only file an insurance claim if their home received major destructive damage. In fact, a claim can be filed even if the structure is intact but there was damage to contents or some damages to a few roofing shingles. This can include large items like furniture and appliances as well as smaller items like clothing, office supplies, decor and more. LaHatte said a home insurance policy should cover at least $65,000 worth of contents.

Ive seen some policies with $20,000 or $30,000 in contents, which is not going to be enough. All of those items add up, LaHatte said. People should also review their policies to make sure it includes additional living expenses, which should cover the costs for evacuation and a second living environment if your house is unlivable.

Although hiring an attorney may be a daunting prospect, LaHatte said the end result is often the best possible outcome for a resident.

Some of these companies will endlessly delay things and bank on the fact that most people will give up and stop fighting, he said. The ones who continue to go after them ultimately get paid more. If we have to sue them, they have to respond and sometimes we can obtain penalties and attorneys fees against these insurers under Louisiana Law. They have to produce a claim file and a lot of other documents. Thats when they know its gotten serious.

LaHatte Law Firm, LLC is located at 2000 Clearview Parkway, Suite 203, Metairie. For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit www.lawyerlahatte.com or call 504-309-2996.
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Sullivan County, Pa.  A 29-year-old Dushore man was charged with strangulation after authorities said he choked a person after being told to move out of a residence.

Antonio James Hawley was charged with first-degree felony strangulation, second-degree misdemeanor simple assault, and a summary offense of harassment.

On Oct. 2, Hawley allegedly pushed a man to the ground and choked him after being told to move out by Nov. 1.

Trooper Eric Whited of LaPorte PSP spoke with the accuser, who stated Hawley had attempted to cause an altercation several times before the incident. The accuser told officers Hawley allegedly shouted Im going to kill you as he held their neck.

Hawley is being held at the Columbia County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail as he awaits an Oct. 12 preliminary hearing with Judge Jennifer Vandine.

Docket sheet
Millmont, Pa.  A store employee was charged Wednesday for allegedly stealing more than $10,000 of cash and lottery tickets from his employer in Lewis Township, Union County.

Austin Smith, 23, of Middleburg, allegedly played $9,910 worth of Pennsylvania Fast Play lottery tickets without paying while working as a cashier at Harveys Food Mart, according to Pennsylvania State Police at Milton.

The employer also told state police that $674.74 was short from the cash register and coin dispenser after Smith had worked his shift on Oct. 2.

A total of $10,584.74 was taken from the employer, according to state police.

Smith faces a third-degree felony charge of retail theft, theft by deception, and a misdemeanor charge of theft by unlawful taking. He was arraigned by District Judge Lori R. Hackenberg who set bail at $15,000 monetary.

Docket Sheet
Williamsport, Pa.  State police said they charged a man with simple assault and false imprisonment after he allegedly locked a woman in a closet and threatened to kill her.

Chad William DeLong, 24, of Williamsport was charged with the two misdemeanor offenses and a summary offense of harassment for his alleged role in the Sept. 29 incident.

On the night in question, Trooper Oliver Barbour said he responded to a call near the 1600 block of Randall Circle in Loyalsock. Barbour said an investigation determined the woman was locked in an upstairs closet while DeLong threatened to kill her, according to the report.

DeLong is being held at the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $100,000 monetary bail. Judge Gary Whiteman will oversee DeLongs preliminary hearing on Oct. 11.

Docket sheet
Business

Building boom: Housing development plans, potential popping up across the area

John Bailey A crew with Spriggs Construction forms and sculpts poured concrete Wednesday at what will become the Crestwood subdivision in North Rome on the North Broad Street Extension.

Housing developments in Floyd County, planned and proposed, are springing up at a rapid pace after years of a scarcity of available residences in an affordable price range.

Farthest along is the Crestwood subdivision across from the North Point subdivision on the North Broad Street Extension. The development, being built by Smith Douglas Homes, is marketed as starting in the high 100s.

John Bailey Bell dump trucks move dirt from areas of what will be the Crestwood subdivision on Wednesday morning. The 67-home subdivision will be located across the North Broad Street Extension from the North Point subdivision.

The project was originally designed as a 67-home subdivision but it may increase to nearly 100 homes after a nearby property acquisition.

Smith Douglas Homes, a major national residential homebuilder, has become a significant player in the construction of single-family homes in Rome and Floyd County over the past five years.

Another project expected to begin this year is on West Third Street. The plan, pitched by Four Stones Real Estate Impact, is for a 15,000-square-foot event plaza with artisan retail space followed by work on building 300 apartments next to the Courtyard Rome Riverwalk.

Contributed An artists rendering shows the area of Romes River District that would be transformed by an FSRE IMPACT Rome River District, LLC development.

At the Rome City Commissions Oct. 25 meeting, theyre expected to vote on two large housing developments  one in Rome and the other in Silver Creek.

The Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a proposed residential and commercial mixed used development on Martha Berry Boulevard and North Fifth Avenue.

John Bailey The Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a proposed residential and commercial mixed-used development by Atlanta-based 33 Holdings on Martha Berry Boulevard and North Fifth Avenue.

The development by Atlanta-based 33 Holdings, dubbed The Point, would cover nine parcels extending from the point of Martha Berry and North Fifth down to West 11th Street.

The plan calls for four levels of apartments with parking below, alongside a row of storefronts on North Fifth Avenue.

The idea is to take the blighted corridor and add housing for a growing population of healthcare workers who serve nearby Floyd Medical Center, Harbin Clinic and AdventHealth Redmond, the companys chief acquisitions officer, Corey Oldknow, told the planning commission on Tuesday.

Contributed The Point, a proposed development on Martha Berry Boulevard and North Fifth Avenue, would have retail space as well as over 200 apartments.

Plans for a massive development in Silver Creek called Pleasant Valley Preserve met with staunch resistance by nearby residents at the planning commission hearing.

JTG Holdings is seeking to put 1,018 single-family homes on 264 undeveloped acres off Pleasant Valley Road north of the Silver Creek community. Its roughly bounded by Hampton Boulevard to the north, Tom Bing Road to the west and Boyd Valley Road to the east.

A JTG representative at the meeting said they planned to have the first homes built and ready within two years, with the entire development completed in a 5- to 7-year timeframe.

Andrew Bishop, the acquisition manager for JTG Holdings, said they have a traffic study in progress that should be completed prior to the City Commission hearing.

The Pleasant Valley Preserve housing development isnt the only one to face resident opposition. In May the City Commission nixed plans for an upscale 36-unit apartment complex on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Gibbons Street.

Regional developments in the works

A Bartow County proposal for Ladds River Landing off Euharlee Road near the intersection of Ga. 113 was filed this week by Epic Homes Georgia based in Dawsonville. That plan calls for 688 homes west of Cartersville, just north of the Cartersville airport.

The area near the Georgia Highlands College campus in Cartersville also is booming in regards to residential development.

McShane Construction has begun work on Authentix Cartersville for client Continental Properties at 5000 Canton Highway. The 25-acre multifamily development will offer 240 units. Also, South & Twenty is seeking bids to construct a 288-unit apartment complex in seven garden style buildings adjacent to the Clarence Brown Conference Center.

In Gordon County, Adairsville-based Seven Lights Investments LLC is proposing a residential community comprised of 360 single-family homes and 165 townhomes.

Various stages of actualization

Several ideas for home developments have been discussed, but remain in the discussion phase.

A Development of Regional Impact filing from Atlanta-based Fall Leaf Residential is under review by the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission. The proposal is for 1,241 townhomes and apartments as well as commercial development on the corner of U.S. 411 and the Loop.

Once reviewed, the proposal would go before the Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission.

Also, Jay Barksdale and Andy Cash, who bought the McHenry School property for $435,000 at an auction in July, are looking to convert that building into one- and two-bedroom rental apartments.

Olivia Morley McHenry Primary School was closed in 2019 and recently auctioned off. Jay Barksdale, the high bidder at $435,000, plans to convert the building into apartments.

After the auction Barksdale said this is a low-income area and we think it needs to be changed over and revitalized.

Heres where we delve into the realm of speculation.

Theres been talk about plans for housing near the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College.

Theres also been word that investor Bob Grigsby, who has had a hand in the Four Stones development in the River District, is considering apartments near State Mutual Stadium.

That site was laid out with the idea of a community build out but still has empty space even after the RiverPoint Apartments and Lumina Coffee Co. joined Bella Roma.
Samsung's smaller foldable smartphone supposedly still has some durability issues which sometimes cause the thin and flexible glass to break for no apparent reason. But not just the display glass itself, but also the OLED panel underneath stopped working shortly after the inexplicable defect.

4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Human 2.0 , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker

Samsung may currently be the most notable heavyweight in the foldable smartphone segment. A few weeks ago, the South Korean company released the third iteration of its line of small foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and celebrated impressive retail numbers in its home country.

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (from US$924 on Amazon) successfully passed our comprehensive review procedure here at Notebookcheck and received a decent rating of 86%, other reviewers unfortunately come to a different conclusion. Ben Schoon from 9to5google recently published his review in which he claims that the display glass of his Galaxy Z Flip 3 surprisingly cracked after he did not use the foldable smartphone for several days, which also means that the device was not opened and closed an unreasonable number of times.

Therefore he could not find a reasonable explanation for why the display of his Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 broke. After only the glass surface was initially affected, the OLED panel underneath also failed shortly after that. This review certainly highlights the unfortunate durability issues that these early generations of foldables are apparently still plagued by, even though it remains unclear how widespread this defect is since the device made it through most reviews without breaking its screen glass.
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
John Stevenson and Amber Bromley are pictured with their son John Haddock Stevenson, 8. They recently protected their 422-acre farm in a conservation easement, along with a portion of the Fishers Hill Battlefield.
"He was a visionary who had a place in his heart for this area," Dernulc said. "He really tried to make it a better place."

VanDyke founded Precision Construction as a residential and commercial contractor in 1985. The company has gone on to build or renovate luxury houses, student dorms, shopping centers, offices, medical facilities, hotels, churches and commercial buildings.

"He built some of the premier houses in this area," Dernulc said. "His homes were always of good quality. They always had a good look. Upscale housing was his niche."

Town of Chesterton spokesman Kevin Nevers said an accident that later proved fatal took place at the intersection of Tremont Road and East Oakhill Road at about 2 p.m. Saturday. Chesterton police believe the motorcyclist was headed northbound on Ind. 49 whenfor reasons that remain uncertainthe rider laid down his bike, Nevers said.

The Porter Fire Department responded at 2:04 p.m. Saturday and cleared the scene at 3 p.m.

VanDyke was a fighter all his life but was overwhelmed by the injuries he suffered in the crash, Dernulc said.

The cause and manner of death were not immediately available.
GARY  A council president is moving to sue Gary Mayor Jerome Prince regarding personnel titles and salary changes that took place earlier this year.

Gary Common Council President William Godwin filed a petition on Friday with Lake Superior Court to have the case be heard by all of the Lake County judges, also known as "En Banc Determination."

The case, Godwin vs. Prince, takes issue with Prince's move in March 2021 to "effectively dissolve" the chief of staff position by decreasing the salary position from $98,000 a year to zero and increasing the deputy mayor position from zero to $98,000 a year," the document states.

Godwin alleged that the actions were taken without consulting the Gary Common Council and receiving their consent, claiming Prince is allowed to decrease the chief of staff salary but he cannot increase the deputy mayor's salary.

In the petition, Godwin requested that the judges hear the case to decide whether Prince's action was contrary to the Indiana code.

Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain said the city's policy is to not comment on pending litigation.
CROWN POINT  A Michigan City man pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge in a shooting last spring in Merrillville that killed a former Griffith basketball player and wounded a second person.

Leonard G. Young, 20, admitted to reckless homicide and battery by means of a deadly weapon, both level 5 felonies.

If Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas accepts Young's plea agreement, Young could face one to 12 years in prison.

If Young had gone to trial and been convicted of murder, he could have faced 45 to 65 years in prison.

Young admitted in his plea agreement he recklessly fired a handgun about 12:15 a.m. March 15 after a fist fight in a parking lot at Merrillville High School.

Young shot 18-year-old Tyree Riley in the chest as Riley rode in a car leaving the parking lot, records state. The 19-year-old driver of that car suffered a graze wound to his head.

Before the shooting, Riley and a Michigan City man agreed to meet at Merrillville High School for a fist fight, records state.
Chronic exposure to negativity can have a great effect on an officer, he said.

"It literally changes your brain and your wiring. You have to, otherwise you won't last," he said. "At the end of your career, you start to think everyone's lying to you. No one's being honest with you."

It may be a corny metaphor, but Stombaugh likens it to a closet: "I can't deal with this right now, so I'll just throw it in the closet. ... After 30 years, you retire and you open this closet and it all falls on you."

"I think everybody knows that to do this job, you have to unpack some things," he said.

Looking out for each other

Though Hammond hasn't lost any officers to suicide in recent years, it's a serious concern for the profession.

According to statistics compiled by Blue H.E.L.P., 108 officers in the United States have died by suicide in 2021.

"The statistics are crazy," Stombaugh said. "We're finishing our careers, and we don't live real long afterward. We don't have these long, wonderful personal lives after policing is over, so that's a big problem."

The Officer Wellness and Support Division relies on officers to look out for each other.
Joaquin Jara, Jennifer's husband, called the run/walk a day for family, friends, love, and those who arent here. His wife noted that society expects women to move on after the miscarriage or stillbirth.

That baby existed. It was real. It should be talked about, Jennifer said. Women should know theyre not alone.

According to Mayo Clinic, an estimated 10-20% of pregnancies are known to end in miscarriage. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists further reports that 50-75% of all miscarriages may be chemical pregnancies, occurring early in pregnancy, often before a woman realizes shes pregnant.

Jennifer Jara said attendance at the run/walk is a testament to families that have lost babies.

Our hashtag is #breakthesilence, Jara said. Dont act like this didnt happen.

For women during their childbearing years, the chances of having a miscarriage range from 10 to 25%, and for most healthy women, the average is about a 15-20% chance, reports AmericanPregnancy.org. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that stillbirths affect about 1% of all pregnancies, and each year about 24,000 babies are stillborn in the U.S.
Their previous insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act marketplace would have restricted them to Indiana providers, which would have meant sending Haven to Riley Childrens Hospital in Indianapolis. A year ago, they switched to a different plan recommended by their agent. Later, they found out that plan has limited benefits.

The insurance company said prior to the flight that they wanted 14 days notice for prior authorization. But the flight was an emergency, Laura said, so they had to sign a waiver indicating Tim and Laura would be on the hook for whatever insurance wouldnt pay.

Its a shame that people have to crowd source to pay their medical bills, Laura said.

Shanna Schweitzer and Jessica Tanses, owners of S&J Real Estate, and their office manager, Amber Miller, decided in May to do Saturdays fundraiser.

We didnt have to beg, Tanses said. Benefactors were asking if they could donate.

People were just outpouring with love, Miller said.

Tim and Laura are accustomed to helping nonprofits. They would gladly have helped the S&J team, all of whom have young children, if the roles were reversed, Tanses said.
NEW BUFFALO, Mich.  The City Council has unanimously approved first reading of an ordinance prohibiting more vacation rental homes in all three of the city's residential districts.

The measure does, however, call for the possibility of adding more short-term rentals beginning late next year when the city determines if there is sufficient space for them.

The decision comes after the citys Planning Commission on Sept. 21 said it needed more information on the matter and recommended a cap not be imposed.

A final council vote is expected at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 18.

The friction between opponents and supporters came to a head last week when homeowner Laura Murray was escorted out of the meeting by police during a 45-minute comment period.

Mayor John Humphrey warned Murray, a full-time Chicago resident, to stop what he called personal attacks. When she persisted, he ordered her removed from City Hall.

The perception that has been created is that of a power-hungry mayor whose personal vendetta against short-term rentals has clouded his judgement and is endangering the future of the town, she said.
Going back to the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, the party of first-term presidents gained seats in House midterm congressional elections only twice.

Karl Rove reminded readers a few months ago in his Wall Street Journal column that, since World War II, the average loss of House seats of the party of each first-term president in congressional midterms is 28.

The largest loss was 63 in the first midterm elections in Barack Obama's first term. This was after Democrats rammed through the Affordable Care Act without a single Republican vote.

Given that Republicans need to pick up only five seats in 2022 to regain control of the House, Democrats who retain any sense of reality are concerned by the political atmospherics being created by their $3.5 trillion welfare state/Green New Deal spending blowout.

But the very idea of something called "reality" is now politically incorrect in today's woke-dominated Democratic Party.

The sway of Democrat "moderates"  that is, those not entirely detached from reality, such as Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema and Rep. Josh Gottheimer  is in question now that the on-again, off-again vote on the trillion-dollar infrastructure bill, independent of the $3.5 trillion welfare state blowout, is now off-again.
Time is running out for South Koreas President Moon Jae-in.

He has barely more than half a year to leave a legacy as the leader responsible for bringing permanent peace at last to Korea, North and South. He would like nothing better than to step down in May, at the end of his five-year term, with his name inscribed on a declaration co-signed by North Koreas Kim Jong-un and President Joe Biden or by their negotiators declaring a formal end to the Korean War.

There was an air of desperation in the manner in which Moon advanced the notion of an end-of-war declaration at the United Nations General Assembly. It was as though he were looking for any old argument though its now plain such a declaration would be worse than useless. In his anxiety to sound convincing, Moon presented the same shallow, meaningless arguments that weve been hearing for years.

Its difficult to know what Moon was thinking when he said the end-of-war agreement would mark a pivotal point of departure in creating a new order of reconciliation and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula. And who would believe his claim that Korean War enemies, by proclaiming an end to the war, could then make irreversible progress in denuclearization and usher in an era of complete peace.
The deadline to either continue working to extradite Mr. Assange by filing the brief or drop the matter reflects a common legal policy dilemma when a new administration takes over and confronts matters inherited from its predecessor. Newly installed officials face too many issues to make careful decisions on all at once, so some get punted.

But litigation calendars can force early decisions about whether to proceed or shift direction in some cases. It is often easier to stay the course, based on an argument that the issue can be revisited later when there is more time. But once the new administration has started down that path, it owns the policy as a matter of political and bureaucratic reality and so can effectively get locked in.

Complicating matters for making any decision to keep or jettison the Trump-era policy to go after Mr. Assange with criminal charges, the Biden administrations intended leadership team is not yet in place at the Justice Department. The Senate has yet to confirm Mr. Bidens nominee to be attorney general, Judge Merrick B. Garland.

In the meantime, the department is being temporarily led by a caretaker career official, Monty Wilkinson, the acting attorney general to whom the letter was addressed.

After Mr. Assange published the documents provided by Ms. Manning in 2010, the Obama administration engaged in extensive deliberations under Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. over whether to prosecute Mr. Assange but never charged him with a crime.

By contrast, Ms. Manning, a low-level Army intelligence analyst who downloaded the archives of documents and sent them to WikiLeaks, was convicted at a court-martial trial in 2013 of leaking the documents and sentenced to 35 years in prison. President Barack Obama commuted most of the remainder of her sentence in 2017.

But law enforcement officials under Mr. Obama shied away from bringing charges against Mr. Assange. They feared that there was no legally meaningful way to distinguish his actions from those of conventional investigative national-security journalism as practiced by mainstream news organizations like The New York Times. The Obama team did not want to create a precedent that could chill or cripple traditional journalism, according to people familiar with its deliberations.
But this is the paradox of the Maldives. Tourism accounts for a quarter of the South Asian nations gross domestic product according to the World Bank, and fuels the Maldives other economic drivers, such as construction (there is always a resort being built) and fisheries (the catch of the day, forever on the menu). To generate the kind of revenue that would help bolster its infrastructure, the Maldives needs foreign investment. We are determined to stay a leading destination, Abdulla Mausoom, the Maldives minister of tourism, said in an interview recently. We are determined to diversify tourism so that we have something for everyone in the Maldives, not only for the super rich.

Mr. Mausoom has come up with a variety of methods to lure tourists back, including offering free Covid-19 vaccines to travelers who have not yet received them. But he said that the plan, announced in April, will not go into effect until all Maldivian residents are fully vaccinated: maybe late third quarter, or early fourth. For anyone who can get vaccinated closer to home, the offer is little more than a publicity stunt, though on a May trip to the Maldives, I met fellow travelers who had crossed borders to get inoculated.

Many others, like me and my husband, were fully vaccinated, eager to get out into the world and bent on seeing a bucket list place that, given rising sea levels, may not be around for much longer. (More than 80 percent of the islands that make up the Maldives are less than one meter above sea level; it has the lowest terrain of any country in the world.)

We came expecting white sand beaches and crystal clear water. We got that  as well as three days of torrential rain and 25-mile-per-hour winds (which, when youre on a strip of land maybe 12 feet wide, feel powerful enough to blow you away). But beyond the natural beauty, what stood out was the culture: the local culture, the Y.O.L.O. culture, the staff who let you in on their inside jokes and the vacation friends who give you their numbers and make you promise to look them up when you touch down in their part of the world. Maybe you can find this kind of exuberance wherever masks are coming off and people are gathering again. But to paraphrase the kids: In the Maldives, it hits different.
United Nations membership affords a countrys government the opportunity to speak and be heard not only in the General Assembly but to participate in a range of other U.N. agencies like the World Health Organization and Human Rights Council. So the credentialing of a countrys ambassador to speak on its behalf is enormously important.

How does credentialing work?

Verifying who represents each country at the United Nations falls to the Credentials Committee, a nine-member group appointed at the beginning of each years General Assembly. Its work is normally routine, checking each envoys bona fides to ensure compliance with procedural rules.

The process gets more complicated when the legitimacy of the envoys government is at issue, and disputes sometimes are referred to the General Assembly.

It seems this years Credentials Committee will be called upon to consider not just one, but two, questions of government legitimacy, Rebecca Barber, an Australian research fellow at the University of Queensland, wrote in the Blog of the European Journal of International Law.

How quickly the committee will make decisions remains unknown  it could be weeks or months. But many diplomats and U.N. experts expect that for now, the committee will defer any decisions concerning Myanmar and Afghanistan, leaving in place the Myanmar ambassador, U Kyaw Moe Tun, and the Afghan envoy, Ghulam M. Isaczai, both of whom were chosen by now deposed governments.
When selecting colors during the design process, Van Dusen uses an artists color wheel and a healthy dose of intuition to hit on combinations of shades that will make each sing. On the design end it can be an endless sea of revision, she says. Im constantly tweaking until I feel like its finalized, but sometimes I have an idea and it just works right away.

Her playful, contrast-heavy approach stands out in a design landscape characterized by social-media mood boards full of muted, monochromatic minimalism, which may be one reason Van Dusens pieces have become cult favorites among celebrities like Lena Dunham, Tavi Gevinson and Jessica Williams. But her wares appeal has also gone thoroughly mainstream, as evidenced by her recent collaborations with large-scale retailers: with the furniture brand Dims on a wood chair; with the luggage and travel-accessories maker Arlo Skye on a suitcase collection; and with Uniqlo and Keds on apparel.
The vaccination rate among home health workers in New York as a deadline arrived on Thursday for them to get Covid shots was about 86 percent, exceeding the expectations of some union and industry leaders and suggesting thousands may have made a last-minute decision to be inoculated, according to preliminary state data.

But the states survey of agencies providing home health care also showed that at least 34,000 workers appeared to have missed the deadline to get vaccinated under the new state mandate, rendering them unable to work and deepening a labor shortage in the industry.

Some industry leaders had predicted that as few as 70 percent of workers were likely to be vaccinated before the deadline, and the higher-than-expected rate suggested some workers may have chosen to be immunized to save their jobs.

Faced with a similar cutoff the previous week, hospital and nursing home staff in New York accepted the shot in greater numbers than home health aides, who typically make just above minimum wage. About 92 percent of hospital and nursing home workers had received at least one shot when their deadline arrived on Sept. 27.
Raymond T. Odierno, a four-star Army general who was an influential architect of the surge of American forces during the Iraq war that helped quell sectarian killings and increase stability in the country, died on Friday. He was 67.

His death was confirmed by a spokesperson for the family, who said in a statement issued by the Army on Saturday that the cause was cancer and was not related to the coronavirus. Further details were not immediately available.

General Odierno also served as the Army chief of staff, the services senior officer, from 2011 to 2015. During that time, he reshaped the way many soldiers were trained and deployed, with some conventional units placed under Special Operations commanders and others assigned to regions of the world viewed as emerging security risks, like Africa.

We can think of no person who better encapsulated that basic creed of duty, honor, country than General Ray Odierno, President Biden said in a statement. He made our entire nation better, stronger, and more secure.
Family policy isnt the only issue in the reconciliation wrangling, but its an important one, and Manchin has articulated what would have been Republican points in a bipartisan negotiation  that the progressive vision spends too much money, and that its a mistake to subsidize parents who dont work at all. Meanwhile progressives are attacking Manchin the way they would have attacked a family policy deal brokered by (say) Marco Rubio and Kyrsten Sinema: Bidens Women-Focused Economic Agenda Is Getting Destroyed by Joe Manchin ran a recent headline in Mother Jones.

If this is basically whats happening  a negotiation between center-right and center-left, with the center-right embodied by a Democrat  what would a reasonable family policy compromise look like? As a matter of what polls best, one possibility is suggested by David Shor and Simon Bazelon, writing for the squishy-moderate newsletter Slow Boring: They find that means-testing the child tax credit makes it more popular, so you could imagine a compromise that made family policy cheaper by making sure the benefits flow mostly to the poor and lower middle class.

Unfortunately I think that as a matter of policy the optimal deal is somewhat different. Thats because Im a noted birthrate obsessive, concerned that Americas fertility collapse will depress our economy and darken our society for generations to come. But if Im right to worry about this future (spoiler: I am right), then finding the least expensive family policy deal is a mistake, since the best evidence suggests that increasing family formation meaningfully doesnt come cheap.

Instead the best family policy deal would give progressives more of the money they want to spend, and give conservative ideas more influence over the way that money is spent. For instance, conservatives tend to argue that direct spending on child care discriminates against stay-at-home parents, as well as those parents who prefer to use relatives as caregivers. Theyre right: To the extent that Manchin is asking his party to choose between its different policy ideas, they should choose the spending that goes to parents rather than to programs.

Conservatives also tend to worry, reasonably, about how the incentives of welfare spending can discourage marriage, if benefits drop when couples tie the knot. Right now, the reconciliation bill would create a sharper marriage penalty than existing law, which any compromise should fix.
This is a problem throughout the United States, that this is not defined, she said. There has to be something that can be done to correct this, to ensure that future jurors can more efficiently do the job they need to do.

Many states in America lack definitions of consent in their criminal laws governing sexual assault. Of those that do, some characterize consent as the absence of an objection  that if you didnt somehow physically or verbally communicate no, and were not unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, then you consented.

Activists like Ms. Carmel believe that laws should require a yes signal to establish consent.

Efforts are now underway to add or refine a definition of consent in several states, such as New York, Vermont and Utah. They are an outgrowth, experts say, of a #MeToo era reckoning that has already led to initiatives  some more successful than others  to extend or eliminate statutes of limitations in sexual assault cases and to restrict nondisclosure agreements that can silence victims in sexual harassment lawsuits.

We are in a moment of flux where we are seeing an effort to catch criminal law up to the current cultural understanding of consent, said Deborah Tuerkheimer, a former prosecutor who teaches at Northwestern University and is an expert on laws regarding sexual assault.

Many of those advocating change say the laws should clearly define consent to mean a positive, unequivocal yes, an agreement that is indicated verbally or through some other action that is freely given and informed. By this definition, someone who assented to sex but was being coerced, or deceived, could not have actually consented.
After his military service, he entered the Institute of Design in Chicago, an industrial design school founded by a former Bauhaus professor, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy; it was otherwise known as the new or American Bauhaus, which is to say it was dedicated to promoting good design in everyday objects.

After graduating in 1950, he spent the summer sketching in Europe. He showed up at the Knoll offices in New York City, without an appointment, and was hired on the spot by Florence Knoll on the strength of those sketches.

His wife-to-be, Trudy Busch, was working in the planning department, and they married in 1953. As his son Peter recalled, Mr. Schultz wasnt much of an office guy, and so Ms. Knoll sent him to Pennsylvania, where the Knoll factory was, to work with Harry Bertoia.

Mr. Schultz marveled at Mr. Bertoias process, which was to design from the materials he was working with, rather than from a sketch or a model. To create what would become the Diamond chair, Mr. Bertoia fashioned a rough platform to sit on and then sculpted forms out of wire around him, refining as he went. It was Mr. Schultzs job to help him make the chair work. (They used the rubber shock gaskets found in car engines, for example, to anchor the seat to the chair frame.)

Form follows technique is more of a governing idea than form follows function, Mr. Schulz wrote, noting the Bauhaus tenet. If comfort is a given, then what controls form is the choice of materials and technique.
NEWARK, New Jersey  Since becoming the music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2016, the dynamic conductor Xian Zhang has worked steadily to reflect diversity and inclusion through the institutions programming, outreach initiatives and guest artists. This was crucial in a city where a majority of residents were Black and Latino; it also spoke to Zhangs own experience as one of a small number of Asian female conductors leading major ensembles. These priorities were in evidence on Friday when, 557 days after its last full orchestra concert (because of the pandemic), the New Jersey Symphony opened its new season at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on a balmy night in Newark.

The program opened with the premiere of Michael Abelss Emerge. Best known for his scores for the contemporary horror films Get Out and Us, Abels describes this eight-minute piece as suggesting a group of highly trained musicians getting back together after a long break, a scenario that speaks to the moment.

It begins with an evocation of an orchestra tuning up. We hear the oboe playing a single pitch of A, which the other instruments pick up on. Soon the various players break off into short three-note melodic bits, quivering strings, fidgety rhythms and sustained sonorities that keep swelling and diminishing. During one episode the players seem almost to be in free-for-all, somewhat reminiscent of the way many orchestras warm up on the stage as the audience drifts in, creating a borderline-annoying mass of sounds. But the music here becomes as a restless aural collage pierced with flinty dissonance. Soon various players take off in bluesy solos, or engage in fleeting bits of counterpoint. Finally, the musicians team up in passages of mellow lyricism, skittish bursts, manic scales, all leading to a brassy, celebratory coda.
Singapores uncertain reopening

Vaccines were supposed to be the city-states ticket back to normalcy. But even with an 83 percent vaccination rate, Singapore is not opening up.

Instead, the government reinstated restrictions and urged people to work from home. For many residents, there was a feeling of whiplash and nagging questions about what it would take to reopen if vaccines were not enough.

But even though nearly all infections, 98.4 percent, present mild or no symptoms, the country is unaccustomed to large outbreaks. Its a sobering case study for nations like New Zealand and Australia that are trying to transition from a zero-Covid strategy.

Background: Singapores initial handling of the coronavirus was widely considered a success. It closed its borders, tested and traced aggressively and was one of the first countries in Asia to order vaccines.
One day before No Time to Die started playing in American theaters on Friday, Bollinger, James Bonds Champagne of choice, held a pre-screening bash at a swanky theater in New Yorks South Street Seaport. V.I.P.s in sequined dresses and tuxedos posed for photos on the red carpet, ate caviar and drank a limited edition wine dedicated to 007  both during the movie and for hours afterward.

If the scene felt familiar to some attendees, that is because it was. It is very strange, said Alexander Michas, president and chief operating officer at Vintus, Bollingers New York importer. It is a bit like Groundhog Day. After all, two years ago, ahead of the original spring 2020 release date of No Time to Die, Bollinger participated in a similar bash. The James Bond signs, the guest list, even the attire were similar; some attendees wore the same outfit to both parties.

For Bollinger, a small, family-owned Champagne house, the Bond connection is invaluable.

It helps people understand what Bollinger represents, Mr. Michas said. Why would James Bond drink Bollinger? Because its the best. Everything he does is the best.

We see sales go up when a Bond movie comes out, he added. Globally, Mr. Michas said, he had heard estimates of around a 20 percent increase in sales around a films opening.
Some school officials have frowned upon these guerrilla air-monitoring efforts, but parents say the devices have armed them with data to advocate for their children.

Its possible that the school district may not be all that happy with this because I think it gives us a window into the fact that they may not actually be treating ventilation as seriously as they should be, Dr. Huffman said.

A window into indoor air

The coronavirus spreads through tiny, airborne droplets known as aerosols. Improving indoor ventilation reduces the concentration of these aerosols and the risk of infection in an indoor space, but there is no easy way for members of the public to measure the ventilation rate  let alone the accumulation of viral aerosols  in shared spaces.

Ideally thered be some machine that cost $100 and it starts beeping if the virus is in the air, said Jose-Luis Jimenez, an aerosol scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, who is sending a carbon dioxide monitor to school with his son. But in the absence of such a device, he said, CO2 is something that provides an affordable and very meaningful shortcut.

Every time we exhale, we expel not just aerosols but also carbon dioxide; the worse the ventilation, the more carbon dioxide builds up in an occupied room.

If we see the CO2 rising, then that also implies that the concentration of aerosols are rising, Dr. Huffman said. Even just bringing sensor for a day or two can give you a really interesting and useful window into the world of the ventilation of that space.

Jeanne Norris, who lives in the St. Louis area, said that she bought her monitor after losing confidence in officials in her sons school district.
A passenger whose erratic behavior prompted pilots to make an emergency landing at La Guardia Airport on Saturday afternoon was not charged after the authorities determined that he did not make a verbal threat and was not carrying a suspicious item, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.

The man, who was not identified by the Port Authority Police Department, was briefly detained and questioned by the authorities, including the F.B.I., and then released, the spokesman, Thomas Topousis, said on Sunday.

The Port Authority Police Department determined there was no criminality, Mr. Topousis said in a statement on Sunday.

Shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday, a pilot of the plane, which was a Republic Airways aircraft operating as American Flight 4817, told workers at a control tower at La Guardia Airport that he was declaring an emergency, according to a recording posted on LiveATC.net.
When a small community hospital in New Jersey was overrun with Covid patients, a cancer nurse dutifully showed up for work every night.

On Friday, with the worst days of the pandemic over, the nurse, Maria Ambrocio, 58, visited Times Square with a friend. But their outing turned tragic when she was knocked to the ground by a man who had snatched a cellphone and was running away, the police and officials at the Consulate General of the Philippines said.

Ms. Ambrocio, of Bayonne, N.J., was taken to Bellevue Hospital with a traumatic brain injury and died after she was taken off life support on Saturday.

After she fell to the ground, the suspect, Jermaine Foster, 26, crashed into a police officer who arrested him, the police said. He was ordered held in jail on charges of murder and robbery on Sunday, according to the police and court records.
Mr. Musharraf publicly pardoned Dr. Khan, who was suspected of personally profiting from his dealings. But he said the nations leading nuclear scientist would spend the rest of his days under house arrest. In the 2010 television interview, Dr. Khan, looking like a typical retiree, wearing sandals and seated cross-legged on a sidewalk, denied involvement in nuclear proliferation, and said that neither he nor his family had engaged in corruption. He expressed bitterness at his treatment by the Pakistani state, especially Mr. Musharraf.

I am not unhappy with the people of Pakistan. But I am not happy with the hypocrite rulers, Dr. Khan said. Later, he added: The regret is about working for this nation. Sometimes I think I should have focused elsewhere. I should have pursued education, I should have become a professor. I had a lot of offers.

Abdul Qadeer Khan was born in Bhopal, India, in either 1935 or 1936; the date is uncertain. After the partition of India in 1947, he was raised in Pakistan, the largely Muslim nation created by the division. He studied the science and technology of metals, and did graduate work in Germany.

In 1974, he was working in Amsterdam at a company that enriched uranium for a European consortium of nuclear-engineering firms. That same year, India tested its first nuclear weapon.

When India conducted its nuclear explosions in 1974 and I felt that Pakistans security is in danger, I left everything and came back here, Dr. Khan said.

He returned to Pakistan with two sets of blueprints for building centrifuges to enrich uranium. According to a later investigation by the Dutch government, those were the first of a series of nuclear-weapons designs and technologies that Dr. Khan purloined from abroad.
In many ways, the decision to terminate a pregnancy is not unlike the decision to go through transition: It is a fundamentally private choice that can be made only by the individual in question  a person who alone knows the truth of their heart, who alone can understand what the consequences of their choices will be in the years to come.

Mara Keisling, former head of the National Center for Transgender Equality, told me this week that  along with the Veterans Health Administration  Planned Parenthood is one of the top providers for trans peoples health care nationwide. So when conservatives talk about defunding Planned Parenthood, ostensibly because of the abortion services it offers, theyre also talking about denying a major resource for the well being of trans people.

When I read about the seemingly endless efforts to deny people the kind of care they get at these clinics, I wonder what is actually motivating them, at their core. Are anti-abortion activists really driven by a concern for the unborn? Is anti-trans sentiment really driven by an understanding of the complex science behind gender variance?

Or is it, as I suspect, a fear of difference, a fear of women, or a fear of sex itself?

It may also be a fear of nonconformity and difference. A direct consequence of this fear is the harrowing experiences pregnant men and nonbinary people can have in seeking health care. Nick Lloyd, a nonbinary trans person, has described the lack of gender-inclusive language when they tried to get an abortion as dehumanizing. But being different doesnt mean that an individual is less deserving of respectful reproductive services  including abortion  than anyone else.

Being different simply means that you are human. The only constant in our experience of sex and gender is variation.

To be sure, the trans rights movement isnt embraced by all feminists. Over the last decade, a fringe movement of feminists has grown in Britain and the United States, resisting the call for trans rights, claiming that only cisgender women are women. You can call them gender critical feminists; some go further and call them TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) or simply people whose hearts  like the Grinchs  are two sizes too small.

Regardless, the current moment demands that trans women take their rightful place in American feminism. In this fight, everyone believing in the right of all people to control their own bodies ought to be on the same side. Is it so impossible to suggest that we all might look out for one another?
Despite the wide availability of Covid-19 vaccines, not all Halloween parades have been safe from virus-related cancellations this year.

In Westchester County, N.Y., for example, the Tarrytown Halloween Parade was canceled out of concern, the organizers said, for our most precious attendees, our children, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccines. And in nearby Rockland County, Nyacks Halloween parade was canceled, too. The National Zoo also canceled its popular Boo at the Zoo because it didnt feel it could keep visitors or animals safe from the virus.

But Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nations top infectious disease doctor, came to the defense of the mask-friendly holiday during a CNN interview on Sunday, saying that outdoor trick-or-treating was perfectly safe.

Its a good time to reflect on why its important to get vaccinated, he said, urging those who were eligible for coronavirus shots to get them before Halloween to protect themselves and their children. But go out there and enjoy Halloween.
SAN FRANCISCO  At a question-and-answer session with employees last week, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, was asked about Frances Haugen, a former product manager turned whistle-blower who had testified to Congress about the companys harms.

Mr. Zuckerberg spent about 20 minutes discussing the whistle-blower, her testimony and recent media coverage, all without mentioning Ms. Haugen by name, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by The New York Times. Some of her assertions on how the platform polarizes people, he told employees, were pretty easy to debunk.

The chief executives comments were part of an internal effort that Facebook has begun to manage the fallout from Ms. Haugens revelations. Even as Facebook executives have publicly questioned Ms. Haugens credibility and called her accusations untrue, they have been equally active with their internal positioning as they try to hang on to the good will of more than 63,000 workers and assuage their concerns about the whistle-blower.

To counter Ms. Haugens claims  which were backed by internal documents that showed Facebooks services hurt some childrens self-esteem and abetted human trafficking  executives have conducted live internal events with employees, held emergency briefing sessions and sent numerous memos, according to some of the memos obtained by The Times and interviews with about a dozen current and former employees. Company officials have also provided information on how employees should respond when they are asked questions about recent events by friends and family, according to one memo.
The kind of conspiracies we saw in the past were real but they do not exist about these vaccines.

THE REV. DR. CALVIN O. BUTTS III, the pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, who has used his pulpit to urge Black residents in New York to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
In the early days of the pandemic, a cruise ship that would become one of the bellwethers of the outbreak, the Grand Princess, docked in the Bay Area carrying dozens of infected passengers. It was one of the last cruise ships in the world to operate before the coronavirus caused a global shutdown.

Now, a year and a half later, cruise ships will once again embark and disembark at the Port of San Francisco.

On Monday, the Majestic Princess, which set off from the Port of Los Angeles, will be the first to dock in the Bay Area since the Grand Princesss disastrous journey in March 2020.

London Breed, the mayor of San Francisco, said in a statement that she was excited to welcome cruises back to our port, and visitors back to our city.
An F.B.I. affidavit described the Toebbes as employing somewhat sophisticated encryption methods but extremely sloppy practices as they communicated with who they thought were representatives of a foreign power but turned out to be F.B.I. agents. They insisted on careful use of cryptocurrency and encrypted their messages, but they were lured into depositing the information, usually on small digital cards, at sites where they could be easily observed.

Mr. Toebbe has worked for the military as a civilian since 2017. He was commissioned in the Navy and rose to the rank of lieutenant before moving to the Navy Reserve, which he left in December 2020  the month the F.B.I. began contacting him.

According to court documents, he has worked on naval nuclear propulsion since 2012, including on technology devised to reduce the noise and vibration of submarines, factors that can give away their location. There is not much more detail in public Navy records. He worked on naval reactors in Arlington, Va., from 2012 to 2014. He then was a student at naval reactor school in Pittsburgh before returning to Arlington to work on reactors again.

The classified material in question included designs that could be useful to many countries building submarines. In the Australia deal, the United States and Britain would help the country to deploy nuclear-powered submarines, which are equipped with nuclear propulsion systems that offer limitless range and, under some circumstances, can run very quietly so that they are hard to detect.

Nuclear propulsion is among the most closely held information by the U.S. Navy, in part because the reactors are fueled by highly enriched uranium, which can also be converted to bomb fuel for nuclear weapons. Building compact, safe naval reactors is also a difficult engineering task. Until the deal with Australia, the United States had shared the technology with only Britain, starting in 1958.
With all of this in mind, she agonized over every word of the letter she wrote on June 5, 2020.

When I say Black Lives Matter, it is not meant to disparage any other race, she wrote. It is an acknowledgment of the disparate brutality and overt racism that is only experienced by Black people in America, including me.

A Spark Spreads on Facebook

Dr. Kanes inbox swelled in the days that followed, overwhelmingly with responses of gratitude and support. But a month later, an email appeared with the subject line Urgent Attention Required.

Dr. Kane recognized the name of the parent who had sent it: Gordana Schifanelli. A few weeks before, someone had alerted the superintendent to Kent Island Patriots, a new Facebook group that Ms. Schifanelli had created, its name a reference to a part of the county. Members of the group had been raging about her letter.

In a June 16 post to the group, according to a screenshot provided to The New York Times, Ms. Schifanelli declared: Dr. Kane in QAC needs to end her contract and go! People in this group must call and make it loud and clear that the school must remain apolitical and her letter to parents promoting Black Lives Matter is not going to be tolerated.

The post went on: The children must know that those individuals who died in police custody were criminals  not heroes! Our children will not be indoctrinated by anyones political opinion in the school and our children must NEVER feel that their white skin color make them guilty of slavery or racism!

By the time Ms. Schifanelli wrote directly to Dr. Kane on July 6, the Facebook group had grown to 2,000 members.

In her letter, Ms. Schifanelli said she had lost confidence in Dr. Kanes ability to lead the district. Describing herself as an immigrant to this country, Ms. Schifanelli added, I am a living example of the very American dream you managed to tarnish by your racist comments.
It was not immediately clear whether the men had lawyers. They are expected to be booked into a Ramsey County jail after they are released from the hospital and while they await formal charges.

The authorities said that they had not yet determined a motive for the shooting, which claimed the life of a woman in her 20s. The police did not release the womans name.

One minute shes having a good time, Mr. Linders said. The next minute, shes lying in her friends arms who are trying to save her life, and she didnt make it. I cant think of anything worse.

In addition to the three men who were arrested, 11 people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds, said Mr. Linders, who described their injuries as not life-threatening. The police were trying to determine if there were other victims who may have left the scene and sought treatment on their own, he said.

Mr. Linders said that several good Samaritans helped tend to the victims until emergency responders could treat them.
DHAKA, Bangladesh  Its name translates into floating island, and for up to 100,000 desperate war refugees, the low-slung landmass is supposed to be home.

One refugee, Munazar Islam, initially thought it would be his. He and his family of four fled Myanmar in 2017 after the military there unleashed a campaign of murder and rape that the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing. After years in a refugee camp prone to fires and floods, he accepted an invitation from the government of neighboring Bangladesh to move to the island, Bhasan Char.

Mr. Islams relief was short lived. Jobs on the island were nonexistent. Police officers controlled the refugees movements and sometimes barred residents from mingling with neighbors, or children from playing together outside. The island was vulnerable to flooding and cyclones and, until relatively recently, would occasionally disappear underwater.

So, in August, Mr. Islam paid human smugglers about $400 to ferry his family somewhere else.

When I got the chance, I paid and left, said Mr. Islam, who asked that his location not be revealed because leaving Bhasan Char is illegal. I died every day on that island, and I didnt want to be stuck there.
Court documents confirmed that Ms. Wang had told a judge that Mr. Liu often quarreled with her over trivial matters, even beating and insulting her. Mr. Liu rejected Ms. Wangs request for custody but did not address her specific claims, the documents show.

The violence continued for months, Ms. Wang said, until she could no longer endure the beatings. At her request, her in-laws took her and her baby to stay with her parents, she said. Mr. Liu showed up once to try to seize the child, but left after the police arrived, Ms. Wang said. For the next month, she did not hear from him.

The next time, she said, he ordered people to help him snatch the baby. Ms. Wang appealed when a judge granted him full custody, but the judge upheld the arrangement, according to court documents.

Disputes over custody have only recently become a major issue in China. Traditionally, a woman seeking a divorce was expected to forgo custody of her children. But that has changed over the years as women in China have gained more financial stability and independence.

On paper, Chinese law is tilted slightly in favor of women. In cases where the child is 2 or younger, mothers are typically awarded sole custody. But in practice, judges can be swayed by institutional and informal considerations that experts say often give men an advantage. For example, men have access to more financial resources and property, allowing them to make a stronger claim for custody.

The law itself looks very neutral, but many things behind it are not equal, said He Xin, professor of law at the University of Hong Kong. Women often lose out.
BERLIN  When Sebastian Kurz first became chancellor of Austria the whole of Europe sat up. Only 31, he had turned around the fortunes of his ailing conservative party and almost overnight become a role model for struggling center-right leaders elsewhere on the Continent.

Four years later, Mr. Kurz has been forced to resign amid a criminal investigation into allegations that he used public money to manipulate opinion polls and that he paid off a tabloid newspaper for favorable coverage.

His downfall is unique to Austria but it could reverberate far across Europe.

It comes at a time when Europes political landscape looks ever more fragmented and the once-mighty traditional parties of the center-left and center-right have lost ground to a host of new political actors, not least on the extremes.

Youthful and media-savvy, Mr. Kurz styled himself as someone who had a formula for how to preserve a capacious center amid the disruption. He adopted the anti-immigrant language of an ascendant far right and refashioned his traditionally staid Peoples Party into a political movement that attracted hundreds of thousands of new supporters.
LONDON  As anger grew in Britain last week over the justice systems approach to violence against women, the public discourse has turned to a new question: Should misogyny be considered a hate crime?

The debate comes amid a broader national outcry over gender-based crimes after the murder of Sarah Everard, whose abduction and killing by a London police officer shocked Britons and forced renewed scrutiny of how the police and the courts handle such cases.

Activists, criminal justice experts and opposition lawmakers have called for legislation to expand the definition of a hate crime to ensure greater punishments for such crimes as harassment, domestic abuse and stalking and signal the seriousness of these types of offenses. But the government has so far ruled that out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that there is already abundant legislation to combat violence against women but that it is not being properly enforced. In an interview during the annual Conservative Party conference last week, he acknowledged that the way the justice system handles these crimes is just not working, but said he felt widening the scope would increase the burden on the police.
BAGHDAD  Iraqis voted Sunday in parliamentary elections meant to herald sweeping change to a dysfunctional political system that has dragged the country through almost two decades of deprivation.

A new electoral system made it easier this time for independent candidates to compete, but the vote was nonetheless expected to merely chip away at the edges of Iraqs troubles. Traditional political factions, many of them attached to militias, have seemingly insurmountable power, and much of the electorate has become too disdainful of politicians to feel compelled to vote at all.

Turnout appeared to be low at many polling sites, where election workers put in place the new voting system, which uses biometric cards and other safeguards intended to limit the serious fraud that has marred past elections.

It was Iraqs fifth parliamentary vote since the United States invaded 18 years ago and was likely to return the same political parties to power as in previous elections. And despite the sweeping anti-government protests that led officials to push the vote up by a year, Iraqs system of dividing up government ministries among political parties along ethnic and sectarian lines will remain unchanged.
TUNIS, Tunisia  For roughly three months after Tunisians toppled their dictator in January 2011 in an eruption of protest that electrified the Arab world, Ali Bousselmi felt nothing but pure happiness.

The decade that followed, during which Tunisians adopted a new Constitution, gained freedom of speech and voted in free and fair elections, brought Mr. Bousselmi its own rewards. He co-founded a gay rights group  an impossibility before 2011, when the gay scene was forced to hide deep underground.

But as the revolutions high hopes curdled into political chaos and economic failure, Mr. Bousselmi, like many Tunisians, said he began to wonder whether his country would be better off with a single ruler, one powerful enough to just get things done.

I ask myself, what have we done with democracy? said Mr. Bousselmi, 32, the executive director of Mawjoudin, meaning We Exist in Arabic. We have corrupt members of Parliament, and if you go into the street, you can see that people cant even afford a sandwich. And then suddenly, there was a magic wand saying things were going to change.
In the southwestern Brazilian city of Toledo, you wont find much vaccine skepticism. About 98 percent of eligible residents there have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, according to municipal officials.

Most received the vaccine offered by Pfizer, and this week the drug maker said that presented an opportunity: Pfizer announced that it would fully vaccinate everyone in the city over the age of 12 so it can carry out a study of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

The company will work with local health officials, a hospital, a university and Brazils national vaccination program to monitor the transmission of the coronavirus in a real-life scenario after the whole population has been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech serum, Pfizer said.

The study will follow participants for up to one year to investigate how long vaccine protection lasts against Covid-19 and new virus variants.
A LENDER is trying to take back a woman's house in Offaly even though the property was damaged by pyrite and she is paying the bank monthly.

The woman being pursued by Start Mortgages DAC is paying the equivalent of the tracker rate each month, a move which the lender disagreed with, her solicitor told County Registrar James Seymour in Tullamore.

An order for possession was sought by a solicitor acting for Start Mortgages DAC at a sitting of the registrar at Tullamore Circuit Court last week.

The application was opposed by Dublin-based solicitor Gerry Dunne who appeared for the borrower by video link.

Mr Dunne said the house was effectively a family home because it was owned by the defendant and her daughter lived there.

The arrears were less than 20,000 which were not a hugely significant amount for a 2003 mortgage, Mr Dunne said, and his client had been fully engaging with the bank and paying every month at the equivalent of a tracker rate though there was a big dispute about her entitlement to that rate.

He said a settlement meeting had been proposed by the borrower as far back as December 2018 but it had been refused.

The defendant believed she was entitled to a tracker rate as she had been offered one at an earlier date but then it wasn't made available to her when she wanted to avail of it.

He said there would have been no arrears if the woman had been on the tracker rate and negotiations with the bank were ongoing but nonetheless they were in court making an application for possession.

The first letter his client had received in 2017 was seeking the full amount of the balance including the arrears and he said that while technically the monies may have been due, it was evidence of the unreasonable approach from the outset.

The arrears at that point were around 10,000 but Start sought the full amount of nearly 100,000, said Mr Dunne.

He said a very relevant factor in this case was that the house turned out to have pyrite and that essentially made the house worthless until it was resolved.

Most of the remedial works had been carried out but there was an ongoing dispute in relation to aspects of those works.

Mr Dunne said rightly or wrongly his client believed that because of the pyrite, the bank should share the burden of what happened to her house, which is their security.

The solicitor said the defendant also believed that with all its resources the bank could have carried out due diligence at the time the mortgage was being taken out and discovered that stone from a particular quarry was being used in the construction.

The registrar Mr Seymour said he would not like the bank to be taking that sort of role in every house because then they probably wouldn't give a mortgage for anything.

He was told that the defendant was paying 426 per month to Start and the contracted payment was 686.59.

Mr Dunne said the matters had already been raised with the financial services ombudsman and even while that process was going on his client was still getting threatening letters from the bank and solicitors.

He said the bank's solicitors had been told since 2018 that the proceedings should either never have been issued, or should have been struck out and discontinued long ago.

The borrower's solicitor also said the bank on their own admission had breached data protection legislation by sending details to a third party, including her mortgage account number which had caused very significant stress to the woman.

Mr Dunne said the lender was required by the Central Bank to deal with customers on a fair and equitable and reasonable basis and we would certainly submit this has not happened.

He said the bank had even applied its legal costs to the amount it said was due but had to withdraw that because it was not entitled to do so without a court order.

Mr Dunne applied for the proceedings to be struck out and costs awarded to the defendant.

Mr Seymour said he noted on a bank statement that some of the costs had been refunded and he was concerned that while payments were being made to the bank by the woman, these cases can't go on for ever.

The registrar said that because the defendant was able to make a payment each month and it was not an insignificant one, she should consider applying for insolvency.

There is effort being made and there are payments being made and that is an important factor, said Mr Seymour.

He adjourned the matter to the sitting of the County Registrar in February, 2022 for the defendant to take advice on applying for personal insolvency and stressed that he would like to hear then that she had gone that route.

He refused the application for possession and also made no order on a request from Start's solicitor for another standard financial statement. Mr Seymour said that the arrears, though not enormous, were still mounting and remarked: I wouldn't like to be trying to clear them.
Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana held a meeting with top officials and discussed terrorists taking support from locals.

New Delhi: Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana held a meeting with top officials on Saturday (October 09) and discussed anti-terror measures in the wake of input of a terrorist attack in the national capital during the festive season, as per the Delhi Police.

They also held discussions on how to prevent terrorists from taking support of locals.

In the meeting, Asthana informed that there are inputs of a terrorist attack in Delhi.

However, he said no such attack can happen unless the attackers have local support. "Local criminals, gangsters and orthodox elements can help in such attack," he added.

"Cybercafe, chemical shop, parking spaces, scrap and car dealers should be professionally checked and monitored. There are inputs that petrol pumps and petrol tankers can be targeted," the Police Commissioner said.

He also gave directions to launch a campaign for the verification of tenants and workers.

With a focus on community policing, the police will also hold meetings with RWAs, Aman committee and coordinate with 'eyes and ears scheme' stakeholders like rehriwallahs and watchmen.

Courtesy: ANI
India has been demanding the extradition of Davy, the key accused in the Purulia arms drop case

New Delhi: India on Saturday (October 10) raised Purulia arms drop case accused and conspirator Kim Davy extradition issue with the visiting Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and both sides favoured the legal process to take its course.

The Purulia arms drop case was a scandalous episode of 1995 when the Congress government under P V Narasimha Rao was in power.

"I would just say that this matter was raised and we have an understanding that the legal process must go forward and both countries are working on it," Reenat Sandhu, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a special briefing on the visit.

India has been demanding the extradition of Davy from Denmark.

On December 17, 1995, a large consignment of illegal arms, including AK-47 rifles and ammunition, were dropped from an Antonov An-26 aircraft and was scattered in the Purulia district of West Bengal.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had, prior to the Danish Prime Minister's visit, said that India has remained engaged with Denmark on the extradition of Kim Davy.

"We are focused on that. It has been on the agenda. We have raised it in the past and we remained engaged with Denmark on this issue and our discussions are ongoing on the issue," Mr Bagchi has said.

Denmark's envoy to India, Freddy Svane, also has been quoted in the media as stating that -"Judiciaries on both sides (India and Denmark) are looking into it. We will leave it to them".

It was also alleged that a social group, Ananda Margis, was the 'intended recipient' of the guns and ammunition. The key accused, Kim Peter Davy (real name Niels Holck, alias Niels Christian Nielsen), had alleged political conspiracy behind the gory episode.

In his book "De kalder mig terrorist' (They call me Terrorist)', Kim Davy has reportedly alleged that the arms drop fiasco was orchestrated by Congress leaders against the then Left Front government in West Bengal.

Bilateral talks:

Danish PM and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, held bilateral talks on Saturday.

"The two Prime Ministers underlined the warm and friendly relations between India and Denmark based on shared principles and values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights," a joint statement said.

The visiting dignitary Mette Frederiksen said: "You (PM Modi) are an inspiration for the rest of the world as you have set some very ambitious targets when it comes to clean water for over one million households and renewable energy including offshore wind."

"I am proud that you have accepted my invitation to visit Denmark."

Both sides agreed that India and Denmark are natural and close partners and agreed to enhance efforts for reforming and strengthening multilateralism and a rules-based international order, including freedom of navigation. The two Prime Ministers reconfirmed their commitment to an aspiring and results-oriented Green Strategic Partnership.

They welcomed the detailed 5-year Action Plan (2021-2026) and noted the progress in its implementation. They agreed that strengthening the Green Strategic Partnership will be important for green growth and lead to mutually beneficial cooperation.

To a question at the briefing, Ms Reenat Sandhu, Secretary (West), said Prime Minister Modi briefed the Danish PM on developments "in our region, including Afghanistan, and the Danish side echoed India's concerns about the situation in Afghanistan, and the risks of terrorism that are emanating from there."

Both sides share similar views on protecting human rights of people in Afghanistan, including women and minorities, the need to allow people to move freely and leave the country, she said. Both the leaders also reiterated that the global community should continue to have a "collective approach to Afghanistan", she said.
Military and civil dignitaries and a large number of the area's local population attended the event.

Kupwara: A 'Digital India' programme was organised by the Indian Army at Rishipora in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with members of the Community Service Centre (CSC) to inform people about different government schemes on Saturday (October 09).

During this special programme, organisers informed the people about different schemes, including Golden Cards, Labour employment and digital health services. The event was attended by military and civil dignitaries and a large number of the area's local population.

While speaking to ANI, DDC Chairperson, Kupwara, Irfan Panditpuri, said, "In future, we will be completely digitalised. We create an awareness among the people which is the need of the hour."

District Manager of CSC Kupwara, Dr Javaid Maqbool, said, "In coordination with the Indian Army, CSC guides the people of Jammu and Kashmir about the facilities being provided by the Government of India. For health, we have Golden Card, we are distributing e-labours cards. All the schemes are available here in the CSC."

Iqbal Shah, a resident of Kupwara, said, "Our future is highly reliable on digitalisation. The civil society members held a meeting where we are expecting more such awareness campaigns. CSC centres have shared the information about farmers, youths and students."

During the programme, specific stalls were established primarily for distribution cum registration for Digital Literacy Certificate, Ayushman Bharat card and E-shram card, and informing people about the services provided by the CSC.

Courtesy: ANI
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 16 places in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in connection with the ISIS propaganda magazine Voice of Hind and Bathindi IED recovery case. The agency carried out raids with assistance of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKPF).

The case pertains to an alleged conspiracy to radicalise and recruit impressionable Muslim youth in India by the Islamic State (IS). Three people - Umar Nisar, Tanveer Ahmad Bhat and Rameez Ahmad Lone - were arrested by the NIA in July this year. The agency had also arrested key accused Jufri Jawhar Damudi, the younger brother of Adnan Hasan Damudi, who has already been detained by the NIA.

"Jufri had created multiple pseudonymous IDs on encrypted chat platforms and was also a member of various online propaganda channels of ISIS," the agency had said.








Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on Sunday highlighted the fact that today India is not only manufacturing vaccines for domestic consumption but is also preparing to export them to the world.



Nadda, who was in Imphal on Sunday to inaugurate Manipur BJP's new state party office, lauded India's vaccination drive and said that in the next 3 to 4 days, India would have inoculated 100 crore of its population.

"Today we are making vaccines not just for our country but are also ready to give it to the world. In the coming 3 to 4 days, India will make a record of 100 crore vaccinations," Nadda said.



He slammed opposition parties for their earlier claims that there were no vaccines left in India. "The opposition used to allege earlier that there is no Covid vaccine left in India," he added.



Praising the importance of Imphal in the freedom movement led by Subhash Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj, the BJP president claimed that now under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Imphal will become the gateway of development.



"This place was the gateway of independence. The first flag of Azad Hind Fauj was hoisted here and now it is the gateway of development under the leadership of Modi ji," Nadda said in his address.



On the occasion of the launch of the state BJP's new office, Nadda also mentioned the growth of the party in the northeastern state.



"Our first MLA was elected here in 1995. In 2002 we had 4 MLAs. In 2006 no. went up to 6 MLAs... We are happy today that now we have 24 MLAs here," the BJP national president said.



Before addressing the gathering JP Nadda offered prayers at the Shri Govindji Temple in Manipur's Imphal on the second day of his visit to the state. (ANI)






PM Gati Shakti Master Plan' is a Rs 100 lakh-crore project to boost the infrastructure works and would be in tune with the government's initiatives to scale up capital expenditure in infrastructure building to promote economic growth.

New Delhi: In what is seen as a 'transformative' step as part of the key reform trajectory in governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will, on October 13, unveil the mega PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan bringing 16 central government departments together for planning.

This initiative would boost all infrastructure connectivity projects and will be operative till 2025, sources said. The digital tool would have the 3D digital mapping of the entire country till the plot level. It would make things more transparent, clean and provide the planners and decision-makers with updated data well in advance.

The Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics under the Union Government's Ministry of Information Technology (MeITY) has prepared the digital geospatial platform for the national master plan for multi-modal connectivity with 200 layers of GIS mapping of the entire country,

Prime Minister Modi had announced the same on India's 75th Independence Day in August this year. He had said that the Centre would launch 'PM Gati Shakti Master Plan', a Rs 100 lakh-crore project for developing 'holistic infrastructure'.

It could include two defence corridors, 90 textile clusters, over 100 pharma clusters,195 food processing parks and about 200 fishing clusters to start with.

The mega project would give a boost to the infrastructure works and would be in tune with the Modi government's initiatives to scale up capital expenditure in infrastructure building to promote economic growth. It aims to easier interconnectivity between road, rail, air and waterways to reduce travel time and enhance industrial productivity.

This move would impact several sectors, including cement, metal, and power, and generate employment. It would also make Indian manufacturing sectors globally competitive, officials said.

In his speech on August 15 from the ramparts of Red Fort, he had pegged the ambitious project as a source of employment opportunities.

The Gati Shakti will also trigger opportunities for new future economic zones and aims to reduce the transportation time.

The state governments would also be requested to join the platform as partners for holistic planning in infrastructure projects. The plan has details of all projects built until March ending 2021.

A proposed 'Gati se Shakti' tag line will include projects under existing flagship schemes of different ministries such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, Udaan and expansion of railway network, sources said.

It could include two defence corridors, 90 textile clusters, over 100 pharma clusters, 197 food processing parks and about 200 fishing clusters to start with.
The targeted killing of Hindus and Sikhs in the Valley is the new modus operandi of the Pak-supported Islamists who could not digest that Normalcy was returning to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir post-abrogation of Article 370. Killings of non-Muslims has become a routine affair in Kashmir to derail the democratic peace process in the valley

Brutal killing of four non-Muslims, in just seventy-two hours (October 5 to October 7) time span, once again is indicative of the fact that the situation for the minorities in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) continues to be grim. The religious killings are a recap of Kashmir of 1990s; the heart-wrenching grief of Kashmiri Hindus has resurfaced again after two decades of ethical cleansing of the Hindu population from the Valley. The only difference seems to be targeting individuals who stand by the democratic process instead of using mass persecution, as it is no longer viable in the New Jammu-Kashmir.

Just two days after the merciless killing of a well-known pharmacist Makhan Lal Bindroo and two other civilians on October 5, in a ghastly targeted attack, Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorists shot dead two non-Muslim teachers; one of them was a school principal, in the Kashmir Valley. Both had sustained injuries in terror attack and were rushed to a hospital but later succumbed to their injuries.

Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit, was one of the very few in members of his community who chose to stay back in Kashmir at the onset of militancy in 1990. The two teachers killed on October 7 were employed at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School located at the Sangam Eidgah Sangam area of Srinagar. One of them was identified as Principal Supinder Kour, a Sikh woman and a resident of Alochi Bagh area of the city, while the second victim was teacher Deepak Chand, a Hindu resident of Jammu.

According to the eyewitness, four to five teachers were having a meeting in the principals office when two terrorists barged in. The terrorists separated the Muslim teachers from the group and dragged two non-Muslim teachers, including the Principal, out of the school building. They then opened fire at them in the school compound and fled from the spot.

Creating an atmosphere of fear

Earlier this year, son of Krishna Dhabas owner was shot dead (Krishna Dhaba is a popular restaurant in Srinagar). The recent killings seem to be in continuation of a planned roadmap to eliminate prominent Hindu citizens and political figures of the Valley.

Alok Bansal, Director, Centre for Security and Strategy, India Foundation said to the Organiser, The killings of non-Muslims and even outsiders actually show the desperation of the terrorists because their masters from across the borders asking them to vitiate the atmosphere as things are getting normalised to a great extent in J&K. And the normalcy is creating problems for them.

Also, we need to understand that with the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan some amount of euphoria is there amongst the terrorist outfits that if Taliban can defeat a superpower like US, then they can also probably succeed in their mission in J&K. That is why we are seeing a resurgence in terrorist activities in the Valley, he added.

The killings of non-Muslims is an attempt to create an atmosphere of fear among those Hindus who are thinking of resettling in Kashmir.

Jammu & Kashmir expert Col. Jaibans Singh told Organiser, The threshold of violence in Kashmir has witnessed a sudden spike in the last few days. Members of a particular community and innocent civilians are being targeted by terrorists. Such actions have always remained part of a larger strategy of terrorist masters sitting across the border to give a boost to their faltering presence in the Kashmir Valley and instill fear among the people.

Pharmacist Makhan Lal Bindroo and Street vendor from Bihar, Virendra Paswan

He further said that another reason for their desperation is prospect of return of the Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland. They wish to drive away these natives by creating a pall of fear. The terrorists and their masters, however, have again misread the situation. There is no fear within the Kashmiri Pandit community; they are determined to take back what is theirs. The security forces are also well poised in their counter-terrorism operations; these small pockets of terrorists that are carrying out such barbaric killings will be neutralised soon.

Govt Initiative for Kashmiri Migrants

In Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that around 4,000 youth (Kashmiri Pandits) have moved back to Kashmir and have taken up jobs in various districts of Kashmir under the Prime Ministers rehabilitation package. He revealed that 1000 residential units had been constructed and a total 6000 residential units are proposed for Kashmiri migrants. As per the report of the Relief Office set up in 1990 by the Jammu and Kashmir Government, a total of 44,167 Kashmiri migrant families are registered who had to move from the Valley since 1990 due to security concerns which includes 39,782 Hindu Migrant families.

Kashmiri Hindus taking part in a candle light protest against the killing of civilians including pharmacist ML Bindroo by terroristsCaption

The Governments promise of return of Kashmiri Hindus seems to be a day dream if the selective merciless killing of the minorities didnt stop. How to provide security to the minorities and nationalist is the big challenge for the government while ensuring the delivery of developmental projects on the ground.

On the killings, former MLC of Srinagar, Surinder Ambardar said Organiser, The fresh spree of terrorist violence in Kashmir is an attempt to expand contours of radicalised Wahabi religious narrative into Kashmir by brutally mashing the symbols of nationalism and plurality. The heinous crime of genocide of Kashmiri Hindus from three decades is in its final phase. The time is ripe to recognise it as a radicalised civilisation onslaught. The deep concern is that Pakistan is targeting our people at her will in our territory which is not acceptable thereby proactive measures are imperative essentially in a time frame.

Derailing the Political Process

The political process in the region and departure from Bullet to Ballot started right after the Government of India had applied provision of the constitutional 73rd Amendment Act which paved the way for a three-tier government in the Union Territory and boosted the grassroots democracy. The successful completion of participative and peaceful District Development Council (DDC) & Panchayat election reflected the aspirations of the people of J&K.

But even after the historic passage of J&K Reorganisation Act 2019 political killing didnt stop. Many political workers mainly of ruling party (BJP) were killed in different Incidents. According to official figures 40 political workers, including panchayat members and grassroots workers, have been killed by terrorists in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Around 30 of them were associated with RSS and BJP.

Giving his take over the killings of nationalist voices in the Valley Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta opines, As far as killing of non-Muslims is concerned it is aimed at neutralising BJP since it is projected as a pro-Hindu party. In nutshell, the purpose is clear. To play to the tune of Pakistani masters, not let grassroots democracy to flourish and create a fear psychosis to ensure BJP does not gain popularity in Valley. It has political as well as terror angle involved to it because even Pakistan is against return of any form of political process or democracy in Kashmir. It wants to make Kashmir a Muslim state governed by Shariat law.

The political killings in J&K started way back in 1989 when BJP Kashmiri Pandit Leader TL Tapiloo was shot dead. These killings are a tools is to hamper the democratic awakening in the Valley and an attempt to mute the sane nationalist voices who want to contribute to the development of the country and J&K.

Over 5,000 pro-Indian political workers have been killed in J&K since 1989 while some estimates put this number at 7,000. But the latest spate of political killings has returned to haunt the Valley at a time when the violence was apparently on the decline. Compared to 2020, there has been a steep decline in militancy-related violence in J&K, according to official data. Till July 16, the number of such incidents officially reported this year stood at 67. Between January and June 30 last year, 105 such incidents had been recorded in the Union Territory.

Civilians on Target

If numbers are to be believed, for the first time in the last 6 years, the number of civilians killed is more than security forces killed by terrorists this year in J&K in various incidents. The killing of civilians includes prominent citizens.

Till October 7, 2021, as many as 28 civilians were killed in the Valley as compared to 20 security personnel in the same period. In 2020, the number of civilians who were killed stood at 33, while the number of killed security forces was 46 and in the year 2019 it was 36 civilians and 78 security personnel respectively.

The Resistance Front (TRF), the terror group which claimed responsility for the recent killing of Kashmiri Pandit Makhan Lal Bindroo in Srinagar, said it would carry out more such attacks. According to a statement by the TRF's spokesperson Umar Wani, Bindroo was killed because he was an RSS worker while Virender Paswan was a non-local informer of the Intelligence Bureau and Shafi Lone was also an informer.

According to the security experts, at a time when the newly carved Union territory has been moving towards normalcy, the top commanders of terrorist organisations have been killed, the stone-pelting incidents has become zero, the targeted killings of civilians and political workers are a matter of worry. The Government should seriously look into the issue as it will create an atmosphere of fear among those who want to return to the Valley as well as the Governments rehabilitation process of Kashmir migrants.

Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has also admitted that it was a failure of security agencies after the terrorists killed seven civilians in the last five days. This is part of a well-thought-out conspiracy in the backdrop of increasing tourist influx and planned industrial investment in Kashmir.
The case involves the murder (death) of BJP worker Debabrata Maity, whom Trinamool Congress workers allegedly eliminated.

New Delhi: Law is taking its course.

Working under the directives of the Calcutta High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday (October 9) arrested as many as 11 people, including Mamata Banerjee's election agent in Nandigram Sk Sufian's son-in-law Sk Habibul in a post-poll murder case.

The case involves the murder (death) of BJP worker Debabrata Maity, whom Trinamool Congress workers allegedly eliminated. This is the first time CBI arrested so many people in this case. On Friday, the premier probe agency nabbed two people, including a minor, in a case of murdering a man during post-poll violence. Rajendra Sharma and a minor were held in connection with the killing of Palash Mondal reported on June 14. On Saturday morning, all the accused were asked to present at the Calcutta Port Trust guest house in Haldia, 40 km away from Nandigram.

In a fiercely contested election in Nandigram earlier this year, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee lost to her arch-rival Suvendu Adhikari of BJP.

The accused included Sheikh Baitul Islam, son-in-law of Trinamool leader Sufian, the head of Nandigram's Anchal No 4 (area), Sheikh Shahabuddin Kendamari and Sheikh Habibur Rahman. The CBI also arrested others in the case.

The arrest of Sufian's son-in-law is seen as a setback to the state's ruling party, whose role for the post-poll violence came in for severe criticism by the BJP and the Calcutta High Court.

The local media, however, did not report much on the gory episode.

A charge sheet filed earlier had Sk Mijanur, Sk Fatenur and Sk Emdadul Islam, who were arrested by Nandigram police following investigations.

Debabrata Maiti, a BJP activist from Chillagram in Nandigram, was killed after the results of the state assembly elections were declared.

Of course, the arrest soon sparked tensions in the locality and near the ad hoc CBI camp in Haldia. Local grassroots activists gathered and started raising slogans, reports said. Later, a police contingent of Haldia police station reached the spot, and all the accused were produced in the Haldia sub-divisional court.

In a huge setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government, which blatantly remained indifferent to people's agony during post-poll violence, the Calcutta High Court had on August 19 ordered a CBI probe and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The West Bengal government was asked to 'immediately hand over' all matters pertaining to the cases to the CBI. The reports of the CBI and the SIT have to be submitted before the Court within six weeks.

"It shall be a court monitored investigation and any obstruction in the course of investigation by anyone shall be viewed seriously," the court had said.
Trump alleged that only three per cent of all people who were taken out of Afghanistan on US evacuation flights were qualified to be taken to the United States.





Washington: Former US President Donald Trump has said US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan was not disabled and will now benefit other powers, including Russia and China.

"Russia and China already have samples of our great helicopters. We have the Apache helicopters ... and they are now re-engineering the equipment, they are de-engineering. They are taking it apart, they are figuring it out and very soon they'll be building the best stuff for less money," Sputnik quoted Trump as saying at the "Save America" rally in Des Moines on Saturday.

Trump alleged that only three per cent of all people who were taken out of Afghanistan on US evacuation flights were qualified to be taken to the United States.

"They had no idea who was getting on those planes," Trump said.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, US troops destroyed or disabled nearly 100 combat vehicles and dozens of aircraft before leaving Kabul in August.

Trump said that contrary to some claims, the equipment left in Afghanistan was not disabled and "tremendous numbers" of US weaponry and equipment are now being sold on the black market.

In September, Trump told a crowd of supporters in Perry, Georgia, that US President Joe Biden's handling of the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was a major display of incompetence.



Courtesy: ANI
Cora Heart Crether, 64 of Palestine, died on November 10th in Tyler. Funeral service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Rising Star Baptist Church in Grapeland. Burial will follow in Golden Gate Cemetery in Grapeland. The viewing will be Friday from 10 to 6 at Emanuel Funeral Home Palestine.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Presidential Council Sunday welcomed the signing of an Action Plan for the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libyan territory
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A day's workshop has been held in Obuasi to sensitize Stakeholders in mining communities on the new approaches to address their grievances and strengthen their relationship with mining companies operating in their communities.



Robert Ali Tanti, the Executive Director of the Center for Social Impact Studies ( CESIS), a research and advocacy NGO, organisers of the event said the Center through the Mine Site Assessment Tool has sensitized inhabitants of mining communities on the best approaches to address issues bothering on the operations of mining communities in their communities.



He said, after visiting five (5) mining communities and getting first-hand information on their plight, the center adopted the Mine Site Assessment Tool ( MSAT) designed by their partners, Responsible Mining Foundation as guidelines to train community members in mining areas on how to address their grievances.



He said the MSAT was designed to be used as entry points for constructive company-community dialogue with a view of seeking solutions of issues of direct importance to local people. He mentioned that the tool covers 15 thematic areas which address economic, social, environmental, and governance issues.



BENEFITS OF THE MINE SITE ASSESSMENT TOOL



Mr. Tanti said the MSAT has proved to be effective in creating a non-confrontational space for community members and mine site managers to discuss specific issues of importance to the lives and livelihoods of affected communities.



Again, he revealed that after touring Adansi Kenya( Adansi South District), Manso Aponapono( Amansie South), Tongo (Talensi Nabdam), and Osino ( Fanteakwa District), CESIS empowered them through MSAT which necessitated the people of Manso Aponapono to petition the Mineral Commission on issues of compensations. The Regional Office of the Mineral Commission has intervened and encouraged the mining company to properly compensate them.



He also mentioned that currently, a constructive dialogue has begun between the people of Ayanfuri and a mining company operating there, on issues of local content and training of community members.



Going forward, the Executive Director of CESIS Ghana added " we will embark on a similar exercise in areas like Ada, Nsuta, and Awaso which are into the mining of salt, Manganese, and Bauxite respectively".



THE 'NEW' ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY



The Obuasi Area Manager of the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA), Adarkwa Yiadom lifted the lid on the current re-tooling exercise designed to empower the Environmental Protection Agency to effectively undertake its mandate.



He said the Agency has now recruited 300 additional Staff to augment the existing workforce of the Agency. Coupled with plans by the Agency to open additional regional offices in Bekwai, Manso Nkwanta, Ejisu, Tepa, Nkawie, and Mampong, Mr. Adarkwa said, will make them accessible to the people.



Again he talked about moves by the Agency to procure more drones to boost their operations. He revealed, "between 25th to 29th October, Staff of the Obuasi office will undergo training in the use of drones to monitor mining activities in their operational area".



He called on those who are interested in doing community mining to contact the lawful agencies mandated to issues permits to extractive companies. He said such people should contact the Mineral Commission for their Mineral License, EPA for their Environmental permit, and the Mines Inspectorate Unit for Digging permit.



RESPONSE FROM STAKEHOLDERS



Hon Ofosuware Shadrack Assemblymember for Ofoase Nkatiase Electoral Area-osino shared his key takeaway from the meeting. Himself, a Mines Committee Chairman in the Fanteakwa District Assembly, Mr. Ofosuware said lessons learnt from the workshop has helped him to restrategise on the appropriate channel to address mining related issues in the district. He said " Hitherto, we were a bit confrontational. After picking key lessons from the MSAT, I will teach my people on a right way to address the myriad of issues we have".



ABOUT CESIS GHANA



The Centre for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS) was formed in January 2011 as a research and advocacy non-governmental organisation primarily focused on providing research backbone to Ghanas extractive industry. The organisation is headquartered in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region with an office in Takoradi, the Western Regional capital that focuses on the minerals, oil and gas industry.



Signed

Sampson Manu

(0241908029)

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board, Hon Joseph Boahen Aidoo has been honoured by the Chief of the Akwapim Mampong Traditional Area and conferred with the title, Cocoa Boafopa for his contribution to historic strides within Ghana's cocoa sector.



The prestigious award was conferred during the grand durbar of Chiefs and People of the area to climax this years Ohum Festival.



Hon Boahen Aidoo is credited for spearheading the introduction of several laudable interventions to increase productivity and improve the living standards of cocoa farmers. Experts say the successful implementation of the Productivity Enhancement Programs (PEPs) significantly contributed to the attainment of the over 1.045 million metric tonnes of cocoa production record.



The Akwapim Mamponghene, Osabarima Kwame Otu Dartey III while commending efforts by Hon Aidoo, reminded him of the Akwapim Mampong Traditional Areas pioneering role in the cocoa sector and called for more investment in cocoa projects within the area.



He cited the Jubilee Cocoa Project as one major project that needs urgent attention to turn around the economic fortunes of the area.



Deputy Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board in charge of Operations, Dr. Emmanuel Opoku who represented Hon Boahen Aidoo at the function, expressed appreciation to the Chiefs and People for honouring the Chief Executive.



Dr. Opoku assured the chiefs that a proposal to turn the Jubilee Cocoa Project into a Cocoa Museum is before the Board of Directors for consideration. He added that a proposal for the establishment of a Tertiary educational fund for research into the cocoa sector is also under consideration.



He said Ghana Cocoa Board would continue to invest in projects to build local capacity in an effort to industrialize the cocoa sector.



As part of his contribution to the development of the area, the COCOBOD Chief made a personal donation towards the building of the chief's Palace. The Board also presented cocoa products and other items towards the celebration of this years Ohum Festival.





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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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has led Ghana's delegation to Serbia to attend the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).



This was announced by the Ministry of Information in a tweet.



"The President of the Republic, @NAkufoAddo, left Ghana on Sunday, 10th October 2021, to lead the Ghanaian delegation to attend the 60th-anniversary ceremony of the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which is being held in Belgrade, Serbia," the tweet said.



The NAM is a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.











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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After claiming to have had affairs with males for two decades, Aaron Adjetey Akron has disavowed the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community, describing their practices as unnatural.



At a press briefing on Friday, Mr Adjetey Akron, now a pastor, argued that being attracted to the same sex is an abnormal choice and not genetic, as many LGBTQ+ movements claim.



According to him, No one was born gay it is just a feeling, thus, It is possible [for gays and lesbians] to come out.



On October 6, some top officials of the Church of Pentecost marched to Parliament to present a memorandum supporting the passage of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.



Officially known as the Proper Human Sexual and Ghanaian Family Bill, 2021, the drafted legislation prohibits the activities and advocacy of LGBTQ+.



Opposers, however, argue that when the bill is passed into law, it will be in violation of the fundamental human rights of individuals who identify with the group.



But, the supposed reformed gay insisted that legalising what he described as ungodly will be signing the countrys death warrant.



Mr Adjetey Akron further cited the Holy Bible, indicating that LGBTQ+ activities are desires of the flesh; thus, individuals must practise self-control.



Sharing his experience, Mr Adjetey Akron said he almost married his partner until he met Christ and turned over a new leaf.



At the age of 9, I started having affairs with boys, and in 2018 when I met Christ, I changed. Naturally, you may say that is how you feel, but it is unnatural, he said.

Source: Ama Cromwell









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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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Obaidullah Rahimi, right, his wife Arezoo, and daughter Hawa, 2 months, after assembling care packages for the recently resettled Afghan family for Thanksgiving in Ottawa, on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Obaidullah Rahimi worked at the Canadian Embassy in Afghanistan; his family is one of 22 resettled Afghan families in the Ottawa area. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
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President Joe Biden signed his $1 trillion infrastructure deal into law Monday on the White House lawn, hailing it as an example of what bipartisanship can achieve.
Bradley Jansen Wins First WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em ($313,403)

October 10, 2021 Matt Hansen

Bradley Jansen of Hubertus, Wisconsin defeated France's Jeremy Malod in heads-up play to claim the gold bracelet in Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Holdem at the 2021 World Series of Poker. Jansen wins the WSOP gold bracelet and $313,403 for the victory.

The three-day event attracted 1,450 entries to generate a $1,935,750 prize pool. The popular six-handed format saw cashing finishes from notable players Darren Elias (54th $5,282), Upeshka De Silva (47th $6,170), Jun Obara (41st $7,329) and Melanie Weisner (17th $17,141).

Jansen owns a law practice in Wisconsin and considers himself somewhere in-between a professional and recreational player. He won a WSOP Circuit ring in Milwaukee in 2019 and this is his first WSOP gold bracelet in three cashing times at the 2021 WSOP. He previously found the money in Event #7: Dealers Choice and Event #13: $3,000 No-Limit Holdem.

2021 WSOP Live Reporting Hub Follow all the live-action as it happens from the 2021 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas! Click Here

Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Holdem Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Bradley Jansen United States $313,403 2 Jeremy Malod France $193,711 3 Ryan Pedigo United States $136,070 4 Sean Hegarty United States $96,919 5 Ryan Andrada United States $70,013 6 Jesse Yaginuma United States $51,305 7 Mark Liedtke United States $38,146

Phil Hellmuth Adds to Legacy by Crushing Non-NLH 2021 WSOP Events

Winners Reaction

It feels great, Jansen said in a post-win interview with PokerNews. Ive gone through this moment in my head many times before and when it actually gets here its unreal. Last night I thought about it a lot and I thought about what I was going to do and how I would react. Its easy to get ahead of yourself. Its just a really special day.

Jansens win didnt come easy. He came from behind after Malod held nearly 70% of the chips at one point in final table action.

I made a lot of adjustments today. Especially when we were three and four-handed. Malod had a ton of chips and the short stacks were trying to ladder up and I was stuck in the middle.

Fortunes changed for Jansen when the match reached heads-up play.

When we got heads-up I just ran like the sun and I make a bunch of big hands. (Malod) played great. I dont think there was anything he could have done to change the outcome.

Jansens WSOP isnt over yet, but he has important business to attend to before he returns to try to win his second bracelet of the series.

Im going home tomorrow and I cant wait. Im coming back out in a couple of days but I cant wait to go home to celebrate with my wife Katherine and my kid.

My wife is my rock when it comes to poker. We have a 7-month old daughter at home that I cant wait to get home and see. Im going home tomorrow and I cant wait. Im coming back out in a couple of days but I cant wait to go home.

Jansen credits a lot of his success to her unconditional support.

She tells me to go out and do my thing. Someone believing in me means all the difference in the world. I think thats why Ive had so much success the last couple of years. Her faith in me keeps me grounded and I couldnt be more blessed.

Jeremy Malod

Final Table Action

Day 3 started with two tables of four and quickly moved to a single final table after Jon Baylor hit the rail in eighth place. Seven-handed play continued for more than an hour before Mark Liedtke was eliminated by Jansens pocket queens.

Jesse Yaginuma went on an early run on Day 3, but it was cut short with a sixth-place finish when he called Malods shove and his ace-king couldnt improve against Malods queens. Ryan Andrada finished not far behind in fifth when he shoved with king-jack and Malod sent him away with ace-ten.

Sean Hegarty finished in fourth when he clashed with the other remaining short stack, Ryan Pedigo. Pedigo managed to double again before being eliminated by Malod in third place.

Malod and Jansen came into the final day as the two chip leaders and they were the last two standing to battle for the gold bracelet. Malod held a huge advantage going into heads-up play, but Jansen chipped away early before the turning point came when he made straight on the river and Malod shoved. This hand flipped the chip counts and Malod was left with less than 20 big blinds.

Jansen closed the deal after just over an hour of heads-up play when a six fell on the river to complete his runner-runner straight.

This wraps up coverage of Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em. Be sure to keep it here every day of the 2021 World Series of Poker for coverage of all the action as it happens from the PokerNews live reporting team.
Bradley Jansen of Hubertus, Wisconsin defeated France's Jeremy Malod in heads-up play to claim the gold bracelet in Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Holdem at the 2021 World Series of Poker. Jansen wins the WSOP gold bracelet and $313,403 for the victory.

The three-day event attracted 1,450 entries to generate a $1,935,750 prize pool. The popular six-handed format saw cashing finishes from notable players Darren Elias (54th $5,282), Upeshka De Silva (47th $6,170), Jun Obara (41st $7,329) and Melanie Weisner (17th $17,141).

Jansen owns a law practice in Wisconsin and considers himself somewhere in-between a professional and recreational player. He won a WSOP Circuit ring in Milwaukee in 2019 and this is his first WSOP gold bracelet in three cashing times at the 2021 WSOP. He previously found the money in Event #7: Dealers Choice and Event #13: $3,000 No-Limit Holdem.

Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Holdem Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Bradley Jansen United States $313,403 2 Jeremy Malod France $193,711 3 Ryan Pedigo United States $136,070 4 Sean Hegarty United States $96,919 5 Ryan Andrada United States $70,013 6 Jesse Yaginuma United States $51,305 7 Mark Liedtke United States $38,146

Winners Reaction

It feels great, Jansen said in a post-win interview with PokerNews. Ive gone through this moment in my head many times before and when it actually gets here its unreal. Last night I thought about it a lot and I thought about what I was going to do and how I would react. Its easy to get ahead of yourself. Its just a really special day.

Jansens win didnt come easy. He came from behind after Malod held nearly 70% of the chips at one point in final table action.

I made a lot of adjustments today. Especially when we were three and four-handed. Malod had a ton of chips and the short stacks were trying to ladder up and I was stuck in the middle.

Fortunes changed for Jansen when the match reached heads-up play.

When we got heads-up I just ran like the sun and I make a bunch of big hands. (Malod) played great. I dont think there was anything he could have done to change the outcome.

Jansens WSOP isnt over yet, but he has important business to attend to before he returns to try to win his second bracelet of the series.

Im going home tomorrow and I cant wait. Im coming back out in a couple of days but I cant wait to go home to celebrate with my wife Katherine and my kid.

My wife is my rock when it comes to poker. We have a 7-month old daughter at home that I cant wait to get home and see. Im going home tomorrow and I cant wait. Im coming back out in a couple of days but I cant wait to go home.

Jansen credits a lot of his success to her unconditional support.

She tells me to go out and do my thing. Someone believing in me means all the difference in the world. I think thats why Ive had so much success the last couple of years. Her faith in me keeps me grounded and I couldnt be more blessed.

Jeremy Malod

Final Table Action

Day 3 started with two tables of four and quickly moved to a single final table after Jon Baylor hit the rail in eighth place. Seven-handed play continued for more than an hour before Mark Liedtke was eliminated by Jansens pocket queens.

Jesse Yaginuma went on an early run on Day 3, but it was cut short with a sixth-place finish when he called Malods shove and his ace-king couldnt improve against Malods queens. Ryan Andrada finished not far behind in fifth when he shoved with king-jack and Malod sent him away with ace-ten.

Sean Hegarty finished in fourth when he clashed with the other remaining short stack, Ryan Pedigo. Pedigo managed to double again before being eliminated by Malod in third place.

Malod and Jansen came into the final day as the two chip leaders and they were the last two standing to battle for the gold bracelet. Malod held a huge advantage going into heads-up play, but Jansen chipped away early before the turning point came when he made straight on the river and Malod shoved. This hand flipped the chip counts and Malod was left with less than 20 big blinds.

Jansen closed the deal after just over an hour of heads-up play when a six fell on the river to complete his runner-runner straight.

This wraps up coverage of Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em. Be sure to keep it here every day of the 2021 World Series of Poker for coverage of all the action as it happens from the PokerNews live reporting team.
Deedee Vaughters has worn a lot of hats in Aiken over the years.

She's managed her husband's independent medical practice, run for office, served on the boards of various community organizations and now is the executive director of the Aiken Symphony Orchestra.

Vaughters said a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson has become her mantra in life: "The purpose of life is to be useful, honorable, compassionate, and to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."

Born in Loris, a small farming town in Horry County about 20 miles north of North Myrtle Beach, Vaughters had humble beginnings. She was the first in her family to go to college, attending the University of South Carolina. Vaughters got her bachelor's degree in business administration and jumped right into corporate America.

Her first job was with Bungee Foods as a sales representative and manager, before later working with Bristol-Meyers Squibb Pharmaceutical Company, advancing to corporate sales trainer and district manager.

She also married Dr. Bauer Vaughters, and the two had their first child.

"Our oldest child was born a little early, not so early to be scary, but early enough to have some (kinds) of chronic issues," Vaughters said. "And so working as I was doing, traveling (up and down) the East Coast training new sales reps for Bristol-Myers Squibb, I just, I couldn't do it."

Her husband was in residency at the time, and he couldn't take time off to help with a sick child. Thus, a tough decision had to be made.

"So, I stepped away from (corporate America)," Vaughters said. "It was a very hard thing to do financially, and because I had built a pretty good career for myself. But I stepped away and did the right thing for the family."

The family, who was living in North Carolina, ended up migrating south to Aiken, where Vaughters' husband is from and where his father practiced medicine.

"We knew very early on that he wanted to come back here to practice," Vaughters said. "He thought that this was a great place to raise a family, and he's been right, and that being that it was a small medical community and Vaughters (a common name), he thought it would be easy to build an independent practice. So we made the decision to come back here."

Planning to start a new practice, Vaughters said her husband asked her to help him due to her background in business. Thus, Vaughters became a partner at Aiken Endocrinology, which is still located on Richland Avenue. Many doubted that the practice would pan out, Vaughters said, but it's thriving to this day.

"We did do right here in Aiken what they said couldn't be done," Vaughters said.

After 10 years, Vaughters began to contemplate what the next chapter of her life could be like, coinciding with her 40th birthday.

"So I've had my children, three by then," Vaughters said. "We've launched this practice, we've established ourselves back in my husband's hometown. What is it that I want to do?"

Already active in numerous community activities and boards, Vaughters would soon be confronted with a spark that launched her into the world of politics. She received a tax bill for the business in the mail and noticed a charge that seemed strange to her.

"It was for property tax on fixtures, furnishings and equipment and I said, this has got to be a mistake," Vaughters said. "I've paid sales tax on this. I mean, they're going to charge me property tax on this desk and computer and they do and it's legal. In fact, it's a standard set forth by the federal government; they allow that to be. And I was floored."

Thinking something had to be wrong, Vaughters called her accountant who told her that yes, the charge was correct and it was referred to as the "merchant tax." Vaughters was angered because she "felt like there was not a whole lot of voice for the business owner."

This led her to look into those who serve in public office around the state.

"Most of the folks I found serving were attorneys, and that's fine," Vaughters said. "But, a lot of them are partners. So, their job as a partner is to go be a legislator, they still get a salary. I found those and retirees and wealthy, those were the people who were serving because they're the only folks who could. My husband doesn't get paid if he doesn't show up to work."

"I thought, we need people, real people, out here who are making the world go round, who understand what it what it takes to make $1," Vaughters continued. "The more I was running that business, the more I paid attention, the more I realized, I've got to do something, I can't just sit here quietly."

Vaughters was approached to write a guest column in the Aiken Standard, which she did and received positive feedback. Based on interactions she had with readers and friends, she was inspired to run for office.

In 2012, Vaughters ran for the S.C. Senate District 26 nomination. She won the Republican primary, and faced Democrat Nikki Setzler, of Lexington, in the election. Setzler had been in office for over 35 years at that time, so Vaughters knew she was in for a challenge. Though she ended up losing, there were still some positives.

"I learned a lot and met a lot of people," Vaughters said. "I will never regret that time."

Since that run, she's authored two pieces of legislation which are now law, and has assisted in changing the City of Aiken's Business License Ordinance to the advantage of the business owner.

Her current role is as the executive director of the Aiken Symphony Orchestra, which starts its 2021-2022 season on Oct. 30.

During her interview for the position, Vaughters told the hiring contingent that she didn't have a strong background in classical symphonic music, only an "appreciation." She was told "you only need an appreciation. The conductor has to have the background."

"Probably 75% of my job is fundraising and public relations and so I spend a lot of time doing that," Vaughters said, describing herself as being the "community person."

Vaughters said this upcoming season is going to be "fabulous," and she's thrilled the audience restrictions from last year's COVID-19-impacted season are mostly gone.

"We offered three concerts (last year) that were socially distanced that had an average of about 100 people or so," Vaughters said. "For this concert in October, we're back at the Etherredge Center. They're requiring masks, but no social distancing, and we're already up to 400 tickets sold, and we're still a month out. So, we're super excited."

The orchestra has already seen how ready people are to get outside again, as evidenced by a "Beer, Bourbon and Bach" event held this past month at The Willcox. Attendees could enjoy bourbon flights and craft beer, while listening to the sweet sounds of the brass quartet.

Vaughters said the event was a huge success and ended up being standing room only. She said plans are in the works to hold it again next year.

Another special element of this upcoming season, Vaughters said, is that the orchestra's conductor, Donald Portnoy, will be serving in his last season with them.

"In preparation for offering that position to a new conductor and music director, we have four guest conductors," Vaughters said. "So eight of our concerts will have four guest conductors and (basically) that's their interview."

Vaughters said the guest conductors will come out after each show and have a live Q&A with the audience. This will show how well the conductor interacts with the community because "the community has to embrace this person as well," according to Vaughters.

No matter the position she's held, Vaughters has become engrained within Aiken and said she enjoys what she does every single day.

"I'm blessed and fortunate to be able to earn a living now doing what I want to do, and I love being part of the Aiken community," Vaughters said with a smile.
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Failing to react and adapt to threats posed by climate change and extreme weather could seriously interrupt operations at the Department of Energys many installations and could lead to a significant loss of time and research, the agency warned in a plan recently made public by the White House.

Both the Energy Departments national defense and environmental cleanup portfolios are endangered by climate-change inaction, the 2021 Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan suggests. So, it emphasizes, a proactive problem-solving approach is necessary.

Even as we are full speed ahead in our efforts to slow climate change, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement Thursday, its devastating effects are undoubtedly impacting our strategic mission.

Nuclear security work  on the atomic arsenal, for example  is largely conducted at DOE sites that are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and climate events, the report reads, and remediation efforts could be disrupted if facilities dedicated to processing radioactive wastes are impacted by climate hazards or if groundwater remediation systems are impacted by droughts.

The departments specialized facilities require significant water and energy resources, the 26-page road map continues, meaning shortages or natural disasters could dishevel its particle accelerators, bio-refinery pilot plants, supercomputers, and waste processing facilities. The Energy Communities Alliance on Friday pointed out that climate change has long afflicted the sensitive sites under DOE watch: Wildfires have caused millions of dollars of damages, power outages, and temporary shutdowns of sites at Los Alamos and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the coalition of governments noted in an update. Extreme cold has damaged critical facilities at the National Nuclear Security Administrations Pantex plant in Texas.

But, the Energy Department noted in its package, a proven process to identify and respond to hazards is on the books; stringent rules, prerequisites and redundancies already guide construction of nuclear labs, plants and sites.

So far, 51% of Energy Department complexes have been screened for climate risks and their potential impacts. Facilities and operations critical to the DOE mission and national security, generally, will be prioritized moving forward.

Sustaining DOEs mission in this changing environment is dependent on DOEs ability to successfully identify aspects of climate change likely to impact our mission and operations, the report states, as well as our ability to respond strategically.

At the Savannah River Site, specifically, the Office of Environmental Management is shoring up defenses against scorching temperatures and raging storms spurred by a warming planet, and is working to modernize the electrical grid. At the Hanford Site in Washington, wildfire-tolerant vegetation has been planted and ice vests are used to combat heat stress among workers.

The DOE blueprint was one of more than 20 published this week, the result of an executive order from President Joe Biden. Officials have for months worked on the plans, which show how key government agencies will navigate the climate crisis and its short- and long-term consequences.

DOEs operations must adapt to this changing environment to mirror the bold agenda that President Biden has set for America, Granholm said. This first-of-its-kind plan shows our commitment to being a changemaker and tackling this existential threat.

The White House on Thursday said the array of plans reflect Bidens whole-of-government approach to confronting the climate crisis. Taking holistic action now, the administration said, will minimize damage down the road.
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A who's who of American industry are losing one of their fellow combatants in a legal dispute over the disposal of disposable wipes.

Last week, a South Carolina judge agreed to sign off on a class-action lawsuit settlement between Charleston Water System and Kimberly-Clark Corp. The deal will largely remove the Cottonelle manufacturer from the litigation unfolding at the Four Corners of Law.

The two sides submitted the terms of the agreement in late April. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel of Charleston gave his preliminary approval Oct. 5.

"The court finds that the settlement reached in this case was the result of a fair process," he wrote.

Some heavy hitters from the consumer-products universe might disagree with Gergel's decision  a list that includes Walmart, Costco, Target, Procter & Gamble and CVS Health Corp. They opposed the settlement and argued that the local utility's allegations didn't meet the minimum legal threshold to bring a complaint in the first place. They urged Gergel to rule first on their requests to have the entire case dismissed.

The initial defense strategy withered in August, when the water system amended its original lawsuit and addressed the shortcomings. Gergel found the objections to be "moot" at that point.

The municipal utility is taking aim at a widely used line of personal care products that are marketed to consumers as "flushable" but often don't live up to that promise, according to its research.

"They do not disintegrate as effectively as toilet paper and can comingle to cause clogs and treatment problems, making them costly and difficult to manually remove," according to the complaint.

The ensuing maintenance costs often trickle down to ratepayers in the form of higher bills.

The lawsuit seeks class-action status, which means other sewer systems around the country that have experienced similar problems can join in. Charleston Water is the lead plaintiff.

Wipes have become a big consumer category since Kimberly-Clark developed and began marketing its first "flushable" product in the mid-1990s. Last year, industrywide sales were expected to hit $2.7 billion, "indicating the market is approximately doubling every five years," according to research cited in the lawsuit.

The 71-page complaint includes numerous examples of the damage done from around the country and locally, such as a large blockage of muck discovered off James Island about three years ago. In that instance, Charleston Water spent $140,000 to send divers 90 feet down a sewage line linked to its Plum Island treatment center to remove a mass that measured more than 12 feet long.

"The gross factor definitely caught people's attention," a utility official told The Washington Post after the case went national earlier this year.

Over the first four months of this year, the water system estimated it spent more than $300,000 on dozens of blockages and pump failures.

Under its settlement, Kimberly-Clark said it will ensure its Cottonelle wipes will meet a higher national standard for "flushability" by next May. The company also agreed to allow independent testing for several years to verify compliance and to change its labeling to distinguish between products that are and are not sewer-friendly. Kimberly-Clark said it was pleased its settlement is on track to be approved.

"We look forward to our partnership with the city to ensure Cottonelle Flushable Wipes continue to meet and exceed various flushability standards and specifications," the Irving, Texas-based company said in a written statement last week.

No money will change hands other than legal expenses that the local water system incurred. But Gergel ruled that Kimberly-Clark remains on the hook if other utilities that join the lawsuit are awarded monetary damages.

Charleston Water called on others to follow Kimberly-Clarks lead.

"Until that happens, CWS intends to continue to challenge those manufacturers misleading claims about the suitability of their various wipes for introduction into public sewer systems," it said.

F. Paul Calamita of Richmond, Va.-based Aqualaw PLC, which represents Charleston Water, told the legal website Law360 that the Kimberly-Clark settlement "achieves the optimal balance in terms of having Cottonelle Flushable Wipes be strong enough for consumer uses while still dispersing effectively and safely within sewer systems. If flushable wipes are too weak, consumers are likely to turn to non-flushable wipes  further exacerbating impacts to sewer systems."

As for Walmart, Costco and the rest of the defendants, they remain mired in the litigation.
Charleston last week broke its decade-long streak atop the travel industry's longest-running ranking of U.S. cities.

But while its No. 1 run with Conde Nast Traveler is over, the Holy City has yet to drop off the list  or fall below the sixth spot  since it made its debut in the magazine's annual rankings nearly three decades ago, in 1993.

Charleston's Ranking, Over the Years Charleston has placed sixth or higher on Conde Nast Traveler's list of the best cities in the U.S. for 28 years and counting. 1993: 6

1994: 4

1995: 4

1996: 3

1997: 4

1998: 4

1999: 3

2000: 3

2001: 5

2002: 3

2003: 3

2004: 4

2005: 3

2006: 5

2007: 3

2008: 2

2009: 2

2010: 2

2011 - 2020: 1

2021: 2 Source: Internet Archive, Conde Nast Traveler & The Post and Courier

Charleston placed sixth that year, behind Boston.

Charleston Place, then called The Omni at Charleston Place, had been open for about six years, and it made a list of the top 25 hotels in the U.S., coming in 22nd.

The Greenville-Spartanburg Airport was named the nation's seventh-best terminal that year.

In 1994, Charleston moved to fourth, and it stayed there the next year.

An article in The Post and Courier about the city's No. 4 placement said the rankings had been gleaned from 30,000 surveys that had been sent to a random sampling of readers. In more recent years, the survey has been posted online, and hundreds of thousands of respondents submit their opinions.

In 1996, the same year the Francis Marion and the Embassy Suites in the former Citadel site next to Marion Square opened after major investments in those buildings, Charleston edged into the top three for the first time.

For years, Charleston bounced between the fourth, fifth and third places on the list.

In 2002, when the city was in third, Helen Hill, the CEO of Explore Charleston  then the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau  said the rankings were adding "credibility" to the city as a tourist destination.

"This is one of those surveys that can't be bought," Hill told The Post and Courier. "It's a true readers' poll."

At the time, the rankings lumped all U.S. cities together, so Charleston was being compared with places like New York City, Chicago and Boston. That year, Charleston sat behind San Francisco and the Big Apple.

Charleston spent three straight years at No. 2 starting in 2008, trailing behind San Francisco before hitting No. 1 for the first time in 2011.

And, after all those years of bouncing around within the top slots, the city stayed put for awhile.

That is, until the 2021 results were announced, and the ski resort town of Aspen, Colo., had a survey score that overtook the Holy City's.

But, based on Charleston's path to No. 1, it could easily bounce a spot up  or down  next time around.

Either way, it's not likely to drop off the list anytime soon.

Travel TV

South Carolina's tourism department is launching the second season of a travel series featuring unique spots around the state.

The series, "Go For It", is produced by South Carolina ETV and the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism. PRT's engagement manager, Devyn Whitmire, hosts the series, which highlighted spots like Darlington Raceway, Congaree National Park and Hunting Island State Park in its first season.

The new set of 10 episodes began airing Oct. 7 with a visit to Daufuskie Island for horseback riding.

Other upcoming episodes will feature a ghost tour in Charleston, the Sky Wheel in Myrtle Beach and antiquing in Columbia.

Episodes can be viewed in multiple places online, including YouTube and the SCETV website.
S.C. Sen. Tom Davis, a Republican who represents Beaufort and Jasper counties, is working with federal lawmakers to get a budget earmark for water and wastewater infrastructure that would support manufacturing and distribution sites in the Lowcountry.

In letters to U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, Davis is seeking help getting an initial $11.3 million to "pay for infrastructure that is immediately needed to facilitate economic development" in Jasper County. That development includes logistics operations to support the nearby Port of Savannah in Georgia.

All told, the 20-year buildout for water and wastewater infrastructure needed for the developments is nearly $200 million.

"Port operations at Savannah increasingly involve real property ... on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River," Davis said in the letters. "This part of South Carolina has been ignored for such a long time and I want to do anything I can to ensure the growth that is now occurring continues."

Staff from both federal legislators have shown interest in helping with the project. President Joe Biden will submit his proposed federal budget in February, and Congress will set its budget priorities  including potential earmarks  afterward.

Among the planned development is the 2,500-acre Riverport Business Park, which will include 10 buildings with 4 million square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space. At buildout, Riverport  to be developed by Charleston's Gramling Brothers Real Estate is projected to bring up to 24,000 jobs and a $3 billion annual economic punch for a part of the state that has long suffered from low wages, underemployment and lack of opportunity. A new exit off Interstate 95 recently was approved that will connect to the Riverport site.

Although the Port of Savannah is just a short drive from Riverport, South Carolina legislators in 2019 approved tax breaks for manufacturers and distributors that make the longer drive to the Port of Charleston. The law, designed to steer business away from the Georgia port, gives businesses up to $3 million a year in tax credits to offset transportation costs.

Davis has been a leading proponent of the Jasper Ocean Terminal, a $5 billion seaport proposed for Jasper County that would be operated by county and Georgia port officials. The Georgia Ports Authority has until the end of this year to decide whether it will enter into a joint venture with Jasper County to build the port, located on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River.

If built, the Jasper Ocean Terminal would be one of the worlds largest and most technically advanced seaports, able to handle the worlds biggest container ships. At full buildout, it would be able to process 8 million 20-foot cargo containers per year.

Indy-ustrial

Indianapolis-based Citimark recently closed on a pair of North Charleston industrial buildings with a combined 310,000 square feet of space at 4725 Arco Lane and 4750-60 Goer Drive. The purchase price for the properties was $25.5 million. The buildings are currently fully leased and will undergo renovations, according to the company.

The buildings, located along Interstate 26 and near Charleston International Airport, are "great long-term in-fill industrial" sites, said Rex Riley with CC&T Real Estate Services, which represented Citimark in the transaction.

This is the second acquisition for Citimark in recent months. The company, along with NCP Capital and Pure Development, closed on 230 acres on Jedburg Road in Summerville where Coastal Crossroads Logistics Center is planned. That project will have four buildings total 2.5 million square feet including the Charleston region's largest single speculative industrial building at 1.2 million square feet.
COLUMBIA  The Midlands will have more office space available in the coming months as companies figure out their changing needs amid the COVID pandemic, according to area real estate executives.

Columbia continues its pattern of offering fewer big ups and downs in its real estate than other markets thanks to stable employers such as government and law firms using substantial office space, said David Lockwood, Columbia market president for Colliers South Carolina.

The company's most recent analysis of the Columbia office market, issued Oct. 4, sees it as stable overall but likely to have more space available, especially as big tenants choose to shrink their footprints.

It reported an overall office vacancy rate of 12 percent across the Midlands, with that number expected to rise through the rest of the year.

Average rents for high-end space also have risen almost $1 per square foot in the past year, according to the Colliers report. Lease rates are being pushed higher by sharply increased construction costs for getting space ready for new tenants, Lockwood said.

Some companies are re-evaluating how they will work after the COVID-19 pandemic gave them a crash course in working from home. Many companies saw some productivity gains from the switch, said Ted Pitts, CEO of Wilson Kibler real estate.

Companies that deal with their clients face-to-face frequently might be redesigning, but they're keeping an office with meeting space, Pitts said.

They are looking perhaps at smaller space with a series of open desks and a meeting space rather than separate assigned cubicles, Pitts said. That is becoming a preferred design for companies that see their work as truly collaborative.

Many of these conversations about office design already were underway before the pandemic, he said.

Surplus space is being offered for subleases, but it's no flood.

"There's not going to be a glut of space to absorb," Pitts said.

Companies that have operated customer service call centers are more likely to change that into a work-from-home operation, Lockwood said.

Companies, such as Aflac along Huger Street and Colonial Life on Colonial Life Boulevard, already had been shrinking their offices and offering space for lease. That process has accelerated amid the pandemic.

"This was already happening," Pitts said.

Through a spokesman, Aflac declined to comment on its space usage in Columbia.

The large Verizon call center on Spears Creek Church Road in Elgin has been vacated with workers instead taking calls from home, Lockwood said.

The trend does mean that more big chunks of downtown, high-grade office space is available, which might be attractive to an out-of-town company to relocate, the Colliers report noted.

For instance, the Wells Fargo building at 1441 Main St. is advertising three full floors that are available plus parts of other floors.

Companies such as Wells Fargo itself, Absolute Total Care and Duck Creek have reduced their use of space in the building.

Aetna negotiated a buyout of its lease on St. Andrews Road just one year into a seven-year lease, according to Peyton Bryant, a senior broker with NAI Columbia.

The space being recently renovated helped attract another customer to occupy the space in 2021, Bryant said.

Some companies are seeking to buy office space at this time, especially to own their own building. The Columbia market does not have enough small free-standing offices of 2,000 to 8,000 square feet to meet this demand, Lockwood said.

Companies are eager to own their own space or sublease in part because construction costs and delays have risen so much, Lockwood said. For many companies, building their own space right now is not an option.

Jessica Holdman contributed from Columbia.
COLUMBIA  Seventy years ago, the federal government carved nearly 200,000 acres out of rural South Carolina to produce nuclear materials for the nation's Cold War arsenal.

The government displaced families, farms and whole towns  even the cemeteries had to go  as construction began in 1951 along the state's southern border with Georgia. The site, originally called the Savannah River Plant, or the "bomb plant" to locals, took 310 square miles from Barnwell, Aiken and Allendale counties, a swath big enough to fit the city of Charleston 2 times.

More than three decades after the reactors shut down, local officials want a tiny chunk of it back.

Their proposal would turn 5,000 acres on the outskirts of the Savannah River Site into a mega industrial park, with the goal of replacing thousands of high-paying jobs lost to mission changes and failed federal promises. And with the land back on tax rolls, the private employers there would simultaneously boost opportunities and county coffers.

"We're trying to find more industrial land that's not ever going to be developed for anything else and make a win-win for the communities," said Will Williams, president of the regional Economic Development Partnership based in Aiken.

The three counties that SRS sits on would share in the property tax revenue, helping all three, he said. But he noted it would primarily benefit Barnwell and Allendale, two of the state's poorest counties that lost population as SRS, textile and factory jobs dried up.

But the idea is far from reality.

It requires a transfer agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy  a giant hurdle. And local officials are asking legislators for $25 million to build the water and sewer systems companies would need.

Both have the backing of Gov. Henry McMaster, who will include the funding request in his recommendations on how to spend $525 million available from the state's settlement over plutonium stored at SRS, said his spokesman Brian Symmes.

And the GOP governor will do what he can to advocate a land transfer from the federal government, he said.

Local officials have tried for several years without success. But a concerted push from lawmakers  and the broad support a $25 million investment would signify  would carry more weight, said Danny Black, president of SouthernCarolina Alliance, the regional economic development group based in Barnwell.

His poor, rural counties lack the political power to make it happen, he said.

"That has not been on the top of (DOE's) list to give us land, but I do think it can gain momentum, especially if the state agrees it's something that could happen and they get involved in pushing from the state side," Black said. "It's a gem sitting there, and we don't push it."

The idea was presented during negotiations with the federal government over tons of weapons-grade plutonium left underground in Barnwell County, where most of SRS is located, the office of Attorney General Alan Wilson confirmed. But that plan didn't make it into the settlement Wilson announced last year.

And, while a 5,000-acre industrial park would be one of the state's largest, the Commerce Department is not involved in the effort, a spokeswoman said. The agency is typically involved in large economic development projects of this nature.

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, whose district includes SRS, has seen local officials' proposed blueprints and supports investments in the communities. But he wants to ensure enough barrier is maintained at the site to appropriately secure its operations related to national security.

His office is working with the Department of Energy to explore the possibility "without impacting the safety and security of missions at the site," he said.

Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, whose district includes all of Barnwell and part of Allendale counties, noted there is precedent for transfers at other federal nuclear complexes.

"You dont need as much buffer as you used to," Hutto, an Orangeburg Democrat, said about the unused land behind the fence that prevented any public viewing of the site's secretive operations.

The Department of Energy has returned thousands of acres at nuclear sites in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Hanford, Wash., to their communities.

The agency's potential opposition and environmental obstacles for doing so at SRS are unclear. No one from the federal agency returned phone or email messages left by The Post and Courier over the past week.

"This could be the best thing in the world for us," Black said about the proposed site along the border of Aiken and Barnwell counties. "If it were able to happen, we could compete with anybody for big-ticket projects."

The recruiting pitch to companies would highlight the property's rail lines, access to the Savannah River, a two-lane state highway running through it, and the available workforce of the broader Augusta, Ga., region, he said.

His mock layout of the industrial park has a car manufacturer on one side. Other possibilities include data center operations or cybersecurity offshoots from the Georgia Cyber Center and U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Black said.

"The federal government ought to be rewarding us," he said, noting the then-Atomic Energy Commission didn't just take one third of Barnwell County's land, "they took the best. It's river frontage."

When the location was chosen in 1950, about 6,000 people were given 15 months to evacuate.

Rep. Lonnie Hosey, D-Barnwell, was just 4 years old in January 1951, when his mother and uncle piled his family's belongings in the back of a truck and left their home in Dunbarton for good. A year later, Dunbarton was among the small towns wiped off the map.

"The day of departure was a cold, cold day," said Hosey, who's represented Barnwell and Allendale counties in the House for 22 years.

He remembers his uncle putting the home's "old, pot-bellied stove," with hot coals still in it, in the back of the truck. His uncle placed it next to him and his younger brother, bundled in blankets, so they could stay warm on the journey to Elko. He doesn't know how his uncle arranged their new home.

"We moved like the 'Beverly Hillbillies,'" said Hosey, who joined the Marine Corps 15 years later and fought in Vietnam.

There are stories like that across the region, Hutto said.

"Think about that. After World War II, people are coming home and looking for jobs. All of a sudden, the federal government says, 'We need a site to build bombs. We choose you. Move.' It wasnt, 'Would you like to move?' It was, "Move,'" Hutto told a Senate panel crafting a spending plan for the settlement money.

"We didnt ask for this, but we embraced it and, in many ways, prospered," he said. "We could be bitter, but were not. But it has impacted us and continues to impact us."

When the Cold War officially ended in 1991, more than 25,000 people worked at SRS. That's dropped to roughly 11,000  mostly in research, clean-up and security jobs  with about half of the workers commuting from Aiken County, 590 from Barnwell County and just 47 from Allendale. More than a third of the employees commute from Georgia, according to the Sept. 28 presentation to senators.

Hosey plans to make a similar presentation to his House colleagues.

"Rural South Carolina catches the devil. Is the Cold War continuing to affect our area? Yes," Hosey said. "People leave the area and go somewhere else and stay somewhere else because there's nothing to come back to. It keeps dying, dying, dying as population decreases.

"Help us," he said, previewing his case. "We need help in growing."
GEORGETOWN  The lines of Georgetown County Council's seven districts will very likely to shift, bulge and shrink ahead of the 2022 election with drastic population changes over the last 10 years.

The Waccamaw Neck's Districts 1, 2 and 6 could shrink to meet district population counts called for by the S.C. Revenue and Financial Affairs Office, though creating an entire new district is unlikely, according to the office's strategic operations manager, Sandra Kelly.

The districts that contain Pawleys Island, Litchfield and Murrells Inlet all have more people in them based on 2020 Census numbers than what the 2010 district lines suggested, according to a report from the Revenue and Financial Affairs Office.

This means that if the lines were to stay untouched, Districts 1, 2 and 6 would have more people in them than planned, which could force some communities previously in Waccamaw Neck districts into other districts with drastically different demographics.

Georgetown Countys population grew by 5.4% over the past decade, with most of that growth concentrated in the Waccamaw Neck. Other areas of the county, though, saw mass exoduses, especially in their Black populations, according to analysis of Census data.

In total, the three overflowing districts have approximately 4,500 more people combined than what's in the Revenue and Financial Affairs Office's plans, while the other four districts have a total of 4,500 fewer people than called for.

But making districts proportional isn't as simple as adding to or cutting them up, Kelly said.

"You do want to take into consideration communities of interest and various other things that people who are just looking at numbers on the maps don't know," Kelly said. "There's more to this than just straight shot numbers and maps."

County councilman Bob Anderson, who represents District 2 that starts at the south end of Pawleys Island and stretches to just before the eastern bridge into Georgetown, said redistricting all comes down to negotiations and compromises between councilmembers.

"It's like a balloon, if you squeeze it here it's going to bulge out over there," Anderson said, adding that he isn't concerned about Waccamaw Neck districts possibly shrinking because of their demographic similarities.

The report also said there appears to be "racially polarized voting" in Georgetown County, which means there are districts where most voters are minorities and others where most are White.

This is the first post-census redrawing of district lines since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the section of the Voting Rights Act that required governments in states including South Carolina to get all election changes cleared by the U.S. Justice Department.

Districts should not be drawn solely based on race, Kelly said, but these numbers are points the county should take into consideration in conversations with each other and residents to avoid extensive polarization.

"It's really just going to take more talking and trying to figure all that out rather than solely relying on (race) numbers," Kelly said.

According to the report, more than 90% of registered voters in District 2 who have voted in the last five years are white, and 92% of voters voted for Republican Bob Anderson in the last election.

Meanwhile, 62% of registered voters in District 3 who have voted in the last five years are Black, and 88% of voters voted for Democrat Everett Carolina in the last election.

Georgetown County Council is set to have a workshop Oct. 26 to discuss the report and possible adjustments that could be made to make districts more equitable, though ideally the office would want newly drawn lines by mid-January.

Once the county has redrawn its lines, the new districts will go back to the Revenue and Financial Affairs Office, Kelly said, who will check to make sure they align with the plans before permanently implementing them for the next 10 years.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina's military leaders told Gov. Henry McMaster that the state's poor education rankings and rising costs of housing are two of the key issues facing their bases, and that they need to be addressed.

McMaster heard from military leaders at every one of the state's military bases during the Governors Commanders Briefing on Oct. 8 at the University of South Carolina.

While the discussion mainly focused on the overwhelming economic impact the military has in the Palmetto State, recurring concerns the base commanders stressed were the lack of affordable housing in many cities and school rankings that aren't as strong as in other states that attract veterans and active-duty service members.

"If I don't know where I'm going to live, I don't know where I'm going to register my kids for school," said Col. Marc Greene, commander of Joint Base Charleston.

South Carolina is home to bases representing each branch of the armed services. It boasts one of the largest veteran and military retiree populations in the country. And, notably, the Pentagon provides for nearly 200,000 jobs in the Palmetto State.

But the state's education system, however, consistently ranks as one of the lowest in the nation, most recently listed 43rd by U.S. News & World Report.

Military officials said the consistently low marks of South Carolinas schools can affect long-term stability, make it hard to recruit new service members and, at the extreme, might potentially influence a base-closure decision. Likewise, not having affordable housing in a region can also harm retention.

Addressing education quality across the nation has been a longstanding issue for the Department of Defense.

In a 2018 letter to the National Governors Association, the former secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force identified low-quality education systems as a primary issues for military personnel and their families.

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The letter stated these are factors military families cite most frequently as drawbacks to military service. It added the Department of Defense will encourage leadership to consider the quality of schools near bases and whether reciprocity of professional licenses is available for military families when evaluating future basing or mission alternatives.

Additionally, South Carolina's booming housing and rental market makes it hard for enlisted service members to find reliable places to stay and use their government-provided stipend, called a basic housing allowance.

Late last month, the Pentagon announced that it would temporarily increase the 2021 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for certain locations. Of the 56 rental market locations identified by the Department of Defense, none of them were in South Carolina.

South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs Secretary William Grimsley said despite contacting members of Congress multiple times to push for the state's cities to make that list, the Pentagon failed to acknowledge the Palmetto State's tight rental market.

"I was slightly taken back a couple weeks ago when the Department of Defense advertised that they raised the basic allowance for housing rates ... and didn't do it for Charleston and Sumter," Grimsley said. "We have people living far away and driving 45 minutes to an hour away from their bases because they can't find affordable housing close by."

McMaster agreed with the commanders' concerns and expressed gratitude for their continued presence and work. He told reporters that South Carolina is a "military state" and that is essential for economic success.

When the military people are moving into the state and are being assigned to a particular location, we need to have the highest quality of education there, McMaster told reporters.
Obeying traffic signals and chit-chatting about the lovely weather, several dozen church-goers marched Oct. 9 through the cobblestone streets of historic downtown Charleston bearing a simple message: "Love thy neighbor."

In a time of fractious divide for the nation, the Rev. Kylon Middleton said it is a message we all need to hear. Arguments over vaccinations, mask mandates and racial equality are dividing the community.

"It's become so political, it's dividing the church," said Middleton, also a member of Charleston County Council. "We can't preach the liberating doctrine without fear of offending someone."

The Peace Walk was organized by Middleton and the Rev. Adam Shoemaker, co-founders of The Micah Project, a lunchtime Bible study for people to have respectful dialogue about divisive issues.

Middleton is the senior pastor for Mount Zion AME Church, a historically Black congregation. Shoemaker represents the predominately White St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.

The project's members seek to bring the biblical values of justice, mercy and humility to bear on the social issues that divide Charleston, including health care, housing, education and racial equality.

Tom Pace, a member of Grace Church Cathedral, said he joined the walk because the divisive nature of politics was not good for the community.

"I believe it's important that the churches unite behind these efforts to show some of the things that are wrong in the system, whether it be health care, or education, or how people are treated in the community," Pace said.

About 75 people, including Charleston police Chief Luther Reynolds and Charleston City Councilman Robert Mitchell, walked from Mount Zion on Glebe Street to St. Stephen's on Anson Street. From there they continued to the Charleston County School District's Central Office, Wragg Square, Fetter Health Care Network and Hampstead Square.

At each location, they offered prayers for unity in the community, as well as health care workers and teachers. Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, newly consecrated bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, offered a prayer at St. Stephen's, asking God to provide them the strength to stand as one to disrupt "the systems and the structures that oppress" His children.

Speakers from several organizations and backgrounds, including Penny Cothran from the Sierra Club and Omar Muhammad of the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities, also spoke about challenges within the community.

Sara Rutledge, a local high school science teacher, spoke at Wragg Square about the difficulty teachers and students are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rutledge said she did not teach last year because she lives with someone who is immunocompromised, but the teachers who did were worn down by the emotional pain and dysfunction caused by the pandemic.

Students who caught the delta variant of the virus this year have become sicker than students last year, causing more time out of school and greater learning loss.

"For us, as teachers, we're trying to figure out, how do we close the learning gap?" Rutledge said. "We're having a hard time even having that conversation because we're still in survival mode."

Shoemaker said afterward he felt the Peace Walk was a wonderful first initiative for The Micah Project.

"I was pleased with the turnout, and I thought the speakers really helped raise some pressing issues for our community," he said.
North Augusta, SC (29841)

Today

Some clouds. Low 46F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 46F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Even the best system cant stop a determined criminal from committing crimes.

But the unfolding Murdaugh saga  from the boat wreck that wasnt properly investigated to the attempted suicide-insurance scam and now evidence of elaborate extortion schemes  has given even lawyers and judges an uneasy feeling about South Carolina's legal system.

Is the rot confined to one community, one law firm, even one man? Or is this an exaggerated example of the sort of thing that happens throughout a state with an insular network of lawyers and judges  the overwhelming majority of whom attended the same law school, many of whom travel in the same social circles, particularly in smaller communities  where conspiracies can be easily hatched and nurtured?

A Columbia attorney put an exclamation point on that vague feeling of unease on Tuesday, when he made an apparently unprecedented request for Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen to give a deposition in his lawsuit alleging that Alex Murdaugh conspired to steal millions of dollars in insurance money due the sons of his deceased housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.

Although Eric Bland said he believed Judge Mullen had been misled when she apparently signed an order approving a $2.7 million insurance payment to Ms. Satterfields sons and $1.6 million in fees to attorney Cory Fleming, the request raised questions. Why, after recusing herself from the criminal case against Alex Murdaugh's son Paul because of close ties to the family, did Judge Mullen involve herself in the insurance matter? Or did she? Does she usually sign orders when no lawsuit has been filed? At best, that suggests a too casual and trusting approach to her job. Do her orders frequently end up unfiled?

Mr. Bland withdrew his request a day later, saying he had been pressured to drop it, and besides, he had found enough other evidence against Mr. Murdaugh and Mr. Fleming that he no longer needed the judges testimony.

We hope that pressure came from lawyers who just dont like the idea of breaking the tradition of judges speaking only through their court orders, and not from judges who erroneously believed they were protecting the integrity of our judicial system. Because the rest of us still need to hear from Judge Mullen, as the first of many steps to help clear up growing questions about what protections we have to ensure that lawyers are representing the interests of their clients and how we ensure that judges dont allow their personal relationships with lawyers to cloud their judgment.

We take some comfort in how our criminal justice system has worked since Paul and Maggie Murdaughs murders turned the powerful Hampton County family's saga into daily dinner table conversation in South Carolina and beyond: Alex Murdaughs law partners say they discovered he was cheating clients and the firm, and forced him to resign; the S.C. Supreme Court suspended his law license; SLED discovered the alleged conspiracy behind his shooting; Mr. Bland unearthed the unfiled legal order that showed the millions owed the Ms. Satterfield's sons, which might never have happened if not for all the publicity; and on Friday, the high court suspended Mr. Fleming's law license, even though he had agreed to give the sons his legal fees, along with payments to come from malpractice insurance.

Yet these appropriate responses have mainly served to highlight deeply disturbing failures. Public confidence is the foundation of our legal system, and its erosion can be cured only through  well, were not sure what at this point.

The S.C. judiciary has some serious soul searching to do, and the Legislature has some serious questions to ask. That will not be quick or easy work, because theres no obvious solution. At this point, we dont really even know how big the problem is.

But we know it can only be resolved through the sort of transparency that our court system seems determined to guard against, with its secretive attorney and judicial disciplinary systems and the judicial code of silence. The healing starts with Judge Mullen subjecting herself to a public questioning about what she knew and didnt know and what was routine and out of the ordinary about how she handled this bizarre case. The S.C. Supreme Court needs to find a way to both allow and require her to do this, and sooner is better than later.
COLUMBIA  More than 400 Afghan refugees are resettling in South Carolina in the coming months, and the faith-based nonprofits arranging their placement are looking for help welcoming them to their new home.

Lutheran Services Carolinas, which resettles refugees in Columbia, Greenville and Charleston, is working to pair each family with a "circle of welcome" to help them quickly adjust to life in the United States, said Bedrija Jazic, the nonprofit's director of Refugee and Immigrant Services.

Similarly, World Relief Upstate, which serves the Greenville and Spartanburg regions, is forming "good neighbor" teams.

The names are different, but the concept is the same.

Each volunteer team consists of volunteers from a church or other community organization that commits to "walk alongside a refugee family as they rebuild their lives," Jazic said.

"We'd love to have each family matched," she said. "That's our ultimate goal. We're not there yet. We're still looking."

How to help  People interested in joining or forming a volunteer team to help refugees through Lutheran Services Carolinas should email screfugee@lscarolinas.net  To learn more about and donate to the World Relief fundraising campaign, go to https://worldrelief.org/upstate-sc/welcome-home/

The coordinated approach can involve collecting donated furniture for an apartment, stocking a pantry, helping families learn English and fill out paperwork, and driving them to job interviews or other appointments.

The goal is to help families become self-sufficient within several months, while forming lasting friendships, Jazic said.

She declined to give details on teams already in the program, or how many more are needed, but said training is underway.

The Columbia area is expected to receive the most Afghan refugees, with 200 arriving over the next six months. The Greenville and Charleston regions will each welcome about 100 through Lutheran Services, Jazic said.

Greenville and Spartanburg will additionally receive 30 Afghan refugees  likely four to five families  through World Relief Upstate. Over the last two months, 10 faith-based groups have formed "good neighbor" teams to assist them, said Brandon Baughn, the nonprofit's office director.

His group also launched a "welcome home" fundraising campaign Oct. 6 to help families in their first three months.

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Typically, refugees resettled by the agency have been waiting for years before they're brought to the U.S.

"Because of the situation out of Afghanistan, they'll need more intensive support," Baughn said.

The U.S. evacuated about 120,000 people in the chaotic days following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August. They were a mix of U.S. citizens, Afghans with legal permanent residency or who were applying for visas and refugee status along with their families.

There are about 53,000 Afghans currently staying at eight U.S. military bases and receiving medical care and other assistance before they settle around the United States. Their stay includes a 21-day quarantine required after receiving the vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox that most Americans receive in childhood.

None of those bases are in South Carolina. They won't arrive here until they've gone through a series of background checks, Baughn said.

Churches in the capital region forming a "circle of welcome" include Northeast Presbyterian, where about 30 people attended an informational meeting Oct. 7.

Pastor Josh Desch said he's confident from his congregation's response, following a pulpit announcement days earlier, that they'll be able to assist at least four families.

"People are excited," he said.

Desch said he felt God was calling him to get involved after seeing the hectic and heartbreaking events at the Kabul Airport in August. He found out that a church family had helped with refugees through Lutheran Services and gave them a call.

"This is so important because it's an outworking as our call as Christians to love our community as Christ loved us," Desch said. "I felt that call from God for us to embrace being a multi-ethnic, diverse church, which is what heaven is going to be like. And increasingly, we want it to reflect the diversity in our own community."
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With the recent retirement of two psychiatrists from the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, the agency now finds itself down to one psychiatrist, who also happens to be on extended leave but remains on call for emergencies.

However, that doesn't mean Behavioral Health is unable to serve clients in need of psychiatric services, according to Director Theresa Arriola.

"We have (medical) doctors ... and psychologists and counselors who collaborate for proper care for our consumers," Arriola said. "So, despite the fact that we only have one psychiatrist who is on extended leave and only on call for emergencies, it doesn't prevent the department from properly providing services to the people."

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One psychiatrist left Behavioral Health on Sept. 17, while another, who had been planning to leave for the Philippines, retired shortly thereafter.

Five psychiatrists are needed at the agency, Arriola said, but she has spoken out before about how challenging it is to hire psychiatrists amid a national shortage of behavioral health professionals and a worldwide shortage of psychiatrists.

"The clinical team is more than a psychiatrist," Arriola said.

In addition to medical doctors and other current staff who can provide services, the director said, Behavioral Health, by the end of October, will be bringing on board two psychiatric nurse practitioners who have script-writing authority.

The agency is also attempting to bring in an American psychiatrist currently practicing in Qatar. But this person is the only psychiatrist at his hospital, and wants to ensure that a team is ready to replace him before he relocates to Guam  a "perfect example" of how resources are stretched by the worldwide shortage, Arriola said.

The other major national concern in the behavioral health field is staff burnout, according to Arriola.

To manage compassion fatigue, COVID-19-related fatigue and other stresses associated with an increased workload, Arriola said, Behavioral Health ensures staff take proper time off. And that's the reason the agency's lone psychiatrist is on extended leave, she added.

"He needed a mental health break because he was running on, I don't know, 16 months without vacation. So when he asked for an extended leave I had to grant it because he's no good to me if he's burnt out," Arriola said.

"So even though things might be slow, and appointments might be slow, you'll get the appointment. But it's going to have to happen at a time when the workforce is at the optimum level. We never want to run our workforce to the ground just to push out the numbers," she added.

Rising numbers of inpatients, calls to hotline

Calls to the Behavioral Health crisis hotline rose exponentially with the onset of COVID-19.

Before the pandemic, the agency took about 25 to 30 calls to its hotline per month. The number of calls now is reaching into the hundreds. In September, Behavioral Health received more than 1,000 calls to its hotline, up from about 700 in July.

But, as may be expected, Arriola said, hotline calls don't necessarily result in psychiatric needs or inpatient services, and may be handled by trained staff taking the calls. If more in-depth services are needed, she said, an appointment to see a counselor is scheduled.

"People are being seen by counselors, psychologists, medical doctors and those kinds," she said.

But since the pandemic, there has "definitely" been an increase in the number of adult inpatients, with the unit having seen 14 or 15 patients, and sometimes a full 16, Arriola said, bringing the facility to its maximum. The average before the pandemic was six or seven patients. However, it seems for now that the numbers are leveling off to nine, 10 or 11 patients, according to Arriola.

"And that's probably because more people are starting to become maintained. ... A lot of our inpatient units are also repeats, meaning those in the community often picked up by the officers. Mostly homeless, and things of that nature. But I think we're doing a pretty good job on the counseling side, getting them other services. ... It's all about making sure our clients receive quality care, but it's a proper level. Not everybody needs to be in an inpatient unit," Arriola said.

There is a silver lining to the pandemic. COVID-19 brought new federal funding to Guam and other parts of the nation, in addition to the challenges it has wrought.

"In the past, prior to COVID hitting our shores, there wasn't a dedicated staff that handles the crisis hotline. Today, the crisis hotline is well staffed, ... and we're able to do that because of all the federal dollars that we have received. So there's no way, after COVID leaves  because COVID will leave one day ... there's no way that it can revert back to pre-COVID operations. And that was our inpatient unit nurses handling the phone. No way," Arriola said. "We have an aftermath of COVID that we're going to still be seeing a large increase of consumers here at Guam Behavioral Health. And my job is to bring in and hire as many providers as possible. And that's what we do."

Those seeking behavioral health services can call 671-647-8833 or 671-647-8834.
Philip Hamburger holds an endowed chair at Columbia Law School and is author, most recently, of Purchasing Submission: Conditions, Power, and Freedom, just published by Harvard University Press. I was a fanatic admirer of Professor Hamburgers Is Administrative Law Unlawful? (2014), which I reviewed for National Review in A new old regime. I thought it was the most important book I had read in a long time and still do.

Professor Hamburgers new book is shorter, narrower, and more accessible than Is Administrative Law Unlawful? In Purchasing Submission he takes up the issue of the federal governments use of indirect power to impose legal requirements through conditions (regulation effected by bureaucratic bribery, extortion, and barratry, as Ninth Circuit Judge Carlos Bea pungently puts it in a quote on the book jacket).

Professor Hamburger provides eight familiar examples in the opening pages of the book and raises the question whether the imposition of legal requirements in this manner is lawful. One of Professor Hamburgers eight examples is the Solomon Amendment (and the Defense Department interpretation of it). The Solomon Amendment uses the threat of withholding federal funds to prevent academic institutions from barring military recruiting on campus.

I wrote about one application of the Solomon Amendment in the 2005 Weekly Standard column JAGs not welcome without any notion it might be problematic. The threat of withholding federal funds from Yale  my case study in the column  was a sword of Damocles that had its intended effect, as it almost always does.

The issue of administratively imposed legal requirements arises in multifarious forms in connection with the Covid-19 epidemic. Federal vaccination requirements backed by the imposition of conditions are one such form. Professor Hamburgers new book therefore could not be more timely. It seems uncannily to have been written in anticipation of this moment.

Professor Hamburger recently appeared with Jenin Younes on the Bill Walton Show (not that Bill Walton) to discuss the issue of indirectly imposed legal requirements such as the prospective OSHA vaccination mandate. The Walton Show episode is available in transcript and in podcast form here. I have posted the YouTube video below.
Earlier this week, the Chinese Communists sent 150 fighter aircraft and bombers into Taiwans air space, an unprecedented provocation. The London Times considers the reality of a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan. First, what about those fighter and bomber missions?

The incursion of 150 Chinese fighter aircraft and bombers inside Taiwans air defence identification zone over four days this week was a test of Beijings war plan for invading the island, one of Americas authorities on Chinese and Taiwanese security said. This wasnt about China retaliating for something the West had done, such as the exercise involving American and British aircraft carriers off the Philippines. Its more likely to have been a dry run for testing their ability to execute their war plans, said Ian Easton.

As you would expect, those war plans are high tech:

The first physical sign of an invasion would be the lights going out. A cyberattack, hitting every power station to cripple Taiwans ability to defend itself, would lead the way to a full-scale Chinese air, airborne, amphibious and ballistic missile assault that would include decapitation missions to neutralise leadership figures. The [Peoples Liberation Armys] doctrine calls for emphasising operations in the speed domains  space, cyberspace, the air and the electromagnetic  and quick victory, Andrew Krepinevich, an American defence policy analyst and former Pentagon official, said. If the PLA acts according to its doctrine, we would likely see a massive cyberattack supported by large-scale jamming and other forms of electronic warfare on the island to disable its critical infrastructure and military command links.

Taiwans beaches are easily defensible, so there probably wouldnt be a D-Day style assault. Rather, the Chinese Communists would capture airfields and bring in large numbers of troops by air.

Taiwan has a pretty formidable military force, but not formidable enough:

[T]here would be several complicating factors, not least what response the US would make.

***

In the end Taiwan wouldnt be able to defend itself without massive US support.

The issues here are both logistical and political. At the moment, the U.S. is not well positioned to provide substantial assistance:

Would there be time for the US to intervene before it was too late? Currently the US has few forces based forward and so could not strongly contest a PLA attack unless it had months of prior warning, Krepinevich said.

I dont suppose the Chinese military has top officers like the repellent General Milley who would do us the courtesy of an advance warning.

The USs Andersen air base on Guam, 1,700 miles from Taiwan, would be a vital staging area, as would aircraft carrier strike groups in the region. Would Beijing risk pre-empting an American rescue attempt by launching ballistic missile or bomber attacks on the Guam base? My guess, and its only a guess, is no, Krepinevich said. Beijing would rather put the onus on Washington to shoot first and bet that President Biden will not.

That is the political factor. The idea that President Biden would mount a strong response to a lightning attack on Taiwan by the ChiComs is far-fetched. Generally, I assume that the CCP plays a long game and is in no hurry to achieve its goal of global dominance, especially given that the West is so patently on a path to cultural suicide. But the other side of the coin is that they may view Joe Biden as a once in a millennium opportunity to achieve one of their most cherished goalsthe annexation of Taiwanwithout serious risk of a competent American response. So I dont think the possibility of a devastating attack by the Chinese is by any means remote.
One of the strangest phenomena of our time is the whitewashing of the Chinese Communist Party by American liberals. Fifty years ago, everyone knew that the CCP was vicious, cruel and evil. But over the years, economic self-interestthe desire to take advantage of what is at best low-wage labor, and at worst slave laborhas triumphed over moral judgment. With hindsight, maybe Richard Nixons famous opening up of China and Bill Clintons admission of China into the World Trade Organization were mistakes. Donald Trump briefly tried to rationalize our relationship with the Evil Empire of the 21st Century, but that was too much for the establishment to take.

So what is the nature of the Chinese Communist regime? Are they our moral equal, if not our moral superior, as liberals generally believe? Some light is shed on that question by a former Chinese policeman now living in exile in Europe:

A former Chinese policeman said Uyghur Muslims were hanged from cell ceilings, tortured with electric batons and ordered to be raped by fellow prisoners, in what appears to be the first interview with an official whistleblower. The former detective described the extreme abuse Uyghurs were subjected to in order to elicit confessions as China rounded up about two million people in a social cleansing programme.

Two million people.

The officer, identified only by the surname Jiang, said he worked in one of the hundred internment camps dotted around far-western China. He said that initially he felt the patriotic pull to join 150,000 police recruits to staff detention centres in Xinjiang but he was quickly disillusioned by abuse carried out against detainees as young as 14.

***

Jiang said he and his colleagues would kick them, beat them (until theyre) bruised and swollen and until they kneel on the floor crying. If you want people to confess, you use the electric baton with two sharp tips on top, he also said in the interview. We would tie two electrical wires on the tips and set the wires on their genitals while the person is tied up. Other common tactics, he said, included forcing prisoners to gang rape male detainees. He now believes, however, none of the detainees was guilty and many appeared to have been arrested simply to fill government quotas. Following a confession, inmates would be sent to one of Chinas hundreds of internment camps, referred to as vocational training centres by Beijing.

The CCP now uses Uyghur graduates of those vocational training centers to manufacture solar panelsusing coal-fired electricity!that are hailed by Western liberals as morally superior green energy sources. The Chinese have driven most other solar panel manufacturers out of the market, as it is hard to compete on cost with slave labor. I am not aware of a single liberal American politician who has let these facts stand in the way of his support for solar energy mandates. By government decree, American taxpayers and ratepayers are supporting slavery in China.

If there is a Democratic Party politician who cares about all of this, please let me know who he is. I am not aware of one.
Nigerias public debt has risen the most under the Buhari administration when compared to previous governments since 1999, and foreign debt has grown three times more than the combined figure recorded by the past three administrations, a PREMIUM TIMES analysis of the governments domestic and foreign debts has shown.

While the Obasanjo government met $28 billion as foreign debt in 1999, it left $2.11 billion in 2007 after successfully securing a write-off by the London and Paris clubs of foreign creditors.

The Yaradua/Jonathan government added $1.39 billion to what they met, and the Jonathan government incurred additional $3.8 billion, taking the countrys total foreign debt to $7.3 billion when that administration came to an end in 2015.

Nigerias external loan reached $28.57 billion by December 2020, meaning an extra $21.27 billion had been accumulated under the Buhari administration  three times the combined amount by past governments since 1999.

For domestic debt, considered relatively less harmful to the value of Naira than foreign debt, the figure rose from N795 billion in 1999 when the Obasanjo government came to power, to N8.8 trillion in 2015 when the Buhari administration assumed office. By December 2020, Nigerias domestic debt stood at N16.02 trillion  twice as much the combined amount taken by the past three governments.

The domestic and foreign debt figures are higher now as the government has borrowed more in 2021.

More than Three-Quarter

The figures contradict a claim by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Solomon Adeola, that three-quarter of Nigerias total debt profile estimated at N33 trillion naira was incurred by past administrations dating back to the military era.

Speaking at a Senate hearing on September 22, Mr Adeola in a response to a request by the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, to clarify concerns over the nations piling debt, said, The borrowing you are saying is accumulated borrowing. It is not a borrowing of this administration alone, it is a borrowing that stems from the days of the military to the days when the Democratic dispensation started.

It is an accumulated loan, it is not a loan that says that it is the current administration of President Buhari that has borrowed.

It is a loan that has been borrowed by the previous administration  the Obasanjo, the Jonathan, the YarAdua of this world.

[And] since the business of government is a continuum, the president of the day has no choice but to continue to pay back all these loans that have been borrowed by the previous administrations.

More than three-quarter of these loans youre seeing were borrowed from the previous administrations, and we are paying back  we are doing what is supposed to be done, the way it is supposed to be done.

So, when my colleague said that for every sixty-seven naira of any loan that was borrowed, we are using to pay, he should know that more than sixty naira of it are loans borrowed by previous administration. And that is where we are.

Government figures obtained and analysed by PREMIUM TIMES do not support Mr Adeolas three-quarter claim. While previous administrations borrowed as shown above, it is the present government that has taken the bulk of the domestic and foreign loans.

Debt Forgiveness

In 2006, Nigeria became the first African country to settle its public debt under a scheme devised to help the worlds poorest and indebted states. The country under former President Olusegun Obasanjo paid off $18 billion to secure forgiveness of the balance of its nearly $30 billion debts to the London and Paris clubs of foreign creditors.

But 15 years later in 2021, Nigerias public debt is high again, putting pressure on the governments revenue and performance.

A report by the World Bank placed Nigeria among the top 10 countries with the highest debt risk exposure. Nigeria is fifth with $11.7 billion debt exposure, behind India ($22 billion), Bangladesh ($18.1 billion), Pakistan ($16.4 billion), and Vietnam ($14.1 billion).

In recent periods, there has been a furore over Nigerias borrowing plans and debt profile. The Debt Management Office (DMO) said as of March 31, Nigerias total public debt stood at N33.1 trillion ($87.24 billion)  accumulated between 1999 and 2021.

The overall public debt, DMO said, is the total public debt stock which includes the external and domestic debts of the federal and state governments and the Federal Capital Territory.

The federal governments share of the public debt jumped from N3.55 trillion in 1999 to N26.91 trillion in March 2021. This means the nations debt stock has risen by over 650 per cent in 21 years.

Contributions By Past Governments

Records show that Nigerias external debt stood at $28.04 billion in 1999 when Mr Obasanjo came into office. Following the debt forgiveness, it was $2.11 billion at the time Mr Obasanjo left office in 2007.

However, while external debts declined under Mr Obasanjo, domestic debts increased from N795 billion to N2.17 trillion between 1999 to 2007.

The countrys currency exchange rate was between N98.02 and N116.8 to a dollar within the period, according to the central bank.

At the beginning of the Umaru YarAdua/Goodluck Jonathan administration, Nigerias domestic debt stood at N2.17 trillion but jumped to N5. 62 trillion at the end of their administration in 2011. External debt also moved from $2.11 billion to $3.5 billion within the period under review.

In effect, the debt stock moved from N2.42 trillion to N6.17 trillion in four years, representing an average of N930 billion borrowing per year. The nations exchange rate also fell from N116.8/$1 to N156.7/$1 during the period, according to CBN.

It is important to note that Mr Jonathan completed the tenure from May 2010 to May 2011 after the death of Mr YarAdua. The 12 month period saw an increase in the federal governments debt from N4.94 trillion to N6.17 trillion.

By May 2011 when Mr Jonathan was elected to serve a fresh term in office, Nigerias foreign debt was $3.5 billion but went up to $7.35 billion when he left in 2015.

In the same vein, the countrys domestic debt climbed from N5.62 trillion to N8.8 billion.

Nigerias combined debt figure under Mr Jonathan administration went from N6.17 trillion in 2011 to N9.8 trillion in 2015. This represents a N3.63 trillion increase or an average of N900 billion loan in a year.

The countrys official exchange rate also stood at N197/$1 during the period under review.

Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari inherited an N8.8 trillion federal governments domestic debt in 2015. However, the figure rose to N16.02 trillion as of December 2020.

Likewise, the nations exchange rate fell from N197 to a dollar in 2015 to N381 at the end of December 2020.

Up from $7.35 billion in 2015, Nigerias external borrowings stood at $28.57 billion as of December 2020. This means that the administration incurred $21.27 billion in foreign loans.

But putting together external and domestic borrowing, Mr Buhari had borrowed N17.06 trillion as of March 2021, using the N381 exchange rate. This represents an average of N2.83 trillion per year since 2015.

Likewise, the nations exchange rate moved from N197 to a dollar in 2015 to N381 at the end of December 2020.

Debt Service Taking Huge Toll On Yearly Budget

Debt service obligations gulped 97 per cent of the Nigerian governments total revenue in 2020, according to Budgit, a civic-tech non-profit organisation. Of the N3.42 trillion generated as revenue, Nigeria spent N3.34 trillion in debt servicing, Budgit said in a July report.

Also, N3.3 trillion was set aside for debt servicing in the assented 2021 budget, about a quarter (24.3 per cent) of the entire N13.6 trillion total expenditure.

This trend has been in place since 2016.

In 2016, the country spent almost a quarter (about 24 per cent) of its budget to service debts. Of the N6.6 trillion budgeted for 2016, the government earmarked N1.5 trillion for debt financing.

The sum of N1.6 trillion was proposed for servicing debts out of the total (N7.3 trillion) budgeted for 2017.

In 2018, the figure rose as N2.2 trillion or 24.17 per cent was pegged for debt servicing in the N9.1 trillion budget.

In 2019, the government proposed to spend 24 per cent (N2.14 trillion) of the N8.9 trillion expenditure on debt service.

In mid-September, Mr Buhari sought the approval of the Senate to borrow $4 billion (4,054,476,863) and 710 million loan from bilateral and multilateral organisations to fund the deficit in the 2021 budget.

The president said the loan request is an addendum to the 2018-2020 borrowing plan and that the new borrowing is to meet emerging needs for some critical projects.

In July, the National Assembly had approved Mr Buharis request to borrow $8.3 billion and 490 million loans contained in the initial 2018-2020 borrowing plan.

Bad Times Ahead

Economic analyst, Tope Fasua, said Nigerias loan is already unsustainable because it is taking 95 to 97 per cent of revenue generated. That ratio is not sustainable, he said.

The huge amount the Nigerian government is borrowing mostly is to cater for a lot of failures and they just borrow to keep some activities going, the economist said. How the loans are going to be paid is not in question for them and thats very unfortunate.

The loan is unsustainable from the perspective of revenue, from the perspective of corruption and value for money and from the perspective of project implementation.

Only 30 per cent value for money is what we get especially on these loans, some of what we are taking are for very frivolous issues, he said.

In my opinion, we should take loans only for projects that have the ability to pay themselves back. If a project is not generating cash flow, it shouldnt be taken.

If we are taking loans for local roads and schools, who is going to pay? These are projects that should be funded from internally generated revenue.

He also attributed the currency challenges to Nigerias debt portfolio.

We have a challenge with the naira presently, and one of the key things that throws your currency off is debt unsustainability.

And mind you, most of the loans we are taking in recent times have not fallen due for payment, what we are doing is only paying the interest. Many of them have moratoriums on interest payments.

These guys have actually booked for us a bad time and a lot of trouble upfront, he said.

Samuel Bamidele, Head of Research and Intelligence at Phillips Consulting Limited said although Nigerias debt remained within the IMF recommended range with respect to GDP, the country faces a challenge when its debt stock is compared to its revenue. He also worried about how the government was using the borrowed funds.

Nigerias debt stock at 33% of GDP is sustainable at that level, but the issue is more around servicing the debt, he said. When your debt stock is above 40 per cent, according to the IMF Debt Sustainability Framework (DSF), it means that its no longer sustainable, Mr Bamidele said.

So you can say that Nigerias debt profile is sustainable at the current level but the problem is the revenue. Because when your revenue is low you will need more money in terms of borrowing to finance both capital and recurrent projects.

At a point in time in 2020, our debt service was 99 per cent. What this means is that for every N1 earned, we are using 99 kobo to service debt.

Conversation around our debt should be more geared towards how we are channeling the debt we are borrowing in terms of efficiency and proper allocation. The danger here is we are not sufficiently channeling what we are borrowing on productive capacity and infrastructure, instead we borrow to finance more of recurrent spending.
In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES Bakare Majeed, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs, Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi), speaks on how the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) can generate more revenue for the country, his role as a member of a minority party in the lower house, Kogi politics, among other issues. Excerpts:

PT: Your committee has been holding public hearings on decongesting the ports. Is there a target the committee has set for itself?

Abejide: Ports are the gateway to the Nigerian economy. Once you have problems with the ports, our economy will not be okay. Let us even say we are not doing importation, there is no way we can be self-sufficient in all the raw materials. Let us assume we are an industrialised nation. We need the raw materials to come in through these same ports. Let us forget about the revenue generated by Customs and assume we dont even need it. We need the ports to function efficiently before the economy can be okay. Once you have a problem with the ports, it is just multiplier effects that you will see. Every activity in the ports will get to the last man in the village because there is no way he will not need items. He needs for himself either clothing or shoes, even food items. Factories need input. If you want to produce locally, that comes through import, imports like machines, raw materials. So when the ports are having problems as it is now, forget it, we cannot get it right. And that is the target. It is how to make sure we free the ports from these congestions. Because if we are able to tackle the cumbersome system of the Nigerian Customs service, which we are trying to do now and we are almost done with it, then all other things will fall into place.

PT: Some would say this issue has been on for a while now. Efforts by the Lagos State Government to clear the roads of trucks, the call up system, we still have problems at the ports..

Abejide: The call up system is from the Nigerian Ports Authority, which they have advanced, and it is better now. If you go to the ports, it is better than how it was six months ago. They are modernising the call up. We invited the MD of the Nigerian Ports Authority and he gave us what they are doing at the moment and very soon the congestion will be a thing of the past. If congestion becomes a thing of the past, the procedure for taking out these cargoes. if it is not done, we have not solved this problem completely. So, when you want to cure an ailment, you go to the root cause. You will start from the procedure for taking the cargos out. If we are able to solve that, then we have finally resolved congestion.

PT: There are people who are of the view that the problem is over concentration of the ports in Lagos. With the Lekki Deep Sea port set to come on board and the existing infrastructure is struggling to cope, why not revitalise the ports in the East? What are the issues stopping the process despite promises to do so?

Abejide: The eastern ports, which you are referring to.the argument that people only concentrate on the western ports, that is Lagos, Apapa, Tin Can, QMT, security is the main reason. Any vessel taking containers or bulk cargo to eastern ports will spend more money to keep their vessels at the sea because of pirates. There is nothing like that in Lagos. There is, but it is minimal. So they spend less in maintaining their vessels in Lagos than eastern ports. So you have to work on security on the high sea. That is one. Then two, you can use baits. If you are coming to Onne or you want to come to Area One in Port Harcourt, if you are paying N10 in Lagos, you should pay N7 in those places, as an incentive. You can use that kind of rebate as an incentive to bring people to operate there. Some people will risk it because they want to also make profits in their business. So, these are steps you can take. The ports congestion is artificial; it is not real. Some people are benefiting from this decay, this chaotic situation and that is why they dont want it to end. But we are determined to end it. As you can see, we have been working very hard since I became chairman.

PT: In one of your submissions during the recent hearing on 2022-2024 MTEF, you said if the issue of scanners at the ports are resolved, that the NCS could be remitting more than N2 trillion. At a time of high prices of food and other commodities, should attention be on increasing revenue targets or reducing duties to allow more importation?

Abejide: What we mean are the items that are not declared. You cant see them with your naked eyes, but with scanners. Scanner will give you more details. So they (NCS) will be able to generate more revenues. It is taking care of those ones the people are jumping, all the loopholes. It is not like they will increase tariffs. No. It is an increment in tariff that will make things expensive. Once the tariff is not increased, prices will be fine.

PT: You are the chairman of a powerful party. For lawmakers in small parties like yours, what is the strategy for survival or is changing party the only option?

Abejide: In the National Assembly, party does not really matter, especially in the House of Representatives. Party issues do not really matter. Dont forget, I was at the forefront when we were struggling for the speakership. Anybody can testify. People dont even know that I am not a member of the APC. They see me as APC because whatever they do, I support. They asked the speaker to take me to the president. I went there. I met with the president one on one. All other members were wondering, what is he discussing with the president? It is because I work in all areas with the APC and the reason is that I was in APC before. It was the issue of Audu/Faleke that made us leave APC. But I have all my friends in APC. They know why I am still in ADC.

PT: Why

Abejide: At the appropriate time, I will make my decision.

PT: In 2019, you pulled an upset by winning election on the ADC platform, in the stronghold of PDP, a key battle ground between Governor Yahaya Bello and Senator Dino Melaye. What is the secret to winning an election with a small party like ADC?

Abejide: My election, any time, any day, is not about the party. Even those that voted for me did not know the party; it is my name they will ask. They will ask where is the man paying WAEC fees, where is the husband of widows? That is the name they call me. Some call me by my direct name. They dont talk about parties, so it is not a matter of parties in my place. You see why I have a stronghold, all my friends are in APC, they are in PDP, they cannot say no, because they know that if I have, they will benefit, and that is how God created me. That is what I am doing now. I dont care if you are from APC or ADC or from PDP, I do for everybody. I carry everybody along.

PT: Some would say that politics is expensive?

Abejide: Yes, it is expensive, it is expensive, but that is what it is? Are we going to carry the money to heaven? We will spend it here. Let me tell you the secret  giving is the secret of blessing. If you know how to give, God will open ways. My own life is a good example. I give, except I dont have. I have borrowed money from the bank and used it to help people. I can say it as a human being, but God knows that it was not my money and my account was in the negative. But when God came back to bless me, it was an embarrassing blessing.

PT: There has been clamour for power shift to Kogi West after the tenure of Governor Yahaya Bello in 2024. Will your approach be a template for Kogi West aspiration?

Abejide: There is a possibility of it. There was a day I went to see the governor. I went to see him purposely because of my road. There is a road that connects from my home town, Igbagun-Aluu to Ijowa. So I told him that I am going to put this road in the budget, I mean attract it to the national budget, which I succeeded in doing. So I met him for him to start from Ijowa. I started it from the Omuwo axis. I have done almost 20km now. So I am still expecting their own. On that day, the deputy governor was there, the speaker was there, and some of the commissioners. I said Mr Governor, you know why you won the last election from our side? I said it is because we need the governorship to come to us in 2023. The election is November 2023, by Gods grace, as God lives, Kogi West will occupy Lugard House (Government House, Lokoja) by 2024 January. Look at what Ebira people did; they did not party, they preached party to Kogi West, they preached party to Kogi East and in their home town, they preached their son. That is what we are going to do. We will tell whoeverexcept you are not part of us  then dont come home again. However, I dont want to care about any party. When we see a strong candidate, we have to rally around that candidate. I did Yahaya Bello in the 2015 primary. There were a lot of people from Okun land that were also contesting with him, but I saw that they were not too serious. Bello was the most serious. So, I supported Yahaya Bello for the primary against Audu. I did not do Audu, we did Yahaya Bello and he came second. And when he came second, all of us got angry because we wanted a power shift. I want to use this medium (I dont know if it will get to the governor or not), to tell him that we have supported him wholeheartedly. I, Elder Leke Abejide, did not know him from anywhere, but I believed in his cause then. I supported him and I lost friends because of him. Once (Kogi) Central finishes its own eight years, automatically it will transfer power to us.

PT: There are people who are of the opinion that the governor will favour a Central candidate who will do another eight years to make it Kogi East 16years, Kogi Central 16years

Abejide: That must be a rumour. It is better for it to be a rumour, not to be a reality because it cant work. How would it work? It will be only a bastard of Kogi West that will vote for other tribes.

PT: Does Kogi West have the votes to take the position?

Abejide: Kogi West has more votes than Central. Lokoja is Kogi West, most of the people in Lokoja speak my dialect. Okun land is in the heart of Lokoja. Kogi West has more votes. Apart from Kogi East, in terms of voting strength, we have it. We have the votes, check INEC latest registration. if I am the governor today, for instance, (I dont have the ambition even though people have been asking me. I want a Kogi West man) and I have spent my eight year, even before the eight years expires, we will do a joint agreement that we will also pass into law that power should rotate among the three major tribes. It will be in the law.

PT: But the last election saw a lot of violence. It appears that the fortune of Kogi politics favours those who have the muscle. Will a gentlemans agreement survive in this world of violence?

Abejide: There would be no violence. That is what we are saying in order to reduce tension The last election was I want to take it by force that will not be there. It will now be Ebira to Ebira, Okun to Okun, Igala to Igala. So there should not be any violence if you are popular. If you are popular, everyone will know. If you are not, everyone will know. Last time, the reason for the violence was because some people resisted it. Some people looked at the state government and they were not happy. They believed that they cannot take it away for the next four years. Let me tell you something: if you are a serving governor, even though nobody tells you or nobody accuses you, just make sure you make the majority of the people happy. Even if you are not contesting and you are bringing a candidate, you have less work to do because you are popular. They will believe whoever you are bringing will copy you. They will feel that if you dont know him well you will not bring him. But if you are not popular, it will be very tough for you to bring a successor.
The residents of Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State have lamented continuing attacks by bandits despite the military operations and other measures taken by the state government.

This is coming even as government officials and security agents say the measures have been yielding the desired results.

Individuals and groups, especially from Faskari local government, have been complaining of silent killings in their villages.

Security measures

Bandits have been operating in most of the North-west states for over a decade but the situation got worse in the past few years. Banditry is the code name in the region for organised crimes like kidnapping, cattle rustling, mass abduction, arson and even armed robbery.

Following the increase in the number of attacks, governors of North-west states imposed certain security measures.

In Katsina, Governor Aminu Masari closed two major roads  Jibia to Gurbin Baure and Kankara to Sheme  to traffic. Commercial vehicles were advised to take Funtua road but private vehicles can still ply the Kankara-Sheme road.

The governor also banned cattle markets in 14 towns. These are Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Malumfashi, Charanci, Mai adua, Kafur, Faskari, Sabuwa, Baure, Dutsin Ma and Kaita.

He also banned movement of cattle in trucks and of firewood from the bush. The governor also prohibited more than two people from riding on a motorcycle and more than three in a tricycle, and sale of petroleum in jerry cans. A popular second-hand motorcycles market in Charanci was also suspended.

To cut fuel supply to the bandits who ride in convoys of motorcycles to attack communities, the governor said only two designated fuel stations can now sell fuel, and of not more than N5,000 to a person, in the local government areas most affected by the crisis.

Few weeks later, mobile telecommunications were cut in 13 local government areas considered to be vulnerable to attacks.

The Special Adviser to Mr. Masari on security matters, Ibrahim Katsina, told PREMIUM TIMES that the measures were taken to disrupt the bandits communication network.

We are dying in silence  Residents

In a statement sent to the office of the state governor, a community group, Daudawa Area Council Unity Development Association, said the measures have so far affected the ordinary people more than the bandits.

Commenting on the letter, Hassan Usman, the associations chairman, said bandits now attack with impunity, knowing that residents have no means of informing security agents of impending attacks.

We are witnessing the worst form of insecurity now because the bandits can organise teams to launch attack with impunity and because we have no means of communicating with the outside world, we cant even seek more security personnel, Mr Usman said.

Though he commended the security agents working in the area, Mr Usman said they also face the challenge of not being able to call for reinforcement.

Their (security agents) attempts to repel attacks always fail because of the communication error which makes things difficult, he said.

Locals told PREMIUM TIMES that recent attacks on Daudawa and Yan Nasarawa (all in Faskari Local Government Area) forced many residents to flee from their communities in large numbers.

In Daudawa, they killed nine people and kidnapped several others. Shops and houses were looted and later burnt.

The following morning on October 4, bandits raided Yan Nasarawa and abducted several women. But locals like Auwal Hassan Nasarawa said the attack was more of foodstuffs scavenging.

They came looking for food. Almost all the houses and shops they attacked, they took away any food item they saw.

Lawal Ibrahim, also from Daudawa, asked the state government to relax the mobile network shutdown so that people can report any attack.

When they attacked Daudawa on Sunday, they even said their next target was Unguwar Samanja, which is also not far from us here. We want the network to be opened so that security agents can be sent to the town and other vulnerable ones, Mr. Ibrahim said.

Abu Dan Malam said when the decisions were taken by the state government, people welcomed it because we thought they would do the needful.

What is the purpose of shutting down network when you are not taking the fight to the bandits camps? They (security agents) still wait for them to come so that they could repel them. We need the state government to act accordingly, Mr Malam pleaded.

Were studying impact  Katsina govt

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Katsina, the Special Adviser to Mr Masari on security matters, said the state government did not impose the measures to strangulate its people.

He added that the impact was being studied and the next line of action would be decided by the findings of the state government.

We are assessing the situation to know where we have made an impact and where we have shortcomings in order to know areas of improvement. All we want the general public to know is that we didnt impose the decisions to make life difficult for them, rather to ensure the protection of life and properties. We need cooperation and understanding from the public.

The decisions were taken because we must take all the necessary measures to address the insecurity, Mr Katsina said.

The police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Isa, said security agents have

recorded huge success in the fight against insecurity following the shutdown of mobile networks in some areas.

He said the killings in Daudawa and Yasore communities were revenge attacks by the bandits.
The general insecurity in Nigeria still persisted last week as at least 41 persons were killed in various attacks by non-state actors across the country.

The victims included one personnel of the State Security Service (SSS) and 40 civilians.

The figure, collated manually from media reports, does not contain unreported cases.

The figure also represents a decline in the killings in the country by over 50 per cent, compared to the previous week where 123 persons were killed.

It also signifies a decline in casualties on the part of security agencies. Four security personnel were killed the previous week.

Most of the killings for the week in view were carried out by bandits in the North-west while one case was suspected to be carried out by IPOB separatists.

Below are the cases compiled from media reports last week:

Zamfara

No fewer than 18 people including men, women and children were killed by a suspected group of armed bandits in a fresh attack at Kurya Madaro Town of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area in Zamfara State.

A resident of the area, Mohammed Kurya, who narrowly escaped from the attack, said in an interview in Gusau on Wednesday that the bandits stormed the town around 11:30 p.m on Tuesday.

He added that the bandits included men and women who rode camels and horses with dangerous weapons.

Katsina

Armed bandits on Tuesday morning killed 10 people and injured several others in an attack during which they also burnt shops and houses in Yasore community in Katsina State, residents told PREMIUM TIMES.

A resident of the area, Harisu Hamza, said the attackers came on motorcycles and started shooting sporadically.

Sokoto

Gunmen suspected to be members of the outlawed Yan Sakai, a vigilante group in Sokoto State, killed 11 persons, including an Imam, at Mamande village in Gwadabawa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The report gathered that the victims died on the spot while four persons who sustained gunshot injuries were taken to a hospital by an official of the local government council for treatment.

Imo

An operative of the SSS identified as Prince Nwachinaemere Ozuzu was killed while on official duty in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The details of how he died are still sketchy but it was gathered that the operative was deployed for an assignment in Anambra State, shortly after the SSS office in Nnewi was razed.

He was, however, murdered while he was returning to his duty post.

Security Expert reacts

A security expert, Davidson Akhimen, while responding to questions on how the government should tackle bandits and why killings are dominant in the North-west region, said it is so because the bandits are frustrated.

He added that the killings are done to get back at the government because the telecommunications shut down has affected the operation of the bandits.

I think the government is already working in the right direction especially by disconnecting the digital connection that allows bandits and kidnappers to communicate with the relations of their victims.

So it puts them in disarray and they will not be able to communicate between themselves and coordinate their activities, I think that is a very big step that the government has taken and as a result they have been recording successes.

The killings you are seeing now is as a result of fury on the part of the bandits, seeing that the government has already gotten a hand on the matter so annoyance, fury is what is leading them to kill their victims. But this is going to be short lived as government forces are pressing harder towards achieving total victory, he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will begin the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms on Monday.

This is coming ahead of its National Elective Convention, scheduled for 30 October and 31 October.

The party disclosed this in its revised, Timetable and Schedule of Activities for Year 2021 National Convention, signed by its National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Akobundu said the timetable was approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) in line with the resolution of the 94th National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party that adopted the zoning formula.

According to the timetable, the sale of nomination forms and expression of interest forms for the national offices will start from Monday, 11 October to Friday, 15 October at the partys National Secretariat, Abuja.

The timetable also slated the last day for the submission of purchased forms for Saturday, 16 October .

It stated that the forms should be submitted to the partys Directorate of Organisation and Mobilisation (DOM), for processing and onward transmission to the screening committee.

It stated that the screening of aspirants for national offices would take place on Monday, 18 October while appeals arising from the screening of aspirants exercise would hold on Thursday, 21 October.

It added that the publication of names of all cleared aspirants has been slated for Saturday, 23 October , while the NWC meeting for the adoption of delegates list and publication of the same will be held Monday, 25 October.

The party advised all aspirants for various party offices at the national level to purchase their expression of interest and nomination forms at the National Secretariat.

The Chairman, National Convention Organising Committee, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, had earlier on Saturday said the 30 October for the convention remained sacrosanct.

Mr Fintiri said: There is no reason for the date to be changed, in spite of the fact that the zoning committee just concluded their job and approved it by the National Executive Committee on Thursday.

He said the venue for the convention is Eagle Square, while delegates accreditation would take place at the Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Abuja.

The transport committee will work with the appropriate transport companies to secure vehicles for members that will be accredited and be conveyed from the old parade ground to the Eagle square, Mr Fintiri said.

He disclosed that the committee had received budget submissions from all the sub-committees.

The chairman said that all the submitted lists would be harmonised, approved and funds would be released.

Mr Fintiri said the electoral committee would be trained to have the best convention that Nigerians have been awaiting.

Asked if the zoning decision would be reviewed, Fintiri said that the NEC, which is the highest decision organ of the party, had already taken the final decision.

We will abide by it and that is what we are working on, he said

On the size of delegates expected at the convention, Mr Fintiri said no fewer than 4,000 to 6,000 would be on ground.

The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the meeting, said the PDP had resolved issues regarding zoning for the convention.

READ ALSO:

We have learnt our mistakes, we are not going to play to the gallery the way and manner our distractors or our competitors want us to be.

We will always resolve our issues, so zoning is over. We have really gone over this issue.

What we are looking forward to is the emergence of a Chairman from the North, who will give us the leadership that we require to form a government in 2023, Mr Mohammed said.

On the possibility of consensus candidates for the convention, Mr Mohammed said democracy was about consensus.

The Bauchi governor said with consensus, the electoral process and matters arising within the party thereafter could be reduced.

I did say we should have a consensus candidate, but we will not practice imposition, Mr Mohammed said.

(NAN)
Nine persons lost their lives to an auto crash which occurred between Saturday and Sunday at the Kara Market area on the Ibadan-Iseyin road.

The Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State, Paul Okoduwa, confirmed the figure on Sunday.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 25 persons were involved in the crash which resulted from over speeding by two commercial vehicles.

Mr Okoduwa told NAN that those that died were six males and three females, while nine males and six females sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Only one occupant did not sustain injuries, he said.

He said the buses were a Mazda with registration number YRE 124 XA and a Toyota Hiace with registration number BDJ 400 YK..

He added that the dead had been deposited in a mortuary at a private hospital while those who sustained injuries were being treated at Our Lady Hospital, Iseyin.

Mr Okoduwa warned motorists to obey all traffic rules and drive within approved speed limits.

Meanwhile, Abdganiy Adekunle, the Aseyin of Iseyin, called on motorists to value human lives and exercise patience while driving.

He made the call while mourning victims of the auto crash.

Also, the Iseyin Development Union called on Oyo State government to erect speed breakers and necessary road signs at the Iseyin end of the Iseyin-Ibadan Expressway to forestall further loss of lives.

Its president, Bayo Raji, said in a statement that the call became imperative as many lives and properties had been lost to road carnage on the newly-reconstructed 76-kilometer road.

Areas that have villages or markets where human and vehicular movements are always and have sharp bends need speed breakers to compel motorists into reducing speed.

READ ALSO:

We pray for the souls of the dead in this ghastly accident and many more incidents that have claimed lives, limbs and properties due to over speeding.

We also appeal to government to please call the contractor that constructed the road to put speed breakers at critical points.

The Serafu Market, the Kilometre Two Cattle Market, some villages where activities are high as well as the junction at the Iseyin Muslim Burial Ground need road signs.

We believe that as the speed breakers have worked in reducing speed of motorists at the Ibadan end of this road, the same sanity will prevail at the Iseyin end as well and we shall not witness such waste of lives anymore, he said.

Mr Raji also called on the leadership of the Park Management System in the state to caution commercial drivers, especially as the year runs to an end. (NAN)
Gunmen have kidnapped Olamilekan Okunuga, the coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Mr Okunuga was kidnapped along Ogere road in Ogun State, on his way from Ibadan on Thursday.

The youth leaders car was said to have been abandoned by the roadside as the kidnappers took him away.

Confirming the incident, State Chairman of the NYCN, Abduljabar Ayelaagbe, told PREMIUM TIMES that the kidnappers have demanded N30 million.

Mr Ayelaagbe said the victims car, which he was traveling with, was recovered from an unknown person, who was said to be driving it along Ogijo.

Our coordinator at Odogbolu Local Government was kidnapped about two or three days around Ogere in Ogun State. He went to Ibadan, but on his return, he was abducted by the kidnappers, he said.

That night when he was abducted, we learnt that his car was abandoned by the road side. On Friday evening, we got information from the police that the car was intercepted while being driven by a man at Ogijo.

The man driving the car said he saw the kidnappers when they were taking away Okunuga, adding that he decided to take the car away after the kidnapping operation. That one has been arrested, according to the police.

We were told that the kidnappers have contacted his family and they are demanding a ransom of N30million to secure Okunugas release, Mr Ayelaagbe said.

When Contacted, the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the kidnap. He said the suspect caught driving the youth leaders car is in their custody.

He added that the matter is still under investigation as the police is making efforts in ensuring that the victim released unhurt.

It would be recalled that three persons, including a pregnant woman, were abducted in Abeokuta, a few weeks ago. The kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom of N30 million.
Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commits (EFCC), has blamed most of the countrys challenges on fake news peddled on social media.

Mr Ribadu said this, on Sunday, in Abuja, while reacting to reports in the social media that he accused some top government functionaries of sponsoring banditry in the country.

The former EFCC boss, who spoke at a news conference, said it was time for him to clear the air on the issue, which he said had been on for some time.

July 2019 was the first time I came out to know about it, and I came out with a very strong denial, saying that it was a fabrication and had no basis.

It was a piece of rubbish with very bad grammar and factual destruction but indeed very damaging.

I reacted very strongly after that, it didnt stop and I was forced again to issue a statement denying it.

I thought that would have been the end of it, but not long afterwards, it started coming back again and I am worried and concerned, he said.

Mr Ribadu said globally, people who were worried and concerned and wanted to fact-check had been getting in touch with him, adding that he had continued to respond to the issue every single day.

I want to again deny in the strongest terms and send a message to everybody to disregard the statements, it is not fair, it is not just.

It is very sinful for you to create something from nowhere and attribute it to an innocent person who doesnt know anything about it, I have nothing to do with that message.

This is my strongest denial, everybody should please disregard the statement: it is not from me, it is not true, Mr Ribadu stressed.

Mr Ribadu said he had been inundated by messages from friends and associates who wanted to find out if the tweets on the issue were actually from him.

He, however, said he had made a formal complaint to law enforcement agencies for the records, and possibly for them to go after those responsible for the act.

Mr Ribadu said it was the responsibility of the state to take action in such situations.

Social media is today, partly responsible for what is going on in our country by trying to promote things that are not true and creating division based on religion and ethnicity among others things.

They are not being fair to us, and I think the government has a duty and a responsibility to take action, nobody else can do it.

As private citizens,we have limited capacity to take action, the government has to, Mr Ribadu said.

He said whoever was responsible for accusing him of such lies, was being very unfair and unjust to him and had hurt him a lot.

He, therefore, called on owners of social media to do something to protect innocent people from suffering unjustly because of lies told against them on their platforms.

He added that a combination of government, established media outfits and social media companies could do something to address the situation.

Social media companies also have a role to play, I dont see any reason why Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will allow such a damaging statement to go out against somebody without stopping it.

Even though I had denied it and so many people in the same situation did, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter still allowed it to be moved around from one platform to the other, he said.

Mr Ribadu said he, however, has great regards for the print media and established television stations which he noted had refused to be part of peddling fake news like most social media.

According to him, social media is doing a lot of damage to the people and nation.

He said that the danger of fake news peddled mostly on social media could not be underestimated, saying that it cost the genocide in Rwanda, where close to a million people died.

The former EFCC boss said the same thing happened in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

He said that fake news portends very serious danger and could actually harm a country and its people because of its very dangerous consequences.

He said those behind it were doing evil to their people and to their countries, adding that there was no benefit for them.

I am a believer of freedom of expression, a strong and firm believer in the ability of people to be free, but at the same time, be responsible.

If it is going to cause harm to others, then you lose that freedom.

I am a victim, and I dont know why people are doing it, its as if I am a target of something which I dont know.

But I have really suffered because of it; I have a couple of friends and colleagues who also went through the same thing, he said.

Mr Ribadu said it was unfortunate that some persons out of nowhere, would create a lie and innocent people would consume and believe it.

He noted that a lot of people acted on fake news which had caused them a lot of danger.

(NAN)
The Federal Government says there is no preferential treatment between groups advocating separation from the country and bandits, especially in the North-west Zone.

This clarification was made by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The minister described as misleading and erroneous the notion that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were getting harder clampdown from security forces.

He maintained that the federal government would continue to apply all necessary measures, including use of the military, to prevent criminal groups from undermining the territorial integrity and peace of the country.

We noticed that of recent, there is this misinformation as regards the way the Federal Government, especially the military, is handling the issue of banditry and terrorism.

There is this misconception that the Federal Government is softer on the terrorists in the North-east and the bandits from the North-west and the way they handle separatists and other criminals from the South-east and South-west.

I want to say without any hesitation that this is a fallacy. It is a misrepresentation, misinformation and fake news all rolled into one.

The truth of the matter is that the Federal Government does not make a distinction between terrorists and bandits.

 As far as the Federal Government is concerned they are all criminals and they are treated the same way.

It is very important to set the record straight. Why do I say this? Because, it is a continuation of the destructive rhetoric of some commentators, he said.

The minister further said that the issue of security of the country should not be politicised because of its sensitive nature.

He said: The issue of security must not be politicised. Security is security. Bandits kill soldiers; they kill policemen and innocent people.

So, why will the military be softer on one set of criminals than the other?

The minister reiterated the position of the Federal Government to build more on the ongoing peace process across the country as well as tackle bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.

(NAN)
Nigerias leading anti-corruption group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA Resource Centre), has formally written to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over the case file of its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, for alleged cyberstalking.

HEDA, in the letter to Mr Malami, which was also copied for the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said any approval by the minister of prosecution of Mr Suraju on the grounds that his alleged statements were untrue would therefore conflict with evidence submitted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) in London and Milan.

The letter from HEDA signed by its Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, added that this would have considerable implications for both the JPMC case and the current appeal by the FRN in Milan against the judgment to acquit the defendants in the OPL 245 case.

Former Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke, one of those accused of fraud in the OPL 245 scam, also referred to as Malabu scandal, had petitioned the police, accusing Mr Suraju and HEDA of circulating fabricated evidence against him to unduly incriminate him in the multi-million dollars scandal.

The subject of Mr Adokes petition was forgery of an email in which Nigeria as a sovereign State was shortchanged to the tune of $1.1billion (one hundred and one billion US dollars) and HEDA and its international partners have been involved in the advocacy for recovery of this money and prosecution of principal actors behind the heist.

However, HEDA and Mr Suraju have denied any wrongdoing in a series of statements issued on the matter, stating that the items he was accused of fabricating featured as exhibits in the Malabu Oil scam trials in Milan, Italy.

HEDAs open letter sent to the minister read, We understand from press reports that the Inspector General of Police has submitted a case file to you for review and possible recommendation for the prosecution of Olanrewaju Suraju for cyberstalking. According to the Premium Times, the file was forwarded to your office on 20 September 2021 by ACP Ibrahim Musa, Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, on behalf of the IGP.

A copy of a report on the case, apparently written by Mr Musa at the request of Mohamed Bello Adoke SAN, has been published in the press. We assume that this was the same report that was forwarded to you.

Mr Musas letter of 20 September 2021 [the Musa letter], as reported in the Premium Times, accuses Mr Suraju of making criminally defamatory statements regarding an email said to have been sent by Mr Mohamed Adoke to JP Morgan Chase in order to facilitate the transfer of funds arising from the OPL 245 deal to Malabu Oil and Gas. Mr Adoke denies sending the email and has claimed it is a forgery. The Musa letter also alleges that Mr Surajus reporting of the email was a calculated attempt to falsify relationship between [Mr Adoke] and Aliyu Abubakar while their cases are still ongoing in court, thereby misleading the public.

The anti-graft organisation said the decision as to whether or not to prosecute Mr Suraju is for the minister, as Nigerias chief law officer to decide, taking account of the facts of the case; whether there is an arguable case to answer; the public interest in prosecuting; and the prospect of a successful prosecution.

However, it noted that, Any prosecution for criminal defamation would however necessarily rest on the basis that the statements made by Mr Suraju were untrue. The purpose of this letter is therefore to call your attention to the fact that the statements allegedly made by Mr Suraju are identical to those that have been made by the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its civil cases against JP Morgan Chase in London and its case against Shell, Eni and other defendants in Milan.

In its Re-Re-Amended Particulars of Claim to the High Court in London in the JPMC case, the FRN described the OPL 245 transaction as corrupt and a conspiracy to injure [Nigeria] by unlawful means by depriving the [FRN] of monies for the grant of OPL245 to which it was lawfully and exclusively entitled. This is no different in substance or wording from statements that have been made by Mr Suraju.

The FRN also stated that on 21st June 2011 Bayo Osolake (as a representative of the Defendant [JPMC]) received an email sent by Attorney General Adoke from the email address agroupproperties@yahoo.com, attaching copies of each of the Resolution Agreements. Again, this is precisely the same language and content used by Mr Suraju to report on the 21 June 2011 email.

In the Milan case, where the FRN submitted the email in question as evidence in its final summing up arguments to the Court on 10 February 2021, the FRN stated: The closeness of Abubakar and Adoke at the time of the OPL 245 affair has, lastly, been definitively confirmed by the email acquired during the hearing of 3.2.2021, with which copies of the three RA signed  by Adoke Bello  were sent from an email address of A Group Properties to JP Morgan. Mr Suraju has simply reported this statement of fact by the FRN.

The FRN further stated to the Milan Court: Basically, the behaviour of the AG during the negotiations, at the meeting of 15.11.2010 during which the price and corrupt agreement is defined, the indifference regarding the contractual clauses and his sole interest in the price that was due Malabu, his intervention with the President to silence the NNPC objections (which are in fact silenced), the closeness to Etete and Abubakar during the period in question, the relationship of closeness with the oil companies, can only and solely be read together with the abnormal property operation with Abubakar and the abnormal perception of cash.

For the umpteenth time, HEDA said, Yet again, the statements allegedly made by Mr Suraju regarding the relationship between Adoke and Abubakar were mere reporting the facts as stated by the FRN in open court.

We would also note that Mr Adoke himself has acknowledged his relationship with Abubakar in his book Burden of Service (relevant pages attached) and that, in its judgment, the Milan court described the agroupproperties@yahoo.com email as confirmation of the relationship between Minister Adoke and the companies of Alhaj Abubakar Aliyu   a relationship which is described by the judges as proof of a mixture of economic interests that is serious circumstantial evidence of receipt of benefits from Malabus payments.

Although Adoke has vigorously denied receiving any payments from the OPL 245 deal, we note that the Milan court ruled as a fact that he is the only one of the three public officials indicated in the indictment as necessary parties to the corrupt agreement to have received a benefit directly deriving from funds from the OPL 245 operation .

The Milan judges state that Adoke received some $2 million from the deal. The money originated from Aliyu Abubakar and was paid into Adokes account through numerous cash payments from Bureaux de Change .

We assume that you are in possession or have seen the FRNs Re-Re-Ammended Statement of Claim to the High Court in London and the final pleadings of the FRN in the Milan case. Since the lawyers were acting on your fiat, we also assume that the statements in both documents reflect the FRNs position.

For Mr Suraju to be prosecuted for reporting statements made in open court by the federal republic of Nigeria is an assault on the fundamental principle of open justice.
If America is thinking of infrastructure, in spite of the advancement it has made, I doubt that prioritising this by Nigeria can be wrong. I suspect that there must have been a mix-up somewhere for Mr Peter Obi. I still like him though. I believe he should have a place in public service, even if in an advisory capacity. I know he loves statistics. I do too. But I dont see a place for him at the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.

I like Mr Peter Obi. Trust me, I do. I first got to know about him way back in the 90s, while he was still in the U.K., I think, courtesy of the early editions of Ovation, before the magazine morphed into what people now know it as. Already wealthy then, his simplicity and outlook on life was quite unlike of that of the average Nigerian big man.

His plan for public office and thoughts around governance were quite different. I remember him saying something to the effect of withdrawing his children from where they were studying to attend public schools, should he become governor. I wouldnt know if he eventually did that upon assumption of office. Circumstances might not have allowed for that ultimately. I just like the man.

I take responsibility for being one of those who pushed his story of one pair of shoes and one wrist watch back then. Even though that was later found to be not quite as presented, I do not think it took much from his spartan, almost austere, way of life. That I consider commendable, for such a man of immense means, in a society overtaken by the spirit of conspicuous consumption, with poverty equally staring us in the face.

I also think he is quite passionate about Nigeria and governance, impressed that he is one of the few who actually invests a bit of time in thought  he is always thinking about what is being done, how it is being done and how it can be done better or differently. Whereas one might not agree with some of his prescriptions, especially of late, not being sure of how much of what he says is politics and what is a dispassionate interrogation of policy. Yet, there is no denying that his heart is largely in the right place.

I am quite aware of the controversies that have trailed many of his public appearances, with data not always in sync with his China-centric comparisons and k-legged prescriptions. But still, I didnt think it much of a dent on his credentials. Reeling statistics off-hand, as he is wont to do, for whatever reasons, must have its side effects, one being the risk of inaccuracy.

But when I recently came across the point attributed to him that you do/can not grow the economy through investment in infrastructure, I had to finally pay attention. Yet, I didnt even do that until recently, looking to cite his opinion as a counter-narrative to the argument we are making in the next edition of the Africa Enterprise magazine, which is preponderantly pro-infrastructure.

Peter Obi and Bangladesh

So, I finally caught up with Mr Peter Obi, as reported below:

Obi stated that Bangladeshis GDP, as of 2008, stood at $101 billion, while its per capita income was $753, also its debt was $50 billion, which represented 50 percent of the GDP size. He further noted that the Bangladeshi economy is presently worth over $300 billion while the per capita has leaped three-fold from $753 to over $2,000 and the national debt stands at $102 billion.

Obi said: Their debt has actually reduced because instead of being 50 percent of their GDP, it is now about 30 percent. What happened? Bangladesh took the money to SMEs. Today, Bangladesh is the second biggest exporter of textiles in the world.

There are over 5,000 textile (mills) in Bangladesh and they are making over $35 billion in textiles and textile materials, which is about what we are making from oil.

I checked that other countries have done the same thing. They throw money into SMEs, and also invest in education. They did not go on building more infrastructures.

Interesting. Now, let us break this down, putting it into perspective that this was a comparative analysis between Nigeria and Bangladesh and the economic economic road taken. The total debt of Bangladesh is put at $102 billion, while that of Nigeria, from what we know, is about $90 billion. GDP for Bangladesh is about $330 billion, while that for Nigeria is about $400 billion.

But first, to Mr Peter Obis comparison of the $35 billion he reports Bangladesh to be making from textiles and textile materials, with what he says Nigeria is making from oil. That is strange. I suspect he must be confusing the $35 billion, which is revenue accruing from oil to the federation account (governments) to the Bangladeshi $35 billion which is, in fact, earnings from the export of garments by investors (mostly foreign), which is not revenue accruing to government

So, Mr Obis argument is that the Bangladeshi economy is a reference point. He is comfortable with Bangladeshs borrowing and trajectory, even with its debt profile (higher than Nigerias) and debt-to-GDP ratio (also higher than Nigerias), because they threw their loans into SMEs and human capital development, while Nigeria, instead, has been investing in infrastructure. As he said, you cannot grow or improve the economy by investing in infrastructure.

Even when it is obviously mischievous to make the point that the current government has only been investing in infrastructure, neglecting support for SMEs, business and human capital development. Not minding the fact of an obvious nexus that there is between investment in infrastructure and these other areas, we must delay taking on the fundamental question he has raised about investment in infrastructure, to interrogate the Bangladeshi example Mr Obi has thrown up.

But first, to Mr Peter Obis comparison of the $35 billion he reports Bangladesh to be making from textiles and textile materials, with what he says Nigeria is making from oil. That is strange. I suspect he must be confusing the $35 billion, which is revenue accruing from oil to the federation account (governments) to the Bangladeshi $35 billion which is, in fact, earnings from the export of garments by investors (mostly foreign), which is not revenue accruing to government, as the figure quoted for Nigeria is.

Dealing with actuals: In 2019, Nigerias total exports was, in fact, $63.8 billion, with revenue accruing to government from oil and gas being $34.22 billion. In the same year, while I could not isolate the revenue that accrued to the Bangladeshi government from total exports, which was $39.34 billion, the guess is that it is nothing compared to what comes from oil exports, with government directly involved. Of course, exports reflects on the health of the GDP, but earnings from the export of garments by private investors would have had little or no significance on the government purse and its debt portfolio. Difficult as it is to make sense of this comparison with Bangladesh, there is little doubt that Nigeria, with its earnings, lower debt-to-GDP ratio, is in better shape, irrespective of what use the borrowing is being put to.

Bangladesh: Perspiration, not inspiration

Back to Bangladesh, there is no doubt that the country has made some remarkable progress, given where it is coming from. But, as Shahid Yusuf points out, apart from the fact that this growth is largely built around the success it has made as an exporter of garments, which account for 84 percent of its total exportsVery little is derived from total factor productivitybelow 1 percent per annum since 2000the primary determinant of long-term growth of incomes for all countries. To paraphrase Paul Krugman, it is perspiration, not inspiration, that is responsible for Bangladeshs performance to date.

Miracle or mirage?

On account of this, some experts wonder not only about how sustainable the growth Mr Peter Obi is pointing us to is; some wonder if it is not, in fact, a mirage. A closer look raises other questions about the quality of this economic record.

Yusuf is convinced that Bangladesh is heading towards a (lower) middle-income trap, notwithstanding its recent growth performance.

He identifies the following suspects:

1. Extreme dependence on a single category of exports and the low share of exports-to-GDP;

2. Falling share of exports in GDP, which fell to 15 per cent in 2019, from a peak of 20 per cent in 2012;

3. Diversification, slowed by the weakness of private investment in new industries, which has been exacerbated by CONSTRAINTS ON THE AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT, ESPECIALLY TO SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (strange that SMEs there have to deal with that, given that Mr Peter Obi believes that it is investment in SMEs that is responsible for the growth there; a reason he wants us to do the same, rather than prioritise investment in infrastructure).

Bangladesh remains focused on a narrow range of relatively low-value garments more than forty years after the industry took root in 1977-1982, following investment by Koreas Daewoo in Desh Garments and denationalization of the textile industry (T-shirts, trousers, sweaters, and shirts remain the dominant export items and 80 percent of exports were to the relatively slow-growing markets in the European Union and the United States.

Yusuf is obviously not as enthused about Bangladesh as Peter Obi is. He foresees troubles ahead for the Asia country, with the challenges it faces. Exporters and importers face transactions cost much higher than those impinging upon competitors in Southeast Asia. Their woes are compounded by the unreliability of electric power, in spite of private investment in generating capacity, because TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURES have been neglected. Infrastructure an issue? Were we not told to look in the direction of Bangladesh, which prioritises investment in SMEs rather than infrastructure?

With Bangladesh as a case study, Azam and Badhan were able to establish a positive correlation between infrastructure development and growth. Making use of the Partial Adjustment Model, with short run and long run infrastructure elasticities of economic growth calculated, their findings affirm that there is positive elasticity between investment in social services (short term); infrastructure (long term) and economic growth.

Bangladesh and infrastructure

A bit of study not only links the gains made in Bangladesh to investment, over time, in infrastructure. We find that the link between investment in infrastructure and economic development is one that has been established by scholars since the 1980s.

Akhtar Mahmood counters the dominant narrative, which has either downplayed the role of government and infrastructure in the Bangladeshi story or ignored it, sometimes making them the villain, without which development happened or had to stay out of the way of those who made it happen. To Aktar, however, government has been a major player in the development journey of Bangladesh since independence in 1971. By ignoring this perspective, most narratives on Bangladesh have missed an opportunity to demonstrate how a government, weak in many respects, can nonetheless make strategic contributions to development over a prolonged period.

He cites governments investment in construction, first, of a good network of roads linking the medium-sized cities to the larger ones, including the capital Dhaka and the major port city, Chittagong, and later construction of rural roads as critical to the economic growth experienced by Bangladesh. This situation was remarkably transformed within a span of 10 years, from 1988 to 1997, with the construction of the so-called feeder roads. In 1988, Bangladesh had about 3,000 kilometers of feeder roads. By 1997, this network expanded to 15,500 kilometers. These last-mile all-weather roads helped connect the villages of Bangladesh to the rest of the country.

I doubt that Akiz will agree with Mr Peter Obi that it was investment in SMEs, rather than infrastructure, that was responsible for the economic growth witnessed in the country. I also found out subsequently that the intervention by the government, specifically with support to the production of rice, the countrys main crop, through a number of initiatives over time, was also cited as a part of the factors responsible for growth. After ups and downs in the 1960s, the production of rice, the countrys main crop, moved to a trajectory of modest, but sustained, growth from 1972. Use of high-yielding varieties (HYV) of rice, first introduced in the 1960s, expanded. Also, aided by irrigation, there was a significant expansion of rice cultivation in the dry winter months.

Infrastructure investment and growth

It would appear that the relationship between investment in infrastructure and economic growth took a while to be established. According to Musharrat Azam and Sabrina Shareef Badhan, the notion that investment in infrastructure could have an impact on a regions rate of productivity and therefore its economic growth did not get attention until the late 1980s. This perception was altered by the work of Aschauer in 1989 when he published a series of papers that investigated the relationship between infrastructure investment and productivity for the United States and other developed nations. Aschauer found a strong positive correlation between productivity and public capital for core infrastructure that consists of highways, mass transit, airports, electrical and gas facilities, water, sewers, police and fire stations and hospitals.

They further explained how this works: Infrastructure plays a pertinent role towards economic growth. There are different approaches to how infrastructure achieves this. Infrastructure such as energy, electricity, water, roads and telephone serve as direct input to production process. Improvement of these utilities reduce the cost of production and transaction, increase productivity and returns to scale. These lower costs and higher returns induce domestic private and foreign investment in the economy. Lee and Anas (1992) and Hasnath (1993) found that aggregate infrastructure also increased productivity of other factors of production and augmented the rate of technological innovation. Human capital infrastructure, for example education and health service increase worker productivity and raise wages. Furthermore, infrastructure projects raise income through direct employment creation in construction and operations.

With Bangladesh as a case study, Azam and Badhan were able to establish a positive correlation between infrastructure development and growth. Making use of the Partial Adjustment Model, with short run and long run infrastructure elasticities of economic growth calculated, their findings affirm that there is positive elasticity between investment in social services (short term); infrastructure (long term) and economic growth. On that score, they make the case that Bangladesh still needs to invest heavily in infrastructure and thereby improve the living standards of its citizens.

That confirms argument made elsewhere that in spite of whatever progress has been made, infrastructure bottlenecks are among the largest inhibitors of economic growth in Bangladesh. The World Bank estimates that Bangladesh must spend $7.4 billion to $10 billion a year until 2020 to bring its power grids, roads and water supplies up to the standard needed to serve its growing population. The transportation sector alone will require between $36 and $45 billion of investments. Other priority sectors identified by the World Bank include: water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, and telecommunications.

Before we know it, someone will say it is Bangladesh that we are comparing ourselves with, conveniently side-stepping the point that it was Mr Peter Obi who took us to Bangladesh and that this is simply an interrogation of his argument and prescription. In any case, investment in infrastructure to drive growth and development is a path not that uncommon. As with previous presidents, investment in infrastructure is a major talking point.

It is President Biden who appears more invested in it, with a huge infrastructure plan. The Biden $2 trillion plan is targeted at fixing highways, rebuilding bridges, upgrading ports, airports and transit systems. The plan is to modernise 20,000 miles of highways, roads, and main-streets; fix the ten most economically significant bridges in the country in need of reconstruction; repair the worst 10,000 smaller bridges, providing critical linkages to communities; replace thousands of buses and rail cars; repair hundreds of stations; renew airports, and expand transit and rail into new communities; deliver clean drinking water, a renewed electric grid, and high-speed broadband to all Americans, among other projects, over the next ten years.

If America is thinking of infrastructure, in spite of the advancement it has made, I doubt that prioritising this by Nigeria can be wrong. I suspect that there must have been a mix-up somewhere for Mr Peter Obi. I still like him though. I believe he should have a place in public service, even if in an advisory capacity. I know he loves statistics. I do too. But I dont see a place for him at the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics. I think it would do him well to keep away from comparative statistical analysis for some time. I believe that he would do well in charge of the Bureau of Public Procurement, for reasons that are rather obvious.

Simbo Olorunfemi works for Hoofbeatdotcom, a Nigerian Communications Consultancy and publisher of Africa Enterprise. Twitter: @simboolorunfemi
The good of God often comes only after something bad happens.

God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and End of all things. (Revelation 1:8). Accordingly, He not only brings trouble to men, but He also redeems men from trouble.

The psalmist says: God turns man to destruction. (Psalm 90:3). But he also acknowledges that it is God who redeems our life from destruction. (Psalm 103:4).

Here is the kingdom dynamic: The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. (1 Samuel 2:6-7). He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. (Job 5:18).

Contradictions of faith

The good of God often comes only after something bad happens. God does not make the good out of the good. He makes the good out of the bad. He creates success out of failures. He creates life out of death. He creates wealth out of poverty.

He also brings joy out of sadness: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5).

Indeed, God often makes things very bad as a preface to making them very good. This is the principle behind His salvation:

The law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21).

Accordingly, Simeon prophesied to Mary that Jesus would cause many to fall and then cause them to rise. Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against. (Luke 2:34).

Misnomers

Paradoxically, bad things bring out the best in believers. The wisdom of God says our enemies are not our adversaries but our allies. Indeed, they are often members of our household. (Matthew 10:36).

Therefore, we should love and appreciate them for they help us to learn godliness and to attain the righteousness of God.

James says:

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12).

We must respond to the challenges of our troubles by working out our true selves; our God-created selves. The things that glorify God are often at variance with our pleasures and convenience.

God is in the business of trying our hearts and our faith. He sends trials to prove and strengthen our graces. He is determined to test the genuineness of our virtues and to add to their vigour. Our faith is so important to God that He will not shield us from those trials by which our faith is strengthened.

Believers are trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. (Isaiah 6:3). We become even better rooted after we have been buffeted by strong winds and storms, making us dig deeper to take firm hold of the precious truths of the gospel of our salvation.

Blessing of trouble

Worldly ease is the enemy of faith. Faith without trials is worthless. It makes believers: clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots. (Jude 12).

Faith prospers in adversity. No water tastes so sweet as the one we drink in the boiling heat of the desert. No star shines so brightly as the one that glistens in the dark polar sky. And no faith is so precious as the one that lives and triumphs in adversity.

Therefore, the psalmist testifies to the blessing of trouble:

You, O God, have tested us; you have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; you laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but you brought us out to rich fulfilment. (Psalm 66:10-12).

Know this: the fire of God only refines, it does not destroy. When Gods fire burns the bush, the bush is not burnt. (Exodus 3:2-3). When silver is refined in the fire, only the dross is removed.

Moreover, we are brought through the fire; we are not left in it. This is Gods assurance:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. (Isaiah 43:2).

Godly sorrow

We often confuse the absence of problems with blessings, when it might be a curse. Amos says: Woe to you who are at ease in Zion. (Amos 6:1). The man who lives a life of ease and therefore feels no need for God is at the end most miserable.

Rather, anything that drives us to our knees before God, making us call upon him, is a blessing. Trouble is a specialist at doing that.

It pushes us closer to God.

If we were wise, we would rather welcome Gods refining process than decline it. Our prayer should be that our alloy should be taken from us, rather than that we should be withdrawn from the crucible.

When a man of the world is sad, it means something bad happened to him. But when a believer is sad, it means something good is going to happen to him. Godly sorrow comes not to make us miserable but to wipe away every tear from our eyes. (Revelation 21:4).

Trials and tribulations, afflictions, and adversities are all designed to bring believers into closer intimacy and knowledge of God.

Accordingly, the psalmist acknowledged to God that: It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. (Psalm 119:71).

50:20 principle

The beauty of kingdom dynamics is that it confounds all natural expectations. Samson says: Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet. (Judges 14:14).

What was intended to kill became a source of nourishment. What was designed to impede became a stepping-stone.

Joseph says to his wicked brothers who sold him as a slave to Egypt: You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (Genesis 50:20).

Had they not sold him into slavery, he would not have become the prime minister of Egypt. Had they not sold him, he would not have become the instrument of their salvation from famine.

Troubles provide invaluable life lessons. Nevertheless, expect God to deliver you from all of them.

Habakkuk says:

Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls- yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deers feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com
Last Wednesday, Muhammadu Buhari and his newfound friend, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, locked each other inside the sacristy of the Nigerian presidential Villa, christened Aso Rock. When they came out afterwards, both wore the visage of 3-year old Syrian girl, Salwa and Cuckold, a 1997 book written by Indian, Kiran Nagarkar. Cuckold, a historical novel patterned after the narrative of Maharaj Kumar, may in a way explain the recent hot and adulterous romance between Jonathan and Buhari.

In the book, Kumar had attempted to win his wife, Miras affections in the midst of a ravaging war in the land. Set in the Rajput kingdom of Mewar of the 16th century, a wife named Mirabai refuses to see Mewar prince, Bhoj Raj, as her husband but thinks instead of Lord Krishna as her hubby. Originally derived from the bird called cuckoo which has the tendency of laying its eggs in other birds nests, right from the Middle Ages, cuckolding became an allusion to a man or woman who has sex with an already married partner, sometimes out of wedlock and at other times, as a fetish where some married partners derive voyeuristic joy in watching their spouse engage in sexual liaison with another.

In 2010, Salwa caught the headlines after a trending video recording of her playing a game and laughing rambunctiously as warplanes dropped bombs very close to her home in Idlib, Syria. Idlib was Syrias final major rebel-held stronghold region where Turkish-backed rebels and Syrian government forces fought in an atrocious battle to destroy each other. The world was aghast at what was perceived as Salwas emotion-dead response to destruction and death. It was later that her father, Abdullah Mohammad, told the world that he taught Salwa wartime laughter; that, rather than being scared at the sight and sound of deafening, frightening and destructive air strikes, she should deaden her fright with laughter, as a counterpoise and coping mechanism. He purchased fireworks for her and got her immersed in its frightening noise. With this, Abdullah taught Salwa that both  bombs and fireworks  were synonymous and loud noises, rather than creating fright, could be funny. It helped Salwa stay calm as cannons and bombs wreaked their havocs.

Dressed resplendently in blue colour traditional Ijaw attire, with a black bowler hat to match as picture from the presidency depicts, Jonathan and Buhari both cut the image of two unequally yoked afflictions besieging a single household. Traditional Yoruba call such Ile njo, ole nja  a household on fire and at the same time invaded by burglars  which keep onlookers guessing as to the depth of the unwanted guests incestuous relationship. Buhari was also dressed in a cocaine-white babanriga and cap to match. They both saluted each other in the COVID-19 elbow-jamming manner. Barely disguised but hidden behind their visage was a cheerfulness that made them look like a girl who titivates her hair with sequins on her first date.

What is the relationship between laughter and war? Put differently, is laughter permissible at times of war, when there is so much death and destruction? In all histories of war, this unequally yoked binary has always maintained an uneasy relationship. Kaiser, the German imperial power in the First World War, would not hear of such incestuous relationship between war and laughter. In a telegram to the Mayor of Berlin during the war, he demanded seriousness and self-constraints. Indeed, the Kaiser and German military of WW1 pronounced urban laughter a taboo during the war. The bleakness of war should make impossible all joy, they said. What manner of amusement can there be when death and suffering are going on at the war front? How can humour be legitimate in the city in times of war? This was why Carl Braun, also known as Carl Hobner, ran into trouble with the Berlin police in October, 1914 when he humorously mimicked German generals and dignitaries while the war was going on. For the Kaiser, pubs, amusement parks, theatres and cinemas should all be closed in war time.

That was not for Jonathan and his fiend, the president. Judging by the discourses on parade in the political arena, Buhari and Jonathan, two hitherto sworn political enemies, must have come together to discuss 2023. They have held a couple of such. On the superficial, however, Jonathan, ECOWAS special envoy, had struttled into his former abode at the presidential palace to discuss the crises-ridden West-African country of Mali, with Buhari. But pray, are Malis crises more than Nigerias and who is the Nigerian problem being reported to?

But why would Buhari and Jonathan be discussing 2023 when there is war in Nigeria? Make no mistake about it: Nigeria is in a time of war. Shrouded official figures of Boko Haram killings of Nigerians and their soldiers number hundreds; bandits slaughter scores daily in the Northwest; farmers cannot go to till the land for fear of being strafed to death by bandits AK-47 bullets; in Niger State, Boko Haram has ceded Nigerias territory to itself, pegging girls marriageable age at 12. Nigeria is at war. Her economy, even at the thick of the Biafran war, possessed more verve than the economy under Buhari. The Nigerian Naira is periodically sighted at red light districts, in undisguised dalliance with the Zimbabwean dollar and Congolese Franc, the three barely clad and smiling seductively like coquettes of nil worth that they are. Hopelessness had never been this proximate to more than half of Nigerians in almost a century. Should Nigerian leaders then be exchanging mutual political conviviality, like imperial powers partitioning Africa at the 1884 scramble for the black continent, ceding out and receiving presidential power, in this time of war?

With the 2023 election in the neighbourhood of a little over 12 months ahead now, permutations, alignments and projections are being shuffled like stock traders do on the floor of the stock exchange. Grapevines are rife with claims that President Jonathan is being lured by the rank of his old political adversaries to run for the Nigerian presidency again. On the face value, this proposition sounds very stupid, illogical and otiose. Why would those who ganged up to make the Ijaw-born ex-presidents name worthless a few years ago, be the same people he is embroiled in playing tombola with today?

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, took the dalliance between Buhari and Jonathan beyond hearsay when he warned Jonathan recently not to yield to the pressure to contest the presidency under the APC, same party that nailed his coffin in 2015. Speaking to the BBC, he said, If I see the former President, I will tell him what I heard. I will tell him, dont go anywhere because these people want to destroy your reputation.

The calculation is said to be one of the dirty power gimmicks of the North to swiftly return to power if it eventually gets supplanted by a southerner in 2023. Surveying the horizon with a clean but selfish toothcomb, Ahmadu Bellos progenies were said to have discovered, to their chagrin, that unless someone constitutionally barred from a second term was sneaked into Aso Rock, their fated birthright of Nigerias presidency could suffer on the sidelines for another eight grueling years. The most fitting sucker who can act as stand-in and take the bullet for such infernal project was a man the same Northern elders had tar-brushed as clueless, feckless and a recklessly irredeemable drunk whose life was incomplete without shots of liquor.

With the connivance of Ahmed Bola Tinubus octopodal media machine, by the time Jonathan was going into the 2015 presidential election, the Buhari/Tinubu machine had mortally damaged his brand, rendering the name Jonathan as worthless as a degree from Trump University. The theatrics of dollar-baiting Yoruba traditional rulers who pointed effete traditional insignia at Jonathans head, with him kneeling down in their midst, ostensibly for traditional invocation for his success at the polls, was by them a mere alupaida  fraudulent stunt. His wife, Patience, was visited the most visceral denigration in history, so much that she had less worth than a horoscope. Today, other than a recent unexplained taciturnity she recoiled into, there was no embarrassing infraction committed by Jonathans wife that Buharis voluble Captain of Zi Oza Room has not. But, is it cluelessness, lust for power or outright unintelligence that will make a man, as the Yoruba will say, return to bid a hostile host good evening, in the same unwelcoming home where he was booed out and forced to say good night awhile ago?

Aside the fact that the Nigerian politicians heart is reputed to be painted in red colour like a mass of scarlet berries, these politicians are certified gang of brand conmen. We were living witnesses to how then General Buhari, who we all knew for his intolerance to voices of dissent, with an Antarctica-like frozen views on national development, suddenly became branded as a born-again democrat. They put on him borrowed robes, forced him to wear agbada and Igbo Ishiagu, apparels of two people he never disguised his disdain for, while forcing him to dance to the adulterous music of Wasiu Ayinde on the campaign rostrum. Here was a man Nasir el-Rufai, in 2010, referred to as an almost-70 principal (who) should retire, a man he said was perpetually unelectable and who suddenly got deodorized and presented to the people as Angel Gabriel. El-Rufai, in that same statement, warned Nigerians that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve.

As we were wondering how APC, PDP will navigate us into this potentially doomed Jonathan mis-presidency, another artful dodger climbed up the rostrum. Serial presidential aspirant, Turakin Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar, last week dismissed the zoning of presidential ticket debate as response to the current Nigerian leadership crisis. He made this known at the 94th National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP held last Thursday. Where the president comes from has never been the problem of Nigeria, neither will it be the solution. There is no such thing as the president from Southern Nigeria or president from Northern Nigeria. There is only one president from Nigeria, by Nigeria and for Nigeria, he said.

In the ecology of Yorubas dismissive estimation of people who fail to dispense with old analogies and embrace recent discourses, such persons are seen as being busy engaged with culinary masturbation by eating an agbonrin esin  one-year old venison. With this thesis that is irrelevant to the reality of today, Abubakar is apparently devouring this old, uninspiring agbonrin esin. In an earlier piece, I prophesied that Buhari may be the last Nigerian president. I didnt mean that Nigeria may not exist, post-2023 but that we can never have a president who will think Nigerian or a Nigerian thinking at the presidency any longer. Buhari has so mortally destroyed that thesis of where the president comes from has never been the problem of Nigeria with his unexampled nepotism in office, so much that where the president comes from matters greatly now. In any case, shouldnt Nigeria have now moved out of this perennial Atiku Abubakar presidential hustling to something more ennobling?

If you add this to Jonathan and Buharis embarrassing cuckolding in this time of war, you will have the complete picture of a Nigerian circus that has just begun yet another season of our anomie.

Malamis State of Emergency and Chiwetalu Agus arrest

Either out of acute ignorance of the law, diffidence towards it, naivety or a consuming passion to appear hyperactive in the eyes of Aso Rock, the Nigerian security establishment will not stop exuding sickening optics in its operations, to the shuddering embarrassment of the world. Last week, it was another time for the advertisement of this gross lack in mental capacity. Nollywood star, Chiwetalu Agu, was arrested by some officers of the Nigerian Army at the Upper Iweka, Onitsha, Anambra State. His sin and as could be seen in a viral video, was adorning flowing apparel that had Biafra insignia on it.

In the video, Agu stood in a moving traffic in the commercial city, beside a bus painted green, the Nigerian colour and which had written on it, Chiwetalu Films. Shortly after, a soldier appeared, clutching a gun, in a menacing mode, his hand clutched to the rifles butt. All of a sudden, other soldiers appeared, held Agu roughly, even as he almost fell, dragging the actor like a sack of tomatoes, ultimately pulling and heaving him into a truck. He must have fallen a couple of times in the process. Before zooming off in a commando style with their prized victim, the soldiers fired repeatedly in the sky which resulted in a melee as people scampered for dear lives. Agu was said to have come to Onitsha on a charitable mission of sharing food items to the less privileged.

Later on, the Nigerian Army issued the raison detre for this sickening assault. Agu, it said, was inciting the public and soliciting support for the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB). In a statement issued by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Nigerian Army denied this globally viewed scene of brutalisation by its men, claiming that Agu was gently taken into custody.

Dressed in a very well known attire of the proscribed group, Chiwetalu Agu was picked up for questioning while inciting members of the public to join the proscribed group. Though he attempted putting up some resistance when troops made effort to take him into custody, he was not assaulted or subjected to brutalization, Nwachukwu said. The Nigerian Army then urged that peoples expression of their rights must be done within the confines of the law, bearing in mind the imperative for peace, and national security.

Released after 24 hours in the Armys custody, the Department of State Services (DSS) will not be left out of the binge to impress Aso Rock. It reportedly re-arrested Agu last Friday. This was confirmed in a statement by the DSS Spokesman, Peter Afunaya, who said on Friday that Army brought him to us. Justice will take its course.

The day before Agus arrest, specifically Wednesday last week, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, riled the country with another of his celebrated badly-rehearsed statements that brim with sickening flavor of partisanship. Speaking to the press after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Malami said that, in response to the upswing in cases of violent attacks on individuals and government facilities in Anambra, with the approaching governorship election in the state, you cannot out rule possibilities, inclusive of the possibility of declaration or state of emergency.

One nexus links Chiwetalus arrest and Malamis unconscionable statement: they cannot be supported by logic and common sense. Oduduwa is an insignia that Sunday Igboho and his separatist crew use as mascot. If the FG descends into another of its jaundiced decision to outlaw it, Yoruba people shouldnt use the insignia of Oduduwa? What part of the Nigerian constitution forbids anyone wearing clothes or the colour combination that they desire? What evidence did the Army have that Agu incited the public on the side of IPOB? Agu has been known to always go nostalgic in references to Biafra. Yes, the Federal Government claimed it had outlawed IPOB, but did it outlaw Biafra? Biafra is a phoenix that cannot die, as long as the people in that geographical area remember their grueling fate in the hands of Nigerian soldiers.

Again, Agu is an actor and the Upper Iweka show might jolly well be a rehearsal for another film, as indicated by the vehicle he brought to the alleged locus incuo. More fundamentally, why has the Army never felt that Sheik Gumi, who even accused it of systemic decimation of Islamic faithful, had breached the imperative for peace and national security thus necessitating the arrest of that campaigner for bloodthirsty hounds?

It is same partisanship that juts out of Malamis emotive outburst. In the Southeast of Nigeria today, Imo State is where anarchy and total breakdown of law and order are mostly pervasive. That is a state superintended over by one of Aso Rocks provincial lickspittles. How come the federal government has not declared a state of emergency there? A sizeable part of Niger State is in the hands of Boko Haram, while the presidents home state of Katsina appears to be Thomas Hobbes projection in his state of nature thesis. How come these states havent fallen victim of the emergency rule?

While most of these theoretical postulations by government are not wrong in themselves, the absence of equity in their operationality is the bother. In 1999/2000 when Gani Adams OPC was constituting a nuisance, Olusegun Obasanjo wielded the big stick, slamming him and Fredrick Fasehun, his own kinsmen, in jail for months. Buhari cannot be hounding IPOB and ethnic separatists while mollycoddling his bandit brothers who he has stubbornly refused to label terrorists.
I write in defence of the Mosquito, even as I wish that it sucks fat instead of blood. Every misfortune has an ingredient of fortune if you look deeply enough. Call it a pest, a killer, or whatever else you may, the mosquito, which depopulates whole continents, is also, by some providential paradox, a defender of sorts, especially in my African neck of the woods.

The Swahili call it mbu; the Igbo, anwunta; the Hausa, sauro; and the Uhrobo, uwe. But the most musical to my ears is the Yoruba word, Yanmuyanmu, which literally brings the mosquitos annoying sing-song or whining sound to life. Yanmuyanmu! Nobody living in Africa can avoid a bite or two from the ubiquitous mosquito now and again, which has made its way into our folklore and music, so much so that multi-talented veteran artiste, Jimi Solanke, even had a famous musical track titled Yanmuyanmu.

The great DH Lawrence wrote a poem on it  or, more like  for it:

When did you start your tricks/Monsieur?/What do you stand on such high legs for?/Why this length of shredded shank/You exaltation?/Is it so that you shall lift your centre of gravity upwards/And weigh no more than air as you alight upon me,/Stand upon me weightless, you phantom?/I heard a woman call you the Winged Victory/In sluggish Venice./You turn your head towards your tail, and smile./How can you put so much devilry/Into that translucent phantom shred/Of a frail corpus?

Male mosquitoes live for only one week on average. They dont suck blood but feed on plant nectar. Females, with the average female life span of about six weeks, are the bloodsuckers. A female mosquito will bite as many victims as necessary to lay her eggs.

The process of biting someone will not kill a female mosquito: In this digital age, humorists among the techies have been having a field day asking victims of mosquito bites: After youve been bit 8 times by a mosquito does that mean you have a mosquito byte?

I will return to the mosquito in a moment, but first, here is the news: Henceforth, a mosquito bite may no longer be a potential death sentence. The World Health Organisation recently announced to a cheering world that it had approved the use of a vaccine called Mosquirix, the first anti-malaria vaccine. The new weapon was developed over a 30-year period by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline in collaboration with Seattle-based health nonprofit PATH and a network of African research centres, with partial funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It is the first developed vaccine for any parasitic disease.

If the vaccine lives up to its billing, it will save 500,000 lives in sub-Saharan Africa every year, including 260,000 children under the age of five. The vaccine works by rousing a childs immune system to thwart Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest of five malaria parasites and the most prevalent in Africa.

This long-awaited vaccine, developed in Africa, by African scientists, is a breakthrough for science, child health, and malaria control, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General announced.

Dr. Akpaka Kalu, WHO Regional Advisor for Tropical and Vector-borne Disease, gave kudos to the three African countries  Ghana, Malawi and Kenya  involved in the trials, stating that, The datasets that were generated in these studies and field trials were by African scientists. He added that there are ongoing discussions to transfer vaccine manufacturing technology to Africa.

More than 2.3 million doses have been administered in those countries, reaching more than 800,000 children.

However, Dr Doyin Odubanjo, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Science and a public health expert, said that although the vaccine is another tool for combating malaria, we should not cast away existing anti-malaria tools.

I now return to the mosquito. As I ponder thankfully over the fact that so many deaths will be prevented with the advent of the vaccine, I cant help remembering that the mosquito had always been a double-edged sword. While it depopulated Africa and some other tropical parts of the world, it also helped hasten the departure of colonialists who otherwise might have decided to stay on. Thanks to the mosquito, West Africa, especially, was the colonialists grave.

Malaria has many strains, of varying virulence. Survival rates are lowest for people encountering new varieties to which they have not gained immunity. As a result, endemic malaria has often acted not only as a local curse but also as a strange sort of protector. It is an equal opportunity killer, smiting both the native and the interloper.

How I wish that Oba Ovonramwen of Benin and King Jaja of Opobo had cultivated an army of well-starved mosquitoes to defend their kingdoms when the advance parties of the colonial armies set their feet on their soil!

Bestselling author Timothy C. Winegard, in his book, The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator, showed how deadly the little fly had been over the ages. In his estimation, mosquitoes have killed fifty-two billion people, nearly half of all humans who have ever lived. That is, more people than any other single cause. And that is why he calls mosquitoes our apex predator, the destroyer of worlds, and the ultimate agent of historical change.

You would think he was writing about some newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile:

Military strategists, from Saladin to the Nazis, used mosquitoes as direct weapons of war. At Walcheren, Napoleon breached dikes to create a brackish floodthe ensuing malaria epidemic killed four thousand English soldiersand declared, We must oppose the English with nothing but fever, which will soon devour them all. Often, of course, malaria exacted a toll on both sides. It pushed English Protestants into Catholic Ireland, setting the stage for the Troubles centuries later. But Oliver Cromwell, the Englishman who conquered Ireland, died of malaria, in 1658, rather than take quinine, the only known treatment, because he associated it with its Catholic discoverers, making him a victim of both parasitosis and sectarianism.

He noted that the Romans tried to colonise Panama 1500 years before the Scottish but they

were thwarted by a strain of malaria local to Scotland which is estimated to have killed half of the eighty thousand Roman soldiers. The same thing happened to Hannibals forces as they ransacked Italy and made Genghis Khans army turn away from southern Europe. Malaria killed more than a third of European crusaders intent on conquering the Holy Land.

Winegard observed that just twenty-two years after Columbus stepped onto Hispaniola, a census revealed that the local Taino population had nosedived from between five and eight million people to just twenty-six thousand. Together with smallpox and influenza, mosquito-borne diseases sent ninety-five million indigenous inhabitants of the Americas, to their early graves.

The mosquito was also responsible for the high value placed on African slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries. An indigenous slave, likely to die of imported disease, cost less than an also vulnerable European indentured servant, who cost less than a slave imported directly from Africa. Most expensive of all were Africans who had spent enough time in the Americas to prove their resistance to its mixture of diseases, explained Winegard.

And he does the arithmetic of survival in the Caribbean based on who could withstand mosquito bites: Of ten men that go to the islands from a particular nation, four English die, three French, three Dutch, three Danes, and one Spaniard. Todays Caribbean nations reflect these mortality rates: those colonised by the English, the Dutch, and the French tend to have populations that are of majority African descent; only the former Spanish colonies have significant populations descended from Europeans.

Journalist Brooke Jarvis brilliantly highlighted this point in a New Yorker article titled How Mosquitoes Changed Everything. Her grouse: They slaughtered our ancestors and derailed our history. And theyre not finished with us yet.

Ive been wondering, suppose some smart businessman takes the contract to flush out Boko Haram terrorists and kidnappers out of our forests employing mosquitoes as drones? Imagine battalions of whining mosquito drones descending on the forests to render the terrorists too ill to fight! Their ISWAP backers will have to repeat the famous lamentation of Florence Nightingale who called the Pontine Marshes, near Rome, The Valley of the Shadow of Death on account of infestation with mosquitoes.

Thank God for the pioneer anti-malaria vaccine. Thank God that humanity is collaborating for once on a project that could reduce mortality globally. And thank God for those long forgotten years when the anopheles mosquito was the black mans ally against invading colonialist forces.

Let no one think that a malaria-free Africa is open for re-pacification.
At least 32 persons were reported killed in two attacks on Wednesday and Friday in Gwadabawa and Sabon Birni Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.

Residents of the areas gave the number of the people killed in the attacks while the state government confirmed the attacks but did not speak on the causalities figure.

Residents said the tragic chain of events began on Wednesday when members of a banned vigilante group killed at least 12 Fulani people at the Mamande Market in Gwadabawa council area.

Following the incident, suspected armed bandits on Friday launched a reprisal attack at Ungwan Mai Lalle market in Sabon Birni local government area, killing more than 20 persons and leaving many others injured.

The state government had suspended markets in the affected council areas as part of measures to check the activities of bandits.

The police spokesperson in Sokoto, Sanusi Abubukar, did not return PREMIUM TIMES several phone calls to comment on the development.

But the states commissioner for Security Matters, Garba Moyi, blamed the attacks on defiance of the ban on local markets in the area.

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Mr Moyi said all rural markets in the eastern part of the state were banned as part of measures to curtail banditry.

Some communities are not complying with this temporary measure despite the fact that it is for their own good, he lamented.

He said a task force comprising security agents, local government chairman and representatives of district heads are enforcing the ban in each of the affected local government areas.

We will find out why they are not enforcing this order in their respective areas, Mr Moyi, a retired military officer, said.
Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder with a vicious 11th round knockout to retain his WBC heavyweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on Saturday.

Wilder was the aggressor early in the slug fest, using his jab to back up the larger Fury while trying to set up his powerful right hand.

Fury, however, weathered the early storm and knocked Wilder down in the third round but the American responded in the fourth, sending the Briton to the canvas twice with shots to the head from close range.

But Fury continued to bludgeon Wilder as the fight wore on and ended the brutal affair with a clean right hand to the side of his head in the penultimate round.

The battered Wilder reportedly went to hospital immediately after the fight.

With the win, Fury (31-0-1) has now taken two of the three meetings between the rivals after the first fight ended in a controversial draw and Fury dominated the second meeting.

It was a great fight tonight. It was worthy of any trilogy in the history of the sport, Fury said.

Deontay Wilders a top fighter. He gave me a real run for my money. I always said Im the best in the world and hes second best.

Fury will likely now look to take on Ukraines Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the other three titles for a chance to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, 21 years ago.

That fight may have to wait, however, as Britains Anthony Joshua earlier in the day triggered his clause for a rematch against Usyk, who defeated him last month to take the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.

(Reuters/NAN)
FILE - In this May 21, 2021 file photo, a customer walks behind a sign at a Nordstrom store seeking employees in Coral Gables, Fla. On Friday, Oct. 8, U.S. employers added just 194,000 jobs in September, a second straight tepid gain and evidence that the pandemic still has a grip on the economy with many companies struggling to fill millions of open jobs. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2021 file photo, a hiring sign is placed at a booth for prospective employers during a job fair in the West Hollywood section of Los Angeles. U.S. job growth slowed sharply last month as the highly contagious delta variant disrupted economic activity and employers struggled to find workers. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
While the unit is offline, about a third of the unit's 157 fuel assemblies will be replaced. Preventive maintenance and safety inspections to ensure continued safe and reliable operations also will be performed on major components including various pumps, valves, reactor vessel, steam generators, and turbine generator. In total, more than 7,600 work activities will be completed during the refueling outage.

More than 1,000 temporary contractor workers and Energy Harbor employees will supplement more than 700 Beaver Valley employees during the outage. The additional workforce will provide a multi-million-dollar boost to the local economy as workers stay in area hotels, eat in local restaurants and frequent area stores.

The 963-megawatt unit at the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station has operated safely and reliably, generating more than 12 million megawatt hours of electricity since the completion of its last refueling in May 2020, enough to power one million homes annually.

Energy Harbor is a financially secure independent power producer and fully integrated retail energy provider focused on safe and best-in-class operations and financial performance. With its fleet of reliable generating resources, including substantial carbon-free generation, Energy Harbor is well positioned for long-term value creation and competitiveness in a low-carbon future and is focused on enabling a growing customer and stakeholder base to meet their environmental, social and sustainability goals.

For more information on Energy Harbor visit www.energyharbor.com

Forward Looking Statements and Further Information

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that are included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that Energy Harbor Corp. (the "Company") expects or anticipates to occur in the future (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "intends," "plans," "will likely result," "are expected to," "could" and "will continue"), are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that in making any such forward-looking statement its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such forward-looking statement involves uncertainties and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the discussion of risk factors under "Risk Factors" available on the Investor Website (as described below) and the following important factors, among others, that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements: the actions and decisions of regulatory authorities; economic conditions and power pricing within the Company's territories and markets; the Company's ability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits from strategic and financial goals; the uncertainties associated with the deactivation of remaining commodity-based generating units, including the impact on vendor commitments, and as it relates to the reliability of the transmission grid, the timing thereof; the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, mediation and like proceedings, including with respect to the timing and amounts of the capital expenditures that may arise in connection with any such proceedings; changes in customers' demand for power; and weather conditions affecting future sales, margins and operations.

Any forward-looking statement included in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof, and except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them; nor can the Company assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. As such, you should not unduly rely on such forward-looking statements.

Further information regarding the Company will be available at www.energyharbor.com under the heading www.energyharbor.com/ir (the "Investor Website"). The Company advises that holders of the Company's securities should review all available information before making any decisions whether to buy or sell any of the Company's securities. Any information in any materials posted on the Investor Website in the future will automatically update and, where applicable, modify or supersede the information contained in this press release and any other information previously posted on the Investor Website.

SOURCE Energy Harbor

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law AB 794, a bill designed to protect truck drivers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Teamsters Port Division Director Ron Herrera released a statement. AB 794, by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, will require that companies seeking grants, incentives and rebates for purchasing clean fleet vehicles are in compliance with labor laws related to worker misclassification.

"Thank you, Governor Newsom, for taking decisive action to protect our state's port truck drivers, who have kept our stores, hospitals, and warehouses stocked throughout the pandemic," Herrera said. "By signing AB 794, Governor Newsom is standing with California drivers in our vision for a just and equitable future where our work is valued and our basic rights are protected."

Herrera continued, "AB 794 will put California on the path to building an economy that truly protects our essential truck drivers and supports clean air and a healthy environment. These new laws will ensure that taxpayers are no longer forced to subsidize trucking companies that habitually misclassify workers. The Teamsters are absolutely committed to using every tool available to hold accountable bad actors in the trucking industry and empower drivers to win a better life for themselves, their families and their co-workers."

"Our public funds should reward companies that follow the law and respect worker rights. But for far too long, trucking companies have passed the cost of upgrading to green vehicles onto our state's port truck drivers," said Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo. "I'm grateful to Governor Newsom for signing AB 794, which will ensure that trucking companies relying on taxpayer subsidies to build their clean truck fleets abide by strong labor standards. Additionally, this is model legislation that can set the tone for a true just transition that puts workers first and includes labor as part of the solution to clean our air and reduce carbon emissions."

Contact:

Matt Lopez, (805) 377-2950

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1282 , the California Animal Blood Bank Modernization Act, a bill authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D- Santa Monica) and Senator Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita), championed by Social Compassion in Legislation , and supported by many veterinarians, animal protection groups, and Californians who sent in thousands of letters of support.

The bill will allow commercial blood banks to produce blood from community-sourced donor animals in much the same way as the human donor model, and eventually phase out the closed-colony production model for canines, which keeps the blood donor animals caged for the sole purpose of bleeding them for their products.

The bill will also bring transparency and oversight to animal blood banks in California. While these businesses provide veterinarians with products needed for transfusions, current state law limits the supply of these lifesaving products by preventing blood collection from community-sourced animals and prohibiting purchasing blood from out-of-state providers. Current law also leaves the public in the dark about how commercial blood banks operate due to outdated provisions which shields them from providing any information to the public on how their facilities operate and the treatment of the donor animals.

"After a three-year-long push, it's good to see this bill finally make it across the finish line. Passing the "doggy donor bill" is a milestone for animal rights, and for animals awaiting blood transfusions," stated Senator Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita). "California has lagged behind all other states in addressing the inhumane conditions of closed-colony animal blood banks, and it's a testament to the hard work of the bill's authors, the sponsor, and advocates of 'man's best friends' who doggedly pursued an end to this practice once and for all."

"We thank Governor Newsom for bringing California into the 21st century by modernizing this antiquated and barbaric, decades old law. We also thank the authors of the bill, Senator Wilk and Assemblymember Bloom, for making AB 1282 a priority for multiple legislative sessions and hanging in there until the finish line," said Judie Mancuso, Founder and CEO of Social Compassion in Legislation, who spearheaded the legislative effort. "I won't name names, but besides the two outcast legislators who voted against the bill and who are always opposed to what Californians care about, we are grateful to the 98% of the California state legislature that voted in favor of this compassionate and much needed law."

AB 1282 will allow new community-blood banking businesses to come to market and opens the door for existing veterinarian facilities to augment their practice by offering these new services to the community. The bill will require veterinarians to supervise community blood banks, mandate testing for disease in all donors, and make records related to commercial blood banks available to the public.

"This has been a three-year animal welfare policy reform effort that has finally come to fruition. I am elated that we are now on the verge of replacing a long-standing inhumane practice with a model program that will ensure the safety and proper treatment of animal blood donors in California," said Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica).

"Until today, California was the only state where blood sold for veterinary transfusions was required to come from operations like Hemopet, where PETA found terrified dogs caged 23 hours a day," said Ingrid Newkirk, President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "PETA thanks the legislature and the Governor for ensuring the end of these dismal warehouses and the arrival of community blood banks, where healthy dogs can make lifesaving donations and then go home to their loving families, as all dogs deserve."

"Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association's approximately 9000 members are proud of California's lawmakers and gratified with the passage and signature of this bill," said Dr. Paula Kislak, Partner at KM Veterinary Services and Board Member, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. "Allowing community-based dogs to donate blood instead of only dogs who have been confined in commercial kennels is the humane and ethical approach. There is no legitimate veterinary medical reason to compromise the welfare of California's dogs by long-term confinement."

SOURCE Social Compassion in Legislation

Related Links

http://www.socialcompassioninlegislation.org


Harare, Oct 10 : A 26-year-old Zimbabwean man allegedly went berserk and stabbed six people to death and left four others injured at a prayer meeting in Redcliff in the early hours of Saturday.

The police confirmed the incident which happened in the Midlands Province town, about 220 km southwest of Harare, and said investigations were ongoing.

"The ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police) reports that a 26-year-old man stabbed six people to death and injured four others on October 9, 2021, at around 3 am at Stoneclere, Rutendo suburb in Redcliff, after a suspected mental illness while attending an all-night prayer at a local apostolic shrine.

"Police arrested the suspect and recovered a hoe, ax, kitchen knife and three spears. Investigations are in full swing. More details will follow in due course," the police said in a statement.

Cases of mentally ill people who get involved in murder cases are not uncommon in the country.
Gaza, Oct 10 : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Saturday said that it backs the efforts of Egypt and Qatar to end the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007.

Hamas made the remarks in a statement issued at the conclusion of its leadership meetings held in the Egyptian capital Cairo for three days, which discussed the Israeli blockade, the issue of Palestinian prisoners, and the situation in Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Hamas will keep working on defying the unfair siege imposed on our people in Gaza," Hamas said, adding its welcomes the efforts of Egypt and Qatar for starting the reconstruction plan and breaking the Israeli siege.

Before the leadership meetings, the delegation headed by Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh met with senior Egyptian intelligence officials in Cairo, and discussed the possibility of reaching a cease-fire between the movement and Israel in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas delegation explained to the Egyptian officials that the movement is committed to maintaining calm in the Gaza Strip as long as Israel adheres to it, a Palestinian source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua.

The source said that during the dialogue with the Egyptian side, Hamas demanded that Israel should not enter the border area in eastern Gaza and ensure safety of the Palestinian farmers near the border.

Israel imposed a blockade right after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip following weeks of infighting with the security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Nazzal, a member of the movement's delegation in Cairo, told reporters that Hamas had presented a clear vision to the Egyptian side about reaching a prisoners' exchange deal with Israel.

"Haniyeh pledged to the Egyptian side that Hamas is determined to finalise the deal and there is no step back to reach an agreement in this respect," Nazzal said.

In 2017, Hamas' military wing announced that it held four missing Israelis, including two Israeli soldiers, without giving details on their fate, and said it wanted to exchange them for the Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
Seoul, Oct 10 : North Korea appears to be marking the 76th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party on Sunday without a military parade or any other provocative show of force.

State media carried several articles stressing the ruling party and leader Kim Jong un's devotion to the country, but no major celebrations or party meetings were reported as of early Sunday morning, Yonhap news agency reported.

The Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, rallied support for Kim and highlighted his efforts in helping people recover from economic challenges, such as recent flooding and the border closure due to Covid-19.

No signs of the North preparing for a military parade were detected, according to military sources.

Pyongyang may be skipping the military parade as this year's anniversary does not fall on a fifth or 10th anniversary and as it staged a scaled-down parade last month to mark the country's founding anniversary.

The North tends to mark every fifth and 10th anniversary with larger events, such as military provocations, including missile launches and parades of troops, newly developed strategic weapons and other military hardware.

At the 75th founding anniversary last year, leader Kim vowed to continue to strengthen its self-defense "war deterrent," and showed off a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other weapons during a massive military parade.
Lakhimpur Kheri , Oct 10 : The Lakhimpur Kheri police has detained the driver of Ankit Das, the nephew of former Congress MP late Akhilesh Das, in connection with the death of four farmers who were mowed down by a vehicle belonging to Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni.

He was reportedly driving the vehicle in the convoy, which was just behind Mishra's SUV. The driver is also accused of helping Ankit Das escape from the spot.

Meanwhile, another aide of Mishra, said to be present at the scene of crime, was also detained.

Senior police officers did not disclose the names of the accused saying they had not been arrested and are being questioned.

Ankit's uncle Akhilesh Das was a Congress MP and the national general secretary of BSP. He passed away in 2017.

Ankit is said to be a close associate of Ashish Mishra and his father.

An official said the name of Ankit Das surfaced after a video went viral a day after the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

In the video, a man, having injuries on his head, is seen claiming that he was in the second SUV with Das.

A policeman is also spotted in the video who is holding a microphone and asking the injured man about the incident. He tells cops that the vehicle belonged to Ankit Das.

The injured man is heard telling cops that he lives in Charbagh area in Lucknow and had accompanied Ankit Das to Kheri for work.
Lucknow, Oct 10 : The total number of active cases of Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh are now below 140, while only 11 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours.

Health officials said that 42 districts have become free from Corona virus infection with zero active cases. The officials said that 11 districts are left with just one active case each.

Over 62 per cent of the active cases are concentrated in just six districts including Lucknow, Prayagraj and Gautam Buddha Nagar.

The new cases were reported from just seven districts.

Updating about the vaccination status, officials said that 11.49 crore doses had been administered in Uttar Pradesh.

Officials claimed that Uttar Pradesh is way ahead of its nearest contender Maharashtra, which is followed by Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and West Bengal.

While 9.07 crore people in the state have taken at least one dose, 2.41 crore are fully immunised.

Health officials said people must still remember to follow to adhere to prevention protocol and get themselves tested if symptoms recur.
Vienna, Oct 10 : Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has announced his resignation, and proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his successor.

In a statement to the media on Saturday evening, Kurz said that he wanted to avoid months of chaos and stagnation, reports Xinhua news agency.

"My country is more important to me than my person," he said.

Kurz said that he would return to Parliament as the chairman of his conservative party and "use the opportunity to refute the allegations," which he claimed were "false".

Regarding appointing Schallenberg as his successor, Kurz said that the Foreign Minister had the diplomatic skills necessary to rebuild trust between the parties.

Kurz has been facing increasing calls for him to step down, including from his own government allies, as the 35-year-old Chancellor and nine others have been under investigation over claims that government money was used in a corrupt deal to ensure positive media coverage.

The opposition has called on Kurz to step down and has planned to take a no-confidence vote against him in Parliament on Tuesday.

Kurz is the youngest head of government in the world, and being first elected to the position at the age of 31 in January 2020, the youngest Chancellor in Austrian history.
Lucknow, Oct 10 : In a shocking incident, two employees of a city-based hotel committed suicide within an interval of six hours on Saturday.

The deceased include the manager and a waiter of the government owned hotel.

While the reason for the waiter's suicide could not be ascertained, the in-charge in a handwritten note to the principal secretary, home, and Lucknow Police commissioner, claimed that he was being trapped in a conspiracy by his colleagues which could have landed him in jail.

Ashok Pathak, 52, of Indira Nagar, who worked as a bar in charge in a hotel run by the tourism department, shot himself on Saturday afternoon after he came to know that Suresh Kumar Pal, a waiter employed in his hotel, had committed suicide earlier in the morning.

Ashok's wife, Mamta Pandey, is a teacher at a girls' college in Lucknow while his son, Shashank, who is an engineer, was married recently.

Ashok's daughter-in-law and his sister were present in the house when he shot himself from his .32 bore licensed revolver. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), North, Prachi Singh said, "Before taking the extreme step, Pathak jotted down two suicide notes -- one addressed to the principal secretary, home, and the other to the Lucknow Police commissioner -- and asked his family not to accept any claim from the department where he worked. The note reflected the deep hatred he had for the organisation where he worked." About the suicide by waiter Suresh Kumar, the ADCP said Pathak had mentioned Suresh's name in the suicide note.

"Pathak was apprehensive that Suresh might have mentioned his name in his suicide note. When we crosschecked, we found that Suresh had not left behind any suicide note," she said.

The ACDP added that further investigations were on.

Pathak's wife alleged that her husband was under pressure. "He was not allowed leaves and weekly offs," she said, adding that Pathak's seniors harassed him so much that he ended his life.
Unnao : , Oct 10 (IANS) About 50 people allegedly fell sick after eating stale 'chat' at a local fair in the Raghunathpur village in Purva block of Unnao district.

The chief medical officer (CMO), along with a team of doctors rushed to the village on Saturday and started treatment of 32 patients who were serious and administered them necessary medicines.

Chaos prevailed in the village in the late hours of Friday night when a majority of villagers complained of stomach ache, followed by vomiting.

A number of patients approached private doctors in the vicinity and 19 of them had to be admitted to the community health centre in Purwa.

Sources said that villagers with their families had consumed 'chat' at the two stalls put up at a local fair organised near the Kali temple in Raghunathpur village on Friday.

After returning to their homes late on Friday night, several people complained of stomach ache and started vomiting.

When their condition worsened, they were admitted to a private hospital and an alert was sounded.

"During preliminary findings it came to fore that the villagers had consumed stale 'chat' at the fair owing to which they suffered food poisoning," said the CMO, adding that the condition now of almost all the patients is stable.
Srinagar, Oct 10 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday carried out raids at 16 locations in the Valley.

Sources said the sleuths of NIA assisted by the CRPF carried out raids in Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla districts in connection with two cases being investigated by the agency.

"One case pertains to a magazine 'Voice of Hind' that aims to incite and radicalise impressionable youth in India and the second case pertains to the recovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Bathindi area of Jammu", sources said.

Further details were awaited.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : It's official that the Congress Working Committee will be meeting on October 16 to deliberate on many issues and after demands from many quarters for elections it may give the nod to organisational polls, sources said.

The Congress has not had a regular president since the resignation of Rahul Gandhi in 2019 and from August that year Sonia Gandhi has been the party's interim president. Congress G-23 leaders have time and again raised the issue of organizational polls in the party.

The Central Election Authority has already submitted the list of voters and has prepared digital cards for AICC members who can vote in the party's presidential elections. However, the G-23 has demanded a fresh voters' list which could see a face-off between loyalists and reformists within the party.

The CWC can remove or appoint a new president but a two-thirds majority is required for making changes. The working committee appointed Sonia Gandhi as President in 1998 when it removed then party chief Sitaram Kesri.

The G-23 sources say that they have time to prepare a strategy and push their agenda in the CWC. However, the group is in a minority in the CWC and it is unlikely that they can push anything without the approval of Sonia Gandhi.

The sources say that if Rahul Gandhi agrees to contest the elections, then it is unlikely there will be a contest but if he pushes any proxy then there will be a contest.

"Ghulam Nabi Azad had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi for a CWC meet but the group is in a minority and it is unlikely that they can push for any resolution of their choice," a source said. The CWC constitution says, "The Working Committee shall consist of the President of the Congress, the Leader of the Congress Party in Parliament, and 23 other members of whom 12 members will be elected by the AICC, as per rules prescribed by the Working Committee and the rest shall be appointed by the President. The quorum for a meeting of the Working Committee shall be eight." Meanwhile, all special invitees have been summoned as well.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mukul Wasnik and Anand Sharma, who were signatories to the letter written to Sonia Gandhi last year for visible and effective leadership and reforms in the party, are among the CWC members.

The G-23 leaders have recently raised the pitch in the wake of some high-profile exits from the party, noting that the issues they raised have not been dealt with so far.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had launched an attack on the party leadership, asking who was taking decisions in the party. He said that the demand for organisational elections has not been met even a year after the letter was written.
Mumbai, Oct 10 : Filmmaker Kireet Khurana, who has won six National Awards, has announced a documentary titled 'The Invisible Visible', highlighting the plight of India's destitute millions.

'The Invisible Visible', is an 81 minutes-long documentary that will be released mid-2022. It has been shot across Mumbai, Delhi, Patna, Dehradun, Kanpur and a few villages in Maharashtra and Bihar.

Khurana said: "India has the largest number of homeless people. It has over 70 million destitute citizens who have been denied their Constitutional right to shelter. The draconian Bombay Beggary Prevention Act 1959 has further criminalised them and made them vulnerable to incarceration, torture and dehumanisation." He added that the film delineates how the "marginalised and the disenfranchised have been left out in the cold and in some cases, exploited in shelters under the watch of the state, as happened during the infamous Muzaffarpur case, where hundreds of girls between 6 and 15 were raped, tortured and killed." This grim scenario is explored through the gaze of social organisation Koshish, which has helped countless traumatized homeless citizens, including the survivors from the Muzaffarpur shelter.

The film traces the inception of Koshish from the time in 2003, when Tarique, a 17-year-old student from the Hindu College went to a homeless shelter to distribute food and was devastated by the misery confronting him.

Khurana added: "At 23, Tarique started 'Koshish', and the film traces the organisation's trailblazing grassroots work and its advocacy in synergy with intellectuals and policy makers to repeal archaic, anti-poor laws. We have also incorporated the views of eminent individuals, stakeholders, top lawyers and NGOs who stand up for the homeless to understand where the system is broken and how it can be fixed." The Award-winning filmmaker said that this is not just a film but a crusade to raise the "level of human conscience and build a momentum against the sordid Bombay Beggary Prevention Act, (1959)." Khurana won his first National Award in 1995 for the animated film 'Mahagiri'. He has made over 12 short films, and over 500 ad films. He directed the animation called 'Toonpur Ka Superrhero', starring Ajay Devgan and Kajol.

His feature film 'T for Taj Mahal', which released in 2018, was launched at the Festival de Cannes in the same year, and premiered at the London Indian Film Festival
Puducherry, Oct 10 : All the legislators and ministers of Puducherry have threatened to boycott the local body elections if the reservation anomalies, including reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes are not cleared.

The Puducherry State Election Commission has announced revised dates to conduct elections on November 2, 7 and 13.

All the political parties met Lieutenant Governor Dr. Tamilisai Sounderarajan on Saturday and informed her that they would be forced to boycott the elections if the anomalies, including reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes are not cleared.

The Commission had earlier announced the dates of polls on October 21, 25 and 28 and there were anomalies regarding reservations for SC/ST and Backward Castes.

The Madras High Court had allowed the cancellation of the notification after the State Election commission had prayed before it to rescind the earlier notification dated September 22. The court directed the commission to issue a fresh notification within five days of cancellation of the notification.

The political parties are of the contention that the elections cannot be held without providing reservation to Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.

A group of legislators, including ministers led by the Puducherry Assembly Speaker, R. Selvam met the Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Sounderrajan and apprised her of the anomalies in no reservation for STs and BCs.

The legislators complained that the announcement of the polls and notification without providing reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes was a violation of the guidelines of the High court and Supreme Court.

The reservation rights of the Backward Classes and Scheduled Tribes were removed by the government to correct the anomalies, but the State Election Commission had made the election announcement in a hurry, the political parties pointed out.

A resolution was adopted that the elections should not be completed without providing reservations to the Backward Classes and Scheduled Tribes as per the Puducherry Municipalities and Commune Panchayat Act. The resolution also stated reservation to seats has to be done based on the delimitation of the wards done on the 2011 census.

The political parties have also complained to the Lieutenant Governor that the State Election Commission had not taken into account the upcoming holiday including Deepavali, All Souls Day, Liberation Day, and the rainy season while announcing the polls, the legislators said.

All the ministers and legislators participated in the meeting and informed the Lieutenant Governor that they would be forced to boycott the polls if anomalies are not rectified.
Chandigarh, Oct 10 : Punjab is once again heading towards major power outage with its thermal plants heading to deficiency of coal in wake of its inadequate supply against the agreements with various subsidiaries of the Coal India Ltd (CIL), state officials said on Sunday.

Most of the plants have been left with fossil fuel storage of one-two days and because of this they are operating at a minimal capacity.

To overcome the coal shortage, power cuts have been imposed across the state, ranging from three to four hours daily.

Chief Minister Charanjit Channi has asked the Central government to immediately enhance the state's coal supply as per quota to tide over the power crisis with impending shutdown of its thermal plants.

Reviewing the power situation amid shortage of coal supply on Saturday, the Chief Minister said all thermal plants are unable to generate full capacity of power due to insufficient coal receipt.

However, he reiterated his government's firm commitment to give power supply for irrigation of paddy crops. He, however, said power cuts on domestic consumers in cities and villages are being imposed to ensure sufficient supply to the agriculture sector as well as to maintain grid discipline.

Earlier, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd Chairman-cum-Managing Director A. Venu Prasad apprised the Chief Minister that the thermal plants throughout the country are reeling under coal shortages and coal supplies crisis.

Within state, Independent Power Producer (IPP) plants are left with less than two days coal i.e. Nabha Power Ltd (1.9 days), Talwandi Sabo Power Project (1.3 days), GVK (0.6) days and it is on a decreasing trend as coal supply by Coal India Ltd. is not as per requirements.

PSPCL plants i.e. Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant and Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant also have just two days of coal stock reduction.

Coal to all these plants is supplied by various Coal India subsidiaries as per fuel supply agreements of these plants with them but presently receipt is much below required level.

Last year the state's thermal plants faced deficiency of coal in wake of non-plying of goods trains for over a month owing to the protest of farmers.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two policemen for allegedly taking bribe from another cop, who is accused of raping a woman constable, a Delhi Police official said here on Sunday.

According to the official, the CBI conducted a raid on late Saturday at Malviya Nagar police station and arrested the first accused Assistant Sub Inspector Lekhram with a cash of Rs 50,000.

Furnishing details about the case, the official informed that a woman constable posted in South Dist had lodged a rape complaint against Sub Inspector Manoj on August 3.

Accordingly, on receipt of the complaint, the police registered a case under sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and the probe was handed over to woman Sub Inspector Romi Memroth.

Both SI Romi who was the Investigating Officer of the case and ASI Lekhram demanded money from the rape accused SI Manoj to settle down the case.

The rape accused SI Manoj then informed the central probe agency, which laid a trap to nab the culprits.

On Saturday, Manoj came to police station Malviya Nagar at around 8.00 p.m. and called SI Romi. Manoj told her that he has brought all the documents but as SI Romi was not present there, she asked ASI Lekhram to collect it. "Lekhram was then caught red-handed by the CBI team while collecting Rs 50,000," the official said adding that both the accused are now currently in CBI's custody.

Rape accused SI Manoj's case is still sub-judice at a Delhi court and the next date of hearing is on October 11.
Mumbai, Oct 10 : Florina Gogoi from Jorhat, Assam won the 'Super Dancer 4' trophy in 'Nachpan ka Maha Mahotsav' episode. She along with her super guru Tushaar Shetty were called 'Flotus' by their fans and viewers. Florina was awarded a cheque of Rs 15 lakh and her super guru won Rs 5 lakh.

It was a moment for which both of them waited since beginning and now finally after receiving the title of winner of this show was nothing less than a dream for them.

As Florina says: - "I am very happy to win this trophy of Super Dancer Chapter 4 and thankful to Tushu sir. I have finally fulfilled my parent's dreams. This is the best day of my life." Tushaar Shetty, who is the guru of Florina, has all praises for her, he adds: "It was no less than a rollercoaster ride. Both of us have been through a lot since the beginning and this win just shows that our hard work finally paid off. Florina is an amazing dancer who deserves the recognition she is getting now. We went through a lot of hardships together, a lot of sleepless nights but we got through the storm. Florina matured in her dance style episode after episode to finally now being declared the winner. I am extremely proud of her, and us" While talking about behind the scene moments and preparations, Tushaar shares: "A lot of dancing, a lot of practicing, a lot of meditation (laughs) and of course a lot of praying. Mentally we were preparing ourselves to give the best performance." Florina says the judges have been a constant support: "Thank you Geeta ma, Shilpa ma'am and Dada (Anurag Basu) for your support and love. I will never forget you. I love you and I thank you because with your help I could achieve this winning trophy." Tushaar has been the foundation for Florina to grow on in this show. He shares about his special bond with her: "I think of myself to only be a guide to her (Florina's) glory. She is an amazing dancer who only needed that one push towards her win, and I am glad that I became the medium for that. Our bond is greater than friendship, she is like my little sister. While in the practice room I turn into a strict teacher, on stage we are two halves of a whole, like our name Flotus. I am going to miss her a lot." Florina what are you planning next after this and she says: "I want to go back home and show this trophy to my friends and family. I want to study and when I grow up, I want to become one of the best dancers of India and make my parents proud of me."
Singapore, Oct 10 : Staring from October 9, Singapore will start offering Covid-19 booster vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers who have completed their inoculation against the virus six months ago, the Miistry of Health (MOH) announced.

The city-state is also working with various institutions to progressively roll out booster vaccinations to eligible persons in institutionalised settings, such as prisons and residential care facilities, Xinhua news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

The MOH added that Singapore will progressively invite persons aged 30 years and above who have also completed their primary series vaccination regimen around six months ago to make an appointment for their booster dose.

As of October 8, 83 per cent of the local population has received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, and 85 per cent have received at least one dose.

The Ministry also announced that from Monday onwards, Singapore will extend home recovery to unvaccinated persons aged 12 to 49 years, vaccinated infected persons aged 70 to 79 years, as well as children aged five to 11 years old.

To protect the unvaccinated individuals and reduce the strain on the healthcare system, Singapore will expand the Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) for entry into shopping malls, attractions, hawker centres, and coffee shops from Wednesday.

It means that only groups of up to two fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to dine in at all regular food and beverage establishments, and to enter shopping malls and attractions.

Meanwhile, the Ministry said that with the experience gained from the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) to Brunei and Germany, the city-state will be extending the VTLs to eight more countries, namely Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US, to enter Singapore from October 19.

It will also jointly launch VTLs with South Korea for travel between the two countries from November 15.

In the last 24 hours, Singapore reported 3,703 new Covid-19 cases, hitting a new record high and bringing the total tally in the country to 124,157.

This was the fifth consecutive spike of the daily new cases surpassing the 3,000 mark.

Of the new cases, 2,868 were in the community, 832 were in migrant worker dormitories, and three were imported cases, the MOH said.

A total of 1,569 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 302 serious illnesses requiring oxygen supplementation, and 40 in critical condition in the intensive care units (ICUs), said the MOH.

Also in the same period, 11 more people died due to the disease, increasing the total death toll to 153.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Islamabad, Oct 10 : Four terrorists were killed in a clash with Pakistani security forces near Awaran district of Balochistan province, an army statement said.

On Saturday, the paramilitary Frontier Corps troops "spotted and engaged terrorists move. During intense exchange of fire, four terrorists killed", the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said in the statement.

The security forces also recovered arms and ammunition during the operation, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

Hunt against militant groups has been intensified by the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies in the wake of a new wave of terrorist attacks on security forces in the country.
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 10 : K. Sudhakaran, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, and the Leader of Opposition and Congress MP, V.D. Satheesan are currently in New Delhi and are holding meetings with the party high command, including AICC General Secretary in-charge of Kerala, Tariq Anwar.

This is being done to finalise the list of office bearers of the party's state unit. K.C. Venugopal, the Congress National Organizing Secretary and MP, is part of the discussions.

After electing K. Sudhakaran as KPCC President and V.D. Satheesan as the Leader of Opposition, there has been a systematic move to remove the 'group culture' in Kerala unit of the Congress. The party faced severe pushback in the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls where it lost power for second consecutive term in the state.

The announcement of new District Congress Chiefs in all 14 districts of the state has led to a spate of resignations from the party, with the party's former General Secretary (Organisation), K.P. Anil Kumar, another party General Secretary, G. Rathikumar, KPCC Secretary and Nedumangad Assembly candidate, P.S. Prasanth, State Agriculture Bank President and KPCC secretary, Solomon Alex resigning and joining the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Senior Kerala Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, former KPCC Presidents, V.M. Sudheeran and Mullappally Ramachandran are unhappy over the developments. V.M. Sudheeran even resigned from the party's highest policy-making body in the state, Political Affairs Committee (PAC) as well as from his AICC member's post.

There is likely to be major furore over the announcement of KPCC list as the party's state leadership has said it would not be a 'jumbo' list but rather a pruned one.

A former KPCC General Secretary told IANS, "The party will face a severe crisis if the state leadership will try to bring in their own people in the name of 'no group'. A former Minister, who is not active in politics for the past several years from Thiruvananthapuram district, is likely to feature in the party office bearers' list just because he is close to the KPCC President. A message has already been sent to the party high command and AICC General Secretary, Tariq Anwar against these postings."
Kabul, Oct 10 : The victims of a suicide bombing at a mosque in Afghanistan's Kunduz province were buried in groups, a media report said citing officials.

While authorities in Kunduz have put the death toll of Friday's deadly bombing, claimed by the Islamic State (IS) terror group, at 46 with 143 others injured, members of the Shia Ulema said nearly 120 worshippers were killed and 160 wounded, TOLO News reported.

"As per our information about the bodies brought to cemeteries, around 120 people were martyred and around 160 others were injured," the report quoted Imam Razavi, a Kunduz-based religious scholar, as saying.

The mass burial took place on Saturday in Kunduz city.

The deadly blast the Shia mosque has received widespread condemnation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the "horrific" attack, saying: "Attacks that deliberately target civilians exercising the right to freely practice their religion are violations of fundamental human rights and international humanitarian law... The perpetrators must be brought to justice." In a statement the European Union said that "the perpetrators of this despicable crime, for which the terrorist group 'IS-Khorasan' claimed responsibility, must be brought to justice.

"The human rights of all Afghans, including the right to life and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, have to be protected and respected." The statement termed the continued "terrorist attacks" as a serious obstacle to a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.

The US Department of State said that Afghans deserve a "future free of terror".

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) called the attack against human rights values, saying it was a continued sting of deliberately targeting the country's Hazara and Shia community.

Chairman of the high council for national reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah and former president Hamid Karzai also condemned the attack and expressed their condolences to the victims' families.
Kolkata, Oct 10 : Durga Puja in Kolkata has taken the centre stage of political debate after the party in opposition, BJP, threatened to call for a social boycott alleging that the goddess has been disrespected by the organiser of this puja.

The controversy erupted after the organisers of Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra decided to express the theme of the 'Farmers' movement' this year. As a part of the theme, hundreds of sandals were shown lying on the ground of the pandal, symbolising the scenes from protest in which they face police action.

"From the days of Tebhaga movement to recent ones, the pandal showcases several farmers' protests. Shoes in the pandal symbolise people who've been struggling in these movements for ages," one of the organisers said. The showcasing of shoes inside the pandal premises has raked the controversy.

On Saturday, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari threatened to call for a social boycott of the puja if the shoes are not removed before the Bodhon (Awakening) of the goddess on Sashti -- that is Monday.

Speaking to the media Adhikari said, "I have heard that the work of removing shoes has started. But I have not seen it with my own eyes. Mother is awakened in Sasthi. If shoes are not removed before Sasthi, people will boycott this puja. Those who are real Hindus will boycott. Those who believe in traditional religion will boycott that puja, unless the shoes are removed. Hindus are not so weak".

However, the organisers have refused to budge. "We did not implement this puja idea to please Shuvendu Adhikari. The choice of the visitors is up to them. We are not thinking of changing their industrial thinking or moving away from the position," one of the organisers said.

Hinting at chief minister's painting of the eyes (Chokhkhudan') of Goddess Durga and inaugurating pujas before the Mahalaya, Adhikari went on to say, "In 'Pitripokho' there should be no inauguration of painting of eyes (Chokhudan). I can only say that good sense prevails to those who are breaking the tradition. I pray to God to forgive them".

The Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra Puja Committee has portrayed the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmers' protest highlighting farm law agitation as well as Sunday's Lakhimpur Kheri massacre.

A giant replica of a tractor being used by farmers to till land is placed at the entrance of the Dumdum Park Bharat Chakra pandal, depicting their struggle. The tractor has two wings attached symbolising freedom from bondage labour. The names of farmers who died in the course of the agitation have been written in chits of paper on the giant tractor.

As you walk in, the sidewalks are adorned by the sketch of a car and a farmer lying on its path, accompanied by a line in Bengali -- "motorgari uray dhulo niche pore chashigulo", which translates to 'the car leaves behind a swirl of dust while farmers fall under its wheels'.

Latest updates on Navratri Festival 2021
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Chetan Bragta, Himachal Pradesh BJP IT cell Head, who is contesting as an independent candidate from Jubbal Kotkhai Assembly constituency, said the party must define what nepotism means and ensure it must be followed in true spirit.

Bypoll is necessitated on Jubbal Kotkhai Assembly constituency following the death of Chetan's father Narendra Bragta, a former Himachal Pradesh Minister. The BJP has fielded Neelam Saraik from the same constituency where polling will take place on October 30.

Chetan in an exclusive conversation with IANS, said, "There has to be a definition for nepotism and 'parivarvaad'. The party leadership must ensure that the said definition must be followed in true spirit and not as per convenience. Someone working with an organisation since 2001 and holding different positions at national level and the state unit could be called an example of nepotism. If it was, then why did they fail to act earlier." Chetan joined the BJP in 2001. In 2010, he became the National social media Head of the party's youth wing BJYM (Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha) and held the position for eight years. In 2018, he was appointed the BJP Himachal Pradesh IT cell Head and currently holds the position.

Bragta asked if the party did not want to give him ticket then why was he asked to start campaigning just after 15 days of his father's death.

"After 15 days of my father's death, the BJP state leadership asked me to start campaigning. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his cabinet and the state leadership repeatedly told the people of Jabbal Kotkhai Assembly constituency that I will contest from here. If they really do not want to give me a ticket then why ask me to campaign and repeatedly lie to people about my candidature," the BJP State IT cell Head said.

Chetan said the BJP's decision to deny him ticket has surprised people and under pressure from their affection and love he was forced to file the nomination paper as an independent candidate.

"After the party denied me a ticket, more than 5,000 people came to me and put pressure to contest the state bypoll. Women are crying against the party's decision to deny me a ticket. Under pressure of their love and affection, I filed the nomination, "he added.

The BJP leadership has approached Bragta and urged him to withdraw his candidature. When asked about this move by the party, he said, "Yes, it is true but I will not withdraw. I will contest for my people." A party insider said the BJP state unit had no clue that Bragta would file the nomination and many were unaware even after him filing the nomination papers.
Sanaa, Oct 10 : The Yemeni Houthi rebels retrieved the bodies of 62 their fighters from a frontline in Yemen's central province of Marib and moved them to mortuaries in the capital Sanaa.

"They were killed in the past two days in fighting with the government troops near al-Joubah district," medics at a Houthi-controlled military hospital told Xinhua news agency.

The Houthis are trying to advance into al-Joubah, about 50 km southwest of the government-controlled Marib central city.

Fighting in the western districts of the province is still ongoing, according to government military sources.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia launched in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich province, the last northern stronghold of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
Chennai, Oct 10 : Trichy police recovered the decomposed body of an old woman from a house in Tamil Nadu's Sokkampatti village after her unmarried daughters sat with the body for five days 'praying' for their 78-year-old mother to 'resurrect'.

According to police, the incident occurred late in the evening on Friday near Manapparai.

The police said they received an anonymous note about a foul smell emanating from the residence of a deceased retired female teacher, B. Mary. The police reached the incident site, but Mary's daughters -- 43-year-old B. Jayanthi and 40-year-old B. Jacintha, both unmarried, did not allow the police to enter their house.

The police said they informed the local village officer who arrived at the incident site and told the women's daughters that they would break open the door if they refused to open it.

According to a senior police official, the woman's daughters told the police that they would not allow them to enter their home as their mother's body was there and she would be hurt if they broke open and entered their house.

However, after some persuasion, the women allowed the police to enter the house and found that the body was nearly five days old and in a decomposed state. The police rushed the body to the Manapparai hospital where the post-mortem was conducted on Saturday.

Manapparai Police Inspector, Karunakaran while speaking to media said, "The daughters of the deceased woman argued with the police that their mother was alive even after conducting the post-mortem. The woman's body was later buried and her daughters would be given counselling."
Baghdad, Oct 10 : Millions of Iraqis headed to the polls on Sunday across the country to elect a new Parliament amid hopes that it could solve the country's long-standing crisis.

Voters are lining up to cast their ballots at 8,273 polling centres, which opened their doors at 7 a.m., reports Xinhua news agency.

The voting process will conclude at 6 p.m.

According to the country's Independent High Electoral Commission, the results are expected to be announced in 24 hours afterward.

The Iraqi parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for 2022, were advanced in response to months of protests against corruption and a lack of public services.

According to the electoral commission, about 24 million Iraqis are eligible to cast their ballots for 3,249 candidates, running individually and within 167 parties and coalitions, vying for 329 seats in the legislature.
New York, Oct 10 : Despite high hopes that one of the Nobel committees would recognise vaccination research that has saved countless lives by being delivered to billions of people, this year's science Nobels instead went to fundamental advances that had been tipped to win for years.

The timing didn't work in favour of a Covid-19 Nobel this year. Nominations for this year's prize had to be submitted by February 1.

This was more than two months after the first mRNA vaccines, and some others, proved their mettle in clinical trials, but before their impact on the pandemic was fully clear, said Goran Hansson, secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, which selects the prize winners.

"Follow-up is really still happening now," Hansson added.

According to Nature.com, some scientists expressed surprise and disappointment at the omission of Covid-19 vaccines, particularly those developed using messenger RNA technology, which has launched a new class of vaccines.

But Nobel prize insiders and watchers say that timing, technical details and politics meant that a nod this year was a long shot.

However, the impact of Covid-19 vaccines -- and the underlying advances -- indicate that it shouldn't be long before researchers behind the work get a call from Stockholm.

"The development of mRNA vaccines is a wonderful success story that has had enormous positive consequences for humankind. And we are all very grateful to the scientists," Hansson said.

"This is a kind of discovery that will receive nominations. But we need to take time," Hansson added.
Mumbai, Oct 10 : TV and film actress Sulagna Panigrahi is all set to make her comeback on television after a gap of 10 years. The actress will be playing one of the leads in a period drama titled 'Vidrohi'.

She shares about her role in the daily soap: "I am playing the character of 'Radhamani' on the show who was freedom fighter Jagbandhu's wife. She is extremely calm, sweet, and caring yet strong and ambitious. Radhamani is extremely supportive of her husband and would help him achieve his goals through and through. It's a beautiful marriage based on immense love and trust." The show revolves around Jagabandhu Bidyadhara Mohapatra Bhramarbara Raya popularly known as 'Buxi Jagabandhu' was the commander of the king of Khordha, Odisha. The actress says she belongs to Odisha as her father was in the Army so has travelled and lived in every corner of the country. But she is familiar with the language and culture. It helped her also to bring this character on screen in a realistic way.

She tells about the preparation work: "I was born in Odisha but brought up all over the country, being an Army kid. So naturally, I am quite the patriot but my roots are obviously in Odisha. I know the language and its culture." "As far as the preparation is concerned, I can do the whole show in the Oriya language but I have only tried to keep an Oriya touch to my Hindi on the show as the pan-Indian audience might not understand the fluent Oriya language. Plus, I also referred to a lot of pictures and images on the internet from that time to get an idea as to how women used to dress in those times, how they used to carry themselves, and what they looked like. The character of Radhamani is quite tricky to play, given she has so much to show and has so much substance, emotions-wise. I had to work on that along with the posture and body language of Radhamani. I hope the audience accepts this character as I have given it my all," she adds.

"The sarees are quite classy as well. They are soft and sheer in nature. The grace that a soldier's wife carries, I have actually grabbed from my mom given my dad was an Armyman. The way she would dress up and carry herself in a saree at parties and various other social events is what I have kept in mind when it comes to my character's looks. Also, as the show is based in the 18th century, the hairstyle is quite authentic to its time but all in all, I have taken most of the inspiration from my mother to play this character in terms of looks," she concludes.
Beijing, Oct 10 : China's National Meteorological Centre on Sunday renewed its blue alert for rainstorms in southern and eastern parts of the country and called for taking precautionary measures.

From 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Jiangsu and Anhui, with southern parts of Guangxi experiencing rainfall of up to 160 mm, Xinhua news agency quoted the Centre's forecast as saying.

Some of the aforementioned regions are likely to encounter over 50 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms, gales or hail.

The centre has advised local governments to make preparations for the rainstorms.

Schools and kindergartens have been asked to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children and drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : As the national capital is stepping closer to the 2022 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, the BJP which has been ruling the civic body since 2007, is planning to bank upon its performance to repeat its victory.

Interestingly, despite ruling the civic front, the saffron party has been unable to form a government in the national capital since 1998.

IANS talked to BJP Delhi president Adesh Kumar Gupta to know what's on party's agenda for the MCD polls due to take place in April, next year.

Excerpts from the interview: Q. There is a view that if MCD is restored to its pre-2012 form, all its financial issues will be solved. Do you also think the same? A. I do not think unification of the civic bodies is a solution to this problem because the trifurcation of the corporation was done to make it function in a better way. Municipal Corporation of Delhi is like a charitable organisation that looks after the issues pertaining to health and education of those who cannot afford these basic facilities on their own. Therefore, Delhi government's assistance to the corporation is integral to the proper functioning of the MCD but unfortunately, today the Nagar Nigam (Municipal Council) is being used as a political tool and it is not getting all the assistance and help that it needs from the city government. Instead of unification, Delhi government's help will do wonders for the MCD and people of Delhi.

Q. What changes have been seen in the MCD after Covid-19? A. MCD had its own challenges during the pandemic but the corporators looked beyond those hurdles and kept on doing their best for the smooth functioning of the city. So in a way, this difficult time provided both MCD and BJP with an opportunity to serve the people of Delhi.

Q. What issues will be the top-most priority of the BJP if it wins MCD elections for the fourth time? A. Delhi has a huge problem of garbage and its management. So that will be our main focus. Apart from ensuring proper functioning of municipal schools and hospitals, we will also take steps to uproot Dengue from the city.

In the last few years, we have shut down over 300 dhalao ghar (garbage collection centers), which used to be in the open, causing even more filth and diseases and have installed compactors in place of them. From these compactors, the garbage goes to waste processing unit. This move has improved the cleanliness level in the capital. Similarly, the condition of municipal schools and hospitals too has improved in the city.

Q. What about the major landfills in the capital? A. Due to multiplicity of agencies, we have faced problems in setting up Waste-to-Energy Plant at landfills in Delhi. However, post-installation, these plants along with tumbling machines will help reduce the landfill to a great extent.

Q. Delhi High Court has recently said that the national capital has failed on the civic front as dengue cases are on the rise again. What do you have to say about that? A. In comparison to the last few years, Dengue cases have in fact come down in Delhi. MCD is also checking and fumigating areas to ensure that mosquitoes do not breed. In the present scenario, the viral infection is still under control.

(Radhika Tiwari can be reached at radhika.t@ians.in)
New Delhi, Oct 10 : The 15th Conference of Parties to the 1992 UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP) starts on Monday at China's Kunming, mostly a virtual session, where as per the UN officials, governments will "need to commit to repairing our broken relationship with nature." But is India repairing the broken relationship or breaking the existing one?

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international, legally binding treaty with three main goals: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. India is a signatory to the CBD and hence, liable to implement the strategic targets set under the convention.

From time to time, national reports are sent to the CBD secretariat about the progress on different counts. The 2018 sixth national report by India claimed that India is "on track" to achieve the biodiversity targets. "Over 20 per cent of India's total geographical area is under biodiversity conservation and India has exceeded in achieving the terrestrial component of 17 per cent of Aichi target 11 and 20 per cent of the National Biodiversity Targets (NBT) 6." For implementation of Aichi Targets, the signatory country had to submit national targets based on the legal framework of their country. Also, India adopted 12 NBT under the Convention.

"However, this appears to be far from the truth," said Associate Analyst with the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE), Tanvi Sharma.

An analysis by LIFE has calculated that currently India's geographical area under protected areas is 1,71,921 sq kms under 981 protected areas, including 104 National Parks, 566 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 97 Conservation Reserves and 214 Community Reserves. This is only 5.03 per cent of the geographical area of India.

"Approvals have been granted to remove the protected area status of large land areas. In two cases this year, entire sanctuaries were approved to be de-notified. Large chunks of protected area land and biodiversity rich migratory wildlife habitats were diverted for infrastructure projects every year," Sharma said.

The LIFE analysed the decisions of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which it said, "was found to be using its discretion to allow or reject proposals, in diverting protected area land for the reasons that does not benefit the wildlife, instead detriment crucial wildlife habitats." The LIFE analysis found out that between January to June 2021, the Standing Committee approved 1,385.34 ha land diversion, where 302.89 ha was from protected areas and 780.24 ha was from tiger habitats. The Committee also allowed complete de-notification of two protected areas in Andaman and Nicobar Islands -- Galathea Bay Sanctuary and Megapode Sanctuary and approved rationalizations of two sanctuaries -- Saltwater Crocodile Sanctuary in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Bandh Baretha Sanctuary in Rajasthan.

Pointing out that despite such large-scale diversions approved every year, our international commitments towards achieving the goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity are claimed to be on track, Sharma said, "A strategic decisiveness was observed in the functioning of the Standing Committee, which focused on speeding and diluting the process of clearance for ease in clearing projects, neglecting some keystone species at stake such as leatherback turtles, saltwater crocodiles, megapodes and of course tigers and elephants." The Standing Committee of the NBWL considered a total of 62 proposals in four meetings, out of which 29 proposals were for diversion within protected areas. A total of 302.89 hectares (ha) were diverted under 29 proposals from wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and conservation reserves; no proposal was rejected.

Approvals were given for complete de-notification of two protected areas in Andaman and Nicobar Islands while two more approvals were given for 'rationalization' of Saltwater Crocodile Sanctuary in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Bandh Baretha Sanctuary in Rajasthan. The four approvals affect a total of 13855.784 ha, the analysis stated.

"Among all the projects considered, as much as 87 per cent of diversion is due to linear projects (transmission lines, roads, railways and pipelines). A total of 386.137 ha was approved for diversion from Eco-Sensitive Zones, of which 100.47 ha is forest land and the rest 285.662 ha is non-forest land. Also, important is that 780.2418 ha were approved for diversion within tiger habitats for linear projects and infrastructure development," the LIFE analysis said.

"India being a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is under the legal obligation to fulfil the targets decided under this Convention. However, the fact is that the protected area land is lost every year due to the decisions taken by the Standing Committee of NBWL without comprehending the adverse effects of their decisions on the ecosystems associated with the project," Sharma added.
Beijing, Oct 10 : More than 120,000 people have been temporarily evacuated after continuous rainfall triggered floods in north China's Shanxi province, authorities said on Sunday.

The floods have disrupted the lives of 1.76 million residents from 76 counties, cities and districts, according to the provincial department of emergency management.

Some 190,000 hectares of crops were damaged and more than 17,000 houses collapsed, Xinhua news agency quoted the department as saying.

Emergency management departments of various levels have allocated 4,000 tents, 3,200 folding beds as well as cotton clothes and quilts for disaster relief.
Chennai, Oct 10 : Indian insurance sector is crying for reform 2.0 wherein the licence permit raj is abolished and the sectoral regulator is headed by a dynamic young person to increase the insurance penetration, said a senior industry official.

"For the first few years the IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) was developing regulations. After that it is regulating the industry's development," P.S.Prabhakar, Senior Partner of the accounting firm Rajagopal & Badrinarayanan and a former insurance industry official told IANS.

After N.Rangachary, the first IRDAI Chairman, told IANS that it is time to do a review of IRDAI since it is more than two decades old, several senior industry officials have voiced their views to IANS.

"There should be a review committee to go into all regulatory aspects. It is time to see whether the original goal of forming the regulatory body has been fulfilled and if not, the action to be taken," Rangachary suggested.

Industry officials also told IANS that IRDAI should not be a parking lot for retired bureaucrats as a post retirement perk.

The post of IRDAI Chairman has been lying vacant for the past couple of months and the need of the hour is to appoint a person who is young, dynamic and who can drive the industry forward.

"What kind of energy can a retired bureaucrat or an official from public sector insurance companies bring in? The financial services industry is changing fast. But the insurance regulator is still in the year 2000," a CEO of an insurance company not wanting to be named told IANS.

According to the official, the PSU officials are adept to follow circulars but not chart out a new path for the sector.

"In the last 20 years the private sector has matured and there are enough insurance officials who have retired from there. They have grown their business. So, they should be appointed as IRDAI Chairman and Members to drive the industry so that insurance penetration increases," the official added.

"There is nothing wrong in having a seasoned civil servant as the Chairperson of the Authority, who can bring to bear her/his unalloyed administrative capabilities, ably assisted by the full-time Members, who are from insurance background, viz., life, non-life, reinsurance and actuarial, which has been the case as of now," D. Varadarajan, a Supreme Court lawyer specialising in Insurance and Corporate Laws and a Member on KPN Committee on Insurance Laws Reforms told IANS.

"In the past, the Government has also experimented with industry insiders as the Chairperson," he added.

"However, in the selection of Members it has to be ensured that Membership of the Authority be not reduced to a 'parking slot' or 'rehabilitation centre' for industry discards, to avoid deleterious effects," a senior industry official told IANS.

Industry officials also told IANS that the ease of doing insurance business in India is almost nil.

"Ease of doing insurance business in India? You must be joking. One should ask the industry players on how IRDAI is a control freak. The licence permit raj is in full force in the insurance sector," a senior industry official preferring anonymity told IANS.

The IRDAI not only licences the insurers, intermediaries but also the outsourcing agencies like the healthcare claim processing companies.

"Only the hiring of security agencies, taxi operators and the caterers are not controlled by IRDAI," sarcastically commented another senior industry official.

It takes ages for the regulator to give its nod for new products.

Industry officials also told IANS that the issue of licence for players is decided by former officials and there are no timelines laid for IRDAI to clear the applications.

It is said in its more than 20 years of existence there has been no vigilance probe registered against anyone in IRDAI.

"If IRDAI officials are honest then they should be nationally acknowledged and rewarded. If not, then the issues should be probed," an IRDAI official told IANS.

According to the official, normally the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) should come from outside the organisation. But in the case of IRDAI, the position is manned internally.

To a query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act the IRDAI had replied that the approval of CVC (Chief Vigilance Commissioner) is not required for the appointment of its CVO.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
Mumbai, Oct 10 : The hotel industry demand has recovered at a sharper pace post Covid 2.0 than it did after last year's lockdown. Occupancies and average room rates (ARRs) have seen a substantial jump, especially in luxury hotels and resort destinations, where they have breached pre-Covid levels.

An ICRA report has pointed out that the recovery was hastened by the easing of restrictions in Q2 FY2022. The ratings agency, though, did not change its negative outlook on the industry because it remains to be seen if the demand pickup can be sustained. A potential third wave and its impact on travel and hotel occupancies cannot be ruled out, according to the report.

The partial lockdown as well as travel restrictions in a number of states in April-May 2021 post the onset of Covid 2.0 resulted in the ICRA sample of companies reporting a 56 per cent decline in revenues on a QoQ basis, in line with the ratings agency's estimates. The revenues of these companies, though, are likely to improve by 85-90 per cent sequentially in Q2 FY2022, the ICRA report said.

Occupancy in premium hotels across India picked up in August 2021, rising to 44-46 per cent, compared with 32-34 per cent in the first five months of FY2022 (5M FY2022) and 13-15 per cent in 5M FY2021). In comparison, the occupancy level was 46-48 per cent in Q4 FY2021.

Rising occupancies are still to impact the average room rates (ARRs), according to the ICRA report. Pan-India, the ARRs were in the Rs 3,850-3,950 range for 5M FY2022, which were 25-30 per cent lower than their pre-Covid levels. The Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) figures also are still significantly lower than pre-Covid levels.

Some high-end hotels and leisure destinations bucked the trend, however, seeing their ARRs return to pre-Covid levels in Aug-September 2021. The ICRA report expressed the hope that festive season travel would act as a key demand booster for the industry in Q3 FY2022.

Sharing more insights, Vinutaa S, Assistant Vice President and Sector Head, ICRA Limited, said: "The first few months were impacted, but the industry witnessed a faster-than-expected ramp-up in Q2 FY2021 because of the easing of restrictions, the higher rate of vaccination and pent-up demand, which resulted in revenge travel. Demand in the last few months has come from staycations, weddings and travel to driveable leisure destinations, and from special purpose groups. There is also the new trend of 'biscations' (working from a resort) that is picking up." Continuing with her analysis, Vinutaa said: "Business travel pickup from specific sectors has been mainly to manufacturing locations and project sites." In conclusion, she said, "We are seeing real demand pickup." She was quick, though, to add the caveat that "the situation is evolving and sustenance of demand will depend on the efficacy of the vaccines and a potential third Covid wave." She concluded by adding: "The industry at present is cautiously optimistic." Most markets, notably Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Goa, reported over 50 per cent occupancy in July-August 2021, but Bangalore and Pune lagged behind. The ARRs in leisure destinations were above pre-Covid levels in July-August 21. Going forward, ARRs will be a function of how much of this rising demand can be sustained.

The demand recovery pattern is different than in the case of previous crises, with properties affiliated with strong brands and in the luxury segment standing to benefit, as trust and safety are paramount to guests. Drive-to leisure, staycations, weddings and special purpose groups are expected to drive revenues for the next one year at least.

International traffic arrivals will take time to pick up. In the intervening period, demand will be supported by domestic travel. Hotels and cities dependent on business travel and foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) will take considerable time to recover.

In terms of supply, in the immediate term, temporary shutdowns are possible in affected regions, if there is a third wave. Acquisitions and industry consolidation are the way forward, and rebranding in the mid-scale and upscale segments will add to the share of organised supply. Over the medium term, a part of pre-Covid supply may be permanently shelved, while there could be new properties coming up in leisure destinations.

"The hotel industry is expected to clock at least 45-50 per cent of pre-Covid revenues in FY2022," Vinutaa of ICRA said. "Further operating profits in the current fiscal will be aided by improved operating leverage and sustenance of some of the cost-optimisation measures undertaken in the last fiscal." She added that the industry is likely to be able to reach pre-Covid revenue and profit levels only by FY2024. As a result of cost-saving measures, moreover, the breakeven time is likely to come down and hotels may see a return to the pre-Covid margins of 85-90 per cent of revenues going forward. "Nevertheless, the situation is still evolving and the estimates are contingent on timelines tied to the pandemic," she said.

Debt moratorium and the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) provided the financial support that the industry needed during the pandemic.

About 70 per cent of the entities in ICRA's hospitality portfolio availed of the moratorium during the first wave, though it was only 39 per cent of rated debt. Some companies raised funding through equity and debt tie-ups before the ECLGS announcement. The industry has raised about Rs 660 crore of equity in FY2021 and has announced equity/fund raising plans worth Rs 3,300 crore in FY2022.

ICRA expects further equity fund raising and asset monetisation to support capital structure improvement going forward. Debt metrics, however, are expected to return to pre-Covid levels only over the medium term, while RoCE is like to remain sub cost-of capital at least for the next few years.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kabul, Oct 10 : The Taliban is ready to set up an inclusive government in Afghanistan but not a selective one, said Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban spokesperson in Doha.

In response to the western pressures for an inclusive government in Afghanistan, Shaheen said that they have included ethnic minorities in their caretaker government and will soon add women in, reports Khaama Press.

The Taliban's interim cabinet is not only criticized by the international community but also by the people in Afghanistan as it does not include women and non-Taliban figures.

Shaheen added that the west must respect the wishes of the Afghan people.

The remarks come as the Taliban delegation led by the acting foreign minister Amir Khan Motaqi met with a US delegation in Doha and will continue talking on Sunday.

They are discussing ways to evacuate Afghans among other political issues.
Taipei, Oct 10 : Taiwan will not bow to pressure from China and will continue its democratic way of life, as tensions over the island continue, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Sunday.

"The more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China," the BBC quoted Tsai as saying.

Her speech on Taiwan's National Day came after China's President Xi Jinping vowed to "fulfil reunification".

Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state, while China views it as a breakaway province.

Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve unification, the BBC report said.

China has sent a record number of military jets into Taiwan's air defence zone in recent days. Some analysts said the flights could be seen as a warning to Taiwan's president.

Tsai said Taiwan was "standing on democracy's first line of defence". The island could not be forced to take "the path China has laid out for us", which she said did not offer freedom, democracy or sovereignty China's military flights into Taiwan's air defence zone had seriously affected national security and aviation safety, she said, and the situation was "more complex and fluid than at any other point in the past 72 years".

Taiwan would not "act rashly" but would bolster its defences, she said.

She repeated an offer to talk with Chinese leaders on an equal footing, a suggestion Beijing, which brands her a "separatist", has so far rejected, the report said.

Tsai was re-elected by a landslide last year on a promise to stand up to Beijing.

Her speech was followed by a fly past of Taiwanese fighter jets.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Mental and emotional health problems have reached pandemic levels. Today, perhaps 75 per cent of Indians are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression. India has the highest rate of suicide per million population. Student suicide is on the rise. Verbal and physical domestic abuse of women continue unabated. The long school closure has created severe emotional distress and learning loss among children. Our youth population, which is supposed to give us a huge demographic dividend, is the most affected. It is now medically established that Mental Health problems give rise serious physical health issues like cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes in addition to neurological problems.

Relationship issues arising from poor emotional health is reflecting in rising divorce rates. Rage and anger related issues result in serious crime like murder and rape. On the other hand, India has one of the lowest number of psychologists and psychiatrists per million population. Sadly enough excepting a few lone voices, this pandemic is totally out of both public and state consciousness.

Collectively, we feel mental health should be a priority for stakeholders across the spectrum, below are a few ideas to turn the tide: Role of the state

The government has a huge role to play in providing mental health care support. First, it must significantly increase the capacity of high quality psychology and psychiatry education. If there can be an IIT or IIM in every state, why can't there be a NIMHANS (National Institute Of Mental Health and Neurosciences) in every state? Second, is awareness. Mental health suffers from a huge stigma. Just like the persistent and determined awareness creation of family planning (which had the same stigma in India) has resulted in widespread practice of family planning, a joint effort by the government and our excellent communications talent should start a long-term, well-funded awareness program.

Third, mental health treatment should be brought on par with physical health care. Today, mental health therapy attracts 18 per cent GST while physical healthcare GST rate is zero. This anomaly must be corrected.

Fourth, the IRDA must ensure that all insurance companies offer comprehensive coverage of mental health care. Even after a Supreme Court ruling to do so, most insurance companies treat mental health as an add on, often non-medicinal therapy and treatment is not covered.

Fifth, every government hospital must have a psychiatry treatment department of sufficient capacity and high quality. Last but not the least, Mental Health treatment effort needs to be undertaken with the same systemic and zealous effort like Aadhaar, Digital Payments, Swachh Bharat Role of schools and parents

Barring a few enlightened schools and colleges, educational institutions do not pay sufficient attention or investment in emotional and mental health of students. Though applicable all the time, educators need to focus on helping returning students to cope with the emotional baggage they have collected during the past 18 months. Children and adolescents who have untreated emotional health problems almost always become adults with behavioural and emotional disorders. Children are our future. Educators must ensure that our future generation must grow up to both emotionally and physically healthy.

Role of employers As a result of the pandemic, there is a remarkable increase in awareness among Human Resources about the importance of employee emotional health. However, in our experience this awareness has not spread to the business leaders or the Boards. Emotional health programmes are underfunded and often unstructured and sporadic. As a result, we see an increase in disengaged employees with lower productivity and higher attrition rates. Finally an unhappy and distressed organisation results in poor business results. Global studies have shown that for every $1 invested in Emotional Health results in an ROI of 4-5X. The business leaders and Boards should view Emotional Health not as an expenditure but as an investment with a high return.

(Roma Kumar and Amit Bose -- co-founders, Emotionally, one of India's leading emotional health experts) (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Mental illnesses in various forms have been a major health burden globally in recent years. Unhealthy lifestyles, poor eating habits and rise in work-related stress are factors that are contributing to the rising incidence of anxiety and depression. Psychotic drugs in treating anxiety and depression are effective but offer only symptomatic relief. Long-term intake of drugs often leads to dependence without preventing further illness or providing a comprehensive solution to improving mental health.

People suffering from poor mental health can reap rich and long-term benefits by adopting the ancient Indian practice of Yoga in their daily lives. Yoga helps in maintaining good mental and physical health. It harmonises our body and mind and restores our emotional balance. There is growing evidence that Yoga can have a positive impact on depression, anxiety and those who have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). When adopted as a daily practice, yoga can help calm down the mind and prevent the development of mental illnesses.

Stress is the root cause of several lifestyle diseases. Yoga adopts a scientific approach of exercising and relaxing to ease the stress of modern day living. Yoga also contributes to improving memory, sleep and even quality of life in elderly persons with mild memory impairment.

Here are some poses that help improve mental health besides providing other health benefits: Shashankasana or child's pose:

This asana stimulates your nervous system thereby re-energizing your whole body. This asana is basically a resting pose somehow resembling a child in fetal position. It is performed by sitting down on the knees and then bending forward so that the chest touches the thighs, and the forehead touches the ground. Stretch the arms forward. If performed with precision regularly, the performer will notice a sense of mental, physical, and emotional comfort descending upon him/her. Like most yoga asanas, this one, too, should be performed on an empty stomach or at least six hours after a meal. However, people suffering from high blood pressure and back pain should avoid this asana.

Vipareetakaraniasana: This inverted pose is one of the best yoga asanas for improving blood circulation towards the head. It helps to calm anxiety, treat depression and insomnia besides regulating blood flow. This pose can be performed by lying down flat on your back. Keep the legs together. While inhaling raise the legs, buttocks and the trunk and support the hips on the palm. The trunk is held at 45 degrees angle to the ground. Breathe normally in this position. To return, lower the legs over the head and keep the hands down while exhaling. Bring the spine and the legs down.

Hasta Utthanasana: This yoga pose is thought to be therapeutic for people suffering from high blood pressure, asthma, sinusitis, infertility and osteoporosis. It also helps to relieve mild depression and beat insomnia as it is highly beneficial as a relaxation tool. To perform this pose, stand straight. Raise your hands from the front to above your head as you inhale slowly. Bend backwards from the upper back and maintain the position with normal breathing.

Shavasana: This pose is typically performed at the end of yoga routines and helps boost mental health and relaxes the body. Lie flat on your back, keeping the body straight and hands at the sides with palms facing upwards. Close your eyes and hold the position for at least five minutes. Even pregnant women can practice this asana as it will help them prevent prenatal depression, a prevalent mental disorder in women during pregnancy.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned yogic practices are to be learned in a gradual manner under the supervision of a yoga expert. Yoga enables a practitioner to expand their mental faculties and achieve a greater acceptance of self and others, which ultimately leads to calmer approach to the life.

Yoga encourages practitioners to experience an open heart. Many yogic philosophers consider the entire practice to be about metaphorically connecting to our hearts. Within the chakra system, the heart lies in the middle of the seven chakras. Asanas such as arda chakrasana (back bend), kapotasana (pigeon pose), and ustrasana (camel pose) encourage the expansion of the centre of the chest which is the location of the anahata chakra, the yogic heart centre. Visualizations and pranyams in yoga also encourage open heartedness.

(K. Shanmugam, Assistant Chief Medical Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute) (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
New Delhi, Oct 10 : As the work dynamic continues to evolve, one of the biggest challenges that have emerged for employers is to manage the mental health of employees. With the Covid-19 pandemic, mental issues have surged among employees as they try to adapt to the changing routines and work practices. A study by Oracle has revealed that nearly 84 per cent of employees have experienced more anxiety and/or stress at work than any year previously. While employers search for effective ways to deal with employee mental health and promote wellness, technology has emerged as a positive force enabling workers to access different tools and resources to burn off-steam, manage stress and opt for healthier choices.

A recent report by WTW showed that focus on well-being and health is a top priority for human resource managers, especially after the pandemic. Over the last one and a half years, it has become obvious to organisations that keeping employees healthy and safe should always be a prime focus of attention. The advent of new-age digital solutions has come as a big boon for companies helping them to consider every aspect of employee wellness, be it physical, emotional or mental in a more humane way.

How technology is improving mental health in organisations Automation of repetitive

It has been observed that unnecessary workload can increase the burden on workers eventually leading to stress and burnout. However, with AI tools increasingly becoming popular in organisations, automation of repetitive tasks is reducing the burden on employees. Automation of tasks like responding to emails, filling out reports and customer service is leaving room for employees to harness their skill set and intellect, decision-making and emotional intelligence.

Providing therapeutic value Mental health AI chatbots are providing behavioural change and cognitive insights through cognitive behavioural techniques. Some AI applications are using sentiment analysis and natural language processing to interpret employees' inputs and come up with personalised responses. These applications assess the moods and thoughts of employees by asking questions and help them reevaluate their thinking patterns. There are other AI applications being put to use by companies to track how an employee's mood changes over a specified time. By conversing with the employees, these chabots can guide them to harvest positive emotions and thoughts.

Recognising emotion and stress With new innovative gadgets like AI-based wearable tools, employers are quickly able to monitor and analyse employee emotions and behaviour. Developed with image and voice recognition, deep learning models and language processing capabilities, these applications can identify employees who are battling mental issues like depression and anxiety or facing issues with job tasks. The speech recognition and machine learning algorithms built into the applications helps recognise the speed and tone of the employees to track stress levels. These AI-based applications can also analyse the facial expressions of employees to track any signs of burnout and send messages to lower the stress levels.

Changing the environment Research has shown that a quality workspace layout or design can lead to a more productive and less stressful atmosphere. That's why employers of the modern age are increasingly looking to improve the office design by integrating AI to influence environmental conditions within the office like artificial lighting vs natural light, vegetation, natural air, etc. all of which can have a deep impact on employee's mental health. With the help of automated sensors, an employee's mood is assessed through emotion recognition sensors and accordingly it is determined whether adjusting the environmental conditions may enhance productivity and performance.

Evidence suggests that innovative technology is playing a crucial role in addressing mental health issues in organisations. Employers who wish to improve employee's well-being can benefit immensely from the solutions available and identify suitable examples to incorporate the same into their broader wellness offerings and workplace support (Vicky Jain, Founder, uKnowva, A 360-degree HR Automation Software)

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Jerusalem, Oct 10 : Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Israel on Sunday, marking her final official visit to the Jewish state before she leaves office after remaining in the post for 16 years.

Merkel began her visit with a meeting with Israel's newly-elected Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, reports Xinhua news agency.

Merkel and Bennett are expected to talk about regional issues, including Iran, according to a statement issued by the latter's office.

Later, the outgoing Chancellor will pay a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

Her schedule includes also a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and talks with industry and high-tech entrepreneurs.

German Ambassador to Israel Susanne Wasum-Rainer wrote on Twitter that the aim of the visit is to "strengthen our unique relationship".

Merkel arrived at Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv late on Saturday as a guest of Bennett, who ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year consecutive rule in June.

Her two-day farewell travel came after 16 years in office during which she had cultivated warm ties with the Jewish state.

Her trip was supposed to take place in August, but was postponed amid the chaotic withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan.

Merkel last visited Israel in 2018.
The recent killings of civilians in Kashmir are a grim reminder for the minorities that they continue to be easy targets for the terrorists. Reminiscent of the late 80s and 90s, the terrorists and their schemers are again indulging in targeted killings. Earlier, it had led to the exodus of lakhs of people and this time it is meant to be a direct challenge to the 'Naya Kashmir' plans of the Modi-led Union government.

The 'Naya Kashmir' project involves rebuilding the Valley, opening it for the country and world, and resettling the displaced Kashmiri Pandits (KPs). As part of resettling of the KPs, the Centre has taken several measures, like providing jobs for the KP youth under the PM Package, building housing societies for those who take up the jobs, launching a website for easy access to get the domicile certificates and lately launching the migrants' distress sales portal (http://jkmigrantrelief.nic.in).

The portal launched by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on September 7 provides a platform for Kashmiri migrants, the KPs in particular, to file complaints for immovable properties which were encroached upon or ones that were disposed of in distress sales in the 1990s. The LG said that during the trial run of the portal, they received 854 grievances, which showed that a large number of the migrant families were awaiting justice.

While the steps being taken by the government to redress the migrants' concerns are being welcomed, several minority organisations within and outside the Valley have expressed fear of being attacked in retribution. Satish Mahaldar, Chairman, Reconciliation, Return & Rehabilitations of Migrants said, "We, had already intimated to the Government of India several times through media and otherwise that the launch of Migrant Distress Sales Portal will trigger an anti-minority feeling in some quarters, especially the land mafia." Despite being a terror affected state, land prices in the Valley are skyrocketing. A plot of land that cost around Rs 20 lakh/kanal in the KP-dominated area of Habba Kadal in Srinagar in the 1990s, now costs over Rs one crore/kanal. A majority of the migrant Kashmiri Pandits out of distress or perforce had sold off their properties for whatever prices they got. Now, after the launch of the portal, an increasing number of KPs are mulling to file complaints. And, it is this that is not acceptable to those who have either bought, usurped or encroached lands and houses belonging to the migrants.

What precedes this launch of the portal is an Act, called the Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997. It aims to protect properties of migrants "who had migrated from Kashmir Valley or any other part of the State after November 1, 1989 and is registered as such with the Relief Commissioner... and is possessed of immovable property... at the place from where he has migrated... but is unable to ordinarily reside there due to the disturbed conditions". However, the Act's effectiveness has been under question.

The Act made the Divisional Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner the sole custodian of the properties. Any KP, who wanted to sell, or any person, who wanted to buy that property, had to take permission from the Divisional Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner. But a few years after the Act came into force, power of attorney transactions were legalized and considered as sale deeds by the Divisional Commissioners/Deputy Commissioners. This meant that the intended purpose of the Act was circumvented and migrant properties sold over.

The Jammu & Kashmir High Court at Srinagar had ordered in a case dated May 13, 2011 that the property of a temple should be preserved and protected from encroachments and illegal transfers. The court, in its order, also specified that no construction should be permitted on the temple properties which had been transferred to the private parties through various deeds executed by the parties.

Despite the Act and the HC orders, many of the migrant private and community properties were sold. Over the years these migrant properties were sold multiple times and new houses, malls and shopping complexes have come up in their place. Now that the migrants have started expressing themselves on the official portal, all the sale deeds done by the administration could come under a cloud.

The question being raised is -- what was the need for devising the portal at all when the revenue records are all there. The government can identify the 'wrongful sales' from its own records. Does this mean that the revenue records are not clear, or have they been fudged or erased, and that is why the need for an official portal where the claims can be made.

After the abrogation of Article 370, and the downward trend in civilian killings, stone pelting and bomb attacks, migrants had been planning to return to the Valley and reclaiming their properties valued in crores of rupees now.

Of late, videos of temples opening, KP families praying and singing in their homes, processions being taken through Srinagar streets on Janmashtami have gone viral in the Valley. Many within the KP community felt it was perhaps time to go back. As per the Centre's data, after the abrogation of Article 370, a total of 520 migrants have returned to take up the jobs. A few thousand are said to be living in Kashmir.

The recent spate of violence began on October 2, when Gandhi Jayanti was being observed. A temple was desecrated in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district -- Bargheshekha Bhagwati Mata Temple in the Mattan area. On October 5, Makhan Lal Bindroo was shot dead in his shop in Srinagar and two days later a Sikh woman principal and a KP teacher were killed inside the school premises. Earlier, a vendor from Bihar Virendra Paswan was shot dead. A terrorist organisation named The Resistance Front took responsibility for all the killings.

These killings have created a sense of fear among the minorities once again. Some employees, who were provided government jobs under a rehabilitation package in 2010-2011, have started moving to Jammu. The Sikh community took out a protest funeral procession of the slain principal and staged a dharna at the secretariat in Srinagar seeking death for the TRF.

(Deepika Bhan can be reached at deepika.b@ians.in)
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Prinseps are set to host the Wadia Movietone auction on November 16 at 10 a.m. The auction brings together items from the estate of Riyad Wadia, heir to the Wadia Movietone production house and a renowned independent filmmaker himself. Highlight lots include original movie posters from acclaimed films Miss Frontier Mail, Stunt Queen, Circus Queen, Khilari and Captain Kishore, among others.

Established in 1933 by brothers J.B.H. Wadia and Homi Wadia, Wadia Movietone was a noted Indian film production company. J.B.H. Wadia and Homi Wadia are great-grandsons to Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia who founded the Wadia Group in 1736. The production house gained widespread acclaim for its early stunt films and its casting of an Australian stunt woman, Mary Ann Evans (popularly known as Fearless Nadia) in their films. Initially, Nadia starred in a series of smaller roles before landing her first lead role in Hunterwali -- one of the first female-led movies in India. Hunterwali went on to be the most successful film of its time and the first Indian film to have a sequence titled 'Hunterwali Ki Beti'. The film transformed Nadia into one of the most highly paid actors of her time, spawning a genre of stunt actors who sought to emulate her but never quite succeeded.

More recently, the production company was inherited, Riyad Wadia, who returned to Bombay from Charles Sturt University in Australia to resurrect the banner with a groundbreaking documentary 'Fearless: The Hunterwali Story' (1993). Since its inception in 1933, through the heyday of talkies and well into the 1990s, the film company has had a significant impression on the Indian film industry and produced nearly a hundred films before the shutters finally came down on the production of feature films by the company. Prinseps' auction offers a glimpse into this remarkable history of Indian filmmaking with key lots including original posters and artwork for: * Miss Frontier Mail, 1936 (Lot 1, estimate Rs 2,50,000-12,50,000) an action crime thriller film directed by Homi Wadia



Court Dancer, 1941 (Lot 5, estimate Rs 10,000-50,000) directed by Madhu Bose under the Wadia Movietone banner. The film was simultaneously released in 3 languages -- English, Bengali and Hindi

Tasveer, 1966 (Lot 84, estimate Rs 20,000-1,00,000) an action romance film helmed by J.B.H Wadia starring Feroze Khan, Rajendranath Malhotra and Nasir Hussain

* Saaz Aur Sanam, 1971 (Lot 95, estimate Rs 10,000-50,000) a Bollywood romance movie helmed by J.B.H Wadia starring Premekha and RekhaSpeaking about the poster auction, curator Brijeshwari Gohil notes, "We are delighted to be able to bring these lots to the fore and highlight a significant part of Indian filmmaking history. The original movie posters offer a glimpse into the gradual transformation of movie posters owing to enhanced visual technology in the 21st century." Following the auction, Prinseps will host auctions, including an extraordinary NFT auction of artworks by the radical 1950s artist Gobardhan Ash, from his 'Avatars' series. Later in the year, Prinseps will also be offering a rare auction of Bhanu Athaiya's sarees alongside a selection of NFTs based on her drawings and sketches.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Hyderabad, Oct 10 : Megastar Chiranjeevi as well as leading actors Pawan Kalyan, Balakrishna and Nagarjuna were among the notable Tollywood personalities who cast their votes on Sunday to elect new office-bearers of the Movie Artists Association (MAA), the apex body of the Telugu film industry.

Murali Mohan, Mohan Babu, Jaya Prada, Rajendra Prasad, Roja, Babu Mohan, Naga Babu and other leading lights of the industry also participated in the vote. Polling, which began at 8 a.m. at the Jubilee Hills Public School, was progressing smoothly.

It was to end at 2 p.m., but was extended by an hour by the election officer, Krishna Mohan. Till 1.30 p.m., 56 per cent of the voters had cast their ballots. Out of the 925 MAA members, 883 are eligible to vote. Of them, 503 had cast their ballots.

The counting of votes will be taken up at 4 p.m. and is likely to continue till 8 p.m., when the results are slated to be declared.

MAA members were voting to elect a 26-member executive comprising the president, general secretary, two joint secretaries, treasurer, and 18 committee members.

Retired employees of the Telangana Cooperative Society made elaborate arrangements for the polling in adherence with Covid-19 protocols. As many as 50 policemen and women were deployed as part of the security measures.

After a bitter campaign between the panels led by acclaimed actor Prakash Raj and actor-producer Manchu Vishnu, scenes of camaraderie were witnessed on the polling day. The two contenders battling for the post of MAA president shook hands and embraced each other to declare that they are all one.

Prakash Raj also shook hands with Mohan Babu, who's also Vishnu's father, and took his blessings. Mohan Babu had arrived early at the polling booth to bless his son and claimed that the panel enjoyed support of majority of voters.

Megastar and MAA founding president Chiranjeevi said he had cast his vote as per his conscience. He said that whenever the MAA elections were held, the same acrimony was witnessed and called for putting an end to it.

Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan was one of the first to cast his votes. Talking to reporters, the Jana Sena president declined to name the panel he votes for saying this would amount to influencing voters. He said MAA elections would have no bearing on the friendship between his brother Chiranjeevi and Mohan Babu. Pawan said the film industry will not split due to MAA polls.

Chiranjeevi's brother Naga Babu told reporters that he cast his vote for the Prakash Raj panel. Leading actor Balakrishna said after casting his vote that Prakash Raj and Vishnu were like brothers to him. The actor and politician, who had earlier declared his support for Vishnu, said he voted for those who would work better.

Senior actress and former MP Jaya Prada also cast her vote. Mohan Babu said she flew in from Delhi at his request to participate in the voting.

Genelia D'Souza, who had been staying away from Telugu films following her marriage to Bollywood actor Ritesh Deshmukh, also came to Hyderabad to cast her vote. She said MAA will soon have a "super president".

There was mild tension at the polling booth when the Vishnu panel members alleged that the opposite side was campaigning inside the booth. Shiva Balaji tried to stop a member of the Prakash Raj panel who was allegedly giving away dummy ballots to voters. There was a heated argument between the two groups. Temperatures came down after police intervention.

Mohan Babu also took exception to the Prakash Raj panel campaigning inside the booth. He urged voters to leave in five minutes after exercising their franchise. There was also a heated argument between Shiva Balaji and Hema.
Patna, Oct 10 : Congress party in-charge of Bihar, Bhakta Charan Das faced criticism from his own partymen soon after reaching Patna on Sunday.

Agitating Congress members alleged that Das was involved in selling tickets of by-election which is scheduled on October 30.

Over 100 members and supporters of Bihar Congress party protested against Das and party's state president Madan Mohan Jha at Sadakat Ashram in Patna and demanded from central leadership to remove them from their posts.

Manoj Kumar, convener of state farmers wing of the party, said: "Both the leaders are involved in selling tickets and collecting money. Recently, an FIR was also registered against one of the leaders." Bhakta Charan Das, meanwhile targeting RJD, alleged that alliance between the two parties has broken down in Bihar assembly by-election.

"We have already said that the Congress party has a strong hold in Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituency in Darbhanga district and it will definitely win the seat. The win of Congress candidate will eventually help RJD and Tejashwi Yadav but he thought otherwise and fielded a candidate from this seat," Das said.

"The decision of Tejashwi Yadav is not appropriate. There is a deliberate attempt to weaken the Congress party, which has the status of a national party," Das said.

"Now, we are prepared to contest bypoll from both the seats. If it turns out to be a direct fight with RJD from Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur seats, so be it," Das said.

Both Congress and RJD have put up candidates for the bypolls on two assembly seats in Bihar.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : The Income Tax Department conducted searches on October 5, in two cases of Kanchipuram, one being a Chit Fund and Financing Group and the other a retailer of Silk Sarees and other garments. The search operations were carried out at 34 premises located in Kanchipuram, Chennai and Vellore.

In the case of Chit Fund group, it was found that this group was running an unauthorised chit fund business, and all the investments and pay-outs of more than Rs 400 crore, in the last few years, were done entirely in cash. Evidence revealed that the group had earned unaccounted income by way of commission and dividends.

Numerous Promissory notes, signed post-dated cheques and power of attorney documents kept as collateral for the loans given or from chit subscribers have also been seized. The group had also earned unaccounted interest income from cash financing and had huge unaccounted investments and expenses, the income tax department said.

Many property documents registered in the names of group members and their associates have been found and seized.

Properties owned by this group's members include palatial homes, farm houses and lands, luxury vehicles, etc., whereas they were either non-filers or had disclosed negligible income in their tax returns, so far, the investigations revealed.

The department investigated several associates and investors of the chit fund who admitted to have made unaccounted investments and earned unaccounted income.

Unaccounted cash of Rs 1.35 crore and gold jewellery of about 7.5 kg has been seized. The undisclosed income detected, so far, in this group is more than Rs 150 crore.

In the case of the other group, engaged in the business of Silk Sarees and other garments, evidence was found relating to sales suppression during the last 4 years.

The manipulation of sales figures through a customized software application was detected. Post such manipulations, the group members used to take out the unaccounted cash on a regular basis, and made unaccounted investments in land and buildings.

The group members also used to incur huge cash expenses on lavish lifestyles, give/ repay cash loans, make Chit investments, etc., the department said in a statement.

Unaccounted cash of Rs 44 lakh and gold jewellery of about 9.5 kg has been seized. The undisclosed income detected, so far, in this group is more than Rs 100 crore.

Further investigations in both these cases are in progress.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Truce is being worked out between G-23 leaders and the Congress leadership in the party ahead of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting slated for Saturday. The CWC, which is the highest decision making body of the party, is likely to give a nod to the organisational polls, which is the key demand of the dissenting group.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is reaching out to the other camp through emissaries. Kamal Nath has been talking to the dissenting group and Priyanka has also been trying to reach out to the G-23 by involving Bhupinder Hooda's son Deepender Hooda with her protest on Lakhimpur Kheri violence. She has also taken the junior Hooda to Varanasi for her rally.

The sign of thaw emerges from the Congress letter, which has been written by party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal seeking an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind to submit a memorandum on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The signatories of the letter include Ghulam Nabi Azad -- on the second number after Rahul Gandhi. Azad is one among the G-23 leaders.

The Congress has been mired with internal rift since August 2020 last year when a letter was written to Sonia Gandhi for visible and effective leadership. Last month Ghulam Nabi Azad again wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi for calling CWC meet, and now the Congress high command has called the meeting on October 16.

Senior party leader Kapil Sibal had recently said, "There is no president in our party, so we do not know who is taking all the decisions. We know it, yet we don't know, one of my senior colleagues perhaps has written or is about to write to the interim president to immediately convene a CWC meeting so that a dialogue can be initiated." But after the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the G-23 has toned down its statements. One of the G-23 leaders Anand Sharma has been all praise for the Gandhis, "Commending @RahulGandhi and @PriyankaGandhi's courageous act of compassion and solidarity with farmers whose sons were killed. A sincere and expressed commitment to fight for justice for the bereaved farmers which must be supported by all who respect the rule of law."
Mumbai, Oct 10 : Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has announced acquisition of 100 per cent shareholding of REC Solar Holdings AS (REC Group) from China National Bluestar (Group) Co Ltd, for an Enterprise Value of $771 million.

REC's Alpha and Alpha Pure range of solar modules are recognized as among industry leaders in efficiency, reliability and long guaranteed life. The heterojunction (HJT) technology used by REC helps its modules surpass the performance of other commonly used technologies in the industry.

REC is headquartered in Norway and has its operational headquarters in Singapore and regional hubs in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia-Pacific. REC Group is an international pioneering solar energy company leading the industry through its technological innovations and superior, high efficiency and long-life solar cells and panels for clean and affordable solar power. The 25-year-old company has three manufacturing facilities - two in Norway for making solar grade polysilicon and one in Singapore making PV cells and modules.

REC has over 600 utility and design patents, of which 446 are granted and balance are under evaluation. It focused on research and development and now, coupled with Reliance's world-class innovation, scale, and operational excellence, will further accelerate path breaking technological developments and introduction of new products.

REC is a brand globally known for pioneering innovations. It was the first to introduce half cut Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) technology, which is adopted by all major manufacturers today, while REC has moved on to its, next generation HJT technology. REC's Norway operation is distinguished by its low carbon footprint in the manufacture of polysilicon.

The company has more than 1,300 employees globally. They will now become members of the Reliance Family after the successful completion of the transaction and become an integral part of the team that is driving one of the world's most ambitious mission to drive green energy transition.

Reliance will strongly support for REC's planned expansions including 2-3 GW Cells and Module capacity in Singapore, brand new 2 GW Cells and Module unit in France and another 1 GW Modules plant in the US.

In India, plans to use this industry leading technology in their fully integrated, metallic Silicon to PV Panel manufacturing giga factory at Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex, Jamnagar initially starting with 4 GW per annum capacity and eventually growing to 10 GW per annum.

Reliance's deep expertise of scale, project execution and operational excellence coupled with REC's technology will facilitate the establishment of state-of-the-art next-generation fully integrated PV manufacturing facility at Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex and subsequently replicate such complexes around the world, the company said in a statement.

The acquisition of REC will help Reliance with a ready global platform and the opportunity to expand and grow in key green energy markets globally, including in the US, Europe, Australia and elsewhere in Asia.

Speaking about the acquisition, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, said: "I am immensely pleased with our acquisition of REC because it will help Reliance tap the unlimited and year-long power of Soorya Dev, the Sun God, that India is fortunate to be blessed with. It is in line with our strategy of investing in new and advanced technologies and operating capabilities aimed at achieving Reliance's goal of enabling 100 GW clean and green energy before the end of this decade. This will constitute the largest contribution by a single company to Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's target for India to produce 450 GW renewable energy by 2030." "It will enable India to become a world leader in green energy transition to overcome the climate crisis. Together with our other recent investments, Reliance is now ready to set up a global scale integrated Photovoltaic Giga factory and make India a manufacturing hub for lowest cost and highest efficiency solar panels. We will continue to invest, build and collaborate with global players to achieve the highest reliability, efficiency and economies to deliver high- quality, reliable power at affordable prices to our customers both in India and markets worldwide. I am especially happy about the opportunity to facilitate creation of millions of green employment opportunities in a decentralised manner in rural and urban areas."
New Delhi, Oct 10 : As India celebrates the festival seasons with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm, the police in the national capital are on their toes to prevent any untoward incident.

"During the festive season, there is a high footfall of people in the markets, temples, and commercial places. This rush of people can be used by anti-national elements having nefarious designs to carry out terror attacks in such places," a top official told IANS.

Owing to this, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana took a crime review meeting on Saturday with senior officials and issued directions to enhance their vigil during these days.

"On such occasions (festival season), Delhi Police raises its alert. We increase our visibility, presence, and checking to counter any threat," the senior police official said.

He informed that the Delhi Police has activated its community policing like 'Eyes and Ears' so that locals inform the police personnel about any anti-social element in their area.

In the crime review meeting of the Delhi Police chief, it was also discussed as to how to prevent terrorists or anti-national elements from taking the help of local gangsters.

The police official said they have made strict security arrangements keeping in view the ongoing countrywide celebrations.

"The safety of the people is our topmost priority. The police personnel have been deployed on roads & streets to intensify patrolling and checking at pickets for area dominance," the official said.

The policemen could be seen, throughout the day and night, patrolling in different areas of the city. "Threat or no threat, we have to be always ready," another official told IANS.

Navratri, which marks the beginning of the festive season began on Thursday after which people, though less in numbers this time, began thronging the local markets and temples.

"Due to the huge rush of people, there is always a possibility of some untoward incident. We feel safe and secure when we see 'men in uniform' patrolling in our area," a local shopkeeper in the northwest region of the national capital said as the cops just passed by.

The senior police officials also urged citizens to be their "Eyes & Ears" and inform them about any anti-social element in the area.

Pertinent to mention here that, the Special Cell of Delhi Police had on September 14 busted a Pakistan-based terror module and arrested seven suspected terrorists who were planning to carry out terror attacks in the country during this festival season. The suspects are currently in police custody.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : India has allowed export of around 40 lakh doses of domestically-manufactured coronavirus vaccine 'Sputnik Light' to Russia, sources said on Sunday.

Sputnik Light - the single-dose Covid-19 vaccine variant of Russia's Sputnik - has not yet been approved for emergency use in India.

Hetero and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, the Indian partner of Russian sovereign wealth fund RDIF, markets the Sputnik range of vaccines globally.

There were various view points among Indian experts about the single-dose vaccine's efficacy on Indians.

In Septemeber, the Drugs Controller General of India had granted permission for the conducting Phase 3 bridging trials of Sputnik Light on the Indian population.

The nod comes after a recent study published in the medical journal The Lancet said that Sputnik Light showed 78.6 to 83.7 per cent efficacy against Covid-19, significantly higher than most two-shot vaccines.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's Subject Expert Committee had, in July, denied grant of emergency use authorisation to Sputnik Light, stressing need to Phase 3 trial of the Russian vaccine in the country.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Varanasi : , Oct 10 (IANS) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday, kicked off her party's campaign for the upcoming UP assembly elections by mounting a blistering attack on the ruling BJP.

Addressing a mammoth rally in Varanasi, Priyanka took on the Centre and State governments on the issue of farmers and injustice to the poor.

"In the past two years, I have been working in UP. Two years ago, 13 adivasis were killed in a land dispute in Sonbhadra. Some leaders of the ruling BJP were involved and the people said that they had no hope for justice. I went there and each of the victims' families said that they wanted justice," she said.

Priyanka said that then came the pandemic and we saw people dying without oxygen, without medicines. People had hoped that the government would help but no help came and so many died in this hope.

"After this, Hathras happened and the government shielded the accused and there was no justice for the victim's family. The same has happened in Lakhimpur where farmers were mowed down by a minister's son and the government is shielding the accused," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi announced that the Congress would continue to fight on the Lakhimpur issue untill the union minister Ajay Mishra Teni submits his resignation to allow an impartial probe into the incident.

She said that nowhere in the world, does the police send an invitation to the accused to record his statement. "But in Lakhimpur, the minister's son was invited to give his statement. Is this how justice is done?" she asked.

In an attack on UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, she said that he insulted Dalits who work as safai karamcharis.

"I went to a Valmiki temple in Lucknow and swept the floor. I met the residents of the Dalit basti and every family told me that though their children were educated, they had no employment. Today the Prime Minister's 'crorepati' friends are earning thousands of crores every day but the people of this country are facing unemployment," she said.

The Congress leader said that the Prime Minister had bought two aircraft for himself, each costing Rs 8,000 crore. "The two aircraft cost the country Rs 16,000 but Air India has been sold for Rs 18,000 crore to benefit his friends," she stated.

She said that farmers were the real 'Ganga putra' of the country but the Prime Minister, who travels across the globe, has not found time to even talk to those who are sitting on Delhi borders.

Priyanka said that it was the sons of farmers who are protecting out borders, who ensure our safety and freedom.

"This country is a hope. Gandhi ji had hope for freedom and justice for the poor but today, justice and hope is only for those who are with the BJP, its leaders and their friends. The country is being destroyed and the media is being used to create a campaign that shows all is well. We will fight against injustice and force them to give us justice just like we fought for Independence," she said.

Earlier, Priyanka visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Durga temple where she offered prayers. She began her speech with the Sanskrit shlok on Navratri.
Muzaffarnagar : , Oct 10 (IANS) In a novel experiment, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is now reaching out to 59,000 village pradhans and seeking their advice for drafting the party's manifesto.

RLD President Jayant Choudhury has sent out letters to every village Pradhan in this regard.

Invoking his grandfather and former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, he said that he believed that village heads should have a major role in the development of any state.

"Though 73rd Amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution and strengthening of the Panchayati Raj system empowered village heads, the system is yet to be implemented in all the states," he told reporters.

Chaudhary also cited administrative interference in some states, which obstructed rural development.

"In such a situation, village heads should not only try to get works done but also exercise their rights by not giving in to any sort of pressure," he said.

The village head of Nagla Mubarik village in Muzaffarnagar, Satender Kumar said, "I received a letter from Jayant Chaudhary inquiring about the issues plaguing the village. It is a welcome step." "Issues like poor roads, water-logging and unemployment should be sorted out first. If people have jobs, there won't be any exodus." Chaudhary will be in Muzaffarnagar to address Jan Ashirwad Rally in Budhana constituency on October 11.
Jammu, Oct 10 : Senior National Conference (NC) leader and provincial president of the party, Devender Singh Rana resigned from the party post on Sunday.

Rana, the younger brother of senior BJP leader and MoS (PMO), Jitendra Singh, was counted among the most influential leaders of NC.

His departure from the party is seen here as a jolt to the NC.

Despite persuasion during the last many days by Dr Farooq Abdullah and some other NC leaders, Rana seemed determined to leave NC which he claims has been done to protect the interests of the people living in the Jammu region.

Sources close to Rana told IANS that he is likely to join the BJP on Monday in Delhi along with another senior NC leader, Surjeet Singh Slathia.
Varanasi, Oct 10 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chanted 'Jai Mata Di' before her speech at the Varanasi rally on Sunday in a bid to counter BJP and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Hindutva style.

"I am observing fast in navratras and today, let's start with prayers to the goddess," she said, chanting shlokas and then asking the public to join her in saying "Jai Mata Di".

This is not the first time that Priyanka has showcased her religiosity. On the first day of Navratra, she visited the Mari Mata Mandir in Lucknow and offered prayers. She has been seen wearing a chain of rudraksh beads and often has posted her pictures in different temples.

Congress MLC Deepak Singh said: "She chanted 'Jai Mata Di' as Goddess Durga will destroy demons in this Navratra... the demons who are destroying peoples' lives and livelihoods." Addressing the rally, Priyanka Gandhi took on the Central and state governments on the issue of farmers and injustice to the poor.
Chennai, Oct 10 : The Madras High Court has ordered compensation of Rs 5 lakh to a minor, who was picked up from a bus stand under the pretext of a lift on a two-wheeler, kept in unlawful custody, and subjected to sodomy and oral sex for a week.

In an order on Friday before the court closed for Dussehra holidays, a division bench of Justices P.N. Prakash and R.N.Manjula enhanced the compensation of Rs 1 lakh awarded by a court in Erode to the minor who was studying in Class 8 to Rs 5 lakh.

Directing the state government to pay the compensation from any of its funds within 30 days, the court ordered that 25 per cent of the compensation would go to the father of the victim and the balance would be deposited in a bank until the minor boy attains maturity.

The boy was waiting at a bus stand on November 17, 2016, when the accused picked him up on a motorbike under the guise that he would drop him home, but instead took him to a private building at a secluded place, locked him up, and subjected to unnatural sex.

The prosecution argued that the boy was subjected to sodomy and was forced oral sex and exhibited bite marks on his right leg thighs when he objected to these advances.

The boy escaped from the abductor's custody while he was on a phone call and reached home. He described his ordeal to his parents who promptly lodged a police complaint under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (Pocso) Act.

Counsel for the accused argued that the boy was suffering from psychiatric issues and hence, his deposition should not be taken seriously. However, the court held that the victim's statement inspired the confidence of the court and could not be rejected.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Amid efforts by the Trinamool Congress to expand its influence nationally, especially in the northeast, after it held of a massive BJP attempt to dethrone it West Bengal in the 2021 elections has raised questions whether it can replicate its success in Tripura. However, the BJP is unfazed at the Mamata Banerjee party's efforts.

In a chat with IANS, BJP's national General Secretary and Tripura in charge Vinod Sonkar weighed in whether the Trinamool offers a challenge in the state, and whether the party's recent trend of changing Chief Ministers in Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Gujarat will be repeated by in Tripura as well.

Following are excerpts of the interview: Q: The Trinamool has announced it will contest the upcoming civic polls in Tripura? How big a threat do you think it will turn out to be?

A: Everyone has the right to contest elections in a democracy. The Trinamool is not contesting elections in Tripura for the first time. It has previously contested elections in the state during 2018 as well as in 2019 wherein it lost its deposit. Now if the Trinamool wants to contest elections once again, it is free to contest next year, too. It poses no real threat to the BJP.

Q: But the Trinamool is making claims of wresting power in Tripura. Sushmita Dev, once known as a party leader close to the Congress high command, recently joined it. Party supremo Mamata Banerjee has given the responsibility of increasing the support base in Tripura to her nephew Abhishek Banerjee? A: I will reiterate again that in a democracy any person is free to contest elections anywhere. Everyone has the right to dream. The Trinamool had previously fought elections in Tripura with full preparation but its party candidates lost their deposit on all seats they had contested. In Tripura, a corruption-free, crime-free and development-driven BJP government is functioning under the leadership of Chief Minister Biplab Deb. The Trinamool stands no chance of winning the upcoming polls in Tripura.

Q: Prashant Kishor, who is a master election strategist, has been roped in by the Trinamool who defeated the BJP in West Bengal. Now with the help of Kishor, Mamata Banerjee wants to defeat the ruling BJP in Tripura as well? A: BJP has come to power in Tripura by defeating the Communist Party of India-Marxist which ruled the state for the last 25 years. Now the saffron party is ready to fight Prashant Kishor. Let us see whether the combination of party organisation and the state government wins the elections or any particular individual.

Q: In 2018, the BJP formed the government in Tripura by defeating the CPI-M which ruled the state for 25 consecutive years. Chief Minister Biplab Deb has been running the government in Tripura for last 43 months. How would you rate the performance of the BJP government under his leadership? A: The hope and expectation with which the people of Tripura voted the BJP to power, today all those dreams are coming true - whether it is related to buying agricultural produce from farmers at the minumum support price (MSP), taking strict action against the mafia rule, providing employment to youth, developing state infrastructure etc, the BJP government has done commendable work on every front.

Earlier, people with small amount of money planned to buy a two-room flat in Kolkata but with curbing of corruption and crime by the Biplab Deb government, this culture has changed and now people from Bengal want to come and settle in Tripura. The speed of development which had been stalled in the state for 25-30 years is taking place rapidly after the BJP came to power.

Q: The BJP is going through a massive churn these days. The BJP governments have also changed sitting Chief Ministers in several states. In Tripura too, such speculation is cropping up. What would you say on this? A: There is going to be no change of power in Tripura. The BJP government under the leadership of Chief Minister Biplab Deb is doing a commendable job in the state and in future it will continue to run under his able leadership. The BJP will contest the upcoming Assembly elections under Deb's leadership.

Q: With less than one-and-a-half years left for the Assembly elections in Tripura? Who according to you will be the main party challenging the BJP in the state -- CPI-M, Congress or the TMC? A: We will enter the electoral fray highlighting the work done by BJP government for last five years and as far as the party posing a direct fight to the BJP is concerned, it is too early to say anything about it as one is already seeing in several states across the country, how the opposition parties are coming together to defeat the BJP. New political equations are being formed in Tripura as well.

So who will fight against the BJP, only time will tell but at this juncture I would like to say that BJP is fully prepared ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. Whether the opposition parties contest elections separately or form alliances, the BJP will win again and form the government in Tripura.
Chennai, Oct 10 : Actors Jiiva and Shiva will join forces for a new film titled "Golmaal". The big-budget comedy film, to be shot entirely in Mauritius, will be directed by Ponkumaran, who has helmed several successful Kannada movies in the past.

Speaking about the movie, Ponkumaran said "Golmaal" will be an out-and-out family entertainer, which will attract audiences to theatres and make everyone happy.

"Jiiva and Shiva have a great sense of humour and they can create a different kind of magic when they share the screen space," Ponkumaran said. "Payal Rajput and Tanya Hope will be the female leads." Jiiva is the screen name of Amar Choudary, youngest son of the Tamil film producer R.B. Choudary. Shiva, popularly known as Mirchi Shiva, is a comedian and radio jockey.

"Shooting will start in November and wrap in December," the director said. "The movie will be released in the first half of 2022." The technical crew comprises cinematographer S. Saravanan, music composer Arul Dev, editor Don Bosco, art director Siva, and lyricists Madhan Karki and Viveka.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : A senior US official visiting Islamabad has made clear to Pakistan that the Joe Biden administration has downgraded the bilateral relationship, The Guardian reported.

On the eve of her arrival, the deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman, used a public event in Mumbai to lay out in blunt terms the new parameters of US-Pakistan relations, stressing there would be no equivalence with Washington's deepening ties to India.

The Islamabad trip was for "a very specific and narrow purpose", Sherman said, to talk about Afghnaistan and the Taliban, the report said.

"We don't see ourselves building a broad relationship with Pakistan, and we have no interest in returning to the days of hyphenated India-Pakistan," she added. "That's not where we are. That's not where we're going to be." Sherman's reception in Pakistan the next day was stilted. A planned meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan never materialised.

Senior Pakistan government officials told the Guardian that there was diplomatic tension between the two countries that needed to be resolved and that Khan was angry that he had still not received a phone call from Joe Biden, the report added.

The decision not to call is intended to be an unambiguous signal of Washington's displeasure with Khan's attitude to Afghanistan.

The cold approach has come as a shock to Islamabad, which had been accustomed to Trump's informal and personal relationship with Khan.

In a recent leaked memo, the foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, urged the Pakistani embassy in Washington to get a call arranged between Biden and Khan, the report said.

"In spite of the existing situation in Afghanistan, and the key role played by Pakistan, it is unfortunate that the White House remains indifferent to the Pakistani leadership," the letter said, blaming "the immature understanding of the White House staff".

"You are thus expected to take adequate measures, ensuring that enough diplomatic steps are taken to guarantee the strategic relevance of Pakistan in all diplomatic forums." The foreign minister insisted the letter was a fake but official sources said it was authentic.

Pakistan has been long accused of playing a double game in the fight against terrorism, on one hand being a supposed ally in the US "war on terror" while also supporting and sponsoring the Taliban, and allowing them to live and regroup on Pakistan soil.

Cyril Almeida, a columnist and analyst, said: "Since 9/11, the US has seen Pakistan through an Afghan prism. Now that Pakistan is perceived to have won another proxy war against a superpower in Afghanistan, the superpower appears to be in no mood to forgive or forget." "Pakistan is desperate to move on from the past and let bygones be bygones and wants to broaden out its relationship and focus on geo-economics, but from Washington's standpoint, Afghanistan is going to continue to dominate its interests in the region for the foreseeable future," Elizabeth Threlkeld, the director of the South Asia programme at the Stimson Center, said, the report added.

Since the Taliban came into power in mid-August, Pakistan has been publicly talking about the future recognition of the Taliban government, which has close ties to Pakistan's powerful military intelligence services, the ISI.

Zahid Hussain, the author of No-Win War: the Paradox of US-Pakistan Relations in Afghanistan's Shadow, said that relations were at their lowest ebb. "There is lack of hope that the relations will get better, as the things are not moving towards rapprochement between both countries. Today, we don't see the strategic relations between the US-Pakistan -- it is only a transactional relation now," he said, the report added.
Gorakhpur : , Oct 10 (IANS) Suspended UP Police Inspector J.N. Singh and Sub Inspector Akshay Mishra, both accused in the alleged murder of a Kanpur businessman during a hotel raid in Gorakhpur, have been arrested.

Both were arrested from Ramgarh Tal area on Sunday evening and will be handed over to the Special Investigation Team probing the case.

According to sources, the two were planning to surrender in court after the state government announced a reward of Rs one lakh each on their heads.

On the night of September 27, Manish Gupta a businessman from Kanpur, had gone to Gorakhpur with his two friends and was staying at a local hotel when a police team raided their room.

According to reports, the businessmen demanded to know why they were being questioned and the six policemen in the team beat him up so badly that he died.

A video clip form the hotel's CCTV footage shows the cops dragging Manish Gupta's seemingly lifeless body into the lift.

The Gorakhpur police had later claimed that Gupta was injured when he fell down while trying to flee.

The state government received a great deal of flak for the incident and apart from financial compensation, Manish Gupta's wife Meenakshi has been given a government job.
Srinagar, Oct 10 : Condemnation, condolences, and protests against the brutal murder of famous pharmacy owner, M.L. Bindroo continued on Sunday in Srinagar city five days after the incident.

Just three days back, a largely-attended candlelight protest was held at city centre Lal Chowk.

The participants, including elected municipal councillors, called their protest "Akhir Kab Tak" (How long will such madness continue).

Friends, well-wishers and even people who hardly knew him, continue to pour into Bindroo's residence to express grief and anger at his murder by the terrorists.

Bindroo's killing sparked fear and consternation among scores of Kashmiri Pandits who had continued to live in the Valley even after the majority of their community members migrated out in early 1990s.

Dozens of Kashmiri Pandits in government service, as teachers across the Valley and in other offices, were asked not to move out of their secured pooled accommodations till they hear from the authorities.

The fear of the Pandit community got redoubled when just two days after Bindroo's murder, terrorists killed a female Sikh school principal, Supinder Kaur and a non-Muslim teacher in Eidgah area of Srinagar.

Office bearers of the Shiromani Gurdawara Parbandhak Committee told media that no member of the Sikh community who is a government employee working in the Valley will attend duties unless assured of protection by the authorities.

Former Chief Ministers, religious leaders and other prominent persons continue to visit Supinder Kaur's residence to express condolences and show solidarity with the family.

Reports also said some Kashmiri Pandit families, who were staying inside secured accommodations, have already left the Valley.

In light of these developments, the civilian murders committed by the terrorists will haunt the local society for many years to come.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Hundreds of male and female doctors from Afghan provinces of Samangan and Nuristan provinces gathered at the gate of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Kabul and asked the World Bank to pay their salaries for the past 14 months, Khaama Press reported.

The protestors said that not only their salaries have been paid but the clinics in their respective provinces are confronting a dire shortage of medicines.

Protestors accused an Afghan contractor of World Bank - Asad Fayaz - who has fled Afghanistan and has taken money from World Bank but doctors have not been paid.

They said that Fayaz had a two-year health contract in the provinces and was providing health services, medicines, and salaries of doctors.

"Asad Fayaz has fled Afghanistan and stole our money. He was leading a corrupt firm and that caused an increase in the mortality of children and mothers in Samangan and Nuristan provinces," said a protestor, the report said.

The doctors, in a statement, said that since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no relations with the World Bank and cannot ask for money, the bank should directly pay their money through Afghanistan's Health Ministry or other NGOs.

In the meantime, the doctors warned of continuation of protests in case their salaries are not paid.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Even as conditions have become favourable for further withdrawal of southwest monsoon from large parts of northwest India, two cyclonic circulations in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal each will bring in heavy rainfall in much of central and peninsular India over next two days, the IMD said on Sunday.

Conditions are becoming favourable for further withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from some more parts of Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, most parts of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and some parts of Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal during next two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement.

The first cyclonic circulation lies over north Andaman Sea and its neighbourhood. Under its influence, a Low Pressure Area is very likely to form over the same region during next 36 hours. It is likely to become more marked and move west-north-westwards towards south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coasts during subsequent 4-5 days, the IMD said.

"Under its influence, light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated thunderstorm (wind speed 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) and heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands during next 5 days," it added.

A cyclonic circulation also lies over east central Arabian Sea and extends up to mid tropospheric level tilting south-westwards with height. It is very likely to persist during next 3-4 days, and under its influence, fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over southern peninsular India during next 5 days and over Maharashtra during next two days.

Isolated very heavy rainfall is very likely over Kerala and Mahe between October 12 and 14, the IMD release said.

The withdrawal of southwest monsoon commenced very late on October 6 this year as against the normal date of September 17.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : RSS-linked magazine "Panchanya", in its latest edition, has targetted the Christian church and priests over the widespread allegations of sexual exploitation.

The magazine, that would hit the stands on October 17, has, in the cover story, dwelt on the complaints of sexual exploitation of children and nuns across the world, and demanded an investigation into those allegations in India also.

Citing the instance of France, the magazine said over 3 lakh children were exploited between 1950-2020, and around 3,000 priests were named as accused.

Panchjanya mentioned that an independent enquiry committee set up in 2018 came across those details during its probe.

It also termed Pope Francis' apology in 2019 over these complaints and incidents a "formality under pressure", noting that despite it, episodes of similar nature have not seen any downward trend.

It also cited complaints and incidents of sexual exploitation reported from various parts of India, underlining that the people of the country have been seeking probe against the church and priests.

Claiming that such incidents are on the rise in India too, it referred to several incidents in Jharkhand and Kerala, besides the rape of a woman in Missionary College, Chennai, and of a nun from Kerala.

Panchjanya held the style of functioning of the church responsible for the worldwide decline in the number of nuns.

It said that in Kerala, the number of nuns has reduced to only 25 per cent and therefore, the church is taking into its fold, girls from poor families in states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha "under the guise of deceit, coercion and allurement".

Earlier, in its October 10 edition's cover story, the RSS-linked magazine had slammed the Congress and its former President Rahul Gandhi, saying the country's oldest political party is passing through its "worst-ever phase".

The Panchjanya had been in the news for its previous issues attacking Infosys and its leader N.R. Narayana Murthy over the glitches in the income tax portal, and then Amazon and its chief, Jeff Bezos, calling the global e-commerce giant "East India Company 2.0".
Mumbai, Oct 10 : Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (Reliance), on Sunday executed definitive agreements with Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Ltd (SPCPL), Khurshed Daruvala and Sterling & Wilson Solar Ltd (SWSL) to acquire 40 per cent stake post-money in SWSL through a series of transactions.

The transactions involve preferential allotment of 2.93 crore equity shares (equivalent to 15.46 per cent post preferential share capital) at a price of Rs 375 per share.

The transaction will also involve acquisition of 1.84 crore equity shares by RNESL from SPCPL (equivalent to 9.70 per cent post preferential share capital) at a price of Rs 375 per share.

As part of the deal, a public announcement will also be made by RNESL to the public shareholders of SWSL to acquire up to 4.91 crore equity shares of SWSL, representing 25.9 per cent in accordance with SEBI Takeover Regulations.

RNESL will hold 40 per cent of the equity capital of SWSL, consequent to acquisition in the open offer, follow-on acquisition of shares from SPCPL and Khurshed Daruvala, and sell down, if any required.

With 11-plus GW of solar turnkey projects executed globally and more than 5 decades of engineering experience, SWSL is a leading and highly reputed international EPC and O&M service provider in the renewables sector.

The company has a 3,000 strong team and presence across 24 countries, and it provides a comprehensive range of solar energy turnkey solutions including design, procurement, construction, project management and operations and management.

Reliance is committed to making India a global leader in green energy based on the latest and most cost-competitive technologies and development capabilities. This partnership with SWSL will provide it access to world-class talent, engineering and project management skills and complement Reliance's proven strengths in digital technology, engineering, and procurement and project execution -- all key ingredients required to deliver high quality, cost- efficient and time-bound implementation of giga-scale green energy capacity, in India and across the world.

Combined with Reliance's announced plans to set up four state of art giga factories in Jamnagar, Gujarat, the partnership offers fully integrated product with unrivaled engineering capabilities.

Speaking about the transaction, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, said: "We welcome SWSL as a strategic partner towards building our New Energy platform. SWSL, with its engineering talent, deep domain knowledge, global presence, and experience of executing some of the most complex projects globally, will become an important part of our solar value chain. This will enable us to deliver our comprehensive, end-to-end ecosystem leading to cost-efficient green energy for Indian consumers.

"We have great respect for Khurshed Daruvala and the world class institution that he has built over the years and look forward to collaborating in making SWSL a global EPC and O&M leader." Shapoor Mistry, Chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Pvt. Ltd, said: "We are happy to welcome Reliance in Sterling and Wilson Solar Ltd. Through the decades, spanning three generations, the Shapoorji Pallonji group has helped Sterling and Wilson become a global leader in providing turnkey solutions in the energy value chain. SWSL is now well-poised to make a valuable contribution, as the world transitions to a low-carbon economy. I believe this partnership is beneficial to all stakeholders and will greatly contribute to making India a leading green energy powerhouse." Khurshed Daruvala, Chairman of SWSL said: "The history of Sterling and Wilson dates to the 1920s. We have come a long way since then and have always stayed true to our core values of delivering high quality engineering solutions to our customers. Along with the Shapoorji Pallonji Group we have made SWSL a global leader in providing turnkey solutions in the energy value chain. Reliance, with its integrated new energy vision, and a commitment to put India on the global green energy map, provides us a great opportunity to further establish SWSL as the leading EPC solutions provider globally. I am sure this partnership will give SWSL new energy and excitement, and we look forward to becoming part of creating history." Khurshed Daruvala will continue to be Chairman of the Board and lead the next phase of growth for SWSL.

AZB and K Law acted as legal advisors, Ernst and Young as the accounting and tax diligence advisor and Edelweiss as the financial advisor to Reliance.

DAM Capital acted as financial advisor and Desai & Diwanji acted as legal advisor to SWSL and the selling shareholders.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory and other approvals and closing conditions.
Dubai, Oct 10 : Prithvi Shaw (60) gave a flying start before Shimron Hetmyer (37) and Rishabh Pant (51 not out) carried Delhi Capitals to 172/5 in 20 overs in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2021 at the Dubai International Stadium here on Sunday. Delhi were 80/4 in 10.2 overs before Hetmyer and Pant staged an excellent recovery, helping the team reach a competitive total against Chennai Super Kings.

Pushed into batting first, Delhi reached 51/2 in power-play, 43 of which came off Prithvi Shaw's bat off just 19 balls. Shaw began with two top-edge boundaries off Josh Hazlewood in the second over. He took the attack to Deepak Chahar in the next over, collecting four boundaries, with the most impressive of them a back-foot punch through the gap in point.

Shikhar Dhawan lifted Hazlewood for a boundary in his next over. But on the next ball, the Aussie pacer got Dhawan (7) to nick behind on a seaming-away delivery. But there was no stopping Shaw as he hit two sixes over mid-wicket and down the ground off Shardul Thakur. Thakur almost had Shaw out on 42 as MS Dhoni spilled a difficult one-handed catch to his right.

Hazlewood had his second wicket of the match as Shreyas Iyer (1) miscued a flick on the cross-seamer to cover point. Shaw brought up his fifty in 27 balls with a cut through point followed by a sweep through the square on leg-side off Ravindra Jadeja.

Axar Patel's promotion at four didn't pay off, holing out to long-on off Moeen Ali in the tenth over. In the next over, Jadeja ended Shaw's stay as the right-hander mistimed the loft to a diving long-off running to his left.

Hetmyer and Pant shared an 83-run stand off 50 balls for the fifth wicket. The duo's partnership meant that Delhi regained rhythm which had slowed down in the overs 10-13. Dwayne Bravo separated the pair in 19th over as Hetmyer (37) mistimed pull to wide long-on. Pant reached his fifty with a brace on the final ball as Delhi finished beyond 170.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 172/5 in 20 overs (Prithvi Shaw 60, Rishabh Pant 51 not out, Josh Hazlewood 2/29, Ravindra Jadeja 1/23) against Chennai Super Kings
Srinagar, Oct 10 : The conspiracy between a taxi driver's killing in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on October 5, amid a spate of targetted killings the same day, has been unearthed, police said on Sunday.

Mohammad Shafi Lone, who was killed by terrorists on October 5, was the third civilian killed by the terrorists on that day.

Earlier, prominent pharmacy owner, M.L.Bindroo and a non-local street vendor were killed by the terrorists on the same day.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the killing was done on the behest of Pakistan-based TRF handler, and the Bandipora police has busted an LeT (TRF) module by arresting four militant associates involved in the killing of Lone, a resident of Naidkhai in Bandipora.

"The killing was carried out at the behest and instruction of LeT (TRF) handler Lala Umar, a resident of Pakistan. To carry out the nefarious design, a conspiracy was hatched by an LeT (TRF) module of Shahgund, Hajin area in Bandipora," he said.

The IGP said that the "module carried out a thorough reccee of the target and all his movements were closely watched".

"On the fateful evening, one of the OGWs who was known to the victim, called the victim for a meeting at Gundboon.

"At the said place, a detailed ambush/trap had been laid by the other members of the module. Once the victim reached the spot, he was swiftly assassinated," he said.

He further said that a special team of Bandipora police was entrusted with the investigation of the case and after thorough human and technical corroboration, the module was busted and four OGWs arrested.

The arrested OGWs have been identified as Tariq Ahmed Dar alias Tariq Khoucha, Muhammad Shafi Dar, Mudasir Hassan Lone, and Bilal Ahmad Dar alias Saba Khoucha.

The IGP said another OGWs involved in the shooting identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar alias Kotru is absconding and has joined the militant ranks.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Union Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said students' exchange programmes should be encouraged so that they can visit various institutions for better exposure and understanding research opportunities.

"The student exchange programmes should be encouraged as India is rich with the best scientific and technological institutes like the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST). Students in this field can visit these institutions for better exposure and research intuition due to best technology available there," he said at the concluding ceremony of the Northern India Regional Agriculture Fair 2021 at SKUAST, Jammu, a release said here.

The Modi government is giving special impetus to agriculture start-ups, Singh said, adding the proactive outreach is the need of the hour to get the best minds for the promotion of products at national and international level, be that for basmati rice, rajma, or other products.

Giving examples of the entrepreneurs involved in various innovative agricultural practices and who are earning in lakhs, Singh stressed upon the students present there "to become job providers and not job seekers, become agricultural technocrats through start-ups and be the architects of innovative India".

Asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is serious towards agriculture development in India can be judged from the fact that two new Ministries, Jal Shakti and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship have been created only to promote agriculture and doubling the farmers' income by 2022, he said: "One of its important links is the recently launched 'Heli-Borne Survey' Technology for groundwater management and to map groundwater resources in arid regions for drinking and agricultural purposes." Enumerating the development initiatives taken in Jammu & Kashmir vis-a-vis agriculture and innovation, he said the establishment of north India's first biotechnology park, two high seed processing plants at Kathua and the launch of India's first Aroma Mission among others will open new vistas of growth, opportunities and innovation in agriculture in Jammu.

To the farmers present on the occasion, Singh maintained that the responsibility of the government is to facilitate the farmer in every way, which is being done without any compromise.

He also urged SKUAST administration to promote 75 agricultural start-ups from the university on 75 years of India's Independence on the lines of his Ministry, which is also promoting venturessuch as '75 Young start-ups in Science', '75 Women start-ups in Science' and '75 SIT hubs dedicated to SCs and STs', the release added.
Jerusalem, Oct 10 : Israel's security will be central to every German government, outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday during her farewell travel to Israel.

Merkel, in Israel on her last visit as a chancellor before the end of her 16-year term, met Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I want to use this opportunity to emphasize that the topic of Israel's security will always be of central importance and a central topic of every German government," she said in joint remarks.

Bennett, for his part, thanked Merkel for the warm relations with Israel that she has cultivated during her term, expressing his new government's wish to strengthen the ties "even more in business relations, science, education, health and of course, in security".

Merkel met Bennett for a private meeting, in which they discussed regional issues, including Iran, according to Bennett's office.

She also participated in a special cabinet meeting and has scheduled meetings with Israel's President Isaac Herzog and hi-tech entrepreneurs. She will also pay a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

Merkel arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv late on Saturday as a guest of Bennett, who ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year rule this June.
Bengaluru, Oct 10 : Karnataka Health Minister K. Sudhakar on Sunday waded into controversy by claiming that Indian women want to stay single, and that "even after marriage, they do not want to give birth to children, and are opting for surrogacy", adding this was "not a good development".

However, Sudhakar's statements did not go down well with women's organisations, which condemned the generalised statement, stressing that women are free to decide whether to have a child or not.

In his address on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS), he also said: "I am sorry to say this, there is a paradigm shift in our thinking which is not good. To come out of everyday stress is an art. Yoga and meditation are the solutions. However, people are following western culture. This stress load must be put out and taking a walk for half an hour in the parks will help a lot in this direction." "Unfortunately we do not want our parents to be with us and forget about grandparents. Some mental issue of mild, moderate and severe nature is bothering every seventh Indian," he said.

Noting that during Covid, many suffered mental depression, he said: "We are carrying out counselling for Covid patients. About 24 lakh Covid patients are counselled. The situation of not being able to touch the bodies of dear ones caused them tremendous mental suffering. We have 0.3 per cent of psychological experts whose number needs to be increased. We will work towards increasing their number." Reacting to his statement about women, All India Democratic Women's Association Vice President Vimala K.S. told IANS that one minister from the ruling BJP states that women should not go out and another is recommending walks.

Some want to bring laws to control population and some say women are not wanting babies, she said, adding that they speak different dialects.

"It is freedom of women whether to have a baby or not. He must have forgotten that a large section of women in this country do not have the rights over their bodies," she said.

"Being a minister, issuing a sweeping statement is not good... and while being a Health Minister, is not acceptable. Let minister Sudhakar prove his statement. How many women have these choices? Like women, many men do not want to have children. Why no one says anything to them," Vimala added.

Equal rights activist Brinda Adige told IANS that Sudhakar's statement is "sexist, patriarchal, and unbecoming of a minister".

"He is talking about a minuscule number of people and his statement is not based on research. He is making statements on women's choices which is what we do not want...

"Look at our laws. There is hardly any support from the government for mothers. How many government officers offer the service of creches... big corporate houses... what support they are giving," she asked.

It is not only giving birth, it involves looking after the children. If at all government wanted to make statements it should have spoken how they can help mothers, Adige added.
Imphal, Oct 10 : BJP president JP Nadda on Sunday said the people of Manipur have suffered a lot due to the insurgency and blockade but now the state along with other northeastern states have turned into a gateway of India's development.

Nadda said that the era of destruction has ended, and with the installation of the BJP government (in 2017) a new phase of growth began.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, who came to the poll-bound state of Manipur on Saturday on a two-day visit, while attending a series of events and public rallies, said that development is taking place both in the plains as well as the mountainous areas.

"The work is in progress to connect Manipur capital Imphal by railway networks. Work is also going on to develop 16 National Highways in the state at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore while foundation stones were laid for more than 300 projects," Nadda said.

He said that Manipur was considered as the gateway of fighting for the Independence.

"Peace and harmony is there, fundamental rights are being protected and economic activity is now growing. Northeast as a whole is now in the mainstream of India's development. Earlier the northeastern region including Manipur was considered as a tourist destination. But now the region is the hub of development and a tourist destination as well," he said.

Nadda on Sunday virtually inaugurated the party offices for Thoubal and Bishnupur districts and renamed the offices as 'Thambal Shanglen' (Lotus House).

"Unlike government offices, the party offices should remain open for all the time as the party offices are the place for serving the people and make all the party functionaries as service providers of the people," the BJP leader said.

"These party offices would encourage and support all the party workers to further strengthen the party organisation in Manipur," Nadda said.

He was accompanied by a host of senior central and state party leaders including Manipur Chief Minister N.Biren Singh, union minister Bhupender Yadav , national spokesperson Sambit Patra, Manipur BJP president A. Sharda Devi and ace boxer M.C. Mary Kom.

He also met Manipur Governor La. Ganeshan at Raj Bhavan, met Maharaja Leishamba Sanajaoba at his residence in Imphal, visited Shree Govindajee Temple in Imphal and interacted with the achievers and prominent celebrities of the state in different fields.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, Oct 10 : Actor Manchu Vishnu was Sunday elected as the new President of Movie Artists Association (MAA), defeating Prakash Raj by a huge margin in a bitterly-contested election.

Vishnu, son of veteran actor Mohan Babu, defeated Prakash Raj by 106 votes.

Ending day-long suspense, MAA election officer Krishna Mohan announced the poll results on Sunday night. Vishnu polled 380 votes while Prakash Raj, who was branded as non-local by some supporters of rival panel, could secure 274 votes.

A native of Karnataka, Prakash Raj acts in Telugu and other South Indian films. He had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha election from Bangalore Central as an independent candidate in 2019.

The Vishnu panel also bagged the key posts of Vice President, General Secretary, and Treasurer. Madhala Ravi was elected Vice President beating Benerjee of the Prakash Raj panel.

Raghu Babu trounced Jeevitha Rajasekhar for the post of General Secretary by 7 votes. Siva Balaji was elected treasurer, defeating Nagineedu by 32 votes. Balaji polled 316 votes while Nagineedu secured 284 votes.

Actor Srikanth from Prakash Raj panel was elected Executive Vice President. He defeated Babu Mohan of the Vishnu panel.

The acrimonious election was seen as a tussle between families of megastar Chiranjeevi and veteran actor Mohan Babu. Chiranjeevi's family backed Prakash Raj while Mohan Babu actively campaigned for his son Manchu Vishnu.

Soon after the results were declared, Chiranjeevi took to Twitter to congratulate Vishnu and other members of the new body. He hoped that the new body will work for the welfare of all artists. "MAA has always been one family. No matter who wins, it's the victory of our family," he wrote.

Earlier speaking at a film event Chiranjeevi expressed his displeasure over the acrimony created during the MAA elections. He remarked that positions are temporary.

According to election officer, 68 per cent polling was recorded which was highest in the history of the MAA. Out of 925 members of the MAA, 883 were eligible to cast their votes and of them, 605 did do to elect 26-member body comprising the President, two Vice Presidents, Executive Vice President, General Secretary, two Joint Secretaries, Treasurer and 18 Executive Committee members.

The polling which began at 8 a.m. at Jubilee Hills Public School was peaceful barring minor clashes between the two rival groups.

The polling, which was to end at 2 p.m., was extended by an hour by election officer Krishna Mohan. The counting of votes began at 4 p.m.

The first result went in favour of the Prakash Raj panel when Shia Reddy was elected as executive member. This was followed by three more victories for the panel as Anasuya, Kaushik and Suresh Kondeti were also elected as executive members.

From the Vishnu panel, Poojitha, Shashank, Jayavani, U.P. Srinivasulu, Srilakshmi, Manik, Harinath Babu, and Vishnu Boppana were elected as executive members.

Chiranjeevi, leading actors Pawan Kalyan, Balakrishna and Nagarjuna were among leading personalities of Tollywood who cast their votes.

Murali Mohan, Mohan Babu, Jaya Prada, Rajendra Prasad, Roja, Babu Mohan, Naga Babu and other prominent faces also came to vote.

After a bitter campaign between the rival panels, scenes of camaraderie were witnessed on the polling day. The two actors, battling for the post of MAA President, shook hands and embraced each other to declare that they are all one.

Prakash Raj also shook hands with Mohan Babu and took his blessings. Mohan Babu had arrived early at the polling booth to bless his son Vishnu and claimed that the panel enjoyed support of majority of voters.

MAA founding President Chiranjeevi said he cast his vote as per his conscience. He said every time MAA elections were being held with the same acrimony and called for putting an end to this trend.

Actor politician Pawan Kalyan was one of the first to cast his votes. Talking to reporters, the Jana Sena president declined to name the panel he votes for saying this would amount to influencing voters. He said MAA elections would have no bearing on the friendship between his brother Chiranjeevi and Mohan Babu. Pawan said the film industry will not split due to MAA polls.

Chiranjeevi's other brother Naga Babu, however, told reporters that he cast his vote for the Prakash Raj panel.

Leading actor Balakrishna told reporters after casting his vote that Prakash Raj and Vishnu are like brothers. The actor politician, who had earlier declared his support to Vishnu, said he votes for those who will do better.

Veteran actor Jaya Prada also cast her vote. Mohan Babu said she flew in from Delhi at his request to participate in the voting.

Ileana, who had been staying away from Telugu films following his marriage to Bollwyood actor Ritesh Deshmukh, also came to Hyderabad to cast his vote. She said MAA will soon have a super President.

There was mild tension at polling booth when Vishnu panel members alleged that Prakash Raj panel members were campaigning inside the booth. Siva Balaji tried to stop a member of Prakash Raj panel who was allegedly giving dummy ballot to voters. There was heated argument between the two groups and the police had to intervene to pacify them.

Mohan Babu also took exception to campaigning by Prakash Raj panel inside the booth. He urged voters to leave in five minutes after exercising their franchise. There was also heated argument between Siva Balaji and Hema.
Dubai, Oct 10 : Ruturaj Gaikwad (70 off 50 balls) and Robin Uthappa (63 off 44 balls) played important knocks to power Chennai Super Kings to a four-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 1 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. With this win, the three-time champions enter their ninth final in the tournament. It was also Chennais first win against Delhi after four losses in a row in the IPL.

Chasing 173, Chennai were given an early jolt as Anrich Nortje bowled Faf du Plessis through the gate on the fourth ball of the innings. Robin Uthappa, promoted surprisingly, got off the mark with a drive through covers before welcoming Avesh Khan in the next over with a boundary.

Ruturaj Gaikwad welcomed Kagiso Rabada in the fourth over by charging down the pitch and slamming a straight six. Uthappa followed it up with a flick off Rabada before taking 20 runs off Khan in the final over of power-play, inclusive of two fours over mid-wicket and mid-off apart from as many sixes over long-on.

Delhi pulled things back by drying the boundaries in four overs after power-play. But Gaikwad and Uthappa kept the scoreboard ticking with the latter reaching his half-century in 35 balls. Gaikwad hit Patel for a four and six over his head in the 11th over. Uthappa went after Ravichandran Ashwin in the next over, slamming him for back-to-back fours.

But Tom Curran broke the 110-run partnership in the 14th over, as Uthappa miscued the pull to be safely pouched by Shreyas Iyer at long-on after tossing the ball in the air. One brought two for Curran as Shardu' Thakur's promotion to four ended in holing out to long-on. In the next over, Ambati Rayudu was run-out as Iyer fired in a throw from long-on which Rabada collected quickly to whip off the bails.

Despite the quick wickets, Gaikwad continued to march on with a boundary off Khan before taking two fours off Nortje in the next ove'. Gaikwad's knock ended at 70 as he swung hard, only for deep mid-wicket to take a brilliant diving catch in the 19th over. But Ali hit Khan for a four through backward point before Dhoni clobbered a six over deep mid-wicket to take 11 off the over.

With 13 needed off the final over, Ali mistimed a pull to deep square leg off Curran on the first ball. Dhoni then struck consecutive boundaries off Curran; slapping over extra cover followed by an inner edge running through fine leg. Dhoni finished off the chase in style with a pull through mid-wicket, giving his team a spot in the final.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 172/5 in 20 overs (Prithvi Shaw 60, Rishabh Pant 51 not out, Josh Hazlewood 2/29, Ravindra Jadeja 1/23) lost to Chennai Super Kings 173/6 in 19.4 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 70, Robin Uthappa 63, Tom Curran 3/29, Anrich Nortje 1/31) by four wickets.

Latest updates on IPL 2021
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Bollywood actor Swara Bhaskar, who has been always the subject of heavy trolling and criticism on social media platforms, on Sunday, filed a complaint at a police station, here, over alleged objectionable comments against her on micro-blogging site Twitter.

According to sources, the actress has filed a complaint at the Vasant Kunj police station in Delhi as some messages were circulated on social media platforms, which she said were "intended to outrage her modesty".

A police officer said that they have registered an FIR, based on her complaint, under sections 354 D and 509 of the Indian Penal Code and section 67 of the IT act. Sources said that the police have initiated an investigation into the case.

Bhaskar, 33, has always been the centre of attraction of the trolls on social media platforms because of her open views on several political issues.

Earlier, in the day, Bhaskar while speaking to a TV channel, said that this culture of trolling has become a reality these days.

Responding to a question as to why only she is being targeted by a certain section of trolls, Bhaskar said that the prime reason being is she engages with most of the people on social media. "I don't keep quiet, I respond," she stated.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Oct 10 : Six weeks before the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change released a Consultation Paper with several proposals to amendment in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, it had sent a letter to Principal Secretaries, Forests of all states and Union Territories with a subject line: "Considering linear projects linked to mining projects as standalone projects- regarding." "Supplementary linear projects linked to mining that are conceived after the start of the original mining, should be considered as a standalone linear project and decisions on according approval for those shall be made at the Regional Empowered Committee/ Integrated Regional Office concerned as per provisions provided in the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003," the letter of August 23, 2021 said.

It also put in certain conditions to prevent misuse of the provision.

Eight months before that - in December 2020 - the Ministry had decided to allow coal mining on non-forest lands of a mining area by obtaining preliminary clearance (called State I Forest Clearance) under the Act. Under the FCA, non-forest activities such as mining had to obtain forest clearance in two stages.

Cut to October 2021 when on October 2, the Ministry issued the Consultation Paper - put out in public domain on October 4 - and among the several proposals for amendment is the one that relates to mining in forest areas.

"New technologies are coming up such as Extended Reach Drilling (ERD), which enables exploration or extraction of oil and natural gas deep beneath the forest land but making drilling holes from outside the forest areas and without impacting the soil or aquifer that supports the forest in the forest land. Ministry considers use of such technology is quite environment-friendly and as such should be kept outside the purview of Act," read one of the proposed amendments.

This has not gone well with activists.

"The fact that the Ministry is certifying drilling machines shows its willingness, the recklessness with which this government cares two hoots for forests," said Bengaluru's Environment Support Group, an advocacy NGO that also files petitions against environmental and forest laws' violations, coordinator Leo Saldanha.

As at now, no one has any idea of how this ERD will impact the geology in that area.

"The government's claim that this technology of drilling holes from outside the forest areas without impacting the soil or aquifer that supports the forest in the forest land is suspect... it is not supported by any scientific evidence," said think tank Centre for Financial Accountability researcher Dhwani Shah.

Shah said she has travelled in Jharkhand and seen the large scale devastation caused by machines used for boring in mining. "These are huge machines called diamond drilling machines. These cannot be airlifted and need to cut massive jungles for taking it by road to the site," she said.

"There is no clarity about how exactly this ERD will save forest areas." But the confusion is not restricted to such procedural issues. The Consultation Paper spent a good 321 words on how sub section 2 (II) and 2 (III) of the FCA together have been creating confusion in many respects and therefore, "proposed to delete the sub-section 2 (III) of the Act and clarify that sub-section 2 (II) can be invoked for any kind of lease assignment having an intention of using for non-forestry purpose".

Given the context of the August letter and the December 2020 developments mentioned above, pieces fall in place and the picture does not at all relate to conservation of forests but of chipping it away, one piece at a time.

The Consultation Paper does not have a single word about tribal rights, considered as a lapse by experts, as majority of minerals are mined from dense forest areas coinciding with tribal habitats.

Saldanha said scores of honest forest officers from the state governments are "shocked" to say the least after reading the proposed changes. "The forest officers from BJP-ruled states are highly unlikely to talk about it. I am hoping, those from the non-BJP ruled states will speak up. Even the government of Tamil Nadu should speak out," he said.

But it did not stop at that.

The Consultation Paper further said, the clause of explanation to 'non-forestry use' in Section 2 of the Act, identifies activities which are to be regarded as non-forestry activity and which are not for the purpose of that Section. "It is understood that activities which are ancillary to conservation of forests and wildlife should not be considered as non-forestry activities. Accordingly, it has been proposed that, establishment of zoos, safaris, Forest Training infrastructures etc should not come within the meaning of 'non-forestry activity' for the purpose of Section 2(ii) of the Act," it said.

Running of zoos and safaris without relevant scrutiny, as was done till now, would clearly mean there is no check on the number of people allowed in the pristine forest area and most important, no tab on environmental management of the site.

"Forest training infrastructure can be debatable, depending on the size of the building proposed. A single building in some forest division may not attract much problem but an almost resort-like raining centre in the middle of lush jungle certainly can," said a forest official, who did not wish to be identified as he is still in the service.

On Sunday, one of the foresters re-tweeted a poem posted by a nature enthusiast. The concluding lines of the poem from 2004 by Ruskin Bond couldn't have described the importance of foresters any better.

"Dear Foresters,/You have not toiled for fame or favour,/Your's has been a love of labour/Our thanks! Instead of desert sand/You've given us this green and growing land." Wonder what would the poet write today?
Dubai, Oct 10 : Ruturaj Gaikwad (70 off 50 balls) and Robin Uthappa (63 off 44 balls) played important knocks before MS Dhoni (18 not out off six balls) helped Chennai Super Kings book a spot in the IPL final for the ninth time. After winning the toss, Chennai conceded 172 runs before hunting down the target with two balls to spare to beat Delhi Capitals by four wickets in Qualifier 1 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

A target of 173 seemed tough as Anrich Nortje bowled Faf du Plessis through the gate on the fourth ball of the innings. Robin Uthappa, promoted to one-down ahead of Ambati Rauydu, got off the mark with a drive through covers before welcoming Avesh Khan in the next over with a boundary. Ruturaj Gaikwad welcomed Kagiso Rabada in the fourth over by charging down the pitch and slamming a straight six. Uthappa followed it up with a flick off Rabada before taking 20 runs off Khan in the final over of power-play.

Delhi pulled things back by drying up the boundaries in four overs after power-play. But Gaikwad and Uthappa kept the scoreboard with the latter reaching his half-century in 35 balls. Gaikwad took Patel for a four and six over his head in the 11th over. Uthappa went after Ravichandran Ashwin in the next over, slamming him for back-to-back fours.

But Tom Curran broke the 110-run partnership in the 14th over, as Uthappa miscued the pull to be safely pouched by Shreyas Iyer at long-on after tossing the ball in the air. One brought two for Curran as Shardul 'hakur's promotion to four ended in holing out to long-on. In the next over, Rayudu was run-out as Iyer fired a throw from long-on which Rabada collected quickly to whip off the bails.

Gaikwad continued to march before finding deep mid-wicket in the 19th over off Khan. But Ali hit Khan for a four through backward point before Dhoni clobbered a six over deep mid-wicket to take 11 off the over. With 13 needed off the final over, Ali mistimed a pull to deep square leg off Curran on the first ball. Dhoni then struck consecutive boundaries off Curran; slapping over extra cover followed by an inner edge running through fine leg. Dhoni finished off the chase in style with a pull-through mid-wicket, giving his team a spot in the final.

Earlier, Delhi were lifted from 80/4 in 10.2 overs to a competitive 172/4 in 20 overs, thanks to an excellent recovery staged by Shimron Hetmyer (37) and Rishabh Pant (51 not out). Delhi reached 51/2 in power-play, 43 of which came off Prithvi Shaw's bat off just 19 balls. Shaw began with two top-edge boundaries off Josh Hazlewood in the second over. Shaw took the attack against Deepak Chahar in the next over, collecting four boundaries, with the most impressive of them a back-foot punch through the gap in point.

Shikhar Dhawan lifted Hazlewood for a boundary in his next over. But on the next ball, Hazlewood got Dhawan (7) to nick behind on a seaming-away delivery. But there was no stopping Shaw as he hit two sixes over mid-wicket and down the ground off Thakur. Thakur almost had Shaw out on 42 as MS Dhoni spilled a difficult one-handed catch to his right.

Hazlewood had his second wicket of the match as Iyer (1) miscued a flick on the cross-seamer to cover point. Shaw brought up his fifty in 27 balls with a cut through point followed by a sweep through the square on the leg-side off Ravindra Jadeja. Patel's promotion at four didn't pay off, holing out to long-on off Ali in the tenth over. In the next over, Jadeja ended Shaw's stay as the right-hander mistimed the loft to a diving long-off running to his left.

Hetmyer and Pant shared an 83-run partnership off 50 balls for the fifth'wicket. The duo's partnership meant that Delhi regained rhythm which had slowed down in the overs 10-13. Dwayne Bravo separated the pair in 19th over as Hetmyer mistimed pull to wide long-on. Pant reached his fifty on the final ball with a brace as Delhi finished beyond'170, which wasn't enough in stopping Chennai from maintaining their clean slate while chasing this season.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 172/5 in 20 overs (Prithvi Shaw 60, Rishabh Pant 51 not out, Josh Hazlewood 2/29, Ravindra Jadeja 1/23) lost to Chennai Super Kings 173/6 in 19.4 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 70, Robin Uthappa 63, Tom Curran 3/29, Anrich Nortje 1/31) by four wickets.

Latest updates on IPL 2021

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
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I did all the things I was told I should do,

to pursue a career and a family, too.

Shelter Matters was founded in 2020 by local entrepreneur and philanthropist, Max Appel, who had become concerned over the lack of a larger, coordinated effort to bring about the kind of change that will have a lasting impact on the lives of so many living on the street---not only in Denver, but across the country as well. He teamed up with Melinda Paterson, a longtime advocate for the homeless and former Executive Director of Fathers Woodys Haven of Hope, to address the growing problem of homelessness through a grassroots movement that educates and activates the community. The campaign, designed by Denver non- profit marketer David Sevick, is based on a rhythmic-cadenced poem that Sevick wrote, which chronicles one mans shocking journey into homelessness. Excerpts from the poem will be featured in a series of promotions beginning in September of 2021 and culminating with National Homeless Awareness month in October.

Appel believes their efforts will help achieve one of the primary goals of the organization, which is to influence elected officials at the local, state, and national levels to initiate much-needed legislation that will create and support new as well as existing programs and services designed to reduce the homeless population.

Both Appel and Paterson agree that the biggest contributors to the ongoing problem of homelessness are the absence of prevention initiatives and adequate housing, along with the publics lack of understanding of what it is truly like to be living on the street.

Im determined to get myself back on my feet.

To find a way out of this life on the street.

Ill do what Im able to shorten my stay

In this strange outdoor prison where Im living each day.

It's easy to look away from those living on the street, believing that they choose that lifestyle or that theyre drug users or theyre lazy, said Paterson, who now serves as Executive Director of the organization. But the reality is that no one grows up wishing they were homeless. If we dont work from an understanding of why people are homeless, were just putting a band-aid on the problem.

Appel says the ultimate goal would be the creation of a permanent government agency dedicated solely to addressing the problem of homelessness, prevention, and providing viable housing options and vital wrap-around services to help those living on the street.

Im strong and resilient, I know how to cope.

I may lose possessions, but Ill always have hope.

Hope keeps me going til Im back on my feet,

And keeps me alive while I live on the street.

The campaign, which offers a starkly realistic glimpse of life on the street, will encourage involvement from the community, including the development of a series of calls-to-action designed to convince people to play an active role in a variety of capacities. You can find out more information on their website at ShelterMatters.org or by calling 720.287.3836.

ABOUT THE POEM

For more than 25 years, David Sevicks rhythmic-cadenced poetry has been included at celebrations of all kinds, including weddings, engagements, retirement parties, birthdays, holidays, and even funerals. Max Appel and his wife Elaine were first exposed to Sevicks work in 2017 while attending the annual a local fundraising gala at which he presented a heart-tugging piece about children living with autism. Appel thought Sevicks work might serve as an ideal vehicle through which he could give a voice to the homeless. Sevick does this with the story of one mans introduction to living on the street as he faces various problems and crises that are common to homeless individuals along his journey. The poem is divided into three sections, each offering a glimpse at a different aspect of homelessness: how homelessness happens, how one adjusts to such a change in their life, and the importance of hope.

A LIFE ON THE STREET

By David Sevick

 2021 Shelter Matters All rights reserved; Any unauthorized usage is strictly prohibited.

Part One: How Did This Happen?

You dont know my name but you see me each day

You try and ignore me as you go on your way.

To many, Im much like a rodent or pest

That must be removed from the streets I infest.

You dont know my story, but you think that you do

You see me as lazy and nothing like you.

You dont know that I was the neighbor youd greet

as you walked with your dog by my house on your street.

I know I look different, Im not at my best

Im sure I look dirty with the way that Im dressed.

The chance to clean up comes but once in a while

Just a bath and clean clothes give me reason to smile.

But how did this happen? How can this be?

And even more baffling is the question, Why me?

I did all the things I was told I should do

to pursue a career and a family, too.

I worked very hard, I followed each rule

To put food on the table, send my kids off to school.

To be a good person, the best I could be

But this outcome Im living I could not foresee.

Like dominoes falling, my life took a turn

Got fired from my job, no wages to earn.

The bills started piling, my wife left one day

She packed up the kids and they all went away.

I was left on my own, couldnt pay for the rent

Couldnt buy any food, all the moneyd been spent.

Evicted from home with no place I could live

An immeasurable shame that I could not forgive.

So I took some belongings and got in my car

No money for gas, so I didnt get far.

Continued my journey with just my two feet

Darkness was falling as I walked on the street.

My legs were exhausted, I needed to rest

My limits and patience were put to the test.

I found a large tree under which I could sleep

In the dark, cold night, I started to weep.

But the tears served no purpose; no one would hear

My sadness was partnered with worry and fear.

The life I had known has been taken away.

Now I struggle to live as I face each new day.
At Experience Care, we truly believe in our mission and the value we provide, Long said. So borrowing from the ideas of Traction was a no-brainer.

By October 1, a software vendor in long-term care, Experience Care, surpassed its annual goals in sales, three months ahead of schedule. This is largely due to its adoption of the business strategies put forth in Gino Wickmans Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business.

In 2012, Wickman published a work that advised businesses to embrace an Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) in order to reach the success they envision for themselves. This process consists of six components: vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction. Wickman argues that, by determining its core values, creating a process by which they can be achieved at different points in time, and putting the right people in the right places, a business will gain traction, or, make real progress toward its goals. Traction would go on to become a best seller and impact how tens of thousands of organizations operate.

One of the businesses to successfully implement the ideas in Traction may come as a bit of a surprise: an electronic health record (EHR) vendor in Texas with over half a century of experience in the long-term care industry. But when 41-year-old CEO Jason Long was brought on to update the organizations business model in July of 2020, he embraced this latest trend. At Experience Care, we truly believe in our mission and the value we provide, he said. So borrowing from the ideas of Traction was a no-brainer.

The means by which the team at Experience Care implemented the ideas from Traction can be summarized as follows:



Leadership determined the companys core values: empathy, vision, problem-solving, passion for the specific work, reliability, collaboration, and centering clients.

Based on those values, five-year goals were set, and those include: developing a reputation as the leader in long-term care software, instilling in team members a work-life balance, winning two prestigious awards for being the best place to work, training 80 percent of the team on the best long-term care practices, and giving 100 percent of clients the tools they need to achieve or maintain five-star surveys.

Every Friday, during team meetings, Long reiterates Experience Cares mission and vision: Make every long-term care organization a fulfilling place to live and work by helping maximize financial success and compliance to achieve the best teams, care, and outcomes.

Once every two weeks, team members meet with their direct supervisors to assess themselves in terms of the progress they are making toward their goals and the extent to which they embody the companys core values. The supervisors then share their own assessments and offer support in the pursuit of meeting future goals.

Long and Experience Cares leadership teams successful experiment using the concepts from Traction should pave the way for more industries to embrace the most cutting-edge approaches in business. For more industry insights, refer to Experience Cares blog, updated multiple times a week. You can also subscribe to the LTC Heroes podcast, which features a different leader in long-term care in each episode.

About Experience Care LLC: Founded in 1969, Experience Care LLC is one of the largest providers of electronic health records, revenue cycle management, and financial systems to skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, continuing care retirement communities, long-term acute care, and other long-term care organizations in the U.S. Experience Cares mission is to make every long-term care organization a fulfilling place to live and work by helping maximize financial success and compliance to achieve the best teams, care, and outcomes.


Published:

21 September 2021

Hongwei Dang

PhD Candidate, Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam

Foreign arbitration institutions may, theoretically, be relevant for the Chinese arbitration market in two ways. First, they might conduct arbitrations in mainland China by establishing operating offices there. Second, without business offices in place, they may still be involved by administering cases seated in mainland China. In reality, there have been legal obstacles and uncertainties for foreign arbitration institutions to provide arbitration services in China.[1] Recent years have witnessed a series of developments that represent a significant step towards the removal of the barriers for foreign arbitration institutions to enter the Chinese arbitration market.

First, both Shanghai and Beijing have allowed reputable foreign arbitration and dispute resolution institutions to set up operations in the designated area.

Basis for setting up operations in Shanghai Lin-Gang Special Area

To implement the relevant polices set out in the Framework Plan for the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area issued by the State Council on 27 July 2019[2] and the Measures for the Administration of the Lin-Gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone passed by the People's Government of Shanghai Municipality on July 30 2019[3], the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice released the Measures for the Administration of Overseas Arbitration Institutions' Establishment of Business Departments in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area on 21 October 2019.[4]

Eligible overseas arbitration institutions

Under the Measures for the Administration, from 1 January 2020, non-profit arbitration institutions legally established in foreign countries and in Hongkong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as arbitrations institutions established by international organizations joined by China may apply for the registration of establishing a business division in the New Lin-Gang Area. To be eligible to apply, the arbitration institutions must also meet the following requirements: (i) it has been lawfully incorporated overseas and in existence for more than five years; (ii) it has conducted substantial arbitration activities overseas, and acclaimed high international reputation[5]; (iii) The person who would be in charge of the business division has not been subjected to a criminal penalty for any willful offense. Accordingly, the several well-known international arbitration institutions, including the Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Court (SCC), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) are all covered by the Measures for the Administration.[6] Eligible overseas arbitration institutions may submit their applications to the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice who would examine the materials and decide whether to approve the registration within two months from the date of acceptance.

Permissible arbitration activities

The business division may conduct foreign-related arbitration business concerning civil and commercial disputes arising in international commerce, maritime, investment and other fields. More specifically, it may provide arbitral services including (i) acceptance, trial, hearing and awarding of cases; (ii) case management and services; and (iii) business consultation, guidance, training and discussion. It should be noted that the business division is not allowed to engage in the arbitration of cases with no foreign elements or further establish any branch or representative office.

With regard to what constitutes foreign-related arbitration, according to Article 1 of the Interpretations of the Supreme People's Court on Several Issues Concerning Application of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Choice of Law for Foreign-Related Civil Relationships (I), a civil relationship can be considered foreign-related when it falls under any of the following circumstances: (i) where either party or both parties are foreign citizens, foreign legal persons or other organizations or stateless persons; (ii) where the habitual residence of either party or both parties is located outside the territory of the People's Republic of China; (iii) where the subject matter is outside the territory of the People's Republic of China; (iv) where the legal fact that leads to establishment, change or termination of civil relationship happens outside the territory of the People's Republic of China; or (v) other circumstances under which the civil relationship may be determined as foreign-related civil relationship. In practice, one form of other circumstances is where both parties are wholly foreign-owned enterprises registered in Free Trade Zones (FTZ). Under this circumstance, courts have considered the civil relationship as foreign-related.[7] Therefore, it is likely that the business division can also hear cases where both parties are wholly foreign-owned enterprises registered in FTZ.

Judicial Services and Guarantees

On 13 December 2019, the Supreme People's Court issued Opinions of the Supreme People's Court on Provision Regarding the Judicial Services and Guarantees Provided by the People's Courts for the Construction of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area, Article 6 of which further clarifies the judicial support for overseas arbitration institutions establishing an operating office in Lin-Gang Special Area. This Article provides that The reform of and innovation on the arbitration system in Lin-Gang Area shall be supported and overseas arbitration institutions registered shall be supported in arbitrating civil and commercial disputes in international commercial affairs, maritime affairs, investment, and other fields in Lin-Gang Area. The application for and enforcement of property preservation, evidence preservation, conduct preservation and other interim measures before and during arbitration process shall be supported and guaranteed in accordance with the law, judicial examination shall be conducted for arbitral awards according to the law, and Shanghai shall be supported in turning into an Asia-Pacific arbitration center.

From this provision it is understood that the cases administered by the business divisions in Lin-Gang Special Area would be viewed as domestic arbitrations. More specifically, since these business divisions are only allowed to handle disputes with foreign elements, procedures applicable to foreign-related arbitration laid down in relevant laws (e.g. The Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China, Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China) are likely to be applied to the arbitrations administered by them. As such, a party applied for a preservation measure may need to submit his or her application through the business division of the overseas arbitration institutions to the intermediate peoples court at the place of domicile of the respondent, or at the place where the respondent's property is located or at the place where the evidence is located.[8] In addition, with the status of foreign-related arbitration awards, according to Article 70 and 71 of Arbitration Law, the examination of the awards by the peoples court for the set aside or non-enforcement is limited to the defects in the validity of the arbitration agreement and major procedural issues in the arbitration.[9] Unlike the domestic arbitration awards without foreign elements, the substantive issues in the foreign-related arbitration awards will not be reviewed.[10]

Beijing Municipality embraces similar policies

On 28 August 2020, the State Council replied to and approved the Plan for Deepening the Comprehensive Pilot Program of a New Round of Expanding Opening-up of the Service Sector in Beijing Municipality and Building a National Comprehensive Demonstration Zone for Expanding Opening-up of the Service Sector. According to the Plan, similar to the policies introduced by Lin-Gang Special Area concerning arbitration, well-known overseas arbitral and dispute resolution institutions shall be allowed to establish business divisions in specific areas of Beijing, as registered with the justice department of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and filed with the justice department of the State Council, to provide arbitration services with respect to civil and commercial disputes arising in international commerce, investment and other fields, so as to legally support and guarantee Chinese and foreign parties application for and enforcement of interim measures such as property preservation, evidence preservation and conduct preservation before and during arbitration. Further details for the implementation of the policy is not yet issued.

Second, latest court practices have also sent out positive signals for foreign arbitration institutions to administer cases seated in mainland China.

Confirming the validity of arbitration agreements providing for arbitration administered by foreign arbitration institutions and seated in mainland China

There have been controversies over the validity of arbitration agreements providing for foreign arbitration institutions administering arbitrations with a seat in mainland China. In recent years, the practice of the courts has consistently recognized the validity of such agreements, largely dispelling any doubts.

In 2013, in the Reply of the Supreme People's Court to the Request for Instructions on Application for Confirming the Validity of an Arbitration Agreement in the Case of Anhui Long Li De Packaging and Printing Co., Ltd. v. BP Agnati S. R. L., the Supreme Peoples Court (SPC) upheld the validity of the arbitration agreement providing for ICC arbitration seated in Shanghai.[11] In this case, since the parties didnt agree upon the laws governing the examination of the validity of the arbitration agreement, the SPC applied the laws at the place of arbitration, i.e. the laws of the PRC according to Article 16 of the Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court concerning Some Issues on Application of the Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China.[12] According to Article 16 of the Arbitration Law, an arbitration agreement shall contain three elements, namely (i) the intention of requesting for arbitration; (ii) subject matter of arbitration; and (iii) the choice of the arbitration commission. The SPC decided that the arbitration agreement at issue had the intention of requesting for arbitration, stipulated the subject matter of arbitration and specified the choice of arbitration institution, and therefore shall be deemed valid.

In the same year, in the Reply of the Supreme Peoples Court to the Request for Instructions on the Validity of an Arbitration Clause in the Case of the Sale and Purchase Contract Dispute Between Ningbo Beilun Licheng Lubricating Oil Co., Ltd. and Formal Venture Corp., the SPC held that the arbitration clause providing for ICC arbitration in Beijing should not be deemed invalid.[13]

On 29 June 2020, the Shanghai Intermediate Peoples Court confirmed the validity of the arbitration agreement agreeing to SIAC arbitration seated in Shanghai in the case of Daesung Industrial Gases Co., Ltd v Praxair (China) Investment Co., Ltd.[14] With regard to the respondents view that there were no provisions in the Arbitration Law of the PRC allowing foreign arbitration institutions to administer cases seated in mainland China, the Court offered the following four reasons for its dismissal.[15]

First, as a form of alternative dispute resolution, the very essence of arbitration was about settling disputes voluntarily by the parties and, in this sense, did not relate to the issue of whether China had opened up its arbitration market to foreign arbitration institutions.

Second, the judicial interpretations issued by the SPC shall have full legal force. According to the Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on the Judicial Interpretation Work, the SPCs Reply was one of the forms of judicial interpretations.[16] In SPCs Reply to the case of Long Li De Packaging and Printing Co., Ltd. v. BP Agnati S. R. L., the SPC confirmed the validity of an arbitration agreement seeking for arbitrations administered by a foreign arbitration institution and seated in mainland China.

Third, there was nothing in Chinese law that explicitly prohibited foreign arbitration institutions from administering cases seated in mainland China. The respondents view that foreign arbitration institutions were not allowed to administer cases seated in mainland China was also contrary to the trends in the development of international commercial arbitration.

Fourth, legislation and judicial practice should complement one another. Although the Arbitration Law did not tackle the issue of whether foreign arbitration institutions could administer cases seated in mainland China due to the lack of an international perspectives back when it was formulated, the judicial interpretation of the SPC provided guidance on this issue. The respondents view fixated solely on the problems with the Arbitration Law, while ignoring the legal effects of judicial interpretations and the progress made by Chinas judicial system in aligning with the trends in the development of international commercial arbitration.

Enforcement of arbitral awards rendered in cases seated in mainland China and administered by foreign arbitration institutions

On 6 August 2020, the Guangzhou Intermediate Peoples Court ruled in Brentwood Industries (US) v Guangzhou Zhengqi Trading Co Ltd[17]that an arbitral award issued in an ICC arbitration seat in Guangzhou should be viewed as a foreign-related domestic arbitration award and enforced under the Civil Procedure Law of the PRC. The Courts ruling reinforces the tendency that, in determining the nationality of an arbitration award, the seat standard is replacing the institution standard and becoming the norm.[18] In other words, the nationality of an arbitral award will be determined based on the seat of the arbitration rather than the locality of the arbitration institution, which highlights the trend of internationalization of the Chinese arbitration regime.[19]

Concluding remarks

From allowing well-known overseas arbitration institutions to establish business divisions in the designated area in Shanghai and Beijing to confirming the validity of arbitration agreements providing for foreign arbitration institutions to administer arbitration seated in mainland China and facilitating the enforcement of the arbitral awards rendered in such arbitrations, the recent practices show Chinas willingness to open up its arbitration market to foreign players and improve the arbitration regime to align with internationally acceptable standards. The proposed amendment of the PRC Arbitration Law reinforces this trend in many aspects, for example, the new provisions regarding foreign arbitration institutions setting up operational entities in PRC and the formal adoption of the seat standard in determining the nationality of arbitral awards. With this pro-arbitration environment, it is anticipated that foreign arbitration institutions will be more involved in the Chinese arbitration market in the future.

[1] Martin Rogers and Noble Mak. Foreign Administered Arbitration in China: The Emergence of a Framework Plan for the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone. Kluwer Arbitration Blog, 6 September 2019.

[2] No. 15 [2019] of the State Council, Part 2 Item 4, effective from 27 July 2019, http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2019-08/06/content_5419154.htm

[3] Order of the Shanghai Municipal Peoples Government [2019] No. 19, Article 13, effective from 20 August 2019, http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw2/nw2314/nw2319/nw2407/nw45024/u26aw61615.html

[4] No. 5 [2019] of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice, effective from 1 January 2020, http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw2/nw2314/nw2319/nw41149/u83aw7149.html

[5] The assessment of whether an arbitration institution has a high international reputation will be mainly based on a comprehensive inspection of the following elements: (i) the number, the value of subject matters, and the level of internationalization of arbitration cases handled by the arbitration institution; (ii) factors such as the ranking of arbitration institutions issued by authoritative magazines, newspapers, and evaluation agencies in the field of international arbitration, etc. Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice, Application Guidelines for Business Offices Established by Overseas Arbitration Institutions in Lin-Gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

[6] It is reported that HKIAC, SIAC and other well-known international arbitration institutions are discussing with the Lin-gang Special Area Administration about their intention to establishing a business division. See Sina Shanghai, Overseas arbitration institutions can set up business divisions in Lin-Gang Special Area, with a maximum reward of 1 million ( 100), 21 May 2020, http://sh.sina.com.cn/news/b/2020-05-21/detail-iirczymk2862501.shtml

[7] See No.4 of Second Group of Model Cases Involving Construction of the Belt and Road Published by the Supreme People's Court: Siemens International Trade (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. v. Shanghai Golden Landmark Co., Ltd. (Case concerning application for recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award). See also, Article 9 of the Opinions of the Supreme People's Court on Providing Judicial Guarantee for the Building of Pilot Free Trade Zones, which specifies that where two wholly foreign-owned enterprises registered in FTZ agree that any commercial dispute shall be submitted to arbitration out of China, the relevant arbitration agreement shall not be determined to be null and void for the reason that their dispute has no foreign-related factors. Normally, if domestic parties submit a case concerning contractual disputes and other disputes over rights and interests in property that have no foreign-related factors to a foreign arbitration institution for arbitration or an ad hoc arbitration in a foreign country, the peoples court would determine the relevant arbitration agreement to be null and void. The Supreme Peoples Court, Answer to Practical Questions in the Trial of Foreign Related Commercial and Maritime Cases, Article 83, 2008.

[8] Article 272 of The Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (2017 Amendment), Article 68 of Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China (2017 Amendment).

[9] The specific circumstances are (i) The contract between the parties does not include an arbitration clause or the parties have not reached any written arbitration agreement after a dispute arose; (ii) The respondent is not notified to appoint an arbitrator or of the conduct of arbitration procedure or fails to present its case, which is not attributable to the fault of the respondent; (iii) The composition of the arbitration tribunal or the arbitration procedure is not in conformity with arbitration rules; and (iv)the matters arbitrated are outside the scope of an arbitration agreement or the arbitral institution has no arbitration power.

[10] Jia Gu, The "butterfly effect" of overseas arbitration institutions administrating arbitration cases in China (), 2019, Pkulaw.com, CLI.A.231367.

[11] No. 13 [2013] of the Civil Division IV of the Supreme People's Court, issued on 25 March 2013.

[12] Article 16 reads as follows The examination of the effectiveness of an agreement for arbitration which involves foreign interests shall be governed by the laws agreed upon between the parties concerned; if the parties concerned did not agree upon the applicable laws but have agreed upon the place of arbitration, the laws at the place of arbitration shall apply; if they neither agreed upon the applicable laws nor agreed upon the place of arbitration or the place of arbitration is not clearly agreed upon, the laws at the locality of the court shall apply. Interpretation No. 7 [2006] of the Supreme Peoples Court, effective from 8 September 2006.

[13] No. 74 [2013] of the Civil Division IV of the Supreme People's Court, issued on 5 December 2013.

[14] No. 83 [2020] of the Civil Division of the Shanghai Intermediate Peoples Court, issued on 29 June 2020.

[15] Terence Wong and Yanan Zhao. Keep It Open: Recent Rulings Reaffirm Validity of Foreign Arbitration Seated in China. Lexology, 12 October 2020.

[16] No.12 [2007] of the Supreme Peoples Court, effective from 1 April 2007.

[17] No. 62 [2015] of the Civil Division IV of the Guangzhou Intermediate Peoples Court (trial at first instance), issued on 6 August 2020.

[18] Ke Hu and Xi Lin. Chinese Law or No Law: The Lex Arbitri for Arbitrations Conducted by Overseas Arbitration Institutions in Mainland China. Kluwer Arbitration Blog, 9 September 2015.

[19] Zhang Shouzhi, Huang Tao and Xiong Yan. The Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review 2021: China. Global Arbitration Review, 11 June 2020.
Reality TV personality Kim Kardashian mocked herself and her famous family during her opening monologue on this weekend's edition of Saturday Night Live.

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The guest host mined for laughs her infamous sex tape, her late father Robert Kardashian 's legal defense of accused murderer O.J. Simpson, and the political ambitions of her estranged husband, rapper Kanye West , and her former step-father, Caitlyn Jenner.

Kardashian joked that she was surprised to be asked to appear on SNL because she hadn't had a movie premiere in a really long time.

"I only had that one movie come out and no one told me it was even premiering. It must have slipped my mom's mind," she said, referring to Kris Jenner, her mother and manager.

Kardashian insisted there is more to her than her good looks, explaining she has been following in her lawyer father's footsteps by working hard to have wrongly accused people released from prison.

"It's because of him that I met my first Black person," Kardashian said. "Want to take a stab in the dark at who it was? I know it's sort of weird to remember the first Black person you met, but O.J. does leave a mark or several or none at all. I still don't know."

Simpson was found not guilty in a criminal trial of the 1994 stabbing deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman. He was, however, found responsible for the slayings in a civil trial.

Kardashian also delivered barbs about Kanye West's and Caitlyn Jenner's respective campaigns for U.S. president and California governor.

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"Now, I know we're divided as a country, but I'd love America to come together, which is why I'm here to announce that I'm running for...," she teased. "I'm just kidding, guys! I'm not running for president. We can't have three failed politicians in one family."

Later in the evening, Kardashian appeared in comedy sketches sending up dating competition and courtroom reality shows. Chris Rock, John Cena, Chace Crawford, Amy Schumer, Jesse Williams, Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian guest starred.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

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Snow showers this evening. Becoming partly cloudy later. Low 31F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

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Snow showers this evening. Becoming partly cloudy later. Low 31F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Despite their small numbers and the challenges they face, Native American students at UGA are banding together to examine the troubled past of the university and look toward a future that is hopefully more accepting of Indigenous people.
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Becoming partly cloudy after some evening light rain. Low around 35F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

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Becoming partly cloudy after some evening light rain. Low around 35F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Beckley, WV (25801)

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Chance of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 26F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

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Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who is on a three-day visit to India, arrived at the Agra airport on Saturday night. Following this, she is expected to visit the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort on Sunday, October 10, which might be closed for the general public for two hours. While Uttar Pradesh Minister Shrikanth Sharma was at the airport to welcome the Danish counterpart.

Earlier on Saturday, The Danish PM was accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by wreath-laying at Mahatma Gandhis samadhi at Rajghat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Danish counterpart held a bilateral meeting over various issues, including India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership.

Joint Press meet

Addressing a joint press meet with PM Modi In Delhi, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said, "You (PM Modi) are an inspiration for the rest of the world as you have set some very ambitious targets when it comes to clean water for over 1mn households and renewable energy. I'm proud that you have accepted my invitation to visit Denmark". She then invited PM Modi to participate in the second Nordic-India summit that will be organized in Copenhagen.

Further stressing the role of being a democratic country in the world, she stated, "We are two democratic nations that believe in an international system based on rules. Cooperation between India and Denmark is a great example of how green growth and green transition can go hand in hand".

India and Denmark exchanged four agreements

India and Denmark signed four agreements signed including the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland on mapping of groundwater resources and aquifers.

The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Access Agreement between the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and the Danish Patent and Trademark Office was the second agreement signed after the bilateral talks.

The third MoU was signed to establish a Centre of Excellence towards natural refrigerants for tropical climates with potential applications between the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Danfoss Industries Private Limited.

A Joint Letter of Intent was the fourth agreement between the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, the Government of the Republic of India, and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark.

(With ANI input)

(Image: @ANINEWSUP/TWITTER)
In a major development, India and China are set to hold 13th round military talks to discuss ongoing stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. The Corps-Commander level talks will be taking place in Moldo-Chusul Personnel meeting point, which is the Chinese side of LAC, ANI reported citing Army sources. The current round of talk is aimed to seek resolution bid the friction point at Hot Springs.

The Indian side of the talks will be headed by Lt. General PGK Menon, commander of XIV Corps based in Leh. The other side will be led by Major General Liu Liu, commander of the South Xinjiang Military district.

Highlighting the motto of the 13th round talks, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday had stated that India expects China to "work towards early resolution of the remaining issue along the Line of Control (LoC) in Eastern Ladakh by fully abiding by bilateral protocols." It is to be noted that earlier on July 31, both countries engaged in bilateral discussions during the 12th round of the India-China Corps-Commander level meet, which resulted in the disengagement of troops in the Gogra region.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S Jaishankar during his visit to Tajikistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to lay the groundwork for the 13th round of talks. The diplomats discussed the dispute along the Hot Spring region. However speaking just ahead of the bilateral discussion, Indian Army Chief M M Naravane during his two-visit to the mountainous region of Ladakh on Friday noted that the Chinese have been engaged in developing infrastructure on their side of the region.

Tensions continue in Eastern Ladakh

A year since the Indian Army and People's Liberation Army (PLA) clashed in Galwan Valley, 12 rounds of military talks were held to facilitate the disengagement of troops along the LAC. However, while withdrawal from both sides was made effective along the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso and Gogra Post, minor skirmishes still continue to erupt in Eastern Ladakh's Hot Springs region.

As per recent developments, the Chinese have been preventing Indian troops from patrolling traditional points on the Depsang Plains near the Karakoram Pass. Also, last week both sides clashed in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh after Indian soldiers confronted over 150 Chinese troops. Similar tussles erupted in late August when nearly 100 PLA soldiers infringed into Indin territory in Barahoti in Uttarakhand.

With inputs from ANI

Image: ANI (representative)
In a recent update to the killing of innocent civilians in J&K, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned over 36 people who are supposed to appear before the NIA by 4 pm today, October 10. The majority of them are teachers working in schools in the Kashmir valley. Three civilians were killed by terrorists on Tuesday following which two school teachers were shot dead in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

NIA has not yet officially taken over the case. Inside sources of NIA have confirmed to Republic that top officials of the agency are camping in Srinagar to further investigate the case.

Five civilians killed in separate terrorist attacks in J&K

Terrorists launched four attacks in 36 hours and killed five civilians in Srinagar and Bandipora. According to the sources, minority communities Sikh and Hindus were targeted in the Union Territory. Following the revocation of Article 370, tensions over the border have increased leaving the minor communities in the confusion about how to handle the consequences.

On October 5, within a span of 60 minutes, three civilians in Jammu and Kashmir were killed in separate terrorist attacks. As per the Kashmir Zone Police reports, the first terrorist attack occurred in Srinagar's Iqbal Park area, then near Madina Chowk Lalbazar, and lastly at Bandipora district. Reportedly, the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba as per the J&K Police, has claimed responsibility for the attack near Srinagar's Iqbal Park where a Kashmiri pandit was killed.

In the second attack, a non-local civilian identified as Virender Paswan was killed by the terrorists. Paswan was a resident of Bihars Bhagalpur area and resided at Alamgari Bazar Zadibal. While in the third attack, a civilian identified as Mohd Shafi Lone, a resident of Naidkhai, was shot dead. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead. The incidents have been reported in the Union territory following the threat warning given by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, that minorities and other locals will be targeted.

While in another attack, two teachers were dragged from the classroom and shot dead in the terrorist attack that took place in Eidgah Sangam, a downtown area of Srinagar. Teachers identifies as Satinder Kaur and Deepak Chand were from Allochi Bagh.

(Image: PTI)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested four people on Sunday in connection with a spade of targeted killing of minorities in the Kashmir Valley. The suspects were arrested during NIA raids which started at around 6:30 am across four districts of J&K. Crucial evidence and concealed weapons were recovered from the arrested officials, sources told Republic TV.

The NIA has so far raided 16 locations and detained over 100 people linked to ISIS and TRF in a massive crackdown on terror in the Union Territory. The arrests were made in connection with the propaganda magazine 'Voice of Hind'. More arrests are expected in the case as further investigation is still underway.

The raids were conducted in the districts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Kulgam, and Anantnag. Activists linked to Jamat-E-Islami and Tehreeq-e-Hurriyat and those with terror history are being raided by the agency. While the case has not been officially handed over to the NIA, the officials have started a parallel investigation in the case. The Tanzeem-ul-Islami-ul-Furqan (TIF) cadre and the Islamic State cadre are also on the NIA's radar.

Earlier in the day, the officials over 36 people, the majority of them were teachers working in schools in the Kashmir valley. Three civilians were killed by terrorists on Tuesday following which two school teachers were shot dead in Jammu and Kashmir last Thursday.

MHA sends top NIA officials to Kashmir

The daylight murders of innocent Kashmiris have changed the security scenario in the valley and a new challenge is being posed by the Pakistan proxies for the security agencies. Top officials of the NIA from Delhi, including IG-rank officers as well as the special director of the Intelligence Bureau, are still camping in Kashmir to monitor raids and draw a strategy to crackdown terror in view of the recent events.

Significantly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken serious note of the killings and rushed over 100 top officials of the NIA to the valley. Sources told Republic TV that more arrests are expected at a larger magnitude as investigation of civilian killings is of paramount importance for the agencies. As per officials, the group which is carrying out targeted killings in Kashmir consists of around 12 terrorists who have links across the valley. The terrorists have launched four attacks in 36 hours and killed five civilians in Srinagar and Bandipora.

Image: PTI
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan will visit New York for an official visit from October 11-13, 2021. Muraleedharan will be the representative of India at the UN Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Peace-building and sustaining peace on October 12, 2021. Kenya will convene the meeting as it holds the Presidency of UN Security Council for the month of October, and the meeting will be chaired by President of Kenya, HE Uhuru Kenyatta.

The UN Security Council High Level will be held to discuss matters on conflict resolution and the prevention of conflicts. Other matters like state-building through effective management of diversity and promotion of peaceful co-existence will also be discussed. The discussion is also expected to provide a platform to member states that will allow them to share insights and experiences in the practical pursuit of peace-building and in sustaining peace. India has also contributed significantly to the peace-building and socio-economic development of countries transitioning from the conflict. Indias development partnership has been demand-driven and seeks to enhance sustainable capacity-building. India said that it would continue to work with its international partners, including the UN.

UN Security Councils approach to Afghanistan

Russias Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia announced that the members of the UN are against the lifting of sanctions on the Taliban and easing the sanctions will not be discussed. The Russian convoy said that the matter needs careful considerations along with intense discussions before coming to any decision. It was further reported that not just the five permanent members, but all other members have asked for caution while dealing with the new Afghan government. The decision to not include a single woman in the Taliban governments cabinet further distanced the UNs assembly and any route back will be difficult till Afghanistan produces results with better human rights records. Earlier last week, Wang Yu, the Chinese ambassador to Kabul, held a meeting with the Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and promised to continue providing aid and cooperation with the Afghanistan government without any conditions. China has already donated $15 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan along with three million doses of COVID vaccines.

Image: ANI
In the latest development in the Mumbai cruise drug bust probe, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) summoned Bollywood producer Imtiyaz Khatri once again on Monday. This development comes hours after the anti-drug agency conducted raids at the residence and office of Khatri in the city's Bandra area following which the Bollywood producer was questioned for over seven hours. Imtiaz Khatri has been summoned by the NCB for the second time on October 11.

Earlier in the day, Khatri was produced before the NCB office. The filmmaker and businessman was interrogated for around eight hours. The NCB alleged that Khatri is involved in the case. He is said to reportedly have close links with Aryan Khan and Arbaaz Merchant. So far, 19 arrests have been made by the premier agency in the cruise ship drug case.

#BREAKING | NCB summons Bollywood producer Imtiaz Khatri again on Monday in relation to the Mumbai cruise drug bust probe. Tune-in here for fast-paced developments & the latest updates - https://t.co/RZHKU3wOei pic.twitter.com/cM0BbojXQb  Republic (@republic) October 9, 2021

NCB intensifies Mumbai cruise drug bust case

As NCB has launched a massive whip in expose drug syndicate, Republic Media Network on Saturday accessed NCB's raid on the luxury cruise. The clip shows packaged material being pulled out from sanitary pads.

Aryan Khan, whose bail was rejected on Friday, is currently serving 14-judicial custody in Arthur jail with his friend and co-accused Arbaaz Merchant. Two other accused- Munmum Dhamecha and Nupur have been sent to Byculla jail.

On October 2, the NCB unearthed a high-profile party on Cordelia cruise that was en route to Goa from Mumbai. After eight-hour-operation, Aryan Khan and seven others were apprehended. They were later arrested and sent to NCB custody till October 7. Based on their statements and interrogations, several arrests were made, including drug peddlers and organisers.

On Saturday, NCB called Shah Rukh Khan's driver, identified as Mishra for interrogation. The panchnama registered by NCB mentions that Aryan Khan wanted to consume Charas and co-accused Arbaaz brought it to the ship. During questioning, Arbaaz admitted that the drug was going to be used by Aryan and him. "On asking, Aryan Shahrukh Khan admit he also consume charas and the charas was meant for a smoke during the cruise journey," panchnama added.
Hailing PM Modi's journey from 3-time Gujarat CM to Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, reminisced his 20-year long journey from Gujarat BJP, to CM to PM. In an exclusive interview with the state-run Sansad TV, Shah explained how Modi strengthened BJP's grass-root level organisation in Gujarat leading to its first electoral victory in 1987. BJP has marked the 20-year journey of PM Modi with 'Seva Samarpan' programs across India.

Shah on Modi's organisational journey in BJP

"Modi ji's public life can be divided into three parts. After joining BJP, the first period was of organizational work. The second period was during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the third period he became the Prime Minister by coming into national politics. These three periods were extremely challenging. When he became the organization minister, BJP's position in Gujarat was not good at that time," said Shah.

Shah on Modi as Gujarat CM

Lauding Modi's work as 3-time Gujarat CM, he said, "After becoming Chief Minister, he understood the nuances of administration with great patience, connected experts in the administration and took the plans of the government to the public. After his arrival in 1987, the first election was held for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and for the first time BJP came to power there on its own".

Shah on PM Modi's 7-year tenure

Extolling PM Modi's work in reviving India's reputation at a global stature, Shah said that the UPA era was filled with policy delay, internal strife. Comparing to the smooth functioning under NDA, he listed the Modi govt's many achievements like - triple talaq, one rank one pension, surgical strikes, revocation of article 370, economic reforms. He said that such decisions can be made only under a strong PM.

"Under the UPA government, the country was going down in every field, there was no respect for the country in the world. Policy decisions kept getting entangled in the internal strife of the government for months. Cabinet ministers did not attend office for 5 years. In such an environment, Modi ji took over as the Prime Minister of the country and today everything runs smoothly," said Shah.

He added, "Modi ji makes decisions by taking risks, this is true. No one dared to implement the law on triple talaq, one rank one pension. Everyone was silent on surgical and air strikes, no one dared to remove Article 370, decisions like various economic reforms. Only a prime minister with strong willpower could".

Dismissing the Left's ideologies, he said, "The Left path is not one to uplift the poor, but to sit in power by and gaining political capital for the discontent. After nearly 27 years of Left rule in Bengal, see the situation in Bengal, see the situation in Tripura, and compare them with Gujarat. Working for the people can be done even by being in opposition. When in power, the ruling govt takes certain decisions and the Opposition works to expose the holes in it".

PM Modi's 20-year journey

In 2001, Keshubhai Patel resigned as Gujarat CM due to failing health and a directive from the BJP's high command. The saffron party had reportedly told him to resign after 'sheer irregularities' in relief works after Jan 26, 2000 quake that had killed thousands, as per reports - making way for Narendra Modi's first stint as CM. Later, facing immense backlash for inaction in the 2002 Gujarat riots, Modi stepped down as CM - dissolving the Assembly. He was re-elected with a thumping majority of 127 seats and commenced his first stint as Maninagar MLA.

In subsequent elections, Modi made Gujarat BJP's impenetrable fortress winning elections in 2007, 2012 and 2017. Under his three stints as Gujarat CM, Modi was credited for the rapid growth of the states economy - dubbing it the 'Gujarat model'. With his widespread popularity, in June 2013 Modi was chosen as the BJP's PM face for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Riding the Modi wave, he was elected PM twice in 2014 and 2019. Under PM Modi's seven-year reign, the BJP govt has implemented several groundbreaking reforms like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Ujwala scheme, Jan Dhan Yojana, Awas Yojana, Garib Kalyan scheme and Jal Jeevan mission. His term has also been marked by controversies like demonetisation, snap revocation of Article 370, anti-CAA riots and farmers' protests.
Back in September 2021, a US federal Judge ruled one out of ten rulings in Epic Games' favour during the lawsuit file against Apple. US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez asked Apple not to prohibit developers from including external links in their applications that redirected customers for paying on other portals to avoid the commission Apple charges on payments made through Apple's App Store.

While the Cupertino-based company did not express its take on the ruling back then, Apple has filed an appeal on October 8, 2021, to delay the change they required to make in the App Store by December 9, 2021. Apple is opposing the ruling and stating previous hearings as evidence that transactions platforms like Apple's App Store promote healthy competition. Keep reading to know how Apple has appealed against the ruling by US Federal Judge.

Apple asks for a stay on the injunction that allows developers to put external payment links

The judge who was officiating the case found Apple to be guilty of violating California's anti-competition law and asked Apple to allow developers to put external links to their own payment systems. However, Apple states that it has already agreed to delete one section of its App Store Guidelines as a result of yet another lawsuit against Cameron. In its appeal against Judge Gonzalez's ruling, Apple argues that it would not be able to protect users from fraud if it is forced to allow developers to put external payment links in their apps. The company is asking for a stay on the injunction and now another hearing will take place in November 2021.

Judge ruled in favour of Epic Games, asking Apple to allow developers to out an external link

According to the injunction issued by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Apple is "hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from prohibiting developers from (i) including in their apps and their metadata buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to in-app purchasing and (ii) communicating with customers through points of contact, obtained voluntarily from customers through account registration within the app." The injunction was issued on 10 September and will take effect from 9 December, in a period of 90 days.
The local authorities suggest that at least 11 people have perished in central Angola's Huambo region in the last three months due to illegal mining, particularly gold. The deaths took place in the towns of Bailundo, Ucuma, Chinjenje, Longonjo, Caala, Chicala-Cholohanga, and Huambo, according to Huambo Provincial Commander of the National Police, Commissioner Francisco Ribas. According to the official, there are at least seven artisanal gold mining regions in this portion of the country. The number of illegal miners surpasses 2,000 people in just three of the areas. Commissioner Francisco Ribas said that the Huambo province's national police department would try to discourage unlawful mining and prevent deaths.

Huambo province's mine count is unknown. Each month, an average of eight mine accidents are reported. Humanitarian organisations compile mine accident statistics at Huambo Central Hospital, where all mine-related injuries are referred. Demining works are currently being carried out by an international NGO throughout the province. Other humanitarian organisations run mine-awareness campaigns regularly. A total of 145,000 people took part in these programmes in 2002. Theatre and puppet plays, as well as exhibitions at schools and IDP camps, are among the mine awareness efforts. Two times a week, ten-minute radio programmes about the risks of mines are broadcast.

A recent accident in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Recently the Democratic Republic of Congo blamed Catoca, Angola's largest diamond mine, which is operated by Endiama, the Angolan state mining business and Alrosa, the Russian mining behemoth, for the death of 12 people in an extraordinary environmental and human calamity along the Kasai River, according to the New York Times. The researchers and Congolese government authorities said the cause was a toxic leak from Catoca, and it took the lives of 12 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Angola boasts one of Africa's largest and most diverse mineral resources, making mining a lucrative business. Angola is Africa's third-largest diamond producer, having only explored 40% of the country's diamond-rich region. However, corruption, human rights violations and diamond smuggling have made it difficult for the government to attract foreign investment.

(Inputs from ANI)

Image: Unsplash
Taiwan will not bow to Chinese pressure and will defend its democracy, President Tsai Ing-wen said as 23 million people marked the islands National Day on Sunday. Addressing an enthusiastic crowd in capital Taipei, the democratically elected leader asserted that Taiwan will continue to bolster its defence and will never take the path suggested by China. Notably, her remarks came at the end of a week that marked heightened tension between the two sides following what is being deemed as the largest Chinese incursions in Taiwanese airspace.

Taiwan will not act rashly but there should be absolutely no illusion that Taiwanese people will bow to pressure, Tsai said adding that the country would continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us. Lambasting Beijing, she further added, This is because the path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people.

Buttressing her stance further, the Taiwanese President said that despite 72 years of progress and transformation, the countrys resolve for sovereignty remains intact. Taiwan is no longer seen as the orphan of Asia but as an island of resilience. Our militarys dedication to protecting our nation and our understanding of why we fight is rooted in that conviction, passed down through generation after generation," she added.

Our  National Day Celebration live stream starts now, with a series of musical, dance & other performances to begin the festivities.



You can watch my National Day Address at 10:25 & our #Taiwan heroes parade at 11:35. https://t.co/NKcylGxdyw   Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) October 10, 2021

The Chinese Claim

China claims sovereign rights over the pacific island located roughly 100 miles from its coast and has been using carrots and sticks to make its democratically elected government surrender. Speaking at the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on 1 July, President Xi Jinping vowed for complete reunification of the motherland, fuelling fears of a possible annexation of the pacific island by Beijing.

Taipei, on the other hand, has reiterated that it was an independent entity. The US, meanwhile, has reacted to Beijing's pressure campaign with testy words and hardline policies - prompting its ally Japan, which has key trade relationships with both world powers, to eye the situation with caution.

Image: AP
Italy has started giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shot to adults over the age of 60 on Saturday. The administering of shots came into action after the process was approved by the Italian Health Ministry. The decision was taken following the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gave its approval earlier in the month, stating that the booster shot may be recommended for all individuals over the age of 18, after six months gap from their second dosage. Citing the Italian ministry, ANI reported, In the light of EMA's latest deliberation, we can go ahead with the third vaccine dose to people of all ages with a fragile immune system and to all people over 60, always six months after the second dose."

Earlier, Italy began providing the third doses of Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccinations to immuno-compromised persons who were transplant patients or suffering from cancer, senior citizens over the age of 80 and inhabitants in care homes, as well as healthcare professionals, in late September. As coronavirus vaccination is highly suggested but not obligatory in Italy, thus, the third dosage would be provided as a choice.

COVID condition in Italy is 'under control'

Furthermore, as per the current weekly assessment by the country's National Health Institute (ISS) which was revised on October 3, the COVID-19 pandemic situation seemed to be "under control," as well as the trajectory of coronavirus cases continued to decline steadily. The rate of occurrence was 34 cases per 100,000 people. Giovanni Rezza, the Director of the ISS's Infectious Diseases Department revealed that the statistics on hospital bed availability was also positive, indicating less admission of people with the disease.

Rezza said in a video statement, We register a 4.9 percent and 4.2 percent of bed occupancy in normal COVID-19 wards and intensive care units, respectively, which is well below the critical thresholds," ANI reported. According to the nation's official figures, the vaccination program in Italy has achieved 79.9% of the target population over the age of 12, with almost 43 million individuals fully vaccinated.

However, as per the Wanted in Rome website, The Italian government stated that nearly 8.4 million individuals in Italy which comprises 15% of the vaccine-eligible citizens over the age of 12, have yet to obtain the first covid injection. According to the figures given by General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, Italy's coronavirus commissioner, there are still 2.9 million unvaccinated adults over the age of 50 left to be vaccinated, while, 3.9 million unvaccinated individuals aged 20 to 49, as well as 1.4 million unvaccinated children aged 12 to 19.

Meanwhile, the latest COVID numbers provided by the Worldometer suggest that the total number of confirmed viral cases in Italy is 4,698,038, whereas the total number of fatalities due to COVID-19 is 131,274. More than 4,481,462 have been recovered from the disease. The number of active cases in the nation is 85,302, with 367 in critical condition.

(Image: AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday welcomed the "historic" global tax agreement that opened gates to a fairer system of taxing profits. The agreement, which is to enforce a 15% corporate tax rate on MNEs, was signed by 136 countries in at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the presence of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The 'landmark' deal was welcomed by President Macron who took to Twitter to express his satisfaction over the reformed international tax system. "For four years, we have been working for a fair taxation of multinational and digital giants," he wrote. "The tax agreement reached the OECD is historic... It is a major step forward for tax justice," Macron added.

'Two-Pillar' solution to address int'l tax disparities

The deal finalised by the OECD will be effective from fiscal year (FY) 2023, under which Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) will be subject to a minimum 15% tax rate, the OECD said through a press release. "The new minimum tax rate will apply to companies with revenue above EUR 750 million and is estimated to generate around USD 150 billion in additional global tax revenues annually," OECD explained. The deal updates and finalises a July political agreement by members of the Inclusive Framework to fundamentally reform international tax rules. Countries are aiming to sign the 'far-reaching, balanced' multilateral reform during a convention in 2022, with effective implementation in 2023, OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said in a statement.

"The landmark deal, agreed by 136 countries and jurisdictions representing more than 90% of global GDP, will also reallocate more than USD 125 billion of profits from around 100 of the worlds largest and most profitable MNEs to countries worldwide, ensuring that these firms pay a fair share of tax wherever they operate and generate profits," the statement added.

As per OECD, the reformations do not seek to "eliminate" tax competition, instead put multilaterally agreed limitations on it. The reforms will allow countries to collect around USD 150 billion in new revenues annually. The deal was welcomed by the EU, Estonia, Hungary and Ireland and all other G20 countries.

Image: AP
On Saturday, October 9, flights of Afghan evacuees from Germany's Ramstein Air Base to the United States took off after being halted for a few weeks owing to confirmed cases of measles among the evacuees.

A spokeswoman for the 86th Airlift Wing told CNN that one flight left the base on Saturday with a few hundred evacuees bound for Philadelphia. Five additional flights are scheduled for Sunday, with an estimated 1,000 evacuees travelling to the United States each day until the entire Afghan population of 9,000 at Ramstein departs.

Brigadier General Josh Olson stated that they have been at this mission for longer than anyone expected but they are glad to be nearing the end of the mission and returning to routine operations. "We are fully focused on finishing the operation and bidding our guests a goodbye," he was quoted as saying by CNN.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had advocated delaying flights until the entire evacuee population receives vaccinations against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and other infections. Apart from this, it also advised a 21-day waiting period after the vaccines are administered.

More than 49,000 Afghan evacuees, sheltering at military bases in the United States, have received MMR and varicella vaccinations. Besides, vaccinations are also being administered to evacuees in Europe and the Middle East. It should be noted here that Ramstein became an important transit hub for Afghans fleeing their homeland on their way to the United States.

The base was only designed to host Afghans for ten days, but the evacuees were forced to stay for weeks when temperatures in Germany dropped, reported CNN.

Outbound flights resumed at #Ramstein Air Base for Afghan evacuees heading to the #UnitedStates. Approx. 1K are expected to depart per day over the next several days. #GlobalGateway @DeptofDefense @StateDept @US_EUCOM @usairforce pic.twitter.com/eo0jZRi8Zz  Ramstein Air Base (@RamsteinAirBase) October 9, 2021

'14,000 Afghan evacuees to arrive in the United States'

Earlier, on Thursday, September 30, the chief of US Northern Command, General Glen VanHerck said that around 14,000 Afghans from different countries are likely to arrive in the United States in the coming days.

According to him, there are currently over 53,000 Afghan evacuees scattered across eight military bases in the country. He further informed that at least 4,000 evacuees have completed their medical and other screening processes, and have been cleared to resettle in the United States.

As they begin to settle into their new homes, space at the bases will be made available for those being flown in from overseas, VanHerck added, as reported by The Associated Press (AP).

Image: Twitter/ @ USTRANSCOM
The Dalai Lama on Saturday, October 9, hailed both journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for winning Nobel Prize and standing against the dictatorial rule in their countries amid challenges. On October 8, a Swizterland based foundation, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to defend freedom of expression.

Further expressing happiness over two journalists winning the award, the Dalai Lama said he was happy to learn that this year's prize had been given to the two journalists for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression and freedom of the press in the Philippines and Russia. He added that by giving the award to the journalists, the Nobel Committee has honoured all the journalists across the world, who risk their lives by standing up for this ideal under challenging conditions.

Stating that he admires the courage of both the journalist, the spiritual leader said, "Journalists have a key role to play in promoting human values and a sense of social and religious harmony."

He added, "Freedom of expression and freedom of the press is crucial to our being able to promote harmony and friendship between nations, disarmament and a more peaceful world order."

Nobel Peace Prize 2021

Maria Ressa exposes abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines by using freedom of expression. She co-founded a digital media company for investigative journalism, Rappler, in 2012, which she still heads. As a journalist and the Rapplers CEO, Ressa has always been fearless in standing by the right to express and speak without barriers or restrictions. Rappler has majorly focused on the Duterte regimes controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign.

While for several decades, Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov has defended freedom of speech in Russia amid challenging conditions. He was one of the founders of the independent newspaper Novaja Gazeta in 1993. He then worked as the newspaper's editor-in-chief for a total of 24 years. As of today, Novaja Gazeta is the most independent newspaper in Russia with a fundamentally critical attitude towards power.

(With PTI input)

(Image: AP)
In a key development, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Sunday, 10 October, said the country will continue to support the Lebanese resistance amid other pressures. He reportedly further noted that despite the economic pressures on the Islamic Republic along with the 'oppressive' sanctions by the United States, Iran is geared up to assist Lebanon.

"We have defended the Lebanese resistance in the face of threats posed to Lebanon's sovereignty, security, independence, and territorial integrity ... and our support for the Lebanese resistance in the face of potential threats of the Zionist regime (of Israel) will continue," he was quoted as saying by the state TV.

In a tweet at the end of his three-day visit to Lebanon on Sunday, Iranian FM also said, Supporting the brotherly country of Lebanon is a moral duty that we will never spare any effort for. In an interview with Lebanons Al-Manar TV network on Saturday evening (local time), Abdollahian said that Iran attaches great importance to Lebanons independence and sovereignty. The Iranian FM arrived in the Lebanese capital on Thursday and congratulated the people there for the new government.

Iran FMs met with Sec-Gen Lebanon's Hezbollah

As per the Iranian state media report, Abdollahian even met with the Secretary-General of Lebanons Hezbollah, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and said that the discussion was fruitful. As per the IRNA report, Iranian FM also hailed Nasrallah as a great political figure across the region and said that Tehran uses his views on the region.

The Iranian Foreign Minister said that the country assisted Lebanon in difficult conditions referring to Tehrans oil help to Beirut. Abdollahian also met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri after his arrival in Beirut on 7 October.

More talks needed with Saudi Arabia: Iran FM

Meanwhile, as per The Associated Press report, the Iranian Foreign Minister said on Friday that more talks are needed with its regional archrival Saudi Arabia to enhance ties. He also said that negotiations till now have been heading in the right direction. He has previously said that Islamic Republics talks with the kingdom till now had gone a good distance.

We are in the process of putting things on the right track, Amir-Abdollahian told reporters at a press conference held at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, as per AP. We consider the ongoing dialogue constructive, and we hope that it serves both countries interests.

IMAGE: AP
Pakistan nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan passed away on Sunday, October 10, at the age of 85 after being hospitalised for COVID-19. Also known as the 'father of Pakistans nuclear bomb', Qadeer was an atomic scientist who was lauded as a hero in Pakistan for transforming the country into the worlds first Islamic nuclear power. But for the western nations, he resembled a dangerous renegade responsible for smuggling technology to other rogue states.

As per state-run broadcaster PTV, Abdul Qadeer Khan passed away after being transferred to the KRL Hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, with complications in the lungs. Earlier, he was admitted to the same hospital in August to treat COVID-19, the report added. However, after Khan was allowed to return home several weeks ago, he was transferred back due to deteriorating conditions.

Following his demise, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi tweeted, expressing their grief. While Alvi said that he was "deeply saddened" by the death of the scientist, Pakistan PM noted that he was "loved" by the entire country because of his "critical contribution" in making the nation a nuclear weapon state.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr A Q Khan. He was loved by our nation bec of his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state. This has provided us security against an aggressive much larger nuclear neighbour. For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon.  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 10, 2021

Who was Abdul Qadeer Khan?

Born in 1936 in Bhopal, India, Qadeer immigrated along with his entire family to Pakistan back in 1947 following the partition. Eventually, he emerged to be the pioneer of Pakistans nuclear programme that he reportedly led for over two decades.

As per reports, he was a national hero for leading the nuclear programme of the country for at least 25 years. Additionally, he has also founded the Khan Research Laboratories in 1976. He was also its chief scientist and director for several years.

To honour him for the services he delivered for Pakistan, Qadeer was awarded Nishan-i-Imtiaz, which is one of the state-organized civil decorations of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The prize is warded for the achievements towards world recognition of the country.

More prominently, Al Jazeera stated that the scientist was hailed for bringing Pakistan neck-to-neck with India in the nuclear field and developing impregnable defences.

However, Qadeer was also surrounded by global criticism when he was accused of illegally sharing nuclear technology with Iran, Libya and even North Korea. While he confessed the same on national television, Pakistans then-President Pervez Musharraf pardoned the scientist. However, Qadeer was reportedly under house arrest for several years in his palatial Islamabad home.

His health was also a matter of concern especially when he was struck with prostate cancer in 2006. He recovered only after surgery. His house arrest eventually ended in February 2009 but his movement still remained highly guarded, stated media reports. He was reportedly accompanied by authorities every time he left home in Pakistans capital.

IMAGE: AP
STORY: Pakistan Scientist Death 2 - Qadeer Khan body taken for burial after COVID death

LENGTH: 01:44

FIRST RUN: 1310

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Urdu/Natsound

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

STORY NUMBER: 4347956

DATELINE: 10 October 2021 - Islamabad

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Islamabad - 10 October 2021

1. Various of mourners, army soldiers carrying casket for funeral prayers for late nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan

2. Various of people ahead of funeral prayers

3. Various of military officials and government dignities during funeral

4. People offering funeral prayers (UPSOUND) "Allah is great"

5. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Mohammad Shabbir, local resident:

"Because of him, Pakistan became a nuclear power. He is our pride, and we should be proud on him. I would say his death is a national tragedy. Today every person is very sad."

++EVENING SHOTS++

6. Wide ambulance carrying body for funeral, mourners waiting on road

7. Mid of ambulance covered in petals, while people shout (UPSOUND) "Allah is great"

8. Ambulance passing through gathering

9. Paramilitary troops

10. Wide of ambulance carrying body going towards graveyard, while crowd of mourners watch

STORYLINE:

Abdul Qadeer Khan, a controversial figure known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, died Sunday of COVID-19 following a lengthy illness, his family said. He was 85.

Khan, who launched Pakistan on the path to becoming a nuclear weapons power in the early 1970s, died in a hospital in the capital Islamabad, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said.

Thousands of people attended a state funeral at the massive white-marble Faisal Mosque in the capital. His body was carried by an honor guard and military and political dignitaries offered funeral prayers.

Flags in Pakistan flew at half-staff.

Footage from his funeral ceremony on Sunday showed hundreds turning out to mourn.

Local resident Mohammad Shabbir said Khan was "our pride".

"I would say his death is a national tragedy. Today every person is very sad," Shabbir said.

Khan was mired in controversy that began even before he returned to Pakistan from the Netherlands in the 1970s, where he had worked at a nuclear research facility.

He was later accused of stealing the centrifuge uranium enrichment technology from the Netherlands facility that he would later use to develop Pakistan's first nuclear weapon, according to research done by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Khan, who held a doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, offered to launch Pakistan's nuclear weapons program in 1974 after neighbor India conducted its first "peaceful nuclear explosion."

Since then, Pakistan has relentlessly pursued its nuclear weapons program in tandem with India. Both are declared nuclear weapons states after they conducted tit-for-tat nuclear weapons tests in 1998.

In recent years, Khan mostly lived out of the public eye and tributes from fellow scientists and Pakistani politicians began soon after his death.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, and fellow scientists, were among those who gave tributes on Sunday.

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Ever since the terror outfits of Afghanistan took control of Kabul, the horrific footage of hundreds and thousands leaving the war-ravaged country had shaken the world to its core. After the August 15 incident, Afghan nationals in large numbers fled from Kabul, taking shelter in different countries with a fear of never returning to the Taliban-governed country. Even now, hundreds of Afghan nationals are desperately waiting at Kabul airport to leave the Taliban-governed country; more than 100 Afghan nationals have left to return to Afghanistan. These people have left India of their free will and resided in the country for months due to various reasons.

According to news agency PTI, these Afghan nationals who left for Kabul were mainly the ones who had visited India for medical treatment or business purposes before August 15, 2021. On Friday, the first batch of 106 Afghan nationals boarded a Mahan Airlines flight that reached Kabul via Tehran. An official stated that the flight would reach Kabul airport within a few hours. He also said that more Afghan nationals are likely to leave India to return to Afghanistan in the coming days. "We expect more such flights in the coming weeks for the return of all the stranded Afghans," he said.

More than 100 Afghan nationals leave for Kabul from India

The people who have left India to settle back in the Taliban-ruled country were running out of finances and facing trouble fulfilling their needs. Earlier, the central government had issued orders for Afghan nationals on leaving India. However, this time, the Afghan embassy reached out to the central government to permit them to return to their country. Earlier, the Afghan embassy had asked Pakistan's High Commission in Delhi to allow Afghan nationals to reach Kabul via Pakistan's land route. However, the Afghan embassy got a nod from Iran's embassy, facilitating their travel on an Iranian airline. This development came a month after Afghanistan's Civil Aviation Authority urged India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation to resume air travel operated by Afghanistan's Kam Air and Ariana Afghan Airline to and from Delhi. However, the Indian government has not yet given any permission to resume flight facilities directly to Kabul.

Afghanistan's current situation

Ever since the hardline Islamist group took control of Kabul, they have been trying different ways to smoothly run the country, while the idea of shedding their brutal image to gain the support of the international community remains their top priority. Notably, the Taliban regime is also trying hard to gain international recognition while keeping women and girls' issues untouched. On the other hand, the country is also witnessing a massive chaotic situation after bomb blasts in Said Abad mosque, belonging to the minority Shia Muslim community in Kunduz province, which reportedly killed more than 100 people. The responsibility for the attack was taken by ISIS, making it more difficult for the Taliban to rule the nation.

With Inputs from PTI

Image: PTI/Representative Image
STORY: Mideast Germany Briefing Bennett - Bennett praises Merkel, talks Iran and Palestinians

LENGTH: 03:33

FIRST RUN: 1122

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Hebrew/Natsound

SOURCE: AGENCY POOL

STORY NUMBER: 4347942

DATELINE: 10 October 2021 - Jerusalem

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

AGENCY POOL

Jerusalem  10 October 2021

1. Wide of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett walking to podium for joint news conference

2. Merkel talking

3. Bennett and Merkel

4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Naftali Bennett, Israeli Prime Minister:

"Madam Chancellor, Iran's nuclear program has reached a stage that requires leadership. Reconciliation with the transformation of Iran into a nuclear threshold will be a moral stain on the free world, and will threaten world peace. We see how the Iranians are acting right now, even without a nuclear umbrella, in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza and the Gulf."

5. Bennett and Merkel

6. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Naftali Bennett, Israeli Prime Minister:

"One can only imagine the extent of the damage caused if the world will know that behind this bullying was also a nuclear bomb. There is no point in trying to appease the Iranians, they interpret conciliation as a weakness. They continue to mock and play the international community, dragging time and constantly advancing uranium enrichment, and destabilising the stability in the region. This is a critical point in time, and Germany's position is particularly important. In Israel we are busy with actions and are working in front of Iran, in all dimensions, including the daily containment of their attempts to flood our region with weapons."

7. Merkel

8. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Naftali Bennett, Israeli Prime Minister:

"Madam Chancellor, we are very pleased with your visit here, the seventh in number, and hope there will be many more after this one. You leave behind very good relations between Israel and Germany, and a legacy of recognition of the Holocaust, understanding the difficult past, along with a commitment and contribution to the security of the State of Israel. This we remember, and history will remember."

9. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Naftali Bennett, Israeli Prime Minister: ++BEGINS ON MERKEL PANS TO WIDE++

"We don't ignore the Palestinians, they are our neighbours, they are not going anywhere, neither are we, at the same time we learned from experience that the meaning of a Palestinian state is that it's very likely a terror state will be established, about seven minutes from my home and almost from every point in Israel."

10. Bennett and Merkel walking away from podium

STORYLINE:

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for leaving a legacy of "good relations" between the two states.

Speaking Sunday at a joint news conference in Jerusalem, Bennett said her "commitment and contribution to the security of the State of Israel" will be remembered.

Merkel is in Israel on a final official visit, saying she had been fortunate to play a key role in strengthening relations between the two countries after the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II.

Much of the agenda focused on Iran's nuclear program.

While the two leaders both vowed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, they voiced different approaches on how to do that.

Israel considers Iran its greatest enemy, citing the country's military presence in neighbouring Syria and its support for hostile militant groups across the region.

It accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons - a charge Iran denies - and says a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel.

"There is no point in trying to appease the Iranians, they interpret conciliation as a weakness. They continue to mock and play the international community," Bennett told the press conference.

Merkel has said that Germany remains committed to reviving the international nuclear agreement with Iran.

She also said that Germany believes that a two-state solution remains the best way to end Israel's decades-long conflict with the Palestinians.

Bennett, a former settler leader who opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, quickly pushed back.

We learned from experience that the meaning of a Palestinian state is that it's very likely a terror state will be established, about seven minutes from my home and almost from every point in Israel," he said.

Calling himself a pragmatic man, he instead said he was prepared to take steps on the ground to improve living conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

It was one of the few disagreements between the close allies during Merkel's two-day visit, which caps a 16-year term marked by near unwavering support for Israel.

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The Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry in a statement has informed that foreign ministers of the countries participating in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) will discuss the Afghanistan situation, according to ANI. The foreign officials of different countries will discuss the possibility of providing humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. The meeting will be held in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan on October 11 and October 12.

CICA members will discuss Afghanistan situation

The Uzbekistan delegation participating in the CICA meeting is led by the country's foreign minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, according to ANI. In order to prevent the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the foreign ministers will discuss the possibility of providing humanitarian assistance to the people, according to ANI. Furthermore, the external affairs ministers of different countries will discuss the security and development of economic cooperation in the region.

"During the meeting, it is planned to discuss issues of security and further development of regional economic cooperation, as well as the situation in Afghanistan, including the possibility of providing assistance to the Afghan people in an attempt to stop the formation of humanitarian crisis," ANI cited the ministry statement.

The Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry on September 1, 2021, announced that the CICA will plan to adopt an updated version of the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures, as per ANI. The Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry highlighted the need for an updated version of the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures "in the context of the changing geopolitical situation in the region." The CICA was established in 1999 with an intent to strengthen cooperation through a multilateral approach towards 'promoting peace, security and stability in Asia'. There are 27 member states, nine observer states and five observer organisations in the CICA.

India's EAM Dr S Jaishankar to attend the CICA meeting

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will attend the 6th Ministerial meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Nur-Sultan, the Ministry of External Affairs informed in the press release. During his visit to Kazakhstan, Dr S Jaishankar is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi. Jaishankar is also expected to call on the Kazakhstan leadership.

EAM @DrSJaishankar will pay an official visit to Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan and Armenia from October 10-13, 2021.



Press Release  https://t.co/9o5eMPkqka  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) October 9, 2021

(With Inputs from ANI)

Image: AP
On Saturday, October 9, a former British ambassador to Moscow brushed off claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin is to blame for the recent price hike in natural gas.

In a letter to The Times, Sir Tony Brenton, who served as Britain's envoy to Russia from 2004 to 2008, stated that Britain's issues were "self-inflicted" because it failed to secure long-term supply arrangements. He was particularly perplexed by political rhetoric against a planned Russian gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea to Germany that promised to alleviate the European energy crisis which is threatening exorbitant price spikes for consumers.

"We appear to be desiring more Russian gas while rejecting Nord Stream 2, a major new pipeline that will transport it," he wrote in the letter.

On Friday, October 8, The Times quoted an anonymous UK government minister accusing Putin of "choking off" gas supply through other pipelines, including one through Ukraine, in an attempt to intimidate Germany into allowing Nord Stream 2 to start operation.

Meanwhile, a day earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also warned of "serious security consequences" from the new pipeline, which, ironically, is expected to address UK's problem by alleviating a continent-wide supply shortage, The Times reported.

Although Nord Stream 2 will have no direct influence on the UK's energy security, a Downing Street official claimed it might have major consequences for Central and Eastern European countries. He went on to say that several European countries are entirely reliant on Russian gas, raising severe concerns about energy security.

Factors driving up gas prices

According to Brenton, a post-Covid rise in demand, reduced wind power, the frigid 2020-21 winter, and technical disruptions are the factors driving up gas prices. Following Putin's announcement that Russian gas giant Gazprom would honour all orders, the gas futures bubble crashed on Wednesday, October 6.

Prices plummeted from around 4 per therm ($1,900 per 1,000 cubic metres) to 2.66 ($1,325 per 1,000 cubic metres) that day, and have since fallen to 2.13 per therm, reported The Times. It should be noted here that one therm is the amount of energy released when 100 cubic feet (2.83 cubic metres) of natural gas is burned.

As ambassador in 2006, Brenton claims he saw then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown bugging Putin about "surging gas prices." Putin isn't the only one who is blamed for the West's woes. UK's Road Haulage Association and the parliamentary opposition have blamed Britain's exit from the European Union for a shortfall of 100,000 licenced Heavy Goods Vehicle drivers, prompting recent panic-buying of fuel in the country.

However, Conservative Party's lawmakers have pointed out that despite a Europe-wide haulage labour crisis caused by low salaries and an ageing workforce, the sector has failed to invest in training new drivers for nearly a decade, The Times reported.

Image: AP
On Saturday, October 9, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh met Konstantin Kosachev, Russia's Deputy Speaker of the Council of Federation. Both leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 speakers' Summit in Italy's capital, Rome and discussed key issues and common interests in depth. Kosachev emphasised the need of strengthening ties with India and invited Harivansh to visit Russia for Upper House to Upper House dialogue for greater Parliamentary coordination, reported news agency ANI.

The response to the social and employment crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, rebooting economic growth in terms of social and economic environmental sustainability, and 'Sustainability and food security after the COVID-19 pandemic' were among the topics discussed at the seventh G20 Parliamentary Speakers Summit in Rome. The Speakers Summit took place in Rome on October 7-8. From India, an eight-member legislative delegation, including the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, attended the Summit. On Thursday, October 7, Birla met Reiner Haseloff, president of Germany's Bundesrat, and discussed various topics, including increasing parliamentary interaction between both countries.

Birla meets his German and Dutch counterparts

Birla also met with Jan Anthonie Bruijn, the head of the Netherlands Senate, during the Summit and discussed ways to improve parliamentary collaboration between the two countries. Birla stated that India considers the Netherlands as an important economic and political partner. "I am confident that our relationship will continue to remain strong in the future," he tweeted. Speaking at the Summit, the Lok Sabha Speaker also expressed his desire to have meaningful and constructive discussions about global issues.

The Netherlands is an important economic and political partner for India. Both countries are working together with the spirit of mutual cooperation on various international fora. I am confident that our relationship will continue to remain strong in the future.#G20  Om Birla (@ombirlakota) October 7, 2021

Last month, India and Russia held NSA-level talks and discussed a wide range of issues related to Afghanistan. During the meeting, both countries agreed to coordinate their approaches in multilateral formats regarding the Afghan settlement and stressed the need to prevent escalation of violence in the war-torn country. Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev discussed both countries' efforts to create conditions for a peaceful settlement based on an intra-Afghan dialogue. Besides, both countries had also discussed other issues like future bilateral cooperation among security agencies, including upgrading consultations and exchanging information.

(With ANI inputs)

Image: ANI
STORY: Malaysia Virus Travel - Malaysia state borders to reopen as jab rates up

LENGTH: 00:43

FIRST RUN: 0903

RESTRICTIONS: Must on-screen credit RTM

TYPE: Malay/Natsound

SOURCE: RTM

STORY NUMBER: 4347925

DATELINE: 10 October 2021 - Kuala Lumpur

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: NO ACCESS MALAYSIA; MANDATORY ON-SCREEN CREDIT TO RTM

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

++ON SCREEN GRAPHICS AS INCOMING++

RTM (RADIO TELEVISION MALAYSIA) - NO ACCESS MALAYSIA; MANDATORY ON-SCREEN CREDIT TO RTM

Putrajaya - 10 October 2021

1. SOUNDBITE (Malay) Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysian Prime Minister:

"Now I would like to tell you and announce that interstate travel will be permitted by the government and this permission and freedom will start tomorrow."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (Malay) Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysian Prime Minister:

"According the the Malaysian health Ministry the full vaccination rate of the adult population under our national COVID-19 immunization plan has reached 90 percent."

STORYLINE:

Malasian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Sunday said state borders would be reopened after months-long closures.

It's hoped that the move will rejuvenate the country's tourism industry and give a boost to its economy.

Speaking in a televised address on Sunday, the PM said the ban will be lifted from Monday, as 90% of the nation's adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

He said fully vaccinated Malaysians can now travel to other states for holidays and return to their hometown.

Ismail says Malaysians are also now free to travel abroad without requiring approval but they still need to undergo virus tests and quarantine upon return.

During the broadcast he also said that the government is still assessing the situation to decide whether it's safe to reopen the country's borders to foreigners.

After the interstate ban failed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, a large-scale lockdown was imposed in June.

Movement curbs have since been cautiously lifted as the pace of vaccination rose.

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Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid on Sunday, October 10, expressed delight after India agreed to resume the 2018 December Visa Exemption Agreement between the two countries that allow Maldivians to travel India without a visa.

The 2018 December Visa Exemption Agreement between the Maldives and India was temporarily suspended amid the COVID-19-triggered border closure. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Shahid informed that from mid-October, the Maldivian nationals will not require visas for tourists, medical and business purposes. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar for considering Maldives request to resume the agreement.

"Delighted that India has agreed to resume the 2018 Dec Visa Exemption Agreement between the Maldives & India, which was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 border closure. From 15 Oct 2021, Maldivian Nationals will be exempt of visa requirements for tourists, medical & business purposes," Shahid tweeted.

Delighted that India has agreed to resume the 2018 Dec Visa Exemption Agreement between &  , which was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 border closure.



From 15 Oct 2021, Maldivian Nationals will be exempt of visa requirements for tourists, medical & business purposes.  Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) October 10, 2021

A separate announcement was made by the High Commission of India in the Maldives on Twitter saying that no visa will be required from mid-October for Maldivians travelling to the country. The High Commission of India in the Maldives stated that Maldives will be the first beneficiary of Visa-free travel since the COVID restrictions were imposed by India in March 2020 in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

NO VISA required from Oct 15 for Maldivians travelling to India for Medical, Business & Tourism purposes. Maldives will be the 1st beneficiary of VISA FREE TRAVEL since COVID restrictions were imposed by India in Mar 2020. This move restores the bilateral visa-free agreement of Dec 2018," the High Commission of India in the Maldives tweeted.

Shahid Calls India Champion Of Multilateralism

The resumption of the 2018 Dec Visa Exemption Agreement between the Maldives and India came after last month, Shahid hailed his meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi. The Maldivian Foreign Minister said very good to meet with MoS as both top diplomats exchanged views on the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). At the time, on 9 September, he even said, India is a champion of multilateralism. And I am confident of Indias support to the Presidency Of Hope

Very good to meet with the Minister of State at @MEAIndia, HE @M_Lekhi in New York, and discuss my priorities for #UNGA76 with her. #India is a champion of multilateralism. And I am confident of Indias support to the #PresidencyOfHope pic.twitter.com/AUmz0bSTp9  Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) September 8, 2021

IMAGE: AP
STORY: Mideast Germany Cabinet - Merkel attends special meeting of Israel Cabinet

LENGTH: 02:19

FIRST RUN: 0934

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Hebrew/Natsound

SOURCE: AGENCY POOL

STORY NUMBER: 4347930

DATELINE: 10 October 2021 - Jerusalem

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

AGENCY POOL

Jerusalem  10 October 2021

1. Tracking shot of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett entering room, taking seats ahead of special cabinet meeting

2. Mid of Merkel and Bennett at cabinet meeting

3. Close of Merkel talking

4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Naftali Bennett, Israeli Prime Minister:

++STARTS OF MID OF MERKEL AND BENNET, PANS TO BENNET++

"These days, the world sits and waits for Tehran to decide whether or not to return to the negotiating table in Vienna and re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement. In the last three years, unfortunately, the Iranians have made a huge leap forward in their uranium enrichment capability. Iran's nuclear program is at its most advanced point ever. The world waits, the Iranians drag (out) time and the centrifuges are spinning."

5. Bennett talking to Merkel

6. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Naftali Bennett, Israeli Prime Minister:

"Israel's responsibility is to make sure in actions, not in speeches, that Iran will never have nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons in the hands of such an extremist and violent regime will adversely change the face of the region and the face of the world. For us, it is not a strategic problem, it is an existential matter."

7. Close of Merkel

8. Wide of cabinet meeting

STORYLINE:

Germany's lame-duck chancellor, Angela Merkel, attended a cabinet meeting with Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett on Sunday to discuss Iran's nuclear programme.

As Bennet welcomed Merkel, he said that the world could not stand neutral toward Iran.

"Iran's nuclear program is at its most advanced point ever. ...The world waits, the Iranians drag (out) time and the centrifuges are spinning," he said.

Merkel's final official visit to Israel caps her 16 years in office, which were characterised by near unwavering support for Israel.

Following an inconclusive election last month, her eventual successor  to be determined in lengthy coalition talks  is not expected to change that approach.

Germany was a leading player in the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran.

The deal fell apart after then-US-President Donald Trump, with Israel's support, withdrew from the agreement in 2018.

The Biden administration has been trying to revive that deal over Israeli objections.

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Kathmandu, Oct 10 (PTI) Nepals Industry, Commerce and Supplies Minister Gajendra Bahadur Hamal resigned on Sunday following a controversy over his appointment, just 48 hours after his formal induction into the Cabinet.

Hamal tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba who accepted it, according to the Cabinet sources.

Hamal, a district-level leader of the Nepali Congress, drew considerable flak after the media reports suggested that he was appointed a minister at the recommendation of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, who happens to be his brother-in-law.

Consequently, Hamal's elevation had also created unrest within the Nepali Congress, with many members terming it a move that undermined democratic values.

Hamal is also not a member of either the Lower or Upper House of Parliament. However, there is a provision in the Constitution that one can become a cabinet member for a six months period even if he or she is not a lawmaker.

According to sources, Hamal had resigned after facing relentless pressure over his appointment.

"Currently, the news spread in various media outlets and lawyers have unfairly misrepresented my appointment, and such news has devalued my years of struggle for democracy, rule of law, and the principle of separation of powers between state organs.

However, since the question of my appointment has been raised, I have resigned from the post of the minister as it is not appropriate for me to remain as a minister amid such speculations," Hamal wrote in his resignation letter.

Hamal was one of the 18 ministers appointed by Prime Minister Deuba on Friday, almost three months after he assumed office on July 13.

Deuba became prime minister after a constitutional bench led by Chief Justice Rana had restored the House of Representatives, which was earlier dissolved by the erstwhile premier K P Sharma Oli. PTI SBP VM VM VM

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On the third day after his formal induction, Nepals newly-appointed Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Gajendra Bahadur Hamal, stepped down from his post. According to ANI, an aide at the prime ministers secretariat informed that Nepals Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has accepted Hamals resignation. The officials also said that now the ministry will be handled by the PM himself and will decide about a new appointment later.

While speaking to the news agency, Hamal informed about his resignation and said, I made the decision to resign out of my conscience.

Gajendra Bahadur Hamal is the brother-in-law of Chief Justice of Nepal Cholendra Shamsher JB Rana. He is a district-level leader of the Nepali Congress. Last week, Hamal faced controversy when it was suggested that he was appointed a minister at the behest of Chief Justice Rana.

Hamal became the first minister to vacant the post under Deuba Prime Minister Ship. His appointment as minister of industry, commerce and supplies have met with severe criticism. Many leaders within the ruling Nepali Congress had even called his appointment a decision that undermined the democratic principles and constitutionalism of the nation.

Hamal denies accusations

However, Hamal denied all the accusations and claimed that he had been into politics from Nepali Congress and have remained off the limelight. He also stated that he has been dragged into the unnecessary controversy. He went on to say that he has been contributing to Nepali Congress for 45 years.

I also have received suggestions not to step down the post but I did on my own conscience, Hamal added.

Notably, Hamal doesnt hold a seat in the House of Representatives. He was brought on board by PM Deuba on Friday during the cabinet rejig and filled the vacant ministries almost three months after his formal appointment. As per Nepals constitution, a sitting Minister in Central Government needs to be an MP to function as a minister for a complete tenure. Those ministers not having a seat in parliament only can remain on the post for six months.

(With inputs from ANI)
A Turbolet aircraft owned by an aero club crashed in the city of Menzelinsk, Tatarstan on Sunday, 10 October, reported Russian news agency TASS citing a source from emergency services. As per the report, the source revealed that a Let-410 plane crashed around 9:11 Moscow time and that it had 20 people on board. The press service of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations told the agency that till now, seven people have been rescued.

The source reportedly said that four more people were rescued by fire and rescue teams. Overall, at least seven people have been rescued. The source added that work is still ongoing. As per the ministry, the fate of the remaining 16 people is still unclear. TASS stated that there were 23 people on board the aircraft that crashed including 21 parachute divers.

Previously, the emergencies services reportedly said that 19 people had been killed in the crash. The source was quoted by the agency as saying, This information has not been confirmed, access to the planes half-ruined fuselage is impeded. However, a representative of the emergency services told the RIA Novosti news agency that while seven were pulled out alive from the wreckage, the remaining 15 are without signs of life.

Seven rescued people were taken to the hospital

As per reports, the plane was a Let L-410 Turbolet is a twin-engine short-range transport aircraft. Images posted by the ministry show the aircraft broken in half with a severely dented head. RIA Novosti also reported that the local health ministry said that seven survivors are presently in the hospital including one in very serious condition.

While the Russian aviation safety standards have improved in recent years, accidents mostly involving old planes in far-flung regions are not uncommon. Last month, an ageing Antonov An-26 transport plane crashed in the Russian far east and killed six people. As per reports, all 28 people on board the twin-engine turboprop died in a crash in Kamchatka in July.

IMAGE: @tommycats4/Twitter
The Russian Federation will protect Tajikistan in the event of an incursion from bordering Afghanistan, the country's deputy Foreign Minister was quoted as saying by Interfax News Agency. On Friday, Andrei Rudenko said that he was aware that the newly minted Taliban administration was struggling to control the country's north but hopefully they would not perpetuate a cross border offensive. Located in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar, Tajikistan holds Russia's largest international military base. Soon after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Moscow reinforced the base with new, advanced military guns.

"All necessary assistance will be provided to Tajikistan if required, both within the (Moscow-led) Collective Security Treaty Organisation framework and bilaterally," Deputy Foreign Minister said, adding that there were reports that Taliban cannot control the situation in northern Afghanistan. Still, we hope they will honour the promises they have made (about not attacking neighbours)," Rudenko added.

In September, Moscow reinforced its military bases in Tajikistan with new machine guns. According to a report by The Frontier Post, a fresh batch of 12.7 mm heavy machine guns NSV Utyos entered service with the 201st Russian military base to enhance its combat capabilities. Notably, the arms are specifically designed to destroy manpower, lightly armoured targets, fortified firing points and enemy air assets.

Russia apprehensive about international borders

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had opened talks with the Taliban, Moscow has expressed clear apprehensions against the Islamist ideology destabilising international borders. Earlier this week, Moscow and New Delhi joined hands to firewall Central Asian countries bordering the conflict-hit Afghanistan. Notably, conflict and violence have escalated in Afghanistan since the Taliban took complete charge of the country, forming a government encompassing internationally wanted terrorists. Additionally, the fall of Kabul to the insurgents have also triggered fears that neighbouring countries, including Tajikistan, which shares an 843 miles long border with Afghanistan, could be used to launch terror operations.

Image: mfa_russia/Twitter
Moscow, Oct 9 (AP) As editor of Novaya Gazeta, Dmitry Muratov was well aware that his independent Russian newspaper  a persistent critic of the Kremlin, government corruption and human rights abuses in Russia  was seen as a top contender for the Nobel Peace Prize.

But the prestigious award wasn't on his mind when the announcement came down that he'd been named co-winner. At the time Friday, Muratov was absorbed in an argument on the phone with a reporter, Elena Milashina.

At that time, there were several calls from Oslo. But only a reckless person would say to Milashina Wait, I'll talk to Oslo and then you and I will quarrel, Muratov said on Ekho Moskvy radio.

Finally, he was told by his paper's spokeswoman that he had won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, along with journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines, for their fight for freedom of expression in countries where reporters have faced persistent attacks, harassment and even murder.

The 59-year-old Muratov was similarly casual, even sardonic, about the recognition of the prize that came from the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. In the radio interview, the host asked him for comment on Peskov's statement. Muratov said he hadn't read it and the host offered to read it to him.

Should I rise? Muratov said, then heard that Peskov said he is committed to his ideals, he is talented, he is brave. All the above is certainly true, Muratov responded.

Other reactions from Kremlin circles were far less generous.

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most controversial nominations of the Nobel Committee. Such decisions devalue the prize itself, it is already difficult to be guided by it, said Dmitry Kiselev, whose weekly news magazine program on state TV is larded with paeans to Russian President Vladimir Putin and disdain for the opposition.

Considering how critical Novaya Gazeta has been toward Putin and his government, Peskov's congratulatory words could be seen as determined spin-control. They also likely reflect relief that the Norwegian Nobel Committee did not chose another Russian nominee for the Peace Prize  imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Navalny's dramatic arrest this year when he returned from Germany after recuperating from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin gave him international prominence. Many of his supporters were disappointed that his bravery in confronting Russia's government did not earn him the Nobel.

Lyubov Sobol, one of Navalny's closest and most visible aides, congratulated Muratov on Twitter, but added that she believes Navalny is the most important fighter for peace in our country. Muratov, though pleased by the recognition, agreed.

I can tell you directly that if I were on the Nobel committee, I would have voted for him for his absolutely crazy courage, he said.

Novaya Gazeta has courted controversy since its founding in 1993 by Muratov and other former colleagues at the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, the onetime organ of the Communist Youth League. The goal was to create an honest, independent, and rich publication that would influence national policy, according to his citation for the 2007 International Press Freedom Award.

Although the Nobel has brought him intense international attention, Muratov has been at pains to downplay his personal prominence, saying repeatedly that he regards the award as being given to the whole paper and as a tribute to its six reporters or contributors who have been killed.

The most famous victim was Anna Politkovskaya, who reported on Russia's Chechnya wars and was gunned down in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building in 2006.

Muratov's Nobel award was announced one day after the 15th anniversary of her killing. Although six people were convicted of involvement in the shooting, whoever ordered it has not been identified and the statute of limitations on the case expired on Thursday.

Yuri Shchekochikhin, a reporter investigating corrupt business deals and the possible role of Russian security services in the 1999 apartment house bombings blamed on Chechen insurgents, died in 2003 of poisoning and the culprits were never found. Anastasia Baburina was shot to death in 2009 after a news conference with a lawyer representing the family of a Chechen girl raped and murdered by a Russian military officer; the lawyer also died in the attack.

The paper and its journalists also have endured an array of threats, ranging from a severed goat's head and funeral notices sent to the paper, to mysterious dustings of powder at the home of a reporter.

Prominent investigations at the paper in recent years include reporting on the alleged torture and murders of gay men by Chechen officials, publishing bodycam footage of Russian prison officials torturing an inmate and the beheading of a detainee in Syria by men believed to be Russian mercenaries working for a contractor closely tied to Putin.

The paper's report on the Blue Whale phenomenon in which Russian youths reportedly were lured online into committing suicide was criticised as possibly overstated, but a Russian man later claimed to have organized it and was sentenced to prison.

The Nobel Peace award raised concerns about whether it could subject Novaya Gazeta to being designated as a foreign agent under Russian law, a term applied to organizations and individuals who receive foreign funding and are engaged in unspecified political activity. The stipulation apparently is aimed at undermining their credibility.

I hope that this status of Muratov will protect Novaya Gazeta from the status of a foreign agent and will become some kind of protection for Russian journalists, who are massively announced as foreign agents, said Yevgenia Albats, editor of the Novoye Vremya news magazine. I hope this will help Russian journalism survive in these difficult conditions. But a few hours after the Nobel announcement, the Russian Justice Ministry added nine more journalists and three more organizations to its list of foreign agents. (AP) SCY SCY

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STORY: Yemen Blast - Several killed in Yemen as car bomb targets officials

LENGTH: 01:54

FIRST RUN: 1501

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Natsound

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

STORY NUMBER: 4347970

DATELINE: 10 October 2021 - Aden

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Aden, Yemen - 10 October 2021

1. Various of damaged cars, wreckage and debris on street after car explosion, people gathering

2. Various of Civil defence vehicle reversing at the scene

3. Various of damaged car, smashed front window, broken glass on the seat

4. Close of wreckage on street

5. Various of people at the scene

6. Tracking shot towards damaged car

STORYLINE:

At least six people were killed Sunday in Yemen's port city of Aden by a car bomb that targeted two senior government officials who survived, an official said.

The explosion targeted the convoy of Agriculture Minister Salem al-Socotrai and Adens Governor Ahmed Lamlas in the district of Tawahi, said Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani.

The blast killed at least six people among Lamlas companions and wounded at least seven others who had been passing by, al-Iryani said.

The casualties were taken to hospitals for treatment, he said.

The explosion damaged several buildings in the area, quickly sealed off by security forces, according to security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed called the explosion a terrorist attack and ordered an investigation.

No one immediately claimed responsibility.

Aden has been rocked by several explosions in the past years, which have been blamed on local affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups.

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Beirut, Oct 9 (AP) President Bashar Assad allowed his exiled uncle back into Syria to avoid serving a four-year prison term in France, where he had spent more than 30 years, a Syrian pro-government newspaper reported late Friday.

Rifaat Assad, 83, was sentenced last year for illegally using Syrian state funds to build a French real estate empire. He did not attend the trial because he was in poor health, and his lawyer had appealed the decision.

There was no immediate comment from France.

Al-Watan, a pro-Syrian government newspaper, reported the return of the elder Assad, who fled Syria in 1984 after he led a failed coup attempt against his brother, late President Hafez Assad. Rifaat Assad had served as a vice president and a top commander in the Syrian army.

The paper said President Bashar Assad has forgiven his uncle. It offered no further details.

Rifaat Assad was nicknamed the Butcher of Hama after human rights groups alleged he supervised an assault that crushed a 1982 uprising in the west-central Syrian province of Hama.

He has denied any role in what came to be known as the Hama massacre. He has also been linked to the 1980 killings of hundreds of prisoners and Syrian army abuses in Lebanon in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Al-Watan said he was allowed to return to Syria on Thursday to avoid serving time in France and after his properties in Europe were confiscated.

Transparency International and French anti-corruption group Sherpa filed a complaint in 2013 accusing him of using shell companies in tax havens to launder public funds from Syria into France.

His French holdings, which include several dozen apartments and two luxury townhouses in Paris, have been valued at 90 million euros (USD 99.5 million). The watchdog groups say the sum is well beyond what he could have earned as a Syrian vice president and military commander.

He was convicted of money laundering and diversion of public funds. He denied wrongdoing and said the funds that allowed him to buy his French real estate came from generous gifts from his 16 children and Saudi royals.

Rifaat is also being investigated in Switzerland for war crimes related to the 1982 Hama massacre.

Late President Hafez Assad allowed his younger brother to return briefly to Syria in the 1990s to attend his mother's funeral. But Rifaat was quickly declared a persona non-grata and forced to leave as he was considered a threat to Hafez's succession plan for his son, Bashar.

Rifaat Assad questioned the constitutionality of Bashar Assad's rise to power in 2000 and organised opposition to his government from abroad. But he is not believed to have any political weight among the opposition, which had a deep mistrust for the ambitious former military commander. (AP) RUP

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At least 16 people of 22 people aboard were killed after a plane carrying skydivers crashed on Sunday, shortly after takeoff in central Russia. According to a report of news agency Associated Press, the L-410 crashed near the town of Menzelinsk, about 960 kilometres east of Moscow.

In a statement, the Emergencies Ministry said that at least seven people were rescued from the crash site, of which one was in critical condition. Images posted by the ministry show the aircraft broken in half with a severely dented head. "Seven injured are hospitalised, the remaining 16 (show) no signs of life," the emergency services told Sputnik.

Overloading was one of the possible causes behind the plane crash in Tatarstan

Though the exact cause of the crash was not immediately determined, a source close to the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force, and Navy of Russia (DOSAAF) that owns the plane, told Sputnik that the possible reason behind the crash was "overloading".

It said that the plane was designed for 19 people but there were 22 people on board. "One of the possible causes of the accident was its overloading -- the plane is designed for 19 people, as a result of which the aircraft did not have enough takeoff power to ascend," Sputnik source said.

Accidents mostly involve old planes in far-flung regions

Previously, the emergency services reportedly said that 19 people had been killed in the crash. The source was quoted by the agency as saying, "This information has not been confirmed, access to the planes half-ruined fuselage is impeded."

However, a representative of the emergency services told the RIA Novosti news agency that 15 persons are "without signs of life" while seven were pulled out alive from the wreckage.

According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the local health ministry said that seven survivors are currently in the hospital, including one in 'very serious condition'.

While the Russian aviation safety standards have improved in recent years, accidents mostly involving old planes in far-flung regions are not uncommon. Earlier in September, an ageing Antonov An-26 transport plane crashed in the Russian far east and killed six people.

With inputs from AP

Image: Twitter/@OmarAhmedDuule
In a miraculous escape, two men who lost their way during a sea voyage, were rescued after enduring 29 days of horror. According to a report by Insider news, two men Livae Nanjikana and Junior Qoloni hailing from the Western province of Solomon Islands, were started their journey for Noro, which lies in the western Province of Mono Island on September 3. The news report said that the duo was travelling on a 23 feet ray boat powered by a 60-horsepower outboard motor engine. However, the journey from Mono Island took a turn for the worse after they encountered heavy rain and storm soon after the commencement of the journey.

"We battled dangerous weather that came with heavy rain, thick dark clouds and strong winds on our way  for about an hour," Nanjikana told SIBC News through a phone interview.

While sharing their daunting 29 days experience, the duo told The Guardian that they struggled with dangerous weather two hours into their journey, causing their Global Positioning System (GPS) to malfunction. Following the failure of the GPS system, the duo could hardly see anything around them so they decided to stop as night was approaching, reported SIBC News. Further, while recounting the horror journey, the duo said they managed to survive on rainwater, oranges and coconut water in order to keep them hydrated. While they packed oranges before their journey, they found coconut while exploring areas near the sea.

"Our expected time to reach land has lapsed, and without seeing any island, we chose to stop the motor and just stay afloat, we still have some fuel left," the duo told SIBC news.

"It was a nice break from everything"

As the weather got calmed after nine days, Livae Nanjikana and Junior Qoloni were continually praying to God for strength and guidance. On the 29th day, they saw a fisherman in his wooden canoe was roaming at a safe distance from the duo's motorboat. However, they failed to get the attention of the fisherman. After hours of tireless effort, the fisherman finally noticed the duo and approached the motorboat. "It was then that we yelled and constantly signalled our hands to the seaman that he saw us and paddled towards us. When he approached us, we asked, where are we now? And he replied, PNG, ohhh we are now safe, Nanjikana told SIBC news. Meanwhile, when the media outlet asked about their experience, the duo replied positively and said, "We had a nice break. At least, we were safe from hearing the traumatising news of COVID-19." Meanwhile, the duo is now waiting at the Local Health Clinic in Papua New Guinea for their safe return to their homeland, Solomon Islands.

Image: Pixabay
Nearly two months after a massive fire broke out at a military warehouse, another blast rocked the premises of an engineering ammunition depot in southern Kazakhstan, reported news agency Sputnik on Sunday. According to the Kazakh Defence Ministry, the explosion took place at around 7:20 in the morning. Further, the Defence Ministry confirmed that no one was injured during the incident.

"At 07:20 [local time, 01:20 GMT], an explosive object damaged by fire in the territory of the engineering ammunition warehouse in... Jambyl Region was triggered. There was no distant scattering of fragments as a result of the explosion. Work at that time was not carried out, there were no people nearby. No damage was caused to buildings", Sputnik quoted the ministry as saying in a statement.

Defence Ministry warns of similar blast in Kazakhstan

Further, the Ministry warned that similar incidents could happen in the military area in the future as the cleaning work has been going on in the technical area. It is said that the technical area contains several explosive objects that have the potential for a severe blast. Notably, the incident took place two months after 14 people were killed and 90 others wounded in a massive fire that broke out at a military warehouse. The blast took place in an area where engineering ammunition was stored. An investigation into the matter revealed that the explosion occurred due to the mishandling of the weapon. At that time, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had announced that those soldiers, rescuers, firefighters who lost their lives in the explosion would be posthumously awarded for their bravery.

How did the massive explosions take place?

Have a look at the blast that rocked the military depot two months ago:

According to Kazakhstan's Defence Ministry, the incident happened at a warehouse where all the ammunition was stored. A fire broke out, which caused a massive explosion of unidentified objects stored in the military unit. A series of 10 blasts were recorded, leaving behind a large fire and a tall column of smoke emanating from the warehouse. After the incident, more than 1,000 people were evacuated from the village, and many left their houses. A railway track was also closed. Soon after the blast, the country's Defense Minister, Nurlan Yermekbayev, offered his resignation.

Image: Pixabay/Representational
The US State Department has denounced the Houthi assault on Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Airport in Jazan on Saturday. The US State Department spokesman Ned Price criticised this incident on his Twitter and wrote that their sympathies are with the ten injured people who were simply trying to travel or earn a living.

We condemn the outrageous attack by Houthi forces on King Abdullah Airport in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Our thoughts are with the 10 wounded civilians, who were doing no more than seeking to travel or make a living.  Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) October 9, 2021

Citing Saudi media, Xinhua news agency reported that a spokesman for the coalition, Brigadier-General Turki Al-Malki stated that the strike was carried out by a projectile that dropped on the King Abdullah airport. Nearly ten individuals were injured in the horrific incident. Brigadier-General further informed that among the wounded, there were civilian travelers which included six Saudis, three Bangladeshis, and one Sudanese.

Aerial attacks on the Airports of Saudi Arabia

According to Gulf News, which cited the alliance's spokesperson Turki Al Maliki, an explosives-laden drone attacked the airport in Jizan on October 8, Friday night, injuring ten passengers along with airport personnel. However, as per the initial reports, around 5 minor injuries were stated which occurred due to the falling debris caused by the projectile missile, but later, the state media updated the toll to ten. The force of the blast broke several glass windows at the airport, injuring a few people.

Gulf News further reported that four workers at another Saudi airport were hurt on October 6, after Saudi forces stopped an explosive drone deployed by the Al Houthis. The Houthis conducted an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) strike on Abha International Airport in the Kingdom's southern Asir Province on Wednesday.

The Conflict between Yemen and the Houthis

Al Houthis have frequently increased drone and missile assaults into Saudi Arabia in recent months. The conflict between Yemen and the Houthis began in September 2014, when an Iran-backed rebel took control over the capital city of Sanaa. With the help of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the insurgent group overthrew President Abed Rabbi Mansour Hadi's globally recognised administration and created the Supreme Political Council.

Since March 2015, Yemen-recognised government, supported by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been at odds with the insurgent organisation. The struggle led the nation's previous president, Hadi, to escape to Saudi Arabia. Thousands of people have been killed in a succession of attacks and counter-strikes from the year 2015, pushing Yemen to the verge of starvation and humanitarian disaster. The fragile cease-fire aimed at ending Yemen's civil conflict has been shattered by ceasefire violations and intermittent military escalation on both sides.

(Image: AP)
As the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, Britain airlifted as many as 15,000 people-including 8,000 Afghans who aided UK troops from the central Asian country. Many of those who successfully passed the transit were moved to hotels amidst housing shortages and as a part of the administrations 'Operation Warm Welcome'. Now, almost two months later, the refugees say that they are agonised waiting for permanent housing and would like to return back to the Taliban-ruled state which they once fled. Apart from this, when the refugees first arrived in the UK hotels, there were several complaints of "inadequate healthcare."

Speaking to The Guardian, a doctor whos been working with the refugees said that many of his patients tell him that they want to return to Afghanistan. One couple, the unnamed doctor said, was in such bad health that they had to be put on medication. Although top lawmakers including Home Secretary Priti Patel have paid several visits to the refugees, no concrete time for their resettlement has been announced by the government.

It is going to take time to find permanent homes for everyone but we are working urgently with our partners to do so. Our aim is to support everyone who is resettled here to build a successful life in the UK, and that is why we work around the clock to provide wrap-around support to families. This includes working closely with local authorities across the UK to ensure everyone temporarily accommodated in hotels has access to essential provisions, healthcare, education and universal credit, an official spokesperson for the Boris Johnson administration told reporters.

Rescue missions continue

Meanwhile, Britain has expedited efforts to rescue those left behind in the conflict-hit country. Earlier this week, a former British soldier, who was arrested by the Taliban after they took over Afghanistan, was successfully evacuated out of the war-torn country. According to Sky News, a group of British delegates executed the rescue operation, flying Ben Slater out on a special flight organised by the Qatari administration. Slater, a former soldier, was running his business Nomad Concepts Groups in Kabul when it fell to the Taliban. In September, Sunni Pashtun insurgents arrested him while he was trying to aid Afghan residents to flee the country.

Image: AP
In an attempt to promote "diversity and inclusiveness" for its customers, British Airways (BA) has advised pilots and cabin personnel not to use the usual "ladies and gentlemen" while delivering announcements to passengers, according to The Telegraph. The airline has instructed personnel to adopt gender-neutral greetings similar to those used at airports to make children feel included and respect the new societal standards. While speaking to The Telegraph, a spokesperson of Airways said that they value diversity and inclusion and are dedicated to making all travellers feel welcome when flying with British Airways. Meanwhile, according to Sir Martin Sorrell, founder of the world's largest advertising company WPP, traditional pleasantries are no longer a priority for airline consumers.

Opinion polls, on the other hand, appear to indicate the opposite. Only 9% of respondents believe it is necessary to speak out on social issues that matter in the UK, according to a study conducted by the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank in July, while 45% believe companies should avoid taking political and social positions. British Airways did not reveal how it intends to address its passengers. However, the company has often encouraged its pilots to put their own personalities into the onboard announcement, reported The Telegraph.

Netizens react to BA's decision

Meanwhile, the BA's decision seems to have not gone well with netizens who took to social media to post their reactions. Reacting to the decision, one of the users wrote, "Old-fashioned it may be, but I like to be referred to as a lady. What on earth is wrong with some courtesy - we are all either ladies or gentlemen as I don't think that chimps or sheep can sit in aircraft seats! [sic]." "You carry the flag for Britain. You are British Airways, not Woke Airways .. wake up and respect our customs and traditions [sic]," wrote another. "Lol. British Airways make their customers unwelcome in so many ways, this is not one of them [sic]," expressed a third.

Here are some reactions by users

Old-fashioned it may be, but I like to be referred to as a lady. What on earth is wrong with some courtesy - we are all either ladies or gentlemen as I don't think that chimps or sheep can sit in aircraft seats!  Tessia 6 (@tessia_6) October 9, 2021

You carry the flag for Britain. You are British Airways , not Woke Airways .. wake up and respect our customs and traditions .  True_Belle (@True_Belle) October 9, 2021

Lol. British Airways make their customers unwelcome in so many ways, this is not one of them  Fair Economist (@FairEconomist) October 9, 2021

BA follows Lufthansa, EasyJet and Air Canada

Notably, BA's decision follows Lufthansa's similar step taken earlier this year, as well as EasyJet and Air Canada's in 2019. Qantas started its "Spirit of Inclusion" programme in 2018, encouraging employees to avoid using gender-specific terms, reported The Mirror. Last month, Air Malta announced that terms like "welcome, ladies and gentlemen" would be phased out in favour of more inclusive language like "Attention, all passengers." The airline said in a statement that employees are now encouraged to refer to passengers as "guests" and other more universal terminology to help trans, non-binary, and intersex persons feel more at ease," according to The Mirror.

Image: Pixabay/ Representative
Fears that the United Kingdom is heading for a trade war with the EU has been triggered by strong indications from the Johnson administration that proposals to be unveiled over the Brexit arrangement does not go far enough. According to The Guardian, Brexit minister Lord Frost is expected to use his speech in Portugal to call for significant changes to the post-Brexit agreement he negotiated, including over the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). On Tuesday, UKs Brexit minister will warn that the EU must go further than scrapping its prohibition on British sausages to resolve the dispute over the Northern Ireland (NI) Protocol.

Frosts warning will come a day before the EU is expected to reveal plans to resolve issues with the NI protocol. On the other hand, the European Union is likely to propose that chilled meats can continue crossing the Irish Sea from Britain after the end of current grace periods. However, Frost is expected to use his speech in Portugal to warn that compromises must go far further than this to address issues such as the role of ECJ in NI. Frost is expected to tell the diplomatic community in Lisbon that the EU needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle fundamental issues at the heart of the NI protocol head-on. He will warn that the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive without new arrangements in this area.

Northern Ireland Protocol

It is to mention that the NI protocol was negotiated to avoid a hard border with Ireland, by keeping Northern Ireland in the European Unions single market for goods. However, unionists have been pressuring for it to be removed because of the trade barriers it has created on products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain. On Tuesday, Frost will, therefore, share a new legal text with the European Commission in a bid to propose the foundation for a new NI protocol to support the Good Friday Agreement.

Meanwhile, according to reports, on Wednesday, the EUs Brexit commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, will table four papers on the subject of how the NI protocol can be improved. Sefcovic is expected to propose a national identity exemption for British sausages from the EUs prohibition on prepared meat from a third country. He is also expected to propose eliminating checks on goods destined to remain in Northern Ireland, with checks only on those products that are intended for sale in the republic.

Image: AP
As the Taliban tries to solidify its hold over Afghanistan and convince the outside world that it should be recognized as the legitimate government of the country, the one state that has steadfastly expressed its dissatisfaction at the change in government there is neighboring Tajikistan.

Comments from Tajik President Emomali Rahmon about the need for inclusiveness in the Talibans government were ill-received in Kabul, where representatives of the militant group suggested the Tajik leader would do better to refrain from commenting on Afghanistan.

Tajikistan has moved extra forces up to the Afghan border and the Tajik president paid a visit to a border area to watch a military parade. The Taliban has brought up extra forces to the border with Tajikistan, including Tajik citizens who are members of extremist groups in Afghanistan and whom the Taliban recently armed with captured U.S. military weapons and equipment.

Russia has called for calm, and others are urging Tajikistan and Afghanistan to lower tensions.

On this week's Majlis podcast, RFE/RL's media-relations manager, Muhammad Tahir, moderates a discussion on the escalation along the Tajik-Afghan border and where it might lead.

This week's guests are: from Newport, Rhode Island, Suzanne Levi-Sanchez, an associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College and author of the upcoming book Bridging State And Civil Society: Informal Organizations In Tajik/Afghan Badakhshan; from Washington, Melanie Sadozai, a PhD candidate at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris and a visiting scholar at George Washington University, who recently conducted research along the Tajik-Afghan border; from Prague, Salimjon Aioub, the director of RFE/RLs Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi; and Bruce Pannier, the author of the Qishloq Ovozi blog.

Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes or on Google Podcasts.
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- A patient in the Bosnian city of Banja Luka has jumped from the fifth floor of a hospital building, making it the sixth suicide at the facility this year.



With most of the patients jumping from floors where the hospitals COVID-19 wards were situated, the multiple suicides have shone a spotlight on the possible mental-health crises faced by coronavirus patients in Bosnia, where the death toll from the pandemic is steadily rising.



Renata Tamburic, the head of the COVID-19 department at the University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska (UCCRS) in Banja Luka, the largest city in the Serb-dominated part of the Balkan nation, said that the latest patient to take their own life was seriously ill with late-stage cancer and also suffering from pneumonia due to the coronavirus.



Tamburic said that the patient's health deteriorated during the night of October 3-4 "and that the unpleasant event happened from a room used by the staff, in which the windows were not protected."

The recent death was the hospital's second suicide in as many weeks and the sixth this year. In five of the incidents, people jumped from hospital windows in or where coronavirus wards were located; in the sixth case, the patient was found hanged in the toilet of a psychiatric ward. The hospital has not released their names.

According to data from the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University, Bosnia-Herzegovina has Europe's highest coronavirus mortality rate at 4.5 percent with 15 percent of the country's population fully vaccinated. Bosnia, like many other countries around the world, is grappling with vaccine refusal and vaccine hesitancy.

'I Was Shocked'

Nebojsa, a 61-year-old man who requested that his surname be withheld due to privacy concerns, was receiving treatment in the COVID-19 ward on the fifth floor of the UCCRS hospital. "I was shocked because the windows were half-closed [and couldn't be opened] and they said it was so that no one would jump. Some of the patients [there] aren't doing well mentally," Nebojsa told RFE/RL's Balkans Service.

While Nebojsa praised the hospital for its modern treatment and friendly staff, he said he had witnessed firsthand the mental toll treatment was taking on patients.

"I saw a woman walking there and she couldn't find her room. Walking down that hallway, the hallway on the fifth floor is really long. I could see that she was not in the best mental state, as she couldn't find a way to her room," said Nebojsa, who was a patient at the hospital for 21 days in May.

"They left the dead across the hall. I could see the [body] bags, the bags they left there. The doctor said, 'they died.' In eight days, seven people died. On the eighth day, eight more died, meaning a total of 15 people died," Nebojsa said, adding that he didn't think that the experience had affected him psychologically.

Miodrag Femic, president of the Republika Srpska Medical Doctors Union, said the deaths were alarming and "it was time to look into why this is happening and to save people's lives so that it never happens again."

After the third suicide, which took place in May, the hospital management announced that they would "adjust the mechanism for opening the windows" and they would also install cameras to try to prevent people from jumping.

Psychological Strain

But such technical measures wont solve the problem, warned Slobodan Stanic, a former health minister in Republika Srpska. "It is necessary to take special care of the psychological profile of people when admitting patients," he said. An assessment should be made of patients who appear vulnerable and might be a suicide risk, he said.

Doctors and health experts worldwide have warned of the mental and psychological strain on coronavirus patients admitted to intensive-care units. In addition to the physical trauma, patients are being confronted directly with the reality of death, especially in hospitals overcrowded with patients.

A large meta-analysis in the British science weekly Nature found that confirmed COVID-19 patients suffered more mental-health problems, for example anxiety and depression, than other observed cohorts, for example health-care workers or patients with suspected COVID-19.



The Banja Luka hospital did not respond to an RFE/RL enquiry about how many of the suicide victims were being treated for COVID-19 at the facility or how many of them were receiving oxygen therapy. Hospital officials also did not answer a question on what measures, if any, they were taking to prevent further suicides.



At a press conference on October 4, UCCRS representatives said that "suicides are something that hospitals around the world are facing." And Vlado Djajic, the director of UCCRS, said that the hospital has approached the situation "professionally" and that the windows can now not be fully opened.



"If we have 1,500 patients in the clinical center, we cannot place a health worker next to each patient. Every day there are psychologists, doctors, and nurses observing our patients," he said. "Even if that window had not been opened somewherethe patient might have found some other way to commit suicide."
MOSCOW -- Dozens of Russian diplomats and their families have left the Czech Republic after Prague ordered their expulsion in April.

A flight carrying 54 Russian Embassy employees and their families left Prague on May 29 for Moscow, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. In all, Prague has ordered 63 diplomats to leave the country.

The remaining Russian diplomats are expected to leave the Czech Republic on May 31.

It was the largest expulsion of diplomats in the history of relations between the two countries.

The diplomatic row began in April, when the Czech government accused Russian intelligence agents of carrying out two explosions at a military arms depot in the eastern part of the Czech Republic in October 2014. Two Czech citizens were killed in those explosions, which Prague says were aimed at destroying munitions that had been sold to Ukraine.

At the time, Prague ordered the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats, saying they had used their diplomatic status as a cover for intelligence work. Moscow responded by expelling 20 Czech diplomats.

On April 22, the two sides agreed that their diplomatic representations would be brought to strict parity, with each mission comprising seven diplomats and 25 technical employees.

By the end of May, the Czech Republic must dismiss 79 Russian citizens who have been working for the Czech diplomatic mission in Russia.

The Russian government on May 14 officially declared the Czech Republic and the United States to be "unfriendly" states.
Irans nuclear chief has said Tehran has far more enriched uranium than what the UNs nuclear inspectors reported just last month.



Speaking on Iranian state television late on October 9, Mohammad Eslami said Iran has 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium.



In September, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimated Iran's stockpile to be 84.3 kilograms.



It takes about 170 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium to build a nuclear weapon. Most nuclear weapons, however, use enriched uranium above 90 percent.



Under the terms of a 2015 deal between Iran and the international community, Tehran is barred from enriching uranium beyond 3.67 percent. In return, the other signatories agreed to provide Iran with 20 percent enriched uranium for its research reactor.



"But it was not delivered," Eslami said. "If we did not produce it by ourselves, this would have become a problem."



The nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.



In 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions, saying the JCPOA failed to address Iran's ballistic-missile program or Tehran's support for terrorist groups in the Middle East.



Since the U.S. withdrawal, the other signatories -- Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia -- have tried to preserve it.



U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is open to rejoining the JCPOA, but talks with Iran have not produced clear results.

Based on reporting by AP and The New York Times
A 37-year-old performer has been killed at Moscows famed Bolshoi Theater in an accident that occurred on stage during an opera.



The Bolshoi said the October 9 incident occurred during a set change in Sadko, an opera by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The name of the victim was not immediately released.



"The opera was immediately stopped and the audience was asked to leave," the Bolshoi said, according to Russias Interfax news agency.



City authorities said they were investigating the death of a male performer at the theater. It did not identify the victim.



Interfax quoted a source as saying the performer was crushed by a ramp during a scenery change. Other reports said the man was struck by a falling piece of decoration.



Some spectators said they at first thought the accident was part of the production. However, someone on stage shouted "call an ambulance! There's blood here" and the opera was halted.

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa
Russia will suspend test-firing rocket engines at one of its design bureaus in the city of Voronezh until the end of the month to save oxygen supplies for COVID-19 patients, the head of the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, said on October 10.



Russia, which is grappling with a surge in coronavirus cases, registered 968 COVID-19 deaths on October 9, the highest daily death toll since the pandemic began. Many observers say the government is undercounting COVID-19 deaths, and the actual number is likely significantly higher.

"In view of growing demand for medical oxygen to treat the sick, today we decided to suspend test firing rocket engines at Voronezh's Chemical Automatics Design Bureau ranges until the end of the month," Roskosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said on Twitter.



"Our company alone supplies up to 33 tons of oxygen per day," Rogozin added.



The spike in Russias coronavirus figures mirrors trends in other countries, where the more contagious Delta variant has spread widely.

However, Russian authorities have also blamed a stubbornly low vaccination rate.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Tass
Jailed former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on a hunger strike since October 1, needs treatment in hospital as his condition is worsening, his doctor said in an October 10 television interview.



Saakashvili declared a hunger strike after he was arrested on October 1 and incarcerated in the city of Rustavi, hours after he announced he had returned to Georgia following an eight-year absence.



Saakashvili was convicted in absentia in 2018 for abuse of power during his presidency, charges he says were politically motivated.

He had lived in Ukraine in recent years, but last month announced plans to fly home for the October 2 local elections despite facing prison, claiming he wanted to help "save the country" amid a protracted political crisis.



Nikoloz Kipshidze, Saakashvili's doctor, said that he had been discussing his condition with doctors at the prison where he is being held, not far from the capital, Tbilisi.



"I spoke with them for half an hour about how to get through this night. I plan to visit him again tomorrow. We will probably need to transfer him to hospital," the doctor said on Georgian television.

The Georgian Justice Ministry later denied the lawyers comments and said that Saakashvilis health condition is satisfactory.

It added that Saakashvili was receiving proper medicines and that his vital signs are normal.

With reporting by Reuters
At least 16 people were killed when an aircraft carrying skydivers crashed shortly after takeoff in the Russian region of Tatarstan.



In addition, six people were reportedly seriously injured in the October 10 incident near the city of Menzelinsk.



Russian news agencies reported that 22 people were aboard the aircraft, including 20 parachutists and two crew members. Interfax reported that seven people had been rescued alive.



The aircraft was a twin-engine L-410, which was designed by the Czechoslovakian firm Let Kunovice (now Aircraft Industries), and has been produced in Russia in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg since 2018.



It is designed to transport up to 19 passengers a distance up to 1,500 kilometers. An unnamed source told the TASS news agency that overloading was being investigated as a contributing factor in the Tatarstan incident.



It was the third fatal crash involving an L-410 since June.



On June 19, three passengers and two pilots were killed when an L-410 made a hard landing in Siberias Kemerovo Oblast.

On September 13, four people were killed when an L-410 crashed in a remote forested area of Siberias Irkutsk region.



The L-410 that crashed in Tatarstan belonged to a volunteer military-preparedness organization known by the acronym DOSAAF.

Based on reporting by Meduza, DozhdTV, TASS, RIA Novosti, and Interfax
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Dina Nasyrova is a vice-president of the International Jewelry Exhibition-Congress J-1 recently hosted by the Atrium of Gostiny Dvor in Moscow. As a partner and the Muse of the famous jeweler Ilgiz Fazulzyanov, she actively participated in the preparation of his personal exhibition at the Moscow Kremlin Museums and in the opening of the galleries in Paris and Moscow. Having worked for 25 years at the worlds leading exhibition venues - from Las Vegas to Tokyo and Hong Kong (including Vicenza, Geneva and Basel), she set herself the ambitious task of using the best of her experience gained.

Dina Nasyrova told Rough&Polished how she managed to make the J-1 not only a jewelry exhibition but also a working platform where the professionals in various fields, vocational training institutions and relevant ministries gathered for cooperation and dialogue.

Are you satisfied with the results of the J-1? What did you particularly succeed in and what did not work out for some reason?

I must say right away that I am very pleased with the J-1 results - both with the fact that, in general, we succeeded in everything, and that there is still something to improve. I am sincerely proud that we were able to create a special atmosphere at the exhibition - festive, business-oriented and motivating, as well as to conduct an educational program brilliantly. All three projects - the congress, workshops and a school for retail - were held at the highest level.

So, as part of the Congress, we had discussions with the experts of the Federal Assay Chamber of Russia, answered live questions related to the SIIS PMPS (State Integrated Information System in the Sphere of Control over the Circulation of Precious Metals and Precious Stones), outlined the plans for working with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, had meetings with leading industry players such as Inessa Kovalyova, Ksenia Podnebesnaya, Oksana Katayeva, and others. In general, we covered all the topics relevant to the market - from design and brand development to government regulation.

The theory was fully revealed at the Congress, and the practice was reflected in our unprecedented new product - the workshops for professional jewelers, the J-1 Masters, which we organized in cooperation with the International Jewellery School. For 3 days, non-stop workshops were held on the setting, engraving, enameling, casting and other components of manufacturing jewelry. This has never happened at any jewelry exhibition in the world! The workshops were very popular as together with numerous in-person participants they were viewed online by users from New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and other countries! So, we will definitely continue this successful initiative.

And the third educational project - another premiere - organized in partnership with Natalia Perfilova, was a school for retail. As organizers, we aim at covering all the industrys segments, and - you should agree - the picture cannot be complete without our buyers. And I am proud that as a result of the work of the school for retail, the factories representatives drew attention to todays designers and understood how their fresh ideas can be integrated into their production, and the retailers have been trained in the competent implementation, sale and presentation of their goods.

Talking about the shortcomings, I would like to emphasize once again that for me, it is rather an advantage to have them. Let me explain: when an exhibition is 100% successful, I am not fully satisfied with the results, because it means there is nowhere to grow and there is nothing to strive for.

The main difficulty was working with the construction company. Difficulties were also added by the fact that the exhibition that preceded our one moved from the Gostiny Dvor to Manezh and took some equipment with it. As a result, the terms of returning the equipment have shifted. And this is a lesson for the future. We have already made two important decisions - first, we will replace the construction company, and second, we will change the equipment.

Are all the exhibitors satisfied? Did they make any comments, suggestions? What would you like to improve, add and develop?

Of course, the option everyone was happy is a utopia. This never happens. We always said that we provide a platform and equal conditions for everyone. And if an exhibitor has charisma, good jewelry, then it has every chance of ensuring good sales under any conditions, moreover, with such high traffic as was at the J-1 this year. Of course, there were comments and suggestions, which are very valuable. Once again, I want to emphasize that within the framework of our next projects we will take them into account and continue to make efforts to ensure that most of the exhibitors remain satisfied and keep on cooperating with us.

What would I like to improve? I am looking for ways to get rid of the Octanorm plastic things, which, in my opinion, make the very concept of jewelry look cheaper. I dont really want to display the masterpieces in such display cases. But, unfortunately, the choice on the domestic market is limited as we do not even have black-color equipment - everything is only white or made of aluminum. And not everyone can afford to have their own display cases. We will continue to look for some alternative stylish and beautiful options.

And I would like to make the exhibition wider, of course, inviting new exhibitors to expand it as much as possible. We will continue to develop the project in the field of private servicing. We are talking not only about high-end brands that offer big stones and goods at high prices but also about the creative industrys companies in general. I am very glad that the street of designers has grown 4 times compared to last year, and I have no doubt that it will keep on expanding further. I am sure that the designers and small-scale companies are the future of the jewelry industry both in Russia and in the world.

How was the J1 jewelry competition? What was different compared to other similar ones? What can you say about the works displayed by the participants? Are there any trends? Any tendencies?

The J-1 jewelry competition went well. We have fixed all the mistakes made last year, and the project has become much larger and full-fledged. As for the differences from similar competitions, usually, they are held only for exhibitors. We do it some other way. We invite jewelers and designers from all over the world to participate in it, and this is important.

We are also really proud of our expert jury. Ilgiz Fazulzyanov, its chairman, is both a master, designer, and a craftsman, he has an incredible designers visual experience and know-how. This gives us a great advantage. Veronika Yurievna Voldayeva, Gokhrans best leading expert, helped us. The award panel includes academic consultants and veterans of the jewelry industry: Elena Vesyolaya, Marina Korotayeva, Evgenia Mironova who joined us this year. The competence of all the award panel members is beyond question.

By the way, another important difference from other similar competitions is the attitude of the award panel members towards the participants. They work a lot with the participants, conduct live broadcasts, and give consultations. Every day, at the stand with works that were shortlisted, one of the award panel members was on duty and explained the reasons for getting or not getting into the finals, the principle of choosing a winner in each nomination, and so on. The award panel members really want to help the participants show their potential and find their creative flavor. In fact, in my practice of participating in the international competitions with Ilgiz, I do not remember that someone treated the participants in the same way. And this really differs us from other similar projects and gives a huge advantage to the participants.

As for the award panel, I would also like to add that we hope very much that the borders will reopen soon and we will be able to invite foreign experts. This is our plan.

As for the works submitted, honestly, I am delighted. They are all different and interesting. We had a heated debate, the reason for this is another difference between our competition and other ones as we do not have the 1st, 2nd, 3rd places. There can be only one winner in each of the 11 nominations. Because this is the J-1, the principle is already in the name. We see a tendency towards creativity and reinterpretation, we see that the participants are able to express their vision of the world. It seems to me that it used to be easier earlier: designers looked at a butterfly and made it in their own way. But it is not the case now. The designers express their feelings through the jewelry, share their experiences, express their emotions for ages, and thats great.

What do you think about the state of the jewelry industry in Russia and in the world? What do the jewelers lack to be able to create a real brand and make their mark on the jewelry art?

I think that the Russian jewelry industry needs to be upgraded - and in a serious way. Our exhibition can contribute to this. I really want the jewelry industry to go beyond the borders of the country, to have the customs shackles removed from us so that we could show the whole world how many creative and skillful people work in Russia. And in principle, I think thats okay if someone from abroad comes to us and works with us. Interaction and collaboration are the drivers in the world, and the fact that Russia is locked in a sack is a huge minus. This hinders the development of the jewelry industry. I really hope that our project carried out with Konstantin A. Zakirov can become the upgrade required in the industry at all levels; the J-1 has already been made an official Eurasian Economic Unions exhibition, which means that more than one country is engaged in the process. And this is just the beginning.

Becoming a real brand means recognition not only in one country but all over the world. I say again that we lack the openness of the jewelry industry, so a real brand will not work until it succeeds in providing global coverage. Although, for example, the SOKOLOV company was able to do this, but it required huge investments.

I know firsthand how to create a brand from scratch because Ilgiz and I have come a very long and difficult way. Frankly speaking, our success depended on the fact that we did not look back at our colleagues and never expected anything from the state. We just took our decision and walked the walk.

In general, a successful brand is a combination of factors. Of course, this needs money, and, of course, this needs much work. You must have some flavor, your own DNA, which is not similar to that of anyone else. In fact, now I cannot say that there are companies that need to attract investors, scale up, and create a world-famous brand. I dont see them yet. There are good, creative companies making beautiful jewelry that reflects the inner world of their buyers. The customers buy them with pleasure, but this is not the level of a world famous brand. There is no impression that a new real jewelry house has appeared in the market.

As for how to leave a mark on the art of jewelry, I will say that, first of all, it is necessary that the representatives of art pay attention to the jewelry industry. Our big common problem is that the industry belongs to the Ministry of Finance. Neither the Ministry of Culture nor the Ministry of Industry and Trade is looking in our direction. Until people of art begin viewing the jewelry pieces to display them in museums and start interacting with jewelers, no success can be expected. We will not be able to show the Russian jewelry art of the 21st century to our future generations. Not because it does not exist - of course, it exists, but nobody collects jewelry art pieces, buys or exhibits them.

Therefore, in order to make your mark on the art of jewelry, it is not enough to have good craftsmen - they really exist. It is necessary that the others would pay attention to them, especially the Ministry of Culture. We have repeatedly applied to this ministry because Ilgiz really has works that deserve to be displayed at the world museum exhibitions. We are very grateful to Elena Yuryevna Gagarina, Director General of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, for the purchase of the jewelry pieces and designs. However, this is an isolated case, but it should not be a one-off event.

And donating jewelry pieces to museums is too expensive for jewelers. You may say that painters donate their artworks, but lets think about the cost price - buying paints, canvas and related materials is not the same as buying gold or diamonds to make a jewelry piece.

I believe that just being a talented jeweler and a good designer is not enough to leave a mark on jewelry art. The support of the state is really needed.

What are your plans for the future regarding this exhibition and other ones?

We have already begun to prepare for the J-1 Christmas, a pre-Christmas exhibition, which will be held from December 10 to 12 in the Gostiny Dvor. It will be designed primarily for retail customers and held simultaneously with the legendary doll show. Without a doubt, our exposition will be incredibly beautiful and create a unique atmosphere. In January 2022, we plan to hold an exhibition in Sochi - this is our exhibitors wish. And then, we will start preparing for the J-1 Eurasia. We plan to make it really big and substantial, because in Eurasia, in fact, there is not a single jewelry exhibition designed not only to unite the two continents but also to invite the public from all over the world. Therefore, the plans are grand and ambitious - to improve what has already been achieved, to develop further and to hold exhibitions where the jewelry manufacturers can feel comfortable working.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished
(theecologist.org) - New mining projects are being re-branded clean, green and vital to climate action across Europe. The reality is very different. There has been a surge in the number of mining projects and a massive expansion of areas under mining concession in the island of Ireland, Fennoscandia and across Europe in recent years. As much as 27 percent of the Republic of Ireland and 25 percent of Northern Ireland is under mining concession, with a single company, Dalradian Resources, holding concessions for 10 percent of the latter's land area. Meanwhile, Nordic nations have issued mining exploration permits covering millions of hectares of land, including in Sapmi, the homeland of the Sami Indigenous People.
The parents of a Chula Vista elementary school student are suing the district, alleging their son was sexually assaulted by a classmate.

Both of the boys were in the third grade and the victim was 8 years old at the time of the incidents, said Anna Yum, the lawyer who filed the suit for the family.

The district, which is accused of failing to supervise the children and not communicating with the parents, said it disagrees with the allegations that are being made, but does not feel it is appropriate to discuss these types of allegations involving minors with the media.

Two assaults are alleged to have happened in a bathroom at Enrique Camarena Elementary School after lunch on July 25 and July 27, according to the complaint, which uses fictitious names to protect the privacy of both minors. It says that one boy followed the other into the bathroom on the 25th, asked if he wanted to have sex, shoved him to the ground and forced him to perform oral sex. Afterwards, the victim threw up and the other boy said, dont tell anyone or I wont be your friend or Ill beat you up, according to the complaint.

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The boy told his parents about throwing up but not about the assault, the suit says, and two days later, he was assaulted again.

That night, the victim told his parents and showed them a hickey on his chest. The following morning, the parents reported the incidents to the schools principal and vice principal. The victim was taken to Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and the Chula Vista Police Department was notified, according to the lawsuit.

The schools principal, Jonathan Strout, wrote a letter to parents last week after the Union-Tribune asked the district to comment.

Please be assured that the parents of the involved students were immediately notified of the incident and there is no information that any other students were involved, Strout wrote in the letter, a copy of which was posted on a Facebook group last week.

Strout encouraged parents to talk to their children about personal space and personal safety. Specifically, he said, Your child can and should provide important information that may prevent harm to him or her, or to another student. He emphasized that schools are safe spaces where local law enforcement agencies help keep students safe, according to the letter.

The complaint alleges that in both cases, school staff noted that the two boys were alone, unsupervised, for 15 minutes and late for class and that the school did not notify the parents or investigate.

My clients perspective was that if she had known the first time around that they were left alone together, maybe the second time it wouldnt have happened, Yum said.

The District disputes many of the allegations in the lawsuit, but takes these matters very seriously, Anthony Millican, the districts spokesperson, wrote in a statement. Student privacy laws prohibit the District from sharing specifics regarding this particular situation. However, we can confirm that the District was made aware of the allegations at the time they occurred and responded appropriately by immediately notifying law enforcement and Child Protective Services.

Millican did not answer follow-up questions about what policies the school has in place to keep children from being left alone and unsupervised during school hours.

After the schools principal and vice principal met with the victims mother, the alleged perpetrator had an expulsion hearing.

The victims family never found out if the boy was expelled. When Yum asked the district, their lawyer said he could not disclose that information because of privacy rules.

The school district cited student privacy laws in declining to say if the student was ever disciplined.

The victim no longer goes to Enrique Camarena Elementary School, according to the lawsuit.

Yum seeks unspecified damages for her client, including all legal costs, civil penalties, and possible medical costs for the alleged victim.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter
Every February for years, Carrie Cave  formerly Carrie McGonigle  would drive to a remote spot north of Escondido, where her daughter Amber Dubois died, to decorate a large tree with ribbons and lights.

This year, a decade after Amber disappeared  which shook Escondido, then gripped the region a year later with the discovery she had been murdered by a stranger Cave said she will do something different.

She plans to visit a friend in the hospital and decorate there, a quiet celebration of her daughters memory.

Cave, 50, said she has forgiven the killer so she can move forward. But she never forgets Amber, who would be 24 now. She and Ambers father, Maurice Moe Dubois  they divorced several years before Amber was taken  each say they are finding peace.

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Amber Dubois (Courtesy of Carrie Cave)

Wednesday marks 10 years since the 14-year-old freshman vanished while walking to Escondido High School on Feb. 13, 2009. The man who abducted her, registered sex offender John Albert Gardner III, cornered Amber on a quiet street and forced her into his car.

He drove the girl to a secluded spot, raped and stabbed her.

Inside 90 minutes, Amber was dead. It would be a year before anyone knew that for sure.

In 2010, after Gardner had abducted and killed a second North County teen, Chelsea King, he pleaded guilty to raping and murdering both girls, as well an assault on a third victim, and was sentenced to consecutive terms of life in prison without parole.

When Amber vanished, her mother was fierce and relentless. She sought clues everywhere.

After Ambers remains were found, Cave formed a search and rescue organization. Ambers father pushed for legislative change targeting police investigations and sex offenders.

A decade later those activities have faded. Cave recently moved into a new home on the outskirts of northern Escondido with her daughter and now-husband, whom she had been living with when Amber disappeared. Moe Dubois and his longtime girlfriend moved to an Oregon hamlet and bought a seaside tackle shop.

Helping others

After Gardners arrest, but before his sentencing, Cave confronted her daughters killer in jail, and insisted that he tell her what happened. He cried as he told her the details  including that Amber had told him he would not get away with it.

Knowing how she died, it was a relief, Cave said last week. I could live my life. And I forgave.

When the case was behind her, Cave assembled a group of volunteers and launched Team Amber Rescue. She also got a yellow Labrador, which she named after her slain daughter, and trained the animal to search.

In 2011, Cave helped search for missing nursing student Michelle Le in Northern California. The dog, with Cave by her side, found Les remains.

Amber the dog is 9 years old now and no longer healthy enough for missions. That part of their lives is in the past.

I had to start everything over

Moe Dubois lived in Orange County when his daughter disappeared, but he was involved in his daughters life. He said her disappearance and death devastated him.

For a while, Dubois worked with families and organizations that searched for missing people. He also successfully pushed for legislation, mostly related to law enforcement, such as creating a checklist to provide police investigators guidelines and resources during the initial hours of a missing-person investigation.

The work helped, but he was still unsettled.

It took a complete change of everything to get through this, Dubois, 49, said in a telephone interview this week. I had to start everything over.

About five years ago, Dubois, who worked as an electrical engineer, and his longtime girlfriend Rebecca Smith moved to a fishing village  population 382 people in the last census  on the central Oregon coast. He bought a tackle shop with a view of the water.

I left an engineers life to sell dead fish, he said with a laugh. I may smell a little worse, but I am happier.

Folks in town know about Amber. The shop has a bus stop in front of it and opens its doors to children waiting for the school bus. Dubois said he is protective of the children, watches out for them.

And he smiles when he thinks of his daughter.

The fact that she is gone wont remove that smile, Dubois said. She put it there when I had her with me.

A investigation that went nowhere

Throughout 2009, Ambers photo was everywhere in North County  her blue eyes peering out from missing signs on light posts and in store windows.

Ambers disappearance frustrated Escondido police. And each day, when there were no new leads, it was hard to hold onto hope, Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter said this week.

Carter was a lieutenant when the girl disappeared, handling the media queries and becoming the face of the police investigation and task force. He said the investigation went in two directions, chasing the possibility that shed run away and the possibility of foul play.

Any motives or potential leads, they just kept going to a dead end, Carter said. That is a little unusual.

A year passed. Then on Feb. 25, 2010, 17-year-old Chelsea King went missing. An avid runner, she had gone for a jog at Rancho Bernardo Community Park near Lake Hodges when she was attacked.

This time, there were clues. Searchers found Chelseas underwear near the running trail. DNA on them led investigators to Gardner.

Chelseas body was found in a shallow grave near the lake.

Within days, Gardner admitted killing Amber. He took detectives to her remains in the community of Pala, about 30 miles north of Escondido.

Ten years later, Carter said, Ambers abduction has shaped the Police Departments approach to such disappearances.

I can tell you that when we have a very unusual missing person case, we will start that task-force mentality very quickly, Carter said.

Helping gets me through

When Amber disappeared, she lived with her mother, her mothers boyfriend, and their daughter in a two-story home just blocks from school.

Several years ago, the couple married. In recent weeks, they and their now 15-year-old daughter  who was 5 when big sister Amber was taken  moved to the outskirts of Escondido.

They have nearly 2 acres of land. Sitting on the front porch last week, Cave said Amber would have loved it here.

The family built stalls and an arena for horses. They own three, board three more and train yet another. Cave finds joy in riding them, training them, taking them to rodeos.

Some of the new house is a remodel in progress, but the guest room is done.

Cave said it was easy to decorate, with a framed drawing of Amber and photos of the girl and her then-baby sister. There are other remembrances, and several figurines of wolves, Ambers favorite animal.

Framed on one wall is a single sheet of paper, covered in drawings, inside jokes and expressions of love. Amber made it for her mothers 40th birthday, just months before she was taken. Its among Caves favorite memories of her daughter.

Cave said her heart hurts for her surviving daughter, who is now older than Amber was when she died.

Her life would be so much different if Amber was still here, Cave said. She would have an older sibling  I think thats what kills me the most.

The search and rescue team faded away, but Cave still wants to help people. She understands what it is to work through pain.

Last year, she reached out to a stranger, a woman whose teen daughter had been struck by a car and killed. The two grieving mothers grew close.

There were times when Cave encouraged her new friend to get out of bed and others when she advised that it was OK to stay under the covers. It helped her friend, Cave said. But it helped her, too.

Its that kind of stuff, she said, that really gets me through.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Onboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship, Sian Proctor, had the fun of her life as the pilot for the first all-tourist crew to circle the Earth.

While the views from the enormous glass cupola were spectacular, the three-day voyage around the Earth wasn't always without its bumps.

Proctor told National Geographic that the first day was difficult for her. She said that space sickness is a common ailment that affects many individuals.

What Is Space Sickness?

When the brain has difficulties with spatial direction, it suffers from space sickness, also known as space adaption syndrome. Weightlessness might take some time for the body to adjust. It affects around half of all astronauts during their first few days in space.

According to The Conversation, astronauts can become ill while traveling to space. The capacity to move about in the rocket increased the likelihood of experiencing space sickness. During their first few days aboard the space station, up to 50% of the astronauts experience space sickness.

ALSO READ: Astronauts Brains Could Be Affected By Travel to Mars; Can NASA Protect Them From Such Scenario?





The force that pulls people down to the ground is known as gravity. Space's low gravity allows humans to float around, which appears to be a lot of fun, but it can also contribute to space sickness.

Many astronauts experience nausea and confusion due to space sickness. Because it is an issue of the astronaut attempting to adjust to weightlessness in space, it more accurately depicts the situation. The exact reason for space sickness is yet unknown.

Proctor Felt Better on the Third Day

Thankfully, Proctor subsequently told National Geographic that she felt "better" the following day.

On the third day, she awoke. She was humming, according to Proctor, and everything went smoothly. She went on to say that she was OK. She couldn't believe they'd have to return home.

When asked if she would do a similar trek again, she replied per Business Insider that she would "go for longer."

"A five-day mission in the Dragon capsule with the cupola would be great," the mission pilot stated.

On September 16, the Inspiration4 mission launched, carrying four civilian passengers into orbit for three days aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.

Astronauts Downplay Fan Issue

National Geographic also asked about the four-person crew's bathroom issues while in space. Proctor played down the situation.

She stated that they had been given a waste fan. "I think it was made into an event that was bigger than it actually was," she said per Futurism.

The cupola is a glass dome roof on the Crew Dragon spacecraft's nose that the astronauts used to look out of when they wanted to observe Earth from space. This was the greatest feature of our spaceflight; Proctor told National Geographic.

RELATED ARTICLE: SpaceX Inspiration4 Jared Isaacman Shares Amazing Photo of Earth from Space Through His iPhone

Check out more news and information on SpaceX in Science Times.
The 33-year-old woman who police said decapitated her infant son and ate parts of his body had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and postpartum psychosis before the slaying at a North Side home this weekend, the family said Monday.

Otty Sanchez confessed to killing Scott Wesley Buchholz Sanchez on Sunday with a steak knife and two swords before mutilating the corpse and eating body parts that included the brain, nose and toes, police said.

She has been charged with capital murder and remained under 24-hour observation Monday at University Hospital, where she was treated for self-inflicted knife wounds.

The father of the baby now is asking that she "pay the ultimate price."

"She was a sweet person and I still love her, but she needs to pay the ultimate price for what she has done," said Scott W. Buchholz, who referred to his child as "baby Scotty." "She needs to be put to death for what she has done."

Sanchez's relatives, however, are hoping authorities will take into consideration her history of mental illness, which included a recent diagnosis of postpartum psychosis.

"It's just tragic and unbelievable what happened," said Greg Garcia, Sanchez's first cousin who considers her a sister. "She was a good, hard-working person, but she had been diagnosed with schizophrenia last year."

The crime happened at Sanchez's mother's home in the 300 block of Wayside Drive sometime between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m. When officers arrived about 5 a.m. to find baby Scotty's mutilated body, Sanchez quickly confessed to the macabre crime, police said.

"She was hysterical, screaming, 'I killed my baby. I killed my baby,'" said Police Chief William McManus.

Child Protective Services officials said that Sanchez had never been investigated by the agency prior to the killing. The agency on Monday was at the home investigating conditions, because Sanchez's sister's children, ages 5 and 7, also live there.

Police said the sister, the two children and Sanchez's mother were in the home at the time of the slaying. The adult women had each taken turns caring for baby Scotty at night so they could sleep in shifts. Sanchez's shift began at 1:30 p.m. Her sister discovered the baby's body about 4:30 a.m. and called police about 5 a.m.

The crime scene was so disturbing that the San Antonio Police Department has provided counseling services for some officers who entered the home.

"Normally you don't see a scene of this magnitude in terms of the atrocity," McManus said. "When you do, it certainly leaves a lasting impression."

Sanchez told detectives that she was "hearing voices" and the devil made her kill the baby boy she had given birth to June 30.

The Bexar County District Attorney's Office will soon review the homicide detectives' recommended capital murder charge, which is punishable by the death penalty.

"You can still be prosecuted if you have some form of mental illness," said First Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herberg. "The test is if you understand the difference between right and wrong. The question is whether or not you know your act is wrong."

Defense attorneys can request competency hearings to determine whether Sanchez is fit to stand trial.

Dr. Lucy Puryear, a Houston psychiatrist and author, said mothers who experience postpartum psychosis often have a history of other mental disorders, but in some cases childbirth triggers the psychosis.

"It's usually really severe," said Puryear, who wrote the book, "Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting."

She testified as an expert witness in the case of Andrea Yates, who drowned her five children in Houston in 2001. While postpartum depression affects one in 10 mothers, Puryear said, the more severe condition of postpartum psychosis -- which includes hallucinations -- affects 1 in 1,000.

Puryear said postpartum psychosis includes delusional thoughts, hallucinations and an altered state of reality.

"The scary thing is that the delusions are usually always about the baby," she said. "In all of the (high profile) cases, the thinking involves the babies: The mother had to kill the baby to protect it, or God has spoken to the mother and there is a mission to kill the baby or sometimes the baby is the devil who needs to be gotten rid of to save the world," she said.

Relatives said Sanchez's mental health had severely deteriorated in the week before baby Scotty's death. On July 20, she moved out of the home she was living at with the baby and his father near Windcrest on the Northeast Side.

That same day she checked herself into a hospital after hearing voices, but she soon checked herself out, according to a source familiar with the investigation but unauthorized to speak to the media. She then took the baby to stay at her mother's home in the 300 block of Wayside Drive.

Buchholz called her every day to convince her to return to their home, to no avail.

"We were all trying to get her to come back," said Buchholz best friend, Matthew Maher. "She wouldn't answer her phone."

She finally reappeared about 2 p.m. Saturday at Buchholz's parent's home on the Northeast Side.

"We were so happy to see Scotty again," said his father.

She was at the home for about 15 minutes when Buchholz told Sanchez that he needed a copy of baby Scotty's birth certificate and Social Security Card. The request seemed to "set her off," Buchholz said.

"She grabbed the baby and just said, 'I gotta go. I gotta go. I'm out of here.'"

The mother ran out of home with Scotty in a car seat. She left behind the baby's diaper bag and her purse, along with her medication. Buchholz said Sanchez threw the child's car seat -- with Scotty inside -- into the front passenger area of her car and sped away without buckling Scotty into the vehicle's front seat.

His mother called 911, and a sheriff's deputy arrived to investigate the incident as a disturbance, court records show. Later on Saturday night, while Buchholz was attending the Judas Priest concert, he received a cell phone call from Sanchez.

"She told me she had found someone else and she never wanted to see me again," he said.

Police think she killed the baby about six hours later.

Sanchez and Buchholz met in 2003, while they were enrolled in the San Antonio College of Medical and Dental Assistance. The couple's volatile relationship was on and off for the past six years, but they became dedicated to making it work after learning she was pregnant last year, relatives said.

"She took really good care of herself during the pregnancy," said Buchholz, who also has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. "We were excited about having a baby."

But Sanchez's mental health deteriorated soon after the child's birth. Her recovery was complicated by an infection, which required the use of a catheter for a week. Irritability progressed to a darker psychological state, and a postpartum depression diagnosis soon followed.

"She kept telling me she needed to see a counselor all the time," Buchholz.

During the pregnancy and first two weeks after baby Scott's birth, the couple lived together in a rented house on the Northeast Side.

The couple paid for the residence with his monthly disability checks and her job as an in-home health care provider for senior citizens. She worked until about two weeks before she gave birth. Acquaintances described Sanchez and her mother as devout Jehovah's Witnesses."They would come up to our door every so often, but I told them I was Catholic, so they left," said Elaine Calchin.

Buchholz's mother, Kathleen, said she had no idea that Sanchez had been diagnosed with the same mental illness her son had. She thought that baby Scotty was the best thing that could have happened to the troubled couple.

She is not sure what should happen to the baby's mother.

"I have mixed emotions," she said. "She needs to stay under psychiatric care. I love her. She was like a daughter. I don't want her out at this point, but that may change."
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PG&E Corp. leaders gather each week in the middle of a nondescript San Ramon office complex to talk about the companys most pressing problem: wildfires.

Senior executives, including the CEO, review whiteboards papered with statistics and graphics that detail PG&Es progress on safety and areas where its falling short. Hanging near the ceiling is a banner that details the task before them  and reflects the deadly and disastrous track record that the latest crop of company officials is trying to finally reverse.

CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES SHALL STOP, the banner declares. We are uniting the worlds best for breakthrough solutions. We demand and deliver excellence in wildfire mitigation.

To hear PG&E executives tell it at last weeks San Ramon fire meeting, which The Chronicle and two other media outlets attended, the company is on its way toward fulfilling the mission stated on the banner, even though it may have started yet another huge and destructive fire this year.

Sumeet Singh, PG&Es chief risk officer, led the meeting. He told a few dozen executives and staffers from across the huge company that PG&E had recorded a precipitous drop in how often its electric equipment sets off sparks in the riskiest corners of its service area.

Along stretches of power line programmed with new safety settings designed to quickly shut off power when something hits the wires, PG&Es ignition rate since late July is down about 85% compared with the average from 2015 through 2020.

So far this year, Northern California blazes have not been driven by Diablo winds  the dry, intense gusts that have fanned the flames of some of the states worst wildfires. Those winds are typically what prompts PG&E to preemptively shut off electricity so power lines dont spark a new disaster.

But drought-stressed trees and brush have provided ample fuel for wildfires to take off this year, even in the absence of intense offshore winds. Thats why PG&E has rolled out the new power line safety settings.

PG&E (seems to be) recognizing that theres a whole spectrum of scenarios that lead to a fire, and its not just responding to that triumvirate of high temperature, low humidity, high winds, said Steven Weissman, a former administrative law judge for the California Public Utilities Commission. But that doesnt mean the company is rolling out the new settings flawlessly, he said.

The new safety settings prompted strong resistance in part of the Santa Cruz Mountains and other areas where residents said they suddenly began to lose power far too frequently. PG&E has been adjusting the settings in those places so the shut-offs are more targeted, and the changes appear to be working, according to the company.

Were absolutely headed in the right direction, Singh said at the wildfire meeting last week.

The stakes, for PG&E and millions of people who live in Californias fire-prone communities, are extremely high. They have been for years, and conditions show no signs of improving soon. PG&Es equipment has compounded the situation.

Amid an extreme drought worsened by climate change, a PG&E power line is suspected of sparking the gargantuan Dixie Fire that has burned around Lake Almanor in the northern Sierra, reducing much of the Plumas County town of Greenville to rubble and ash. Some people who lost homes in the fire have filed civil lawsuits against the company, and local prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation.

At the same time, PG&E is fighting criminal charges over past wildfires in Sonoma and Shasta counties. And the company is only one year removed from a bankruptcy prompted by its responsibility for a series of blazes that killed more than 100 people.

CEO Patti Poppe, who took the reins of the troubled utility in January, has introduced an ambitious plan to turn the tide: She wants PG&E to bury 10,000 miles of power lines in areas with high wildfire risk. It will be a long and expensive effort, and state regulators have yet to sign off on the financing  or even receive a detailed plan from the company.

But Poppe remains committed to the project. She said PG&E will submit more information to the state in February as part of its next fire-prevention plan. Already, PG&E has received information from about 25 firms that may be able to help with the power-line-burying initiative, Poppe said. The company is now narrowing that list down to about seven.

For Poppe, the need to put more wires underground is exemplified by a photo she has set as the wallpaper on the lock screen of her cell phone. The image shows yellow-vested PG&E employees walking through a wooded area near Calistoga, with a power line visible in the distance.

All those trees are marked for removal because that little power line is there, Poppe told The Chronicle. I took that picture, I got home that night, and I said, What are we doing? That is not sustainable. That doesnt heal the planet.

PG&E for years resisted calls to put more of its power lines underground, citing unbearably high costs. But the companys position changed under Poppe, who announced the 10,000-mile plan not long after PG&Es likely responsibility for the Dixie Fire became clear.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Poppe says the company has learned that it can reduce undergrounding costs dramatically when burying lines on a systemic scale, as its doing in Paradise, which was almost entirely destroyed by the PG&E-caused Camp Fire in 2018.

Moreover, once PG&E puts more power lines below the earths surface, it can spend less money on tree trimming, adding to the financial benefit of the 10,000-mile project, Poppe said.

Still, regulators at the state utilities commission will closely scrutinize PG&Es undergrounding plans when the company seeks permission to recover costs through electric rates.

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.

Because the project is still in its early stages, with no details submitted for review, PG&E leaders have not yet demonstrated that theyre gonna go for the right wires, said Weissman, the former commission official whos now an emeritus lecturer at UC Berkeleys public policy school.

If PG&E launches into this unprecedented commitment of money, they ought to be held to a level of proof that this is actually likely to produce results, Weissman said.

Costs will likely be a major issue for state regulators. California already has some of the highest electricity prices in the nation, and some experts are concerned that rising power costs could impede the states ability to get more people to use electricity instead of fossil fuels for driving and for cooking and heating their homes.

I think that when the commission considers this, its going to strongly want to be erring on the side of safety, but its going to feel compelled to do what it can to keep rates in line, Weissman said.

In the states fire zones, PG&E has 8 million trees within striking distance of its power lines  which has posed a persistent problem with often deadly consequences. Many, though not all, recent fires caused by the companys equipment were specifically linked to vegetation colliding with electric wires.

Over the past few years, PG&E has used its intentional power shut-offs as a last-ditch attempt to avoid catastrophic wildfires during windstorms. But the strategy has not prevented all fires caused by the companys wires, including, potentially, the Dixie Fire. That has fueled Poppes insistence on putting 10,000 miles underground.

Every great invention, every great innovation, started with somebody staking the claim that something was possible that had never been done before, Poppe said. Were staking our claim. Ten thousand miles can be done economically  not at all cost. At a good cost. At a lower cost.

PG&E could be dramatically restructured if it continues to cause fiery catastrophes. Under a law passed last year as the company was exiting bankruptcy protection, the investor-owned PG&E can be transformed into a nonprofit public benefit corporation if regulators decide to revoke its operating license. The utilities commission has already forced PG&E to submit to some extra oversight because of its failure to properly trim trees around its riskiest power lines in 2020.

Inside PG&Es offices, executives are trying to demonstrate that theyre laser-focused on fire prevention. At the end of their weekly fire safety meeting, Singh, the chief risk officer, pointed to the banner about stopping catastrophic blazes and reviewed the message.

We all own this, he said.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
Nevada Joint Union High School District Superintendent Brett McFadden expects the vast majority of his students and staff to abide by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 1.

But he also expects around 10 of his employees to quit out of personal or political opposition to it.

Its a really small number, but the individuals who are upset about it are vocal, said McFadden, whose district in Nevada County is about 65 miles northeast of Sacramento. The silent, vast majority of educators are saying, OK, well get vaccinated.

As a small minority of teachers and parents across the state protest vaccine mandates, one legislator is considering ways to strengthen the new immunization requirement by eliminating a controversial public-health loophole state lawmakers had previously removed for the 10 other required vaccines for Californias students.

The purpose of these laws is not to make anyone vaccinate their children, its to keep schools safe, said state Sen. Richard Pan of Sacramento, a Democrat and pediatrician who chairs the Senate Health Committee. You dont want schools having to close and people having to be sent home and quarantined.

More for you California will be first state to require COVID-19 vaccine for students

The vaccine mandate announced last week will take effect as soon as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approves the vaccine for the different age groups. The Newsom administration expects the first vaccine deadline for grades seven through 12 to be July 1, 2022.

The mandate, however, allows for personal belief exemptions. This means students and staff could opt-out of the COVID-19 vaccine for religious or ideological reasons.

The process for a personal belief exemptions for vaccinations varies across the country for students and employees, according to Dorit Reiss, a law professor at UC Hastings.

Some just ask to check a box on a form, she said. Others have a different process like submitting a letter.

Pan has a long history with strengthening vaccine rules for students. In 2012, he wrote a law that required parents seeking a personal belief exemption to consult with a medical expert about the benefits and risks of vaccinations.

In 2015, he co-wrote a law which eliminated the personal belief exemption for childhood immunizations altogether.

Pan then successfully tightened regulations on medical exemptions in 2019 with a bill that required the California Department of Public Health to audit all medical exemptions at schools with immunization rates of less than 95%, and doctors who submit more than five medical exemptions every calendar year. Anti-vaccine protesters zealously opposed the bill.

Fridays COVID-19 vaccine mandate revived the issue of the personal belief exemption because the 2015 law requires any immunization requirements issued by the state health department without a vote from the Legislature to include the provision.

At the time, we were more concerned about routine vaccinations. We were thinking, Why have a fight that doesnt really matter? Pan said. The laws that we wrote for school mandates were not written with pandemics in mind. Thats why that provision is in there.

Pan says hell consider legislation that would eliminate the exemption if COVID-19 cases spike across the state, or if districts report a high number of students and staff who abuse this provision to avoid the vaccine.

A possible bill, Pan said, would add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of already required immunizations for both public and private school students. Then it would be treated like the other 10 vaccine requirements that dont allow for a personal belief exemption under SB277.

The problem with the personal belief exemption is that if there are too many people who use it, well have schools that are unsafe, he said. We need to be sure kids can stay in school and learn and not have to be sent home for two weeks.

The California chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement in support of the mandate.

The eradication of smallpox and polio, as well as prevention of meningitis, measles and whooping cough show that vaccines work, said chapter Chair Yasuko Fukuda. New vaccines are developed and evaluated by a long-standing rigorous process to ensure effectiveness and safety.

Catherine Martin, executive director of the California Immunization Coalition, a public-health advocacy group, said she understands the concerns of the parents who are hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine, but she agrees that the personal belief exemption should be eliminated.

The No. 1 reason to eliminate the personal belief exemption is to be consistent, Martin said. This vaccine is no riskier than any other vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccines do not currently have FDA approval for kids but are expected to by the time the mandate goes into effect.

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.

Martin said her organization will spend the next months supporting pediatricians and school administrators as they explain the benefits and risks of the COVID-19 vaccine to students and their families.

Parents are suffering because they really are scared, she said. Doctors are really going to need to up their game in terms of taking time and answering their questions.

However, Martin has less sympathy for teachers and school staff who refuse to get vaccinated for political reasons.

If theyre not believing in the science or if its a political belief, perhaps they need to find other work, she said. Perhaps this is going to weed out folks who dont believe in the science.

California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd released a statement last week supporting the vaccine mandate for students and said the vast majority of teachers have already been fully vaccinated.

While recognizing the need for medical and religious exemptions, we believe vaccinations are key for both student and educator safety, keeping our schools open for in-person instruction and for combating this pandemic, Boyd said.

Association spokesperson Lisa Gardiner declined to comment on whether the union would support the elimination of the personal belief exemption if legislators were to propose a bill.

McFadden expects most of his employees, even those opposing the mandate, will eventually get their vaccines so they can keep their jobs. He said when the governor issued a previous mandate requiring teachers to be vaccinated or undergo regular testing, many teachers complained, but most came around.

They said, I dont want to do this, but then they realized they have to pay the rent, he said. I might have five or 10 that dont get vaccinated, and theyll leave.

Joe Hong writes for CalMatters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom focused on California policy and politics.
Last week, I spent an hour talking to Janelle Wong about the misconceptions around who is perpetuating anti-Asian violence. Wong, a professor of American and Asian American studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, knew I was planning to write a column. Before getting off the phone, she sighed, laughed and said, Good luck.

Based on reactions to her own work on the topic, she added, This wont be easy.

Thats because much of white America sleeps better at night knowing the lawless Black criminal narrative is thriving.

These people dont want you thinking about how anti-Asian and anti-Black sentiments have shaped this country, or that it was our former white nationalist in chief, Donald Trump, who reignited them for the pandemic era. And forget the research by Wong and others showing that most known perpetrators of hate crimes, including those targeting Asian Americans, are white. Just keep sharing the handful of brutal viral videos depicting Black assailants. Never mind that brown neighborhoods are more likely to be under video surveillance than white neighborhoods.

Facts and context will just screw up a perfectly good lie  that the systems that created this problem are the ones to fix it.

The study Janelle Wong published in June was an analysis of anti-Asian hate incidents in the U.S., including the Bay Area.

Heres what she found: While there is limited data about who commits hate crimes, the national statistics that do exist routinely show that perpetrators are most often white. That extends to those committing anti-Asian incidents as well, where a study of law enforcement statistics from 1992 to 2014 and a separate study of media reports from last year both found that around 75% of offenders were white.

Here in the oh-so-progressive Bay Area, this research gets ignored while traditional power structures push solutions that help them thrive: more policing in brown neighborhoods, not white ones, and a return to a tough-on-crime 90s mindset that will jump-start the mass incarceration of Black and brown people in the 21st century.

In San Francisco, District Attorney Chesa Boudin is fending off conservative-funded recall efforts that want to replace him with someone who champions a more punitive approach to policing.

In Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf and Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong have drawn lines between increasing violence and the defund movement, which hasnt actually succeeded in defunding the police. The departments two-year budget is $38 million more than its last one.

Thats still less than Schaaf wanted, and the mayor recently invited the California Highway Patrol to enforce traffic on city streets. She did this despite Black, brown and Asian community leaders raising concerns about increased profiling and arrests in communities of color.

Alvina Wong, campaign and organizing director at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, is one of the many Asian community leaders decrying Oaklands stubborn investment in traditional policing.

In the anti-Asian hate context, I think a lot of folks who are very much pro crime-and-punishment, and want to see more investment into that system ... they have a lot of reason to use that mechanism to drive a narrative about safety that just isnt true, Alvina Wong said. Increased money into policing does not equate to more safety.

Despite everything weve seen since George Floyds murder, including the jaw-dropping acts of violence officers committed against protesters, were not ready to digest that message yet. Were not even willing to consider facts that challenge our deeply held biases.

After Janelle Wong released her analysis, she said the pushback was swift, and revealing.

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.

Something that was disturbing to me was the number of people who responded to the report, to me, (that) were working very hard to convince me that in fact most of the offenders were Black, she said. I understand thats one of the ways white supremacy works in the U.S., but the amount of investment in that particular narrative is disturbing and surprising.

But it isnt new. Nor is the path to combating it.

It took thinking about a recent conversation I had with former Black Panther and renowned artist Emory Douglas for me to fully understand the value of Black and Asian allyship in this moment.

Movements, including the Black Panther Party, worked because we developed allies and connections with other minority groups, Douglas told me.

In the 1960s, Asian people marched in civil rights protests. They supported our causes. Today, many of us do the same for them.

Earlier this month, UCLA released its national 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey. It included responses from 15,000 Black, white, Latino and Asian people. When asked How much discrimination, if any, do you think exists against Asian Americans, 32% of Black respondents answered, A lot. Only 18% of white respondents said the same.

Some of these same white people are the ones who cant see community safety as anything other than locking brown people in cages. The lie is that they support the anti-hate movement. The problem is too much of America believes it.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
While driving recently, Cliff Morrison suddenly found himself lost in a forest.

He pulled over, looked around and realized he was actually on a tree-lined street half a mile from his home in the Oakland hills, heading to the post office.

Morrison, 70, did not have dementia. He had COVID-19.

Since his diagnosis in April 2020, Morrison, a health care administrator, has experienced a mysterious and mercifully brief loss of orientation four or five times, most recently around Labor Day, and always near home. It no longer frightens the bejeezus out of him. Now, hes just curious.

So are his doctors.

There are viruses that can cause cognitive issues in otherwise healthy people  and COVID is clearly one of them, said Dr. Joanna Hellmuth, a UCSF neurologist.

UCSF / Barbara Ries

A new study from Oxford University offers the worrisome suggestion that the coronavirus not only can shrink the brain, but also reduce gray matter thickness, damage tissue in areas associated with the sense of smell, and cause more than 60 other long-term changes to that essential organ.

The study, published Aug. 18, has not yet been peer reviewed. But its attracting attention because the researchers were able to compare hundreds of brain scans of the same people before and after COVID hit. Of the 785 participants, 401 tested positive for the coronavirus before their second scan, giving researchers a unique opportunity to see how each brain may have changed as a result.

Strikingly, the changes occurred whether people had been hospitalized for COVID or had had only a mild case.

In the general population, it is normal to see some change in gray matter volume or thickness over time as people age, but the changes were larger than normal in those who had been infected with COVID-19, Jessica Bernard, a cognitive neuroscientist at Texas A&M who was not involved with the study, wrote in an essay reprinted last month in Scientific American.

Bernard noted that the affected brain regions were all linked to the olfactory bulb, which sends signals from the nose to the brain. It also connects to the temporal lobe, home of the hippocampus  which is key to memory and cognition.

She and other scientists declined to draw conclusions from the preliminary study. But Bernard said other research has pointed to a link between a reduced sense of smell and Alzheimers disease  making the new study that much more intriguing.

Questions still outnumber answers. Researchers wonder if the damage is from the disease spreading elsewhere in the body or from the virus entering the brain, perhaps through the nose? From neuro-inflammation caused by the infection  or something else? And can it be reversed?

From 15% to 36% of COVID survivors report memory loss, cognitive deficits or trouble concentrating, according to a Stanford University analysis of 13 studies, published in May in the American Medical Associations JAMA Network Open publication.

Other viruses use an array of techniques to wreak havoc on the brain. Rabies and polio enter brain cells and attack from within, said UCSF neurologist Dr. Samuel Pleasure. Shingles and herpes simplex are more devious, hibernating like a bear until severe stress wakes them up, often years later.

Marco Sanchez/UCSF

HIV uses yet another ruthless approach  better understood as people lived longer with that disease  in which the virus enters the brain and lingers, torturing its victim slowly over time.

HIV gets in the brain and stays in, Hellmuth said. But its very hard to find COVID in the brain.

So whats going on?

A 30-year-old Connecticut man provides one clue.

His story, co-written by Pleasure of UCSF, was posted in August. Within days of getting a fever and a COVID diagnosis, the man came to believe a religious rapture was imminent and thought he was speaking with dead relatives. He kicked down a door. He shoved his mother. He was hospitalized, but discharged after doctors found no reason for his sudden psychosis. He was back in less than two weeks, his face expressionless and his speech and thinking dulled.

A blood test identified high levels of two proteins, ferritin and D-dimer, hinting at a culprit: systemic inflammation.

That led his doctors to suspect the coronavirus had triggered the inflammation, which caused an immune response that, instead of controlling the infection, turned into a problem of its own, Pleasure said. In this case, psychosis.

So doctors at Yale New Haven Hospital chose a treatment typically aimed at autoimmune diseases, and infused the man with intravenous immunoglobulin. Made of purified antibodies from thousands of people, its believed to work by swamping out abnormal antibodies.

The mans delusions vanished. He returned to work and has remained healthy.

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.

At UCSF, Pleasure is continuing to investigate such COVID-induced autoimmunity. Beyond psychosis, the domino effect of COVID, inflammation and autoimmunity appears to cause other neurologic complications  including encephalopathy (changes in brain function), encephalitis (brain inflammation), and Guillain-Barre syndrome (muscle weakness from peripheral nerve inflammation).

Understanding more about COVID and autoimmunity may offer new treatment options, Pleasure said.

Going mad isnt a typical post-COVID symptom. But it appears to be caused by inflammation and autoimmunity, so Pleasure and other experts are asking whether the brain fog so many experience after COVID is a weaker version of the same thing. However, he said, we dont have the answer yet.

For months after he got COVID, Morrison often had to hold on to walls while walking because he felt like he was moving sideways. He suffered headaches, forgetfulness, dizziness and mood swings that had him lashing out verbally one minute and crying the next.

Some neurological stuff lingers, he said of the symptoms that arrived with COVID. Now he keeps a sofa for restorative catnaps in his Castro Valley office and participates in UCSFs Coronavirus Neurocognitive Study, where Hellmuth is principal investigator.

While theres a lot doctors dont know, Hellmuth said Morrisons confusion while driving isnt a total mystery. After COVID, many people aren't able to handle a high burden of information coming in all at once, as driving requires.

Hellmuth is working with the National Institutes of Health to develop a large study of post-COVID symptoms called Recover.

Recovery is what Morrison hopes for.

Ive come right out and asked if I and people like myself will ever fully recover, he said. But they wont go that far. They say its still too early to tell.

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov
I first heard the rumor of old plans for a restaurant at the top of Sutro Tower more than a decade ago, in a conversation with Jim Gabbert, the radio entrepreneur who also started KOFY TV-20.

Ive been looking for proof since, trying to find concrete plans for a dining room or observation deck at the apex of the now-beloved landmark. A lucky Chronicle archive find, and a conversation with Sutro spokesman Dave Hyams, appears to have solved the mystery  which falls somewhere between snake oil sales and a missed opportunity.

First some background on Sutro Tower: It opened in 1973, providing a game-changing boost for TV and radio stations that wanted to reach the entire Bay Area, while emerging as the highest point in the city. But there was a bitter battle that reached its zenith in the early 1960s about where it should go, with factions that wanted the tower on San Bruno Mountain in Northern San Mateo County, and Mount Sutro near the center of S.F.

The Chronicle wanted it on Mt. San Bruno, because they owned KRON, Hyams said on the Total SF podcast. And ABC wanted it (on Sutro) because they owned this property. What happened is they fought for about 10 years, and finally (federal aviation officials) weighed in and said, No, you cant put it on Mt. San Bruno, because its in the SFO flight pattern. 

During that fight between local media companies, which often spilled into the coverage, The Chronicle published a news story, floating the idea of the TV tower as a tourist destination. The Dec. 7, 1962, article was rediscovered during a recent archive search.

The proposed $2-million television tower atop San Bruno Mountain may also become a tourist attraction, with an elevator and viewing platform similar to the Seattle World Fair Space Needle, The Chronicle article declared. Crocker Land Co. disclosed yesterday that if federal officials gave permission to build the 734-foot transmitter tower, even a restaurant might be added. Elevation of the mountain is 1,315 feet, providing an unobstructed view of San Francisco, the Peninsula and the East Bay.

Importantly, no other local publication reported the story, which was likely planted to get the public excited about the San Bruno Mountain site. While the Oakland Tribune, San Francisco Examiner and newspapers in San Mateo and Marin were covering Sutro developments very closely (San Franciscos suburbs had the most to gain from the signal boost), none of them ever mentioned tourism possibilities for either tower plan.

Chronicle archives

The Chronicle quietly got on board with the Mount Sutro site in the mid-1960s, and there was no more mention of scenic restaurants.

It was never close to happening, Hyams said. But it would have been pretty cool, wouldnt it?

Indeed, Sutro Tower already has an observation area for the lucky few reporters and city officials allowed to summit the antenna, and you could put a couple of bacon-wrapped hot dog carts there right now. Theres currently a very small, two-person elevator that goes to the top, and five-foot-wide catwalks that make a triangle lap just below the towers highest antennas.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

But mostly it seems impractical, if nothing else from a safety standpoint. Crews are constantly working on the site, which is a hard hat zone. When The Chronicle set up a remote podcast studio near the center of the base of the tower, a worker politely pointed out that someone was welding a couple hundred feet directly overhead. (We moved. Quickly.)

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Hyams confirms that Sutro Tower is strong enough to hold a little added weight; theres so much concrete at the base of the structure that the center of gravity for the tower is underground. Original structural engineer Furman Anderson, working for the Kline Iron & Steel tower division, may have been influenced by the Space Needle, which was constructed for the 1962 Worlds Fair.

So the chance of Sutro Tower offering above-the-fogline food service is in pipe dream territory, up there with a return of the Playland seaside amusement park or the 49ers coming back to Kezar Stadium. But if a restaurant did appear at the literal highest point in the city, Hyams wouldnt hesitate to say what hed want it to serve.

I want the crab sandwich, Hyams said. The (Giants) ballpark crab sandwich.

Peter Hartlaub is a San Francisco Chronicle . Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com
Special policemen should be stationed in the Park, armed with shotguns, to shoot the tires of automobiles exceeding the speed limit.

Those were the heated words of William H. Metson, president of the Golden Gate Park Commission, at the peak of an early 20th century battle over cars in Golden Gate Park.

The clash among lobbyists, park leaders, car-lovers and the citizens who were injured by automobiles has mostly been lost in time  overshadowed in nostalgic media by a San Francisco mayor who was imprisoned in 1907, graft trials and a certain earthquake and fire that wiped out most of the eastern half of the city.

But there are some important parallels between that 1902 to 1911 debate and the current battle to remove cars from a 1-mile stretch of John F. Kennedy Drive, which appears to be coming to a final decision with a Board of Supervisors vote this winter. If nothing else, it proves that San Franciscans have always been polarized when it comes to using our greenest spaces as freeways.

The first personal automobiles began arriving in San Francisco in the earliest years of the 20th century. And the first arrest of a motorist, according to Chronicle records, occurred near the park on Sept. 10, 1902  when mounted policeman M.J. Greggain pulled a driver over for speeding on what is now the Great Highway.

Ignorance of the law worked well yesterday for P. Hewlett, The Chronicle reported. He was so busily employed in keeping his automobile clear of other vehicles that for a time he did not hear the warnings of the officer.

At the time there were fewer than 500 cars registered in Northern California. But Golden Gate Park Superintendent John McLaren, the architect of the park, was a naturalist who was wary of museums and deplored the idea of statues, let alone vehicles. While cars were free to travel the rest of the citys roads, San Francisco reportedly became the only major city to ban cars from its parks outright  a restriction that lasted for three years.

Enter the lobbyists from the Automobile Club of America (yes, there were pro-car lobbyists in the early 1900s), who on May 6, 1905, brokered a probationary deal: Cars would be permitted in the park during daylight hours but limited to a speed of 8 mph, and only licensed autos displaying badges were allowed. Motorists promptly broke all of the rules, reportedly using the park day and night as a joyriding shortcut to places such as the Cliff House, then a seven-story Victorian chateau.

Horse riders in the park raged, with stable owners asserting to the Park Commission that the machines were driven at a high rate of speed, regardless of regulations, and constituted a menace to man and beast, and are driving horses entirely from the park, according to a May 20, 1905, Chronicle article.

The Chronicle 1905

This led to heroes like police Officer J.C. Williams, who may have devised the regions first speed trap. The newspaper reported Williams has the ability to gauge the speed of the red and yellow streaks that disturb the atmosphere of San Franciscos playground to a fraction of a second, by measuring off an eighth of a mile on the main roads with markers, and timing drivers at then-blistering speeds of around 15 miles per hour.

The 1906 earthquake and fire quieted the controversy briefly, with refugees moving into San Francisco parks by the tens of thousands. But in October 1906, police Officer Greggain  the same officer who arrested that first motorist  was seriously injured at midnight by a speeding driver on the main drag of Golden Gate Park.

Greggain stood in the road and signaled and shouted at the chauffeur to stop, The Chronicle reported. Instead of doing so, the speed of the machine seemed to increase, and before the policeman could get out of the road, his horse was struck and hurled up in the air. Both horse and rider fell and were dragged 20 feet or more.

The badly bruised Greggain still hauled driver Fred W. Hollman to the Park Police Station and charged him with assault with intent to do great bodily harm.

The Chronicle 1907

Meanwhile, cars were getting bigger and faster and the injuries they caused more severe. (By 1911, drivers arrested for speeding were topping 30 mph.) Park officials reported that heavier cars were damaging roadways meant for pedestrians.

In just two years, the Automobile Club of America had pivoted from happy talk and broken promises to more of a scorched earth attack  joined by lobbyists from the Automobile Dealers Association plus a team of lawyers. They argued in 1907 that because cars now outnumbered horses in the park, drivers had established dominance and should have no restrictions.

There are enough owners of automobiles in San Francisco and vicinity, and there is enough money invested in its automobile business, so that they need not in my opinion submit to unfair discrimination, pro-car advocate C.A. Hawkins said at a June 13, 1907, meeting of the Park Commission. If that fails, (we will) organize and go into politics strong enough to see that the next Board of Park Commissioners are men who are more fair-minded than the present Board.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

Despite that overt threat, the park leaders continued to resist. Finally, on July 4, 1907, Park Commissioner Metson let loose with his shotgun-to-the-tires suggestion. In a Chronicle article headlined Buckshot for Speeding Autos, McLaren himself spoke of his own recent incident of rank indifference from a motorist in violation of park rules who refused to recognize the superintendents authority and rudely thrust him aside.

File photo 1940

Metson was later rewarded for his parks career with Metson Lake, which remains one of the underrated gems of Golden Gate Park. McLarens name is on a San Francisco lodge, an avenue, a reservoir and the citys second biggest park.

Minus the threats of gunfire, the parallels between the 1907 and 2021 car battles in the park are uncanny. Both involve lobbyists for pro-car forces, claims of discrimination, drivers using park roads as a commute shortcut and a recent history of car-related dangers in pedestrian spaces that are decried but not addressed. The modern fight for JFK Drive to preserve pandemic adaptations and be restored to walkers, bicyclists and skaters is being cast as 50 years in the making. But really its a century-overdue partial return to the parks original state: embracing nature, and resisting machines.

That unrealized buckshot threat turned out to be the peak of strained relations between car interests and park leaders. It was mostly a cold war until 1911, when McLaren showed up in the paper, sitting in Chalmers-Detroit 30 touring car, gifted from the city to McLaren and the park. It retailed at $2,500  about $70,000 in 2021 dollars  plus whatever it cost to stencil the words Golden Gate Park in gold letters on each door panel.

Chronicle file photo 1915

The Chronicle hailed the event like a moon landing.

By then, San Francisco and its press were in love with cars, and automobile dealers had already started a grand auto row on the spine of the city along Van Ness Avenue. In the years that followed, there would be car rallies past major monuments, car-related tourism and, eventually, automobile races in Golden Gate Park.

Golden Gate Park and the automobile have at last joined forces, The Chronicle reported on June 27, 1911. To the users of automobiles in San Francisco this is probably as important a single event as has occurred since motor cars were put into use.  Soon there will be no roads open to horses that automobiles will not use too.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub
If trying to get dining reservations at Disneyland is driving you to the brink of madness right now, you are not alone.

Theres no question that one of the best ways to plan for a Disneyland vacation is by nabbing dining reservations. It cuts down on wait times, uncertainty and stress  no ones in a good mood after waiting an hour to get a walk-up dinner table. But since the parks reopened, its become significantly more tricky to find available reservations.

With an upcoming trip planned  one that includes a birthday for a member of my party  I began worrying about getting a sit-down dinner reservation. Reservation slots open up 60 days in advance  or so I thought. To prepare myself to be quick on the draw for my intended date, I started checking the site every morning. And lo and behold, nothing. No slots for anything, even when I would check at absurd hours of the early morning.

I wondered if anyone was having better luck than me. I found post after post on Facebook, Twitter and various Disney fan groups complaining there was no availability when they checked either. Because trip planning is my raison d'etre, I became determined to crack the Disneyland dining code. Heres what I found.

Are Disneyland dining reservations available 60 days in advance?

As of now, not really. If you search exactly 60 days before your desired dining date, you wont find available reservations. Thats not because they dont exist. Disney is just releasing them much later than they used to. On average, reservations are being released about 40 to 50 days ahead of time.

So dont give up hope. Keep checking, and youll see reservations slowly trickle into the system as you get closer to your trip. Ive noticed that reservations sometimes even drop a week or two out (likely a combination of people canceling reservations and Disney adding a handful more as staffing allows). While this is more annoying than the old system of just waking up early 60 days out, at least your dreams of snagging a Blue Bayou reservation arent dead in the water. You might just have to set yourself a calendar reminder to check the site every morning for a few weeks until you get lucky.

Why are Disneyland dining reservations coming out so late?

Disney doesnt like commenting on staffing issues, but its not hard to guess thats the problem at hand here. If you check their job board, there are vacancies for chefs, sous chefs, dishwashers and bussers, wait staff, food preppers, cashiers and more.

With fewer restaurant staff, its harder to project 60 days in advance whether theyll even have enough cooks, servers, etc., to efficiently run a busy sit-down restaurant. As staff schedules solidify, its easier to anticipate how many tables they can feasibly seat. Until Disneyland reaches whatever level it considers fully staffed, expect delays and hiccups in food service.

This goes for mobile ordering at quick-service restaurants as well. Placing your order hours early is key to ensuring the pickup window aligns with when you actually want a meal. But even then, dont be surprised if your food isnt ready immediately. On a summer trip to the parks, my party saw an overwhelmed cast member crying at a restaurant backed up by long lines. Be patient. Employees are doing the best they can in difficult conditions.

What if the Disneyland dining site isnt working?

If you get an error message while searching for dining reservations, welcome to the club. Disneylands site and app are often glitchy. Dont tear your hair out. Just close the window and try again in two minutes. It usually resolves itself.

Can I set up Disneyland dining alerts?

You can, although Disney doesnt offer this as an option. Youll need to seek out a third-party site. The most popular is MouseDining, which will send you an email when reservations at your preferred restaurant become available.
COVID is still a thing, but United Airlines is betting big that Americans will still travel this winter. The airline just announced a slew of new routes to popular destinations across the country, including adding seven new Texas-to-Florida routes.

I tested out the new, lightweight carry-on luggage from July

United detailed its winter schedule in an October 7 release, which will "add nearly 150 flights to warm-weather destinations across the U.S and is increasing service to Latin beach and leisure markets."

Houston, one of United's major hubs, will get seven of these new routes.

Beginning in November, United passengers flying out of Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) can now enjoy service to popular Florida vacation destinations including Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach.

As of press time, United is offering nonstop deals from Houston to Miami ($112 round trip), Orlando ($117 round trip), Tampa ($117 round trip), and Fort Lauderdale ($117 round trip). Be warned that they are subject to change.

"Celebrating the holidays with family and loved ones in 2020 was a challenge, and we know our customers are already eager to plan winter vacations and gatherings in person this year to make up for time that they lost," said Ankit Gupta, vice president of network planning at United, in a release.

"As pandemic restrictions ease, people are becoming more confident in planning travel further in advance, so we want to make sure to offer our customers as much choice as possible."

Most of these additional flights will be operated on United planes featuring United FirstSM, Economy Plus, and standard Economy seat options, notes a release. Complimentary snacks and onboard Wi-Fi are also provided.

Along with the additional Houston routes, United said it's also increasing frequency of flights to Central and South America by 30 percent compared to pre-pandemic 2019. Those routes include Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; Liberia, Costa Rica; and Nassau, Bahamas.
A few years back, an innocent Facebook post asked, "Was there ever such a thing as a San Francisco accent?"

A long, long debate ensued. Many claimed that it absolutely does (or did) and originated in the old working-class "South of the Slot" neighborhood (now SoMa) and sounded a little like "the Bronx with a twist." Others were adamant that the fabled San Francisco accent just doesn't exist.

Some 1,200 comments later and everyone was still confused.

YouTuber and San Francisco native Joey Yee (who recently burned a lot of calories in search of the steepest block in the city) saw the post and wanted to find out for himself.

"I knew that S.F. was never known to have a strong regional sound to their speech, but somehow I was always able to identify people from the Bay Area when I heard them talk. I was convinced there's more to it," Yee told SFGATE.

Yee posted a video on his YouTube channel this week digging into the question.

After running some old tape of legendary San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen (ruminating on the congested traffic on Market Street in 1967) to hear his inflection, Yee concluded that Caen had a wonderful accent, but it didn't reflect how San Franciscans talk today.

Caen himself was actually born in Sacramento and, in another fun linguistic digression, referred to himself as the "Sacamenna Kid."

"My grandparents both had that sort of old-school, Herb Caen-style of speech I show in the video. It was kind of a raspy, leisurely delivery with a tiny twang at the end of their words," Yee, who grew up in the city, said.

So how do San Franciscans talk today?

It's certainly not the voice heard by anchors on local Bay Area news channels every morning, which Yee describes as " a form of English that was invented in the 1930s in order to be as broad, and unaccented and boring as possible."

One thing that all linguists and Facebook commenters agree on is that Bay Area folks like to talk fast.

"We want to get out words and sentences over a quickly as possible," Yee said. "A lot of compound words can get squished together, for example the name of our city, which sounds more like 'Sarnfcisco' than 'San Francisco.'"

Similarly speedy shortenings of local place names include "Sanna Rosa", "Annioch" and "San Rafell." Other common phrases are also contracted, like "tryna," in place of "trying to" and "wouja" in place of "wouldn't you."

Yee also describes the Bay Area's most famous addition to the American lexicon: "Hella."

"'Hella' means ... whatever you want it to mean, most will use it to express the vastness or number of something," he said.

"There is a hell of a lot of shrimp in this bag" will be shortened to "There's hella shrimp in this bag" by San Franciscans and Oaklanders (there's also a debate raging over which Bay Area city coined the word), making the sentence five words shorter.

But what about the old San Franciscan accent so many users referred to in the Facebook thread?

This accent is also known as the "Mission Brogue," an allusion to the Mission and SoMa district's working class Irish history, and it can sometimes be confused with a New York accent.

Here's some archival footage of a San Franciscan old-timer, "Tough Tony," a city bus driver exemplifying the Mission Brogue in all its lyrical glory.

Members of the SFGATE newsroom tell me that veteran Chronicle writer Carl Nolte also has that old S.F. twang. I dug around and found a story from 1984 penned by Nolte himself, which attempted to school readers and newcomers to the city how to speak like a true San Franciscan.

"Despite everything you've ever heard, there is a distinctive San Francisco way of talking and it is important to make note of it, for the record, before it becomes as dead as Latin. Here's how to talk like a San Franciscan," Nolte implored to Chronicle readers.

San Francisco Chronicle

"The first lesson  learned at birth  is never to call it Frisco or San FRANcisco. Most resident tourists have settled on something that sounds like an Anglicized version of the Spanish San Francisco, but natives run the two words together and add a couple of extra sounds, and it comes out 'Sampencisco.'"

The tendency for San Franciscans to run words into each other is largely agreed on.

"It may also be called 'Thecity,' which is one word. It is never called The City, which is two words and tacky," Nolte wrote.

KQED recently argued that while this old working-class city accent was indeed common, it's not accurate to call it the San Franciscan accent, but rather one of many in a city that has always been a melting pot of ethnicities from far and wide.

Sociolinguist Lauren Hall-Lew told KQED, "Are you honestly meaning to ask: Do the people from Chinatown talk like the Russians in the Richmond, talk like the Central Americans in the Mission? No of course not," she said. "No, what you mean is, probably, is there a way of speaking that we associate with the middle-class white people of European heritage? That's what that question usually means. And that's the problem. Thats not actually representative of the city."

Yee says that while there is evidence of an original San Francisco accent, it's largely resigned to history, like the flophouses and factories South of the Slot.

"Many of the original possessors of that original accent, they're gone, and they've taken that way of speech with them. And with the amount of new people moving into the city ... stirring that linguistic pot, that distinct San Franciscan speech pattern that you're hoping to hear just isn't going to happen," he says. "It's always moving, it's always changing and as the city becomes more diverse the accent becomes more and more elusive, and I think that's exciting."

Check out Yee's video below:

Andrew Chamings is an editor at SFGATE. Email: Andrew.Chamings@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AndrewChamings
LATEST Oct. 11, 1:30 p.m. Southwest Airlines' woes are dragging on as flights are delayed well into Monday and reports of an unconfirmed labor stoppage over a company vaccine mandate have garnered conservative support.

The flight tracking site FlightAware reports that 363 flights were canceled and 1,145 flights were delayed nationwide, 10% and 35% of the airline's Monday flights, respectively. Of those cancellations, two were out of San Francisco and 11 were out of Oakland.

In total, more than 2,200 flights from Saturday through Monday have been cancelled, while more than 2,800 have been delayed.

Lyn Montgomery, the president of TWU Local 556, the union that represents Southwest workers, said in an email to SFGATE that flight attendants faced "operational issues" over the weekend but neither confirmed nor denied that a stoppage was taking place. Montgomery also emphasized that the "health, safety and working conditions of our Flight Attendants are of utmost importance to TWU Local 556."

"While we continue to demand change from Southwest Airlines, we will continue to follow our obligations under the Railway Labor Act," Montgomery said. "Our top priority is getting assistance to the Flight Attendants who were stranded by the recent operational issues."

Representatives for Southwest and the company's pilot union denied any labor stoppage or shortage, as figures such as Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have tweeted in support of one.

A spokesperson for the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association, or SWAPA, told travel site The Points Guy that the "sick call rate" for pilots has remained steady into Monday, indicating little to no sign of a "sick-out" so far.

Oct. 10, 2:11 p.m. A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines responded to SFGATE's request for comment and denied they were experiencing a labor stoppage or shortage at this time.

The company reiterated the surge in flight delays and cancellations were caused by weather-related challenges that began at their Florida airports on Friday, and later exacerbated by unexpected air traffic control issues in the same region.

"Weve continued diligent work throughout the weekend to reset our operation with a focus on getting aircraft and crews repositioned to take care of our customers," the spokesperson said in an e-mail to SFGATE. "With fewer frequencies between cities in our current schedule, recovering during operational challenges is more difficult and prolonged."

The spokesperson could not provide additional information regarding how many flights at SFO were impacted over the weekend, adding that Southwest is "working fast and hard to recover."

"We know the frustration flight cancellations are creating for our customers and employees and we apologize, and we again thank everyone for [their] patience as we work first to be safe, and second to be as quick as possible in solving disrupted plans."

---

Widespread flight delays and cancellations put a hamper on thousands of travelers plans over the weekend, with Southwest Airlines blaming the fiasco on air traffic control issues and disruptive weather.

In a statement shared on Twitter Saturday afternoon, the airline said it was working to recover our operation and encouraged people to check their flight status on its website should they need to rebook.

A total of 1,827 domestic and international flights were cancelled by the airline on Saturday and Sunday, with an additional 1,727 flights delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. At least 16 flights arriving at San Francisco International Airport across all airlines were cancelled in the span of both days, with an additional 105 flights delayed.

SFO also saw nine other cancellations and 15 delays on flights departing Sunday, FlightAware reports. A representative for SFO declined to provide further comment, referring inquiries to Southwest, though it's worth noting no other airlines reported similar delays related to weather issues.

Despite mounting speculation on Twitter that flight attendants and other airline staff had staged a sick-out, or labor stoppage, in response to the Dallas-based airlines vaccination mandate that was implemented last week, the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association denied such claims.

SWAPA is aware of operational difficulties affecting Southwest Airlines today due to a number of issues, but we can say with confidence that our Pilots are not participating in any official or unofficial job actions, the union said in a statement. Our Pilots will continue to overcome SWA managements poor planning, as well as any external operational challenges, and remain the most productive Pilots in the world. They will continue to be focused on their highest priority  safety. SWAPA Pilots are true professionals and will always maintain the highest level of responsibility to their crews, their passengers, and our airline.

However, an earlier statement shared by SWAPA last Tuesday said the company's notification of the vaccination mandate and the "lack of detail [surrounding it] only fuels a growing divide that continues to erode the already strained relationship between Southwest Airlines and its Pilots Union," because the information was relayed by the company after it had reportedly ignored the union's collective bargaining agreement. In response, SWAPA said it would file a temporary restraining order "to stop the company from carrying forward this mandate."

"We want to be perfectly clear: SWAPA is not anti-vaccination, but we do believe that, under all circumstances, it is our role to represent the health and safety of our Pilots and bring their concerns to the Company," the statement added.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a similar statement denying links to staffing deficits.

No FAA air traffic staffing shortages have been reported since Friday, the administration said. Flight delays & cancellations occurred for a few hours Friday PM due to widespread severe weather, military training, & limited staffing in one area of the Jacksonville en route center  Some airlines continue to experience scheduling challenges due to aircraft and crews being out of place.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Vodka has an unfair, frat party reputation.

Thats what my tour guide, Wesley Y., tells our small group of five as we stand in the sprawling warehouse space of a bygone World War II-era airplane hangar, where the aptly named distillery Hangar 1 now crafts the bulk of its spirits.

I'm sure we've all taken shots of it at a bar, or we've thrown it into a mixed drink. Most people think of it in terms of guzzling it down from a plastic bottle with a handle at a party in someones college dorm room, Wesley says.

A man standing next to me, who looks to be in his late 50s, chortles knowingly.

And that's just kind of what happens, Wesley continues. But we want people to understand that this is something that can be high quality, and it's something that we can savor and enjoy like you would with a darker spirit.

Sunlight cascades through the floor-to-ceiling windows and dozens of oak barrels line the walls, containing hundreds of gallons of brandy, which the distillery also makes on site. In the center of the room, three flags hang above the heart of the operation: a large copper still with a pot and boiler system, and two adjacent columns that tower above our heads. I cant help but feel like Im back in chemistry class as Wesley tells us how these chambers work in tandem with one another to boil and vaporize the alcohol inside until it reaches 190 proof (or 95% alcohol), at which point, it becomes vodka. Another liquid is then added to reduce the alcohol level: water, which makes up about 60% of each bottle.

Hangar 1 Vodka

Vodka can be made from anything, Wesley tells us  including droplets of fog gathered by the distillery from the base of Sutro Tower, Tilden Park and the Presidio to make its 2018 Fog Point vodka, or smoke-tinged Napa grapes from the 2020 Glass Fire that were no longer considered suitable for wine, but instead comprise the newest addition to Hangar 1s extensive collection of spirits, Smoke Point vodka (more on that later). Hes even tried vodka distilled from peanut butter and the fermented mold from a dry-aged steak.

I know it sounds gross, he says, laughing. But it was actually pretty good.

Fortunately, thats not among the flavors of vodka were sampling today. Instead, Wesley retrieves a bottle of a blush-colored libation, pouring each glass with a flourish before gingerly passing them out for everyone to try.

Its a rose vodka, but he jokingly warns us not to treat it like a bottle of wine.

Just be careful, he says. Because one bottle of this turns into two, and two turns into the floor.

Hangar 1 Vodka

Were encouraged to take in the aromatics by inhaling through our noses and exhaling through our mouths. But unlike a wine tasting, he instructs us not to swirl the glass, which would cause the ethanol in the vodka to overpower the other flavors. I take off my mask and try it out, feeling self-conscious as I bring the glass to my face, but sure enough, I can faintly taste the sharp tinge of vodka on the back of my tongue before I drink it.

Finally, I take a sip. Its crisp and floral  and sweeter than expected  leaving a warm tingling sensation in my stomach as it goes down.

Ready to try another? Wesley asks.

:::

Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

I set out for my boozy journey on a Sunday afternoon in early October, when San Francisco is just beginning to feel like summer. The sky is clear and bicycle bells ring out as people lazily stroll along the Embarcadero. Accompanied by my partner, who needed no convincing to join me, I make my way to Gate G, where we wait in line with about 20 other people before the ferry inches toward the dock.

Welcome aboard, the ticket agent says with a nod as we scan our Clipper cards and head toward the upper deck to take our seats, settling into one of the shiny blue benches. The sunshine warms my shoulders as I take in the view of the San Francisco skyline and Sutro Tower, shrouded in fog. Next to us, someones curly-haired toddler gasps and points at the container cranes as we pass the Port of Oakland, nearing our destination at Main Street, Alameda.

Amanda Bartlett/SFGATE

We disembark and hike along the quiet waterfront of what was once a Naval Air Station. The wide expanse of pavement leading up to Monarch Street would feel nearly apocalyptic if it werent for the reggae music wafting from a nearby food truck, and the distant chatter from the outdoor patio of a brewery. A panoramic view of the city looms on the horizon, and I soon come upon the lively cluster of distilleries and tasting rooms that make up what the city has dubbed Spirits Alley.

A century ago, everything you see here did not exist, Wesley later tells us. This was all just wetlands on the side of the island of Alameda.

Hangar 1 Vodka

However, by 1927, construction began on what was considered to be the first airport in the Bay Area. Called Airdrome, it serviced Pan American World Airways out of the seaplane lagoon just down the street from the distillery until 1936, when it was taken over by the U.S. Navy. The military base was built in November 1940, and the building housing Hangar 1 was constructed two years later, providing a maintenance bay for helicopters before they were implemented in combat and still being experimented with, said Wesley.

By the 1950s and 1960s, helicopters were regularly used by the military, and the base serviced the 24th Marine Air Group until the demand for the air stations use slowly began to dwindle following the Cold War. The base officially closed in 1997, when it was left abandoned for years until the city changed zoning rules in an attempt to revitalize the area. St. George Spirits, which makes a range of alcoholic drinks including vodka, gin, and an infamous absinthe, was the first to move in by 2004. Hangar 1 took over the space next door in 2014.



:::

Hangar 1 Vodka

Back in the tasting room, were introduced to some of the distillerys more unusual vodka variations, where the citrusy yellow tendrils of Buddhas hand and sticky-sweet honeycomb lend a strong flavor to each sample. But to my surprise, despite its name, there is no ashy taste in the Smoke Point at all, just the fruity aftertaste of Malbec and Merlot grapes with a hint of spice. Unexpectedly, the honeycomb was my favorite of the bunch  with its faint viscosity, I could imagine it going well in a hot toddy on a chilly night. We didnt get to try the mandarin blossom, cardamom, or fennel-infused vodkas, but I look forward to sampling them on another visit.

If you decide to go, youll need to schedule your tasting or tour in advance. Private tours are available for larger groups, but I was pleased to discover the basic experience I booked felt intimate and unrushed, with plenty of time to ask questions and explore.

After, my partner and I took Wesleys recommendation and grabbed dinner at the Rake at Admiral Maltings, where we traded bites of bratwurst and soft pretzels with beer cheese made by the neighboring bakery, Firebrand.

Amanda Bartlett/SFGATE

But depending on when you visit, you can also head upstairs to Runway Spirits Co., the secret cocktail lounge above Hangar 1s tasting room. Its a cozy space, with ivy plants and string lights dangling from the ceiling, and a vintage metal plane door adorning the back wall.

Id been there once before, after my trip to the Pacific Pinball Museum, and ordered my usual  a gin and tonic  which turned out to be one of the best Ive ever had, topped with thinly sliced cucumbers, lime and blueberries. You can sidle up to the bar and eavesdrop on lively conversation, or peruse one of several board games stashed in the corner.

As for me? I opted to watch the sunset from the window  a perfect way to end a quintessential Bay Area day.
New Delhi [India], October 10 (ANI): The 13th round of Corps Commander level talks to address the ongoing military stand-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh begun in the Moldo on the Chinese side at 10:30 am on Sunday, according to Army sources.



The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday had said that it expected China to work towards early resolution of the remaining issue along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh by fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and both the leaders discussed the border tensions and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in border areas.

Soldiers of India and China clashed last year resulting in the loss of several lives on both sides. The clashes erupted after the transgression by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in Galwan Valley. More than a year had passed since the incident, but tensions continue to simmer between the two Asian giants.

12 rounds of military talks and a series of diplomatic parleys were held between India and China, but the tensions still continue.

There has been some disengagement, but India says full disengagement will only result in de-escalation. Some disengagement has indeed taken place recently, but it is not complete. (ANI)


New Delhi [India], October 10 (ANI): India and China on Sunday are set to hold the 13th round of talks to address the ongoing military stand-off between the two countries, according to Army sources.



The sources also divulged that the talks will be held at Moldo (Chusul) on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Resolution of friction point at Hot Springs will be discussed during the talks, added the source.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday had said that it expected China to work towards early resolution of the remaining issue along the Line of Control (LoC) in Eastern Ladakh by fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols.

Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "It is our expectation that China will work towards early resolution of the remaining issue along the Line of Control (LoC) in Eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols."

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and both the leaders discussed the border tensions and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in border areas.

Soldiers of India and China clashed last year resulting in the loss of several lives on both sides. The clashes erupted after the transgression by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in Galwan Valley. More than a year had passed since the incident, but tensions continue to simmer between the two Asian giants.

More than 12 rounds of military talks and a series of diplomatic parleys were held between India and China, but the tensions still continue.

There has been some disengagement, but India says full disengagement will only result in de-escalation. Some disengagement has indeed taken place recently, but it is not complete. (ANI)
Khan's health condition started deteriorating on Saturday night, after which he was rushed to the Khan Research Laboratories Hospital in Islamabad, according to his family members.

Islamabad, Oct 10 (IANS) Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, who considered the father of his country's nuclear weapon programme, and a self-confessed proliferator, who passed nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea, died due to lung problems on Sunday, his family said. He was 85.

In August, he was admitted to the same hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 and was discharged after recovery.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his condolences to Khan's family, saying on Twitter that he was loved by the nation because of "his critical contribution in making Pakistan a nuclear weapon state".

"For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon," he said.

Pakistani President Arif Alvi said in a tweet that the nuclear scientist has helped Pakistan "develop nation-saving nuclear deterrence, and a grateful nation will never forget his services in this regard".

However, the most of the world saw him differently.

After training and working in metallurgical sciences in western Europe, Khan set up the Khan Research Laboratories in 1976 to pioneer his country's nuclear programme - set up to counter neighbouring India, which had tested a nuclear device in 1974. His work was mainly on centrifuges required to purify the uranium.

However, his maverick tendencies made him a bad team player, and his quest for publicity also worked against him.

Khan, who was already in the cross-hairs following the Dutch government's accusations of stealing centrifuge designs, began transferring information to both North Korea and Iran from the late 1980s. As Pakistan faced sanctions after testing a nuclear device in 1998, his role came under further scrutiny and in 2003, the US handed over a dossier of his proliferation activities to the then Pervez Musharraf government.

On February 4, 2004, a tearful Khan appeared on national television to confess his proliferation activities and seek the nation's apologies. He was pardoned by President Musharraf the very next day, but placed under house arrest. In 2009, he successfully moved court to have the restriction withdrawn.

However, he was never in the limelight again.

--IANS

int/pgh/vd
Are you looking to get a visa to enter the United States? Almost 8.8 million non-immigrant visas were issued in 2019 alone. You may need to look at the website for the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country, but the following guidelines should be sufficient to get you started.

But before you do, you may need to make sure that you are going to have documentation that the U.S. consulate can read. If your documents are not in English, you will need to use translation services so that your application can be processed.

What type of visas are available?

Foreign nationals require a visa to enter the United States. You can apply for either an immigrant or non-immigrant visa type. Immigrant visas are for people who intend to live permanently in the United States. Non-immigrant visas are for people who have permanent residence outside the United Statesbut wish to visit or reside in the United States for a given period.

Non-immigrant visas

There are different classifications of non-immigrant visas, which we describe below, but you can also learn more on the State Departments website.

Visitor Visas

(B) Visitor (Business, Tourist, Medical Treatment): A visitor visa is a non-immigrant visa for people who wish to enter the United States on a temporary basis. Business reasons under a B1 visa may include attendingbusiness events (B1), such as professional meetings or conferences. You can also get a B2 visa for travel for pleasure, including vacations or visits with family members, or for medical treatment. Another option is a combination of both (B1/B2) and purposes (B1/B2) for a period of up to six months.

Anyone can apply for a B1 visa for business or B2 for tourism.

The U.S. visa application form (DS-160) must be completed online.

The U.S. visa application process requires an interview with the embassy or consulate.

The U.S. visa can be used for tourism, business or medical purposes. It is required for entry by air, sea or land borders of the United States.

Change of status is allowed.

Validity of the U.S. visa is 1-10 years.

You can pick up your passport with the approved visa at the nearest consulate office.

(C) U.S. Transit: Individuals traveling between two foreign countries who must make a connecting flight in the U.S. during their trip.

Another option is to receive a Study Visa. These can be offered to academic or language students,and non-academic or technical students.

You can also receive an Exchange Visitor visa (J). These visas are non-immigrant visas for people who have been approved for visitor exchanges in the United States.

Another option is to apply for a Work Visa. A Work Visa may be given if you are a:

(D) Crew Member.

Media Member and Journalist.

(E1/E2) Treaty Trader/Investor.

(H, L, O, P, Q, R) Temporary Worker/Employee or Intern.

There are a few other non-immigrant visa categories. These categories include:

(T) Victim of Human Trafficking

(U) Victim of Criminal Activity

To whom should the visa application be submitted?

Here are some of the requirements to obtain a visa. These guidelines should prove helpful, regardless of the type of visa that you are applying for.

1: Select your visa

You must first decide which visa you need, as there are different types of visas. The most frequently issued visa is the tourist visa, type B, which allows you to stay in the United States for up to 90 days.

2: Fill out your visa

Once you know your visa type, you must fill out the DS-160 application form to begin the process. You get it from the U.S. embassy (or consulate) website. More information about the DS-160 form can be found on the website.

3: Digital login at the embassy

Next, you need to create a user account on the website of the embassy or consulate and upload aphotograph with specific demographic information and documents verifying your identity.

4: Provide an address for the receipt of documents

You must indicate the place where you want your passport to arrive with the American visa. You can pick it up at any of the offices run by the issuing jurisdiction in your country. You can offer to pick it up at the office in person. You can also ask for it to be delivered to your home, but there may be an additional cost.

5: Payment

When you fill out the form, you will receive a confirmation code to make the payment. You can pay by credit card on the same website of the embassy or consulate. You can also pay in cash at a designated location and the payment will be processed in a few working days in most countries.

6: Make the appointment

Once the payment has been registered, you will be able to request an appointment at the day and time of your choice with the U.S. embassy.
Sydneysiders won't need to water their gardens this week with plenty of rain forecast for the city as lockdown restrictions start to unwind.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting showers for Monday bringing between four and eight millimetres of rain with a predicted high of 17 degrees in the city and 15 degrees in Parramatta.

Showers are predicted this week ahead of clearer weather on the weekend. Credit:Dean Sewell

A warm, sunny Sunday of 26 degrees gave way to a cool change and seven millimetres of rain by 7pm.

"[Monday] looks mostly cloudy and cool with fairly persistent light to moderate showers throughout the day," meteorologist Hugh McDowell said.
Restaurants fear they may have to cancel bookings and are spending hundreds of dollars advertising for staff even as they prepare to reopen on Monday.

The first Saturday we open I have 60 people booked, and I could have taken more, said Jim Kritsotakis, owner of waterfront restaurant Limani at Narrabeen.

But I only have three kitchen staff and two waitstaff fully vaccinated, and unless I get more workers I will have to cancel bookings.

Jim Kritsotakis, owner of Limani Restaurant at Narrabeen, is struggling to find fully vaccinated staff for reopening next week. Credit:James Brickwood

What should be a time of excitement has become stressful as Mr Kritsotakis struggles to staff his restaurant with enough fully vaccinated workers.
First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on October 19, 1921 Gold for notes

Two men sentenced. Sidney Grant, aged 23, and George King, aged 33, appeared before Mr. Hawkins SM, at the Central Police Court yesterday to answer a charge of being rogues and vagabonds, in that they, being suspected persons, were found in Victoria Arcade, a public place, with intent to steal. Sidney Pretty Sid Grant, taken 11 October 1921 Credit:NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive, Justice & Police Museum, Historic Houses Trust of NSW. It was stated that one of the accused (Grant) approached Korosky, a foreigner, near the Orient Companys wharf, on October 10 last, and after some conversation offered to exchange any notes he possessed for sovereigns. Korosky, after having promised to enter into the transaction, arranged a meeting for the next day, and immediately informed the police.

On the following day Detectives Thompson and Alchin also were at the place of appointment, and saw Korosky meet Grant, who was later joined by King when in the Victoria Arcade. The two men were arrested and on their being searched two bags of new halfpennies were found. Both the accused went into the witness box and denied the evidence given for the prosecution. King said he was a returned soldier and traded as a saddle maker. Grant also said he was a dealer in goods, and was well

known by firms in the city. Loading The magistrate convicted the accused, and sentenced them to one months imprisonment each.
NSW doctors are urging newly double-vaccinated Sydney dwellers to put party plans on hold, and continue to socially distance, even if theyve already been issued with a vaccine passport.

Before general practitioner Dr Eric Chan gave three young people the Pfizer jab at his practice in Five Dock on Sunday he reminded them that full immunity took a fortnight.

Dr Eric Chan gives Elena Stefanovski her second dose of Pfizer on Sunday. Credit:Edwina Pickles

It does take two weeks to take effect, so I dont want you guys going to any parties, said Dr Chan, one of the owners of My Family Doctors.

It was difficult with Freedom Day coming up, said Dr Chan, whose practices in Five Dock and Eastwood have delivered about 15,000 vaccines. Some people were suffering COVID-19 burnout, and were desperate to get out.
The rush forward by this new Premier is a massive mistake. Once again, health workers will be cannon fodder so businesses can open. My bet is it wont take long for it to go sour and back to lockdown because of a lack of patience and prudence. Or maybe God has it all under control. Michael Keene, Stanwell Park Patience is not only a virtue, but a necessity in managing a pandemic, and being a man in a hurry is not a good qualification for the job (Man in a hurry, October 9-10). Viruses have developed good survival skills over the millennia, and all the COVID-19 virus needs to do is wait around until a hasty misjudgment enables it to roar back bigger than ever. Hopefully, tearaway Dominic Perrottet will not be in so much of a hurry that he makes that fatal misstep. Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills I am not a person of faith, but I did receive some religious education (Voters outside weird inner city will trust Premier, October 9-10). It strikes me that the words and actions of Jesus as he fought against the conservative church of money and power, with their public expressions of faith but little regard for those at the bottom of society, would make him stand out as one of the weird ones that Parnell Palme McGuinness rails against. Graeme Finn, Summer Hill The writer seems to celebrate the fact a proposed assisted dying bill may fall over because of the religious views of our political leaders, or maybe she just celebrates slapping inner-city types in the face. But assisted dying is supported across NSW, not just in the inner city, and is especially supported in the regions. Its amusing that we are to take guidance from churches that have shown surprisingly little moral or ethical superiority for some time. Ingrid Strewe, Bronte

Joyces troll call is a knee-jerk Good on the Deputy PM for calling out the tech giants avaricious business model (Raging Barnaby calls time on trolls, October 9-10). But why does it take a personal encounter with the vile but ubiquitous online trolls to get the long-awaited regulation of this unfettered and out-of-control sector? David Beins, Cooks Hill Heartening it is to read of the Coalitions concerns over malicious and false rumours being spread by social media. It is in stark contrast to the Coalitions silence over the Labor death tax rumour that swamped voters prior to the 2019 election, a rumour allegedly spread by prominent Coalition MPs via social media. Labor is no innocent either, as the 2016 Mediscare campaign indicated. Perhaps now is the time to call for a commitment from all parties, including One Nation and the UAP, to cease rumour-mongering, vilification and campaigning via social media. Ending funding for MPs social media activities would be an easy start. Christopher Gow, Austinmer I remind Scott Morrison that he was dragged kicking and screaming to get rid of Craig Kelly, and George Christensen remains a member of the Parliament. Both have utilised Facebook unconscionably to spread COVID conspiracy theories. Rani Sachdev, Cronulla Are tech giants, such as Facebook and Google, the cause or the symptom of societal damage? They have facilitated the rise of individualism, while at the same time creating new, niche communities around notions of freedom and self-determination, which have challenged social order, the rule of law and the role of governments. Interwoven with individualism has been consumerism, which is nowhere better promulgated than on the internet. The problem for Western democracies is how to protect their citizens both from themselves and from forces that, in other contexts, would be welcomed as essential to liberal, capitalist, secular societies. Philip Cooney Wentworth Falls

I have no respect for the behaviour of the owners of Facebook and their view of profit over any level of social decency, nor for the appalling trolls who post the rubbish that they do. I would suggest, however, that many more daughters will suffer due to Joyces views on climate change than will suffer from Facebook. Brenton McGeachie, Queanbeyan West Joyce has just won the hearts and votes of so many parents. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill Innocents of ICAC Despite the controversy about the timing of ICAC inquiry into the then premier, Gladys Bereljklian, it is an important bulwark against corruption (Minns supports ICAC inquiry into Labor, October 9-10). Nevertheless, for people who do not follow the details of the open inquiries, there is a tendency to assume that anyone who appears before it is corrupt. To minimise damage to innocent people caught up in the machinations of corrupt officials and who have to appear before ICAC, it should clear these people publicly and as soon as possible. As much as I love reading about the gotcha moments in the open inquiries, I believe ICAC proceedings should be closed. Thiam Ang, Beecroft Pru Gowards statement that ICAC findings destroy a persons career but never actually lead to any legal outcomes is patently false. The convictions of former Labor MPs Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald are evidence of legal outcomes resulting from an ICAC inquiry while former Liberal MPs Nick Greiner (currently Australian Consul-General in New York) and Barry OFarrell (currently Australian High Commissioner to India) demonstrate that career destruction is not the inevitable outcome of an ICAC inquiry. Wendy Michaels, Northbridge

Home where the rent goes What will Australia look like with an entire generation of ordinary Australians, and those to follow as well, locked out of home ownership as they are now (Home truths, October 9-10)? With the government offering only trivial and even counterproductive nonsense like the latest idiocy of making loans harder to get for first home buyers, and refusing to do the obvious, have any of our politicians imagined what society will be like when Australians can no longer own a stake in their own country? Have they imagined the discontent, the alienation which will swell into bitterness and rage when people are left at the mercy of the rental market and cant even afford that? Have they imagined cities where essential workers have to live forever like students in shared accommodation? Can they not see that the longer they leave it to turn this ship around the more damage there will be? There will be a reckoning, and it will not be happy for this country. Jennifer Briggs, Kilaben Bay Pay, treat nurses properly Australia is a rich country. We should be training more nurses, paying them more and ensuring that they are not overworked to the point of being burnt out (Nurses, doctors defy border ban amid healthcare crisis, October 9-10). Bronwyn Bryceson, Mangerton

Double standards on travel On the day that Tony Abbott made a provocative speech on China in Taiwan as a private citizen after no doubt receiving yet another travel exemption, I received a refusal from Home Affairs to travel to Britain to assist my elderly brother in the care of my 101-year-old mother who is suffering from advanced Alzheimers (Letters, October 9-10). I am fully vaccinated, planned to be away for at least a month and not return before home quarantine is allowed, so not be taking the place of a stranded Australian. Another rule for pollies and ex-pollies and no compassion for the rest of us. Michael Lockwood, Annandale Buildings beware So, out of the world of Modernist and Brutalist into the world of Perro-Trumpian architecture. (Perrottet, Trump and their towering pie-eyed beauty, October 9). Geoffrey Williamson, Woollahra

Silent Chant Move over Dr Kerry Chant, the bean counters have arrived (Letters, October 9-10). Laurie Powell, Woy Woy Gladys Berejiklian, come back! All is forgiven. Weve all kissed frogs. It was just unfortunate that you met up with a poisonous one. Genevieve Milton, Newtown Cry freedom What a poor misnomer is Freedom Day. We are not out of the woods yet. Nor is it about individual democratic rights. A name such as Society Day would be far better  it is a day that we all work together for the common good. Trevor Taylor, Port Macquarie

Surely, it is Responsibility Day. Chris Ramos, Sydney For many people, the best thing about the end of the lockdown is being able to hug your parents again. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury The first bells of Sydneys jacarandas are just beginning to open, an appropriate time to celebrate the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. How good is that? Nedra Orme, Neutral Bay Good jab, NSW. Michael Deeth, Como West
When the clock strikes midnight and Sydneys lockdown ends for the vaccinated, one of the very first things to resume normal transmission will be the flashing lights and festive sounds of the pokies.

City Tattersalls, Wests Ashfield, Canterbury Leagues and Fairfield RSL are among the clubs reopening parts of their establishments - including gaming lounges - at 12.01am on Monday.

Some pokies lounges will reopen at 12.01am when Sydneys lockdown ends. Credit:Louie Douvis

A spokesman from Easts Bondi Junction confirmed its bar and gaming area, though not the bistro, would open from midnight until 6am.

Vaccinated patrons can enter the upstairs lounge and C-Life Health Club at Canterbury Leagues from a minute after midnight, before the bistro follows at 7am. Yes the gaming floor will be open, the club confirmed to one Facebook follower.
An independent authority is required to overhaul the ACTs youth justice system as it prepares to raise the age of criminal responsibility, according to a report that highlights the challenges facing other states, including NSW.

In Australia, children as young as 10 can be held criminally responsible for their actions and jailed, and talks between the nations attorneys-general to raise the age to the United Nations recommended 14 have stalled.

ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said his government is committed to raising the age children can be jailed from 10 to 14. Credit:Elesa Kurtz.

The ACT is the only jurisdiction that has committed to raising the age to 14, with legislation expected to be introduced to parliament next year.

An independent review into the state of the youth justice system, led by emeritus professor Morag McArthur in partnership with Aboriginal consultancy firm Curijo, has found several problems with the accessibility of preventative services, the sectors workforce, a shortage of crisis accommodation, and a lack of trauma-informed care for children.
In the wake of several recent COVID scares, Queensland reported a fifth day without any new community cases on Sunday, as the state nudges a 70 per cent first-dose vaccination rate.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said two cases detected in hotel quarantine from 7000 tests across the state in the 24 hours to Sunday morning were of no concern to authorities.

Almost 70 per cent of Queenslanders have now had their first COVID-19 vaccination. Credit:Jono Searle/Getty Images

Speaking from Gladstone, about 450 kilometres north of Brisbane, Ms Palaszczuk urged people in the region  and in other areas where vaccination rates are lagging the state average  to get their first dose.

A total of 69.7 per cent of the population aged 16 and over had now done so, based on federal rollout data to Friday, she said. Were almost getting to that 70 per cent [first-dose rate].
A woman was rushed to hospital overnight after she was shot in the stomach at a house on Brisbanes northside, in what detectives believe was a targeted attack.

Emergency services were called to Handford Road in Zillmere just after 11pm on Sunday.

The 23-year-old local woman was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital with arm and abdominal injuries and her condition on Monday was listed as serious but stable.

She had surgery to remove shrapnel from her abdomen. It was believed a shotgun was the firearm used.
After the Ombudsman described Labors Red Shirts scheme in 2018 as an artifice, you can only imagine the apprehension in government ranks over what term IBAC Commissioner, Robert Redlich, QC, might invoke should he make any adverse findings after Operation Watts concludes. Of course, we dont know yet whether any of the existing allegations, and those that may emerge as evidence is heard, will be substantiated. That will have to await evidence, submissions and, eventually, the Commissioners findings. IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich, QC. But Im not the only person in Victoria who is concerned about what a bad outcome will say about the state of our government and Victorias public service. For those inside the government, the nervousness will be obvious. If the conspicuous briefings by Labor figures, that have been under way since this masthead and Channel Nine broke this story last year, are any indication, the next few weeks of IBAC hearings could prove to be Shakespearean.

Its heady depiction of revenge, ambition, betrayal and self-preservation is almost certain to make for gripping viewing. Will we see senior Labor figures settle personal and factional scores, jettison friendships along the way and eke out a pathway to survival as junior staff and officers simply hope not to be collateral discarded with brutal dispatch? Loading But lets face it, this is just the politics. The consequences for the government and ultimately for Victoria are far more serious than the petty slights and delusional political intrigues that must have driven the behaviour and culture that has been reported on so far in this saga. Its hard to see how, over the next few weeks of hearings and even beyond, the government will be able to focus effectively on the issues it needs to in order to manage the pandemic well while also addressing a growing list of challenges including ambulance capacity and response times, hospital waiting lists, and infrastructure blowouts and delays among other mounting priorities. We should all hope that the government will be able to function effectively and focus on addressing these and other priorities. Whether it can though, will not be seen until well into the hearings.

It must know that its authority, and depending on the outcome, its legitimacy, are all on the line. Remember, Ive only addressed Operation Watts. We also know from media reports that IBAC is investigating the government and its dealings with the United Firefighters Union over its enterprise agreement which only compounds the problems Ive mentioned. Loading What is clear to me, without commenting on whether allegations in any of the current investigations underway will be substantiated, is that our culture of governance and institutional integrity needs urgent reform. But the sad fact is that reform should not be necessary. We have so many codes of conduct, public sector values, protocols and what ought to be longstanding conventions, that it is hard to comprehend why our anti-corruption watchdog should have to spend time and scant resources investigating matters such as those before it.
Dean Drommel would rather sleep rough than go back to living in a rooming house.

Mr Drommel, one of the homeless Victorians from 2159 households currently put up in a hotel, is worried he will once again be referred to a private rooming house when lockdown ends and government funding is cut.

Dean Drommel is worried he will be sent back to an unsafe rooming house when lockdown ends. Credit:Joe Armao

When you live in a rooming house and you go out to the shops and come home and the door has been kicked in and all your stuffs been taken, it gets a bit much. Youre always on edge. Id rather be on the street than going into a rooming house and getting into fights.

Mr Drommel is also worried about the spread of COVID-19 at rooming houses. Ive been hearing about it lately; this place has got COVID, go and get tested.
Sunday is the 110th National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Most of the world has come to know us as simply Taiwan, yet even some are weary to call us that. We have our own judiciary, elections, military and currency. For as long as our existence, we have never fallen under another countrys jurisdiction.

The presence of our sovereignty could not be less subtle, yet we have constantly lived under the looming shadow of Chinas oppression and intimidation.

Fiona H.C. Fan, the director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney.

For a country that claims us as part of its own, our beliefs and values could not be further apart. Over the past few decades, Taiwan has embraced its democratic values and flourished. Taiwan now ranks 7th and 11th respectively in the Freedom House report and the Economic Intelligence Units Democracy Index, leading the world as one of the most free and democratic countries.

Taiwan manufactures almost 70 per cent of the worlds supply for semiconductors, and we have done so while adhering to the highest standards of free trade. We rank as the 16th largest trading member of the World Trade Organisation and one of the top four most innovative countries, according to the Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum.
Manchester: One of the worlds top pollsters Frank Luntz, who has advised multiple Republican presidents, says Donald Trump will never again lead the United States.

In an exclusive interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age after he spoke at the Conservative Party conference in the UK, Luntz said even if Trump nominated and the Democrats ran a poor candidate, the 45th president would never again prevail at the ballot box.

US pollster Frank Luntz speaks to British cabinet minister Kwasi Kwarteng at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Credit:Latika Bourke

He will not win, Luntz said. If Trump runs again he will be nominated by the Republicans, but he will never be elected president because there are too many people who hate him.

Trump is the most popular Republican by far, but he cant win a general election because in the end politics is about persona as much as it is about policy, and his persona is unacceptable to too many people.
Even so, the Biden administration has grown increasingly frustrated with Moderna for not making its vaccine more available to poorer countries, two senior administration officials said. The administration has been pressing Moderna executives to increase production at US plants and to license the companys technology to overseas manufacturers that could make doses for foreign markets. Moderna is now scrambling to defend itself against accusations that it is putting a priority on the rich. After The New York Times sent detailed questions about how few poor countries had been given access to Modernas vaccine, the company announced it was currently investing to increase its output so it could deliver 1 billion doses to low-income countries in 2022. The company also said this past week that it would open a factory in Africa, without specifying when. A Moderna COVID-19 vaccination is administered in Abuja, Nigeria. Credit:AP Moderna executives have been talking with the Biden administration about selling low-cost doses to the federal government, which would donate them to poorer countries, as Pfizer has agreed to do, the two senior officials said. The negotiations are continuing.

Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said it is sad that his companys vaccine had not reached more people in poorer countries but that the situation was out of his control. He said that Moderna tried and failed last year to get governments to kick in money to expand the companys scant production capacity and that the company decides how much to charge based on factors including how many doses are ordered and how wealthy a country is. (A Moderna spokesperson disputed Airfinitys calculation that the company had provided 900,000 doses to low-income countries, but she did not provide an alternative figure.) Nearly a year after Western countries began sprinting to vaccinate their populations, the focus in recent months has shifted to the severe vaccine shortages in many parts of the world. Dozens of poorer countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, had vaccinated less than 10 per cent of their populations as of September 30. In August, for example, Johnson & Johnson faced rebukes from the director-general of the World Health Organisation and public health activists after The Times reported that doses of that shot produced in South Africa were being exported to wealthier countries.

Biden administration officials are especially frustrated with what they see as Modernas lack of co-operation because the US government has provided the company with critical assistance. Loading Scientists at the National Institutes of Health worked with the company to develop the vaccine. The United States kicked in $US1.3 billion ($1.78 billion) for clinical trials and other research. And in August 2020, the government agreed to preorder $US1.5 billion of the vaccine, guaranteeing that Moderna would have a market for what was an unproven product. Although clinical trials last year found that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were similarly effective, recent studies suggest that Modernas shot is superior. It offers longer-lasting protection and is easier to transport and store. Modernas shot is essentially the premium vaccine, said Karen Andersen, an industry analyst at Morningstar. Theyre in a position where they probably dont need to sacrifice too much on pricing in a lot of these deals.

There is limited public information about the deals that Moderna has struck with individual governments. Of the 22 countries, plus the EU, to which Moderna and its distributors have reported selling the shots, none are low income, and only the Philippines is classified as lower-middle income. (Six are upper-middle income.) Loading Pfizer, by comparison, said it had agreed to sell its vaccine at discounted prices to 12 upper-middle-income countries, five lower-middle-income governments and one poor country, Rwanda. (Tunisia, for example, is paying about $US7 per dose.) Only a handful of governments have disclosed how much they are paying for Moderna doses. The United States paid $US15-$US16.50 for each shot, on top of the $US1.3 billion the government gave Moderna to develop its vaccine. The EU has paid $US22.60-$US25.50 for its Moderna doses. Botswana, Thailand and Colombia, which the World Bank classifies as upper-middle-income countries, have said they are paying $US27-$US30 per Moderna dose.

The lack of transparency about how much other governments are paying has put relatively poor countries in a weak bargaining position. They are negotiating totally in the dark, said Kate Elder, who advises Doctors Without Borders on vaccine policy. In some cases, Moderna has offered to provide poorer countries the vaccine at relatively low prices, but only after it has fulfilled other countries orders. In May, Moderna offered the African Union doses for about $10 each, according to a bloc official involved in the discussions. But the doses would not be available until next year, causing the talks to fall apart, according to two African Union officials. Dr Ayoade Alakija, who helps run the African Unions vaccine delivery program but was not involved in the procurement discussions, said Modernas attitude amounted to, Were here to make money. Weve stumbled upon a good thing, and were not even trying to pretend that were trying to save the world. Modernas COVID vaccine has been transformative for the company and its leaders. The company has said it expects its vaccine to generate at least $US20 billion in revenue this year, which would make it one of the most lucrative medical products in history. Andersen, the Morningstar analyst, projected that the companys profits on the vaccine could be as high as $US14 billion. In 2019, Moderna reported total revenue of $US60 million.

Modernas market value has nearly tripled this year to more than $US120 billion. Two of its founders, as well as an early investor, this month made Forbes magazines list of the 400 richest people in the United States. As the coronavirus spread in early 2020, Moderna raced to design its vaccine  which uses a new technology known as messenger RNA  and to plan a safety study. To manufacture the doses for that trial, the company received $US900,000 from the nonprofit Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Loading The nonprofit group said Moderna had agreed to its equitable access principles. That meant, according to the coalition, that the vaccine would be first available to populations when and where they are needed and at prices that are affordable to the populations at risk, especially low- and middle-income countries or to public sector entities that procure on their behalf. Moderna agreed in May to provide up to 34 million vaccine doses this year as well as up to 466 million doses in 2022 to COVAX, the struggling United Nations-backed program to vaccinate the worlds poor. The company has not yet shipped any of those doses, according to a COVAX spokesperson, although COVAX has distributed tens of millions of Moderna doses donated by the United States.

Bancel said many more doses would have gone to COVAX this year had the two parties reached a supply deal in 2020. Aurelia Nguyen, a COVAX official, denied that, saying, It became clear early on that the best we could expect was minimal doses in 2021. Late last year, the Tunisian government was hoping to order Moderna doses. Dr Hechmi Louzir, who led Tunisias vaccine procurement efforts, did not know how to contact Moderna to begin talks and asked the US embassy in Tunisia for help, he said. Officials there contacted Moderna, he said, but nothing came of it. We were very interested in Moderna, Louzir said. We tried. In Thailand, where about 32 per cent of people are fully vaccinated, a government spokesperson said the government was paying Moderna about $28 per dose for 1 million shots that are designated for vulnerable people. Deliveries from that order will start next year. In Botswana, the health minister told Parliament in July that the government had ordered 500,000 shots from Moderna at nearly $US29 per dose  enough to fully vaccinate about 10 per cent of the population. (That would roughly double the number of Botswanans who are fully vaccinated.) A spokesperson for the Health Ministry said that the doses were expected to start arriving in August but that none had yet arrived.
COLE BAY:--- As part of Rotary International core values, September signifies Basic Education and Literacy Month, and as such, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset had the honor of having a local well-known Author, Short Story Writer, Poet, Essayist, Journalist, and Publisher, Mr. Lasana M. Sekou as its guest speaker during their general meeting held on September 27th, 2021.

During this meeting, in the newly upgraded Carl N Sons Peach Conference Room, Mr. Lasana M. Sekou spoke to the club on The Use of Existing Tools to Emphasize the Importance of Literacy. During this presentation, Mr. Sekou recited some of his short stories/poetry using his unique literary styles, capturing the audiences attention as he mesmerized them with the use of the Caribbean creole, bringing the stories to life right before their eyes.

Mr. Lasana M. Sekou is the author of over 20 books of poetry, monologues, and short stories. He is the leading St. Martin writer and is considered as one of the prolific Caribbean poets of his generation. Mr. Sekou has always been passionate about literacy on the island. Some of his work has been translated into many languages such as Spanish, Dutch, French, German, Turkish, and even Chinese.

As Rotary recognizes Basic Education and Literacy in the month of September, we are very pleased to have Mr. Sekou as our guest speaker. Promoting literacy and encouraging aspiring authors is one of the many rewarding experiences we foster within Rotary Sunset, and it was a pleasure listening to Mr. Sekou during his presentation, so inspirational, knowledgeable, and very passionate. Mr. Sekou is an example that the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to highlight throughout the community as a dynamic author and leader. The club wishes Mr. Sekou continued success in his future endeavors and we hope to continue highlighting more of our local authors alike, Rotary Sunsets President Norrisa Anatol stated. Rotarian Shanyca Colastica then thanked Mr. Sekou for his dedication to our country and literacy and presented him with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset.

The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset meets every second and fourth Monday of the month at Carl N Sons Unique Inn and Conference Facilities in Colebay at 7:30pm. Due to Covid19, the club currently meets via Zoom. The club can be contacted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via the official Facebook page at facebook.com/rotarysxmsunset.
Robert Syphax, passed away Thursday, November 18, 2021 in Somerset, Kentucky. Arrangements are pending and will be announced later by Pulaski Funeral Home. Pulaski Funeral Home is Honored to assist the family with arrangements.
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Okay everybody, after airing for 15 years, producing 3 spin off shows with their own levels of success, ending in 2015, CSI is back! I am excited to see how this limited series gets on. Six years is a long time in TV not only scientific development. I'm curious to what's changed plot wise, character wise, and how the show brings in new technology and techniques within forensic science. As a note, there will be obvious spoilers for the first episode of CSI: Vegas, but possibly for the original series too. I loved the original and the spin-offs, however, I never finished any of them; so spoilers are likely to be related to early seasons of the show.





So let's get into it!





Starting with the plots introduced. The beginning of the episode starts with Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) being attacked by an unknown assailant. Brass is barely able to subdue his attacker, killing him with his firearm. A search of the body turns up a stack of 100 dollar bills dated back in the 90's which is related to a case Brass worked. A man called 'lucky' kidnapped women and would send notes to LVPD with a ransom and signing them with Lucky. As the case unfolds, a police officer attached to the Jim Brass case is kidnapped, and the team determine Lucky was not the perpetrator of these crimes but a man called Bill Dwyer. Brass, Sara, and Hodges had put him in prison in 2010 with a soil sample that Hodges had analysed.





According to Bill, the lab has been lying on cases and faking evidence. He says Jim Brass was just the beginning and they need to be taught a lesson, subtly threatening Sara. This however, leads to his downfall. The police and CSI team manage to track him down, arrest him, and save Officer Fisher. During interrogation, Maxine Roby (Paula Newsome) reads a letter mentioning a storage locker in Spring Valley.





For anyone who has watched trailers or teasers, this is the big twist and main storyline for the limited series. The locker is filled with laboratory equipment, test tubes filled with samples, crime and evidence files, things you should not have hidden away. The locker is supposedly rented to David Hodges, which is not looking good for him or the CSI crime lab. We shall have to see what happens next week, this could lead to a lot of seriously dangerous people getting released!





The case of the week was alright for the beginning of the series, it mainly showcased Josh Folsoms' (Matt Lauria) abilities as a CSI and the new lab interior. By the way, the new lab looks very funky and much brighter than the OG lab. The case involved Yates Pawn Shope being burnt down with a dead body found inside. The episode gave a straightforward approach to solving this case. Finding out the scene was cleaned and swept before being torched, speaking to the family, then going over the evidence and solving the case. I did think that Josh did jump to some odd theories about the weapon used and getting lucky with some evidence (a boot cast print was left in the oil exactly where the weapon was fired from). I feel the writers did this because the case had to be solved in 45 minutes or to show off how smart the new level 3 CSI is.





Moving onto our characters, keep in mind that this is all my opinion! I could easily have different views about characters compared to whomever reads this.





Starting with Gil Grissom (William Peterson), now he only appears at the end so I can't say much on him at the moment. It is awesome to have him back on our screens though. Poor Jim Brass, I think the writers have done him dirty! The man is basically blind, he was great at his job and always supportive with his colleagues. Giving him Fuchs corneal dystrophy is a little harsh but maybe it was to show viewers our OG characters are getting old.

Like we didn't already know!?





Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) has barely changed from what I remember, has great interactions with both old and new characters. She immediately fitted in with everybody which surprised me a little bit. I was expecting a little rivalry or opposition from Maxine or another new CSI character since she was just walking back in after 2 years to work a case because Brass asked her to. We briefly got information on Catherine Willows which was nice, turns out she is retired with a grandchild in Dublin. I'm glad they mentioned other characters from the show and didn't just forget them. I hope they have further mentions and references to OG characters.





Now for the new characters/CSI Vegas team. First, we were introduced to Maxine Roby and Allie Rajan (Mandeep Dhillon), Maxine runs the lab with a speciality in genetics and phenotyping. Allie is a level 2 CSI with a major in forensics and archaeology, good with identifying dead bodies. Paula Newsome made it easy through her characters interactions with the team and Sara to have Maxine be a wholesome character on screen. Allie I'm not sure about yet, like everyone she is extremely smart but other than that I don't have enough info or screen time to work with. I felt she got less worthwhile screen time than Sara or Maxine.





Josh Folsom is a Level 3 CSI, and a smart guy who knows his stuff. I think he comes across as a little cold at the start but that could be due to his work ethic when at crime scenes. Folsom appeared to warm up later though when speaking with Maxine or describing how he was testing out theories. Chris Park (Jay Lee) is possibly a level 1 CSI, supposed to only be recurring. I'm not sure why as I think he had the best interactions with all characters. He was sassy and smart when chatting with Allie. He's probably one of my favourites so far. Dr. Ramierez (Mel Rodriguez) is the Chief Medical Examiner. He gave off antisocial vibes and that he's not great when interacting with people. It made him slightly creepy but when him and Sara had lines together, Dr Ramierez ended up being quite funny instead.





Something I found cool was a small scene between Chris and Allie, she didn't know who Jim Brass or Sara Sidle were so Chris helped her with a 'history' lesson, then did some gossiping over why Sara didn't take the job Maxine has now. It was just a nice interaction showing that the team are friends not just people who tolerate each other while at work.





More importantly they kept the credits song!! Which makes the episode and show even better!!





I'm not 100% set on the new characters but am willing to see how/if they develop further along the series.





I didn't mention this at the start but I recently finished my undergraduate degree in Forensic Sciences. So while it was awesome to see the same equipment I used in labs implemented on TV IN one of my favourite franchises, the episode did have parts where it ticked off a pet peeve. The first time at a crime scene (Jim Brass's kitchen) no one was wearing the proper PPE, they were wearing gloves thankfully. No-one was wearing the protective suit, or mask, or goggles, or protective shoe covers. It hurt a little to see it, my main thought went to all of the evidence they could be leaving behind or contaminating.





Another one was letting people (like family members of the victim) onto a newly cordoned off crime scene. I mean why?! Why was this necessary? Again leaving evidence behind or contaminating the scene, probable doubt for the defence case? But hey, what do I know...





Overall I enjoyed the start of the series but I wasn't fully invested like i thought I'd be. Possibly now that Grissom is back and if they step it up for the case of the week, I might find myself enjoying it even more!





What did you think of the premiere episode of CSI:Vegas??

Did you also think it was odd the Police Officer was patrolling alone when kidnapped?

How do you feel about the choice in overarching story for this limited series??





Please let me know in the comments!!

- SarahR
Silicon Valley startups looking to attract venture capital investors tend to hyper-focus on dressing the part, but they do so at the expense of some important aspects that could save them down the line.

The VC world has become very busy to say the least. In 2020, startups saw the highest median VC investments since 2008. Yet startup founders are setting terms on the outset that have desperation written all over them. Startups that are willing to submit to disadvantageous requirements (either out of incomprehension or despair) appear out of options, which is why they should never set pre-ordained terms. And for reasons beyond comprehension, there have been plenty of top-tier startups that effectively chose pro-VC structures in their initial corporate form and equity.

Heres what startup founders should know to avoid completely eliminating founder-favored structures as they seek to attract investors.

Re-thinking typical VC structures

The mantra for first-class startups going the VC route includes: Delaware C-corp, the 10 million share model, one share class (plain old common stock) and four-year founder vesting (probably with a cliff) with double-trigger acceleration.

This is largely considered to be the right structure for VC-focused startups because its what VCs want. VCs like Delaware corporations, and they will generally want to invest in C-corps. They dont want anyone except themselves to have shares with special rights. And VCs want founders whose shares are subject to vesting so theyll stay with the company. They also dont like single-trigger acceleration because an acquisition may depend on founders and other employees remaining after the exit transaction. The incentives to stick around dwindle if founders and employees arent stuck vesting after an exit.

When founders are at a point where theyre choosing structures, they tend to forget that they can establish the terms they want, and dont always know that alternative structures do not necessarily cost any more than the VC-favored default. In fact, they may be less costly. Furthermore, founders may be sending the wrong signals by making all of their initial choices based on VC wants -- essentially eschewing all the choices that would protect their long-term interests. Heres what going all-in on VC structure tells investors:

Related: Think You Need Venture Capital Backing to Start Your Business ...

Theres a need for VC financing  The founders dont care about control

Everyone knows that if a founder doesnt need VC financing, theres little reason to choose the VC-default structure. There are many other structure options that can be more beneficial to founders, leaving investors to question why a founder would default to such unfavorable structures. The VC-default structure provides founders no protections vis-a-vis future employee/service provider shareholders.

Why would founders not put protective provisions in their initial structure that would allow them to maintain strategic powers, like board control? Particularly if nobody was stopping them from setting those terms on day one? This leads to shaky credibility and less bargaining power when its series A time. Its easy to structure stock to allow the most efficient liquidity options for founders. The standard VC structure does not provide for that. Founders will have a hard time pushing for this in the context of a series A after not doing so on the day of incorporation.

If a founder goes to a standard-issue large Silicon Valley law firm, the structure above is the one theyll get. (And its the one the law firms much more lucrative VC clients want the law firm to push.) But does that mean startups should choose this route just because its what VCs want? Not necessarily.

Related: Funding: What Is Entrepreneur Capital vs. Venture Capital?

How to integrate a founder-favored structure

To remain advantageous while still being attractive to VCs, its crucial that startup founders understand the different structure choices and types of share classes that can protect and give options to founders.

Founders generally care about a high valuation, retaining as much control as possible, not bearing all of the risk of loss and sharing as much in any liquidity as possible.

Sometimes founders, particularly ones who have been exposed to large law firm startup practices, will rightfully question whether these more founder-friendly structures are actually attractive to VCs. Its worth it to have a smaller firm evaluate the incorporation-related documents drafted for their companies, even if those documents were drafted by the most widely-known Silicon Valley firms.

Lets say a smaller firm offers some amazing advice on making founder-friendly tweaks to a VC-focused structure, and the big law firm bristles. The key to managing that pushback is understanding exactly where the advantage lies.

Take the state of incorporation or the entity structure. Changing from an S-corp or LLC to a C-corp isnt difficult, nor is moving from a California corporation to a Delaware corporation. A competent startup lawyer can do these things without strife. There are good reasons to choose jurisdictions other than Delaware. S-corps and LLCs can offer tax benefits that arent available in a C-corp structure, and there are many rights and privileges that founder stock can be imbued with to ensure a level of founder control even after dilution.

Next to consider are special share classes and rights. If founders decide to ditch these in their series A, they certainly can. The marginal cost of doing so, in the context of your series A, will be nothing, assuming the founder has a smart startup lawyer setting these share classes up for them in the first place. From the perspective of founder share rights, some of the possibilities include making sure founder shares always being able to elect a majority of the board of directors, delineating that each founder share gets multiple votes per share (supervoting stock) and having protective provisions that require the vote of a majority of founder shares before major corporate events, such as an acquisition or dilutive event

There are more ways to alter structures without scaring investors away. If a VC wants to invest in a startup, they know that all of these initial setup terms can be changed for negligible cost. That is not what is going to stop a startup from getting funding -- so founders should consider alternative structures and VC-founder-friendly hybrids that will pave the way for long-term success.

Related: The Rise of Alternative Venture Capital

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
STAMFORD  Since launching their campaigns earlier this year, both of Stamfords mayoral candidates have pointed to infrastructure as one of their top priorities.

In separate interviews with Hearst Connecticut Media, Democratic state Rep. Caroline Simmons and unaffiliated candidate Bobby Valentine said they want the city to not only pave roads but also make Stamford more walkable and bikeable.

Overall, I want to make our city more connected from North to South and East to West, Simmons said. I think, right now, our communities are very fragmented, and its difficult to get from one part of the city to the other. So I want to make sure were connecting all of our streets, connecting our sidewalks, making our city more bike friendly.

I want to understand how we can facilitate other modes of transportation, getting around our city other than just buses, trucks and cars because many of our population are turning to different ways of moving around the city, and we need to be considerate and understanding of that, Valentine said.

Both voiced concern about the state of the citys sidewalks. Simmons, who has promised to create a dedicated sidewalk fund if she is elected, said she would strive to repair existing sidewalks as well as build new ones. She also noted that a number of sidewalks arent accessible to people with disabilities.

Valentine argued that the city government needs to prioritize not only the sidewalks in the downtown area  which have been given an extraordinary amount of attention over the years  but also those in Stamfords more suburban neighborhoods.

Valentine, who described himself as an avid bicycle rider, said he believes the city is deficient in our safety provisions for people who ride bikes. He mentioned experiences riding in bike lanes that dead end into a parked car or that dont seem to have enough space to ride safely.

Simmons, who noted that her husband, former state Sen. Art Linares, is a bicycle rider, said she too has heard from residents who feel unsafe biking in the city.

She said she thinks theres so much we could do creatively with transportation, offering bike-share systems as an example. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a couple small, private bike-share programs operated in Stamford. But local officials have said that before any large-scale program is implemented, the city needs an expanded network of bike lanes.

Another goal for Simmons is reducing carbon emissions, and she said the city should aim to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations and electrify municipal vehicles.

Of course, both candidates still care about Stamfords roads.

Mayor David Martin has previously said more than 100 miles of city roads had been paved during his administration.

Valentine said he thinks Martin has done a spectacular job of evaluating our streets. But he said much of the citys focus when it comes to repaving seems to be on Stamfords busiest roads. Others need attention as well, he said.

When a homeowner comes out to plant their flowers or bring their garbage out in front of their home and (they) look at the same street that theyve looked at for the last 25 years that might have been patched once or twice but has never been repaved  I think they want and deserve more, Valentine said.

Simmons said she would try to ensure the city is being more transparent and responsive to residents who want to know when their street will be paved. She said she would look to create an interactive map that shows when roads are scheduled for paving. Her administration would also aim to get back to residents who have road-related questions within 48 hours, she said.

Simmons laid out her infrastructure priorities in a speech last month at the Stamford Transportation Center, a hub that local, state and federal officials have talked about upgrading for years.

The city needs a mayor whos going to be a leader and an advocate (who is) going to bring everybody to the table and put together a visionary plan to modernize the Stamford train station, and I think thats what has been lacking, Simmons told Hearst. Theres certainly a number of players involved, so having that coordination between federal, state and local government is critical here.

She argued that her experience as a state legislator and former U.S. Department of Homeland Security staffer would be an asset for this role.

The state Department of Transportation has been working on a master plan for the train station and sought input from the public through an online survey in September.

Valentine contended that a new way of trying to approach Hartford and Washington, D.C., is obviously needed to get our train station to the level that it needs to be.

The people who have been trying to work with the state over the past two decades to (make) our train station and our transportation center the world-class transportation center that it should be have not succeeded, he said. And thats the exact reason that most people believe a change is needed.

Simmons noted that Congress is considering an infrastructure bill that would deliver more than $5 billion in funding to Connecticut over five years. She said Stamford needs a mayor who knows how to capture that funding for our city at this critical moment in time.

The federal legislation has stalled in the U.S. House since being passed by the Senate.

The Stamford mayoral election is Nov. 2.

This story is part of a series delving into the biggest issues in Stamford with the two mayoral candidates: Caroline Simmons, a Democrat, and Bobby Valentine, who is running unaffiliated.

Includes prior reporting by staff writer Veronica Del Valle.

brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com
NEWTOWN - Well before last weeks headlines that Alex Jones lost three defamation cases to Sandy Hook parents in Texas, a Connecticut judge threatened the conspiracy extremist with a similar default judgment in two other lawsuits brought by eight Sandy Hook families.

On Thursday, state Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis announced she will take up the question of sanctions against Jones - including a potential default ruling for the eight families - based on (Jones) conduct in this matter to date, including conduct relating to discovery.

Bellis is referring to the legal process of pretrial evidence exchange known as discovery that got Jones into such trouble in Texas that he lost his cases by default when the judge ruled he had shown flagrant bad faith and callous disregard for the responsibilities of discovery under the rules.

On Oct. 20, Bellis will rule on a request by the eight families to default Jones for a series of allegations, including withholding pretrial data, manipulating evidence, and violating an order of protection, which resulted in Jones attorneys trying to subpoena Hillary Clinton.

The Jones defendants have demonstrated they are incorrigible, reads an argument filed by the families attorneys last week. No sanction other than default will remedy their misconduct, and the danger posed by their disregard for the courts authority will significantly increase.

Jones Connecticut attorneys counter argue that the families are attempting to obtain an improper default sanction through an unethical motion.

Bellis, for her part, has twice threatened to sanction Jones with default, and has promised three other times in the last two months in her orders that she would soon address the appropriate sanctions.

In a Sept. 30 ruling over allegations that Jones failed to turn over Google Analytics data to the families, for example, Bellis wrote: The Jones defendantsseem to take the position that the rules of practice do not apply to them. There is no dispute here that the Jones defendants failed to follow the rules as they relate to discovery.

And in an Aug. 5 ruling where Jones attorneys were accused of using testimony covered under a court-approved protection order as the basis for questioning Hillary Clinton about her alleged role in a vendetta to silence Alex Jones, Bellis wrote: Given the cavalier actions and willful misconduct of Infowars in filing protected deposition information during the actual deposition, this court has grave concerns that their actions, in the future, will have a chilling effect on the testimony of witnesses who would be rightfully concerned that their confidential information, including their psychiatric and medical histories, would be made available to the public.

Jones attorneys meanwhile call the families accusations procedural gamesmanship.

If this motion is allowed, it will demonstrate to the world that the fix is in - that there cannot be justice in this Court if your name is Alex Jones, the attorneys write.

Eight families and an FBI agent in two cases are suing Jones, the host of Infowars, for calling the 2012 massacre of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors.

Jones has said in court papers that he no longer believes that the worst crime in Connecticut history was a hoax, and that he has a right to be wrong under the First Amendment.

Jones attorneys will not be able to develop that argument in Texas, where the cases of the three Sandy Hook parents will now go to a jury to decide damages.

In Connecticut, Joness attorneys are still arguing the merits of the case. On Oct. 20, Bellis will also rule on Jones motion to dismiss the Connecticut cases.

Bellis has already sanctioned Jones for his blood on the streets rant against an attorney for the families during a 2019 broadcast. That 2019 sanction denied Jones what he considered a key line of defense. After the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld Bellis sanction, Jones high-profile New Haven attorney Norm Pattis petitioned the United States Supreme Court, which declined to review it, sending the case back to Bellis trial court.

In court papers last week arguing against the families motion for default, Jones attorneys suggested the writing was on the wall.

If the Court thinks (albeit erroneously) that a dispositive sanction is warranted, it should go ahead and issue it, rather than delaying the inevitable, Jones attorneys wrote to Bellis on Oct. 7. The Court cannot be part of the prosecution, using the process to punish defendants because Mr. Jones had the audacity to exercise his First Amendment right to question perhaps the most sorrowful official narrative in U.S. history.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
DARIEN  Its hard to imagine the challenges of executing what would be described as frontline healthcare, but Dariens own Emily Fawcett not only lives it, but does so in many time zones.

A woman whose resume lists more credentials under the volunteer heading than even her professional experience, she continues to collect amazing international credits that center on her desire to help people heal.

I have been interested in international travel and international medical mission work since high school, said Fawcett, 31, who now calls the Upper East Side of Manhattan her home.

Others in Darien, however, know her as a young woman who devoted eight years to EMS Post 53 while growing up in town, where she racked up participation in more than 300 ambulance calls while at Darien High School.

Post 53 for sure had an influence in my passion to give back, help communities, and interest in the medical field, said Fawcett, a Darien native.

She was back in town last month speaking at the Darien Community Association about her experiences helping with medical relief efforts in Haiti following a devastating earthquake there, in a program focused on Choosing Hope Over Despair.

Now, Fawcett has again left the country  this time to the Barbados  where she is assisting with vaccination work amidst a population that doesnt have the access more common in this country.

If I can help another location with their surge, provide them my expertise and what I have learned, and provide hope that they will get through it  well, thats what life is all about, isnt it? she said.

Having gotten COVID herself at the beginning of this year, following months of working directly with hundreds of patients at New Yorks Lenox Hill Hospital, its a wonder shes able to focus on the positive.

My hospital and New York City is now way on the other side of that, said Fawcett, whose full-time job has been as a registered nurse at Lenox Hill for the past 10 years. There, along with serving in a range of units as part of an adult medical-surgical float team, she is also a teacher and mentor to new graduates, nurses and students.

Fawcetts philosophy of helping is linked to her own mothers background. Sharon Fawcett has been a nurse at Norwalk Hospital for 41 years, where she has often worked with orthopedic patients and, most recently, has served on the medical floor designated for COVID patients since the pandemic began.

I am extremely proud of Em and honored that she is my daughter, she said. I am in awe of her dedication and her ability to give to those who are in desperate need of medical help.

Sharon noted that her daughters love of medical work began in high school as an EMT, and shes watched that passion continue over the years.

I cant imagine her doing anything else, she said, explaining how they share a unique and very powerful bond together based on their individual experiences as frontline workers.

She gives me so much inspiration as we talk about our experiences as nurses, especially during the height of COVID, her mother said.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvanias School of Nursing, Emily Fawcett did a minor in African studies, also studying abroad in Kenya while at college.

She said she always knew international work was a passion of hers and found that in action with Crossing Thresholds, a small nonprofit based in Port Chester, N.Y. that has been her main vehicle for volunteer work.

Im their community clinic coordinator and run medical clinics in the Kibera Slum in Nairobi, Kenya, for them, she said. She also serves on its board and, prior to COVID, visited the country two or three times a year.

I also have a strong passion for disaster response (and) emergency response, she said, as well as general humanitarian crisis work, because if I were in that situation I would want someone to be able to help me and my community.

Other initiatives shes been involved with include spending a month aboard the U.S.N.S. Comfort assisting with the Venezuelan migrant crisis, and also lending her time and effort to medical aid amidst the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

I have a strong belief that if you are in a position to help others, to give back, to help other communities that are different than your own, then we all have a social responsibility, she said. We can all add our drop to the bucket.
Ricardo Santos has met a lot of people throughout his life and in his food business, reinforcing his belief that everyone is connected.

Were all beautiful, Santos said. Were human beings.

When Santos, originally from Mexico, moved from New York City to Pennsylvania 10 years ago, he found a much different environment.

Im from New York City. What do you learn there? Cultures, Santos said. When I got here, it was different.

Santos said he was warned not to come to Pennsylvania because of claims it was dangerous for Mexicans, but that did not stop him.

I want to be there, Santos said. I found so much beautiful people that I stayed here. I love this environment.

While Santos was in Pennsylvania and his family was back in New York, he said the people here became his family.

One of his goals in starting an authentic Mexican food business, especially on a food truck that he can travel with, is to introduce his culture to others.

I go places where they dont know Mexican food, Santos said. All they know is Taco Bell. I want to go where they dont know who we are.

Santos said he has had arguments with some people, like a pizza shop owner competing for business, but he tries to keep an open mind and celebrate others success.

I dont have to have any bad feelings because youre successful, Santos said. They dont know I sleep on the food truck or see where I came from. What do I need to have? Just my heart clean and my brain ready to achieve my goals. All we have to do is get along.

While he has met people locally from Mexico, the Dominican Republic and other countries, Santos said he makes an effort to get to know everyone he encounters.

Why dont we just break the barriers, the ignorance? Santos said. I do it every day when Im at the counter.

Santos displays the Mexican flag and American flag at his business to represent his background, but events like Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated in the U.S. from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, are not something he recognizes.

Its just a symbol of a day when somebody came to conquer the Americas, Santos said. We are the same. Celebrating me is dividing you. Thats what I dont want to do.

Santos said in the end, everyone has the same blood no matter their differences.

I only have one fear, and thats the big man upstairs, Santos said. Down here, were all the same. What makes you different is ideologies, the way you think.
Hazleton, PA (18201)

Today

Clearing skies after some evening light rain. Low near 30F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Clearing skies after some evening light rain. Low near 30F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Ricardo Santos started J. Zapata, his Mexican food business, out of a motor home with little experience in the kitchen.

Now, he operates three trucks and two physical locations serving original, authentic dishes.

You need to have a purpose in life, Santos said. My purpose is to be happy, and my passion is cooking. I love what I do. When I get into the kitchen, its my world, my life, my control and my happiness.

Santos, 50, currently lives in West Hazleton, but he grew up in Puebla, Mexico, and moved to New York City when he was 17.

When he first got to New York City, Santos said he and his father slept on the floor in a two-bedroom apartment with about 15 people.

It was uncomfortable, Santos said. It was not what I expected, but my father gave me the skills: Dont give up.

Santos said they found a new place to live, but he still needed to find a job, while speaking no English and not having a high school diploma.

I proposed myself every day to learn a single word that was very strange to my language, Santos said.

Santos worked a few different jobs in New York, from dishwasher and grocery store clerk to construction contractor. Eventually, he had a family of his own and wanted to take a break from the city, so he took his family camping in Pennsylvania.

Difficult start

When the company he was working for collapsed, he decided to make a home in Pennsylvania permanent. He would move to Wapwallopen, but had to find a new job. While driving around the area, he noticed a food truck on I-80 at exit 256 (Nescopeck/Conyngham) in Sugarloaf Twp., and it gave him an idea.

After that, he found an old motor home and convinced the owner to sell it to him for $800. Santos fixed up the vehicle and began the process of starting his business.

I opened my own corporation by myself, Santos said. I had to Google little by little.

Santos got the motor home turned food truck up and running outside the Pilot Travel Center at the exit in April 2014, but it was not easy in the beginning. His family was still living in New York, so he was working, and sleeping, on the food truck five days a week, then driving back to see his family on weekends.

Despite the sacrifices and obstacles, Santos said he did not want to let his business fail.

The instant that I was fighting for everything, my loneliness, my emptiness in my heart, I found my freedom, my passion, he said.

Zapata franchise?

Using ingredients and recipes for dishes he grew up eating in Mexico, Santos serves tacos, quesadillas, nachos, chalupas and a few of his own creations.

Santos continues to operate the food truck off I-80 seven days a week, as well as brick and mortar locations in the Laurel Mall, Hazle Twp., and at 118 East Main St. in Bloomsburg.

Moving forward, Santos said he plans to expand his business and find people to join him who share his passion.

What are my goals? To be a franchise one day, Santos said. Im looking for the opportunity to have people with the attitude, consistency and passion for what they do.
The effort of state institutions to safeguard the memory of Holocaust victims and fight extremism must resolutely continue, interim Prime Minister Florin Citu said in a message on the occasion of the National Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed each year on October 9, agerpres reports.

"Today, October 9, 2021, we mark eight decades since the start of deportations of Romanian Jews from south Bucovina to Transnistria, an episode that is part of the dark Holocaust events the Romanian authorities of the 1940s under the Antonescu regime have been fully engaged in. Romania has a fundamental moral duty to keep alive for eternity the memory of the victims, to provide support to the victims' descendants as well as to the survivors, those last witnesses of the Holocaust in Romania. Moreover, the authorities and the entire society have a duty to wash away ignorance, oblivion and lack of interest in the tragic events of national history," Florin Citu said, as cited in a release.

He notes that the Holocaust was made possible "by using state institutions against their own citizens, by fomenting anti-Semitism and hate speech", which were promoted and disseminated by Romanian intellectuals and politicians as well before the Second World War."But at the same time, heedlessness to evil or passivity in the face of abuse and violations have contributed to the greatest tragedy humanity has been through. In those terrible moments when death was everywhere, there also were compatriots who understood that the life of any fellow man is priceless, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, and who put everything on the line for this. They, Romania's 'Righteous Among the Nations' recognized by the state of Israel, must also be honored today!," he adds.Voicing his indignation over the attitude of certain parliamentary parties, the acting Prime Minister notes that he is "today even more outraged to see extremist parties in the Romanian Parliament, to see how symbols of Holocaust victims are trivialized in public protests and the Holocaust history being relativized or even denied. All these inadmissible slippages are a signal that the state institutions' effort to safeguard the memory of Holocaust victims and fight extremism must resolutely continue. I am determined to do everything in my power in this direction!"According to him, more institutional coordination and consolidation are needed, but also new tools to stimulate Holocaust education."Thus, in order to protect the memory of the Holocaust victims and fight against the phenomena spawned by hate, I appointed in the past year a Special Representative of the Government for the combat of anti-Semitism, and in May the Executive adopted the first National Strategy for preventing and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech for the period 2021 - 2023. These days, a new inter-ministerial committee made of representatives of civil society institutions and organizations will begin working to implement the strategy for educating the young generation about the dangers of anti-Semitism and xenophobia, for promoting tolerance towards others, and prevent or sanction acts of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, or those associated with radicalization and hate speech," Citu writes.He goes on to note that 80 years after the deportations from Bucovina, we must understand that owning up to the past and preserving the memory of the Holocaust victims remain a profound duty."We must always remember them, their dreams and hopes, and the contribution of the Jewish community to the development of Romania. So let us remember all those who perished in the Holocaust and pray every day for their memory to endure! The memory of the victims will never die! They will live through us!," he says in the conclusion of the message.
The Social Democratic Party (PSD) will most likely not go to Monday's consultations at Cotroceni with a nomination for Prime Minister, yet a decision will be made Monday morning by the party's National Political Council, president of the PSD National Council, Vasile Dincu, announced today.

"At this moment PSD won't field a proposal for Premier, because we want to see what the President wants, in the first place. The President is the one behind, at least a part of this crisis, of the political quandary he has enabled to continue by endorsing Florin Citu and he has to restore his government because he is the main protagonist in this so far failed governance, at least from the perspective of the government's results. (...) We are looking at this situation, we'll see what the National Bureau decides Monday morning, before we go to Cotroceni, we can also call a National Council meeting if necessary. But at this stage we haven't made a decision because we are not sure of the President's intention," Dincu told broadcaster Prima TV.

He explained that President Iohannis said he would never appoint a Social Democrat Prime Minister and now wants to rebuild the current coalition."People tell us: now that you've ousted the Citu Government, take the helm. But how are we to take over power? It's the President's prerogative to appoint the Prime Minister, and the President has said some time ago that he will never appoint a Social Democrat Prime Minister. The proposals we made after elections were rejected. The decent thing for Mr. Citu to do after seeing that he has a 281-strong parliamentary majority against him would be to resign and for the President to restore the situation as it was after elections. Normally it should have been for PSD to put together a majority, as the winner of the election, even if it didn't get a 51% majority. Now we want to see if the President is just delaying action - it is a possibility, given this bridge he set over the weekend - or if he has a solution, because there is no point in us fielding a proposal when we are not asked to, it would be to no avail. Our understanding is that the President wants to restore this coalition," Dincu detailed.
Will lawmakers get on board?

Whether lawmakers agree to a senior-specific stimulus check is yet to be determined. But it's clear that seniors who get the bulk of their income from Social Security have struggled for years, and that could continue even if 2022's raise is as generous as experts are thinking it'll be.

Let's remember that Medicare Part B premium hikes will also be the wild card seniors will have to grapple with in conjunction with that raise. If Part B costs go up enough, that alone will erode whatever benefit seniors might glean from higher Social Security paychecks.

Will the process of calculating COLAs change?

The viability of a near-term senior-specific stimulus check may be dubious. However, one change that could come down the pike is a shift in the way COLAs are calculated.

For years, senior advocates have called upon lawmakers to use the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) as the basis for calculating COLAs. The logic is that this index more accurately represents the costs seniors face.
And during his 95-minute set, Aldean rolled through most of his big hits: You Make it Easy, Amarillo Sky, Burnin it Down and Big Green Tractor.

Before launching into his current hit, Aldean told the crowd that he made good use of the pandemic downtime by learning to play some piano. At that point, he was at a piano rolled onstage with a hologram of Carrie Underwood for their current hit, If I Didnt Love You.

Aldean said the song will be on his new double album that will drop in November and April.

As the night moved toward its end, Aldean did the music world a favor after Dirt Road Anthem by dissing the encores so many artists feel are a mandatory part of their show.

They go offstage for five minutes, and everyones clapping, and they come back out like, What, you want us to play more songs? Aldean said. So we just keep on playing.

And with that, he roared into what otherwise would have been a three-song encore: My Kinda Party, Hicktown and, for the wrapper, Shes Country.

Before Aldean took the stage, he showcased three support acts: Hardy, Lainey Wilson and a duo called John Morgan.
When conductor laureate Leonard Slatkin returns to Powell Hall and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, theres a strong sense of a hero returning to the place that made him famous, even if most of the orchestras personnel has changed since Slatkin was its music director. His hair is mostly white now, but his direction remained energetic in Saturday evenings concert. And while he didnt get a standing ovation when he took the podium, he did get one when he concluded with Bela Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra.

Slatkin has been a champion of modern and contemporary music throughout his career, and this concert contained music by living American composers Joan Tower and William Bolcom. By the time Bartok wrote his Concerto for Orchestra, he had moved to the U.S. to escape World War II in Europe, so this concert could be titled Made in America, which is the name of the Grammy-winning piece by Joan Tower that started the evening.
The Missouri Department of Conservation, according to budget documents, would use half the money on habitat management and a quarter of it for fish and wildlife management. Fifteen percent would flow to education and communication, while the remaining 10% would go toward recreation management, according to department plans.

The department, in budget documents, said the majority of funds would go to habitat work, education efforts, monitoring species with the greatest conservation need and incentives for landowners.

Jerek said the money would allow the state and partners to meet strategic goals in more conservation opportunity areas including helping to tackle the spread of invasive species such as feral hogs and bush honeysuckle.

Our state agencies have the primary responsibility of conserving our treasured natural resources and with this dedicated funding, states and our many partners will be able to make sure our fish and wildlife are healthy for years to come, Sara Parker Pauley, director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, said in July.
DOOLITTLE, Mo.  He was one of the most famous aviators in American history, a hero in the dark hours of early World War II. So much so that this little town in Missouri named itself after him.

Over the years, memories withered away about Army Lt. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, along with the excitement that used to pass through on Route 66. All that remains today about the pilot are a plaque and sign that easily get missed.

I could never figure that one out, Narvin Beutler, 90, a new transplant, said about why the town is named Doolittle. Nobody could tell me anything.

A sampling of the 648 residents, including the mayor, sales reps at an Army surplus store and others, were short on details.

Doolittle led the first successful raid on Tokyo and other other Japanese cities four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Though the B-25 bombers werent rated to take off from an aircraft carrier, they did for the gutsy mission. They didnt do significant damage in the context of the broader war, but the attack was a national morale booster, championed by the U.S. government and the Army.
In the Olive Street Pharmacy case, prosecutors argued, pharmacists should have recognized clear signs that prescriptions had been altered and that opioid prescriptions exceeded by as much as 17.5 times the federal dosage guidance.

One Missouri doctor mentioned in the case, Philip Dean, a Warrenton neurologist, repeatedly wrote prescriptions for women whom he had lived [with] and with whom he had had personal relationships, the U.S. Attorneys Office stated. Shlafshteyn and the Olive Street Pharmacy should have recognized the odd pattern exhibited by Deans behavior, yet they continued to fill his patients prescriptions.

Even though Missouri has been singled out for years as the only state without a prescription drug monitoring program, it wasnt until last June that Gov. Mike Parson finally received a bill to create such a statewide program. He signed it, and now, thankfully, its law. But it never should have taken this long. Had the GOP-dominated Legislature recognized the problem sooner and acted upon it, rather than wait for local governments such as St. Louis County to adopt their own programs, thousands of lives might not have been ruined by ongoing opioid abuse and addiction.

The heavy price now being paid by pharmaceutical professionals in Creve Coeur should serve notice to others that Missouri is no longer asleep at the wheel and that serious consequences could be in store for anyone contemplating generating storefront commerce off others addictions.
India is spending $32 million to buy 24 used Mirage 2000 fighters from the French developer and manufacturer Dassault. These aircraft are needed mainly for the parts so India can complete the upgrades on 49 of its current forces of 59 Mirage 2000 fighters. Dassault often takes used Mirage 2000s back as part of a deal to sell more modern fighters. Dassault often uses these Mirage 2000s for parts. Only 13 of these used aircraft were complete and only eight of those were flyable. The other eleven are missing some components but there are enough of the parts that India needs to make the purchase worthwhile. The Indian Mirage 2000s average 35 years old and equip two fighter squadrons of about 24 aircraft each. The Indian Air Force has to keep these two squadrons operational for as long as possible because the Indian military procurement bureaucracy is, as usual, delaying procurement of new aircraft far longer than any other major military power.

India has had many problems carrying out this final upgrade of their Mirage 2000s and a large part of the problem has been the Indian procurement bureaucracy. A classic example of how this bureaucracy works occurred in 2006 when India decided to do the final upgrade on 49 of its Mirage 2000 fighters. This was to cost $35 million per aircraft but work did not get started until 2015. That was just the beginning because upgrades took longer and cost more than anticipated, which was not unusual, especially with India. By 2019 cost had grown to $45 million per aircraft. Part of the delay was due to Indian insistence that most of the work be done in India. That meant Indian technicians had to be trained, often in France. Special tools and equipment had to be obtained from France. The Indian military procurement bureaucracy is infamous for its sloth and inefficiency no matter what task it is assigned. That meant that every aspect of the Mirage 2000 upgrade effort was subject to delays and cost increases. In some instances the problem is an epic failure to communicate issue.

A prime example of that occurred when the Mirage 2000 maintenance contracts with the French manufacturer (Dassault) expired in November 2017, the Indian Air Force, which normally pays this fee ($15 million a year for all 47 Indian Mirage 2000 jets). But in 2017 the air force insisted it was the responsibility of the Indian firm HAL, which was doing the upgrades, to pay the upgrade fee. State-owned HAL disputed this and pointed out such a payment was not mentioned in the 2011 contract with HAL, which was to receive $900 million for work done in India on the Mirage 2000 upgrades. Another 2011 contract, worth $2.1 billion, went to Dassault and other French firms to supply new components and technical services and that one did not mention shifting the annual maintenance contract to HAL until the upgrades were done, or whatever. As always it was unclear exactly what was going on here. All concerned parties agreed to keep talking with each other to fix the problem. The stalemate continued as the government pressured the procurement bureaucrats to clear this up as soon as possible. The fee dispute was settled but then another problem was discovered; there were not enough spare parts available to keep the two Mirage 2000 squadrons going. That led to the purchase of the 24 used aircraft.

This maintenance contract dispute and failure to obtain a sufficient stockpile of spare parts to keep the refurbed Mirage 2000s operational over now extended lifetimes was not unique. The used Mirages became necessary because Indian procurement officials were unable to approve orders on time for spare parts for the Mirage 2000s, as well as for other items needed for the upgrades. Because of the delays in getting needed spares, at least a dozen of the Mirage 2000s were grounded, some of them since 2010. It is also difficult to get politicians to agree on things like upgrades to older equipment, but the larger problem is the inefficient and often ineffective procurement officials.

By 2018 seven Mirage 2000s had completed the upgrade work that had been transferred to India in 2015, where HAL, rather than France, attempts to upgrade ten Mirage 2000s a year. Ominously, a newly refurbished Mirage 2000 crashed on takeoff in early 2019. The two test pilots died checking out a recently upgraded aircraft. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Despite that, 25 days after the crash India used ten of the upgraded Mirage 2000s for an airstrike on an Islamic terrorist base in Pakistani Kashmir.

The upgraded Mirage 2000s are getting new radar with 90 kilometers range (a 20 percent increase). The new fire control systems, modern electronic warfare systems and digital communications will make the Mirage 2000s capable of handling the most modern Pakistani and Chinese fighters. Other components, like the airframe and engines, were also to be refurbished. After the upgrade, the twenty-year-old Mirage 2000s would be good for another twenty years of service. The upgrade price includes a supply of MICA, long range (50 kilometers) radar guided missiles which are similar to the U.S. AMRAAM.

While expensive, the upgrade would turn the Mirage 2000 fighters into long-range air-to-air killers and extend their useful life another 15-20 years. These aircraft could very efficiently knock down their Chinese or Pakistani opponents (which are equipped with less capable Chinese FD-60 long-range missiles.) Meanwhile, Pakistan had received new F-16 fighters as well as upgrades for their older ones. Pakistan was receiving American AMRAAM missiles as well. The Indians expected the French to provide electronic warfare equipment that could give AMRAAM a hard time. How well that works won't be seen until, and if, there's another large-scale war between India and Pakistan. China uses copies of the latest Russian Su-30 fighters and the upgraded Mirage 2000s, as well as Indian Su-30s, are supposed to be competitive with those.

The Indian Mirage 2000s, thanks to this life-extension program, will probably be the last user to have some of these aircraft in active service. No new ones have been built since late 2007 when the last of 601 French Mirage 2000 fighters was completed and the production line was shut down. A 1970s design, the first Mirage 2000 flew in 1978, and it entered service in 1984. The French Air Force bought 315, while the rest were exported to eight countries. The Mirage 2000 was a lightweight (17 ton) fighter with similar capabilities to the U.S. F-16, of which over 5,000 were manufactured. The Mirage 2000 served in several combat zones, but aside from dropping some bombs, never saw much action.

At the time production ceased most of the Mirage 2000s built were still in service, and some were expected to be operational into the late 2020s. Since 2007 French firms did a brisk business upgrading older Mirage 2000s with excellent French radars and other electronics systems. The Mirage 2000 project cost the French government billions of dollars in subsidies. The competition from U.S. and Russian aircraft, especially after the Cold War ended in 1991 and lots of cheap MiG-29s and Su-27s came on the market, made it impossible for the Mirage 2000 to sell any better than it did. It's successor, the Rafale, had an even harder time selling to export markets but eventually did find customers, including India. All that money and effort kept France in that small circle of nations that can produce jet fighters.
Blanchard brings three decades of experience to help QEDs continued platform growth

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- QED Investors, a leading global venture capital firm focused on investing in disruptive financial services companies, today named Tommy Blanchard as its Chief Operating Officer.

Blanchard joins QED from Capital One where he spent a total of 20 years, most recently as managing vice president, business analysis in Capital Ones Commercial Bank.

Tommy is a consummate professional with remarkable people skills, said QED Investors Managing Partner and Co-Founder Nigel Morris. He has a phenomenal mind when it comes to articulating process and mission. His experience will be invaluable in helping us scale QED.

Tommy is a trusted and authentic general manager with a world-class reputation for leading cross-functional teams.

In his most recent role, Blanchards responsibilities included data analysis and strategy, process innovation and transformation in cross-team collaboration  all towards driving step function improvements in the sales of treasury management products and services in Capital Ones Commercial Bank.

Blanchards previous work at Capital One includes executive leadership positions in talent acquisition, people analytics, co-brand partnerships, loyalty strategies, operations analysis and supply chain management.

Im incredibly excited to join QED as they look to scale, building on their best-in-class reputation and enhances their position as one of the premier fintech VCs, said Blanchard.

"QED has created an amazing track record of investing in the most talented entrepreneurs and their disruptive financial technology businesses across the U.S. and internationally. Im thrilled to partner with Nigel and work alongside QED's wonderful team members to continue their impressive record of success. By scaling platform operations and improving how we think about process, we will continue to position QED at the vanguard of fintech VC.

Blanchard holds an MBA from Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Business, as well as MS and BS degrees in electrical engineering from Purdue University. He lives in Richmond, Va., and will be based in QEDs Alexandria, Va., office.

Founded in 2007, QED Investors has invested in more than 150 companies, including 21 unicorns, and has more than $3 billion under management. Last month, QED announced it had closed a substantially oversubscribed $1.05 billion fund, including $550 million in QED Fund VII for early stage investments and $500 million in a new Growth Fund.

About QED Investors

QED Investors is a global leading boutique venture capital firm based in Alexandria, Va. Founded by Nigel Morris and Frank Rotman in 2007, QED Investors is focused on investing in early stage, disruptive financial services companies in the U.S., U.K., Latin America and Southeast Asia. QED Investors is dedicated to building great businesses and uses a unique, hands-on approach that leverages our partners decades of entrepreneurial and operational experience, helping their companies achieve breakthrough growth. Notable investments include AvidXchange, Bitso, ClearScore, Current, Creditas, Credit Karma, GreenSky, Kavak, Klarna, Konfio, Loft, Mission Lane, Nubank, QuintoAndar, Remitly and SoFi.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211008005341/en/

Ashley Marshall

Director, PR and Communications

QED Investors

ashley@qedinvestors.com

(518) 577-9984

Source: QED Investors
An Air Force C-130 delivered U.S. Army Pacific soldiers to the newly refurbished Angaur Airfield for training in the Republic of Palau last year. (M. Gamble See/U.S. Army)

HONOLULU (Tribune News Service)  Schofield Barracks, until now, would send about 5,000 soldiers annually to Fort Polk, La., for culminating training to certify an infantry brigades combat readiness for war.

The 240,000-acre Joint Readiness Training Center is one of the Armys premier proving grounds, but Fort Polk is not jungle and ocean, like Hawaii is, or part of the Pacific where the 25th Infantry Division would fight its next fight.

With that logic in mind  and a cost savings that will likely run into the millions of dollars  the Army intends to break the paradigm and set a new precedent by holding the first-ever Home-station Combat Training Center evolution, in this case in Hawaii.

For fiscal 2022, which started Oct. 1, the Army as a whole is planning 20 combat center rotations for brigade-sized formations, but for the first time, it will have one focused on jungles and maritime in Hawaii, and another in Alaska to boost Arctic capabilities.

The Joint Pacific Multinational Training Center will run Tuesday through Oct. 28 on Oahu and Hawaii island focusing on training for the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Schofield, which has about 4,000 soldiers, alongside about 200 Indonesian and Thai soldiers.

All Hawaii active-duty forces are now focused on training to deter China from invading Taiwan or expanding elsewhere militarily in the Western Pacific. The Army is retooling to become a missile-firing force.

Training staff from the Joint Readiness Training Center will come out to Hawaii to participate in the large-scale exercise.

We will be the first  and we will learn a lot through this iteration, said Lt. Col. Jamie Dobson, a spokeswoman for the 25th Division, adding the model likely will be repeated in the future.

I think well try to do it again because I think well find that having this realistic training environment, having the amphibious assault exercise, being able to work with our partners and the joint force here in this environment, were going to see a lot of benefit, Dobson said.

A full 60% of the approximately 12,000-soldier 25th Infantry Division is expected to participate in one way or another between the force getting the training  the 3rd Brigade  and opposing force and additional enablers such as helicopters, logistic and artillery.

Last fall, the division deployed 5,500 soldiers, 37 helicopters, 346 containers and 1,671 vehicles to Louisiana for the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Teams culminating train-up, the Army said.

A much more staggered approach is being taken for the upcoming large-scale training in Hawaii to keep community impact to a minimum.

The exercise approach falls within the Armys new Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model, or ReARMM, that seeks to better balance the need to project power with scheduled times for modernization and training, which is supposed to give soldiers and families more predictability.

In the future, a units rotation through a combat training center might not be the only requisite for mission readiness as leaders acknowledged the value of specialized training, the service said in March.

The Hawaii experiment also comes with the Army in May releasing a $173 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2022 reflecting a $3.6 billion reduction from last years enacted budget.

The Army said its budget would ensure readiness by funding home station training and 20 combat training center rotations.

Those combat training centers are at Fort Polk, at Fort Irwin National Training Center in California, and at Hohenfels Training Area in Germany.

We have not cut any (JRTC rotations)  two have moved to exportable, Maj. Gen. Sean Swindell, assistant deputy chief of staff, said in a June Army release. We recently published our Arctic strategy, and we are going to come up with an Arctic rotation in fiscal 2022. We are also looking at a ( U.S. Indo-Pacific Command ) exportable rotation out in Hawaii.

The Association of the U.S. Army said the Arctic training would occur in Alaska.

The 25th Division said in a release that the new Home-station Combat Training Center effort in Hawaii will save significant resources and time while maximizing training in the challenging jungle and maritime environment.

The big exercise also takes the place of Lightning Forge in Hawaii, an annual brigade-level precursor to the rotations through the Joint Readiness Training Center, officials said.

Training will include the use of blank ammunition and explosive simulators during day and night hours at Dillingham Army Airfield, Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa Training Area and in Helemano and Schofield Barracks East Range.

Additionally, Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island will be used. The Army did not want to reveal the exercises amphibious components to ensure soldiers get the full training benefit, but one possibility is the use of Army Logistics Support Vessels at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

The big transport vessels are used to make equipment runs to Hawaii island and have been increasingly tested in Hawaii and the Pacific to offload missile-firing trucks that could strike adversary ships at sea in the event of conflict in the Western Pacific.

In a throwback to World War II, both the Army and Marines are training in Hawaii to become 21st century island-hopping forces. Long-range precision missiles and artillery are the Armys No. 1 modernization priority.

Between 1943 and 1947, the Army acquired 2,545 acres in Kahana and Punaluu valleys for training, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Part of the push came after Guadalcanalwhere the 25th Division earned its Tropic Lightning nickname  demonstrated the need for jungle training. A big camp was set up in Kaaawa.

Basic jungle warfare was conducted at the red and blue courses. Advanced jungle warfare training and instructor training took place at the green  course. The Army Corps said Japanese villages and pillboxes were built along with temporary barracks, a mess hall, a bakery and shower facilities.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said more than 300, 000 soldiers learned to live off the land and construct rope bridges for stream crossings. Live-fire training included rockets, machine guns, flamethrowers, rifles and grenades.

The facility was so big, comedian Bob Hope paid a visit in 1944, firing a belt-fed machine gun from the hip.

More recently, an Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft landed in 2020 on a newly refurbished airfield on Angaur island in Palau and offloaded U.S. Army Pacific soldiers for training.

Two days after that, the Army Logistics Support Vessel LTG William B. Bunker out of Hawaii pulled up on the beach there carrying two High Mobility Artillery Rocket System trucks to practice force projection and expeditionary sustainment, the Army said.

Hawaii residents can expect an increase in helicopter and unmanned aircraft flights and convoy traffic during the upcoming exercise, the Army said.

The 25th Infantry Division appreciates the communitys understanding and continued support for local military training, the service said in a release. While sometimes loud, the sounds of training represent how the military ensures the nations service members are ready to accomplish the mission and return home safely.

(c)2021 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Tribune News Service)  A Northern California man was sentenced to prison last week over a scheme to defraud the government of Afghanistan on a multimillion-dollar U.S. energy contract.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California said that Saed Ismail Amiri, 38, of Granite Bay was given 15 months in prison Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to a single count of wire fraud.

Amiri lived in Irvine, in Orange County, in 2015 and 2016, where he sometimes owned and sometimes worked for Assist Consultants Inc. as a senior consultant. He was charged with fraud for submitting falsified documents to Afghanistans then-government in order to fraudulently have a chance at winning a contract to build an electrical grid in the war-torn nation.

In January 2015, the U.S. Agency for International Development authorized Afghanistans national power utility, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat  also known as DABS  to seek bids on a U.S.-funded contract to build five power substations. The bidding was restricted to companies with experience working on at least two electric substations of at least 220 kilovolts.

Assist Consultants did not meet the requirements to enter a bid. Prosecutors said that Amiri and other employees at the firm schemed to submit a fake work history and fraudulent supporting documents in order to bid on the contract without meeting the standards.

The company told DABS that it had previously worked as a subcontractor on two substations for a Ugandan cement factory and a Nigerian textile company, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Prosecutors said that the textile company and the cement factory did not exist, and the prime contractor was a fictitious entity controlled by Assist Consultants.

In July 2015, Assist Consultants entered a bid to DABS of $112 million, undercutting competitors by more than $20 million. By February 2016, DABS was asking for supporting documents to prove eligibility.

Prosecutors said that Amiri sent emails to his co-conspirators suggesting that a trip to Uganda and Nigeria could be necessary to acquire falsified documents. He later sent DABS documents that were altered, including false documentation of subcontract work in Uganda, photos, bank records and a fake letter ostensibly written by a Ugandan government official.

Afterward, Amiri met with U.S. law enforcement at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, where he lied that he had only learned Assist Consultants entered a bid on the contract in the past month. Amiri later withdrew the firms bid.

In another interview with law enforcement, Amiri said another employee had submitted the false documents. Federal prosecutors said it was Amiri himself.

Amiri pleaded guilty to fraud in April.

2021 The Sacramento Bee.

Visit at sacbee.com .

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A Northern California man was sentenced to prison last week over a scheme to defraud the government of Afghanistan on a multimillion-dollar U.S. energy contract. (Dreamstime/TNS)
Facebooks Nick Clegg said Sunday that the company is willing to subject itself to greater oversight to ensure its algorithms are performing as intended and arent harming users. (Olivier Douliery, AFP, Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Facebooks chief spokesman said the company is willing to subject itself to greater oversight to ensure its algorithms are performing as intended and arent harming users.

Nick Clegg, Facebooks vice president for global affairs, defended the companys business practices against accusations from a whistleblower that it had put profits ahead of users well-being.

The algorithms should be held to account, if necessary by regulation so that people can match what our systems say theyre supposed to do from what actually happens, Clegg said on CNNs State of the Union, one of three U.S. news-show appearances on Sunday.

Clegg also said the Facebook is open to changing a 1996 provision of U.S. law that insulates companies from liability for what users post. Facebook is open to limiting those protections, contingent on them applying the systems and their policies as theyre supposed to, he said.

Last week, Frances Haugen, a former product manager for Facebook, told a panel of the Senate Commerce Committee that the companys pursuit of profits stoked division and harmed the mental health of young users. Her testimony came on the heels of a series of stories by the Wall Street Journal, based on internal Facebook research that Haugen had shared. Haugen had also sent information to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The testimony gave momentum to recent efforts by lawmakers to pass legislation to more heavily regulate the social-media giant. Lawmakers are considering bills that would, among other things, limit protections for such companies against being sued and increase user-privacy protections.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the whistleblowers allegations showed the need to strengthen antitrust enforcement. The Minnesota Democrat blamed congressional inaction on lobbying by the tech industry.

Every corner you go around, there are tech lobbyists, there are money that they are throwing around the town that has made it so that lawmakers are listening to them instead of listening to the facts, Klobuchar said on State of the Union.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.

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The Columbus Monument in New Yorks Columbus Circle. (Wikipedia)

The first national Columbus Day was proclaimed in 1892 by Republican President Benjamin Harrison to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Italian-born explorer Christopher Columbuss supposed discovery of America.

But for Harrison, it served another purpose: to help resolve a diplomatic crisis with Italy  and gain support among Italian American voters  after rioters in New Orleans lynched 11 Italian immigrants the year before.

Columbus Day has come under fire in recent years by critics alleging that Columbus was responsible for the enslavement and massacre of Indigenous peoples. Some cities, including Columbus, Ohio, have pulled down statues of the explorer. And President Joe Biden made history Friday by announcing he would commemorate Indigenous Peoples Day alongside the Columbus holiday.

A group of Italian American organizations is countering the attacks on Columbus Day with advertisements denying the claims against Columbus and urging a broader observance of the holiday by celebrating all Americans.

The first national Columbus Day grew out of a backdrop of violence. In March 1891, a jury in New Orleans acquitted six Italian immigrants charged with the murder of the local police chief. Rumors spread that jurors had been bribed by powerful Italian families coming to be known as the Mafia.

The next morning, thousands of people  many of them leading citizens of the Crescent City  descended on Orleans Parish Prison, where the six Italian defendants and 13 other Italian suspects were being held.

 Bring em out, well kill em, came the cry from a thousand throats, the New Orleans Times-Democrat reported. A group of armed men broke into the prison and shot nine of the defendants dead, one falling with 42 bullets in his body, the paper said. The mob took two others to the city square, when one man was hanged on a lamp post and another on a tree.

The article ran under the headline Avenged. At a time of widespread discrimination against Italian immigrants, many news reports followed the theme that the killings were justified. The Associated Press said of the killers: It was not an unruly midnight mob. It was simply a sullen determined body of citizens who took into their own hands what justice had ignominiously failed to do.

The New York Times wrote that while every good citizen would agree that this affair is to be deplored, it would be difficult to find any individual who would confess that privately he deplores it very much. U.S. Civil Service Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, in a letter to his sister, said of the revengeful violence, Personally, I think it a rather good thing.

But Italian Americans and leaders of the kingdom of Italy were outraged. Italy broke off diplomatic relations and recalled its ambassador from Washington. The Harrison administration in turn removed the U.S. legation from Rome. There was even talk of war.

Harrison remained silent on the matter until his December message to Congress, when he called the murders a most deplorable and discreditable incident and an offense against law and humanity. The next April, he agreed to Italys demands to pay an indemnity to survivors of three victims who were citizens of Italy.

Secretary of State James Blaine, in a telegram to Italian officials about the lamentable massacre at New Orleans, said that at the presidents instruction, the U.S. government would pay a total indemnity of $25,000  equal to about $760,000 today.

Italy accepted the offer, but Harrisons action drew criticism. Peace at Any Price. Uncle Sam Humbles Itself Before Italy, declared a headline in the Los Angeles Herald. Some lawmakers argued that Harrison exceeded his executive power by acting without Congresss approval.

With a looming election rematch against former president Grover Cleveland, whom Harrison had defeated in 1888, politics was naturally on the presidents mind. One factor in Harrisons action was the approaching Presidential election and the necessity the President feels under of repairing his political fences in every direction, the Brooklyn Citizen wrote. He does not want to have the Italian vote massed against him.

Diplomatic relations with Italy resumed, but the Italians were still upset that the United States didnt prosecute the murderers.

The calendar provided an opportunity to further placate the Italians. Many communities already were planning to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbuss arrival in the New World.

A New York minister, Francis Bellamy, met with Harrison to urge a national holiday to promote patriotism among American schoolchildren. Bellamy, a self-described Christian socialist, had written The Pledge of Allegiance for the occasion.

With Harrisons support, Congress passed a resolution calling for a one-time holiday for Americans to celebrate Columbus on Oct. 21 by public demonstration and by suitable exercises in their schools and other places of assembly. Harrison issued his proclamation on July 21, urging efforts to impress upon our youth the patriotic duties of American citizenship.

Celebrations took place across the country. The biggest was in New York City on Oct. 12, the date that Columbus had first made landfall in the Western Hemisphere when he arrived in the Bahamas. More than 1 million spectators cheered a parade featuring 40,000 marching military men in uniform, the New York World reported. The New York Times called the turnout the greatest crowd New York ever held.

An army of 1,000 Native Americans brought up the rear of the parade, the New York Times said. They were on foot and wore the every-day stage style of Indian costume with red blankets, painted faces and feathered head gear.

The next day, a crowd gathered for the unveiling of a 14-foot statue of Columbus atop a 27.5-foot granite column. The statue at Columbus Circle still stands.

Harrison wasnt able to take political advantage of the celebrations. He declined an invitation to attend the New York City festivities because his wife, Caroline, was dying of tuberculosis. The following week, he bowed out of the groundbreaking for the 1893 Columbian Worlds Fair in Chicago.

Cleveland also canceled his visit to the Worlds Fair out of deference to Harrison. But the former president had a front-row seat on the reviewing stand at the New York City parade. The next month, Cleveland defeated Harrison to become the only president ever to be elected to two nonconsecutive terms.

Columbus Day became a permanent national holiday in 1934 when Congress, after lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, authorized President Franklin Roosevelt to declare Oct. 12 as the designated date. In 1971, Columbus Day was made a federal holiday on the second Monday in October.

That year, celebrations again took place across America, but in San Francisco, 30 Native Americans protested. Their leader, wearing a Chippewa tribe ceremonial headdress, called Columbus Day a day of mourning for Indians until we are given the same opportunity to achieve the same social, economic and educational levels as the rest of those who call themselves Americans.

Ronald G. Shafer is a former Washington political features editor at the Wall Street Journal.
Frankie donned a vintage 1940s dress, and Royce wore his Air Force uniform. They were married in 1944. On Sept. 24, 2021, the couple celebrated their 77th anniversary with a wedding-style photo shoot. (Hilary Michelson/St. Croix Hospice)

By 1944, the Allied forces were gaining victories while World War II raged on. But on the other side of the Atlantic, a soon-to-be-deployed U.S. Army Air Forces pilot and his high school sweetheart were saying I do in Oelwein, Iowa.

The Sept. 16, 1944, wedding at Grace United Methodist Church was quick and simple  Royce King was on a two-day leave before serving overseas. Frankie, his betrothed, wore a tailored suit instead of a gown. A photographer was not there to take snapshots of the loving couple.

A war, two kids, four grandchildren and several great-grandchildren later, the couple in their 90s celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary this year. The lack of an extravagant ceremony had not hampered their life together, but when staff members at St. Croix Hospice  who take care of the couple at their Oelwein home  learned there were no photographs to commemorate the Kings special day, they hatched a plan that included a vintage dress, 1940s hits, lots of photos and a cake.

There were no dry eyes on Sept. 24, said Sue Bilodeau, the Kings daughter.

It was definitely one of the most special things ever, she said. When Mom mentioned she didnt have time to plan a big wedding and didnt have a photographer, the St. Croix staff members worked together to make sure they could get their special day.

The couples backyard served as the venue where the hospices staff held the celebration  complete with a wedding cake with two seven-shaped candles. They decorated an arch with flowers and made a bouquet for the 97-year-old bride, who was clad in a vintage 1940s wedding gown and sporting a new hairdo from the salon. Bilodeau, who happened to be visiting from Chico, Calif., helped her mother into the dress.

Like in other weddings, the groom was not allowed to see his bride before the ceremony. Royce, 98, was helped into his Air Force uniform by staffers, and waiting outside with a handkerchief over his eyes for the big reveal.

We walked Mom down the back steps and across the yard, and then she stood in front of Dad, and I said, Are you ready to see your bride? before taking off the handkerchief, Bilodeau said.

Frankie and Royce King were high school sweethearts. After a 20-month-long engagement, they got married on Sept. 16, 1944. (Sue Bilodeau) Frankie King, 97, was not able to have a photographer for her first wedding in 1944. (Hilary Michelson/St. Croix Hospice) Frankie King, 97, and her husband, Royce, 98, were married in 1944. On Sept. 24, 2021, the couple celebrated their 77th anniversary with a wedding-style photo shoot. (Hilary Michelson/St. Croix Hospice)

The couple and staff were transported back through the decades as the Kings music therapist played 1940s tunes on his saxophone and guitar during the celebration. Hilary Michelson, who works at St. Croix Hospice and is a part-time photographer, snapped the loved-up couple throughout the day.

Absolutely no shame in the fact that I had a hard time keeping it together behind the lens, Michelson wrote on Facebook.

The staff members at St. Croix Hospice have provided care to the Kings for almost a year, and their bonds have blossomed, said Trish Matthews, a case manager at the hospice who has gotten to know the Kings closely after visiting the couple at least twice a week.

They really are a fantastic couple, and it is such an honor learning from them, she said.

Amid the constant flood of gloomy news that has overtaken the year, the event exemplified to Heath Bartness, St. Croix Hospices CEO, how theres still so much kindness in the world.

The team really wanted to do this, and its amazing, he said. They provide such a wonderful care that can truly impact people.

Royce and Frankie met each other in high school, where they both played in the band, their daughter said. They had been engaged for 20 months, while Royce was stationed in Lawrenceville, Ill., and Frankie attended Cornell College and the University of Iowa.

He had always dreamed of flying, Bilodeau said. Then, during World War II, he was a carrier pilot in a Douglas C-47 plane with operations over the Himalayas.

Royce, his daughter said, is a doting husband and father who loves to strike up conversations with anyone and everyone. Her mother, she said, has the gift of making everyone feel at home  often delighting guests with homemade hoskas and kolaches, baked goods nodding toward Frankies Czech heritage.

Together they demonstrate that a great love takes kindness and perseverance, she said.

That love was evident when Royces handkerchief was lifted from his eyes and he was able to see the woman who has been by his side through war, peace and everything in between.

He was just absolutely beaming, Bilodeau said of her father looking upon his bride in a wedding gown  a sight he did not get to see 77 years ago but will be able to cherish in a photo album his daughter is compiling.
Karen Dwyer Jones (left) and Lynn Jones (right), mother and step-grandmother of Courtney Dwyer, speak with the Daily Press Karen Jones' home in Newport News, Va. They have spearheaded the effort to have Gregory Curtis' remains exhumed from a Florida military cemetery on account of the slaying of Courtney Dwyer in March. (Trent Sprague, Daily Press/TNS)

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Tribune News Service)  Gregory Lavon Curtis was laid to rest six months ago at a national veterans cemetery in South Florida.

A Navy honor guard played Taps at his funeral, presenting a folded American flag to the family of the 54-year-old Navy veteran.

Devoted son and father, said the epitaph on the white headstone, also mentioning Curtis service in the Persian Gulf.

But a day after Curtis burial, cemetery officials learned that he was the accused shooter in a murder-suicide nearly 1,000 miles away, in Newport News.

Police detectives say he shot and killed Courtney Renee Dwyer  a 28-year-old mother of three  during a chance encounter in the parking lot of a residential apartment complex off Old Oyster Point Road. Then, police say, he turned the gun on himself.

Investigators say the two had not met before that day.

Until recently, the effort by Dwyers family to have Curtis remains exhumed and removed from the South Florida National Cemetery appeared to have failed.

In late April, the Newport News police told the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that if Curtis were still alive, he would have been charged with second-degree murder in Dwyers death. Under federal law, that charge isnt enough to strip a veteran of a military burial.

But all that changed in recent months after Newport News top prosecutor, Commonwealths Attorney Howard Gwynn, weighed in. He told the VA he would have charged Curtis with first-degree murder, Virginias highest criminal charge, punishable by up to life in prison.

The facts of this case will not change, Gwynn said Wednesday. This is a first-degree murder case.

The prosecutor said the evidence  including video footage obtained from Ring cameras  shows Curtis shooting Dwyer in the back seat of a car from which she was retrieving items. Then, Gwynn said, Curtis took a step back, fiddled with his gun for approximately 25 seconds, and shot Dwyer a second time before shooting himself.

In Virginia, first-degree murder is the willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder of another, Gwynn wrote in an email to the VA in September. The murder of Ms. Dwyer certainly fits that definition.

Those grounds are sacred

A Veterans Affairs attorney told Gwynn in an Aug. 30 email that based on the prosecutors analysis of the case and his upgrading it to first-degree murder, the federal agency has decided to disinter Curtis remains from the Florida burial grounds.

Though a VA spokesman said the decision isnt final, the preliminary recommendation has spurred elation from Dwyers family and a last-ditch appeal from Curtis family to keep him where he is.

Those grounds are sacred, said Dwyers step-grandmother, Lynn Jones, who has spearheaded the push to move Curtis remains. Theyre for our national heroes. And I dont feel like somebody who commits murder is a hero.

Jones, 63, the daughter of a 94-year-old World War II veteran, has volunteered for decades to lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere.

When she learned of Curtis burial at the Florida veterans cemetery, she launched a website  preservesacredgrounds.org  and petition to bar the national graveyards from interring those who have committed second-degree murder.

She was a mother, daughter, sister and granddaughter whose life was taken violently and needlessly by her assailant, the petition said of Courtney Dwyer, with 937 people signing it as of Saturday.

Its still a kick in the gut to know that this person had a folded flag, that the Taps were played, and that he was buried in a national cemetery among all the veterans that are so deserving to be there, Jones said. We cant unfold the flag, and we cant unplay the taps ... The only thing we can do is to fight to have him removed.

Curtis mother, Luedell Curtis, of Broward County, said Thursday that she was too distraught to talk about the possibility of her only son being disinterred.

Im very heartbroken about this, and I dont want to discuss it, said Luedell, 76.

She referred a reporter to the attorney handling the familys appeal, Michael Shawn of Miami Beach. He did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Les Melnyk, a spokesman for the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the VA, said its very rare for the agency to disinter a buried veteran, though the numbers on how often it happens werent immediately available.

Melnyk declined to say where the Curtis case stands.

NCA can confirm that it is taking appropriate action in accordance with (federal law) in reviewing the interment of Gregory Lavon Curtis at South Florida National Cemetery, he wrote in an email Friday. A formal decision has not yet been made.

The ultimate decision, Melnyk said, will be made by Matthew Quinn, the VAs under secretary for memorial affairs.

Veterans Navy service

Gregory Lavon Curtis served 20 years in the service, the Navy said last week. He retired in 2005 as a Lithographer 1st Class, a non-commissioned officer of the E-6 rank.

The Florida native served on two aircraft carriers, the USS John F. Kennedy and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, among other warships, the Navy said. He worked at the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command in South Carolina and other duty stations.

Curtis was awarded 27 medals and decorations over his 20 years, to include a Navy Commendation Medal, four Navy Achievement Medals, and five Good Conduct Medals. The Navy also listed him as a pistol expert.

Information on the South Florida National Cemeterys website lists Curtis as serving in the Persian Gulf war period.

After leaving the Navy, Curtis worked for 10 years for the Defense Logistics Agency, and then for the Army Publishing Directorate, his obituary said. A coworker who wrote on his obituary page described him as nice and easygoing, fun to be around, and dedicated to his job.

Curtis had one son, who is now 21.

Lynn Jones said she understands the Curtis familys loss. I get that theyre in pain, she said. Theyre innocent in all of this. But at the same time, its not going to discourage me from my mission.

Murder-suicide in Newport News

Courtney Renee Dwyer grew up mostly in Naples, Florida. She was 14 when she came to Newport News with her family, and attended Menchville High School. She had three children who are now 11, 6 and 2, her family said.

Her mother, Karen Dwyer Jones, 47, of Newport News, said Dwyer tended bar at Headlights, in northern Newport News, and was living temporarily with her boyfriend at a local motel.

In late March, Jones said, Dwyers boyfriend parked his car in a neighborhood not far from the hotel: The Willow Green North neighborhood, off Old Oyster Point Road and near the York County line.

When the couple got into an argument on March 23, Jones said, two of Dwyers friends drove her to the car to retrieve some clothes. But as Dwyer was moving items in and out of the sedan, police said, Curtis  who lived a few apartments down  walked up.

Our assumption is that he thought she was taking something out of the car that she shouldnt have been, or asking her why she was there, Jones said. (Neighbors told Jones later that Curtis kept to himself, but also closely monitored who was coming and going in the neighborhood).

One of Dwyers friends, who was waiting for her in a parked car, told Jones that she witnessed a brief but tense exchange between Curtis and Dwyer, though she couldnt hear how the conversation began.

 You better watch out, little girl, you dont know whos suicidal,  the friend alleges Curtis said at one point as he pulled out a gun.

If you shoot me, youll go to jail forever, Dwyer then replied, according to the friends account. Then Curtis shot her, paused, and shot her again.

Police responding to 911 calls just after 6:30 p.m. found Dwyer face-down in the back seat of the sedan. Not far away, Curtis was found shot on the ground  a handgun with an extended magazine nearby. Detectives told Jones they believed Curtis was drunk, with the whole crime scene smelling like liquor.

Police withheld shooters name

Newport News Police released Dwyers name to the public a couple weeks later. But the department would not release the shooters name  either publicly or to Dwyers family  with a police spokesman citing a department practice not to identify suicide victims.

That frustrated Dwyers family. It felt like this just went by the wayside, and nobody cared that this happened, Karen Jones said in June. At least put a name to the person that murdered my child for no reason.

Gwynn called the police departments decision to withhold Curtis name from Dwyers family unfortunate. I think thats what got this whole thing rolling, he said.

I get that you want to protect the victims family in a suicide and not expose their grief publicly, Gwynn said. But this was a murder-suicide. And for me, that was quantitatively and qualitatively different.

The Daily Press learned Gregory Curtis name in publicly filed search warrant affidavits in Newport News Circuit Court. A reporter relayed his name to Karen Jones on April 13  the same day Curtis was laid to rest in Florida  with the family expressing relief at getting the information.

Though Curtis name didnt ring a bell, Jones said, the family soon learned from Internet searches that he was buried at the South Florida National Cemetery, south of West Palm Beach.

Lynn Jones called the cemetery on April 14, with a director there telling her they didnt know anything about the March killing in Newport News.

If the police had released Curtis name, the Dwyer family contends, the VA would have learned of the murder-suicide before the burial, which they believe would have put the interment on hold.

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew met with Dwyers family in late April, saying his department would re-examine their practice on naming suicide victims. The chief told the Daily Press later that the normal rules on shielding the names of suicide victims should not apply to those who commit murder first.

If someone takes their own life after they have taken someone elses, I think that the community and the public should know that, Drew said.

Rules on veterans memorials

After the Daily Press ran a report about the case in June, Gwynn got in touch with the family through a reporter, telling them hed help as much as he could. Lynn Jones gave him contacts to call at the VA.

But quite frankly, before I reached out to anybody, I got an email from the General Counsels Office at the VA, Gwynn said. They wanted to know what my opinion was about the situation.

According to the Veterans Affairs website, burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

But a federal law, passed in the late 1990s to block Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh from a military burial, bars former service members who have committed state or federal capital crimes from veterans cemeteries.

A state capital crime, the federal statute says, includes the willful, deliberate, or premeditated unlawful killing of another human being for which a sentence of imprisonment for life or the death penalty may be imposed.

With Virginia having abolished capital punishment earlier this year, Gwynn pointed out that first-degree murder is now the most serious charge on the states books.

If the objective is to prohibit a military member from being buried in a military cemetery who has committed the highest form of homicide in any particular state, then first degree murder should qualify for that, he said.

Preventing future issues

Karen Jones said she has appreciated Gwynns involvement. I was blown away because he didnt have to do any of that, she said. He didnt have to help us, or speak on our behalf.

Lynn Jones, for her part, is confident Curtis remains will be disinterred in the coming months. But, she said, theres far more work to do to remedy such problems going forward.

Shes planning to meet with federal lawmakers  and hoping to testify before House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees  about adding second-degree murder and other crimes to the prohibition list for veterans cemeteries.

This needs to never happen again, Jones said. I dont want to leave wreaths on the graves of murderers and rapists and child molesters.

2021 Daily Press (Newport News, Va.).

Visit dailypress.com.
Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand CEO Peter Dickens was really hoping 2021 would be the year.

After Covid-19 lockdowns disrupted the charitys annual fundraising effort in 2020, he felt confident that 2021 would see Blue September supporters rise to the challenge and raise the $1m needed to help support Kiwi men dealing with a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Instead, as New Zealand battles with alert level restrictions, he watches history repeating.

Blue September is our annual fundraising drive, and our greatest tool in raising enough money to provide vital support for the 42,000 men currently living with prostate cancer in our country, begins Dickens.

Our supporters were all geared up to run Blue Dos - blue themed morning teas and other social events  and although many have been able to come up with creative ideas within their bubbles, weve only been able to raise half the funds we need.

A forecasted shortfall of up to $500,000 means those with prostate cancer  men such as 70-year-old Vivian Hahipene  are likely to miss out on access to support meetings, education and advocacy at a time when demand is rising.

Whakatane-based Hahipene was diagnosed in 2019 and experienced a journey sadly typical of that faced by regional, rural and Maori men  inequitable access to health services, lack of information, poor communication and treatment delays.

He is now working closely with the Foundation to champion improved diagnosis, treatment, support and safety for Maori men and their whanau in the Bay of Plenty.

He says he was able to lean on PCFNZ during the fight of his life.

Men like me affected by prostate cancer rely on the wealth of information available through PCFNZ, the practical support they provide to help those going through treatment, the volunteers that lend a hand as well as the opportunities the charity creates so we can connect with others with prostate cancer, says Hahipene.

The Foundation funds an extensive national support network for men and their families living with prostate cancer, including 45 support groups using the funds raised each year during Blue September. The impact of the lockdowns on fundraising this year may impact the ability of PCFNZ to maintain these and support the volunteers who lead them.

PCFNZ also provides short-term financial assistance to the men and their families forced into hardship by an unexpected prostate cancer diagnosis.

The spectrum of work PCFNZ does for men like myself is extraordinary. Its unthinkable that others might miss out on these important services, Hahipene says.

Dickens agrees it would be a tragedy for the charity to face cutbacks as a result of a severe funding shortfall.

If we add up our losses from 2020 and 2021, its around $800,000 which is a sizeable chunk of our operating costs, he says. Around 300 fundraising events have been cancelled across the country - all of which would have contributed towards our $1m goal.

The current situation could see the charitys 0800 information helpline threatened, meaning over 400 men diagnosed with prostate cancer next year will miss out on information vital to making critical decisions on their treatment and support.

And there are concerns, too, about the impact the lockdown has had on men needing regular PSA testing  the blood test that can indicate that urgent further investigation for prostate cancer by specialist clinicians is needed.

Lockdowns have dramatically increased the possibility that thousands of men have delayed getting their PSA test. For the best possible outcome, we need these tests to be done sooner rather than later, Dickens says.

One in eight Kiwi males develops prostate cancer in his lifetime  the disease affects more New Zealanders than breast cancer does. Well lose another 55 men to prostate cancer next month, warns Dickens, and were worried that number will climb if testing doesnt get back to pre-lockdown levels as quickly as possible.

Although Blue September officially wraps up for another year this week, Dickens says there are still ways to donate.

Those who wish to support us and help make up our two-year funding shortfall can make a donation at www.blueseptember.org.nz he says.

We are also always appreciative of the wonderful support we receive from our sponsors and partners, and we welcome consideration of bequests. We promise all funds will be put to good use.
Stormy weather will impact parts of New Zealand in the new week with severe gales in both islands, says a WeatherWatch spokesperson.

Pockets of heavy rain and heavy snow and a wintry temperature drop are expected for the lower South Island in particular.

Rain or showers is forecast to linger across eastern portions of the North Island on Sunday, and the leading edge of rain associated with an active cold front will approach from the Tasman Sea on Sunday reaching Fiordland.

Rain and strong northwesterly winds are also expected to intensify and spread into the West Coast on Monday. This storm will shift to upper South Island and central New Zealand on Tuesday, says a WeatherWatch spokesperson.

Rainfall amounts are likely to be around 80-100 mm across the West Coast and Fiordland on Monday, 30-50 mm in the east and lower North Island and the upper South Island on Tuesday.

Alpine areas of the South Island are expected to receive snowfall of 15-20 cm from Monday to Tuesday.

Damaging wind gusts of 80 km per hour to 100 km per hour are also expected in some locations across the lower North Island and the upper South Island on Monday.

Damaging winds from the south to south west are also possible on Wednesday in coastal Canterbury, especially Banks Peninsula, with gusts over 100 km per hour possible.

Low pressure moving in across NZ will deepen while moving slowly eastwards through Wednesday, and as the low deepens, winds will increase behind it.

Heavy rain and strong south to southwesterly winds will occur across Southland and Otago on Tuesday before spreading northwards along the east coast of the South Island on Wednesday. Rainfall amounts of 50-80 mm could impact already wet parts of the lower South Island.

Temperatures will be above to well above normal across New Zealand through Monday while some portions, especially eastern parts of the country, will experience cooler than normal night time temperatures.

Temperatures will plunge significantly into well below normal from Tuesday with single digit highs in some places in the south of NZ and then single digit overnight lows across much of New Zealand.

Minimum temperatures may drop to near freezing in some portions of the lower South Island.

Of the six largest centres in NZ, Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington are most exposed to severe weather for a time. Auckland, Tauranga and Hamilton will be least impacted, although Auckland City may have westerly gusts just reaching into gale force for a time on Tuesday afternoon and perhaps Wednesday too in western coastal areas.
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges says there are two key things that are important for the week ahead.

We really need to focus on vaccination and increasing our ICU capacity, says Bridges.

The numbers of ICU beds around the North Island havent increased at all since the first lockdown 15 months ago in 2020."

Tauranga has seemingly dodged three bullets in recent months, the Rio de la Plata shipping container cases, the infected Auckland truck driver and the recent positive wastewater tests, all of which underscore the delicate nature of the regions Covid-19 vulnerability.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board says they have an escalation plan in place to increase Intensive Care capacity in case of a Covid-19 outbreak in the community.

However, they also confirm Covid-19 workforce training is still ongoing amid a nationwide staffing issue among ICU facilities.

Recent cases of Covid-19 in Auckland and Waikato have raised fears over the Bay of Plentys potential exposure to the Delta variant.

With vaccination rates in the Bay of Plenty currently below the national average per 1,000 for both first and second doses, and among the lowest in the nation for Maori uptake, the potential impact of a Covid-19 outbreak in the region is clear.

The Bay of Plentys two main hospital centres, Tauranga and Whakatane, have Intensive Care Units run as combined critical care units. Tauranga ICU has six ICU beds and four High Dependency Unit beds. Whakatane Acute Care unit has two beds available for Intensive Care patients.

The BOPDHB serves a population of approximately 255,110, according to their 2020 Annual Report. That figure is split between 199,571 served by Tauranga Hospital and 55,359 by Whakatane Hospital.

Those figures equate to roughly one ICU or HDU bed per 20,000 people in Tauranga and one ICU bed per every 28,000 in Whakatane.

Tauranga has one ICU bed for every 33,261 people. That figure is roughly three beds per 100,000, below the national average of 4.6 beds per 100,000. However, it is important to note that as a smaller regional hospital, some patients requiring ICU treatment are transferred to other specialist tertiary centres nationwide.

While that figure may be seen as low it needs to be put into context, explains New Zealand College of Critical Care Nurses chairperson Tania Mitchell.

If you need a heart operation, for instance, that is unable to be done locally. So there are often patients who are transferred to another DHB to receive the specialist treatment and care required. If you had a major car accident, you might be transferred to Waikato or Auckland for the care you need. It is about overall capacity across New Zealand.

Concerns have also been raised about the lack of ICU facilities in the Coromandel region, with Katikati being one of the southern most towns, and although part of the Coromandel electorate, is part of Bay of Plenty DHB region.

There are no ICU beds at the hospital in Thames, says Coromandel MP Scott Simpson. Katikati is part of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board. The vast majority of the Coromandel electorate is in the Waikato DHB region, and like the rest of New Zealand, we are we not overrun with an abundance of ICU facilities.

I keep my fingers crossed that we don't need to use them. My colleague Dr Shane Reti has been highlighting the lack of preparedness that has taken place over the last 18 months.

Over the past three months, by average midnight census, ICU and HDU occupancy at Tauranga Hospital is at 76 per cent. Whakatane Acute Care unit, accommodating two ICU and nine high acuity beds, has been 54 per cent occupied in the same time span.

If Tauranga ICU and HDU beds are taken up with people who are fighting COVID-19, this impacts on other high need patients such as heart patients and people who have been critically injured in vehicle accidents.

That does not mean ICU beds, particularly in Tauranga, are often unoccupied. Over the past three months, by average midnight census, ICU and HDU occupancy at Tauranga Hospital is at 76 per cent. Whakatane Acute Care unit, accommodating two ICU and nine high acuity beds, has been 54 per cent occupied in the same time span.

Any increase in demand due to Covid-19 would need to fit into the difference or surgeries and treatment for non-Covid patients is likely to be impacted.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board says they have plans in place to deal with any increased influx of patients.

The BOPDHB has ICU capacity contingency plans for mass casualty presentations and a potential pandemic outbreak in the region, says BOPDHB chief operating officer Bronwyn Anstis.

This includes increasing the number of ICU beds and utilising post anaesthetic care unit beds, along with additional training of staff in progress.

The ICU has an escalation plan to increase capacity of ICU beds that is integrated with the CCU/HDU and the Perioperative Department.

When asked whether the DHB is confident staffing issues are adequate to deal with a Delta outbreak in the Bay of Plenty, Bronwyn comments on the nationwide ICU staffing issues.

A lot of DHBs across New Zealand are currently experiencing some staffing issues in this area, she says.

As a result, the BOPDHB have been provided with Ministry of Health funding for 1.5 full-time equivalent staffing to facilitate Covid-19 workforce training. This process is currently underway.

This resource is focused on developing a range of skills for managing patients with Covid-19 across the hospital setting.

NZCCCN chairman Tania is unable to speak about the issue from a regionalised perspective. She is of the hope and belief that DHBs have been preparing for the eventuality where capacity will need to be increased due to community outbreaks.

That is what is needed in the case of Covid, she says.

In terms of Covid preparedness, the Ministry of Health have been working with DHBs nationwide to increase physical beds and equipment to be able to care for more patients that they anticipate we will see with Covid.

This has also included funding to be used for providing basic ICU training for nurses working in other areas to be able to assist the experienced ICU nurses to care for patients during a Covid surge.

But Tania explains that this work has had to be balanced with the pressure DHBs are already under without an acute Covid outbreak as well as the ongoing nursing shortage.

With that in mind, there is still concern that across the country, ICU resources may struggle to cope with the extra demand.

From a nationwide point of view, what we are seeing is DHBs struggling to cope with a nationwide shortage of nurses, including Intensive Care nurses, which means it can be challenging to keep up with business as usual.

So with a surge of Covid cases or endemic Covid, there is a concern we are not resourced for that.

I urge people to get vaccinated," says Bridges. "We will at some point get to that sharp end of that conversation where a family member of someone we know dies, and vaccination will protect both you and others. Go out and do it today.

Delta is going to spread. Its spread like wildfire everywhere else in the world. Were not going to stop it. It comes down to vaccination.

The reality is this Delta period is probably going to be coming to a community near us all very soon, says Simpson. Sadly, the sacrifices that we all, as New Zealanders have made over the last 18 months seem to have been now put at risk and we'll wait with some degree of uncertainty the Government's decisions about further impositions of lockdown level changes.

My advice to the community in Katikati is to follow the official news, wait for the locations of interest, get tested if youre showing any signs of symptoms or have been to a place which is a location of interest, and get vaccinated.

Following the confirmation on Saturday night of a person in Katikati returning a positive COVID-19 test, additional COVID-19 testing and vaccinating was made available in the town on Sunday. The person who tested positive is isolating.

Locations of interest are posted on the Ministry of Health website once confirmed.

"We encourage people who live in Katikati, or who have visited recently, to please keep checking the website for information about the locations of interest," says a BOPDHB spokesperson.

Vaccination clinics are open across the Bay of Plenty today including walk-in sites at BayPark, 1st Avenue and various pharmacies. Information, including opening hours, is available on the Healthpoint website .

The current public health assessment is that the risk appears contained, as the person is fully vaccinated and has been a consistent user of the COVID-19 tracer app. However, if you have COVID-19 symptoms, including mild cold or flu symptoms, please get tested, or contact Healthline for advice. Healthline is available free on 0800 358 5453.
Swedish abstract art comes to Marbella Artist Kjell Sporrong creates his abstract works using various techniques and a mixture of medias

Swedish artist Kjell Sporrong will launch his latest exhibition at La Casa de Las Tejerinas in Plaza de Las Flores, Estepona, on Friday 15 October. The collection, which the artist describes as "contemporary and abstract", includes various techniques and a mixture of media.

Much of the artist's work has a somewhat sombre feel, as he uses dark colours and tones, although for his latest collection he has used more colour and light, creating his works using natural materials like sand and stone.

Born in Stockholm in 1962, Kjell has spent his life exploring different creative directions, although it was when he arrived on the Costa del Sol in 2000, that he acquired a passion for painting.

The inauguration of the exhibition, which runs until 17 November, will take place between 6pm and 8pm on Friday 15 October, when the artist will be on hand to discuss his works and the techniques used to create them.

The exhibition can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday between 9am and 8pm.
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Re: Sikkim bans plastic bottles from Jan 2022 | Should other states follow?



I, personally, always carry water bottles. During tours, I fill them from hotels and while on treks, I fill them from streams/water falls etc. Till now, I have never fallen sick due to water. Everybody can do this and if paranoid, can use a purifier like Zeoline or use a water bottle with an inbuilt filter.



Quote: Indian2003 Originally Posted by Why ban plastic bottles? By introducing a container deposit, people will return the bottles back to the shop for their money back. The deposit should be big enough to make people want to get their money back.



Quote: anjan_c2007 Originally Posted by Sikkim people follow such rules imposed by the state government rigidly. I wholeheartedly support this ban and hope this spreads to other states as well, as unlikely as it may sound. The sooner we realize the perils of plastic, the better it is for everyone. Almost all Indian cities are littered with waste plastic, but its more harmful in the Himalayas, which are supposed to be ecologically fragile. Forget cities like Shimla, Nainital etc., if you have even been on a trek to places like KheerGanga, Hemkund Sahib, you will know what I'm talking about. All sort of waste plastic bottles (Coke to Aquafina) along with other trash like chips packet, chewing gum wrappers, torn ponchos line the path. Not only does it look filthy, I'm sure its quite harmful to the environment as well. The only 'clean' areas are those that are difficult to reach and you need a guide, like Hampta Pass, Rupin pass etc., but I have seen occasional non biodegradable trash in these treks as well (collected them for disposal whenever feasible). From a recent trip to Sikkim, I can vouch for the fact that its definitely much much cleaner.I, personally, always carry water bottles. During tours, I fill them from hotels and while on treks, I fill them from streams/water falls etc. Till now, I have never fallen sick due to water. Everybody can do this and if paranoid, can use a purifier like Zeoline or use a water bottle with an inbuilt filter.I beg to disagree. This deposit can be introduced on glass bottles, metal cans as well. The financial incentive will be greater in these cases since they're more expensive. I believe we should take all possible steps to ban a non biodegradable material like plastic. Also, do remember that in Sikkim, as in other hilly areas, people may throw waste down a valley from where it will be almost impossible to retrieve them, with or without financial incentives.Sadly, people flout these rules on the sly. I was in Sikkim in September, and in Lachung (North Sikkim), I saw the cook of our homestay returning with something big wrapped in newspaper. I started chatting with him and he told me it was chicken for dinner. He told that there police will fine him if they see him carrying stuff in plastic, hence the newspaper. However, when he started unwrapping, I saw that the chicken was placed in a plastic packet which was then wrapped with papers. The cook told me since the papers stick to the meat, they have devised this way to flout the ban. I agree carrying chicken wrapped in newspapers is not feasible, but the people must be made aware that the solution must be to carry some container during shopping. There were dozens of stuff in his kitchen which he could have used to carry the chicken. However, I was happy to note that at least the police implement the ban on plastic seriously, even if people find ways to flout them.
Google Tuner could help you achieve the right guitar pitch. As of the moment, Google is making huge efforts to enhance its search engine service and other products.

Related Article: Google Play Store New Interface for Android 12 | Material You Dynamic Color Change

These include the new Google guitar tuner, which currently works in smartphones, laptops, and computers. Unlike other fancy digital tuners, which offer animated whistles or bells, this new Google feature has a simple gray and white design.

As of the moment, there is still one issue with the new feature of the search engine giant. Some users said that the name doesn't actually fit the goal of the new function.

This is specifically with its name since you actually need to search for the "Google Tuner" word. They explained that if they wanted to use a digital tuner, they would use the term "guitar tuner" instead of the new feature's name.

How To Use Google Tuner?

According to The Next Web's latest report, Google Tuner is a newly released feature of the tech giant. Since this is the case, consumers can expect that the search engine giant would further fix the name issue and enhance the capabilities of this new function.

Also Read: Google Chrome: RSS Button Now Available for Android Users, iOS to Follow-What Is It?

When it comes to accessing and using the new digital guitar tuner, Republic World explained that you must specifically use the term Google Tuner in the search bar.

After that, you must allow your device to access your microphone so that it can record the sound created by your instrument. Once you enable your mic, Google Tuner tells you if your guitar's pitch is perfect sharp or flat.

This new digital guitar tuner is quite efficient when it comes to tuning your musical instrument. Some users have already confirmed that it is comparable to the physical tuners sold in various stores.

Aside from releasing new features, Google is also focusing on enhancing its other services. In other news, the company confirmed new Google partnerships to enhance its APP.

Other New Google Features

Aside from the new Google Tuner, the tech giant firm also introduced a new search filter for Android and Gmail.

This allows consumers to filter their search results on their handsets easily. On the other hand, the search engine provider also updated its monetization and ads policies.

For more news updates about Google and its upcoming innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : GettlyImages/ Justin Sullivan) Tesla cars

Tesla has delayed the release of its software rollout for the self-driving feature called the Full Self-Driving Beta 10.2 or FSD. This is because of some last-minute concerns that were not revealed.

Tesla Delays Software Rollout

The delay was posted by Tesla's CEO Elon Musk on Twitter on Oct. 9. The billionaire apologized for the delay, stating that the release would happen on Oct. 10 or on Oct. 11.

The software was supposed to roll out on Oct. 8 to 1,000 Tesla owners with a safety score of 100. The automaker picked the selected owners. The users with a safety score of 99 and below will receive the software in the next couple of weeks.

Tesla has been testing the beta version of the Full Self-Driving software for a year now, despite the serious concerns raised by the head of the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the software's safety. according to The Verge.

Tesla even plans to roll out the Full Self-Driving software to other countries like Japan.

Also Read: Tesla Self Driving Taxis Will Be On Dubai Roads By 2020

Tesla began expanding the software's access to more drivers in September. Before a driver could access the software, the automaker determines their safety score using criteria that evaluate the likelihood that their driving could result in an accident.

The score is tabulated using the data collected by sensors in the driver's vehicle.

The automaker has required drivers who opt into the beta version of the software to sign non-disclosure agreements. They are asked not to share video clips online of the system's mistakes.

Keep in mind that the software does not make the Tesla vehicles fully autonomous. Musk stated that the complete version of the software would only be able to drive someone from their home to their work without any human intervention, and it will still need supervision.

Safety Concerns

The National Transportation Safety Board or NTSB, Jennifer Homendy, told The Wall Street Journal that the automaker should address the safety issues before expanding the FSD software.

Musk said last month that Tesla was aiming for a wider release of the software, making a public button available to more customers.

The upgrade to the software, which was built mainly for driving on highways, is expected, and it should make the cars ready for driving on city streets.

However, Homendy was not happy with the distribution and called the software irresponsible and misleading. She also said that the automaker had misled numerous people to misuse and abuse the technology.

The NTSB can conduct investigations, but it has not enforced authority over the automaker yet.

According to PlainSite, Tesla's director of Autopilot software had stated that Musk overstated the capabilities of Tesla's advanced driver assist system. Musk did it in from of California Department of Motor Vehicles.

In 2020, the NTSB found the Autopilot driver assistance system as one of the causes of a fatal 2018 car crash. The board stated that the driver was on Autopilot while playing a mobile game because he was confident in its capabilities.

The board has said that the automaker ignored its 2017 safety recommendations about the Autopilot system.

The board told Tesla and other automakers that they need to add safeguards to advance the driver assistance systems to avoid being misused. It also recommended that Tesla limits where and when the driver assistance systems can be used.

Related Article: Study Suggests That Self-Driving Car Manufacturers Should Look Into These Before Launching Next Vehicle

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google Chrome users are urged to update another critical patch, which is the second one in just a week, as the big tech discovered four high-level vulnerabilities that hackers could infiltrate.

As such, Google warned its 2.6 billion users of the popular web browser, Chrome, to download the critical update that seeks to fix the numerous vulnerabilities hiding beneath the app.

Google Chrome Users Urged to Update ASAP Again

The tech giant issued the warning in its latest blog post, highlighting the existence of more security vulnerabilities in the browser.

As per Forbes, the latest security flaws come days after Google Chrome released its 12th and 13th 'zero day' exploits for 2021.

Now, Google just confirmed another set of security issues that requires Chrome users to update as soon as possible again.

The blog post from the search engine giant, which also owns one of the biggest web browsers, only mentioned that the latest update includes a total of four security fixes.

Google Chrome Four High-Level Vulnerabilities

However, it is to note that Google restricted the information about the issues as part of the standard industry practice, which helps its users buy time to download the latest patch.

Nevertheless, Forbes still collected information about the four high-level flaws in the same report. To be precise, the CVE-2021-37978 is found on the heap buffer overflow in Blink, whereas the CVE-2021-3977 exists on the Garbage Collection.

Not just that, the CVE-2021-37979 was also from another heap buffer overflow, but this time within the WebRTC. Meanwhile, the CVE-2021-37980 is due to the inappropriate implementation in the Sandbox of Chrome.

Read Also: Google Search Can Now Tune Your Guitar or Any Stringed Instruments | Google Tuner Now Available in PC, Mobile

Google Warns Chrome Users

According to News.com.au's report, the threat analysis group of Google or TAG warned Chrome users that hackers have "created malformed code signatures," which security scanners using the OpenSSL code failed to detect.

On top of that, Windows also deemed the code signature of the hackers as valid, making it a possible undetected infiltration for the criminal minds.

What's more, TAG further noted that the said technique that hackers did on Chrome is being used by software under the OpenSUpdater line.

It is to note that OpenSUpdater is categorized as a "riskware" that shows ads on browser users to install sketchy apps on PCs.

TAG also revealed that the said technique mostly goes for users in the United States who usually download gaming apps online.

The latest warning from Google comes after the tech giant announced two vulnerabilities last Oct. 3.

The search engine giant then urged Chrome users to also update their browsers ASAP to fix the two security flaws.

Related Article: New Google Partnerships To Enhance APP Through Free 10,000 Security Keys for Journalists, Other Users

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The UK should invest more heavily in space exploration, especially after Brexit, according to Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn.

Whitehorn's comments made headlines after the UK's new Science Minister, George Freeman, revealed the British government's National Space Strategy and considered the UK a "science superpower," reports The Express.

With the revelation of the UK government's roadmap for the space exploration industry, Virgin Galactic's Whitehorn believes that the nation is in a good position to achieve its lofty objectives despite a few "challenges."

Lastly, the UK could also benefit heavily on investing more in the space exploration industry, according to Whitehorn, in financial terms.

That's because by 2030, the global space market is predicted to almost double in value to an insane $660 billion, with the likes of Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, and of course, NASA leading the charge.

A Way To Fight Off The Environmental Crisis

Furthermore, Whitehorn also stated that the UK government's space exploration program roadmap can also put forward its importance in the fight against the global climate crisis.

As such, there is now confidence that the British government can bring so-called "dirty industries" into space so their negative effects on Earth can be lessened.

These industries, Whitehorn believes, could include anything from massive data centers to cryptocurrency mining operations, which by themselves alone can consume so much power.

The environmental effects of these two industries largely rely on them being power-hungry, as the world is still trying to wean itself off from fossil fuels and into using renewable energy sources.

Read also: NASA Perseverance Rover's New Mission-Critical Images as Latest Evidence of Water's Existence on Mars

A Sub-Par History for UK Space Exploration

Britain's space program has flown largely under the radar since their most recent large-scale efforts, and likely for good reason.

Around 50 years ago, the UK space program encountered a massive problem when they tried to launch a satellite amidst the Soviet and American space race of the 50s and 60s.

According to The Big Issue, this satellite launch program depended on the development of the Black Arrow rocket. But just a month before NASA's Saturn V rocket sent the first humans into the moon, Black Arrow's launch failed, with the rocket falling apart and crashing back to Earth in pieces just a minute into its flight.

The UK space program made two more launches after Black Arrow: the suborbital Launch Two in March 1970, which was a success, and its predecessor Launch Three failing once again, six months later.

Looking Towards The Future

Since the UK space program's struggles, the space exploration race has been largely led by North America until the British government reorganized their space efforts with the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in 2010, writes Inverse.

Now, after India and China, the UK is bolstering its space efforts once more. As such, the most recent plan is for the Brits to be the first country to perform a rocket launch on European soil, with the launch planned for late next year, reports The Express.

Related: Space Exploration Without Space Jobs is just a Vanity Project By Tim Chrisman, Founder of Foundation for the Future

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Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's dummy phone unit boasted a new radical redesign that set itself apart from its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Samsung has yet to unveil how its next flagship smartphone will actually look like, but the latest leak suggests that the South Korean giant is working on a redesign, as per Tech Radar's latest report.

It is not surprising that leaks of the next Samsung Galaxy flagship are starting to fill the headlines as its close rival, Apple's iPhone 13 series, just kicked off its release this October.

That said, some spectators are curious about what Samsung could offer in its upcoming flagship line, the Samsung Galaxy S22 series.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's Dummy Phone Flaunts Radical Redesign

Now, the latest leak of a Galaxy S22 Ultra dummy phone unit has an early answer for the curious folks out there. But, as for any leaks, these claims should be taken with a grain of salt until the South Korean giant confirms them.

The latest leak on the Galaxy S22 first came from an Italy-based news outlet CoverPigtou, and a known tipster by the Twitter username @xleaks7.

The leaked dummy unit showed an interesting P-shaped camera module for the multiple rear snappers of the smartphone.

What's more, the leak further suggests that the Galaxy S21 is expected to feature a flat design for both the bottom and the top of the flagship device.

TechRadar further noted in the same report that the initial dummy unit of the Galaxy S22 looks similar to the other premium flagship line of the phone maker, the Galaxy Note.

The news outlet further said that the latest leak is parallel to most of the early unofficial renders of the upcoming S smartphone.

Meanwhile, it is to note that Samsung skipped the Note 21 for this year and instead only launched the next-gen Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S22 Could Cancel Vapor Chamber Cooling Technology for Potential Cost-Cutting Measure

S Pen Coming to S22?

However, although the Z Fold 3 does support the S Pen stylus that the Note series previously exclusively sported, the foldable phone still failed to feature a dedicated slot for it.

As such, some fans of the Note lineup are still hoping that Samsung would decide to include an S Pen for the upcoming S22, making it the sought-after replacement.

Related Article: Samsung Galaxy S22 Might Copy iPhone 12 Pro Max's Hi-Tech Cam Stabilization, But Will Have Moving Sensors

With that being said, the leaker of the dummy unit further suggested that the Galaxy S22 will sport the built-in S Pen slot that the Note series famously carried.

However, it seems that the slot of the stylus is only available in the Ultra variant or the top-of-the-line option of the Galaxy S22.

It is worth noting that the current generation of the S smartphone supports Samsung's S Pen stylus. However, the device needs an additional case to carry it.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Officials discussed a new hospital, which has been outlined during the planning process of the Society Turn Project, west of the roundabout. (Courtesy image)
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Tracy Urdiales hadnt planned on getting a mammogram until a news article last fall announcing the start of Baton Rouge Generals yearly cancer screening event caught her eye.

It was the Mammos and Mimosas $20 fee  lower than what she thought she would otherwise pay, even with insurance  that finally convinced her.

It had been four years since Id gotten a mammogram done, so I started reading and thought, You know what? What a great concept to entice people to go out and get one, the 58-year-old Baton Rouge resident said. You offer a mimosa and lunch and people snap it up.

After her mammogram, Urdiales got a call from the hospital asking her to come back for a test. A biopsy soon followed.

+2 Baton Rouge General puts up pink pumpkin patches to raise breast cancer awareness To promote breast cancer awareness and the importance of mammograms, Baton Rouge General kicked off its annual "Protect Your Pumpkins" event w

She wasnt worried about what the results might say. Cancer didnt run in her family, and her mother and three sisters all had biopsies in the past that turned up negative. She figured there was little cause for concern.

Then came the diagnosis: Stage 1 breast cancer.

Thats when you say Oh my God. Wow,  she said.

With the screening event coming up once again as part of Baton Rouge Generals annual Protect Your Pumpkins campaign to promote breast cancer awareness, shes now urging others  particularly women over 40  to take advantage of the service.

As part of the fall initiative, the Baton Rouge hospital chain set up 7,500 pink-painted pumpkins at patches hosted on its three campuses.

The public is invited to visit the pumpkin patches, pose for various photo ops, buy a Protect Your Pumpkins T-shirt, take home a pink pumpkin for free  or spring $20 for a mimosa and mammogram.

'We caught this early'

After her diagnosis, Urdiales immediately underwent treatment, including a lumpectomy and chemotherapy appointments every three weeks for the next six months.

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Its been a tough year.

Yet Urdiales, who still gets regular doses of cancer drug Herceptin, said shes grateful she took advantage of the opportunity to get screened.

If I didnt go in for the mammos and mimosas, then I probably would have put it off again, she said. But the process was very easy, and everybody at Baton Rouge General, from start to finish, front to back, has been fantastic.

According to statistics released by Baton Rouge General, women in the U.S. have a 1 in 8 risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

For that reason, Dr. William Russell, a radiation oncologist at Baton Rouge General, said the hospital is putting intensive effort into increasing the number of people who get screened for the disease.

Early detection often means a wider range of treatment options, he continued, including less extensive surgery and fewer side effects.

The reason for screening is we can pick these cancers up so early, and with the new systemic therapy drugs, we are seeing amazing responses, particularly in earlier lesions, Russell said. If I can see a woman who has not gotten to the point where her breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, thats a whole different conversation.

Had Urdiales cancer not been discovered early on, he said, the disease would have spread and she likely would have been forced to undergo more invasive treatments.

Russell said her case is nothing short of amazing.

This is a woman who was healthy, who had no reason to think anything (was wrong), he said, and shes still healthy because we caught this early. Shes going to do fine.

Mammograms are available at all three Baton Rouge General campuses, as well as the hospitals imaging location on ONeal Lane. They can be scheduled by visiting protectyourpumpkins.com, or by calling (225) 769-1847.

Saturday screenings are available at BRG Ascension.

I tell every female I come in contact with to please go, Urdiales said. You never know if something is growing in your body. You cant see it, you cant feel it and there are no symptoms, but its there.
What began as a birthday bash on a remote clearing in the pinewoods of Tangipahoa Parish last summer took a terrifying turn when a flurry of gunfire shattered the humid Louisiana night.

Shortly after sunset on Aug. 8, 2020, detectives arrived at a clearing on Vernon Town Road in Roseland  a spot some 20 miles south of the Mississippi line  to find hundreds of people jostling to their cars in flight from the pop-pop-pop of high-powered rifles.

An argument among members of rival gangs, investigators later said, had unraveled, spilling into the crowd of over 500 people gathered for a night of revelry. Dozens of bullets were fired, killing an innocent bystander  a 21-year-old mother from Baton Rouge  and wounding several others.

Everybody theres a potential witness, and we dont know who they are and who theyre not, said Lt. Jacob Schwebel, commander of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Criminal Investigative Division. It truly was an active shooter situation.

Law enforcement later linked the shootout to a clash between rival gangs from the south and north ends of Tangipahoa Parish: La Familia, from the Hammond and Ponchatoula area, and the north-end Purple City Boys. Outside of announcing several arrests, however, law enforcement offered few additional details about what sparked the so-called Roseland Trail Ride shootout.

Questions about the event have swirled among residents in this rural area east of Louisianas capital, where gang crimes arent as common as in Baton Rouge and New Orleans but have nonetheless become part of local life in recent years.

Now, the mid-September arrest of Soundcloud-famous Bogalusa rapper Javorius Tykies Scott, stage name JayDaYoungan, has revealed new details about how a musical dispute fueled an escalating gang battle across two parishes that claimed two lives.

Popular rapper JayDaYoungan arrested as accessory in Roseland Trail Ride murder, sheriff says Sheriff's deputies arrested a popular Louisiana rapper in Tangipahoa Parish as an accessory to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice

Tangipahoa deputies booked Scott on Sept. 16 on a warrant for accessory to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, saying he helped a key suspect in the Roseland shooting evade law enforcement who were searching for him after another murder committed weeks earlier.

Among the evidence against Scott in prosecutors hands is an unreleased music video.

On Aug. 6, Scott filmed a video in Hammond with 19-year-old Jaylohn Mitchell, according to the Tangipahoa Sheriffs investigators and 21st Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Jennie Perkins. The unreleased footage shows the two men surrounded by multiple weapons and multiple convicted felons, Schwebel said.

Mitchell, at the time, was wanted for the June 21, 2020, murder of 19-year-old Tykeith Harold Jr. in nearby St. Helena Parish. Court records allege Mitchell shot and killed Harold at a fathers day gathering on McDaniel Road, just west of the Tangipahoa-St. Helena Parish line.

Harold and Mitchell had been sparring over gang affiliations and taking jabs at each other in music videos posted to social media leading up to the dispute that left Harold dead, according to Perkins, and investigators say they had ties to the two gangs that would later clash in Roseland.

Fifteen days after Harold died, Mitchell and Scott are alleged to have shot the music video in Hammond. Two days after that, Mitchell allegedly fired some of the shots that killed Hutcherson in Roseland.

U.S. Marshals arrested Mitchell in Houston on Aug. 22, 2020, and extradited him to Tangipahoa Parish.

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Rapper JayDaYoungan posts Instagram photo from Amite City jail cell; employee who took it fired After a prominent rapper was arrested and accused of aiding a gang-related murder in Tangipahoa Parish last year, he posted a picture for his 

Aside from Jaylohn Mitchell, its a different set of defendants involved in the two shootings on June 21 and Aug. 8, 2020, Perkins said.

But it involves the same two gangs, she clarified.

Scott did not return multiple direct messages seeking an interview, and its unclear whether he hired a defense lawyer since bailing out of the Amite City jail on Sept. 20 on a $175,000 bond.

The 23-year-old rapper had a warrant out for his arrest since last summer. Hes known for such singles as 23 Island, Elimination and Opps, which together have amassed some 170 million streams on Spotify.

In Tangipahoa trail ride shooting that left 1 dead and 2 injured, 3 arrested and 2 sought Three suspects have been arrested and two more are being sought for their alleged involvement in a shooting at a trail ride in Tangipahoa Pari

John H. Thomas, a defense attorney based in New Orleans who's representing Jaylohn Mitchell, questioned whether evidence like a music video of Scott and his client would hold up in court.

While prosecutors and the broader public might see a video featuring weapons and rap music as evidence of a crime, he said, that activity is usually more posturing than anything.

I always make the argument that if it was a country music song about a shootout in Dodge City, people wouldnt make the same deal out of it as if it were a rap video, he said.

Many attendees of the Aug. 8 party in Roseland were not involved in the dispute that led to the shooting. Those bystanders included 21-year-old Zion Hutcherson, the Baton Rouge resident and the mother of a young child who died at the scene.

For defense attorneys and prosecutors alike, Thomas said, the case could prove incredibly complicated. The entire crime scene had been overrun with people by the time detectives arrived, he said, and areas that might have served as evidence had been overrun.

Two more suspects arrested in fatal Tangipahoa trail ride shooting, total arrested now 6 Two more suspects were arrested in the deadly August shooting of a 21-year-old woman at a Tangipahoa Parish trail ride event.

I rely a lot on this book called Crime Scene Reconstruction in these cases, Thomas said. This case, theres nothing in the book dealing with this situation  its just difficult in terms of figuring out who was where (at the scene) when this happened.

Detectives recovered dozens of shell casings from the Roseland scene  some of them from AR-15 rifles with armor-piercing bullets. According to Schwebel, pacifiers and baby rattles belonging to Hutchersons year-old child sat in her car yards from her body.
A gunman who led police on a high-speed chase and daylong, multi-parish manhunt is in custody and unharmed, officials said.

Matthew Mire, 31, was arrested late Saturday following a shootout with a Louisiana State Police trooper and after leading police on a massive search in response to two overnight shootings that left one dead and three others wounded.

A state trooper, identified as 19-year State Police veteran Adam Gaubert, was later found dead in his vehicle in Prairieville  about a mile away from one of the double shootings. Authorities said Gaudet was "ambushed while in his patrol unit" and linked the incident to Mire, though it was unclear when exactly the trooper was shot.

"This is one of the toughest nights of my entire career," State Police Col. Lamar Davis said in a midnight news conference from the scene. "It hurts, but we will get through it."

The Ascension double shooting was one of two that authorities linked to Mire overnight Saturday. He allegedly shot two neighbors in French Settlement around midnight, then stole a truck and drove to Prairieville.

+12 Trooper found dead close to Prairieville double shooting linked to gunman, sources say Several hours after Louisiana State Police launched a massive search for a man suspected in two overnight shootings, a trooper was found dead 

In the unincorporated Ascension community, he shot two family members, killing one and leaving another in critical condition.

It was not immediately clear when the shooting that killed the trooper occurred or how quickly the body was discovered.

In a Facebook post late Saturday, State Police offered condolences.

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"With a heavy heart, Louisiana State Police is announcing the death of Master Trooper Adam Gaubert who was killed in the line of duty," the post read. "Trooper Gaubert, a 19-year veteran of our department, was ambushed while in his patrol unit."

The social media update asked people to give his family privacy as they grieve.

Mire disappeared into a wooded area off Hoo Shoo Too Road in the southeast corner of East Baton Rouge Parish before dawn Saturday and somehow evaded capture throughout the day.

Officials described the man as "armed and dangerous" and a "person of interest" in the overnight shootings. Police said he was wearing camouflage.

The pursuit started when troopers tried to pull him over around 5 a.m. at La. 42 near Oak Grove Community Center in Prairieville. Instead of stopping, he opened fire and led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen blue Chevrolet Silverado, proceeding a few miles north on Jefferson Highway and crossing into East Baton Rouge.

Mire then turned onto Hoo Shoo Too Road. He drove for about 5 miles before ditching the truck in the side yard of a house, near where the road dead-ends by the Amite River.

From there, he fled on foot into a wooded area.

By 10 p.m., authorities said they finally caught up to Mire, ending the search about 20 hours after the first shots were fired.

"So, we don't have to worry about him tonight," Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre said at a late Saturday press conference in Prairieville. "We're so glad we got him in custody tonight, so the manhunt is complete, the investigation is just beginning."
Several hours after Louisiana State Police launched a massive search for a man suspected in two overnight shootings, a trooper was found dead in his vehicle Saturday near one of the shooting scenes in Prairieville while the manhunt continued for a while longer before culminating with a late-night arrest.

The search started well before dawn, after Matthew Mire, 31, shot at another state trooper in East Baton Rouge, then fled authorities in a stolen vehicle and later on foot. It ended after 10 p.m. when authorities took him into custody, according to law enforcement officials from various agencies.

Meanwhile, officials say a Louisiana State Police trooper  identified as 19-year LSP veteran Adam Gaubert  was found dead Saturday evening about a mile away from the scene of an overnight double shooting in Ascension Parish.

The Ascension shootout was one of two consecutive shootings that authorities linked to Mire, who allegedly shot two neighbors in French Settlement around midnight, then stole a truck and drove to Prairieville.

In the unincorporated Ascension Parish community, he shot two family members, killing one and leaving the other in critical condition.

It was not immediately clear when the shooting that killed the trooper occurred or how quickly the body was discovered.

+9 Search underway for 'person of interest' in homicide, multiple shootings, exchange of gunfire with LSP A manhunt is underway for a "person of interest" believed to be involved in a double shooting that killed one and wounded another early Saturd

Mire disappeared into a wooded area off Hoo Shoo Too Road in the southeast corner of East Baton Rouge Parish before dawn Saturday and somehow evaded capture throughout the day.

Officials described the man as "armed and dangerous" and a "person of interest" in the overnight shootings. Police said he was wearing camouflage.

The pursuit started when troopers tried to pull him over around 5 a.m. at La. 42 near Oak Grove Community Center in Prairieville. Instead of stopping, he opened fire and led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen blue Chevrolet Silverado, proceeding a few miles north on Jefferson Highway and crossing into East Baton Rouge.

Mire then turned onto Hoo Shoo Too Road. He drove for about 5 miles before ditching the truck in the side yard of a house, near where the road dead-ends by the Amite River.

From there, he fled on foot into a wooded area.

Officers spent the first half of the day stationed along Hoo Shoo Too Road, a stretch of mostly fields and woods interspersed with some houses, including one where the stolen truck was abandoned. Several law enforcement agencies joined manhunt, including with helicopters and search dogs.

Officials cautioned that there may be others in the woods wearing camouflage gear since it is hunting season. But they said if anyone saw a man who fit the description of Mire, they should not approach him but call 911 and tell authorities. No houses in the area were evacuated.

"We know he's armed and dangerous," Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre said early Saturday. "He already killed one person and tried to kill a trooper."

State Police spokesman Trooper First Class Taylor Scrantz said the officer who exchanged gunfire was being evaluated at a local hospital but appeared to be in stable condition.

'Those were gunshots'

Authorities said the first of two shootings linked to Mire occurred around midnight off La. 444 in French Settlement, when the man stepped outside the home where he was staying with his mother, walked a short distance to a nearby trailer and ultimately opened fire on his neighbors. A man and woman were injured but expected to recover.

Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said he believes the victims heard a noise on their porch and went to investigate: "They then witnessed someone barging in through their front door and firing shots."

Mire used his arm to cover his face before opening fire, Ard said.

He said detectives are working hard to determine a motive in the shooting, though they have mostly ruled out the possibility of an attempted burglary.

"The information we have suggests he went there to shoot them," Ard said. "But it's strange because we can't put a motive on it yet. Hopefully we can catch this guy soon and he can fill in the gaps."

Mire had been staying with his mother maybe for a couple months, since his girlfriend died from a drug overdose, Ard said. His mom was out when the shooting occurred, leaving Mire alone inside the trailer Friday night.

The victims, whose names have not been released, were staying elsewhere after their discharge from the hospital Saturday afternoon, but other neighbors said they knew Mire as a polite young man, though he and his mother would often fight. She had been living in a trailer along La. 444 for several years, one of several aging mobile homes just off the main road.

After shooting his neighbors, officials believe Mire ran through a wooded area behind the trailers and emerged in a nearby neighborhood, where he stole a Silverado from outside a house.

Tasha Ryan, who arrived at the scene of the manhunt hours later in East Baton Rouge, said the stolen truck belonged to her son, who lives in French Settlement. He called her around 7 a.m. saying his truck was gone, Ryan said.

She said her son needed some medication that was inside the vehicle, which is what brought her down to East Baton Rouge.

Officials believe Mire drove to Prairieville after stealing the truck, then carried out the second shooting targeting two family members at a house on Dutton Street.

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Relatives told The Advocate that Mire shot a cousin, Joseph Schexnayder, 42, who was hospitalized in critical condition and undergoing surgery on Saturday, and his significant other Pamela Adair, 37, who died from her injuries.

Another relative who lives nearby, Kevin Schexnayder, said he thought maybe someone was beating on the door of his garage apartment around 2:30 or 3 a.m.

"It sounded like someone was throwing rocks on the tin roof, but those were gunshots," he said.

He walked outside and saw a vehicle speed out of the driveway and up the road. Then he discovered the victims.

"The door to the house was open," he said. "My granddaughter walked out, and I saw my son laying in the kitchen. He was shot in the head or the neck, and his elbow was blown out. I looked in the bedroom, and Pam was on the floor in front of the bed."

Adair appeared to be shot in the chest, stomach and arm, he said.

"None of it has sunk in yet," Kevin Schexnayder said. "Police started roping off the house and I was outside in my pajamas."

He said he stood there while the crime scene went up. A detective handed him a shirt to wear.

Hours later, as the manhunt stretched into late in the afternoon, Kevin Schexnayder described how Adair and his son spent 17 years together and had two children.

The accused shooter, he said, is his nephew.

"That's my sister's boy, Matthew," Kevin Schexnayder said. "His girlfriend overdosed a couple months back, and he never got over it. He took it real real hard. He was messed up. He just got convinced people were after him."

Several hours after that incident  around 6 p.m. Saturday  law enforcement was notified of a trooper found dead near the Dutton Street address where Schexnayder lives.

A Baton Rouge Police Department dispatch memo notified officers Saturday evening that a trooper had been wounded, but did not say an officer was dead. Two sources with knowledge of the investigation said that the trooper, whose body was found in Prairieville near the intersection of Airline Highway and Jefferson Highway, had been killed.

The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, were unable to say whether the trooper had responded to the overnight shooting, or whether he was just in the area.

A troubled past

While his full criminal history remains unknown, court records show Mire was arrested in 2017 after his grandfather called 911 and said Mire had attacked him.

Deputies responded to a home off Joor Road in East Baton Rouge. The victim said Mire "pushed him in the chest and struck him about the body several times" after the man asked his grandson to "clean up after himself."

When the grandfather called police, Mire "stated that he was going to shoot himself," according to his arrest report.

He admitted to striking his grandfather for "not talking to him properly and constantly disrespecting him."

+5 Man who shot at trooper is 'person of interest' in Ascension homicide, Livingston shooting; search continues As the search dragged on for a man who exchanged gunfire with a state trooper before dawn Saturday in East Baton Rouge, authorities linked him

Mire also said he was upset when he threatened to shoot himself and wasn't serious, the report says.

After his arrest on domestic abuse battery, Mire pleaded guilty to simple battery of the infirm and was sentenced to probation.

He was ordered to complete anger management classes, community service and a mental health evaluation. The court set aside his conviction after he completed those conditions.

Records show Mire also has a DWI conviction from Livingston Parish several years ago.

As the sun started setting Saturday, law enforcement pledged to continue searching their search for Mire with urgency. They also said officers would provide heightened security around the shooting scenes.

"We need to get this guy into custody because there's gonna be no sleep until he is," said Ard, the Livingston Parish sheriff. "We're pretty confident he's contained to the perimeter, but we need to be cautious. Is he outside that area? Has he committed suicide? Is he hiding in a deer stand or vacant house? We don't know."

By 10 p.m., authorities said they finally caught up to Mire, ending the search about 20 hours after the first shots were fired.
After years of worsening staffing shortages, the number of sworn officers in the Baton Rouge Police Department has fallen to its lowest point since at least 2015.

Meanwhile, amid a surge in gun violence that started last year, the Baton Rouge murder rate is higher than ever.

To cope, the department is eliminating some administrative positions, pulling officers from specialized units and relying more on overtime to meet staffing requirements, particularly in the uniform patrol division  the foundation of the police force whose officers respond to 911 emergencies and other calls for service.

Records show there are 577 sworn BRPD officers  a significant decrease from prior years. That number hovered around 660 from 2015 to 2017, then gradually started declining, according to data provided by the department.

With about 700 allotted officer positions, the agency has grown accustomed to operating with dozens of vacancies. But for the first time over the past several years, the number of vacancies surpassed 100. About 16% of allotted positions are currently unfilled.

Supervisors have been sending out frequent emails requesting officers in other squads to volunteer for overtime and fill persistent vacancies. One recent request asked for four officers in First District, indicating the shift was several cops short.

Manpower shortage deepens as Baton Rouge police boost recruiting efforts, focus on public trust The Baton Rouge Police Department's longstanding manpower shortage has worsened over the past several months. And a recent decision to further

While the exact causes of the shortage are difficult to pinpoint, officials said this trend is affecting law enforcement agencies across the country.

"This is not unique to the Baton Rouge Police Department," Chief Murphy Paul said in a recent interview. "We're seeing morale issues in law enforcement as a whole."

He cited the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which sparked widespread racial justice protests and calls to "defund the police" last year.

A recent study by the Police Executive Research Forum, which surveyed almost 200 law enforcement agencies, shows a 45% increase in retirements and an 18% increase in resignations during the 2020-2021 year compared to the 2019-2020 year.

Paul said his department also saw increases in those areas while struggling with recruiting efforts, which have suffered because of the increased scrutiny of law enforcement, coupled with pandemic stress and surging gun violence.

"This is a major problem when it comes to enforcing the law in Baton Rouge," said Siya Creel, former vice president of the Baton Rouge police union, who resigned from the department earlier this year amid a heated disciplinary battle with the chief. "They are practically begging people to work overtime."

After 14-hour civil service hearing ends in 'spirit of compromise,' BRPD union VP gets job back After months of escalating conflicts between the Baton Rouge police chief and BRPD union leaders, the two parties engaged in yet another publi

Creel was fired from the department after he did a taped media interview last year, then later won back his job on appeal. The focus of the interview was a billboard campaign criticizing Paul and his administration, including one sign decrying the high homicide rate after shootings started to spike during the pandemic. That trend has accelerated in recent months, leaving the department stretched thinner than ever, Creel said.

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"This is everything we tried to warn everybody about," he said. "They need the manpower to solve these homicides. Otherwise, they just have to prioritize cases."

The department has responded to at least 89 murders within city limits and 111 parishwide since the start of 2021, according to records maintained by The Advocate, which tracks intentional and unjustified homicides per federal crime reporting rules. That comes out to nearly three murders a week on average.

On Friday morning alone, city police officers responded to three separate shootings in under two hours. One victim was pronounced dead on arrival, prompting police to launch a homicide investigation, while three more were hospitalized with injuries.

+2 Deadly Baton Rouge shooting marks 7th murder in 8 days  as parish surpasses 100 for the year With reports of two more deadly shootings Tuesday night and early Wednesday, East Baton Rouge Parish tallied its seventh homicide in eight day

Paul, who took office in early 2018, served about two years before COVID arrived. The pandemic disrupted the court system and local service providers, left people unemployed and desperate for money, and increased risks for domestic abuse victims. The murder rate spiked in 2020, though crime overall decreased  a trend reflected in many other cities nationwide.

Baton Rouge was recently chosen to participate in a White House anti-violence initiative focused on 15 jurisdictions across the country. After traveling to Washington and meeting with the Biden administration this summer, Paul said he was hopeful the program would have real impacts.

Meanwhile, the latest BRPD academy class is getting ready to graduate, which will add 10 new officers to the ranks. Officials had tried for a larger class, but several cadets dropped out during training. Paul declined to provide details about their individual reasons for leaving, though he said the department will not compromise its hiring standards out of desperation for more officers.

"Our need for manpower will have no impact on the standards," he said. "We lose people at every stage of hiring process. That hasn't changed."

The chief hopes to get vacancies back below 100 before the end of the year. He said about 35 recruits are going through the interview process now, and the department plans to start another academy in December.

+2 Baton Rouge is one of the smallest cities in Biden's crime plan. Its homicide rate is among the highest When President Joe Biden unveiled a new plan to combat violent crime in 15 American cities and counties, including Baton Rouge, he touted the 

But getting enough applicants is an ongoing challenge, officials said  especially because Baton Rouge police officers are significantly underpaid compared to their counterparts at other law enforcement agencies in Louisiana and across the country. A pay study conducted a few years ago found BRPD officers were about 30% underpaid compared to peers in other jurisdictions.

The pandemic also interrupted plans for tackling the salary issue, but local leaders scraped together enough money to give officers two 3% bumps over the past several months. Paul said another, bigger raise remains top priority once the city budget recovers from COVID losses.

In the meantime, recruiting efforts often focus on appealing to potential applicants with a heart for public service and a commitment to protecting the citizens of Baton Rouge.

"People looking for less stress and more pay, they're probably applying to other agencies. Or they get trained up with us, then leave and make more money somewhere else," said department spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr. "That's just the reality of it."
CHAUVIN  Leroy Picou spends most of his time perched on his porch, listening to swamp pop alongside his pooch, watching utility trucks and debris contractors drive back and forth  and avoiding the inside of his mold- and mildew-infested home.

Hurricane Idas catastrophic path ran roughshod through this tight-knit bayou community near the coast, but like many other survivors living here six weeks out from the storm, Picou has few options to turn to for shelter.

The nearest vacant hotels are hours away, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency isnt expected to deliver the bulk of its mobile homes until the spring. Thirty miles up the road, congregate bed space is available in the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, but for many, thats too far.

Some are sleeping in their cars or make-shift tents next to piles of rubble, while others  including the 59-year-old Picou  are sticking it out in whats left of their storm-ravaged homes, breathing in toxic clouds of mold and mildew.

Louisiana is hoping to change that, pouring millions of dollars into an experiment that could reinvent how the government responds to natural disasters and get travel trailers onto survivors' properties quicker.

A short walk from Picous home, just across the bayou, a frenzied crew of state contractors worked around-the-clock Friday to transform a park pavilion into a make-shift village, with on-site catering and laundry, bathrooms and showers, and a dozen air-conditioned tents capable of sleeping up to 100 people.

Its the first of a several base camps the state plans to set up in the coming weeks in communities hardest hit by Ida located along the finger-like waterways that stretch into the Gulf of Mexico. Each site will look different, but the goal is the same: provide survivors with a safe place to eat, sleep and shower closer to home.

Typically, after a natural disaster, FEMA provides survivors money for hotel rooms or temporary housing, but Ida was so devastating that the closest hotels available for storm victims are two hours away in Picayune, Mississippi. Out of 13,818 survivors in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes eligible for a hotel stay, only 11% were checked into a room Friday.

From our perspective, the most effective recovery is the recovery that happens closest to home, said Casey Tingle, deputy director at the Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. If a household is three hours away, youre limiting their ability to contribute to their own recovery.

Over the next several weeks, Louisiana will begin distributing its own travel trailers and RVs. The state has already purchased 400 units at a price of $14 million. Another $9 million has been set aside to hire a program manager, Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure. FEMA will fully cover those costs until Wednesday, Oct. 13, and after that, Louisiana will have to cover 10% of expenses.

The state-led effort is aimed at bridging the gap until FEMA can begin providing its own mobile homes. It wont be until mid-November until the FEMA units start arriving and then theyll only be placed after clearing a number of bureaucratic hurdles, such as not being in a flood zone. If last years recovery in Lake Charles is any marker, it could be well into April before most survivors are housed in federal assets.

Tingle said Louisiana hopes to fold its own stock of travel trailers into FEMAs efforts, and officials are working behind the scenes to determine how the units can be handed off seamlessly without disrupting living arrangements.

The overlapping effort marks the first time Louisiana  or any other state  has been this involved in providing direct housing after a storm. If its successful, the program could offer a quicker roadmap for getting survivors housed following a natural disaster, with state contracts in place ahead of the event.

But more than a month out from Idas destruction, frustrations remain over how long it took the program to get up-and-running. For a federal agency like FEMA, six weeks is fast, but when youre living without a roof over your head, thats damn near turtle pace, said Speaker Pro Tem Tanner Magee, R-Houma.

"We can put people on the moon, like the famous saying, but we can't figure out travel trailers in Terrebonne Parish," Magee said. "The fundamental role of government is to provide a basic level of safety to people."

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For a place that is so often pummeled by storms, Louisiana should have these issues solved by now, Magee said.

In the place of government, nonprofits like the Hache Grant Association have stepped in. The group is spending more than $20,000 a month to rent a mobile shower, bathroom and laundry unit so survivors living in the remote-area near Pointe-aux-Chenes have a place to refresh.

Shouldnt either the National Guard, FEMA, GOHSEP, somebody have this contract or have this available? Magee said.

Christopher Pulaski, director of planning and zoning for Terrebonne Parish, who is helping to set-up the base camps on-the-ground, said these sort of contracts should have been "at the ready" ahead of hurricane season.

When you look around, and see people sleeping under their FEMA tarps, that really hurts to see, Pulaski said.

It's no secret that FEMA can be slow.

"From the family's perspective, those impacted by the storm, none of this is quick enough. And I think we all recognize this," Tingle said, adding that the rules FEMA has to follow under the Stafford Act don't "easily allow them to execute as quickly."

Still, Tingle credited the federal agency with agreeing to allow GOHSEP to purchase the travel trailers under an existing COVID-era cost-sharing agreement. And he said Louisiana is using the opportunity to prove how the program can be helpful in the future.

Pulaski said he doesn't doubt FEMA's desire to help, but he said the agency sometimes appears disorganized. Three different officials called him asking the same question about permits.

+6 Louisiana starts temporary housing program for people who lost homes to Hurricane Ida Houma Rep. Tanner Magee has weathered many a hurricane in his lifetime but says Hurricane Ida was the most destructive, leveling Terrebonne an

Further down the bayou, Cindy and Gary Picou finished their morning ritual sifting through the pile of rubble that used to be their double-wide trailer. The modest pool house at the back of the property survived the storm  because I built it, Gary said  but not much else.

The couple has relied on friends and family for a place to sleep since the storm, but most of their time is spent back at their property, searching for anything salvageable, like the linoleum flooring they fashioned into a makeshift sink next to their butane stove. They set up a shower so they can clean up before spending the night elsewhere.

She doesnt like having to crash with others, but Cindy said shes too scared to go to the base camp up the road. The world is crazy right now, she said. She doesnt want to share a tent with a stranger.

More than 4,000 people have signed up for the state's travel trailer program. It's less clear how successful the base camps will be. The site in Chauvin officially opened to the public Friday night, but nobody showed up, Pulaski said.

Sitting on his porch, a stones throw from the base camp, Leroy Picou said hes staying put. Hes beginning to run out of cash to buy fuel for his generator, but he doesnt want to abandon his property, even if its a short walk away.

Im going to stay right here, Picou said. I was born and raised right here.
Tens of thousands of small businesses chances of getting an insurance payout for financial damage caused by COVID-19 and associated lockdowns will hinge on a legal appeal, after the Federal Court delivered big insurers a win.

In a legal battle that could affect more than $1 billion in potential payouts, the Federal Court last month heard nine cases from small businesses seeking claims for pandemic-induced losses under business interruption insurance policies.

COVID-19 and associated lockdowns have sparked legal fights over business interruption insurance. Credit:Jessica Hromas

The insurance companies say these policies never intended to cover against pandemics but the businesses had a win earlier this year, after a blunder in which the insurers named the wrong federal legislation in their policy documents.

However, in the second round of the legal dispute dealing with various specific matters in the policies, which will be crucial in determining any payouts, the insurers have gained the upper hand.
BHP chief executive Mike Henry told a mining conference in London last week that until hydrogen arrived BHPs higher-quality hard coking coals would help cut its steel mill customers emissions. At the Pilbara port of Dampier, Woodsides two LNG plants sit a few kilometres from where Rio Tinto ships its iron ore. Like BHP, Woodside sees its current product having a place in a low emissions world. The LNG producer is chasing blue hydrogen, produced from its gas with associated emissions either captured and stored or offset, as well as the green hydrogen promoted by Fortescue that is made with renewable electricity. The gas industry calls both blue and green hydrogen clean, but to Dr Forrest, the difference is black and white. In June, Dr Forrest said calling gas-based hydrogen clean was a great lie like clean coal. In August, his fears were backed up by researchers from US universities Stanford and Cornell that concluded blue hydrogen could produce more emissions than burning gas.

While hotly contested by the gas industry, the study highlighted the difficulty of dealing with the numerous sources of emissions when hydrogen is made from gas. As well as foregoing gas and coal, Fortescue has set more ambitious emissions reductions for its own Scope 1 and 2 emissions. In March, Fortescue brought forward its already relatively aggressive 2040 target for zero direct emissions to 2030. In comparison, BHP and Woodside plan just a 30 per cent cut in direct emissions by the end of the decade and put off net-zero to 2050. As most companies finessed distant targets for direct emissions reductions Fortescue upped the ante last week and targeted net-zero Scope 3 emissions by 2040. Success requires massive investment from Fortescues steel mill customers to switch from coal to hydrogen, and it plans to help by supplying 15 million tonnes a year of green hydrogen by 2030.

Fortescue has itself a mammoth task. An international consortium intends to spend $US36 billion ($49 billion) in the Pilbara to produce 1.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year and use it to make ammonia for export. The Asian Renewable Energy Hub needs 1743 wind turbines and 25 million solar panels installed over a decade and will not reach full production until 2037. The hub will have 26 gigawatts of power generation capacity, more than the worlds largest energy producer, Chinas 22.5 gigawatts Three Gorges Dam. In nine years, Fortescue wants to achieve ten times the hydrogen output of the Asian Renewable Energy Hub.

A recent grab by Fortescue of two giant swathes of mining exploration licences in the north of WA indicates the company may be thinking of developing some hubs of its own. Building the equivalent of ten hubs by 2030 is near impossible. Years of work to secure environmental approvals and land tenure would be required before construction started. Julie Shuttleworth, chief executive of Fortescue clean energy subsidiary Fortescue Future Industries said the company has a pathway to produce 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030 from sites across the globe near market demand. FFI is rapidly expanding renewable energy and green hydrogen projects that will lead to around 300 gigawatts of power capacity, Ms Shuttleworth said. In Tasmania alone, we are assessing a project to build a 250-megawatt green hydrogen facility at Bell Bay.

The attraction of Tasmania is available hydropower. Instead of developing a vast wind and solar farm, Fortescue just needs some industrial land close to transmission lines and a port to house electrolysers to make hydrogen and the plant to turn it into ammonia for shipping. Fortescue has targeted an investment decision on Bell Bay this year, but it needs 1200 Bell Bays to reach its 300-gigawatt target. Unsurprisingly, visiting nations with hydropower potential featured heavily on Dr Forrests recent international travels. For a year, Fortescue has worked with the Papua New Guinea government to investigate hydropower opportunities. In June, Dr Forrest said Fortescue had secured rights to the Grand Inga Dam in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Fortescue is doing more to develop clean energy than chasing hydropower and land in WAs north. More directly connected to mining, FFI is pushing to use green ammonia to power the trucks, trains and ships that move iron so it can achieve net-zero direct emissions by 2030. FFI also wants to produce low emissions iron and cement. And now it is entering manufacturing at Gladstone, a totally different world to mining and energy. Any one of these aims by itself is a massive technical challenge requiring the integration of an array of specialist knowledge and equipment. While others see Fortescue as a miner, Dr Forrest describes the company he founded as a heavy industry, heavy manufacturing company.
Accidental public servant Halton maintains she never intended to become a public servant. She moved to Canberra at age 13 when her father brought the family to Australia from the UK via Canada to lead the department of transport under the Whitlam government. She initially started an academic career after studying psychology at the Australian National University but quit after realising it wasnt for her and joined the public service as a back-up, something to do until she plotted her next move. The 61-year-old says there was no one experience that kept her in Canberra, but rather an interest in policy and capacity to create change that saw her excel to become the youngest woman to lead a government department when she became the head of health at 42 years old. While in Canberra, she worked for the Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Abbott and Turnbull governments and worked hard to maintain good relations with ministers of the day. She says she learnt something from each prime minister but has never cast judgment on which government she most admired.

Its a bit like not having a favourite child. If you pick a prime minister and a particular lesson, youre saying the others arent as important, she says. Those who have worked alongside her say shes in the minority of public servants  a clear communicator with a laser focus on getting the job done. Halton is widely regarded as tough and once infamously told a group of bureaucrats to grow some balls. While her brutal honesty and forceful nature have been qualities of her success, former colleagues say she did ruffle some feathers. She was assertive about things, she expected things to be done her way, says one source who worked alongside Halton in the Gillard government. But that was part and parcel of getting on with things. As Halton shuffled through departments, many of her staff followed. It couldnt have been that difficult, could it? she says.

Loading Pay attention Halton has learnt to trust the knot in her stomach. She ignored it once in 2001 while serving as deputy secretary of the department of prime minister and cabinet, which put her at the centre of one of the countrys largest political scandals. During a phone conversation with a senior defence official, Halton was told refugees had thrown their children into rough seas from vessels entering Australian waters. She relayed the information to a meeting, and the next day it was front page news.

The claim turned out to be false and would trigger an emotional and divisive political debate that prime minister of the day John Howard used to set the course for Australias tough immigration policy. While bureaucrats normally stay out of the public eye, Halton became the villain who would give evidence in the Child Overboard Inquiry. As journalists camped outside her home, Halton pushed through. While she says accountability is an important part of a democracy, she had become somewhat of a scapegoat, she says. I do think there was more than a bit of gender in that, to be honest. More recently, she felt the knot in her stomach when signing the full-page ad for Crown Resorts titled setting the record straight that sought to discredit an investigation by The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes which revealed Crowns licensed junket operators had links to organised crime, drug and sex trafficking and money laundering. The ad was later found to have misled the ASX, with many claims being false. Halton says she felt pressured to sign by another board member, who has now been removed, and told an inquiry that she would have done things differently if she had her time again. If your stomach goes awww, she says. Pay attention.

I dont gamble During the pandemic, more than one media outlet has accused Halton of having a conflict of interest. How could she inform government policy on lockdowns, while directing companies that profit from reopening? Crown, for example, reported a $261 million full-year loss in August after lockdowns decimated its business. ANZ, similarly, put aside $1.1 billion for bad loans at the peak of pandemic last year fearing lockdown-related job losses would wreak havoc on its mortgage books. But Halton insists there is no conflict at all. A NSW royal commission found in February that Crown was unfit to operate Sydneys Barangaroo casino. Credit:Bloomberg And there shouldnt be a perception of conflict, she says. Whats good pandemic management is good for business.

I have not varied or amended, or even slightly skewed any advice I have given on the pandemic. Its driven purely out of my health experience and public health knowledge. None of us have wanted us to open up and see the kind of things weve seen in New York, in the north of Italy. Loading Her government contacts have not asked her to pull strings while negotiating the Naval contract, she says, and similarly her corporate colleagues have not asked for favours with pandemic management. If they did, Halton says she would deploy the sharp slap down she has become known for. But now, Halton has tied her reputation to Crown, becoming interim chair in August  a company that has been exposed to have a rotten corporate culture that not only turns a blind eye to organised crime but welcomes it.

I dont gamble, she says. So I debated whether or not this was something to do. But because I do have an interest in harm minimisation and public health more broadly, I did think the business was an iconic brand and there was an opportunity to contribute, there was something I could do to help. Now I didnt realise the scale of that, obviously. But it was a good counterpoint. And again, I like to learn about new things. It ticked a number of those boxes. After the Bergin inquiry found Crown was unfit to hold the licence for its new $2.2 billion casino on Sydney Harbour, Halton considered making swift exit. At that point, I could have left with my integrity intact, she says. I didnt think it was the right thing to do.
Sydneysiders have woken to a haze on Sunday morning as smoke from hazard reduction burning settled in various parts of the city overnight.

Hazard reduction burns dispersing smoke over the northern beaches earlier this year. Credit:Nick Moir

The Rural Fire Service has been conducting hazard reduction burns on the Central Coast, Ku-ring-gai, the northern beaches, and in Sydneys south over the weekend.

The air quality in parts of Sydney has been rated as very poor by NSW government monitoring sites this morning, with Macquarie Park receiving that rating, while Rouse Hill has been rated as poor.
One of the survivors, a man named Wangegemon, whose wife and child were killed, told Wesleyan missionaries and the assistant protector of Aborigines, Charles Sievwright, of massacred bodies thrown into a waterhole and afterwards burnt, the bones taken away in sacks.

Genuine investigations took place after the attack, which was unusual for that lawless time when a silence prevailed among squatters as clans were being destroyed across Victoria to make way for sheep.

There was no fight. The Aboriginal people  men, women and children, including babies  were asleep.

Several kilometres north-east of Noorat, on a sheep spread then called Strathdownie, a band of armed squatters and shepherds, led on horseback by a man named Frederick Taylor, ambushed an encampment of Aboriginal people and murdered almost all of them.

The ancient rhythms of life of those Aboriginal clanspeople who hosted the annual gatherings of tribes within the shadow of the volcanic hump of Mount Noorat, north of what is now Terang in Western Victoria, were smashed on a bloody dawn in 1839.

The implication is that some of those murdered had already fled previous assaults or threats by white settlers and were desperate enough to leave their own Country to band together in the hope of safety.

There were three or four mobs [clans] camped together. Some were from the neighbouring Girai.

That place where those people were murdered was already like a refugee camp, says John Clarke, a Girai (also spelled Kirrae) Wurrung man of the Eastern Maar, whose recent ancestors lived at the Framlingham Aboriginal Settlement near Warrnambool, a place where survivors of massacres lived in the late 1800s, bringing their stories with them.

Most of the histories written of the atrocity suggest the Tarnbeere Gundidj, a single clan of the Djargurd Wurrung people, was virtually wiped out.

Before disappearing to British India to avoid the outside chance of being prosecuted, Taylor argued that his shepherds had reported sheep had been stolen by Aboriginal people, and he was simply defending his property.

The total Indigenous population of what became Victoria before the European invasion of the 1830s has long been contentious.

Here was the darkest of ironies. McMillan and his Gaelic-speaking Highlanders had themselves been victims of clearances in Scotland, removed from their clans traditional lands by wealthy landowners and replaced with sheep.

Gippsland, the home of the five tribes of the Gunaikurnai Nation, was next, when a Scot, Angus McMillan, assembled his feared Highland Brigade and began murdering First Nations people, sometimes entire clans.

The first European settlement in Victoria was established on the coast at Portland by 1834. Melbourne got its start in 1835, and news of wide plains perfect for pasture began to spread at the end of 1836 when the surveyor Major Thomas Mitchell, having completed an expedition south, brought word back to Sydney.

The replacement of Aboriginal people by sheep and cattle on their tribal lands was terrifyingly swift in Victoria.

Edward Micklethwaite Curr, who managed his fathers squatting properties in central and northern Victoria from 1841 to 1850, wrote of the occupiers that no body of men ever created so much wealth in so short a time.

It was, wrote the historian Richard Broome in Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800, one of the fastest land occupations in the history of empires.

Not 30 years after the founding of Melbourne, only about 200 people remained from all five of the clans that made up the once populous Kulin nation, and the population decline across Victoria was at least 80 per cent, he wrote.

The historian and author James Boyce, in his book 1835: The Founding of Melbourne and the Conquest of Australia, laid it out plainly.

In 1983, the economic historian Noel Butlin proposed a number of 60,000 to 90,000, based on the richness of the land.

Effectively, those granted a licence would be the wealthy and the well-connected. Ex-convicts or those judged to be of the poorer classes would be evicted.

Instead, in July 1836, the NSW authorities of governor Richard Bourke passed a law called an Act to Restrain the Unauthorised Occupation of Crown Lands. In fact, it authorised the occupation of land if the occupier first obtained a licence.

And yet, when those hungry for land came across the Bass Strait from Van Diemens Land in the mid-1830s, hot on the heels of their champion John Batman and his risible treaty, and simply occupied and claimed vast tracts of Victoria as their own, no British finger was lifted to prevent it.

The authorities of the colony of NSW, furthermore, had stuck since 1788 to a policy of restricting settlement to a tight radius around Sydney. The colonys land to the south, the Port Phillip District, was all but blank on a map.

The British House of Commons select committee into the condition of aborigines in the empire would declare in 1837 that the native inhabitants of any land have an incontrovertible right to their own soil; a plain and sacred right.

Aboriginal life near Upper Mitta Mitta, with Bogong Ranges in the background, in the mid-1800s, as depicted by the lithographer George Appleton. Credit:State Library of Victoria.

The Victorian invasion was illegal from the start. The British government, having just banned slavery across its empire, was infused with evangelical, humanitarian fervour.

For just 10, those deemed acceptable  the new squattocracy, or perhaps the original 10-pound Poms, though most of them were Scots  could legally take over land that had been occupied for thousands of years.

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The evangelical secretary of state for the colonies, Lord Glenelg, initially declared himself opposed, partly because it would expose both natives and the new settlers to many dangers and calamities.

He was right. But within six months, in a letter to Bourke, Glenelg reversed his opinion, and declared he was looking forward to the Port Phillip District becoming a centre of trade amid the sanguine ardour of private speculation.

And so began the invasion of Victoria dressed up as a legal settlement.

In the far south-west, clans of the Gunditjmara and associated peoples of the Dhauwurd Wurrung language group, affronted by the invasion, launched guerilla raids on colonisers. They speared cattle, raided settlers huts and drove flocks of sheep into their tribal citadel within volcanic lava fields as a form of reparation for stolen hunting grounds.

The country might as well be in a state of civil war, as few but the boldest of the Settlers will move from their home stations, the Portland Mercury reported in 1842.

The squatters called on the services of the feared Native Police Corps  most of whom were recruited from the distant Kulin Nation  to avenge stock losses with gunfire and a policy of taking no prisoners.

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One of the squatters, Alexander Browne, writing under the nom de plume of Rolf Boldrewood, later named this period the Eumeralla War, after a river bisecting the ground of conflict.

The First Nations warriors given colourful names by colonists: Cocknose (whose Indigenous name was Tykoohe), Jupiter (Tarerer), Cold Morning (Partpoaermin), Bumbletoe, Jacky and The Doctor.

Cocknose and Jupiter were of the Nillan Gunditj from near the volcano known as Budj Bim (or Mount Eccles), whose people were subjected to massacre by gun and poisoning by arsenic in flour.

Cold Morning came from the Cart Gunditj territory on Mt Clay, a forested hill above a place called the Convincing Ground, north of Portland.

Walter Saunders is descended from the adjoining coastal Kilcarer Gunditj  almost all of whom were believed to have been wiped out by whalers in the Convincing Ground Massacre of about 1833  and their neighbours the Gilgar Gunditj from the river country to the east around Tyrendarra.

He tells of his peoples memory of a mysterious end to the Cart Gunditj.

Our story, handed down, is they were rounded up by settlers, taken to a big depression in the land above the Surrey River, a sort of sinkhole, and taken away in the night on bullock carts, he says. They just disappeared. We dont know where they went.

The outcome of the Eumeralla War, with guns ranged against spears, was inevitable. The Gunditjmara uprising was all but over by 1847.

Some white men with blood on their hands became unimaginably wealthy, and thus respectable, and lived in baronial mansions while Aboriginal people starved. It was the same story in numerous districts of Victoria.

If those involved in the theft of Aboriginal land had missed the British select committees declaration about the original inhabitants sacred rights, the first resident Supreme Court judge for the district of Port Phillip, John Walpole Willis, laid it out for all prepared to listen in 1841.

Hearing a case in Melbourne of alleged murder against a man named Bonjon, of the Wadawurrung Balug clan in the country around what is now Geelong, Willis declared Aboriginal people should be considered the rightful owners of the land, with laws and usages of their own, and that Europeans should be considered invaders.

In this instance, the colonists and not the Aborigines are the foreigners, he declared. The former [colonists] are exotics, the latter Indigenous; the latter the native sovereigns of the soil, the former uninvited intruders.

The wars being waged on the frontiers demonstrated Aboriginal people were neither a conquered people, nor have tacitly acquiesced in the supremacy of the settlers.

But Willis 8000-word opinion did not proceed to judgment  Bonjon was released  and it faded into obscurity.

As Victoria in 2021 becomes Australias first jurisdiction to move towards a treaty, via its Yoo-rrook Justice Commission, it is worth recalling that Willis lamented that no treaty had been made with Aboriginal people before white settlement and no terms defined for their internal government, civilisation, and protection.

Instead, the trauma experienced by the people of the worlds oldest continuous culture, isolated on the continent of Australia for perhaps 65,000 years - and certainly in Victoria for more than 35,000 years - has not properly healed in almost two centuries since.

Massacres, though widespread, numerous and regularly covered up or claimed by whites to be self-defence against depredations, were not the main cause of the destruction of Victorias Aboriginal population, however.

Archaeologist Dr Gary Presland, in his book First People: The Eastern Kulin of Melbourne, Port Phillip and Central Victoria, estimated disease accounted for up to 60 per cent of Aboriginal deaths across the Port Phillip area.

This came on top of an epidemic of smallpox that is thought to have spread south from Sydney and killed perhaps one-third of Victorian First Peoples even before Europeans (other than sealers) had arrived.

Apart from diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, measles, chickenpox, influenza and pneumonia  all of which were capable of killing Aboriginal people, who had no immunity  venereal disease spread by European men caused immense suffering among Indigenous women.

Syphilis killed in ghastly ways, but gonorrhea often rendered women incapable of having children. In many areas, population plummeted through lack of births.

Annie Baxter (later Dawbin), whose husband in 1843 took up a squatting property at Yambuk, near Port Fairy, detailed in her diary the suffering of one Aboriginal woman among the many who caught venereal disease from white shepherds. The disease rotted away the womans palate, and the shepherds plunged her into a tub of sublimate, used for sheep dressing, after which she fell into a rapid decline.

After the unnamed woman died, Baxter wrote a lament.

Man (I mean white man) in this instance, as in many more, has been only the means of making this poor womans condition worse than it originally was; all she knew of him was to bring her to that fearful state in which she suffered and eventually died.

By then, the sheep and cattle of pastoralists were eating hunting grounds bare across Victoria, and their hooves were compacting the previously porous soil to the point that abundant staples such as murnong, or daisy yams, were on their way to near-extinction. Water sluiced across the hard ground, turning creeks and rivers into torrents that ripped at their banks.

Batmans arrival on the shore of the Yarra River in May 1835 had set colonisation in terrible motion.

Admired by supporters as a man of vision, Batman had a history of murdering Aboriginal people in Tasmania and was suffering such advanced syphilis that his nose was rotting away. His Tasmanian neighbour, the artist John Glover, described Batman as a rogue, thief, cheat, liar, murderer of blacks and the vilest man I have ever known.

This, then, was the man who sat down by a lovely stream of water  probably the Merri Creek near its junction with the Yarra at Dights Falls  with a group of Kulin elders from several clans to negotiate the transfer of hundreds of thousands of hectares of their land to his Port Phillip Association.

In return, Batmans so-called treaty  drafted by a prominent Tasmanian lawyer, Joseph Tice Gellibrand  promised the yearly rent or tribute of 100 pairs of blankets 100 knives 100 tomahawks 50 suits of clothing 50 looking glasses 50 pair scissors and five tons flour.

It was preposterous. The Kulin elders did not speak English and their laws could not allow the transfer of land. Nevertheless, Batmans treaty and reports of fabulous pasture land were all the spur needed for Europeans to hasten to Port Phillip.

The following year, 1836, Thomas Mitchell ventured south from NSW into what is now called the Western District of Victoria. There he found seemingly endless grassed plains and open timberland  the result of thousands of years of careful tending by Aboriginal hunters of game and gatherers of numerous species of vegetables and tubers.

The soft plains, covered in kangaroo grass, were so forgiving that the tracks of Mitchells bullock wagons remained visible to those who followed him for many years. He called the whole area Australia Felix, meaning happy, or lucky, south land.

However, he had little meaningful contact with the Aboriginal people. The most notorious meeting was at what Mitchell named Mount Dispersion on the northern bank of the Murray River, about 80 kilometres south-west of what is now Mildura.

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There a party of Mitchells men, claiming to fear an attack, shot dead at least seven Aboriginal men and continued shooting as victims sought safety by swimming the Murray. It was difficult to come at such enemies hovering in our rear with the lynx-eyed vigilance of savages, Mitchell wrote later to governor Bourke. I succeeded, however.

Mitchell happily commandeered the domed and substantial houses of absent tribal families as he travelled south. On August 30, 1836, having left Portland  where Mitchell had been astounded to discover a European settlement of whalers and farmers  he noted in his journal: We encamped on the rich grassy land just beyond [a river he named the Surry] and I occupied for the night a snug old hut of the natives.

Given his descriptions of this Australia Felix, there is little wonder he caused a subsequent rush of squatters, many of whom saw the First Peoples as annoyances to be cleared away.

Historians in recent decades have peeled back more than a century and a half of long silence to record lists of known massacre sites in Victoria, and the titles of their work leave little to the imagination.

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Jan Critchett called her 1988 book concerning early black-white relations in Western Victoria A Distant Field of Murder. Ian Clark called his 1995 book Scars in the Landscape: A Register of Massacre Sites in Western Victoria, 1803-1859.

The barely whispered truth was known all along by those whites who came to take the land. Soon after Frederick Taylor and his henchmen had cleared the original inhabitants of the Strathdownie spread at a place that would become known as Murdering Gully by Mount Emu Creek, a Scottish immigrant named Niel Black bought the 17,612-hectare property and renamed it Glenormiston.

While travelling to inspect the property, Black confided to his diary on December 9, 1839, how land was settled in this wild west, and why he, who had little taste for blood, was attracted to this particular sheep station.

The best way [to procure a run] is to go outside [the existing limits of settlement] and take up a new run, provided the conscience of the party is sufficiently seared to enable him without remorse to slaughter natives right and left, he wrote. The natives who have not been brought into subjection have a strong propensity to spearing and killing sheep and cattle, and the settlers agree that lead is the only antidote that effectively cures them of this propensity. When a few are shot, the rest become timid and are easily kept at bay.

Ian Clark reported that Black kept Aboriginal people at bay by pulling down any Aboriginal dwellings he found on his run and by leaving gunpowder as a warning not to return.

And Frederick Taylor, who had gone to India? He returned and switched his attention to Gippsland. By 1846 the superintendent of the Port Phillip District, Charles La Trobe, informed the colonial secretary that all charges against Taylor over the massacre at Murdering Gully had ended in satisfactory disproval.

For the next 13 years, Taylor held licences for land in Gippsland, where he continued a campaign of dispossession of the Gunaikurnai people, according to Broomes Aboriginal Victorians.

Victorias quest for truth and justice, we might reflect, does not come before time.
The impact of this loss is a story untold

A time for truth (Insight, 9/10) was heartening to read, backed up by an inspiring editorial (Let the truth of our history be known). It is only by beginning with an understanding of a flourishing, healthy and superlatively sustainable civilisation that we can begin to appreciate the cultural genocide that has taken place. Your article highlights corroborees, but the impact of their loss is a story untold. Central to these gatherings is diplomacy, relations between tribes and nations. After the ravages of colonisation, even basic tribal boundaries are disputed. From a fair amount of time spent with Blackfullas, I can tell you there is widespread cynicism and outrage at the RAP (Registered Aboriginal Parties) system. An important reparation for colonial Australia to make is to facilitate corroboree. Help get the elders together, and let them decide together who speaks for them. For too long, governments have cherry-picked accommodating voices to the detriment of communities. Obviously, we would not expect this initiative from government. I invite the AFL to spearhead a private-sector campaign. If footy ovals have taken over corroboree grounds, its only just they make cultural amends.

Michael Puck, Maffra We have a responsibility to ensure justice is done

I would like to thank you for the series A Time for Truth. It is a very sad story of murder and disease inflicted on the First Nations people from the beginning of European settlement.

We need to know the truth because we have all gained from the loss that the original occupants of this land suffered when they were massacred, poisoned and displaced to make way for sheep, cattle, European crops and people. Of course, it was a different time but now we have a responsibility to ensure justice is done. I want to know more of the culture, languages and truth of our First Nations people in Victoria, in particular. So let the stories be told, let us grieve together and move forward to a peaceful treaty.

Susan Kelly, Highton THE FORUM This is bad practice

As a university academic for more than 35 years, I have unfortunate experience with students producing questionable medical certificates to defer their exams. Most doctors provide genuine certificates, but some of them just sign regardless. Over time the problem grew to the point where many of the medical certificates I saw were not worth the paper they were written on. When 30 per cent of one class had medical certificates signed by the same GP, I questioned him, and I did not see any further certificates from that doctor in subsequent exam periods.

Allowing GPs to write vaccine exemption letters is dangerous to the community. Medical exemptions for vaccinations need to be approved by an external public health panel to be valid.

Louise Kloot, Doncaster Be careful with this

While there is merit in the idea that elected and accountable MPs should sign off on public health orders in Victoria as is the case in other states, there must also be doubts about transferring the authority to those demonstrably more prone to being influenced by the often under- or uninformed opinions of voters (Sutton may be sidelined in push to shift power, The Sunday Age, 10/10) If, as they say, they were being informed by independent public health advice, why has the NSW government significantly shifted the settings immediately after changing its elected premier? It can only be as a result of the new leaders perspective and ideological biases. Parties of all persuasions have demonstrated a willingness to make decisions based on the likely reaction of the public.

It is worth reviewing current arrangements, but when talking about lives rather than dollars its not a change that should be made simply on the basis of what all the others do. As my mum used to say when I was a kid at school, would you stick your head in the oven just because they do?

Richard Jamonts, Williamstown We should have kept it

Ross Gittins article in Saturdays Age was very illuminating (We wouldnt be trembling in our boots if we had a carbon price, 9/10). Julia Gillards government was spot on in introducing a carbon pricing scheme in 2012. A change of in our collective behaviour was required if we were to keep global warming below 2 degrees. Unfortunately, it was scuppered by a successful campaign lead by then opposition leader Tony Abbott. What a shame. Australia would have been in a much better place now if we had stuck with the carbon tax of 2012.

Paul Chivers, Box Hill North The parents set the tone

I have a photo from last week of my grandson Soli climbing a very tall tree in Seattle, Washington. He is five years old and wearing a mask. He has worn masks for more than a year. His parents say he and his peers are quite matter of fact, grabbing a mask to put on whenever they go out the door. Like a hat or rain boots or a jacket.

The adults struggle with wearing masks much more than the children, who wear them during both school and play (Young pupils to mask up as Premier fined and Care needed in masks for schoolkids, The Age, 9/10). Because he was alone in the tree, a mask was not necessary but because he had just left a playground full of children, he kept his on and didnt worry about it. Remember how resilient and adaptable children can be if not scared or put off by adult example.

Remi Messenger, Docklands Looks can be deceiving

So, the Business Council of Australia has issued a call for Australia to reduce its carbon emissions by up to 50 per cent by 2030 (Business push for aggressive emissions cut, The Age, 9/10). This is higher than the 45 per cent Labor proposed before the last election, when the BCA accused it of being economy wrecking.

This audacious about-face in just three years is gobsmacking but unsurprising. As long as the Coalition is in power the BCA will find a way to appear progressive while, all the while, really feeling comfortable with the (conservative) status quo.

Kevin Bailey, Croydon This will benefit all of us

The imminent inquiry into the impacts of colonisation on First Nations people in Victoria warrants fully the attention your publication is paying to it. Fifty-three years ago, the eminent anthropologist W.E.H. Stanner detailed in his Boyer Lectures what he termed the great Australian silence or a cult of forgetfulness in relation to the erasure of the Indigenous experience in Australia by the dominant white culture. As your articles make clear, this denialism impacted on the Indigenous families specific knowledge of their personal histories and languages and has left an ongoing legacy for them of intergenerational psychological and physical trauma. A psychic scar has, in turn, affected the broader Australian nation. White descendants of early white settlers who perpetrated tribal massacres are researching and having to confront previously untold and grisly family narratives. The truth telling process will be beneficial for all Australians.

Jon McMillan, Mount Eliza

The stand-out candidate

As a lifelong Labor voter, I couldnt agree more with your correspondent (If Labor wants to win, it must make Plibersek leader, Letters, 8/10). As worthy as Anthony Albanese is, he just doesnt seem to have the presence required to get the Labor message across effectively. Of the other contenders, Tanya Plibersek stands out, being articulate, quick witted and assertive and she will not be bullied. Australias standing locally, in our region and on the world stage may take many years to recover should we be subjected to another term of the current government and its leadership.

Steve Yorston, Golden Square Attention-seeking games

The three politicians who are playing attention-seeking games regarding their COVID vaccination need to get over themselves (Three MPs set to defy vaccine directions, The Age, 9/10). The two Liberal Democrats who claim to have been vaccinated but refuse to produce any evidence are like someone saying they have a fishing licence but refuse to produce any confirmation of this when officially challenged and the Liberal member refusing to be vaccinated is a disgrace and cannot claim to represent his electorate when more than 80 per cent of his voters have done the right thing by themselves and their community by accepting the jab. They need to grow up.

Peter Barry, Melbourne It can easily happen

Im a devout mask-wearer. Im also a walker, and when I walk its usually time to think. I may surface to say hello here and there, but on a quiet street, in a reserve or crossing an empty car park it can be generous to regard me as still with us.

Occasionally, when I get home my wife tells me Im not wearing a mask and I only find out when she does. Id cop a fine for that without question, say sorry and do my best to not have it happen again. That takes care of me, but what has Dan Andrews got to think about before he starts a days work?

Ian McKail, Cheltenham Incapable of nuance

So much hand-wringing by offended members of the federal government over social media trolls. Yet earlier this year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison refused to speak out against dangerous misinformation and conspiracy theories peddled by Coalition MPs, saying Australia is a free country and theres such a thing as free speech in this country and that will continue. It was only after much pressure that Mr Morrison publicly distanced himself, telling Parliament that one of the MPs views did not align with my views. Could it be Mr Morrison is so cynical as to be sanctimonious about a particular shade of social media gossip but quite content to let conspiracy theories rip?

The latter, fuelling anti-lockdowners, anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers, have played conveniently into his governments push for the economy to take precedence over health and welfare. Mr Morrison does not appear interested in, or capable of, a mature and nuanced consideration of our freedoms and responsibilities. He has been reluctant to call out misinformation or disinformation, even when it is promoted from within his own party. He is playing a dangerous game indeed, if our great and powerful ally is anything to go by.

Fiona Colin, Malvern East An unhelpful intervention

Not content with destroying the political career of Australias first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, and sabotaging the nations only successful response to climate change, Tony Abbott now seeks to derail our fragile relationship with China at absolutely the worst possible time. We can only hope the Chinese dont take him as seriously as he clearly takes himself.

His recent unsolicited trip to Taiwan with gratuitous criticism of China can only add to the friction between Australia and our biggest trading partner.

Nick Toovey, Beaumaris Painted into a corner

Scott Morrison has painted himself into a corner with regard to the Glasgow climate summit. If he doesnt go, he will be castigated from afar for not taking the climate crisis seriously, and if he does go, he will be castigated in person for not taking the climate crisis seriously. Whatever he does, he, and his recalcitrant National Party members risk being scorned by Glasgow for their long-term lack of a coherent and ambitious climate policy.

Michael Meszaros, Alphington AND ANOTHER THING

Tony Abbott in Taiwan

Someone should tell Tony Abbott that just because he once verballed Australian car manufacturers, which ultimately saw them permanently leave our shores, it doesnt mean that while visiting Taiwan he can verbal China and expect China to leave Taiwan alone.

Phil Alexander, Eltham Credit: Taiwan is safe from Chinese invasion as long as our ex-PM is there. Xi Jinping would never risk getting the shirtfront from Tony.

Peter McCarthy, Mentone Corruption watchdog

Expecting a government mired in eight years of questionable behaviour to voluntarily put the grit into integrity is fanciful in the extreme.

Greg Curtin, Blackburn South Giving politicians the power to make medical decisions during a pandemic is akin to government by lobby group.

John Mosig, Kew

The pandemic

NSW is poised to become the canary in Australias COVID coal mine.

Deborah Morrison, Malvern East Two years ago, if youd asked me who my favourite epidemiologist was, I would have given you a strange look indeed.

Peter Neuhold, Elsternwick Dan Andrews, you could have saved yourself $400 by carrying an empty coffee cup.

Margaret Ward, Sorrento Life in lockdown

The roads are busier, the case numbers are still going up, we see protests and hear about illegal gatherings ... just checking, is anyone besides me actually still in lockdown?

Claire Merry, Wantirna Politics

With so many rusted-on supporters detaching themselves from Labor, sales of WD-40 must be soaring.

Bryan Fraser, St Kilda
Here then is the story, long buried, of Victorias first colonial mixed-race family.

Nor did he record that he thrashed her, or that when he finally abandoned her, he took away their daughter and had her baptised, aged about six, as Sophia.

Dutton, who is still hailed around the old town of Portland as a respected sea captain and whaler, did not broadcast that he had bought Kalloongoo as a young girl from a Kangaroo Island sealer.

It is no accident her story is little known.

Less known is that he took as his wife an Aboriginal child named Kalloongoo, kidnapped from her country and sold to him as a slave.

William Dutton, a sealer and a whaler from Van Diemens Land, laid claim to becoming the first white resident of Victorias first permanent European settlement. He built a house and dug a garden in 1830 at what would become the town of Portland.

Robinson had been responsible for rounding up Tasmanias dwindling Aboriginal people and removing them in the early 1830s to exile on Flinders Island, the largest of the remote Furneaux group of islands in Bass Strait.

One of the most consequential and divisive figures from the early period of black-white contact in south-east Australia, George Augustus Robinson, undertook an extensive interview with Kalloongoo. Deserted and stranded on a storm-racked sliver of granite in Bass Strait, she was brought to Flinders Island in early 1837.

She was granted the opportunity to tell it herself.

The day-to-day misery of Aboriginal women pressed or traded into the sexual and labouring servitude of sealers who operated along the Victorian coast and on the Bass Strait islands from the early 1800s, well before Europeans took to living permanently in Victoria, is not widely known.

It is a story that underlines a broader verity: the new search for the truth of colonisation, the basis for Victorias historic Yoo-rrook Justice Commission, will be neither easy nor pleasant.

Amerys paper showed Robinson recorded Kalloongoos home country as between BAT.BUN.GER (Patpangga, now Rapid Bay) and YANG.GAL.LALE.LAR [Yankalilla] on South Australias Fleurieu Peninsula.

But Kalloongoo was from the Kaurna language group of mainland New Holland and lived as a child on country south of what is now Adelaide, as detailed in Kaurna in Tasmania: A case of mistaken identity, a scholarly paper by Associate Professor Rob Amery, head of linguistics at the University of Adelaide.

Most of the women abducted or otherwise taken to sea and often enslaved by European and sometimes African-American sealers were from Tasmania.

On islands nearby were, here and there, the survivors of the period when European and American sealers used Aboriginal women to catch and butcher seals.

He would become the Chief Protector of Aborigines in the Port Phillip District (later Victoria) in 1839.

She [Kalloongoo] said there were several New Holland [mainlander] black men on Kangaroo Island, Robinson wrote in his journal.

It is not known what became of Renaninghe, although some sources suggest Dutton left her at Kangaroo Island before he settled on his new acquisition, Kalloongoo.

Kalloongoo was not Duttons first Aboriginal female companion. During the 1820s he travelled with a woman named Renaninghe Kotaternner Puerre, who is believed to have been taken from the North George River area of north-east Tasmania.

Although precise dates are unrecorded, the kidnapping probably occurred in the late 1820s and the sale to William Dutton probably took place about 1830, when he was aboard the Henry on sealing and whaling expeditions and regularly occupying a house he had built in Portland.

She was, she said, tied up, taken to Kangaroo Island and later forced aboard a schooner named the Henry, where she was sold to Bill Dutton.

She told Robinson of being kidnapped during a raid led by a sealer named James Allan.

During this whole period, the British Parliament was nearing the end of a long campaign to abolish slavery across the British Empire. On August 1, 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into force.

Beatings were not restricted to Kalloongoos time on Kangaroo Island, either.

Said they tied them up and beat them and beat them with ropes.

The boy died in consequence of his wounds. They cut them with broad sealers knives.

This woman [Emue] is now on Woody Island [now known as Anderson Island in Bass Strait] with Abyssinia Jack [a notorious sealer, whose surname was Anderson].

Said two of them died from eating seal; her brother died also from eating seal. Said the sealers beat the black women plenty; they cut a piece of flesh off a womans buttock; cut off a boys ear, Emues boy. [Emue was Kalloongoos sister-in-law.]

But distant legislation was never going to help Kalloongoo and women like her.

Kangaroo Island may as well have been a pirate kingdom in an unknown sea. The authorities of NSW, charged with administering a colony that was largely a mystery to those in Sydney, would not learn of a European settlement at Portland until late in 1836, and even then they had no way of enforcing the law at such a remote outpost.

Although details of Kalloongoos life with Dutton are vague, what is known is that when the Henty family arrived in Portland in 1834  gaining a reputation for being Victorias first permanent residents because they brought farming implements and animals  Dutton was already there with a black wife.

Two weeks after Edward Henty arrived, he set off with Dutton to explore the country nearby, and wrote about it in his journal.

... started three days walk in the bush accompanied by H. Camfield, Wm Dutton, five men, one black woman and 14 dogs Coming across an Aboriginal man, Henty recorded they set the dogs on him.

The woman, Kalloongoo, was called Sarah by Dutton. Together, they had a daughter, born about 1831.

But according to the late Portland historian Joe Wiltshire, who mistakenly identified the woman with Dutton on the 1834 trek as Renaninghe, the relatively upper-class Henty was appalled that a white man like Dutton would cohabit with a black woman, and conspired to get rid of her.

On January 5, 1835, it appears Henty got his way while Dutton was away on one of his whaling expeditions, or perhaps with Duttons agreement.

Henty recorded in his journal on that day that one of his ships, the Thistle, sailed for Launceston. On board was one black woman belonging Wm Dutton to be landed at King Island ... 

Assuming Kalloongoo was cast off at King Island in Bass Strait, it remains unknown how she later found her way to Abyssinian Jacks camp on the Furneaux Islands, further east, where she eventually ended up, in 1837, at Robinsons settlement on Flinders Island.

Wybalenna Aboriginal Station on Flinders Island in 1893.

But she left no doubt in Robinsons mind that Dutton  who sometimes camped with Abyssinian Jack  had dumped her.

He stated in his journal that Kalloongoo had been abandoned by a sealer [Dutton] who had gone to Launceston and married a white woman.

She had a child by Dutton  a girl which he took away with him, Robinson wrote.

And so he had.

The baptismal record No. 1005 of St Johns Church of England in Launceston reveals that on December 28, 1836, a child named Sophia, born about 1830, was baptised. Her parents were listed as William Dutton, mariner, and Sarah an aboriginal.

What became of Sophia remains a mystery.

Dutton married a white woman from Tasmania, Mary Saggers, in 1841. They had no children of their own, but were said to have adopted at least two.

They lived at Narrawong, near Portland, until Dutton  once a leading whaler, with 100 lucrative kills to his name  died in 1878, leaving his wife so impoverished the towns newspaper, The Portland Guardian, publicly called for charity.

The paper recorded: She receives orders at the Benevolent Asylum once a week for 2s. 6d. worth of bread, groceries, and other necessaries so far as the money will go, but then she sits under a rent of 2s. a week, which she is of course unable to pay, and which a kindly landlady permits to run into arrear or forgives right out.

Only for the kindness of a few old friends and neighbours who would not see her want for a pinch of tea or a bit of meat at times, she would ere now have perished of sheer starvation.

Kalloongoo, however, short of friends or charity, had more journeys before her.

She was still young: Robinson estimated she was about 20 in 1837, which means she must have been 13 when she gave birth to her daughter, and could have been no more than a child when she was abducted and sold.

On Flinders Island, she kept with her a son aged about five named Johnny Franklin, whose absent father, according to Robinsons journal, was a black sealer, possibly African American.

The boy had been born at the Julians  probably Lady Julia Percy Island off Portland, where Dutton had a sealing camp, or the nearby Lawrence Rocks. What Dutton had made of this we will never know.

The woman born Kalloongoo and renamed Sarah by sealers was about to be given a new name. Robinson called her Charlotte, introduced her to the Bible and made her his housemaid.

In 1839, Robinson had had enough of running the settlement for Aboriginal Tasmanians he had taken into exile with the sly promise that they would return some day to their own country.

Truganini.

Having saved about 200 Aboriginal Tasmanians from final destruction in what was called the Black War  Van Diemens Lands fierce frontier conflict from 1824 to 1831  on Flinders Island he had tried to convert these people into a European peasant culture and had failed.

With many of the exiles dying of illness and homesickness, he abandoned the settlement and moved to the Port Phillip District  which would become Victoria  as the inaugural Chief Protector of Aborigines.

He took with him 15 Aboriginal people, including Kalloongoo/Sarah/Charlotte, and the legendary Truganini, born about 1810 on Bruny Island, who had survived terror almost impossible to imagine.

Truganinis mother was killed by whalers, her sisters, Lowhenunhue and Maggerleede, were abducted into sexual slavery and taken to South Australia, and her uncle was shot by soldiers. A young man named Paraweena, who was to have been Truganinis husband, had his hands chopped off and was thrown into the sea to drown as he tried unsuccessfully to prevent timber-getters from pack-raping her.

Nevertheless, Truganini joined up with Robinson in 1830 to help him try to negotiate an end to the Black War violence. She was instrumental in persuading many of the surviving Aboriginal people to move to Robinsons settlement on Flinders Island.

Robinson intended that as he took up his new position on the mainland, his little band of Tasmanians, including Kalloongoo/Charlotte and Truganini, would help him establish friendly relations with Aboriginal people of the Port Phillip District.

It didnt work out that way.

The Port Phillip Protectorate was established at the instigation of Lord Glenelg, British secretary of state for war and the colonies, to protect the Aboriginal people from white violence and to civilise them.

The idea was embraced at a time when British decision-makers were in the thrall of evangelical views about humanitarian colonisation.

But the high-minded intention of the British Parliament and the London-based Aboriginal Protection Society and the reality on the ground in south-east Australia were a world apart.

By the time Robinson arrived as Chief Protector, and four assistant protectors were appointed to help him, conflict between land-grabbing squatters and the First Peoples whose land had been stolen was well on the way to what we might call frontier warfare, complete with massacres.

Robinson, whose protectorate would last a decade before folding, soon parted ways with his small contingent of Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

Truganini set off to Westernport with a group of four others  two men, Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner, and two women, Planobeena and Pyterruner  possibly bent on getting square with white men, representing those who had mistreated them. Planobeena and Pyterruner had earlier been freed from the camps of sealers who had abducted them, and Planobeena had been heard to say she would teach her friends how to kill many white men.

Truganini, left, with Bessy Clark and William Lanney.

The little party raided huts, assembled a small armoury of weapons and eventually, in 1841, killed two whalers.

Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner were hanged before about 5000 people in Melbourne for the killings  the first people to be hanged in the town. Judge Willis said the executions were designed to inspire terror [and] to deter similar transgressions. It was a botched job, but certainly terrifying. The men did not fall the length of their ropes, and the crowd abused the executioner as Tunnerminnerwait was slowly strangled to death.

Truganini, Planobeena and Pyterruner were acquitted  thanks to an unlikely claim by Robinson that they were under the total control of the men  and returned to Tasmania.

But Kalloongoo, who had been friendly with Truganini, and once was found with her at Point Nepean living with shepherds, appears to have stayed out of serious peril, possibly because she was devoted to looking after her son, Johnny Franklin.

By 1842, Kalloongoo, kidnapped as a child from her tribal home and sold to Victorias first permanent resident, thus straddling the period of pre- and post-colonisation, faded from the record of the increasing violence and dispossession afflicting her people.
Aboriginal health services in Mildura are racing to boost vaccination rates among the Indigenous community in the states north-west as fears rise over low inoculation rates coupled with growing COVID-19 cases in the Mallee.

A coronavirus outbreak in Mildura, which grew by 18 cases on Sunday bringing the total to 55, has hit the local Indigenous community, and there are fears the states Aboriginal people will be left behind as Victoria charts a path to freedom and prepares to reopen the economy from late October.

Mildura has entered a snap lockdown after case numbers went from one to 37 in a week. As of Sunday, it stands at 55 cases. Credit:

Mallee District Aboriginal Services chief executive Jacqueline Turfey said she was in discussions with the Victorian government over door-knocking the local Aboriginal population in a bid to improve vaccination access, and working with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to redeploy mobile vaccination vans to Mildura.

The whole mishandling of the AstraZeneca rollout was the biggest tipping point for our community, Ms Turfey said.
The latest Victorians to die from COVID-19 included a woman in her 70s and a man aged in his 60s from Darebin, a man in his 40s from Port Phillip, a man in his 80s from Maribyrnong, a man in his 80s from Brimbank, a man in his 70s from the City of Melbourne, a man in his 70s from Glen Eira and a woman in her 70s from Whittlesea. Mr Foley said there were now 677 people being treated for coronavirus in hospital. Of those, 133 were in intensive care and 94 on a ventilator. The latest case numbers came from more than 73,138 tests, a drop from Sundays 1889 cases and Saturdays record of 1965. The statistics show 34,279 people got their jab in state-run vaccination hubs on Sunday. Victoria has 19,012 active cases of COVID-19.

Loading NSW a live laboratory for Victorian health officials As NSW opens up this week, Victorian health officials will be watching closely. Mr Foley said the northern state would act as a live laboratory over the coming weeks ahead of the planned easing of restrictions in Victoria at the end of the month. As we know, this current wave of the outbreak originated in NSW, and in terms of the support that they got quite legitimately [it included] the best part of a million extra Pfizer doses at a critical part of their outbreak, Mr Foley said. He reiterated that restrictions around the Victorian-NSW border had been relaxed in recent weeks, and authorities wanted to make sure conditions were aligned across the states as soon as possible.

We think thats an important measure, too, for both states to aspire to, and well have more to say about that as conditions continue to change, Mr Foley said. At least six Victorian schools declared exposure sites At least six Victorian schools have been identified as COVID-19 exposure sites since some students went on-site learning last week. Three Victorian schools  Woodend Primary School, Queen of Peace Primary School in Altona Meadows and Virtual School Victoria in Thornbury  were identified as tier-1 exposure sites late on Sunday. The others identified earlier were Thornbury Primary School, Our Lady of Good Councel in Deepdene and Seda College in North Geelong. Students in prep, year 2 and year 12 were back in classrooms in regional Victoria last Monday, while VCE students across the state sat the General Achievement Test (GAT) in person on Tuesday.

More than 30 students tested positive for COVID-19 in a testing blitz ahead of the test. What weve learned through [the GAT] process [has been] about the impact of ventilation [and] social distancing within the school environment, and so far, at least, the minimal transfer of the virus across those school communities, Mr Foley said. The Health Minister said authorities were looking at how to make sure the impact of inevitable COVID-19 cases in Victorian schools was minimised, and particularly how to make sure VCE students were protected. The fact that weve got such outstanding vaccination rates of 12-year-olds and above is a significant factor thats allowing [the] health and education [departments] to have some pretty positive discussions about how that should be managed, Mr Foley said.

It was put to him that some people were concerned about the Melbourne Cup being able to host 10,000 spectators before schools were back at full capacity. Weve always made it clear that the safe, steady and sustained reopening of schools has been our significant priority, Mr Foley said. I would have thought that Victorian families and all Victorians would want to see young people back to face-to-face learning as soon as they possibly can, and making sure that  when that happens  its done in a safe, secure and sustainable way. Mr Foley was also asked to respond to questions over whether it was unfair the spectators could attend the Melbourne Cup early next month, but Victorians would still be unable to host family members at their homes.

He said regulated events could be safe, and the transmission of the virus often happened at peoples homes. Health Minister Martin Foley. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui We know in regulated settings throughout the global pandemic, particularly in this Australian context, if you have a COVID-safe plan in place, if you have the bubble arrangements, if you have the active co-operation of responsible partners like the VRC and Racing Victoria, youll have a safe event, Mr Foley said. What weve seen throughout the course of this pandemic, its in private settings that we let our guard down. [That is] completely understandable in that this is where we live, these are people that we love, that we want to bring around, and share lots of experiences with.

But at the same time, as weve seen in outbreak after outbreak, so many of the transmissions happen in residential and home settings. New Victorian ad campaign calls vaccines the ticket to freedom Victorian authorities are launching a new advertising campaign, calling COVID-19 vaccinations a ticket to freedom. Mr Foley said the new campaign would run across all media platforms.

Its all about capturing the sentiment that Victorians want to get back to the things we love, the things that we aspire to again, after 20 months of such hard work, he said. Dining, sport, travel, work, but perhaps most importantly of all, reconnecting with family and friends and those we love. As [we] announced as part of the Victorian road map to deliver the national plan and to protect the community and the health system, we know that the safest way to do that is to apply those measures to Victorians who are vaccinated, he said. Loading

If you are not vaccinated, these freedoms  wont apply to [you in] the same way that it will to those Victorians that are vaccinated. More importantly, every unvaccinated Victorian, particularly those who are susceptible to COVID-19, they are far more likely to get seriously unwell, far more likely to require hospitalisation. Vaccine passport trial kicks off in regional Victoria The vaccine passport trial is set to be a key test of the states preparedness to live under COVID-normal. It will start with just 14 businesses in six regional local government areas. The trial will be a precursor to the system set to roll out across the state once 80 per cent of the eligible population has received two coronavirus jabs. Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday the state was expected to hit that target about November 5.

Customers will be required to show proof of vaccination using the Service Victoria app on their smartphone. A Victorian government spokesman said more than 50,000 people had connected their vaccination certificates to the app by 10am on Monday. Peak demand was between 9.30am and 9.40am, when 4390 people linked their certificates. The businesses involved in the initial passport trial include hotels, cafes, cinemas, a gym, a church, and a beauty clinic. They are spread across the local government areas of the Bass Coast, Warrnambool, Buloke Shire, Greater Bendigo, Pyrenees Shire and East Gippsland. With Benjamin Preiss, Damien Ractliffe and Roy Ward
Deals completed so far in trade period 2021. If more deals are completed and confirmed today we will add them to the list.

1. Essendon signed unrestricted free agent Jake Kelly (Adelaide Crows) on Friday, October 1.

Based on the players age and the contract offer, the AFL advised the Adelaide Crows the club would be eligible for a round three compensation selection, which would be number 44 on the current provisional draft selection order.

Adam Cerra is now in Carlton colours. Credit:Jacqueline Guldon

2. The Gold Coast Suns signed unrestricted free agent Mabior Chol (Richmond) on Friday, October 1.

Based on the players age and the contract offer, the AFL advised Richmond the club would be eligible for an end of round two compensation selection, which would be number 38 on the current provisional draft selection order.

3. Carlton made an offer to restricted free agent George Hewett (Sydney) on Friday, October 1. The Sydney Swans elected not to match the offer the following day and Hewett is able to join Carlton immediately.

Based on the players age and the contract offer, the AFL advised the Sydney Swans the club would be eligible for an end of round two compensation selection, which would be number 39 on the current provisional draft selection order.

4. Collingwood trade their future round two selection, future round three selection and future round four selection to the Gold Coast Suns for their round two (22), round three (46), round three (58), round five (79) and future round four selection.

5. Collingwood trade their round three selection (41) to Geelong for Nathan Kreuger and their round three selection (55).

6. Port Adelaide trade their future third-round pick to the Giants for Jeremy Finlayson.

7. Melbourne signed unrestricted free agent Luke Dunstan (St Kilda) on Wednesday October 6.

8. In a four-way trade, Melbourne trade their round three selection (45) to the Western Bulldogs for their first-round pick (17),

St Kilda trade their round three selection (49) to Melbourne.

The Adelaide Crows trade their round two selection (37) to Melbourne for a second-round pick (33) and a future first-rounder.

The Adelaide Crows trade their round four selections (62, 66) and a future round four selection to St Kilda.

The Adelaide Crows trade their round two selection (23) and round three selection (44) to the Western Bulldogs for a fourth-round pick (75).

9. Collingwood trade their round two selection (22) to Fremantle for their round two selection (27) and a future third-round pick.

10. Fremantle trade a future second-round pick and future fourth-round pick to Gold Coast for Will Brodie, a second-round pick (19) and two picks from round four (61, 69).

11. Fremantle trade Adam Cerra to Carlton for pick six and a future third-round pick.

12. Tim OBrien (Hawthorn) joins the Western Bulldogs as an unrestricted free agent.

13. In a three-way trade, the Western Bulldogs traded Lewis Young to Carlton.

Carlton traded Sam Petrevski-Seton to the West Coast Eagles.

The West Coast Eagles traded their round three selection (52) to the Western Bulldogs.

14. Robbie Tarrant and a future second-round pick from North Melbourne and a third-round selection (currently No. 40 overall) at this years draft will go to Richmond.

Callum Coleman-Jones, two third-round selections (currently No. 42 and No. 47 overall) and Richmonds future fourth-round selection will go to North Melbourne.

15. Collingwood trades pick 43 to Western Bulldogs for Patrick Lipinski.
Everything Old Is New Again - MB Announces "MANUFAKTUR" Range Custom Choices

Editors Note:

Customizing an AMERICAN new car was the way it was until the far away Asian car makers filled their new local Asian car dealer's lots with boat loads of one-size-fits-all already built white or blue Toyotas Or Datsuns, all built with no buyer input...so the big advantage domestic car makers had, location, which gave them their ability to matter of factly customize every new car they sold, was squandered by stupid Detroit manager's and their dumb dealers...they blew it, instead of recognizing their advantage and continuing with what was good for their customers and good for them, they emulated the Asian car makers and built lots of cars to the zone mangers specs. Ok, so now welcome back to the future Mercedes it's nice to see you.

NOW. Stuttgart Oct 7, 2021; The Mercedes-Benz brand represents luxury and fascination unlike any other. The design, styling and different equipment lines help to express the personal lifestyles of various customers. With the new "MANUFAKTUR" label, Mercedes-Benz is taking another step forward to cater to customers' growing desire for more individuality, by enhancing the existing product portfolio with additional exclusivity and luxury: select materials which are predominantly processed by hand, exclusive paint finishes and high-quality embellishments in the interior offer a wide range of options for an individual appearance. A corresponding program has already been available for the G-Class for several years: the "G manufaktur" presents its own selection of materials and colors specially adapted to the vehicle architecture. With the introduction of the new MANUFAKTUR label, Mercedes-Benz now also offers a corresponding customization program for other model series such as the CLS, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe and the S-Class, as well as the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.

Buying a new vehicle means making numerous decisions at the same time. After all, your car is always part of your personal everyday life, and an expression of your own lifestyle. In addition to a choice of engine, paint finishes, interior equipment and comfort features, Mercedes-Benz customers are offered many options with which they can tailor their dream vehicle to their needs. For those who are also looking for something unique in terms of paintwork, leather upholstery and interior design, Mercedes-Benz now offers further, exclusive customization options for selected model series with the new MANUFAKTUR label. These combine luxurious craftsmanship, the highest quality materials and fascinating design.

Mercedes-Benz customers can expect an ambience characterized by an equally aesthetic and extraordinary color concept, the finest materials, comfort and exclusive trim elements in piano lacquer or wood. The excellence of the craftsmanship is visible and tangible in the embroidery, the leatherwork and the carefully applied trim elements. The attention to detail is particularly highlighted in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, through the chrome lettering MANUFAKTUR badge on the center console, and as a discreet embroidery on the rear window shelf.

One of the most expressive features of a vehicle is its paint finish. The MANUFAKTUR range offers an exclusive selection of signature paint finishes - both silky matte and high-gloss metallic, or rich non-metallic colors. Some of these colors are reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz history and classic cars. MANUFAKTUR Graphite Grey was part of the color range until the early 1960s, and adorned the legendary 300 SL "Gullwing" as a special color. MANUFAKTUR Graphite Metallic and MANUFAKTUR Olive Metallic were among the exclusive exterior options in the 1980s, while MANUFAKTUR China Blue was a popular choice for the E-Class (W123) and the S-Class (W126) in the 1990s. The trend towards a matte finish is reflected in fine, elegant finishes such as MANUFAKTUR Cashmere White Magno and MANUFAKTUR Kalahari Gold Magno, or the sporty MANUFAKTUR Night Black Magno. All MANUFAKTUR paint finishes exude high quality, and underline the fascination of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and their dynamic lines.

High-quality nappa leather with unique contrasting color concepts characterizes the ambience in the interior. This is where the classic MANUFAKTUR Deep White/Black Exclusive Nappa comes back to life, as does the iconic, MANUFAKTUR Pastel Yellow/Black Exclusive Nappa, which was available for the S-Class until 2012. Additional curated combinations with black are MANUFAKTUR Nut Brown/Black, MANUFAKTUR Truffle Brown/Black or MANUFAKTUR Yacht Blue/Black, for the highest individual elegance. The intricate diamond- pattern stitching on the seats further enhances the exclusive interior finish, and ensures particularly pleasant seating comfort. The MANUFAKTUR upholstery package also includes tone-on-tone additional cushions with an embroidered logo - depending on the model and equipment requirements, either the Mercedes-Benz star, the double-M rhombus of Mercedes-Maybach or Mercedes-AMG lettering in the floor mats. If the customer chooses one of the optional Emblem packages available for the S-Class and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the trademarks can also be embroidered in gold or platinum to further enhance the luxurious ambience.

In combination with the selected upholstery, additional visual highlights such as the handcrafted two-toned MANUFAKTUR Leather Steering Wheel are available to further enhance the feel of a tailored interior providing customers with additional refined components for a coherent and consistent, high-quality overall impression.

A unique highlight that underlines the brand presence is the MANUFAKTUR surround lighting with animated projection. When the doors are opened, animated Mercedes-Benz or Mercedes-Maybach patterns using sophisticated LCD technology light up and elegantly illuminate both the front and rear entry areas. This special lightshow is made possible by four LCD projectors embedded in the front and rear doors, which deactivate themselves after ten minutes.

The MANUFAKTUR program is available for the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the Mercedes-Benz CLS and S- Class, and the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. For the CLS, customers can choose between various paint finishes, including an attractive shade of blue called MANUFAKTUR Cote d'Azur Light Blue Metallic, as well as signature leather variants. Thoughtful elements also include a leather steering wheel, and floor mats to match the interior. Various paint and upholstery finishes are available on the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe that focuses on providing an even higher degree of personal choice. New colors emphasize either the sporty or the luxurious side of the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe  for example the new combination of Exclusive Nappa Leather in Titanium Grey Pearl / Black with contrasting topstitching in Yellow, or fine Exclusive Nappa Leather in Auburn Brown / Black in the STYLE finish

The MANUFAKTUR label will be extended to other model series in the coming years. In the future, selected sub-brands such as AMG, Maybach and EQ will also be available with MANUFAKTUR paint finishes and equipment packages. With the introduction of the MANUFAKTUR label, the previous individualization portfolio and label "designo" will be replaced.
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A Mandate Martyr

Commentary

The more I observe the establishments moral panic over COVID vaccines, the greater my belief that mandates are less about establishing beneficial public health policy and more about enabling an emerging technocracy to assume authoritarian control.

Lets consider the current case of Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, professor of psychiatry at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine.

From all indications, Kheriaty is a credit to his institution. He has a thriving clinical practice. He received several excellence in teaching awards over the last ten years. He serves as the director of the Medical Ethics Program at UCI Health (the hospital affiliated with the medical school), a role in which he consults with patients, families, and medical professionals to resolve difficult questions involving end of life treatment.

He is also a noted public intellectual having authored books and articles for professional and lay audiences on bioethics, social science, psychiatry, and religion. (Full disclosure: I am personally acquainted with Kheriaty because of our mutual interest in opposing legalized assisted suicide.)

Despite Kheriatys many qualifications, his job hangs by a thread. What did he do? Commit malpractice? Engage in unethical conduct? No. He challenged UCIs vaccine mandate.

Its not that Kheriaty is an anti-vaxxer. He has never tried to dissuade anyone from accepting the jab. Indeed, he believes that people most at risk from COVID are less likely to be seriously infected, require hospitalization, or die if they are vaccinated.

But. Kheriaty is anti-mandate. First, he sees rules requiring COVID vaccines as violative of individual liberty. He also believes that the COVID mandates threaten patients right to informed consenta bioethical doctrine that prevents doctors imposing involuntary medical treatments in most cases by giving patients the ultimate decision about whether to accept or reject a proffered intervention.

But Wesley. Vaccines are not just about protecting the individual, but also, furthering public healththe key word being publicby preventing a communicable disease from spreading.

True. But heres the issue when it comes to COVID. Mandates impose a one-size-fits-all approach, whether or notas a matter of sciencepublic protection actually requires universal vaccination.

Kheriaty believes that in his case, it doesnt. Indeed, he thinks it is medically unnecessary to be vaccinated both to protect him and as a public health matter. Why? You see, Kheriaty had COVID and now has natural immunity that protects him from further infection.

Indeed, while scientific opinions vary on this pointwe are dealing, after all, with a very new disease, and the vaccines have been with us for less than a yearsome scientists believe that natural immunity may be superior to that conferred by the jab.

Because he has antibodies to the disease, Kheriaty poses minimal risk to his patients, colleaguesor anyone elsefrom COVID. That being so, he doesnt want a foreign substance injected into his body, andexercising his right under the doctrine of informed consentrefuses to be vaccinated.

But UCI policy doesnt exempt people with natural immunity from its vaccine mandate. Administrators insist that he either roll up his sleeve or hit the highway.

Gauntlet thrown, Kheriaty sued to keep his job. But after a judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order preventing his firing, Kheriaty was placed on investigatory leave with paya formal step toward terminationfor misconduct and serious violations of UC policy.

More, UCIs letter to Kheriaty instructed: You are not to perform any work for the university. You are not to be present on the premises at the UC Irvine campus  nor any clinical space owner or operated by the University of California, Irvine . Since part of Kheriatys income is derived from UC Health clinical practicehe is forbidden from accepting private patientsthe exclusion effectively hits the psychiatrist right in the pocketbook.

More importantly, barring Kheriaty from performing clinical work could cause collateral damage to patients, who have nothing to do with his decision regarding the vaccine. Remember Kheriaty is a psychiatrist. His professional relationships with patients can be intensely personal, are often long-term, and may require ready and detailed knowledge of the patients history to react effectively to a crisis.

Moreover, the intimate relationship that builds over time with a psychiatrist is often essential to a patients ability to overcome mental illness or emotional trauma. In other words, keeping the psychiatrist away from his patients could be devastating to them.

Apparently, some of Kheriatys patients thought that too. In a just completed interview for a future episode of my podcast, he told me that UCI just adjusted the terms of his suspension. While he still cannot be present at a UCI facility, he will be allowed to conduct telehealth conferences with patients.

La de da. Seeing patients on a computer screen will often be inadequate to truly meet patient needs as in-person interactions can be crucial in psychiatric contexts. Moreover, patients may be uncomfortable discussing very personal issues over a streamed video link. I know I would be.

What makes this maddening is that it is all so unnecessaryif UCIs actual purpose is to protect Kheriatys patients and colleagues from disease. There is plenty of room for compromise. For example, Kheriaty could agree to advise patients that he has not been vaccinated because he has natural antibodies, allowing them to decide whether to risk being in his presence.

Kheriaty could be tested twice a weekas he has been previouslywhich would assure patients and colleagues that he does not pose a risk to their health. Given his natural resistance to the disease, that would seem to be more than sufficient. In other words, a modus vivendi that both protects the public health at UCI and honors Kheriatys liberty rights could easily be attained.

But that isnt the way things look to be going. UCI seems intent on firing their once valued colleague for publicly speaking truth to power and refusing to yield to government and institutionally imposed coercion.

Let us hope that effort fails. Protecting public health is not the real game that is afoot. Rather, like early Christians martyred as outcasts for refusing to engage in Roman emperor worship, mandate opponents are being targeted in the cause of empowering a New Technocratic World Order.

That is why courageous resisters like the UCI psychiatrist deserve our support. It may just be Kheriatys job, but it is our personal freedom ultimately at stake in how his case is decided.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Students of the Hong Kong University Students' Union hold a moment of silence before the Pillar of Shame in Hong Kong on June 4, 2021. (Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch Times)

Beijing Pressures Threaten Removal of Hong Kong Statue About Tiananmen Massacre

A US-UK law firm is doing the dirty work

Commentary

The West should ban companies from cooperating with totalitarian regimes like China in the suppression of democracy and free speech.

A Hong Kong university is using a U.S. and UK law firm to erase the Tiananmen Square massacres physical history, in the form of assisting in the removal of an almost sacred Hong Kong statue of the June 4, 1989 victims.

The statue by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot depicts a Pillar of Shame that shows in wrenching and emotional detail the suffering of dozens of pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.

On Oct. 7, the Chicago and London law firm Mayer Brown delivered a letter on behalf of the university to a Hong Kong organization that was a caretaker of the statue. The letter demands removal of the statue by 5 p.m. on Oct. 13, and threatens its disposal.

They really want to destroy everything about a story that China doesnt want people to know about, Galschiot told ArtNet, an art news site. I hope the art institutions around the world will do something [about this]. This is a monument that belongs to art. We call for action but there is not much time.

Galschiot told ArtNet that his work served as not just a monument, but a tombstone for those massacred at Tiananmen. We all believed that one day, we will put it in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the artist said. One day, China will change. It was our dream, but now its a nightmare.

Over 180,000 people participated in this years candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, where unprecedented mass demonstrations were cleared up by soldiers dispatched by the Chinese communist regime. This years attendance set a new record. (Sung Pi Lung/The Epoch Times)

The Hong Kong organization, called the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, responded with its own letter that protested the threatened removal. It reasonably pointed out that after more than 20 years, giving the organization just a few days to arrange the fragile statues removal was unacceptable.

The Hong Kong Alliance has for three decades organized commemorations of Tiananmen Square, but now many of its organizers have been arrested under the new national security law, and are in jail. Galschiot himself has lost contact with them. Police raided and confiscated exhibits from the Hong Kong Alliances June 4 Museum, which has since moved online.

The artist described the threat of the statues removal as unfair and immoral.

Theyve given them five days to remove the sculpture, its not possible. A lot of students are in jail, this is really crazy and unfair. I had an agreement with the university for the permanent exhibition of this sculpture, he told CNN. This is a big statement from the Chinese government if they remove it. Its the only monument remembering the Tiananmen crackdown, morally its a big problem.

The Pillar of Shame in Hong Kong is Galschiots best known work from a large oeuvre of sculptural and conceptual pieces. Two other pillars of shame were erected in the series of three sculptures. The second was unveiled in Mexico in 1999, to depict the oppression of indigenous people; and the third in Brazil in 2000, to depict a massacre of landless peasants.

The pillar in Hong Kong, which is arguably sacred to Chinas struggle for democracy, was first erected, poignantly, one week prior to the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997. It was relocated in 1998 to the University of Hong Kong, where it is annually washed by pro-democracy activists during preparations for the Tiananmen commemoration.

Galschiot, who was in Hong Kong in 1997 for the initial installation, told ArtNet: It felt scary, the week before the handover. But after a couple of months, nothing happened. China made the arrangements of one country, two systems and it was okay. But now, theres only one country, one system.

Beijings confidence and power has grown in Hong Kong, following the brutal suppression of the citys pro-democracy protests in 2019 to 2020, a new more Chinese nationalist educational curriculum, a national security law that criminalizes political opinion against Beijing, and a national security hotline where pro-democracy activists can be reported.

The university cited legal advice in its decision to remove the statue, and is likely under increasing pressure from Beijing to remove art, culture, and scholarship that is supportive of democracy.

The Chicago and Hong Kong offices of Mayer Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Mayer Brown public relations contact is the same for Beijing and Hong Kong.

While Mayer Brown has law offices in 24 cities globallyincluding Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Brusselsand so is arguably a reasonable choice for navigating this complex international issue, the universitys involvement of a U.S.-based firm has the effect, intended or not, of putting some of the blame for this cultural outrage onto the United States.

Any argument that all clients deserve legal representation does not wash here. The university is not facing charges in a courtroom. There are plenty of Hong Kong lawyers who could have sent the letter at a fraction of the cost. And totalitarian dictatorships, such as Beijing and the universities in Hong Kong that must increasingly serve the Chinese Communist Party, arguably do not deserve American legal services in their attempts to erase their own bloody history.

The leadership of Mayer Brown shows a profound lack of judgement in accepting this morally reprehensible task. The situation points to the need for new American, British, and European laws against businesses that assist in the suppression of democracy and free speech abroad. For a few pennies, unscrupulous businesses are willing to shill for Beijing, smear the good name of America and its long history of defending freedom and democracy around the world.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen looks on as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris meet with business leaders about the critical need for the American Rescue Plan in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 9, 2021. (Pete Marovich/Pool/Getty Images)

Treasury Secretary Believes Congress Will Pass Global Minimum Tax

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she believes that Congress will likely approve a bill to implement the global corporate minimum tax agreed upon by 136 countries last week.

Speaking to ABC News on Oct. 10, Yellen said that a proposal to include the United States in the global corporate minimum tax plan would likely be part of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation plan that Democrats are trying to ram through Congress.

Yes. I am confident that what we need to do to come into compliance with the minimum tax will be included in a reconciliation package, Yellen told ABC. I hope that we, that it will be passed and we will be able to reassure the world that the United States will do its part.

On Oct. 8, more than 100 countries agreed to set a minimum global tax rate of 15 percent for big corporations and made it harder for such businesses to avoid taxation. The plan was endorsed by President Joe Biden, who praised the move in a statement released by the White House soon after it was announced.

But Senate Republicans have argued that this would require a new international tax treaty that would require ratification with a two-thirds Senate majority. Republican senators told Yellen in a letter that they were concerned the Biden administration was considering circumventing the need to obtain the Senates authority to implement treaties.

Under the Constitution, the Senate must ratify any treaty with a two-thirds majority, or 67 votes. Bidens fellow Democrats control only 50 seats in the 100-member chamber. Republicans in recent years generally back corporate tax cuts and not raising taxes in general.

Two of the top Republicans on Congresss tax committees, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), criticized the global corporate tax deal, saying Biden has used this global forum to advance its short-sighted domestic tax agenda.

Several weeks ago, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, said Congress likely wouldnt ratify the global tax accord because it would require a 67-vote supermajority.

I think thats unlikely to happen, Toomey said in September. I want to stress, we have for many decades bilateral tax treaties, Toomey said, although he didnt say what would happen if its included in the reconciliation bill. Changing those treaties requires ratification in the Senatetheres no way around that that I can see.

Also in the interview, Yellen, who previously chaired the Federal Reserve, again called on Congress to raise or suspend the debt limit.

Fifty million Americans wouldnt receive Social Security payments. Our troops wont know when or if they would be paid. The 30 million families that receive a child tax credit, those payments would be in jeopardy, Yellen said, adding that such a scenario could result in catastrophe.

The Senate clinched a deal several days ago that allowed the federal government to increase the debt ceiling by $480 billion, which would push the next deadline to early December. Democrats were able to obtain the help of about 11 GOP senators to overcome the filibuster.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A gas ring on a home cooker in London, in an undated file photo. (Lauren Hurley/PA)

Britons Urged Not to Worry About Power Shortages This Winter

Consumers in the UK were told on Sunday that they dont need to worry about not having enough power this winter.

Both the government and the energy industry reassured consumers that their lights will stay on during the energy crisis.

It comes after nine smaller energy suppliers failed in September, and as energy-intensive industries such as the steel industry struggle to keep production going.

With gas prices at record highs, energy supply firms are losing a lot of money due to the governments price cap, which is in place to stop instant bill increases for customers, according to Stephen Fitzpatrick, chief executive of Ovo energy.

Asked if he is absolutely sure the lights will stay on this winter amid an energy crisis, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng gave a positive answer on the BBCs The Andrew Marr Show.

Yes, I am, Kwarteng said, although his answer during an earlier interview was a little less certain.

Im very committed and convinced that we will have full energy supply, the business secretary told Skys Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme.

Im as certain as I could be. Because obviously this is a global issue, weve seen right across the world real supply chain pressures, youve seen the Chinese have power blackouts, theyre rationing supply, here in the UK our job is to make sure there is minimal disruption, he said.

When an energy supplier collapses in the UK, energy regulator Ofgem is responsible for appointing another supplier to adopt the orphaned customers.

Dermot Nolan, the former chief executive of Ofgem, assured people not to worry about their energy provider going out of business, but predicted that more suppliers will go out of business.

Im not sure if more will [go out of business] or wont, I think its more likely that more will, certainly, Nolan said, adding that consumers will be taken care of.

Fitzpatrick also said consumers had nothing to worry about in terms of lights going out this winter or there not being enough power.

Because of the price cap, they are protected from the worst of all of this, Fitzpatrick told The Andrew Marr Show.

But the energy boss also said the policy means companies are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

At the moment if we buy gas and electricity on the wholesale market, energy companies are losing a lot of money for every unit they sell, he said.

So if a company was to go out of business and then another energy supplier takes over those customers and then has to buy that energy, they will be selling it at an enormous loss.

Fitzpatrick said prices have soared by 1,000 percent in 12 months.

Speaking of energy companies that have sprung up in the past few years, Fitzpatrick said consumers have benefitted from the competition, but it has been too easy to get into the energy market.

Its a very complicated industry and I think some people have underestimated the risks and how complicated it is, he said, adding that the wholesale gas price is the big uncertainty weve got at the moment.

PA contributed to this report.
Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Windsor, Ont., on March 21, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Rob Gurdebeke)

Canada Must Expand Strategic Partnerships to Combat Chinas Coercive Diplomacy: International Affairs Experts

With the release of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor held hostage by communist China, an expert panel says Canada must now look at widening its strategic partnerships, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, to deal with what it calls Beijings coercive diplomacy.

The group of international affairs experts came together in an Oct. 6 webinar to discuss the hostage diplomacy, economic coercion, and overt threats employed by Beijing and to outline strategies Canada and like-minded nations can collaborate on to address the regimes antagonism.

We need to broaden our partnerships. We need to be more multilateral in our engagements, said Stephen Nagy, senior associate professor in international studies at the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan, at the event hosted by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. When economic coercion does happen, or other forms of coercion,  we can rely on those partners and those economic networks and the strategic partnerships to put collective pressure on Beijing, to push back.

The event was part of a series of discussions about the Chinese regimes increasing challenges to the rules-based international order and its aggressive economic and security policies affecting North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Luke Patey, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, said its crucial for Canada to recognize economic and strategic interests in Asia beyond China. He noted that the European Union launched an Indo-Pacific strategy for co-operation in April.

Canada needs to strongly consider looking at growth opportunities in India and in Southeast Asia in particular, he said.

Its  sort of unpacking your economic relationships with China. Seeing where youre prone, where you have heavy dependencies, and then seeing what other countries are out there that might offer opportunities to start to diversify.

Patey, author of How China Loses: The Pushback Against Chinese Global Ambitions, said various anti-coercion plans to deter Beijings aggression are being considered, including having interstate funds to support targeted industries.

Theres also been discussions about having sort of an economic Article 5similar to what NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] has on the economic frontso that if one country is targeted economically, there will be a response, an economic response from allies, he said.

Nagy said Canada can learn from Japan, another country that has experienced Chinas hostage diplomacy. A professor from Hokkaido University was detained in September 2019 for alleged spying but was returned home two months later after the Chinese Foreign Ministry said he had confessed to illegally collecting state secrets.

Japan has been able to navigate this relation and the coercion I think from a position of strength, Nagy said, meaning that it continues to deepen its bilateral relationship with the United States, which gives it leverage in pushing back against China on difficult issues.

He added that Japan also diversifies its strategic partnerships. It participates in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad, with the United States, Australia, and India. In addition, it invests in multilateral agreements such as the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and the Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement with 11 other countries including Canada.

Japan is negotiating that relationship with Beijing from a comprehensive position of strength that allows it to bring in and anchor other actors in the region to support Japanese interests, Nagy noted.

(LR) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison participate remotely it a meeting for the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue countries, which also includes the United States, at the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on March 12, 2021. (Getty Images/Alex Wong)

Thomas Wilkins, a senior lecturer in security and strategic studies at the University of Sydney, stressed the need to diversify supply chains, increase domestic manufacturing, and strengthen minilateral partnerships.

He noted that Australias attempt to compartmentalize its security relationships with the United States and Japan separately from its economic benefits with China was always a little bit of a charade.

The economic chessboard and the security chessboard, or silos like that, theyre no longer separate anymore. The walls have broken down between these compartments, said Wilkins, who is also a senior research fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs.

The Chinese regimes establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Belt and Road Initiative, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization has changed the landscape in the Indo-Pacific region, he added. For countries operating within this region, the wall between economics and security is breaking down.

Nagy said that while Chinas reputation with Western democracies has hit record lows in recent years, developing countries such as Nepal and Sri Lanka along with some African and Middle Eastern states have a different viewthat China is not so bad.

This is really important, he said. As we calculate and we configure our approaches to China, we should ensure that we understand that [Chinas] relationship with us may be problematic, but they have many other partnerships around the world, and they sell themselves as the champion of emerging states.
Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd year of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 18, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

China Fails to Address UN Questions on Forced Organ Harvesting, Rights Groups Say

The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC) and two other U.S. rights groups have criticized China for the regimes inadequate and misleading responses over credible allegations of the state-sanctioned practice of forced organ harvesting.

The questions were raised in June by nine special rapporteurs to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and members of a working group on arbitrary detention. Together, they said they were extremely alarmed by reports of China harvesting organs from detained minorities, including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, and Christians.

The rapporteurs, who are independent experts in the U.N. human rights system, asked China to provide information on the allegations (pdf), including the legal grounds for the performance of medical examinations on prisoners or detainees and the purpose of such medical examinations.

China has turned its transplant industry into a profitable business by killing prisoners of conscience and forcibly harvesting their organs, allowing Chinese hospitals to offer patients a matching organ in an extraordinarily short amount of time. Over the years, Beijing has dismissed evidence of these crimes as rumors and said the country has a national donation system for organ procurement.

In 2019, an independent London-based tribunal concluded that state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting has taken place in China for years on a significant scale. The report (pdf) stated that it was certain that organs were being sourced from imprisoned Falun Gong adherents and theyre probably the principal source.

The report also pointed out that Falun Gong adherents in detention were systematically subjected to blood tests and organ examinations. Blood tests are carried out to check blood groups and tissue types to determine if an organ recipient can be matched with a donor.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance that gained popularity in the 1990s. By 1999, official estimates placed the number of adherents at 70 millionmore than the 60 million members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the time. Then-leader of the CCP Jiang Zemin ordered the elimination of the practice and its adherents, beginning a brutal persecution that has led to at least 4,696 documented deaths, although the true death toll is likely much higher, according to Minghui.org, a clearinghouse for information on the persecution.

Accounts of forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong adherents in detention first emerged in 2006. Practitioners of the spiritual practice continue to face arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, forced labor, and even death by torture or forced organ harvesting.

On Sept. 24, ETAC, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC), and China Aid Association issued a joint statement criticizing China for failing to adequately respond to the rapporteurs questions.

Once again, Chinese officials have failed to provide official statistics on transplantations, waiting times for organ allocation or sources for organs, as requested by U.N. experts in 2006, 2007, and now 2021, Susie Hughes, ETACs executive director, said in the statement.

Its time for a global boycott of Chinas transplantation sector until innocent minority groups are released and ethical transplant practices are demonstrated by the Chinese state.

In response to questions on medical examination, the three rights groups said it wasnt enough for China to simply cite public security guidelines and orders from the cabinet-like State Council.

The PRC [Peoples Republic of China] response provides no new data that would suggest the purpose of these examinations was anything other than an assessment of organ function, required prior to organ removal, the three rights groups stated.

The groups said China didnt respond to a question about its measures adopted to guarantee the need for donation and transplantation activities to be transparent and open to scrutiny.

Neither did China properly address another question on how data is collected to prevent abuse of transplantation systems.

Chinas public organ donation data has previously been questioned by experts. In 2019, a paper published in the scientific journal BMC Medical Ethics found that Beijings reported organ donation numbers dont stack up and there is highly compelling evidence that they are being falsified.

The Chinese Communist Partys blatant lies in response to the questions raised by the U.N. Special Rapporteurs on state-sponsored forced organ harvesting is shameful but not surprising, said Andrew Bremberg, a former U.S. representative to the United Nations and current president of VOC, according to the statement.

I commend the U.N. Special Rapporteurs for submitting these questions to China and urge member states to end their complacency based on the CCPs completely inadequate response.

It is up to member states, including the United States, to decide if the Special Rapporteurs work is ignored, or to finally act to demand accountability for Chinas horrific practice of harvesting the organs of prisoners of conscience.
The under-construction centralized quarantine facilities, where people at risk of contracting COVID-19 are to be taken into quarantine in Shijiazhuang, in northern Hebei Province, after the province declared an "emergency state," on Jan. 16, 2021. (STR/CNS/AFP via Getty Images)

China Braces for Possible Large-Scale COVID-19 Outbreak: Leaked CCP Documents

The Chinese regime has notified local authorities to prepare for a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19, according to leaked internal documents obtained by the Chinese Epoch Times.

One document, titled Notice of Further Strengthening of Epidemic Prevention was issued by the Chinese regimes State Council, and forwarded by Fujian provincial government to local authorities on Sept. 30. The other is a National Day Epidemic Prevention Notice issued by the State Council on Oct. 1 and distributed by the Fujian provincial officials to local authorities.

The documents are both marked extra urgent.

Both notices request enhanced preparations for an emergency response to the outbreak, with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) putting forward at least two standards for local authorities.

One is to build central isolation sites, with local authorities required by the end of October to create facilities of not less than 20 rooms per 10,000 people. The scale of each isolation site must be more than 100 rooms.

According to public data, the population of Fujian Province in 2020 was 41.54 million. As of Sept. 19, the province has set up 35,691 quarantine rooms in 296 central sites.

Based on the standard set in the notice, Fujian Province will need to build at least 83,000 quarantine rooms by the end of October, which is about 47,000 rooms in less than a month.

According to one expert, the requirements for the COVID-19 quarantine sites reveal the real situation of the pandemic in China.

Sean Lin, a former virology researcher at the U.S. Army Research Institute, told The Epoch Times: This reflects the CCPs concern about the rise of the epidemic. It must have been concealing the true epidemic in mainland China, otherwise, it would not suddenly issue a national notice of emergency preparedness.

Notice of Further Strengthening of Epidemic Prevention requires the establishment of a five-layered control system.

It states: Township and street CCP cadres, community grid staff, grassroots medical workers, police, and volunteers shall jointly implement community epidemic prevention, such as strictly implement[ing] community prevention and control, or locking down residential communities.

Lin said that the control system is actually to tighten social management in local areas, and the CCPs purpose is to tighten control.

If there is no nucleic acid test, all the CCPs epidemic prevention measures are the same as political campaigns. For example, you can be quarantined at any time and put in a quarantine site. And the quarantine sites can also be a place of political persecution, Lin said.

No matter who you are, as long as the CCP says that you tested positive in a nucleic acid test, it will deprive you of all your rights. The CCPs quarantine sites are actually an alternative form of concentration camp.

Luo Ya and Long Tengyun contributed to the report.
A picture taken on April 16, 2015 shows the icebreaker Tor at the port of Sabetta in the Kara Sea shore line on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic circle, some 2450 km of Moscow. The Yamal LNG (liquefied natural gas) project aiming to extract and liquefy gas from the Yuzhno-Tambeyskoye gas field is scheduled to start production in 2017. Russia's Novatek holds a 60 percent stake in the venture. France's Total and China's CNPC hold 20 percent each. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images)

Cold Ambition: China Eyes Arctic as New Frontier

News Analysis

They cut through the water like giant steel sharks, cold ocean spray misting off their gray hulls. Four Chinese warships, bristling with missiles, tear their path through the frigid waters of the Bering Strait, less than 50 miles from American shores. Their intentions are unknown.

For many Americans, this scenario is an unsettling prospect. It is, however, a reality, and may soon become the norm in SinoAmerican relations.

The U.S. Coast Guard discovered as much when they unexpectedly bumped into a Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) flotilla, a mere 46 miles from U.S. territory in late August of this year. It was the closest that the PLAN had come to American soil since 2015, when it first ventured into the Arctic.

On that occasion, the ships ultimately traveled just 12 miles from American soil.

These incidents, as alarming as they may seem, are wholly legal. The United States territorial waters end just 12 miles from the shore and, though the U.S. retains exclusive undersea economic rights out to the 200-mile mark, all international sea traffic is permitted on the surface.

It is this legal framework that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) currently seeks to exploit before the world stage. The recent traversal of the Bering Strait, a narrow chokepoint between Russia and Alaska, was not some idle threat, but a painstakingly crafted strategic message: Youve reached our backyard in the Indo-Pacific; now, we can reach yours.

But how did the wintry Arctic become the hotbed for international competition and conflict between the United States and China? And what does the Chinese Communist Party hope to achieve there?

An Old Frontier, New Again

To answer these questions, one need look no further than the global crunch for strategic resources and the rich stores of natural wealth that have been sequestered away in the Arctic until recently.

It doesnt matter where you look around the world, resources are becoming more scarce, said Ryan Burke, an associate professor in the Department of Military and Strategic Studies at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

According to Burke, who also serves as co-director of the Arctic-focused Project 6633 at West Points Modern War Institute, the drive for resources in an increasingly populated and interconnected world is driving new diplomatic and economic ventures as nations around the world feel the pressure to acquire the resources necessary to sustain themselves and their growth.

Such is true for China more than most, and Burke believes that Chinas push into the frigid northern waters is driven by an almost-panicked need to satiate the consumption of the Chinese mainland.

Much of it is spurred by the drive for resources, Burke said. In Chinas particular interest spectrum, I dont believe that China is anywhere near as powerful as many claim it to be. But I think thats also why we need to be worried about China and be mindful of Chinas interest and intent.

Burke explained that, despite popular conceptions, he believes most power indicators demonstrate China to be lagging behind the other great powers due to a tight crunch for resources.

He pointed to the tendency of analysts to consider only Chinas gross production capacities rather than measuring those capacities against the nations consumption and population.

They are so voracious in their consumption and their need to continue to satisfy the consumption rates of their people, that that makes them threatening for a number of reasons, Burke said.

They know they need resources. They know they need to expand into other regions of the world in order to quench that thirst.

The Arctic harbors an immense array of natural resources vital to a state in such a situation. Oil, natural gas, rare-earth metals, diamonds, and pristine fishing grounds are all found in the region, and its these resources with which China now seeks to satiate its appetite.

This is why it has thrown itself into the new Arctic melting pot, though such a venture would have been unthinkable only decades ago.

Historically, the Arctic presented humankind with something of an impassable hazard. The Northwest Passage, leading through the Arctic from the Atlantic to the Pacific, was first navigated in the early 20th century and was traversed by only a handful of ships every year until very recently.

In the 21st century, however, climate change has contributed to increasing ice thaw during the warmer months of the year. This, combined with improved icebreaking technologies, has allowed the flow of commercial, scientific, and military vessels into the region to increase, altering a geographic and strategic reality that had long seen little disturbance.

Thus, it is into the old frontier that China is seeking its latest venture, and where it hopes to secure its vision of a future global hegemony.

It is also here that Burke believes international cooperation will inevitably transform to competition, and that competition to conflict.

This is a region of evolving strategic competition, Burke said.

Conflict is an inevitability in the Arctic, and China is going to be at the center of this conflict in the future.

A Contested Domain

There are other contested commons beyond the Arctic, including airspace, the high seas, and outer space, all of which are either ungoverned or hold no territorial claims, where nations can openly compete for resources and primacy.

Thats why [China] is extending itself out into places like the Arctic, Burke said. These are strategic, contested commons that have not yet been claimed, and they may never be claimed given the realities of the environment. Nevertheless, there are resources there in the environment, and there are exploitation opportunities that come with that.

Perhaps the most notable such common is the Indo-Pacific, where the United States and its allies have formed dialogues and security agreements aplenty, all aimed at maintaining a free and open region, guaranteeing access to international waters and trade within the common space.

Most people are now aware of the growing military standoff between China and the rest of the world in the Indo-Pacific and its associated dangers. But Burke believes that the risk of unmitigated conflict may actually be greater in the Arctic.

This is because, unlike the Indo-Pacific or other major commercial regions, there are few nations with strong ties to the Arctic.

Indeed, only five nations coastlines border the Arctic Ocean, and only three more hold territories within the Arctic Circle. The littoral Arctic states are Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the United States, colloquially known as the Arctic Five. The others are Finland, Iceland, and Sweden.

This means that there are fewer international roadblocks to potential escalations in tensions, as fewer eyes and interests result in fewer checks and balances between the countries engaged in the region.

Importantly, the fact that most nations with ties to the Arctic are comparatively weaker states also means that the region is ripe for exploitation through soft power initiatives, be they diplomatic, economic, or scientific.

As it so happens, China is investing heavily in such initiatives in its attempts to break into the Arctic. The nation has built several research stations throughout the region and continues to invest in major infrastructure projects in Canada and elsewhere, providing itself with potential levers of future influence.

Some have called the push to develop ties in the Arctic a charm offensive, aimed at enabling China to develop lasting ties in a region it has no claim to. Others have pointed out that a Chinese civilian presence could strengthen future military capabilities in the region due to Chinas so-called dual use policy, whereby all scientific and economic ventures are intended to also improve upon state or military projects.

To this end, China appears to be everywhere in the Arctic, or at least wants to be seen as such. But there remains one critical flaw with this approach: China is not now, nor has ever been, an Arctic state.

The Arctic State That Wasnt

To increase the success of its attempts to access the Arctic and leverage its soft power, China declared itself a near-Arctic state back in 2012. It was a ploy for influence, to be sure, but one that worked well enough in opening diplomatic channels with several actual Arctic states.

From a territoriality standpoint, China is not an Arctic state, Burke said. They created this quasi-label of legitimacy and they self-proclaimed near-Arctic state. Thats not a real term. Thats a self-identified term. Its a completely irrelevant and made-up term. Its identity diplomacy at its finest.

The fact that they labeled themselves a near-Arctic state speaks volumes about their broader strategic interests and what they ultimately want to do in the region.

Alex Gray, a senior fellow in national security affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council and former deputy assistant to the president and chief of staff at the National Security Council, said that Chinas investments and civilian research did indeed point to a greater ambition in the Arctic, as well as a potential danger.

Theres the question of whether theres a dual-use component, because so much of what China has done economically around the world has been a facilitator for military activity, Gray said.

We have to be very cognizant that anything that the Chinese do on the scientific side will very likely have an economic component, and anything on the economic side very likely has a military and diplomatic component. They really do see these things as linked.

As a potential warning of what is to come, Gray described how China previously worked to expand its military influence directly into European waters through economic investments in the Greek port of Piraeus.

After acquiring a majority stake in the port, the PLAN began making port calls at the terminals operated by Chinese managers, effectively establishing a naval presence in the heart of the Mediterranean, and further enlisted Huawei Technologies to establish new communications systems there.

If you look at Chinas behavior globally through One Belt, One Road, and they now have this polar silk road, based on the track record theyve shown globally, thats very predatory behavior, Gray said.

You have to ask yourself, how have the Chinese behaved themselves in the Pacific islands? How have they behaved in Africa? In South America? In the Caribbean? When we have that kind of holistic view, we can make determinations about how we should approach them [in the Arctic].

The threat posed by Chinese involvement in the Arctic appears similar to that in Greece. What is a port of call for commercial ships one day could be a naval base the next. What is a scientific relay station one week could be a missile communications site the next.

To this end, Burke warned that the United States cant curb the rise of Chinas influence in the region through tough talk alone.

China has already shown the world that they dont cower to finger-wagging in other places in the world, Burke said. Theyre not going to cower to finger-wagging in the Arctic.

China sees a vacuum in the Arctic. They see an opportunity in the Arctic. They see a region of what is largely believed to be an exceptional zone of peace by the international community, an ungoverned space that is, frankly, ripe for the taking. Ripe for extraction, for presence, and for influence.

China is pursuing that to their own end.

A Free and Open Arctic?

It is that power vacuum that has resulted in Chinese military craft sailing off the coast of American shores, raising concerns that an unforeseen act of aggression or, more likely, a tragic misunderstanding, could trigger something catastrophic.

To prevent that from happening, the United States is focusing on a policy near and dear to its heart: a free and open world.

Much of the American public is aware of the nations growing commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, but that impulse, that policy platform, is not limited to the scope of any one region. Indeed, strategy documents released by the U.S. Army earlier this year indicated a similar impulse to preserving a free and open Arctic, aimed at thus preventing CCP influence from corrupting the region into a launching point for Chinas unbridled ambition for resource dominance.

There will be many hurdles along the way toward realizing that dream, not the least of which will be establishing international forums with which to examine Chinas already extant partnerships in the regionnamely, those with Norway, including the research station in Svalbard, an archipelago between Norway and the North Pole, and an evolving port deal north of the Arctic Circle, of which next to nothing is known.

Theres no multilateral forum to compel any sort of compliance with larger international norms in the Arctic, Gray said. So, we really have no idea, and we have no mechanism to find out what China is doing in a place like Svalbard.

As far as I know, no one outside of the Chinese scientific and governmental community has ever been there.

Yet another is the United States own need to develop its alliances and invest in renewed partnerships with other Arctic states like Canada and Denmark, whose militaries retain an unmatched cold-weather culture that would be vital to winning any allied conflict in the Arctic.

We need to be more engaged with our Arctic partners and allies, Burke said.

The United States does not have the Arctic expertise that other states like Norway and Canada do. They have the Arctic ingrained in their culture. They are cold weather through and through.

Ultimately, however, future conflict in the Arctic may come down to just how desperately starved for resources the Chinese mainland becomes, and how willing or unwilling it is to compromise in order to reach a diplomatic solution.

[China] is a country that should absolutely be the biggest and most powerful or most productive economy on the planet, given its resource pool and potential ability to produce with the masses of population that it has, he said. And the fact that its not number one, the fact that a country thats a quarter of the size by way of population, the U.S., is number one, thats something that China hates.

They hate the fact that they are second to the United States, yet theyre bigger than the United States.

The ambition to change that status quo is perhaps the one thing China has in spades.

Its just endless, Gray said. Instead of looking at it in isolated and separate theaters, people really need to understand that Chinas ambitions are global. Theyre global on a scale that we have not encountered at least since the Cold War.

This is just one example of how aggressive and ambitious they are, and how expansive those ambitions are.
Colorado Sued Over Discriminatory Pandemic Relief Program

A Colorado businessman has filed a class-action lawsuit against the state to block it from distributing pandemic relief funds based on the color of an applicants skin.

The civil rights lawsuit, Collins v. Meyers, was filed on Oct. 7 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The defendant, Patrick Meyers, is being sued in his official capacity as executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Resort Meeting Source, the event-planning business of plaintiff Stephen E. Collins, sustained revenue losses that can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), a Sacramento, California-based national public interest law firm representing him. PLF describes itself as defending Americans threatened by government overreach and abuse.

The business, which is also listed as a plaintiff, has had major events canceled in the past 18 months because of the pandemic. In 2020, Resort Meeting Source had a large event in Snowbird Resort in Utah canceled, and in 2021, the pandemic led to the cancellation of another large event at Hilton Penns Landing in Philadelphia. Between the two events, Resort Meeting Source recorded revenue losses of about $26,000.

Collins sought a grant from the states Disproportionately Impacted Business Grant program, which was created to help small businesses, but PLF argues that Collins is less likely to obtain that relief because the program establishes a preference for minority-owned businesses and hes white.

Colorado cannot use racial preferences to grant COVID-19 relief, PLF attorney Wen Fa said.

Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Wen Fa (Courtesy Pacific Legal Foundation)

Equality before the law is a vital part of the Constitution, and discriminating against individuals based on arbitrary classifications like race is always wrong. Were not challenging that the program gives relief and grants to small businesses. Were challenging the fact that the program provides for a minority-owned business preference in doing so.

Fa told The Epoch Times in an interview that grants in the range of $1,500 to $10,000 each will be handed out for a total of $1.7 million, pursuant to the state law known as SB 21-001.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed SB 21-001 into law on Jan. 21.

A minority-owned business is defined by the law as a business that is at least [51] percent, owned, operated, and controlled by an individual who is a member of a minority group, including an individual who is African American, Hispanic American, or Asian American, according to the legal complaint.

Applications for grants were submitted through a third-party administrator, the Colorado Enterprise Fund, from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3. The recipients are expected to be announced on Oct. 18 and the grants are expected to be distributed the following week.

The program is troubling, according to Fa.

Youre putting small business owners that have been impacted by COVID to the back of the line just because of the race of their owner, which is a very arbitrary metric, he said.

Colorado could very well implement this program in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race and does not separate businesses out by whether theyre minority-owned or not.

The racially discriminatory program violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, Fa said.

Were seeking a temporary restraining order, because the grant winners will be announced on Oct. 18, he said.

Were simply asking Colorado to administer the program in a race-neutral manner.

Fa said hes upbeat about his clients chances in court.

I think the Constitution is very clear that the government is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, he said. The government should view us as individuals and not as members of a racial group. And the only reason that Mr. Collins and his business are put at a disadvantage is because of his race. And we think thats wrong. And we want to vindicate the rights of all individuals to equality before the law.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
Confronting Our Vanities: Savonarola Preaching Against Prodigality

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart

With the advent of mass media, more and more of us feel like we need material possessions in order to feel worthy. Others put their self-worth into their politics, and others into their religion. Quite often, however, many of us use these things to condemn others who dont have what we have or think like we think.

Ludwig von Langenmantels painting Savonarola Preaching Against Prodigality presents a time in history during which people were encouraged to confront their vanities.

Savonarola

Girolamo Savonarola was a 15th-century Italian preacher and religious reformer. He was believed to have prophetic visions, and he preached against the corruption of the clergy. His growing popularity made him a political threat to the papacy, which sought to censure his public sermons.

Savonarolas extensive education and way with words made his sermons popular and convincing. He told the citizens of Florence that the apocalypse was imminent, and that self-restraint and sacrifice was the way to salvation.

The impassioned citizens of Florence were convinced to burn all the objects in their possession that distracted them from their religious duties. They sacrificed their possessions in a large fire now referred to as the bonfire of the vanities. They burned books, clothing, artwork, and anything else that was considered a distraction. Some citizens even decided to burn down the Medici bank, which was a center of power in Florence.

It wasnt long, however, before Savonarola was silenced by his enemies. He was ultimately hanged and burned by the church. Ultimately, he would be considered a martyr and was celebrated for centuries after his death.

Langenmantels Painting

Ludwig von Langenmantel was a 19th-century genre and history painter. His painting Savonarola Preaching Against Prodigality provides a visual representation of the bonfire of the vanities.

In this detail of the painting, Savonarola is preaching to all who will listen. (Public Domain)

The paintings focal point is Savonarola, who is positioned left of center. Dressed in a white robe and black hood, he stands on an ornately covered platform. He holds a rosary and skull in one hand and gestures above with the other. With his upper face shrouded by the shadow of his hood, he looks intently toward the heavens.

A detail of Savonarola Preaching Against Prodigality, 1879, by Ludwig von Langenmantel. St. Bonaventure University. (Public Domain)

The bonfire items are placed at the left of the platform. Two women lean on the heap of items. The one closest to us clasps her hands in prayer, and the other looks up toward Savonarola. Though their bodies are leaning on the items, their attention is captured by something else.

Several wealthy women congregate at Savonarolas feet with items to contribute. One of the women presents her crown, suggesting that she is renouncing her royal stature, while another woman kisses Savonarolas robe.

The poor also attend Savonarolas sermon. (Public Domain)

Behind the cluster of wealthy women, there are two common people: an older woman and a young girl. They have nothing to contribute to the bonfire. Instead, they have come to hear the apocalyptic sermon.

There are many citizens of Florence depicted around Savonarola. The rich, the poor, men, women, clergy, and laypersons all come to hear his sermons and participate in the bonfire. A young boy prepares the flame at the far left of the composition.

A boy carries the flame to light the bonfire of the vanities. St. Bonaventure University. (Public Domain)

Sacrificing Our Vanity

So what wisdom might we gather from this painting and the bonfire of vanities?

Symbols tell us what kind of painting this is: The golden items prepared for the bonfire, the boy preparing the flame, and the skull in Savonarolas hand show us that this is a vanitas painting.

According to the Tate website, vanitas are artworks that remind the viewer of the shortness and fragility of life  and include symbols such as skulls and extinguished candles  to remind us explicitly of the vanity (in the sense of worthlessness) of worldly pleasure and goods.

Savonarola holds the skull because he is the reminder of the apocalypse; he is the reminder of the coming end and the worthlessness of material possessions.

I was not able to find an extinguished candle in this painting, as in other vanitas paintings. The extinguished candle often symbolizes the ephemerality of life and asks the viewer to not waste time on material pursuits. Yet, the bonfire itself is the candle in this painting. We are made to anticipate that the items of the bonfire will burn and that the fire will die out.

In fact, the idea that we see a single flame before it lights the fire suggests something important. Langenmantels vanitas painting reminds us of what comes before the fire, of the beginning that must occur if we wish to go beyond our pursuits for material comfort. In other words, we must first be willing. We must be willing to burn away our desire for material comforts if we wish to experience what is beyond this material world.

Langenmantel makes another point. Anyone and everyone, irrespective of their walks of life, gathers for the bonfire. Unlike ideologies that create conflict based on class, gender, race, and so on, here, people of every class and age gather for a singular purpose: to go beyond their material possessions. It is the willingness to change their character that brings them to this event.

Self-Restraint

None of this can be said seriously, however, without mentioning some concerns revealed by Savonarolas bonfire. It must be stated that the bonfire of the vanities was not an exercise of religious censorship against the public but the encouragement of self-restraint.

In other words, Savonarola was not behaving like a totalitarian ruler. He was not encouraging people to burn items that would interfere with his own ascent to power because he was not interested in gaining political power. Instead, he was encouraging those inclined to elevate themselves beyond the material world to stop attaching their self-worth to the things of this world.

However, some of his followers took his message to the extreme and burned down the Medici bank in Florence. It should be noted that there is a difference between looking within to improve ourselves morally and forcing our moral understanding on others. In the latter case, its an act of taking our limited moral understanding as an absolute.

Today, we seem to have a culture built around vanities. We constantly want to possess more, or we want to condemn others for not thinking like us. Were politically angry and spiritually frustrated.

How can we stimulate a response to look within and offer our material idols up for sacrifice? How might we have self-restraint be a staple in our culture?

The traditional arts often contain spiritual representations and symbols the meanings of which can be lost to our modern minds. In our series Reaching Within: What Traditional Art Offers the Heart, we interpret visual arts in ways that may be morally insightful for us today. We do not assume to provide absolute answers to questions generations have wrestled with, but hope that our questions will inspire a reflective journey toward our becoming more authentic, compassionate, and courageous human beings.
COVID-19: The Weaponization of Fear and the Loss of Freedom

Commentary

Many U.S. citizens wonder if life will ever return to normal. Are masks here to stay? On TV, news channels are busy spreading fear. Meanwhile, some of the most widely read publications in the United States are warning about the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To live in the United States is to live in a permanent state of fear. This, as many readers know, is by design. A more fearful nation is a more passive oneeasier to manipulate and easier to control.

In the United States, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, its far too soon to tell if Christmas gatherings will be allowed. Considering Christmas is more than two months away, one is forgiven for raising their eyebrows and asking, What are you talking about, Dr. Fauci? What is the point of vaccines and booster shots if we cant be with our loved ones? Havent we sacrificed enough over the past 18 to 20 months?

Today, across the country, fear dominates the narrative. As someone currently completing a doctorate in psychology, I am intimately familiar with the mechanics of emotional salience. As a key attentional mechanism that contributes to our survival, fear is currently being weaponized for nefarious purposes.

When it comes to the mechanics of government-induced fear, the economist Robert Higgs is perhaps the most knowledgeable man in America.

After reading a fantastic article by City Journals John Tierney, I picked up a copy of Crisis and Leviathan: Critical Episodes in the Growth of American Government, a book written by Higgs, an economic historian who has been warning about the dangers of government creep for more than 30 years. In Crisis and Leviathan, which was published in 1987, Higgs discussed a phenomenon known as the ratchet effect. Just like a tradesman uses a ratchet to allow effective, one-directional motion, governments often use emergencies to ratchet up their responses. By introducing more programs and more oversight boards, such ratcheting comes with significant costsincluding freedoms we once took for granted. The loss of freedom brings a loss of privacy, and with these losses comes a loss of what it means to be human.

Clearly inspired by Higgs, the U.S. government, aided by mainstream media outlets, has weaponized fear to full effect. Aided by behavioral experts and masters of spin, a number of highly influential people have exploited this deeply wired reaction to further erode human agency. Now, to be clear, fear is a highly complex emotion. Context is everything. If you find yourself being chased by a bear, fear is natural. To feel joy in that situation would likely result in your swift and all too painful demise.

However, in modern society, our predisposition toward fear is largely maladaptive. Your chances of being chased by a bear are minimal. In fact, your chances of dying from unnatural causes have never been lower. The world has never been safer. With COVID-19, though, we are constantly fed the life-or-death narrative. The message from the government and MSM is clear: If you enjoy living, then listen to those in power. If instead you enjoy dying, then, by all means, do your own thing. Don Lemon, CNNs anchor and part-time preacher, has spoken about leaving the unvaccinated behind. Again, to be clear, I am not advocating against vaccines, but every adult should be free to make their own decisions. They shouldnt be coerced or fed false, fear-filled narratives.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, in Washington on July 20, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite/Pool/Getty Images)

A Culture of Fear

We are bombarded with news stories 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekmany of these are of the tragic variety. Not surprisingly, as we are hardwired to sense danger, the human mind provides fertile ground for the planting of fears. However, fears, like plants, can also be uprooted. Sadly, our ability to uproot is being compromised by those in positions of genuine power. Because of this, to paraphrase James F. Byrnes, the late politician and judge, too many people now find themselves obsessed with the idea of security. By failing to acknowledge opportunity (also known as freedom), they seem to be more afraid of life than death.

Fear works best when an element of truth gets exaggerated to epic proportions. With COVID-19, we know the virus exists; we also know that far too many people around the world, including at least 709,000 Americans, have died. Butand this is of vital importanceif you happen to be reasonably young and reasonably healthy, your chances of dying from the virus are minimal. One of the major reasons COVID-19 has had such a devastating impact in the United States has a lot to do with one, simple fact: 40 percent of the countrys adults are obese. Instead of fearmongering, Fauci should be advising people to get fitter. This is one of the surest ways to avoid succumbing to the illness.

Why does this get excluded from the conversation, either intentionally or otherwise? Because its much better to keep control of the massesincluding the younger, healthier citizensif tens of millions live in a perpetual state of fear.

An individual has a far greater chance of being killed in a traffic accident or from the flu than they have of dying from COVID-19. Obviously, no one wants to get the flu or experience a traffic accident. Nevertheless, we dont live our lives in constant fear of both. Thats because our salience biases, also known as perceptual salience, predispose us to focus on novel threats. Whats more novel than a novel coronavirus? Fear is a prison largely of our own making. Lets free ourselves.

I will finish with a quote from Frank Herbert, author of Dune: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
People test drive Dream Edition P and Dream Edition R electric vehicles at the Lucid Motors plant in Casa Grande, Ariz., on Sept. 28, 2021. (Caitlin O'Hara/Reuters)

Electric Vehicle and Battery Makers Target $24 Billion for Southern US Plants

The center of gravity for U.S. auto manufacturing is moving south, with electric vehicle and battery makers planning to spend nearly $24 billion in new factories from Arizona to Georgia.

Already announced are the following plants and investments:

Arizona

Startup Lucid Motors has just opened a $300 million assembly plant for electric vehicles in Casa Grande, halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. The company says future expansion plans could take total investment up to $1 billion.

Nikola Corp. said it is planning a $600 million facility in Coolidge, not far from Casa Grande, to build fuel-cell electric trucks.

Texas

Tesla Inc. is nearing completion of its $1.1 billion assembly and battery plant outside Austin, and has said it will move its corporate headquarters from California to Texas.

Tennessee

German automaker Volkswagen AG invested another $800 million in its Chattanooga plant to build electric vehicles, starting earlier this year with the ID.4.

Ford Motor Co. is building a massive vehicle and battery assembly complex in Stanton, outside Memphis, with partner SK Innovation Co. The $5.6 billion Blue Oval City is expected to open in 2025, building the next-generation F-150 Lightning pickup.

General Motors Co. is investing $4.3 billion with partner LG Energy Solution, a unit of LG Chem, to build an electric vehicle assembly plant and battery plant in Spring Hill. The assembly plant will turn out the Cadillac Lyriq in 2022 and a pair of vehicles for Honda Motor Co. and its Acura brand in 2024.

Kentucky

Ford and SKI are spending $5.8 billion to construct two battery plants in Glendale, near Louisville, to open in 20252026.

Alabama

Toyota Motor Corp. and partner Mazda Motor Corp. have opened their $2.3 billion plant near Huntsville, and expect to add production of electric vehicles in the near future.

Georgia

SKI is investing $2.6 billion in two battery plants in Commerce, outside Atlanta, with the first slated to open in 2022.

Oklahoma

Startup Canoo Inc. has agreed to build a $500 million plant in Pryor, outside Tulsa, to assemble a range of electric vehicles, starting in 2023.

By Paul Lienert
Small toy figures are seen in front of displayed Facebook logo in this illustration taken on Oct. 4, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Facebook Will Try to Nudge Teens Away From Harmful Content

WASHINGTONA Facebook executive said Sunday that the company would introduce new measures on its apps to prompt teens away from harmful content, as lawmakers scrutinize how Facebook and subsidiaries like Instagram affect young peoples mental health.

Nick Clegg, Facebooks vice president of global affairs, also expressed openness to the idea of letting regulators have access to Facebook algorithms that are used to amplify content. But Clegg said he could not answer the question whether its algorithms amplified the voices of people who had breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The algorithms should be held to account, if necessary, by regulation so that people can match what our systems say theyre supposed to do from what actually happens, Clegg told CNNs State of the Union.

He spoke days after former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified on Capitol Hill about how the company entices users to keep scrolling, harming teens well-being.

Were going to introduce something which I think will make a considerable difference, which is where our systems see that the teenager is looking at the same content over and over again and its content which may not be conducive to their well-being, we will nudge them to look at other content, Clegg told CNN.

In addition, were introducing something called, take a break, where we will be prompting teens to just simply just take a break from using Instagram, Clegg said.

U.S. senators last week grilled Facebook on its plans to better protect young users on its apps, drawing on leaked internal research that showed the social media giant was aware of how its Instagram app damaged the mental health of youth.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committees antitrust subcommittee, has argued for more regulation against technology companies like Facebook.

Im just tired of hearing trust us, and its time to protect those moms and dads that have been struggling with their kids getting addicted to the platform and been exposed to all kinds of bad stuff, Klobuchar told CNN on Sunday after Cleggs interview.

She said the United States needs a new privacy policy so that people can opt in if they favor allowing their online data to be shared. The United States also should update childrens privacy laws and its competition policy, and require tech companies to make their algorithms more transparent, Klobuchar said.

Clegg noted that Facebook had recently put on hold its plans for developing Instagram Kids, aimed at pre-teens, and was introducing new optional controls for adults to supervise teens.
Federal Judge Rules Against Natural Immunity Claim Challenging COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

A federal judge on Oct. 8 denied a request to block Michigan State Universitys COVID-19 vaccine mandate on the basis of natural immunity.

An employee at the school, Jeanna Norris, filed a lawsuit against the mandate and asked a judge to intervene on the basis that she had already contracted COVID-19 and recovered. She presented two antibody tests showing her previous infection, and her doctors told her that she didnt need to get the vaccine at this time.

Despite her natural immunity, Norris faces termination from the university for not complying with the schools mandate that all students and staff get the shot unless they have a medical or religious exemption.

U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, declined her lawsuit. The mandate, Maloney said, didnt violate her fundamental rights and pointed to a 1905 Supreme Court ruling.

This Court must apply the law from the Supreme Court: Jacobson essentially applied rational basis review and found that the vaccine mandate was rational in protect[ing] the public health and public safety, Maloney said in his order. The Court cannot ignore this binding precedent.

Some studies have shown that natural immunity afforded by a previous COVID-19 infection provides longer-lasting and stronger protection against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus than the vaccines. An Israeli study published in August compared individuals who had a previous infection with those who received the PfizerBioNTech vaccine and said their analysis demonstrated that natural immunity affords longer-lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease, and hospitalization due to the Delta variant.

This is the largest real-world observational study comparing natural immunity, gained through previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, to vaccine-induced immunity, afforded by the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, the study said.

Lawyers for Norris told The Washington Times that shes considering legal alternatives.

Ms. Norris courageously brought this lawsuit to vindicate the constitutional rights of individuals with naturally acquired immunity to COVID-19 who are subject to irrational vaccine mandates, Jenin Younes, a lawyer who works for the New Civil Liberties Alliance, who represents Norris, told the paper. While we are disappointed by todays order, we are committed to fighting for the rights of COVID-recovered Americans to decline a medically unnecessary vaccine without having to sacrifice their livelihoods.

Michigan State officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
In this special episode, we sat down with two guests: Grant Newsham, senior fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies; and Rick Fisher, senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Newsham talked about Chinas recent aggressive air incursions into Taiwan as well as how neighbors like Japan might react, while Fischer touched on the recent airshow in China and how the United Sttattes and allies compare.

About Beijings record number of fighter jets entering Taiwan airspace, Newsham said: What the Chinese communists have managed to do is to wake up Japan. You now have a Japanese government that recognizes the threat that it faces as a result of Chinese pressure on Taiwan. And this is even discounting Chinese aggression against Japanese territory in the southern islands, particularly around the Senkaku. Japan realizes, and as much as it didnt want to admit it, but it knows that if Taiwan comes under Chinese control at that point, Japan is in very, very serious problems. So now you finally have Japanese politicians and officials very clearly stating that there is real concern about a Taiwan scenario. And the Japanese are now thinking about what they need to do in response to that, either unilaterally or with the Americans. But the Chinese have woken up Japan finally. And its about time.

And as to the impact of China declaring an actual war, Newsham said: When people talk about a war with China, hopefully they all realize that this will not be a sort of starts on Friday and ends on Monday sort of affair. But this is something that will be felt worldwide. And if you want to see a stock market crash 25,000 points in an afternoon, well, wait for that war to start. Additionally, global trade and the economy will be just ravaged by this. So this is something that we want to prevent. But as I said, the way to prevent it is to be willing to fight. And you have to fight  you have to have friends with you. Its not a situation where one country can go it alone. So fortunately, the Japanese and the Americans and some others that theyre waking up, have they waited too long to wake up? Im not sure. But this is certainly that the fight of our lifetime, as near as I can tell.

And Beijing recently flexed its military might at the Zhuhai airshow, showing off the latest technologyincluding laser trucks

Fisher offered insight into what this means.

He said, This show of force, show of power, absent using it, is a very important Chinese coercive military strategy that goes back hundreds and thousands of years.

Among the weapons featured were laser trucks.

Fisher said: Energy weapons are the weapons of the future. A weapon like a laser can have an unlimited magazine, if you will, an unlimited number of rounds to fire. If you just plug it into an energy source, it can just keep on firing. And when you develop more powerful lasers, such as in the megawatt class, you can shoot down an intercontinental ballistic missile, an intermediate-range ballistic missile; shoot down an aircraft at very long range; damage satellites in space very easily. So there is a race right now in the development of laser weapons. Russia has them. The United States is rapidly developing laser weapons for the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and Air Force. And of course, China has long been developing laser weapons. Now at the Zhuhai show, China revealed two mobile laser weapons: one developed by the Norinco Corporation, and the other developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, or CASIC. Now, that China would have two lasers for saleboth of them mobile, both of them on trucksis a big deal because the United States is not going to start testing a mobile laser system like this until sometime next year. And that means were not going to be able to deploy them for a number of years into the future. That China is already selling mobile laser weapon trucks means that theyre ahead of the United States in this technology.

Watch the full episode on EpochTV.

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Find Towering Peaks and Western History in the Rocky Mountains

Head north 7.4 miles from the Grand Lake entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park and you come to a rather innocuous-looking parking lot and campground. In fact, youve discovered one of the parks most fascinating locationsthe Holzwarth Historic Site, or as it was more quaintly known in the 1920s, the Never Summer Dude Ranchwhere for $2 a night (or $11 a week) you could stay in a rough-hewn log cabin beneath towering pines, enjoy home-cooked meals, sit around a campfire, horseback ride, and (according to the advertising of the day) fish for all the trout you could catch.

As you head out on the gentle gravel path that leads to the old ranch site, you cross a culvert built over a gently meandering creek, so small in summer you can almost jump across it. If it werent for the information sign by the side of the trail, youd have no idea that you just crossed the upper reaches of the mighty Colorado Riveror as it was originally known, the Grand River, carver of the Grand Canyon that bears its name.

The headwaters of the Colorado River can be found in the Rocky Mountain National Park. (Jim Farber)

Rocky Mountain National Park came into being by order of President Woodrow Wilson on Jan. 26, 1915, making it the 10th park in America to be preserved as a natural wonder for public use. Straddling the Continental Divide, the parks boundaries encompass more than 400 square miles: 265,795 acres of mountain peaks that rise to more than 12,000 feet (well above timberline); jewel-like lakes, pine forests, and aspen groves; verdant meadows; and, as mentioned, the headwaters of the Colorado River. But it was thanks to President Franklin Roosevelts Civilian Conservation Corps that a spectacular two-lane roadway was constructed between 1926 and1932the Trail Ridge Roadwhich continues to provide visitors a scenic byway for exploring the park as it snakes its way up to viewpoints whose vistas seem to go on forever. At its highest point, the road ascends to 12,183 feet above sea level, making it the highest continuous highway in the United States.

A highlight (quite literally) of any drive on the Trail Ridge Road is the Alpine Visitors Center. Nestled at 11,796 feet, it is the highest elevation visitor center in the entire national park system. The views are panoramic. Theres a cozy cafe where you can warm up and a National Park Service center for information and souvenirs. However, for the adventurous, the center offers a stairway to heavena series of steeply rising carved granite steps that lead up to the summit at 12,000 feet. This huff-and-puff climb of about a quarter-mile offers the hearty a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountain ranges and the north-south spine of the Continental Divide.

Dinner at the Grand Lake Lodge in Colorados Rocky Mountain National Park comes with an incomparable view. (Jim Farber)

As the park evolved, so did the need for traveler accommodations. In 1920, Frank Huntington opened the Grand Lake Lodge as a nest of small cabins built around a grand lobby in the national park tradition; its listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Currently operated (and beautifully renovated) by Highway West Vacations, the lodge offers a perfect combination of the rustic and the luxurious with recent additions that include larger lodge-style rooms, wedding facilities, an elegant swimming pool that overlooks Grand Lake with cushioned seating areas, and fire pits for sunset sipping. The lodge also features a fine restaurant with a full bar, spacious dining room, and a deck with a view like no other.

Its the perfect combination: a stay at Grand Lake Lodge combined with ample time to explore the natural wonders and vistas of Rocky Mountain National Park.

When You Go

Rocky Mountain National Park: NPS.gov/romo/index.htm

Grand Lake Lodge: GrandLakeLodge.com

Jim Farber is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at Creators.com. Copyright 2021 Creators.com
Inaccurate Poll Distorts California Recall Debate

Commentary

One of the themes I have advanced in my Epoch Times articles is the importance of retaining the recall process as it already is. As Gov. Hiram Johnson explained when he advanced his 1911 reforms, which the people of California approved: I do not by any means believe the initiative, the referendum, and the recall are the panacea for all our political ills, yet they do give to the electorate the power of action when desired, and they do place in the hands of the people the means by which they may protect themselves.

The key word is panacea. The process isnt supposed to give all 39 million Californians guest rooms at San Simeon. Just make the political system a little more sensible and honest. Hold the politicians accountable.

The latest assault on the process comes from a recent highly defective poll (pdf) by the UC San Diego Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research. Its Sept. 28 announcement read, Survey Finds Bipartisan Support for Major Reform to Californias Recall Process. But it did nothing of the kind.

For one thing, polls nowadays are highly inaccurate. Most people now do not have the old land lines with fixed addresses. People also install call blockers. My call blocker stopped a Scam Likely call just as I was writing this piece.

Moreover, the only way polls can be judged for accuracy is when an actual election occurs, so we have real numbers from local registrars of voters or the California Secretary of State. Otherwise, its just GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out.

The poll supposedly found: The recall, and especially the replacement race, were not representative of the full electorate. Wait a minute. Isnt the full electorate those who vote? If you stay home, or dont mail in the ballot, youre effectively boycotting the election, and therefore not a part of the electorate.

And: Respondents strongly favored increasing the signature threshold required to call a recall from 12 percent of the electorate to 20 percent, with 54% of registered voters supporting this idea versus 35% opposing it. The sentence is badly written, mixing the two kinds of percentages. By registered voters they mean those responding to the question saying they were registered voters.

And 54 percent is just above a majorityon a poll, not an actual election. To change the California Constitution would require placing a measure on the ballot with a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature, or by the usual initiative process.

Yankelovich also first should have asked if the respondents even knew the current percentage of the electorate currently required for signatures. And they should have asked if the respondents knew a significant percentage more signatures were needed to take care of defective signatures and other problems.

The answers, of course, would have shown the electorate is uniformed about such matters. Not that they need to be. Most people are involved leading their livesworking, taking kids to school, shopping, binge-watching TV series, etc.to worry about the details of recalls.

And given the previous statewide recall was 18 years ago, and the next one likely will be 58 years from now, even under the current system theres no reason to bother them about this. If the threshold for getting signatures was increased from 12 percent of the electorate to 20 percent, it would be so high there never again would be a recall. Hiram Johnsons reform effectively would be rescinded.

The poll also did not ask about how the recall process, even when not actually activated by the acquisition of sufficient signatures, still acts as a check on the politicians. They know if they get too far out of line, they could face a recall, even get booted from office.

Reasons for a Recall

The Yankelovich survey also found 66 percent of respondents would support a constitutional amendment specifying the reasonssuch as concerns about corruption or criminal actsthat would be required to justify any recall. But who would decide what were sufficient reasons? The Secretary of State? A new bureaucracy?

And its not hard to come up with concerns about corruption or criminal acts for any politician, even good ones who are uncorruptible.

Have the Yankelovich surveyors ever read opposition campaign documents? Or how about history books? The Jefferson vs. Adams match in 1800 was one of the most vicious ever, pitting the sitting president and vice president against one another, the accusations flying like locusts in Kansas. Although later in life the two 1776 revolutionaries again became friends.

Hiram Johnson was right back in 1911. His reforms dont need to be reformed. Although almost everything else in California politics does.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Villagers watch a burnt car which on Oct. 3, 2021, ran over and killed farmers at Tikonia village in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Oct. 4, 2021. (AP Photo)

Indian Ministers Son Arrested After Recent Protest Left 9 Dead, Including 4 Farmers

The son of a junior minister in Indias government was arrested by police on Saturday after a recent protest escalated and ultimately left nine people dead.

Officials and farm leaders said four farmers died after a car ran over a group of farmers who were protesting on Oct. 3 in Lakhimpur Kheri, a town in Uttar Pradesh state.

The car belonged to Junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra. Farm leaders accused Mishras son of having been in the car when it ran over the protesters, but he denied it.

Protesters beat the occupants of the car with sticks after the incident. Mishras driver and three members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, who were all in the car, were all killed.

Ashish Mishra, the son of the minister, was arrested in connection with the deaths of the four farmers. He failed to present any evidence that could prove he was not present in any of the three vehicles that plowed through a crowd of farmers killing four of them, police officer Upendra Agarwal said on Saturday.

Relatives and neighbors of a farmer who was killed Oct. 3, 2021, after being run over by a car owned by Indias junior home minister mourn at Tikonia village in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh state, India, on Oct. 4, 2021. (AP Photo)

But Ajay Mishra maintained his son was innocent because he was not in the area.

Separately, police said that they also recovered the body of a local journalist in the area, but did not provide extra details.

Police said earlier this week they so far arrested a total of six people and filed a criminal complaint against 14 others, including Ashish Mishra.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party lodged a criminal complaint against the farmers over the deaths of the driver and BJP members in the car, said Arvind Chaurasia, a senior official in charge of the district.

Ongoing protests have played out in India since the Modi government in September 2020 enacted laws to deregulate Indias agricultural industry and provide the farmers with more autonomy to sell their goods to independent purchasers, rather than to government-sanctioned buyers.

The government said the new farm laws would encourage growth in the farming sector through private investments.

Farmers who protest the new laws have asserted the agricultural reforms would end guaranteed pricing for the crops they sell, which means they may have to sell their crops to corporations at cheaper prices.

Experts have said the reforms are needed and what is happening is a challenge often seen whenever a government in a functional democracy tries to enact mass reforms, The Epoch Times previously reported.

Venus Upadhayaya and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Orange Countys COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decline to 214

SANTA ANA, Calif.Orange Countys coronavirus hospitalizations declined from 223 to 214 Oct. 9, while the number of COVID patients in intensive care dropped from 47 to 44, according to state figures.

The latest numbers come one day after officials reported 260 new cases of COVID-19 and 12 additional deaths. Ten of those deaths occurred in September, one in August, and the first one was reported for October, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA).

Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, deputy county health officer, said the vast majority of Septembers fatalities were unvaccinated. The victims are also trending younger than previous surges, she added.

In September, 45 percent of those who died were younger than 65, she said.

And 97 percent were unvaccinated, she added.

I dont want us to repeat what happened this summer because so much could have been prevented if wed been a little more cautious, Chinsio-Kwong said. Until we can get more of our younger folks vaccinated we need to take precautions.

Chinsio-Kwong is concerned that the upcoming holiday season, starting with Halloween, will spur another winter surge. She encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated for the upcoming flu season, and noted it takes two weeks to develop full immunity after the shot, so if they get it now it will be in time for Halloween festivities.

The flu is right around the corner, Chinsio-Kwong said Friday.

Some are asking can you get the flu and COVID at the same time and the answer is yes.

Chinsio-Kwong said it was technically safe to go trick-or-treating, especially if its outdoors, but everyone should be mindful of continuing efforts to avoid infection such as social distancing, good hand hygiene, and wearing a mask.

Kids love to eat candy and so do I, but it means removing your mask, Chinsio-Kwong said. This should be a fun and exciting time and it should be safe, but use some caution if youre indoors.

Chinsio-Kwong suggested Halloween and Dia de los Muertos festivities could be used as an excuse to decorate masks Fridays data brought the countys cumulative totals to 299,594 cases and 5,475 fatalities since the pandemic began, according to the OCHCA. The county had 25.6 percent of its intensive care unit beds available and 68 percent of its ventilators as of Friday.

The OCHCA does not report coronavirus data on weekends.

As of Oct. 2, the countys new case rate per 100,000 people was 3.1 among fully vaccinated residents and 16.1 for the unvaccinated.

The number of fully vaccinated residents in Orange County increased from 2,115,536 on Sept. 30 to 2,135,325 on Thursday.

That number includes an increase from 1,976,227 to 1,994,678 of residents who have received the two-dose regimen of vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna. The number of residents receiving the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine increased from 139,309 to 140,647.

There are 197,201 residents who have received one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

The top providers of vaccines are the OCHCA at 26.50 percent, CVS at 18.30 percent, Walgreens at 6.10 percent, Kaiser Permanente at 5.50 percent, University of CaliforniaIrvine Health at 2.80 percent, Walmart at 1.90 percent; Safeway, Vons, and Pavilions at 1.20%; Families Together of Orange County at 1.10 percent, and multiple others below 1 percent.

The countys weekly case rate per 100,000 residents improved from 9.7 to 8, while the positivity rate fell from 3.4 percent to 2.9 percent, according to data released Tuesday. The countys Health Equity Quartile positivity ratewhich measures progress in low-income communitiesdropped from 3.8 percent to 3.1 percent.
People wave national flags during a protest against the mandatory "green pass" in Rome, Italy on Oct. 9, 2021. (TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Protests Erupt Across Italy Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

Thousands of demonstrators marched in Rome and other Italian cities over the weekend to protest against the governments COVID-19 vaccine mandateone of the strictest in the world.

Starting on Oct. 15, the countrys green pass vaccine requirement will apply to private and public sector workplaces, with both employers and employees risking significant fines if they dont comply. The vaccine passport is already required before entering restaurants, gyms, theaters, and other establishments as well as domestic flights, bus travel, or long-distance train travel.

Some protesters clashed with police as they marched toward Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghis office. Police responded by deploying water cannons and tear gas. A group tried to break through police lines to get to Draghis office, according to footage and pictures taken at the event, although footage also showed police swinging batons at the demonstrators.

Draghi denounced the protesters who clashed with police and said his broad unity government remains committed to completing its vaccination campaign.

The right to demonstrate to support ones ideas can never degenerate into acts of aggression and intimidation, he said in a statement issued by his office.

People wave national flags during a protest in Rome, on Oct. 9, 2021. (TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

A similar statement was issued by CGIL, one of Italys largest unions, after demonstrators marched on the organizations offices on Oct. 9.

If someone has thought of intimidating us, of frightening us, of making us shut up, they must know that  they dont scare us, CGIL head Maurizio Landini said in a translated statement, according to ANSA.

At least 12 people were arrested after the demonstrations, officials told ANSA. About 38 police officers suffered what appear to be mostly minor injuries, they said, although one officer suffered broken ribs.

Opponents of the Green Pass say it tramples on freedoms and is an indirect way of forcing vaccinations on people. Elsewhere, critics of vaccine passports have said that such systems would create a segregated, two-tiered society of the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

People take part in a protest against the vaccine passport system in central Rome on Oct. 9, 2021. ( TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Right-wing Italian leader Matteo Salvini, whose League party is a partner in Draghis coalition, proposed to partially ease the green pass system.

Lengthen the minimum term of the Green Pass from 48 to 72 hours, wrote Salvini in a Twitter post, calling it a step to avoid chaos.

Elsewhere in Europe, protesters in France have demonstrated every weekend for several months against the countrys vaccine mandate, which forces restaurants, gyms, some travel systems, and theaters to ask customers for proof of vaccination before entering. More took to the streets on Oct. 9 in Paris and other cities.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Former Rep. Allen West talks to the media after meeting with Vice President-elect Mike Pence at Trump Tower in New York City on Dec. 5, 2016. (Kevin Hagen/Getty Images)

Republican Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Allen West Hospitalized With COVID-19

Texas GOP gubernatorial candidate Allen West said hes doing great after he was hospitalized with COVID-19 over the weekend.

No complaints. Im just relaxing, West told The Associated Press, saying he was hospitalized in Plano, a Dallas suburb. The Republican former lawmaker said he is awaiting the results of a chest X-ray.

West and his wife, Angela, were diagnosed with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus after attending a fundraising event in Seabrook, Texas, last week but added that he is suspending in-person events until receiving an all-clear indication.

I want to thank all of you for your prayers. Angela and I just completed the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy and are in the observation period. Theres a concern about my oxygen saturation levels, which are at 89 and they should be at 95, he wrote on Twitter, adding that he is suffering from not serious COVID-19-related pneumonia.

A post on Wests Facebook account stated he was taking hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin to deal with COVID-19 symptoms.

5/ I can attest that, after this experience, I am even more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandates. Instead of enriching the pockets of Big Pharma and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, we should be advocating the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.  Allen West (@AllenWest) October 10, 2021

West, a former Republican lawmaker and Army lieutenant colonel, has publicly stated he supports individual choice and this is reflected in his own family regarding COVID-19 vaccines, according to a Twitter post from Wests Twitter.

And, he added, after this experience, I am even more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandates. Instead of enriching the pockets of Big Pharma and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, we should be advocating the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.

As Governor of Texas, West continued, I will vehemently crush anyone forcing vaccine mandates in the Lone Star State. There are far better protocols that individual citizens can utilize and decide for themselves.

West, a Tea Party favorite, won a House seat in Florida in 2010 but didnt win his reelection bid two years later. Before announcing his run for governor against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, West was head of the Texas Republican Party.

Last fall, he joined a protest against Abbotts then-COVID-19 restrictions. He also sued the governor for extending early voting.

Cecilia and I are sending well wishes to Allen and Angela. You are in our prayers. Get well soon, Abbott wrote in a Twitter post in reference to Wests diagnosis. In August, Abbott said he contracted COVID-19 but tested negative several days later.
The U.S. embassy building in Moscow, Russia, on July 31, 2017. (Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia Accuses 3 US Embassy Staff of Theft, Wants Their Immunity Lifted

MOSCOWRussia has asked the U.S. embassy in Moscow to lift the diplomatic immunity of three of its staff suspected of stealing things from a Russian citizen, the Interfax news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying on Friday.

If the United States refused to lift their diplomatic immunity, the three employees would have to leave Russia immediately, the foreign ministry was cited as saying.

Earlier this week the Russian foreign ministry said a U.S. congressional proposal to expel 300 Russian diplomats from the United States would lead to the closure of U.S. diplomatic facilities in Russia, if implemented.

U.S. Democratic and Republican senators urged President Joe Biden on Tuesday to expel Russian diplomats if Moscow did not issue more visas for Americans to represent Washington in Russia.

Interfax, citing a source with Russias law enforcement, reported earlier on Friday that three U.S. citizens from the Moscow embassy under the influence of alcohol stole a backpack from a Russian national on Sept. 18.

The Moscow police identified the three men as servicemen of the U.S. Marine Corps aged 21 to 26, Interfax reported, citing police spokesman Vladimir Vasenin.

The U.S. embassy did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
A group of Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft sit on the tarmac at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 13, 2019. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Southwest Airlines Cancels 1,000 More Flights as Disruptions Increase

Southwest Airlines has canceled at least 1,000 Sunday flights as of 12 p.m. ET, according to flight tracker FlightAware, coming after numerous cancelations were reported Saturday.

We experienced significant impact in the Florida airports [Friday] evening after an FAA-imposed air traffic management program was implemented due to weather and resulted in a large number of cancellations, said Alan Kasher, who oversees Southwests flight operations, in a statement obtained by several news outlets on Saturday.

About 800 Southwest flights were canceled on Saturday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Other major carriers, including American Airlines and Spirit Airlines, appeared to have significantly fewer disruptions.

Southwest declined to comment on whether cancelations were due to staffing shortages related to the firms recently announced COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which oversees air traffic in the United States, also didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Southwest said in a statement on Saturday that it is attempting to return to close to normal operations as we move into Sunday.

We are working hard behind the scenes to minimize challenges and fully recover the operation as we take care of displaced Crews and Customers as quickly as possible, the company said, without elaborating on the nature of the flight disruptions.

The firms Saturday statement also blamed the issue on air traffic control problems and the weather.

We experienced significant impact in the Florida airports yesterday (Friday) evening after an FAA-imposed air traffic management program was implemented due to weather and resulted in a large number of cancellations, Southwest said.

There was speculation on social media that the flight cancelations were being triggered by employees calling in sick en masse. In its statement Saturday, Southwest did not make reference to the speculation.

Southwest Airlines must join our industry peers in complying with the federal governments COVID-19 vaccination directive, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly announced on Oct. 4, explaining that the company works as a federal contractor and needs to comply with President Joe Bidens September vaccine mandate for federal employees and contractors. That prompted a lawsuit from Southwests pilot union, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, which is seeking a court injunction against the mandate.

On its website Saturday, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association blamed the cancelations on a number of issues, but we can say with confidence that our Pilots are not participating in any official or unofficial job actions, in an apparent reference to speculations about employees calling in sick.

Our Pilots will continue to overcome [Southwest Airlines] managements poor planning, as well as any external operational challenges, and remain the most productive Pilots in the world, the statement continued. They will continue to be focused on their highest prioritysafety.

Meanwhile, on Sunday morning, there were long lines at Southwests ticket counter in the Tampa airport, according to local media.

B.J. Romero, a passenger, told Fox13, I have two kids. I have appointments. I have work. I cant miss work. I have people relying on me, so I have to be home. Thats not going to work for me.

When asked about whether Southwests claim about bad weather caused mass cancelations, Romero balked at the suggestion. That sounds like baloney to me, Romero told the station. The weather is fine in all connecting areas, theres no bad weather.

Theres got to be something behind the scenes theyre not telling us.
Southwest Airlines Pilots Union Sues to Block COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate

A union representing thousands of Southwest Airlines pilots filed a lawsuit against the carrier after the company announced mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

In a recent court filing, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) asked a judge to grant a temporary injunction against the vaccination mandate while also asking for an immediate hearing on its request before a federal court in Dallas. The union asserts that the Texas-based airline violated terms under the Railway Labor Act with its vaccine mandate.

The new vaccine mandate unlawfully imposes new conditions of employment and the new policy threatens termination of any pilot not fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Associations lawyers wrote in their legal filing. Southwest Airlines additional new and unilateral modification of the parties collective bargaining agreement is in clear violation of the [Railway Labor Act].

The union, as well as other pilots unions, have argued that COVID-19 vaccines pose a unique risk to pilots because any adverse reaction to the shot could affect an individuals ability to clear the medical requirements needed to fly.

Under the Railway Labor Act, federal courts have the power to enforce the duty to maintain the status quo, the union further argued in the suit.

In a statement on the unions website, its leadership stipulates: We want to be perfectly clear: SWAPA is not anti-vaccination, but we do believe that, under all circumstances, it is our role to represent the health and safety of our Pilots and bring their concerns to the company.

A Southwest spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the firm disagrees with SWAPAs claims that any COVID-related changes over the past several months require negotiation and remains committed to [its] employees health and welfare and to working with SWAPA, and our other union partners, as we continue navigating the challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic.

Earlier this month, Southwest said that its 56,000 workers, including pilots, must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 under federal rules. After President Joe Biden on Sept. 9 announced that federal workers and federal contracts have to receive the vaccine unless theyre granted a religious or medical exemption, Southwest said that it would require vaccines, as the company is a federal contractor because it flies government employees, cargo, and provides other services.

Southwest Airlines is a federal contractor and we have no viable choice but to comply with the U.S. government mandate for Employees to be vaccinated, andlike other airlineswere taking steps to comply, Gary Kelly, chief executive of the Dallas-based airline, told its workers last week.

The case is Southwest Airlines Pilots Association v. Southwest Airlines Co., 3:21-cv-02065-M, filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas in Dallas.
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei, Taiwan, on Oct. 10, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwans President Promises to Defend Island Against Chinese Regimes Aggression

Taiwan will protect its people from falling into the hands of communist authoritarianism, its president said at the 110th National Day ceremony in Taipei on Oct. 10.

We will continue to bolster our national defense and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us, President Tsai Ing-wen said during the ceremony, which was held in the plaza in front of the Presidential Office.

The path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people, she said.

National Day marks the establishment in 1912 of the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwans official name. Yet the Chinese regime considers the island a wayward province, despite that the de facto independent country has its own constitution, military, and ruling party.

Although Beijing has warned for decades that any attempt by Taiwan to seek independence means war, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has never actually governed the self-ruled island.

Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team flies over the Presidential Office during National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Oct. 10, 2021. (Chiang Ying-ying/AP Photo)

Before the communist regime came into power 72 years ago and established the Peoples Republic of China, the legitimate government retreated to Taiwan.

On the eve of the 110th anniversary of the founding of the ROC, Chinese leader Xi Jinping claimed to have achieved peaceful reunification with Taiwan. It came after Beijing ramped up military threats by flying 150 fighter jets and bombers into Taiwans air defense zone earlier this month.

Regional order is being challenged in the South and East China seas. The routine Chinese military activity in Taiwans southwestern air defense identification zone has seriously affected both our national security and aviation safety, Tsai said.

The Taiwanese president pledged to safeguard the island against dramatically rising aggression.

We hope for an easing of cross-Strait relations and will not act rashly, but there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure, Tsai said. And we will do our utmost to prevent the status quo from being unilaterally altered.

China had proposed that Taiwan be brought under Chinese rule under the one country, two systems formula, which the regime promised Hong Kong in 1997. Yet Taipei rejected the offer after Beijing rolled out relentless efforts to undermine Hong Kongs autonomy.

We do not have the privilege of letting down our guard, Tsai said, saying that Taiwan is standing on the frontline of democracy in defending against the expansion of communist authoritarianism.

Some U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives congratulated Taiwan days before the celebration, reaffirming the islands regional and global contributions and the importance of the U.S.Taiwan bilateral partnership.

We are mindful that Taiwan stands at the forefront of confronting challenges posed by the Chinese government, said Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) in a joint letter (pdf) to Tsai dated Oct. 5. Menendez is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

You can count on our continued support in ensuring Taiwan remains one of our most important partners in the IndoPacific region.
Taliban fighters try to stop protesters, as they shout slogans during an anti-Pakistan protest, near the Pakistan embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 7, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

Taliban Wont Work With US to Contain ISIS After Terrorist Attacks: Spokesman

The Taliban wont cooperate with the United States to contain the ISIS terrorist group after it claimed responsibility for a bomb attack that killed dozens of people in the northern city of Kunduz last week, according to a spokesman for the extremist group.

Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban, said in an interview Saturday that there will be no talks or coordination with Washington on how to deal with ISIS after the groups regional affiliate took responsibility for the Kunduz Mosque attack, along with other bombings in recent weeks.

We are able to tackle Daesh independently, Shaheen told The Associated Press on Saturday, using an Arabic term for ISIS.

Late last week, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that left 46 peoplenamely adherents of Shia Islamdead in Kunduz. The individual who was behind the attack was described as a Uyghur Muslim, the group said.

That bombing, according to the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, is part of a disturbing pattern of violence and is now the third deadly attack this week apparently targeting a religious institution.

Afghan men stand next to an ambulance after a bomb attack at a mosque in Kunduz on Oct. 8, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)

Shaheens remarks over the weekend come as the United States and the Taliban, itself a designated terrorist group, held talks on their countries relationship, according to an Afghan diplomat. The discussions were held in Qatar.

Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi, Afghanistans acting foreign minister, told Al Jazeera that his delegation is seeking humanitarian aid as well as the lifting of restrictions on the countrys central bank.

But Muttaqi told news outlets over the weekend that his delegation told the United States that it should not try to destabilize the government in Afghanistan.

Good relations with Afghanistan are good for everyone. Nothing should be done to weaken the existing government in Afghanistan, which can lead to problems for the people, he said in a recorded statement, which was translated by the AFP news agency.

As Afghanistans economy teeters on the verge of collapse, Muttaqi said the Taliban will hold meetings with other countries.

We are trying to have such meetings and gatherings with the U.S. and other countries of the world and to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan, listen to one anothers opinions, he remarked, according to AFP. The issues that people of Afghanistan are facing in terms of economy or any other issues should be resolved. The existing government of Afghanistan is committed to having good relations with other states and cooperate with others, to facilitate its people, and provide them services.
Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Allen West Says He Has COVID-19

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Allen West, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the governor of Texas, announced late Saturday that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

He wrote on Twitter that he and his wife, Angela West, who had also been diagnosed with COVID-19, both completed monoclonal antibody infusion therapy and are in the observation period.

Theres a concern about my oxygen saturation levels, which are at 89 and they should be at 95, he said. My chest X-rays do show COVID pneumonia, not serious. I am probably going to be admitted to the hospital.

According to Wests Twitter account, his wife tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday after she was given vaccines for COVID-19 and the flu.

West said he was experiencing a low grade fever and light body aches and was suspending in-person events pending further notice.

He was already taking Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin protocols and did not receive the vaccine.

LTC West has publicly stated he supports individual choice and this is reflected in his own family, reads a Twitter post shared on Saturday.

He said on Twitter he had attended an indoor event in Seabrook, Texas. The post described the Mission Generation Annual Gala and Fundraiser as a packed house.

West was a former U.S. representative for Florida from 2011 to 2013, and was the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas from 2020 to 2021. He announced in July he was stepping down from the latter role to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott in the 2022 primary race. Abbott is seeking a third term.

West has been critical of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions in the Lone Star state and in October 2020 participated in a protest outside Abbotts home over the matter. Those restrictions have since been lifted.

Texas Republicans, including West, filed a lawsuit (pdf) against Abbott in September 2020 for having extended early voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Todays Orthodoxies Put Quotation Marks Around Freedom

Commentary

How revealing a little punctuation mark may be! A recent headline in the left-leaning, once liberal newspaper, the Guardian, ran a story with a headline as follows: University defends academic freedoms after calls to sack professor.

The university was Sussex and the professor was Kathleen Stock, a feminist philosopher. She was accused of the thoughtcrime of transphobia by an anonymous group, which demanded that she be sacked from the university.

The vice-chancellor, Professor Alan Tickell, was forthright in his responsealas, untypically so for persons in his position: We cannot and will not tolerate threats to cherished academic freedoms and will take any action necessary to protect the rights of our community.

Professor Stocks thoughtcrime was to have thought and said openly that you cannot change your biological identity simply by wishing to do so and by taking a few drugs or having a few operations.

Your identity is not determined wholly by what you feel that you are, or what you would like to be: some things are given, among them sex. Reality places limits upon us.

A person who undergoes sex-change procedures as they are currently practiced is only metaphorically a person of the sex opposite to his or her original biological sex.

One day it may be possible for science to go further than the current crude methods permit, but that day is probably a long way off. For the moment, as Robert Burns put it in another context, a mans a man for a that.

Until this call for Professor Stock to be sacked from her chair of philosophy, I confess that I did not know anything about her. But these days it is easy to familiarize yourself with someones work, at least in outline, and it is clear that she is not an extremist of the kind who would, say, call for the removal of trans-gender persons to prison camps, or anything remotely similar.

She is concerned mainly with the untruth of the claims made by some activists who use untrue claims to influence public policy. Whether or not you agree with her is hardly the question, though in fact she couches her arguments in the language of rationality and without stridency.

She is accused of transphobia: these days activists of many kinds reduce those who disagree with them to the mental level of those who are irrationally afraid of spiders, though with the connotation not only of irrationality but of moral defect. And, of course, moral defect is a good pretext for shutting people up. After all, why should bad people be allowed to speak?

Those who called for her dismissal were in effect saying that no one who holds her views should be allowed to teach in a university. Only those with certifiably correct views should be permitted to do so. As Fidel Castro put it fifty years ago, Within the revolution everything, against the revolution nothing.

The Guardians headline was interesting because of the quotation marks around the words academic freedoms. These quotation marks were meant to imply that the very notion of academic freedom is fictitious or worse, a kind of smokescreen for permission to express reactionary ideas and put them into practice.

The theory of knowledge that this implies is that of Marx: that a persons beliefs are but a reflection of his economic and social interests (apart, of course, from his own), and that no one considers a question from a purely intellectual or disinterested point of view.

Thus, those who defend academic freedom are really defending their right to intellectual and economic hegemony. There is really no such thing as academic freedom, there is only the expression of power.

What is necessary, therefore, is merely to replace one hegemony with anotherthat of virtue and justice, as interpreted by the Guardian, for that of bourgeois privilege. The newspapers utopia is a world in which everyone agrees with its editorials and acts upon them as if they were holy writ.

This intolerance of any opinion but ones own had been growing and is now stronger than at any period that I can remember in my lifetime. I should have seen it coming.

About thirty years ago, before the advent of the so-called social media (today while walking in the street I saw a young man, not the kind of whom I would willingly ask directions, who wore a T-short with the legend, My local anti-social social club), I published an article, admittedly not in altogether emollient terms, against the point of view of a certain pressure group.

Representatives of that pressure group contacted the hospital in which I worked and asked that I should be dismissed. The chief executive of the hospital at the time wrote back to the representatives and said that he was sorry that they were upset by what I had written, but that it was a free country and I could write whatever I liked.

Peace be upon him and honor to his memory! At the time I little thought that his forthright response would soon come to appear extraordinary and brave. On the contrary, I thought at the time that it was perfectly banal and almost self-evident.

But nowadays, practically no person in his position (with honorable exceptions such as the vice-chancellor of Sussex University) would dare to write in such a fashion, for fear himself of falling under suspicion of having incorrect and impermissible thoughts.

The National Union of Monomaniacs has understood the principles of intimidation, as well as of informing and denunciation: things of which the Guardian, which in its better days was a defender of freedom, is now a handmaidennot that it would ever understand so patriarchal a term as handmaiden.

The great former editor of the Guardian, C.P. Scott, once wrote that comment is free but facts are sacred. Now he would write that the facts are free but current orthodoxy is sacred.

The quotation marks in the Guardians headline reveal a totalitarian mindset that is, however, far from unique to the newspaper. It is being actively inculcated in our children, on the old Jesuit principle that, if you have a child by the age of seven, he is yours (in this case, the latest orthodoxys) for ever.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Obaidullah Rahimi, his wife Arezoo, and daughter Hawa, 2 months, after assembling care packages for the recently resettled Afghan family for Thanksgiving in Ottawa, on Oct. 9, 2021. (The Canadian Pree/Justin Tang)

Trudeau Marks Start of Thanksgiving by Meeting Afghan Refugee Family

OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau met a family of newly settled Afghan refugees on Saturday, marking the start of the Thanksgiving weekend with what he said was an important reminder.

Trudeau met Obaidullah Rahimi, who began working at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul in 2008 and was hired fulltime last year, at an Ottawa home where volunteers prepared gift baskets to give to resettled Afghan families.

This is what Thanksgiving is all about, reflecting on how lucky we are, Trudeau said.

Rahimi came to Canada with his wife, threeyearold daughter and a baby who is now a monthandahalf old as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban this year.

Rahimi said he loved working at the Canadian Embassy, and found Canadians to be friendly.

Thank you, thank you for having us here and thank you for everything you did, he said.

More than 1,000 refugees from Afghanistan have arrived in Canada since the Taliban took over their home country in the summer.

The government has committed to resettling 40,000 people from Afghanistan.

Trudeau said Canadians are happy that Rahimi and his family are safe.

Were happy to bring you here for the next phase of your life, Trudeau said.

Its an important thing to be there for so many of your countrymen whove suffered and whove faced a setback now with the Taliban  a terrible thing, but we will continue to work together towards a better future.

For an Afghan family in Calgary, there is much to be thankful for, even if theyre not used to celebrating the holiday.

Azatullah said his family of 13 moved into a permanent home on Friday after staying in temporary accommodation since arriving in Canada a monthandahalf ago. He asked that his last name not be used because he has family members still in Afghanistan.

We appreciate the Government of Canada, that they helped us in a very difficult time, he said in an interview Saturday. He also appreciates local organizations and people who helped his family find housing and provided information about life in Canada.

His family came to Canada because his late brother worked at the Canadian Embassy, he said. Accompanying Azatullah to Canada were his mother, sisterinlaw and the children of his siblings.

Hes worried about his two brothers, a sister and a sisterinlaw still in Afghanistan and hopes to bring them to Canada as well. Three of the nephews who accompanied him to Canada came without their mother, he said.

Still, hes hopeful for his future in Canada and while it is a quiet Thanksgiving this time, he said he plans on celebrating the holiday next year.

I feel comfortable here.

By Stephanie Taylor and Jacob Serebrin
Former President Donald Trump smiles as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) speaks during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 9, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Trump Endorses Reelection of Iowa Sen. Grassley

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for reelection for his eighth term as a senator at a rally in Iowa on Oct. 9.

We have with us tonight a great American patriot, a man who truly loves Iowa, said Trump at a rally in Des Moines.

Grassley was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 and will be running for senator in the 2022 elections.

Trump said that Grassley is strong on military, strong on vets, [and] strong on our under-siege Second Amendment.

He helped pass the USMCA [United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement], helped confirm almost 300 federal judges and three great Supreme Court justices, added Trump. He was always there, especially with anything having to do with farmers.

Grassley accepted the endorsement and thanked Trump after joining the former president on stage.

If I didnt accept the endorsement of a person thats got 91 percent of the Republican voters in Iowa, I wouldnt be too smart, Grassley said.

Im smart enough to accept that endorsement, he continued.

Grassley is currently 88 years old and, if elected for another term, will be 95 at the end of an eighth term in the Senate.

Along with 47 other Republicans, Grassley voted against raising the public debt limit on Oct. 7, while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted for the motion. It passed 5048.

Grassley announced his decision to run for reelection on Sept. 24.

Its 4 a.m. in Iowa so Im running. I do that 6 days a week. Before I start the day I want you to know what Barbara and I have decided. Im running for re-electiona lot more to do, for Iowa. We ask and will work for your support. Will you join us? #GrassleyRuns #GrassleyWorks pic.twitter.com/cwv8yu9wkx  Grassley Works (@GrassleyWorks) September 24, 2021

Prior to the announcement, a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll suggested that Grassley would lead by 55 percent to 37 percent among likely voters.
The Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Illinois (SSN 786) returns home to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam from a deployment in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility on Sept. 13, 2021. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael B. Zingaro/U.S. Navy via AP)

US Navy Nuclear Engineer, Wife Charged by DOJ With Selling Nuclear Submarine Secrets

A U.S. Navy nuclear engineer was charged by the Department of Justice for allegedly selling secret information about nuclear submarines to an undercover agent who posed as an operative from a foreign country.

Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Diana, were arrested on Oct. 9 in West Virginia, the Justice Department (DOJ) said on Oct. 10. They were charged with violating the Atomic Energy Act and will appear in a court in West Virginia on Oct. 12.

A statement from the agency said that Toebbe, 42, and his wife, 45, sold information concerning the design of nuclear-powered warships to a person they believed was a representative of a foreign power. According to the Justice Department, the person was actually an FBI agent.

The complaint charges a plot to transmit information relating to the design of our nuclear submarines to a foreign nation, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. The work of the FBI, Department of Justice prosecutors, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Energy was critical in thwarting the plot charged in the complaint and taking this first step in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Toebbe is an employee with the Navy who served as an engineer and had an active national security clearance, giving him access to restricted data, according to the DOJ.

Toebbe worked with and had access to information concerning naval nuclear propulsion including information related to military sensitive design elements, operating parameters, and performance characteristics of the reactors for nuclear-powered warships, the statement reads.

Starting in 2020, he began selling secrets for tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency to an undercover agent and at one point hid a digital memory card containing documents in a peanut butter sandwich at a dead drop location in West Virginia, according to the Justice Department.

When he made another drop in Virginia, the card was contained in a chewing gum package, the agency said. Both cards contained restricted data about nuclear submarines.

Court papers state that in December 2020, an FBI official received a package that was sent to the unnamed foreign country containing Navy documents, a letter and instructions, and other details.

A letter contained in the package allegedly sent by Toebbe reads, Please forward this letter to your military intelligence agency. I believe this information will be of great value to your nation. This is not a hoax, according to the court papers.

Neither the court papers nor the DOJ statement identified the foreign country that Toebbe allegedly believed was purchasing the nuclear secrets. The agency also didnt explain how the FBI obtained the package when it was sent to the country.

No attorneys were listed for Toebbes in either the court documents or in the DOJ statement.
Soldiers march into position during an anti-invasion drill on the beach during the annual Han Kuang military drill in Tainan, Taiwan, on Sept. 14, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Which War Is Beijing Preparing For?

Will China trigger an AsiaPacific war over Taiwanor is there another, more strategic plan afoot?

Commentary

Its no secret that Beijing is preparing for war.

One of the main reasons is Chinas cratering economy. The recent collapse of the Evergrande real estate development firm is only the latest in a series of dire symptoms that are fueling rising domestic discontent. The $8 trillion debt crisis in the shadow economymore than half of its gross domestic product (GDP)is also looming large in Chinas ability to keep its financial system afloat. An aging, less productive population, higher production costs, and fleeing foreign investment all result in falling GDP.

Chinas Power Has Peaked

The reality is that Chinas economic power is already declining.

Sure, the statistics can be adjusted, but it doesnt change reality. Whats more, this across-the-board economic decline is driving the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to impose even more extreme, oppressive measures against its people and businesses. The CCPs response only worsens economic performance and civil unrest.

Concurrently, the regime in Beijing has been adjusting its internal arrangements for several years. For example, its National Defense Transportation Law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. The law restructured its legal framework, putting all commercial shipping under the direct authority of the CCP.

Externally, Chinas deepening isolation from the world is clearly evident and underscores its ongoing decoupling from the global economy and the international norms of trade and diplomacy. This trend may well make a Taiwan invasion likely sooner than later, if only to divert attention from Chinas domestic problems.

Taiwanese domestically built indigenous defense fighters take part in the live-fire, anti-landing Han Kuang military exercise in Taichung, Taiwan, on July 16, 2020. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Military and naval experts conclude that Beijing plans to use commercial transport ships to help transport up to 2 million soldiers in a Taiwan invasion.

Recent news reports seem to confirm such a conclusion. Chinas official press, the Global Times, all but acknowledges the inevitable, if not imminent, invasion of Taiwan.

China is prepared for the worst-case scenariothe US and its allies, including Japan, launch(ing) an all-out military intervention to interrupt Chinas national reunification.

Clearly, war or the threat of war is on the horizon, and all the nations in the Asia-Pacific region know it.

In response to Chinas increasingly aggressive posture, including the commercial shipping arrangement, Taiwan and other nations are adding more long-range anti-ship missiles. Japan, which for decades has maintained a pacifist foreign policy, also has made a massive shift in its thinking, linking Taiwans security to its own.

The impact of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan wouldnt be limited to just Taiwan. Should it occur, like Japan, it will be perceived by the United States and other nations as a strategic threat to their own national security.

This is partly because Taiwan provides more than 50 percent of the worlds semiconductors necessary for advanced data processing, automobiles, artificial intelligence, and other high technology. But an invasion would also threaten democratic nations in the region, as well as trade and international legal norms.

More Trigger Points

But Taiwan isnt the only trigger point. China is also threatening the uninhabited Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which Japan considers its territory. Theyre also claimed by China and Taiwan, and could become a flashpoint for war. The Biden administration has recently assured Japans new prime minister, Fumio Kishida, that the United States would defend the Senkaku Islands if China should attack.

And as noted in an earlier article, the CCP has already put Australia on notice. Should Canberra acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the United States under the recent AUKUS military alliance, China would add Australia as a legitimate target for nuclear attack.

A type 094 Jin-class nuclear submarine Long March 15 of the Chinese Navy participates in a naval parade near Qingdao, in Chinas Shandong Province on April 23, 2019. (Mark Schiefelnein/AFP via Getty Images)

South Korea has expressed clear opposition to Beijings ambitions in Taiwan. In a joint statement with the United States, and for the first time, both nations committed to defending international rules and norms in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. The unusual directness of the message is an acknowledgment of the imminent threat that China poses to Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region.

Further afield, Chinas recent military skirmish with India in the Himalayan heights of the Galwan Valley has alerted New Delhi to the reality that China is seeking unambiguous hegemony over its neighbors, of which India is one. This has driven India to strategically align itself with the U.S.-led AUKUS alliance. Its recent participation in the Malabar joint naval exercises off the U.S. territory of Guam on Aug. 2629 sent a clear message to Beijing.

The linchpin to all of these arrangements is, of course, the United States. While it still maintains a significant naval advantage over China, what is less certain is the political will of the Biden administration to follow through on its military commitments. With the United States retreat from Afghanistan, the Biden administration is perceived as weak and more concerned with domestic economic and social issues than projecting U.S. power to protect the international order. Around the world, confidence in U.S. leadership is at an ebb.

Beijing is certainly aware of these facts, and it may be influencing its strategy with respect to Taiwan and the region as a whole. Chinese leadership may have concluded that the Biden administrations weakness poses a unique opportunity to test the U.S. resolve in the region.

Such perceptions would help explain the new and greater threats to the United States that are coming out of Beijing. But Xi Jinpings personal leadership and ownership of the CCP, coupled with Chinas mounting domestic failures, are most certainly also contributing factors.

China would prefer to avoid warat least until it can match U.S. military might in the region. But one area that it does lead the United States is in hypersonic anti-ship missile technology. Rather than clashing with its neighbors, could the CCP be planning a strike on U.S. naval forces to drive the United States from the region?

If so, how would the United States react? How would the region react?

Anything less than a full response by the United States to a Chinese attack would mean that the U.S.-led Asia-Pacific security alliance would immediately cease to exist. It would then likely be up to each nation to make their separate peace with Beijingif that were even an option.

That would suit the CCP just fine.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A test train is pictured at the Metro Expo Line in Santa Monica, Calif., on May 18, 2016. (Nick Ut/AP)

Woman Fatally Shot Aboard Metro Red Line in Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.Police were seeking the publics help in identifying a man who shot a woman to death on Oct. 10 aboard a Metro Red Line train at the Hollywood/Vine Station.

Officers were dispatched at about 5:10 a.m. to the station in response to a call of a shooting, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. When they arrived at the scene, citizens were performing CPR on the woman, who was suffering from gunshot wounds. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Witnesses saw an agitated suspect pacing on the train. He had a verbal argument with the victim, who was seated nearby, police said. The train stopped at Hollywood/Vine [station]. The suspect shot the victim and exited the train onto Hollywood Boulevard in an unknown direction.

The suspect was described as a male Hispanic wearing a blue jacket and blue shorts, a dark hat, and a surgical mask.

LAPD West Bureau homicide investigators urged anyone with information regarding the homicide or the suspect to call them at 213-382-9470.

Trains were skipping the Hollywood/Vine Station while the death was being investigated, and bus shuttles were requested, Metro said.

Trains resumed normal service at about 12:20 p.m., according to a LA Metro Rider Alerts tweet.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrives at an event commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on Oct. 9, 2021. (Andy Wong/AP Photo)

Taiwan Calls on Beijing to Abandon Its Provocations After Xi Vows Reunification

Taiwan has called on Beijing to abandon its provocations aimed at the self-ruled liberal democratic island.

Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council declared that Beijing needs to abandon its provocative steps of intrusion, harassment and destruction and return to talks, in response to comments made by Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the eve of Taiwans national day.

Reunification of the nation must be realized, and will definitely be realized, Xi declared in Beijing in a speech commemorating the 110th anniversary of what the mainland calls the Xinhai Revolution, which established the first two Chinese republics: the CCP on the mainland and Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China.

The mainlands ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that the self-governed island of Taiwan is a province of China.

Taiwans presidential office spokesperson Chang Tun-han said, The nations future rests in the hands of Taiwans people, again rejecting the CCPs claim of one country, two systems, which it said has brought devastation to the political freedoms of people in the Chinese-ruled city of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, reverted back to Chinese rule in 1997 under the promise that the ruling regime would allow political autonomy for the city.

But the world has since witnessed Hong Kongs major pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily shut down by the pro-Beijing Hong Kong government, with the newspapers leader arrested. Student unions, trade unions, and human rights groups have dissolved in succession amid pressure from the authorities.

Xi, who chiefly used the speech to underscore what he believes is a need for the ruling communist partys leadership in Taiwan, also called the islands independence the biggest obstacle to the reunification of motherland, a policy goal of the CCP, and a serious hidden danger to national rejuvenation.

Reunification through peaceful means is the most in line with the overall interest of the Chinese nation, including Taiwan compatriots, Xi said.

But Beijing has not renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan into the fold. Just days earlier, the regime ramped up its military threats on Taiwan by sending a record number of warplanes near the island.

The regime marked its 72 years of rule over the mainland by buzzing the liberal democracy of Taiwan with its largest show of military might, deploying a total of 150 fighter jets, bombers, among other military aircraft over the course of five days and sounding a warning message far beyond the island.

With cross-strait tensions rising to a historic high, Taiwans defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng warned on Oct. 6 that the regime would be capable of launching a full-scale attack within four years.

If Taiwan is not sufficiently prepared, and if Western democracies do not stand up, the CCP could get reckless, Yeau-tarn Lee, a political science professor at Taipeis National Chengchi University, told The Epoch Times.

Visitors look at the Chinese militarys J-16D electronic warfare airplane (L) and the KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft (R) during the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, on Sept. 29, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

Taiwan has proposed to invest another $8.69 billion to modernize its defense weapons. Taiwan must make ready for a fight even though it is not looking for one, Lee said.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson reiterated the United States rock-solid commitment to Taiwan, saying it will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan.

We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan, the spokesperson told The Epoch Times on Saturday.

Taiwan celebrates its national day, the start of the 1911 Revolution, on Oct. 10, with President Tsai Ing-wen scheduled to give a keynote address in Taipei.

On Saturday night, at a reception at an airbase in Hsinchu of northern Taiwan, one day ahead of the national day celebration, Tsai thanked the armed forces for protecting Taiwan, without mentioning the tensions with the CCP.

We will continue to work hard to hold fast the front lines of democracy and freedom, she said.

Chang Chun contributed to this report.
Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema waves at the crowd after taking oath of office at the Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on August 24, 2021. (Salim Dawood/AFP via Getty Images)

Zambia Says Debt to Chinese Creditors Over $6 Billion in June

Zambias debt to Chinese creditors was over $6 billion by the end of June, according to data disclosed by the government on Oct. 7. The Chinese regimes lending practices have been labeled debt-trap diplomacy, as it provides developing nations with often unpayable loans for infrastructure projects, making them dependent on China.

The figures were published by Zambias recently elected new administration, after the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) released a report (pdf) last month estimating the countrys debt to Chinese lenders to be $6.6 billion. The new number is roughly double the amount divulged by the previous government.

Zambias exposure to Chinese creditors amounts to more than 40 percent of the nations total external debt, which was $14.67 billion in June, including publicly guaranteed and non-guaranteed debt.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been called out for its predatory lending practices, allegedly aimed to expand its geopolitical influence by subjugating countries through debt they cannot afford.

China finances infrastructure projects in emerging countries by providing them enormous loans through state-owned banks. Many nations are unable to repay, falling into a debt-trap, which forces them to grant strategic assets to China in the long-term, putting nations sovereignty at risk. Many of these projects, though not all, are under Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a program launched in 2013 by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Zambias debt started spiraling out of control after 2015, mainly due to Chinese loans under the BRI, according to the International Bar Association.

In 2019, financial services company Moodys cautioned thatin the event of defaultAfrican countries rich in natural resources, like Zambia, might have to hand over important assets in renegotiations with Chinese creditors, as reported by the International Bar Association. Zambias resources include copper, cobalt, silver, uranium, emeralds, coal, and some other semi-precious and precious metals and minerals.

In November 2020, Zambia defaulted on a $42.5 million Eurobond repayment. It was the first African nation to do so during the CCP virus pandemic, which deepened the countrys financial burden.

Zambias finance ministry detailed the countrys $6.18 billion external debt to China. In June the central government owed $4.47 billion to Chinese creditors, state companies owed $1.34 billion via facilities guaranteed by the government, and state-power utility Zesco owed around $14o million not guaranteed by the government. The remaining $225.5 million are interest arrears.

BRI Unsustainable Debt

The Chinese regimes funding of infrastructure projects in developing countries under the Belt and Road Initiative has been facing backlash from participating nations due to unsustainable debts and corruption scandals, according to a recent study from AidData, a research lab at William & Marys Global Research Institute.

AidDatas study shows 42 low- and middle-income countries have public debt exposure to China that exceeds 10 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP). Likewise, a Central Banking report says 23 percent of countries involved in the initiative said BRI debt is building external debt up to unsustainable levels.

Though projects offered by the BRI and other Chinese lending programs would supposedly boost countries GDPs enough to pay for the debt taken on, its economic benefitsmainly in third-world countriesare questionable, according to Lawrence A. Franklin, in an article published by the Gatestone Institute.

A few of these bilateral packages appear contrived to imprison already impoverished states into realms of permanent economic vassalage to China, says Franklin.

Reuters contributed to this article.
Three Connecticut residents and two properties in the state have been connected with what authorities have described as one of the largest dogfighting ring takedowns in New York history.

Getulio Vargas Macedo, 46, of Bridgeport, and Meriden residents Jose Rivera, 42, and Nelson Rivera, 43, were taken into custody last week.

State Police said they were each charged as fugitives of justice in Connecticut, stemming from a lengthy cooperative investigation with authorities in Suffolk County on Long Island into a large interstate dogfighting ring.

Dawn Pagan (Connecticut State Police) / Contributed Photo

There have now been more than a dozen arrests and about 100 dogs rescued in connection with the dogfighting ring in New York and Connecticut.

Last week, State Police seized seven dogs from a Grassy Hill Road home in Orange based on leads from Suffolk County authorities. Police said investigators believe both groups of dogs were used for fighting.

Dawn Pagan (Connecticut State Police) / Contributed Photo

Police said they found evidence of dogfighting, including seven dogs illegally tethered within their cages in outdoor kennel structures that were unsanitary. The dogs were seized and placed in the care and custody of the state Department of Agriculture and were brought to Milford Animal Control.

The arrests are also associated with the July search of a Britannia Street property in Meriden where authorities said they found eight dogs in a makeshift kennel. Police said they also seized numerous items associated with dogfighting, including shock collars, weighted harnesses and collars, whips, and a homemade dogfighting ring.

A spokesperson for the Suffolk County Police Department directed questions to the District Attorneys office, which could not be reached for comment.

In a statement, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini described the investigation as one of the largest takedowns of a dogfighting ring in New York state history.

In the statement, Suffolk County Acting Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron called it the largest and most brutal dogfighting rings this county has ever seen.

As an animal lover, I have to say, this is one of the most disturbing cases Ive seen in my 36 years with our department, Cameron said.

The three Connecticut residents are facing conspiracy charges and offenses related to illegal dogfighting in New York, according to filings in state Superior Court in Meriden. Authorities said they expect to file more charges in connection with the Connecticut dogfighting.
Early Saturday morning, a part-time Georgia police officer was shot and killed outside the department where he worked.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Dylan Harrison was shot at 1:01 a.m. outside the Alamo Police Department.

Twenty-six-year-old Officer Harrison leaves behind a wife and 6-month-old baby.

According to the GBI, Harrison was working his first shift on the job when he was shot.

A Blue Alert has been issued for 43-year-old Damien Anthony Ferguson, also known as Luke Ferguson, of Alamo, Georgia. A Blue Alert is a public safety alert that is issued when a suspect who has killed or seriously injured an officer has not been apprehended and may be a serious threat to the public.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ferguson or with any other information pertinent to this case is asked to contact GBI. A $17,500 reward is being offered leading to the arrest of Ferguson.

There are many ways that tips can be submitted to the GBI. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), at the GBI website at www.gbi.georgia.gov by clicking on Online Tip Form, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Search See Send in Apple and Android app stores.

Tributes for Harrison are pouring in online.

On Saturday, Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted his condolences.

Various law enforcement agencies have also expressed sympathy online.
The good news: linguist John McWhorter says woke and wokeness will eventually be over.

The bad news: maybe not until 2028 and, even then, destined to be replaced by another word.

I am ready for wokeness to be over right now.

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Im a liberal, I think. If I have any doubt about that, all I have to do most weekends is scan my emails from conservative Hearst readers who are happy to inform me that I am a liberal @#$% or a *&%$ing liberal or, of course, the charming portmanteau that mashes liberal with an outdated and offensive term for people with mental disabilities.

But to people on the left, I am increasingly unsatisfying, because I do not check off enough woke boxes. Well come to that in a second.

But first: the term itself is older than you think. McWhorter traces its published use back to a 1962 piece in The New York Times about Black slang. Starting eight or nine years ago, it skyrocketed to popularity on social media. Stay woke was a thing.

In recent years, wokeness has done what all skyrockets do. It has plummeted to earth. These days, it feels a bit like a millstone, dragging liberals and Democrats down with the weight of its tiresomeness. Its more effective as a taunt from the right  you can buy Trump T-shirts that say Everything woke turns to s--t  than as a rallying cry for the left.

James Carville has been saying that wokeness could wreck the Democratic Party in 2021. Bill Maher has been saying hes succeeding comedically by mocking wokeness in his stand-up shows.

Back in the day, says Maher, "There was no such thing as woke, and now they (the left) do have a crazy section, which I call out as a liberal. I think I'm kind of one of the only people doing that, so there's a hunger to hear that."

I dont eagerly join their ranks. Carville was the guy who said Paula Jones was what you get when you drag $100 through a trailer park. Maher is a narcissistic popinjay.

But they are my brothers in exhaustion. Wokeness makes me tired in a way that political correctness never did, even though it could be argued that the two movements run on the same railroad tracks.

The biggest difference is, I think, social media, which is populated by people with time on their hands and surplus energy. Social media allows them to band together and enforce a bunch of norms that are not really spelled out anywhere.

I notice this in some of the critiques directed at the Friday edition of my public radio show, a weekly roundtable on culture known as the Nose.

For those episodes, I draw from a group of 15 to 20 regulars. They were all chosen because theyre smart and good talkers, but  because I really do get the issue of representation  we are proud to have people of color and LGBTQ folks in the mix.

And yet ...

When we discussed the college faculty seriocomic series The Chair, we used our three panelists (two women, one man) who have spent their careers on college faculties. I also teach college, and I claim lived experience bonus points for being the cross-racial adoptive parent of a Latinx child, which is also the case for the protagonist of The Chair.

But we took wokeness-driven flak on social media for having no Asian panelist. Sandra Oh has the starring role on The Chair.

When we discussed the movie version of In the Heights, the panel consisted of a gay man, a Black woman and me. The rationale behind those choices that all three of us have experience putting theatrical musical works onstage.

This time, the criticism was our failure to include a Latinx person, which was ironic because the shows creators were getting trashed on social media for having a too light-skinned Latinx cast, given the darker-complected Dominican Republic population of Washington Heights.

The substructure of these arguments depresses me. The arts, in particular, are supposed to be universal and specific. The notion that only an Asian could fully comprehend The Chair seems a bit insulting to the show and its creators. Isnt the goal of culture to cut through categories and reach a lot of people, as opposed to telling enclaves the stories they already know?

But The Woke, on social media, grab their green eyeshades and No. 2 pencils and start filling out the ledgers. They have never, in the encounters mentioned above, brought up content. They cant get past the identities of the commenters. Its the other kind of No. 2.

I share many of their values. I want power and resources reallocated. I want inequalities addressed and past injustices redressed.

What dont I share?

A tone, I think.

Its the tone of what journalist Matt Taibbi perfectly describes as the most moralizing, tendentious, humor-deprived, jargon-obsessed segment of American society.

Unfortunately (for me) Taibbi used those words to describe the audience to whom public radio  in his opinion  now caters. I dont think thats quite fair, but its the kind of criticism Im starting to hear from other liberal listeners.

Theres a paper-thin difference, at times, between good intentions and silly prescriptiveness. Prior to last weekends Womens March in Washington, the organizers instructed marchers not to wear Handmaids Tale costumes, the red cloaks and white bonnets that were so visually striking at previous marches.

The costume, said the organizers, erases the fact that Black women, undocumented women, incarcerated women, poor women and disabled women have always had their reproduction freedom controlled in this country.

Thats a very true and powerful argument being used as the basis for a fairly silly admonition.

Which is how I have come to think of wokeness. Some of the most dire and tragic aspects of the American experience have been co-opted and leveraged to justify ridiculous and divisive rules.

2028 cant come fast enough.

Colin McEnroes column appears every Sunday, his newsletter comes out every Thursday and you can hear his radio show every weekday on WNPR 90.5. Email him at colin@ctpublic.org. Sign up for his newsletter at http://bit.ly/colinmcenroe.
EDWARDSVILLE  An Edwardsville man faces drug and weapons charges relating to possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.

Steven W. Cobb Jr., 43, of Edwardsville, was charged Oct. 4 with unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Class X felony, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, both Class 3 felonies.

The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department.

According to court documents, on Oct. 3 Cobb allegedly had 15-100 grams of methamphetamine with intent to deliver; Alprazolam and a .357 Magnum revolver. He has a 2020 St. Clair County conviction for unlawful delivery of methamphetamine.

Bail was set at $100,000.

Other drug-related felony charges filed Oct. 4 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Matthew E. Bandy, 42, of Moro, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Oct. 3 Bandy allegedly was found to have less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $25,000. Bandy has been charged multiple times for drug-related crimes in the past year.

 Zackary L. Emerson, 26, of Issaquah, Washington, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Oct. 3 Emerson allegedly was found to have less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $25,000.

 Kevin D. Stewart, 55, of Edwardsville, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On Oct. 1 Stewart allegedly was found to have less than five grams of methamphetamine. No bail information was noted.

 Wade A. Burkemper, 48, of St. Peters, Missouri, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Oct. 4 Burkemper allegedly was found to have less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $25,000.

 Casey L. Wiley, 34, of Brighton, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and offenses relating to possession of titles and registration, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Oct. 2 Wiley allegedly was found to have less than 15 grams of Oxycodone; and was also in possession of a certificate of title for a Toyota Celica without complete assignment. Bail was set at $10,000.

 Clint Tucker, 56, of East St. Louis, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Oct. 3 Tucker allegedly was found to have less than 15 grams of cocaine. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Keith E. Allen, 47, of Granite City, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Oct. 3 Tucker allegedly was found to have less than 15 grams of cocaine. Bail was set at $15,000.
Phuket Vegetarian Festival continues under new normal

PHUKET: The Phuket Vegetarian Festival continued into Day 5 of the nine-day festival last Sunday (Oct 10) with devotees and Ma Song spirit mediums from the Tha Reua Shrine staging a street procession through Phuket Town to Saphan Hin.

ChinesecultureCOVID-19

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Sunday 10 October 2021, 05:56PM

As is the new normal for the Vegetarian Festival this year, the Ma Song and their assistants travelled by motorcade on the backs of flat-bed trucks and pickups instead of walking the traditional route to the Chinese temple at Saphan Hin

Also in accordance with new normal protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Ma Song and their assistants taking part in the street procession were asked by the Tha Reua Shrine administrators to ensure no facial piercings were observed this year.

On reaching Saphan Hin, the Ma Song and devotees conducted rituals and ceremonies to invoke blessings from the Nine Emperor Gods of the festival.

After the ceremonies were completed, the procession returned to Tha Reua Shrine, located several hundred metres south of the Heroines Monument.

Unlike previous years, this year saw very few people turn out to observe the spectacle usually associated with the festivals street processions.

The street processions continue tomorrow (Oct 11) with the Bang Neow Shrine in Phuket Town, one of the major Chinese shrines taking part in the festival each year, holding its street procession through the heart of Phuket Town. Traffic will be affected.
Former Horizon postdoctoral fellow Shiu (Kelvin) Wong (left) is the papers lead author and Mark Ellenbogen (right), professor of psychology and director of the Centre for Research in Human Development, is the senior investigator.
SAM MONTALTO, Stonington, Boys Soccer, Senior; Montalto scored three goals including the 100th of his career in the Bears 4-0 victory over Plainville in the Class M state tournament. Montalto, who missed the first three games of the season, has 32 goals and nine assists this season.

GIRLS & BOYS Soccer Team, Chariho; It wouldnt be fair to single out a player from either team, both of which captured Division II titles over the weekend of Nov. 12. The girls tied their game with Prout with 1:02 left in regulation and prevailed in penalty kicks. The boys scored the winning goal in the final two minutes of the second overtime to beat North Smithfield.

ZACK TUCK, Westerly, Football; Tuck rushed for 150 yards on 29 carries in a loss to unbeaten St. Raphael in the Division II semifinals. Tuck has rushed for 1,533 yards and scored 19 touchdowns this season for the 7-3 Bulldogs.

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Lloyds Banking Group is plotting to take on Hargreaves Lansdown with a 100billion personal pensions and investment arm.

The bank's wealth and insurance boss Antonio Lorenzo revealed that billions of pounds flows out of Lloyds to companies such as Hargreaves Lansdown, which is the UK's biggest funds supermarket managing 135.5billion of assets.

He said Lloyds wanted to build its own version of the Hargreaves platform, which lets investors buy funds and shares inside Isas or self-invested personal pensions (Sipps).

Lorenzo told The Mail on Sunday: 'We have only around 3 per cent of the direct-to-consumer pensions and investments market.

Challenge: The bank's wealth and insurance boss Antonio Lorenzo revealed that billions of pounds flows out of Lloyds to companies such as Hargreaves Lansdown

'Every year, more than 10billion is moved from Lloyds to personal pension providers. Our ambition is that in three to five years, we want to grow to more than 10 per cent.'

The lender bought online retirement website Embark Group in a deal that is set to close as soon as next month.

Lorenzo said: 'Hargreaves Lansdown has [more than] 100billion assets. In Embark, we will have in the region of 60billion. Our ambition is to be north of 100billion in the near term.'

The bank has a significant foothold in workplace pensions through its Scottish Widows brand. It also snapped up employee pension provider Zurich in 2017.

And it joined forces with fund giant Schroders in 2018 to offer advisory services to the 'mass affluent'  middle-class clients who tend to have more than 100,000 to invest. It also took a 19.9 per cent stake in wealth manager Cazenove.

But until now, Lloyds has had only a small presence in the personal pension market and no offering under the Lloyds name in the execution-only fund space, where customers invest without using a financial adviser as a lower cost alternative. It does, however, operate DIY investing platforms iWeb and Halifax Share Dealing.

Lorenzo is planning to use Embark's technology to launch a 'robo-adviser' that will guide customers on how to select funds and other products.

He is also plotting to sell self-invested personal pensions at scale using Embark's technology.

The aim is to provide the products through customers' banking apps, so they will be able to easily shift money from their current account or savings into the retirement products.

Lloyds has some 17.7million customers using its app. Sipps and retail investment are among the last areas that Lloyds can grow. It already dominates retail banking and any further growth could lead to action by the competition watchdog.

The bank has a 26 per cent market share of credit cards, 23 per cent of current accounts and 19 per cent of mortgages.

Hargreaves Lansdown has long led the execution-only pension and investment market  although its promotion of fund manager Neil Woodford, whose funds plunged and were forced to close, impacted the amount of new money that flowed in last year.

Lloyds also faces newer rivals. JP Morgan recently snapped up online wealth manager Nutmeg and has bold ambition for its new digital bank Chase in the UK, which will involve selling wealth management and retirement products.

Paul McGinnis, an analyst at Shore Capital, said: 'With Embark, they're going after self-service customers, like Hargreaves Lansdown.

'Are they being a bit ambitious? I think they're going to find it tough. Hargreaves Lansdown is a formidable competitor with a 40 per cent market share. The space is quite competitive.'
A secretive firm that blew the whistle on a string of corporate failures has published a withering report on billionaire Matt Moulding's shopping and technology conglomerate The Hut Group after 2.6billion was wiped off its value in one month.

The Analyst, run by Mark Hiley, has advised its City clients to bet on a further slide at the group  now known as THG  branding the 'controversial' owner of brands from LookFantastic and MyProtein as 'overhyped'.

The Mail on Sunday has seen a copy of the top secret report, which was circulated among institutional City investors just days ahead of a pivotal briefing to shareholders on Tuesday.

The Analyst is recognised as the whistleblower that sounded the alarm in 2014 over Wirecard, which last year filed for insolvency with debts of more than 3billion.

Blast: The Analyst has published a withering report on THG headed by Matt Moulding (pictured with PM Boris Johnson)

It also declared that shares in Carillion and Debenhams were worthless well ahead of the firms collapsing.

The Analyst raises concerns over the prospects for THG's Ingenuity tech business, now central to the valuation of the firm following a deal with Japanese giant SoftBank that values the division at 4.5billion.

It also says expectations of the division's growth are 'unrealistic'  and growing doubts make the stock 'a compelling short', referring to the stock market practice of making money from a decline in a share price.

The document, dated October 1, forecasts THG shares could reach a low of 2.60 over the next two years as the City wakes up to the group's limitations.

The shares have already fallen from 7.99 in January, and closed on Friday at 4.53.

Critics say THG has failed to convince investors of its strategic plans, including splitting its business units into separate companies.

John Gallemore, co-founder and boss of its Ingenuity arm, admitted to The Times yesterday: 'Undoubtedly we have done a poor job explaining what we do.'

The report also flagged audit errors in 2019 and, more recently, recurring exceptional charges and deteriorating free cash flow as areas of concern.

Moulding is on Tuesday expected to brush aside corporate governance concerns, insisting he 'conforms to or exceeds' standards.

The Mail on Sunday last weekend revealed how THG's share price had plummeted below the 5 value placed on the stock at the time of the public offering a year ago as big investors reduced their stakes.
Airlines and travel companies are responsible for almost three-quarters of the outstanding emergency Covid loans yet to be repaid to the Government.

Bank of England figures show travel businesses and firms that rely on overseas tourism make up nine of the 17 companies with money still on loan from a scheme run by the Bank and the Treasury.

The nine firms account for just under 2.4billion of debt, or 70 per cent of the total 3.4billion outstanding on the Covid Corporate Financing Facility scheme.

Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2 still owe a combined 1.4billion under the CCFF, which was launched to help Britain's biggest firms survive the pandemic.

Struggle: Bank of England figures show travel businesses and firms that rely on overseas tourism make up nine of the 17 companies with money still on loan from the scheme

Airport retailer SSP  owner of the Upper Crust and Ritazza cafe chains  owes 300million.

Gatwick Airport has a 275million loan and long-haul holiday operator Flight Centre owes 115million.

Travel industry bosses have blamed the Government's 'chaotic' traffic light rules for stifling their recovery while European airlines recover faster.

Last week, the Government took 47 countries off the red list and said the US is on track to lift its travel ban to the UK by early November.

Jet2 said holiday bookings doubled in the 24 hours after the red list was cut on Thursday. Chief executive Steve Heapy said: 'Customers clearly view this as the genuine reopening of international travel.'

Meanwhile, the number of Atol-licensed package holiday firms that can offer flights as part of their deals has fallen 10 per cent, down to 1,133 from 1,261 last September.
Legendary French chef Pierre Koffmann says investing in a pension when he was young is one of the best decisions he has ever made.

The 73- year-old, one of the few chefs in the UK to have ever been awarded three Michelin stars, told Donna Ferguson he started saving for his retirement 40 years ago and is now reaping the rewards.

His cooking is so sought after he can raise up to 250,000 for charity by making a single meal.

He recently filmed a 25-lesson course on classic French Bistro cooking for BBC Maestro. Visit www.bbcmaestro.com for more information.

Pierre Koffmann started paying in to a pension 40 years ago which was his 'best decision'

What did your parents teach you about money?

Never to buy anything unless you can afford it. I grew up in France, in a town called Tarbes in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We were a working-class family. My father was a mechanic for Citroen while Mum was a traditional stay-at-home mother.

Money was tight, but as a young boy I didn't really think about it. What was important was spending time with my friends and doing sport.

There was always enough food on the table and my parents gave me pocket money so I could go to the cinema and buy sweets at the bakery. I never asked for anything else.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

No, never, because I refuse to spend more money than I earn. But there have been times in my life when I have had to work hard to survive.

For example, when I came to England in 1970 and started working as a chef for La Gavroche, I was poor. As well as working from 1pm to 11pm at La Gavroche, I worked from 8am to noon in another French restaurant called Le Francais.

I earned about 12 a week in total which allowed me to pay my rent and occasionally go back to France to see my family.

It didn't feel like a struggle because I had no love of money. I earned enough to have a good life and go out with friends and girlfriends and that was what mattered.

I worked hard, not for the money, but to get experience and learn new recipes. I knew the money would come later on.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

Not personally. But I have taken part in charity auctions where I have offered to cook a meal and people have donated a lot of money for that privilege.

The largest amount anyone ever paid was 250,000 for me to go to Scotland and cook a meal for them and their ten friends after they had spent the day shooting.

I can't even remember what I cooked, but I do remember providing them with some splendid wine.

Pierre Koffmann had someone donate 250,000 for him to cook a meal in a charity auction (stock image)

What was the best year of your financial life?

Probably this year. Three years ago, I started a potato business working with farmers and selling their produce to chefs. Last year, when everything went quiet during lockdown, we developed frozen French fries.

Now we are selling a lot of them, and many top chefs  from Gordon Ramsay to Marco Pierre White  have started buying. Business is booming and it's been a good year so far.

The most expensive thing you have bought for fun?

In 1973, I purchased a blue Maserati Khamsin. I was stupid and paid 8,000 for it, which is like spending 25,000 on a ten-year old car today.

It required a lot of maintenance over the years, but I had some good times and it was a good investment. I sold it about a year ago for 80,000.

What is your biggest money mistake?

Investing in a food business with a friend. We produced foie gras and everything that can be prepared with duck. It didn't work out and I lost all my money: a few thousand pounds.

The best money decision you have made?

Setting up my potato business because we are doing so well.

Do you save into a pension?

Not any more. I started saving into one 40 years ago and I've got a good pension as a result. It's one of the best things I've done in my life. I'm 73, so I am now taking my pension and enjoying it. I think it's important to think about your future when you are young.

You have got to because you cannot survive on Government money. The day you stop working, you still have the same bills. If you start saving into a pension early, it's an easy thing to do.

Do you invest directly in the stock market?

No, I have a financial adviser who looks after my investments. He keeps me well informed, but I'm not interested in the funds he invests in on my behalf. The only thing that concerns me is the number at the end.

Do you own any property?

Yes, I own my home, a two-bedroom flat overlooking the canal in Little Venice, West London.

We bought it 15 years ago for 130,000 after our children left home. I hope it's gone up in value since then because everything else has, but I don't know. We are not going to move any time soon.

One little luxury you treat yourself to?

I cannot start the day without a cup of coffee, so every morning I go to the same coffee shop and have a cappuccino. For me, it's one of life's pleasures.

If you were Chancellor what would you do?

I would reduce income tax. If you overtax people, they have less money to spend.

If you cut taxes, people will spend more money and then the Government will get more money in taxes  and everybody will be happy.

What is your number one financial priority?

To look after my family. I want to pass on an inheritance to my children  and to help them make a good start in life.
The Mail on Sunday today launches a campaign aimed at bringing to an end the discrimination retail investors face when successful businesses list on the London Stock Exchange.

We believe it is wholly unacceptable that most companies which list their shares on the UK stock market exclude small investors from participating in the initial public offering (IPO).

It flies in the face of the country's reputation for embracing small shareholders  one given initial impetus by the successful privatisation of tranches of State-controlled British industries in the 1980s and more recently enhanced by the creation of wealth platforms, designed to enable people to buy and sell shares at the press of a button on their computer or phone.

New campaign aims to bring end to discrimination retail investors face when successful businesses list on the London Stock Exchange

It also damages the UK's global reputation as a raiser of share capital for leading edge companies.

But most importantly of all, it is inherently unfair because it has created an uneven playing field that allows big institutional investors  typically global megabanks  to make financial hay at the expense of retail investors.

The objective of our Fair Play for Small Investors campaign is a simple one  for ALL companies that list shares in the UK through an IPO to be required to offer a slice of shares to retail investors.

At a stroke, it would eradicate the discrimination that currently exists, allowing small investors to enjoy the same financial benefits  or endure the same losses  that big City institutions get from being shareholders right from the very beginning.

Our campaign, provoked by the fact that only ONE of the biggest 15 IPOs this year (Deliveroo) has incorporated the retail investor, has drawn widespread support  even from companies which normally are reluctant to speak to us.

Chris Hill, chief executive of wealth platform Hargreaves Lansdown, says retail investors 'should not be unfairly blocked from taking part in IPOs'.

He adds: 'Retail investors improve the efficiency of markets, helping to create deeper and more liquid pools of funding.'

Andy Bell, boss of rival platform AJ Bell, says the 'growing number of engaged retail investors in the UK should be viewed as an attractive source of capital for any company considering an IPO'.

Bell believes most retail investors are long-term shareholders who invest via a pension or Isa. As a result, they 'help create a healthy and diverse shareholder base'.

Sometimes, he adds, shareholders will also be customers of the listing company which can help generate further brand loyalty and deepen the customer relationship.

When AJ Bell completed its own IPO in late 2018, a fifth of the shares went to customers.

Bell says: 'From experience, we know that companies are dissuaded from including retail investors in their IPO by their financial advisers. This is because it is easier and quicker for the advisers to place shares with the institutions that they know.

'This ignores the benefits of shareholder diversification, brand awareness and customer loyalty that can be gained by ring-fencing a portion of shares for retail investors in an IPO.'

Richard Wilson, chief executive of wealth manager Interactive Investor, also supports The Mail on Sunday's campaign.

He says a free market is being 'choked' by financial institutions putting the interests of corporate investors before those of retail investors.

'It's both blatantly unfair and absurd,' he adds. 'Investors can buy complex financial instruments such as contracts for difference all day long.

'But when it comes to investing from the word go in some of the country's  the world's  most exciting companies, they're excluded. How crazy is that?'

Technology platform PrimaryBid is currently trying to help ordinary investors access IPOs by encouraging the issuers behind the offerings to include them.

It is also at the forefront of discussions with the Government and the City regulator on how IPOs can be made more retail investor friendly.

Discussions, by the way, that may in time result in more retail-friendly IPOs, but which are unlikely to result in our campaign's objective  for ALL IPOs to offer shares to ordinary investors.

Like The Mail on Sunday, PrimaryBid believes retail access to IPOs should be a 'fundamental right'.

Mike Coombes, head of external affairs at PrimaryBid, says: 'The current system is unjust. It's either an initial public offering or it isn't  and most aren't. Markets are either public or they aren't. This is all about public inclusion.'

Last week, we got PrimaryBid to run some numbers on the biggest IPOs that have listed on the London Stock Exchange this year  and which have excluded retail investors.

Most of the names are familiar  the likes of shoe maker Dr Martens; cybersecurity specialist Darktrace; Danish consumer review website Trustpilot; internet based-greetings card business Moonpig; and cosmetics company Revolution Beauty.

It looked at the 15 biggest listings by market capitalisation.

It then compared the price that the shares were listed at (the price that supporting financial institutions paid) against the price they opened at on the first day of trading (in theory, the price retail investors could first buy them at).

Of the 15 listings, 11 had opening share prices ahead of the listing price. In other words, retail investors keen to get a slice of the action as soon as possible were forced to pay over the odds  sometimes by a huge amount.

Some 40 per cent in the case of both Big Technologies  famous for its Buddi personal alarms  and Darktrace; 29 per cent (video games specialist tinyBuild); and most recently Oxford Nanopore where the shares opened at 5.45 against a listing price of 4.25.

Coombes says: 'Nanopore is one of the UK's biggest ever IPO pops [where the initial share price is way above the listing price]. It should be a good lightning rod for greater discussion around investor access and inclusion in IPOs.'

Dan Lane, senior analyst at investment platform Freetrade, is a little more colourful with his words. 'Seeing massive value fluctuations after an IPO comes to market is a kick in the teeth,' he says.

'It tells us nothing about the company and everything about how exclusionary the institutional tactics are just before and after a listing.'

Most companies which list their shares on the UK stock market exclude small investors

SO WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT?

The Government is looking at ways of making IPOs more inclusive  a consultation on the issue ended last month.

Although this is welcome  and could, for example, result in the simplification of the prospectuses companies are required to issue if reaching out to retail investors  it is not enough.

Interactive Investor's Richard Wilson agrees. He says such 'cosmetic' changes are not the solution  what is needed is legislation that puts a requirement on all listing companies to set aside a slice of shares for ordinary investors.

Such a 'quota' system operates well in France and Singapore  and Wilson says there is no reason why it can't work in the UK. It's why we back such a move. Fair play for ALL share investors.

Our campaigning will not stop some companies going ahead with IPOs in the coming months that exclude the ordinary investor.

The likes of gym operator PureGym; electric vehicle charging firm PodPoint; food box specialist Gousto; and even Wilson's Interactive Investor (he wouldn't confirm it) are all rumoured to be looking at IPOs.

Some of these companies will do the decent thing and embrace all investors  and we will applaud them to the hilt when they do so.

But others won't because they don't have to. We will criticise them  and rightly so. And we will continue to criticise until the Government  a believer in wider share ownership  wipes away this injustice. Shares for all.
The chirpy 'Moonpig dotcom' adverts became a feature of lockdown television as the online card seller capitalised on deserted high streets.

But investors who bought into February's 1.2billion listing could be forgiven for finding the earworm irritating now. The stock, which floated at 3.50 and hit summer highs of 4.88, has slid to 3.13.

The company says consumer habits haven't switched back towards physical stores since they reopened, but a sell-off of tech stocks  notably in e-commerce  has hit Moonpig.

It has been an opportune time for its non-executive chair Kate Swann to show some faith.

'Chirpy': The 'Moonpig dotcom' adverts became a feature of lockdown television

The former WH Smith boss  who sold 3.4million of stock at the IPO  last week shelled out for shares worth 199,000.

Swann earned a reputation as a darling of the City when she rewarded investors while managing Smiths' retrenchment from the high street.

Can she tempt investors to dig into the Pig?

Thales outlines environmentally friendly products

Tapping into the green trend, defence giant Thales outlined its environmentally friendly suite of products to shareholders last week.

The listed French firm, which employs 6,500 people in the UK, has lightweight thermal imaging sensors and sonobuoys it reckons use less power than market incumbents.

The industry's biggest carbon emitter is aviation, and UK chief Alex Cresswell said its flight simulators and digital twinning software can cut flying hours, helping it make gains in a multi-billion-pound-a-year sector.

'Thales is constantly looking for ways to counter new threats and increase mission effectiveness, but increasingly also to deliver environmental benefits,' he said.

Investors run rule over Dukemount

Investors looking for a play on the energy crisis may run the rule over tiddler Dukemount Capital.

The company hopes to build a number of gas power plants to step into the breach if there are blackouts. The power it generates will also be stored in batteries.

Word is that Dukemount is chatting to blue chip energy giants about setting up joint ventures and may announce deals in the coming weeks.

Two biggest gambling deals in focus

Acquisitions in the gambling trade are becoming more commonplace than screwed up betting slips  and this week brings two of the biggest deals into focus.

Online specialist 888 will update on quarterly trading just weeks after scoring the 2.2billion purchase of William Hill.

Analysts expect revenue to have slowed against last year's pandemic lockdown boom, and are hoping for more details on its plans overseas.

Meanwhile, investors will be examining the performance of Ladbrokes owner Entain's US joint venture with MGM.

The subsidiary is seen as the jewel in the crown for DraftKings, which is trying to convince the board to back its 28-ashare bid.
Having waited so many months for lockdown restrictions to lift, Britain's small and medium-sized businesses might have thought they were out of the woods once they were free to trade.

Yet not only are they facing huge recruitment shortages, but many are finding that the lasting effect of the pandemic is a permanent change in consumer spending.

In some instances, a big chunk of their business has simply disappeared.

Claire Hattrick, 53, from Hampshire, has worked as a beauty therapist for 15 years, converting her garage into a fully-equipped salon offering an extensive range of manicures, pedicures, waxing and facials.

Andrea Pugh launched her sustainable gifting and homeware marketplace in October last year

Like all salon owners, she was forced to shut up shop in March last year and only just survived financially thanks to the self-employed income support grant and the financial help of her grown-up twin daughters.

But even though she is now free to trade again, Claire says business income is down 80 per cent since she reopened.

'Everything was going well before Covid, but during the pandemic many of my customers learnt how to do their beauty treatments at home and are now not coming back to the salon,' she says.

'People still need their hair done in a hairdresser's, but my customers have got used to doing their own nails and waxing.'

Several of her regular older customers passed away during the pandemic while others are still too cautious about Covid to return.

Others are worried about their finances and have cut out discretionary spending. Some, says Claire, 'aren't going out like they used to and so don't need as much grooming'.

She adds: 'There are lots of business owners in a similar situation. I'm financially challenged and wondering how much longer I can keep going. I'm struggling to find any positivity.

'Every day, I just live in hope, but I can't do that forever. It's an incredibly worrying time.'

Claire, who used to work three full days and evenings a week, now works just one day a week.

She has diversified by starting a new life support business ClipboardClaire.com and has written a book about the menopause to create new income streams.

'If I have to close the doors, then at least I have other projects,' she says. 'I'm just hoping Christmas will be good for business.'

Some small businesses are saying their trade has disappeared since the pandemic hit

Andrea Pugh, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, launched her sustainable gifting and homeware marketplace It Won't Cost the Earth in October last year. Initially, business boomed as people looked to improve their homes during the pandemic.

'We sell more than 1,500 sustainable products on our website from candles and cleaning products to plant pots and cushions,' says Andrea, 35. 'But since the restrictions lifted, sales have plummeted and have yet to pick up.

'Our customers have disappeared and we're desperately hoping they'll come back, but there's no sign of it so far. There are lots of small business owners like me that are really worried.'

Andrea attributes the fall in business to people being a lot worse off than generally thought.

She says: 'I was shocked recently to see the queues for the local foodbank and people being worried about the ending of furlough.

'Our products are a discretionary spend, so people are deciding either to curb their overall spending or are just using their spare money on going out to catch up with friends.'

Firms are finding the lasting effect of Covid is a permanent change in consumer spending

Andrea has tried to combat the decline in customer numbers by working on growing her email list, offering discounts for new and returning customers, doing more work on social media and starting to work with so-called influencers.

'Using influencers is a first for us and it has been a steep learning curve,' says Andrea. 'We're focusing on people with a small but very engaged group of followers.'

Andrea had hoped to give up her job as an accountant to work on the business full-time but is reluctant to do that now.

'I'm terrified,' she admits. 'It's a new venture, I haven't got a big pot of cash and I'm a single mum, so it's a huge gamble.

'I've seen so many other small businesses crumble over the past year and some days you think, 'What have I done?' We are just trying to get through this hard patch in the hope of better things the other side.'

Jennifer Earle, 39, from Forest Gate in East London, has been running food tours since 2005 and gave up a career in food development with brands such as McDonald's and Marks & Spencer to go full-time with her business Chocolate Ecstasy Tours.

'It was where my heart was,' she says. 'It's like a more delicious version of a guided tour of London. You learn all about the history of the area while visiting artisan boutiques, tasting lots of chocolate and ice cream.'

As well as running tours herself, Jennifer ran a team of five tour guides but everything stopped in March last year. 'I had to cancel everything and didn't earn a penny until this June when I started doing private tasting groups online,' she says.

These turned out to be so successful that Jennifer is now pivoting her business to focus purely on private tours and online tastings as customers failed to return to her live tours.

She says: 'At its peak I was doing four or five tours a week to 30 people. Now, I'm down to just one or two with eight people in total so it's just not worth it.

'I'm doing more to promote the brand and increase the number of private tours to corporate clients rather than selling individual tickets and hoping people turn up.

'In the summer, my income was down 90 per cent from before the pandemic, but by repositioning my business and increasing my marketing I'm excited about the future.'
Tillamook, OR (97141)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Rain. Low 46F. S winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
This photo is from October 2018 when the "So-say-shun" was held in Clear Springs, Ohio. The annual meeting was held there again this year. in 2022 the event will travel back to Southwest Virginia to Burke's Union Primitive Baptist Church, the tent continuing to travel in years when the hosting location has need for it.
Participants in the fall open houses at East Tennessee State University will enjoy tours of the campus led by current students.
The Times News has teamed up with area clergy to share Words of Comfort daily in our print edition and online at TimesNews.Net. Any member of the clergy whod like to get involved can contact Carmen Musick at cmusick@timesnews.net.
TROY  Bishop Dr. Norman R. Macklin sees himself playing the inside game when it comes to police reform.

Macklin is a presence in the pulpit of the New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church at 313 Tenth St., on the southern border of the North Central neighborhood.

And hes also on the street and sometimes riding in patrol cars with a badge hanging around his neck standing out from his clerical suit.

I work with the Troy Police Department as a chaplain. Im a chaplain with the Rensselaer County Sheriffs Office and the county jail. The East Greenbush Police Department appointed me chaplain three months ago, Macklin said running through a list of three Rensselaer County police agencies.

Macklin said hes seen the demonstrations that grew out of the killing of George Floyd in May 2020 by four Minneapolis police officers. He works with inmates in the jail. He said hes seen the crime on Capital Region streets that no residents want to endure. He balances both in his decision on serving the three law enforcement departments as a chaplain.

If you want to reform the system, you work with the people in the system, Macklin said.

Macklin has a history of involvement. He founded the Oneonta Chapter of the NAACP and served as an advisor to that citys mayor and the president of the State College at Oneonta. He served seven years as the treasurer of the Interdenominational Ministers Conference of the Capital Region.

Macklin founded the New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in 2010. And, he serves as president of the Troy African American Pastors Alliance which plays a pivotal role in the Black communitys interactions with city government.

Macklin cites the recent promotion of Troy Police Captain Anthony Conyers as an example of the support and efforts that go on behind the scenes. Conyers made history when he became the citys first Black police officer to rise into the 137-member departments command ranks.

That was a highlight that he would be a captain. Hes been a shining star in the department, the bishop said.

The soft-spoken Macklin sees his role inside the police departments as being a bridge to the outside, encouraging communication and understanding. Hes inside listening to officers, speaking to the chief, riding out on patrol and helping them understand the minority community that hasnt had the best relations with the mostly white police force.

Im trying to be the connection between the police and the community. We need the police. We need safety and security, Macklin said.

I think theres a change in the country. People are starting to have a change in attitude toward the police, Macklin said.

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Troys minority community is tired of the gunplay and crime thats been occurring, Macklin said. Thats opening up communication, he said.

Part of his drive is to work to expand the minority ranks in public safety to better reflect the diversity of the community. Macklin said its a constant push to get Black men and women to consider applying for jobs in police and fire departments, where the pay and benefits are good. The campaigns to spur recruitment and opportunities to get training can help, he said.

Macklin noted that the Troy Fire Department has four minorities in EMT training through Hudson Valley Community College that will help them qualify for jobs as firefighters. Troy requires its firefighters to also be certified to work on the departments ambulances.

The fire department is a tough nut. We dont have as many people that are interested in being firefighters. Theyre good-paying jobs, Macklin said. I hope we can recruit more minorities to join the police and fire departments.
ALBANY  As Columbus Day arrives, members of the Italian American Community Center are preparing for their annual Columbus Day Gala Saturday.

Its all about coming together as a group, enjoying food, enjoying life, and expressing our Italian heritage, said Frank Zeoli, president of the Italian American Community Center in Albany and third-generation Italian American.

The first commemoration of an unofficial Columbus Day took place in 1892, one year after a mob committed the mass lynching of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans.

The honorance was created to recognize the diligence and contributions of those of Italian descent, while they also had to overcome adversity and marginalization in the U.S.

Following decades of lobbying, including Congress urging the president to recognize Columbus Day in 1934, the day was made a federal holiday in 1971 to commemorate the Genoa native's arrival in the Americas.

The celebration continues to be embraced in Italian-American communities and not solely for the legacy of Christopher Columbus, which in the last two decades has come under intense scrutiny as the truth of what Columbus and his Spanish-backer's colonization of the Caribbean - and the devastation wrought on its native people's, really did.

In January, President Joe Biden signed into law Indigenous Peoples' Day, which coincides with Columbus Day as it will be observed on the second Monday in October. Biden in his proclamations on the holiday this year acknowledged proud Italian heritage, but also the need to recognize the atrocities Europeans inflicted on native peoples.

An in-depth piece published in the Smithsonian Magazine by a Yale University professor in 2009 laid out what Columbus did when he landed in the Caribbean islands  namely in what is now Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Edmund S. Morgan, then a Sterling Professor emeritus at Yale, painted a picture of an explorer who was likely not much different than other "colonizers." He kidnapped and sent native peoples to Spain to be enslaved, and forced island inhabitants to find gold for the newly-arrived Spaniards. According to Morgan, Columbus was actually removed from his governorship there by Spanish royalty for not squeezing more out of the island. But his arrival, and the brutality inflicted by the other Spaniards who ran it, led to largely the native population there being wiped out.

"They died not merely from cruelty, torture, murder and disease, but also, in the last analysis, because they could not be persuaded to fit the European conception of what they ought to be," Morgan wrote.

Gregory Dowd, the Helen Hornbeck Tanner Collegiate Professor of History and American Culture at the University of Michigan, has studied Native American culture for 30 years and said it is time to emphasize the legacy of the indigenous populations who were destroyed by colonial expansion.

Its understandable to me that there is an impulse to want to celebrate Columbus from an Italian American and Catholic American perspective, Dowd told the Times Union. Historically there has been discrimination against Italian Americans so it makes all kinds of sense that the holiday was adopted then. But weve moved beyond that and I do think that if you examine the history of Albany, you will find it was built on trade with Native Americans.

Zeoli said the holiday is, really not about Columbus himself, but Italian Americans and what they mean to our community.

The celebration does not end on Columbus Day or the community center's annual gala, but the entire month of October as it is Italian American Heritage Month.

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This is a month where we celebrate being Italians and what that means. We celebrate the immigrants who came to this country to make life better for their families, he added.

Philip J. DiNovo is the founder of the American Italian American Association and Museum in Colonie.

A third-generation Italian American, DiNovo is well-versed in the history of Italians in America and the struggles their families endured as immigrants. The association was founded 41 years ago, and the museum recently celebrated its 25th year.

In those days, Italian immigrants saw Columbus as sort of their hero, DiNovo said.

Regarding Indigenous Peoples' Day, DiNovo explained the role that Italian Americans have played in supporting Native Americans throughout the years. He added, We support them and want them to be honored to have their days that they deserve. But we want our day as well, and we want people to know the truth about Columbus and that Italian Americans have done a lot to help Native Americans throughout history.

When talking about the past actions of taking down Columbus's statues across the U.S., and the idea of getting rid of the day altogether, DiNovo said, You cant change history. You have to find out what it is, not try to change it.

Lauren Stanforth contributed to this report
ALBANY  When Kathy Sheehan was elected Albany's first woman mayor in 2013, she walked into multiple crises on her first day. The city was flailing financially. Hundreds of buildings stood empty and rotting. And there was a widespread feeling that city government didn't work for all of its residents.

Albany's former treasurer, Sheehan said at the outset that her focus would be on righting the city's financial picture, tackling blight and instituting an equity agenda.

In her first State of the City address in 2014, she discussed the urgent need to address struggling areas of the city, a rising-tide-lifts-all-boats sentiment that she often returns to.

"We are only as strong as our weakest neighborhoods, she said during the Kiernan Plaza speech.

READ MORE: GOP's Albany mayoral candidate runs on public safety, not being Sheehan

In the intervening eight years, the city's political landscape has been upended, and Sheehan faces new pressure to address the generational impacts of what's seen by many as systemic racism in the city's policing, housing and employment. And she has just begun guiding Albany through its financial recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Sheehan decided mid-pandemic to abandon her previous promise to only serve two terms. She contends a third term will allow her to see through some of the program and policies she promoted that were interrupted by the pandemic.

On Nov. 2, she faces Republican Alicia Purdy and Independence candidate Greg Aidala. (Rev. Valerie Faust, who challenged Sheehan in the Democratic primary, has mounted a write-in campaign.) Given the Democratic party's overwhelming city enrollment advantage and the strength of incumbency, those challengers face steep odds if they want to become Albany's first non-Democratic mayor in a century.

Purdy has criticized Sheehan on crime and law enforcement; Aidala's campaign has been quieter, although he has said crime and safety are the top issues he'd try to address.

READ MORE: Aidala pushes 'zero tolerance' on crime

If re-elected, Sheehan's third term will likely be dominated by how the city doles out roughly $80 million in federal post-pandemic aid. Sheehan announced her 2022 budget would include $25 million to support community projects that aligned with the city's COVID-19 Recovery Task Force priorities.

She said her experience over the past seven years puts her in position to get the most out of that money.

"I think it requires experienced leadership to be able to really help to ensure that we have all voices at the table  that we're making truly transformative investments, and that we are doing it in a way that is sustainable," she said in a recent interview.

A review of Sheehans two terms in office reveals a lawyer-turned-politician who rose from a progressive social club to take over the citys political apparatus. Her time in office initially focused on trying to fix the citys precarious financial situation while balancing a desire to meet the equity and social justice goals she campaigned on.

Sheehans tenure has been marked by steady, if incremental, change from within the system, rather than sweeping reinvention. She recognizes that many of her goals have remained elusive, though Sheehan believes she has cleared the ground for meaningful change in the future.

Sheehan has repeatedly pointed to the challenge of pursuing ideals versus the reality of governing a city. "We've got to celebrate the wins," she told a crowd of Colonie progressives in 2016. "And we've got to acknowledge when we're working to move in the right direction, even though we might be dissatisfied that it's not happening fast enough."

A fundamental shift

Speaking last month, Sheehan contended that her administration's focus on trying to ensure every neighborhood received the same attention was itself a seismic shift in city governance.

"That might seem like incremental change, but it's a fundamental shift in how city services have been provided in the past," she said. "It's recognizing that there are things that we have the ability to influence and control  city infrastructure is one of them  while we fight for the tools that we need to really do the bigger things."

Supporters say Sheehan's unflashy leadership  a definite stylistic change from her old-school predecessor Jerry Jennings  has provided steady guidance for the city as it has faced millions in deficits, aging infrastructure, rising crime and anger over social injustice.

City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar, a Sheehan ally, credited her with nothing less than saving the city from potential bankruptcy. "It's because of her fiscal management, because she's not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes," he said.

More Information Election Day voting is 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2 Early voting is: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24 Noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 9 am. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 Albany County's early voting locations: Albany County Board of Elections, 260 South Pearl St., Albany Berne Volunteer Fire Company, 30 Canaday Hill Road, Berne Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 85 Elm Ave., Delmar Boght Community Fire Department, 8 Preston Drive, Cohoes Guilderland Fire Department, 2303 Western Ave., Guilderland Pine Grove United Methodist Church, 1580 Central Ave., Albany See More Collapse

Business and community leaders say they have appreciated some of Sheehan's successes, like the recent passage of the first "good cause" eviction law in the state and her decision to revamp the city's zoning code for the first time in 50 years to help developers.

Overall, I think that the most folks in the business community would see that the whole rezone effort was smart. And I think it does make things more predictable, said Mark Eagan, president of the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce.

Looking the next four years, some community leaders said they hoped to see more progress on issues like affordable housing and support for nonprofits in the city.

The need to get the citys finances in shape dominated Sheehans first term. Seeking what she believes is a more just share of state aid to the capital city, she opened the citys books to the states Financial Restructuring Board and pushed through several difficult budgets. The city is still dependent on $12.5 million in additional state aid, known as Capital City funding, that is often a late add to the annual state budget.

Councilwoman Ginnie Farrell, chair of the body's Finance Committee, said Sheehan's calculations put the city on much more solid footing than when she arrived  and made that state aid much more predictable.

She has made some bold choices, such as the decision to make no layoffs during the pandemic and the push for Capital City Funding, Farrell said.

Several other city Democrats and politicians, some who gave their thoughts on background in order to speak frankly about Sheehan's time in office, gave similar assessments, praising her financial discipline while noting some frustrations with her administration.

They observed that while Sheehan has pushed progressive ideals in her speeches, her actions are more of those of a politician who governs more moderately, with a focus on process and working within the system.

They also questioned how well some of Sheehans personnel picks during her time in office had served her.

Councilman Michael O'Brien  who is not running for re-election this year  said Sheehan had an insular group of advisors around her that at times made it difficult to communicate with her office. And O'Brien, who has clashed with Sheehan's administration on several development issues in his ward, said Sheehan tended to stick with a decision once her mind was made up  regardless of feedback from certain quarters.

"She's done some good things," O'Brien said. "I just don't see a willingness to listen to council members."

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Sheehan rejected such criticisms. "I don't come into to any situation with necessarily a decision made," she said. "It's about working with the neighborhoods to understand what they want, and to try to resolve concerns. And sometimes the answer, though, is yes or no."

Equity and safety

Beyond city finances, two other issues have been constant themes during in her time in office: housing and public safety.

Shahinfar noted that under her watch, the city has seen hundreds of millions of dollars in private investments, including thousands of new market-rate apartments, as well as an increase in affordable housing.

But in June, advocates urged her to set aside $20 million from the citys post-pandemic rescue funds to support affordable housing programs in the citys neighborhoods that were historically impacted by "redlining," the decades-old practice that led to disinvestment in minoritized communities. A letter the following month from a variety of community groups in those neighborhoods urged the city to make targeted investments beyond housing, rather than spread the money broadly across the city.

They point out a variety of concerns, including under-funded nonprofits, environmental justice and health care concerns, underserved youth with a lack of after-school programming, crumbling infrastructure, fragmented and poorly coordinated employment programs, failing commercial areas and a lack of broadband access.

Theresa Rodriguez, executive director of A Village, Inc., said the city must focus on the South End  more specifically, the area around Schuyler Street.

"We want to see funding and resources allocated directly within the community to ensure that they're that we're benefiting and being uplifted," Rodriguez said.

The advocate also pushed for the city to help fund nonprofits like A Village that fill the gap between city services and residents' unmet needs.

"We know how can we assist, what can we do to help with her vision and with the agenda," Rodriguez said.

Despite Sheehan's adoption of policies that align with progressive Democrats' agenda  such as good cause eviction and her pushback against former President Donald Trump's efforts to punish so-called "sanctuary cities"  her public safety policies cost her the support of the local Working Families Party chapter and have frustrated some community leaders.

Anita Thayer, the local WFP's secretary, said she was disappointed in Sheehan's performance on public safety issues. Thayer pointed to the mayor's refusal to back a total ban on tear gas use in the city and the "decimation of meaningful community policing," among other issues.

Alice Green, executive director at the Center for Law Justice, worked closely with Sheehan on her transition team in 2013 and for much of her first term. But Green said she as well had become frustrated with Sheehan's handling of law enforcement issues, including the April decision to remove protesters camped outside the South Station police building.

Green said she believed the mayor was committed to issues around social justice and equity, but it was tough to tell how much progress the city had made because there was no public evaluation of its work. (Green was not among those selected by Sheehan to be part of the "collaborative" convened to help develop the city's state-mandated police reform plan following the 2020 killing of George Floyd.)

"She needs to work with all parts of the community, even those she doesn't agree with, if we're ever going to make headway on the issues around violence," Green said.

Sheehan defended her record on policing, pointing to reforms such as moving police department training out of the regional law enforcement academy to a city-owned site and instituting "implicit bias" training for officers. But she acknowledged frustration at the pace some reforms have moved at.

Her 2022 budget proposal calls for the creation of a part-time commissioner of public safety to oversee police discipline and hiring.

Sheehan believes she has managed to balance the frequently competing demands of business, elected officials, activists and other constituencies  including members of the general public looking at the baseline performance of city services.

"We've raised the bar, and raised people's levels of expectations  so I think it's been an evolving process," she said. "And things that I thought I knew in 2014, I now see through a different lens of having been in the job for a number of years."
ALBANY  One man is dead and six injured following a massive shooting incident that city and police officials said was outside of an Albany bar on Saturday night.

Officials placed the shooting at The Lounge located at 117 North Lake Ave. where officers responded to reports of shots fired at approximately 10:50 p.m. Saturday.

Alexander Bolton, 29, of New Bedford, Mass., was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso, where he was later pronounced dead, authorities said.

Six men between the ages of 25 and 42 later entered the emergency room at Albany Medical Center with gunshot wounds to their extremities. Authorities said all were shot in connection to the incident, but didn't elaborate on if any were innocent bystanders.

Workers were covering bullet holes with plywood Sunday at the Tony Clement Center for Education across the street from the scene. But it was unclear if the damage occurred during Saturdays shooting.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan's office confirmed the shooting took place at the venue, but declined to release further information.

The city's Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance issued a cease and desist order on Sunday morning to prevent any use of the building, and have since cut power.

"We have been citing this building for more than a year and will continue to utilize every tool available to prevent and respond to gun violence," Sheehan said in a statement.

The mayor said she has been in "constant communication" with city Police Chief Eric Hawkins.

"Based on the preliminary investigation, I have the utmost confidence the Albany Police Department will identify those responsible for this brazen act of senseless gun violence, arrest them, and ensure they are held accountable for their callous acts," Sheehan said in a statement.

Hawkins called the shooting a "painful reminder of the traumatic impact gun violence has on individual families and our community."

"While we are still in the very early stages of our investigation, I am confident we will identify those responsible and bring them to justice," Sheehan said.

Cutting power to the venue marks the second time this year the city has taken punitive action against an nightlife establishment following a rash of violence.

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Sheehan issued an emergency declaration that temporarily closed Cafe Hollywood following a fatal shooting on July 23. However, the future of the bar is currently being debated by the city Board of Zoning Appeals, with proposed terms still being negotiated by the parties.

Bolton is the 15th homicide victim in Albany this year. It had been three weeks since the last killing, when Shawn Keith Terry II, 35, was shot and killed on Sept. 18 at the Red Carpet Inn on Northern Boulevard in Albany.

It is also at least the third shooting incident in Albany this year where at least five people have been injured at once. Five people were shot in an incident Aug. 29.

On May 21, Sharf Addalim, who was returning to his job after prayers at a nearby mosque, was among five other people hit with bullets from a passing car near First and Quail streets. Addalim died.

An attack on Albany Street in June 2020 resulted in eight people being sent to the hospital.

The investigation into the most recent shooting is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Albany Police Detective Division at 518-462-8039.

Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Capital Region Crime Stoppers online at capitalregioncrimestoppers.com or by downloading the free P3 Tips mobile app.
WILMINGTON  Adirondack Wildlife Refuge is finding new homes for the majority of its animals after the operator surrendered two of her remaining wildlife licenses the state planned to revoke after years of alleged deceptive and improper reporting about the Wilmington animal farm.

Records obtained by Adirondack Explorer indicate the state Department of Environmental Conservation has run out of patience with the operation. The DEC had tried since 2015 to bring operator Wendy Hall and the refuge into compliance after repeated violations, but to no avail.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied renewing Halls federal licenses in November 2019, also citing multiple violations. Aside from housing educational animals with those under rehabilitation intended for release, DEC records cite whistleblower reports of discussions with staff to deceive regulators about illegal activity at AWR and reporting false statements. DEC staff also highlighted three instances of escaped animals  one involving two bears in 2019, another involving a bobcat in 2020 and another in 2021 involving the same two bears.

Joseph Therrien, a wildlife biologist in charge of DECs special licenses unit, testified before DEC Administrative Law Judge Richard Sherman on July 13 that he believed the publics safety was at risk given AWRs history of animal escapes.

Any of these animals that get out from their enclosure are going to be in a strange environment, Therrien said, according to a transcript of the hearing. If they run into the public, theyll be around people they dont know, theyll be stressed, anxious, and could easily react in a way that could very much harm the public. So we would see this facility with the animals housed there as indeed a risk to the public health and safety in the area.

Steve Hall, Wendy Halls husband and co-founder of the refuge, said Wednesday that his wife had made mistakes and acknowledged some of the violations. He called Wendy Halls surrender of her licenses a dreadful mistake. They are complying with the DECs order to find new homes for their animals, he said, though they hope it wont come to that.

The Halls have partnered with a nonprofit called Nature Walks Conservation Society. Executive Director Mark Fraser said hes finding the animals homes, but is also trying to get staff properly licensed at the Wilmington refuge. He hopes that the refuge might remain open and some of the animals, namely the wolves, could remain.

My No. 1 goal is to make sure every animal at the facility is safe, bar none, Fraser said, who lives in Massachusetts. My longer-term goal, assuming every animal is saved, is the hope to rescue this important education gem for the northern Adirondacks.

Two AWR staff members  Hanna Cromie and the Halls son Alex  have applied for the licenses Wendy lost. Steve Hall, who sometimes writes for the Explorers Adirondack Almanack, and Fraser said DEC isnt granting them the licenses. Steve Hall and Fraser both believe Cromie and Alex Hall are qualified.

In an emailed statement, a DEC press officer said at least two individuals associated with AWR had applied for DEC licenses but the many violations at issue happened while those individuals were working there.

Paul Buckowski

This summer, DECs comprehensive review of license applications and those individuals roles in past violations at AWR resulted in denial of license applications to continue possessing DEC-regulated wildlife species at the facility, the agencys statement read.

Fraser said there are two others applying for licenses, but he has not yet heard whether the state has reviewed those applications. Meanwhile, Wendy Hall, who Steve Hall said was diagnosed earlier this year with cancer of the pancreas and liver, read a statement for the refuge posted on YouTube on Wednesday.

It is unfair of them (Cromie and Alex Hall) to be branded with this, and they should be allowed to apply for licenses, Wendy Hall said.

In April 2021, the DEC wrote to Wendy Hall they planned to revoke her license to collect or possess state-regulated wildlife and her license for exhibiting endangered or threatened species. Steve Hall does not possess these DEC licenses, nor does anyone else working there.

Currently, a statement from the DEC read, there is no pending action against Steve Hall.

Wendy Hall requested a hearing and the DEC held one on July 13, but she didnt show and neither did any other representative from AWR. Instead, before the hearing, Wendy Hall surrendered her licenses.

Her husband later said she was acting on the advice of an attorney, but the Halls later felt it was a mistake.

In his hearing testimony, Therrien said the DEC is not pursuing any fines against the refuge. When a DEC lawyer asked why not, Therrien said that had been tried already; the DEC even tried increasing the fees to bring AWR into compliance.

Thats had no effect whatsoever whether the notices, the orders or the violations, Therrien testified. The main focus is, again, removing these licenses with revocation and removing these animals from the facility.

In an agreement with the DEC, Wendy Hall and AWR staff have until Oct. 25 to relocate two wolves, two American black bears, two coyotes, a red fox, a gray fox, a fisher, a North American porcupine, a bobcat, and an Eastern box turtle. So far Pippin, the red fox, has been placed at Abbe-Freeland Animal Sanctuary in Allegany County.

The refuge has been closed to the public since this summer.

In an April 30 letter, DEC officials highlighted Wendy Halls years of noncompliance and repeated possession of wildlife without proper licenses. Steve Hall dismisses this as bureaucratic and complicated paperwork. The DEC called Wendy Halls violations further evidence that you lack the requisite degree of care and trustworthiness to hold State wildlife licenses. The letter lists 17 instances of noncompliance from January 2015 through June 2021.

The letter, signed by Anthony Wilkinson, director of the DECs Division of Fish and Wildlife, includes whistleblower reports from two former AWR volunteers. The report revealed that a bobcat named Yayo had escaped from the refuge.

One volunteer overhead you and a staff member discuss whether to report the escape or to falsely report the bobcat as deceased to the DEC, the letter read. On July 27, 2020 you reported to the DEC that Yayo had died and had been buried at the facility. Falsely reporting the death of a bobcat in your possession instead of its escape is also a further violation, of the license.

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Steve Hall said the people DEC referred to are witnesses that would never get past the door in a public court for very good reason. One witness, he said, was a former employee who crashed a truck in Adirondack Wildlife Refuges driveway and refused to pay for any damages. The other was that employees girlfriend and also a refuge employee. He called them two people who wanted to get revenge on us, and boy, did it work.

Wilkinson also revisited in his letter the two black bears that had escaped AWR twice. The second time they escaped was at the end of June.

Pictures and your description of the missing black bear on social media showed you nuzzling the bear, Stephen Hall hugging the bear, and a statement that the escaped bear is completely harmless, Wilkinson wrote. Additionally, you reported through social media that unlicensed members of the public assisted in the recapture of the escaped black bear and you publicized a photo of an unnamed person face-to-face with the bear in the wild.

Wilkinson said these were further violations related to housing requirements for the animals so they cannot escape and safeguarding the public from attack, and prohibiting direct contact of an animal with the public.

Steve Hall said this was a DEC tactic to make the bears appear dangerous.

Fraser is picking up the pieces. His nonprofit, which he started in 2011, is taking on the fundraising role in lieu of Adirondack Wildlife, Inc., the nonprofit the Halls founded in 2011 to keep fundraising tax-exempt from the AWR, a private company. But the Halls have split off from the Adirondack Wildlife board of directors.

We had tremendous problems with them, Steve Hall said. They developed an attitude with Wendy and we ended up breaking up.

John Thaxton, past president of the Adirondack Wildlife Inc. and writer of Adirondack Explorers bird column, said he did not know that the Adirondack Wildlife had split from AWR. He said the original arrangement was that all the money and donations that went through the wildlife refuge would then go through Adirondack Wildlife so it wouldnt get taxed.

Thaxton was aware of some of Wendy Halls violations, but was not aware that the DEC had ordered the refuges animals placed elsewhere.

Thats where Fraser is stepping in, though with a full-time job and running his nonprofit from Massachusetts, he said its brutally difficult. He is hoping for a miracle from the state, some sort of pardon or reconsideration to allow current AMR staff to become licensed.

While he has identified homes for many of the animals, Fraser said hes not revealing the proposed destination. He said he would disclose locations once the animals are at their new homes or if he obtains a license for the refuge.

Fraser would like to lease the refuge from the Halls and keep it running for the thousands of school children who visit each year, in addition to all the tourists that come. The Halls, too, recently took out a $140,000 loan to build a perimeter fence at the refuge before finding out that the DEC had planned to revoke Wendy Halls licenses. Steve Hall said even if all the animals end up getting new homes, hell keep the refuge open. He has plans to house goats, chickens and cattle and teach groups about the origins of livestock, something he thinks doesnt get enough attention.

The Halls started rehabbing and caring for injured wildlife about two decades ago. Wendy Hall has also been a volunteer for North Country Wild Care, a wildlife hotline that pairs rehabilitation professionals with people with injured birds and animals. Fraser said he empathizes with the Halls and doesnt want their lifes work to get destroyed.

So far, Fraser said, the state hasnt responded to his business plans.

The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge shouldnt end this way, Fraser said.

A version of this story first appeared in the Adirondack Explorer
Former Vice President Mike Pence, desperate for redemption and relevance in a Republican Party led by a man who has cast him as a traitor, now chides the media for focusing on one day in January, as he put it in a Fox News interview.

That one day in January grows more and more consequential the more we learn about it. Loyalists of former President Donald Trump rioted, seeking to violently disrupt the certification of Democrat Joe Bidens victory in the presidential election. They beat police officers, erected a gallows and stormed the Capitol in search of Mr. Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in an apparent plan to publicly execute them. Leading up to that day, we now know, too, was an intense effort by Mr. Trump to hold power by any means possible.

It was already known that Mr. Trump had pressured Mr. Pence to illegally block Congress certification of the Electoral College results, and that his attempt to install a loyalist as attorney general to further his plan to retain power prompted threats of mass resignation in the Justice Department.

The Senate Judiciary Committee added to that knowledge last week, detailing a relentless pressure campaign by Mr. Trump and top White House aides to force the Justice Department to overturn the election on the basis of voter fraud claims that even lawyers in Mr. Trumps campaign acknowledged were untrue. The efforts included a call by Mr. Trump in which he told acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen to Just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen, according to notes taken by acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue.

Hardly surprising, perhaps, considering how Mr. Trump tried to pressure officials in swing states to find evidence of voter fraud and make him the winner instead. But take a moment to consider the con Mr. Trump is running here. A man who professes to revere the Constitution sought to subvert it. A man who claims to put America first put himself above Americas entire democratic system. And if a man whose campaign slogan was Make America Great Again had his way, the 2020 election could well have marked the end of the republic Americans have long cherished.

Jan. 6 was not just one day in January. Even Mr. Trump, who tweeted to the rioters, Remember this day forever! surely knows that. The efforts by Mr. Trump were not, as Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, depicts them, the normal behavior of a president seeking the counsel of his advisers and then following it. If not for the very few people who stood up to Mr. Trump, the country would have plunged into a constitutional crisis from which it might well not have recovered. Not as an America its founders, or even citizens today, would recognize, at least.

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Congress must do more than study and report on the events surrounding Jan. 6. It must identify and fix any and all flaws in our system that another politician  or even Mr. Trump himself  could exploit to overturn an election.

A government of the people will, of course, always depend on the integrity of the people entrusted to run it. But it should have all the safeguards we can devise to thwart those who would undermine it, as Mr. Trump so clearly sought  and still seeks  to do.

As Republican politicians far and wide continue to parrot Mr. Trumps lie and use it to justify voter suppressing legislation, as candidates seek to curry his endorsement, as he holds rallies and hints at another try at the presidency in 2024, Jan. 6  and all Mr. Trumps attempts to seize power  must never be minimized or normalized. Remember, indeed.
Climate scientists are increasingly worried the planet may be close to one or more tipping points.

Once triggered, these events could initiate abrupt and potentially irreversible impacts. The spark might be the collapse of an Antarctic ice sheet, leading to meters of sea level rise. Or perhaps an Amazon forest die-off, releasing massive quantities of carbon dioxide. Or abrupt changes in ocean circulation, bringing extreme winters across Europe and beyond. Or all the above.

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report refers to these as low-likelihood, high-impact outcomes. The longer the world waits to address greenhouse gas emissions, the higher their likelihood. Yet the enormity of the potential calamities and the scale of the solutions needed to halt them are so vast they seem to have debilitated policy makers and the public from taking action. Reaching tipping points appears almost inevitable.

Or so we thought.

As we approach the global climate summit this November in Glasgow, there is a glimmer of hope that a different, more optimistic tipping point could be looming.

A growing number of cities, regions, businesses, large investors and academic institutions have committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The number of pledges has roughly doubled annually over the last few years. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that if these pledges are met, they would reduce nearly 25 percent of todays global CO2 emissions. Thats progress, though not nearly enough to hold temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius and avert the worst of the climate crisis.

Two new pledges from very different sources  the Chinese government and Harvard University  exemplify recent movement from influential players. Both had dawdled in using their leadership to address major climate concerns. But their announcements are striking, unsurprising and heartening, all at the same time. Such high-profile announcements may be the catalyst to inspire a cascade of additional actions across the globe.

President Xi Jinping announced at the UN General Assembly that China will not build new coal-fired power plants abroad. The implication of this pledge is enormous. Continuing coal power production represents the greatest contributor to future greenhouse gas emissions. China was the only country still financing overseas coal projects, after South Korea and Japan recently announced bans. (China has not extended this pledge domestically.)

While dramatic, China had already shown signs of slowing overseas coal financing and ramping up renewable energy loans. This year, for the first time since launching its massive overseas infrastructure loan program in 2013, China has not made a single coal investment.

But even if China had been moving in this direction, the impact of a global pledge should not be underestimated. The move did not necessarily serve Chinas geopolitical interests. China allies itself mostly with other emerging economies and developing nations, some of whom are still eager for new coal loans.

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Harvard University made a similar striking move. The previous president of Harvard argued that the universitys endowment should not be used to impel social or political change. Announcing an institutional turn-around, Harvards current president pledged that the university would not invest further in fossil fuels.

Like China, Harvard had been inching in this direction for years. The returns from the fossil energy sector had been poor for years, so divestment made sense on financial grounds alone. The universitys decision follows a slew of commitments from other universities, including the University of California system and Oxford.

Yet the significance is still profound. Harvard lagged in selling off investments in South African companies during the apartheid divestment era of the 1980s and 1990s and never fully divested. Harvards new climate policy is much more forward looking. It has pledged not simply to divest from fossil fuels but to decarbonize its entire investment portfolio by 2050. This innovative declaration by an iconic institution will reverberate throughout higher education.

If large, influential institutions follow suit announcing sweeping climate pledges soon, the calculus for smaller players could shift abruptly. Those not on board may have to act quickly or be left behind with waning business ventures, stranded assets or outmoded policies. That is a tipping point we all can live with.

Elizabeth Losos is a senior fellow at Duke Universitys Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and leads a research program on sustainable infrastructure.
ALBANY  Last week, when Gov. Kathy Hochul announced nearly $25 million in state funds to help nonprofits guard against hate crimes, she was introduced at the Manhattan event by Maury Litwack.

Litwack is managing director of public affairs at the Orthodox Union, an influential nonprofit that represents over 400 Orthodox synagogues nationwide, and a key player in pushing for security funding to combat anti-Semitic violence.

We are so lucky to have her leading our state forward to a better future," Litwack said, introducing Hochul on Wednesday morning at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

That was not the only interaction between Litwack and Hochul that day. According to a person with knowledge of the matter, Litwack and Hochul's campaign team organized an event for the governor that took place the same day, where she met with potential donors from the Orthodox Jewish community.

Hochuls campaign manager told the Times Union that it was a meet and greet event  not a campaign fundraiser  but declined to say whether Hochul's campaign collected checks at the event. Hochul, who was sworn in as governor in August to fill the unexpired term of former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, is a Democratic frontrunner in next year's gubernatorial race.

Litwack also declined to say whether Hochul's campaign had received donations at the event.

"I and other community leaders arranged a meet and greet with the new governor long before this weeks announcement," Litwack said in an email. "This meeting was not a fundraiser nor designed to be one. Our communitys leadership meets with all levels of government and all office holders and candidates for office all the time."

The situation highlights the challenge Hochul faces running New York's government, while trying to quickly raise large amounts of campaign cash  all while trying to run on a platform that bills her as a reformer.

During Hochuls first 45 days in office, she took pains to distance herself from Cuomo, for whom she served as lieutenant governor. But theres one aspect of Cuomos operation that Hochul appears to be attempting to emulate: His prodigious campaign fundraising.

The finance director for Hochuls 2022 gubernatorial campaign is Casey Ryan, according to his LinkedIn profile. Ryan had previously worked as a campaign fundraiser for Cuomos campaign from 2015 through 2017, when he was deputy finance director.

Cuomo was one of the country's most prolific political fundraisers, but faced criticism for taking huge donations from people and organizations that had business with his administration. Cuomo's donations were a key feature of the 2018 upstate bid-rigging case that ensnared several Cuomo associates; for his part, Cuomo often said that donations never impacted government decisions.

Facing the likely prospect of a competitive Democratic primary in June, Hochul is attempting to raise significant campaign cash in a short amount of time: According to a recent New York Times article, at least $10 million by years end and as much as $25 million by next summer. If her war chest is formidable, it could potentially dissuade potential opponents from joining the race.

The Times reported on a recent meeting Hochul had in New York City with two dozen well-connected real estate developers, businessmen and lobbyists. The real estate industry was among Cuomos biggest campaign donors; the event raised about $200,000. And the Times reported that Mercury Public Affairs, a lobbying and public relations firm with a major Albany presence, is planning a fundraiser for Hochul in October, with tickets starting at $15,000.

When Cuomo was governor, leaders of the Orthodox Union  the organization where Litwack is a lobbyist  gave Cuomo a spate of donations, just after he'd made an announcement regarding the same program that Hochul promoted to announce the $25 million in state funding for security improvements at 362 nonprofit facilities.

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Four years ago, Cuomo announced that applications from nonprofit, private schools and day care centers would be accepted for an earlier $25 million from his Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Grant program, which was intended to protect against hate crimes targeting organizations because of their ideology, beliefs or mission.

A day after his announcement, Cuomo received a $5,000 donation from Allen Fagin  then CEO and executive vice president of the Orthodox Union  as well as others closely involved with the group, including Barry Lovell ($10,000), Elliott Gibber ($25,000), Howard Balter ($10,000) and Jack Bendheim ($5,000).

Bendheim told the Times Union that he was unaware of the Hochul campaign event last Wednesday.

In January 2020, when Cuomo announced the release of $45 million in funding to protect at-risk institutions, the Orthodox Union said in a press release one of its projects  the nonprofit group Teach NYS  had been instrumental in creating the anti-hate-crime program in the 2019 state budget.

Litwack, who organized last Wednesday's Hochul campaign event, is executive director of Teach Coalition, an umbrella nonprofit that includes Teach NYS, and advocates for nonpublic school funding, including yeshiva schools in the Orthodox community. Cuomo released the $45 million soon after the December 2019 attack on the home of a Hasidic rabbi in Monsey, Rockland County, one of a spate of anti-Semetic attacks in recent years.
Catholic Funeral Liturgy for Mary Casuccio will be at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church on November 23, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Interment follows at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Domico Funeral Home.
[October 09, 2021] Atlantic Key Energy Gives Five Families a Lifetime of Free Solar Power

This Saturday, local solar provider Atlantic Key Energy made a life-changing donation for five families in the Pensacola area. The donation, which amounts to $250k, will cover solar systems for all five family homes. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211009005037/en/ Atlantic Key Energy CEO Brian Schonbeck surprises five families with a lifetime of free solar energy. (Photo: Business Wire) Atlantic Key Energy has been serving the state of Florida since 2019, helping families save money with the sun. The company stands by their mission to serve others and help them achieve more, and applies it to everything that they do. From this sentiment came their partnership with the local organization Feed Fosters NWF. The company consistently sponsors the monthly meals that the organization provides to over 200 families throughout the northwest region of Florida. "Being a parent is a huge responsibility, and these parents have twice the amount of responsibiliy if not more. It is a thankless job to look after the vulnerable members of society that have no one else. That is why we felt this giveaway was a great way to give back to families in the community that deserve it," says CEO Brian Schonbeck.



In addition to their work with Feed Fosters NWF, Atlantic Key is a proud partner of the GivePower Foundation, whose solar water farms sustainably create access to clean water in water-scarce regions worldwide. Atlantic Key Energy serves the Sunshine State and has expanded to Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina with 16 local offices and over 700 employees.

For more information about Atlantic Key Energy and their give-back initiatives, visit https://atlantickeyenergy.com/ake-gives-back/. About Atlantic Key Energy Solar Atlantic Key Energy is an industry leader in the responsible installation of solar energy. Atlantic Key Energy helps homeowners generate clean rooftop energy and lock-in affordable energy rates through free estimates, education, installation and excellent customer service. Through Energy Expects, AKE helps homeowners evaluate if their homes are already qualified to save with the sun. AKE was awarded the 2020-2021 Green Flash and Green Partner Award from CED Green Tech. AKE hopes to expand their reach across the entire east coast. To learn more about Atlantic Key Energy, check out their Facebook and Instagram or head to their website atlantickeyenergy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211009005037/en/

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In this roundup of local crime news we notice a great deal of gunfire from throughout the metro . . . And pretty much a cavalcade of human misery . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

KCK PD investigating homicide near Minnesota Ave KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- Kansas City, KS is investigating its 37th homicide of 2021. Police responded to the 3100 block of Minnesota Ave around 3 a.m. Saturday on a suspicious activity call. When they arrived, authorities said they found a deceased female inside an apartment.

Woman killed in KCK overnight, person of interest in custody KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police responded to a suspicious activity call in the 3100 block of Minnesota Avenue about 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Upon arrival, officers were taken into an apartment where they located a deceased female inside. A person of interest was taken into custody at the scene.

Suspect in deadly Kansas club shooting arrested in Arizona WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A suspect in last month's deadly shooting at a downtown Wichita, Kansas, nightclub has been arrested in Arizona. Twenty-three-year-old Keshawn Maurice Dawson was taken into custody Friday in Phoenix with assistance from the United States Marshal's Service, Wichita police said in a news released.

Independence man indicted from homicide in early October by: Zoe Jones Posted: / Updated: INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced that a 36-year-old Independence man has been indicted for a fatal shooting on Oct. 5, 2021. Myles Blesz was indicted for the fatal shooting of Waylon Williams on Huttig Ave.

Concerns of abuse, neglect surface at Overland Park daycare franchise, police investigating OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - A mother and former employee of an Overland Park daycare center said she witnessed abuse. She and others say they saw the abuse happen at the hands of not only teachers but other children. They said it happened at the Learning Experience on 133rd Street and Pflumm Road in Overland Park.

Police ask for help in locating runaway, 12 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police are asking for the public's help in locating a missing and endangered runaway 12-year-old girl. Jamya Johnson was last seen Friday in the area of 72nd Street and Tracy in Kansas City, Missouri. She was wearing a blue hoodie, gray pants with butterflies, along with a light blue backpack and a dark colored duffle bag.

FBI data: Kansas City ranks in top 10 of highest violent crime rates in U.S. by: Becky Willeke Posted: / Updated: ST. LOUIS- Violent crimes increased nationwide during 2020, and St. Louis is third in the nation when it comes to its violent crime rate. Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri also landed among the top 10 cities in the country according to new data from the FBI.

Developing . . .
A Kansas City, Kansas Catholic faith community leader shares renewed criticism against the White House in his latest statement.



Here's the word . . .



The Administration is wrong to allow taxpayer dollars to fund abortion providers who participate in a pre-pregnancy program specifically designed to exclude abortion, stated Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, on Thursday, Oct. 7.

Title X is a federal program created in 1970 that subsidizes family-planning and preventative health services, including contraception, for low-income families. The original statute that created the program specified that no funds shall be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.

Title X was intended and authorized to be a program entirely separate from abortion, Archbishop Naumann said.

Abortion is not family planning, he said. Abortion takes the life of an already-conceived and growing child. The violence of abortion wounds countless women physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Naumann added that bishops have grave concerns about government promotion of contraceptives, and have long supported efforts to ensure that abortion is kept physically and financially separate from family planning under Title X.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
The ascendancy of Jason Parson is a notable development in the political history of Kansas City.



A little more than a decade ago he started out as a lowly state legislature candidate and now he's on the winning side of the biggest construction project ever undertaken in Kansas City.

At the very least he's the kingpin of crappy and overpriced airport food.



Even more deep background that all of the politicos in Kansas City politely ignore . . .



Right now this abridged headline is still live on The Pitch's website . . .

Mike Burke, mayoral candidate, picks campaign manager with a history of domestic problems



Here at www.TonysKansasCity.com We've saved the story and screen capped it for posterity's sake and just to show that EVERYONE deserves a second chance . . . Obviously, Mr. Parson was able to recover from WHATEVER drama the Pitch reported to rise to meteoric heights via a still sketchy New KCI deal.



Now . . .

JASON PARSON IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN A BILLION DOLLAR DEAL THAT WILL SHAPE KANSAS CITY'S FUTURE FOR BETTER OR WORSE!!!



We note this fact of life not only to make sure Mr. Parson can't get away with $75 campaign donations anymore but also because it represents yet another "cultural shift" away from the traditional duties of political insiders.

Long gone are the days when a campaign consultant devised media strategy and presented the public with powerful rhetorical arguments aimed at persuading voters.

In fact, Mr. Parson is a mediocre campaigner at best.

His start with Mike Burke was doomed from the start and around KC political circles it's hard to find people who will say Mr. Parson is tireless worker . . . Most campaigners get kind of annoyed by how much time he spends on the phone . . . Seemingly socializing to the untrained eye.



Still, he earned a great deal of support from former Mayor Sly who championed the work of Parson & Associates.



In his efforts for the Kansas City streetcar Mr. Parson has taken a low key and almost institutional approach to campaigning and public relations.



There's no brilliant commercials to point to, no groundbreaking strategy.

The streetcar has succeeded by way gerrymandering and excluding as many voters as possible.

Similarly . . .

Much smarter journalists than TKC have noted: The New KCI concessions deal was secretive and a public relations disaster that might cost Mayor Quinton Lucas his rising star career. The questionalbe connection to Mr. Parson was actually a major stumbling block and inspired Council Dude Fowler to abstain out of an abundance of caution.



Still . . .

A billion dollar victory cannot be understated and behind the scenes Mr. Parson was busy enough and delegated work to more diligent colleagues in order to prevail.

And so . . .

A political consultant who was always underestimated is now a multimillionaire and by far the most "connected" guy in Kansas City politics.

It's not exactly a Horatio Alger success story . . . But close enough.



Fact is, TKC predicted Mr. Parson's success years ago.

The military veteran is low key, bright and surprisingly humble. He's a devout Christian who is quick to share his personal testimony with others. His understated manner is a surprising change of pace from most political denizens who love hearing the sound of their own voice. Loudly.



And so because even local democracy is more complicated that most plebs would dare to dream . . .

Mr. Parson is now one of Kansas City's top ranking kingmakers and new KCI victory has given wings to his career and lifted him to the ranks of Kansas City power players who decide local elections before voters are ever presented any options.

Developing . . .


A deadly gas station shooing has sparked an interesting protest/vigil following news of the homicide.



Here's a curious passage from a report today . . .



"About 40 people have gathered outside of the Riverside Police Department o mourn the loss. Friends say the victim was a member of the Ebenezer Oromo Church."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

One person dead after shooting at QuikTrip in Riverside by: Zoe Jones Posted: / Updated: One person is dead after being shot at a QuikTrip in Riverside. Early Saturday afternoon, Riverside Police and Fire Departments responded to a call where someone was reported to be shot at QuikTrip at 4600 NW Gateway Dr. Upon arrival, officials found a person near their vehicle, parked at the gas pumps.

One dead in Riverside, Missouri, shooting at gas station Police have a person of interest in custody after a deadly shooting at a Riverside Quiktrip.It happened Saturday at the gas station off Gateway Avenue and North Vivion Road. Police found the victim near a car next to the gas pumps.

Riverside police investigate fatal shooting after victim found near gas pump at QuikTrip RIVERSIDE, MO (KCTV) --- Police in Riverside are investigating a fatal shooting after a victim was found near a gas pump at the QuikTrip. Officers responded to a shooting call at around 12:40 p.m. Saturday. Once arriving, they found the victim near a vehicle parked next to the gas pumps.

1 dead in Riverside shooting Saturday KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One person is dead following a Saturday shooting in Riverside, Missouri. Just before 1 p.m., Riverside police and fire responded to Quick Trip at 4600 NW Gateway Drive where it was reported someone had been shot, according to a news release.

Developing . . .
Hey everyone,

Just wondering if it's worth doing a road trip from Perth up to Exmouth and then up to Darwin (and lots of other places in between obviously) starting in February? Like will the weather gonna be ok or too hot?

Thanks for any replies.
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(BPT) - Harold L. was raised in a Kansas farming family as one of fourteen siblings. Unfortunately, throughout his active life and unbeknownst to him, he had been exposed to asbestos; first, as a young man growing up on the family farm and then while on active duty in the military. But his g
Conducting military exercises is one of the ways to show Russia that countries are ready to repel Russian aggression if it expands.

Oleksandr Musiyenko, an expert at the Center for Military and Legal Studies, said this on the air of Dom TV channel, Ukrinform reports.

He reminded that the Joint Efforts 2021 military exercises would start on September 22 in the air, at sea, and on land. The units of Ukraine and NATO member states will be involved.

At the same time, Joint Efforts 2021 will be launched after the completion of the Zapad 2021 joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises which last from September 10 to 16.

"NATO member states are aware of threats [posed by Russia] and they use all the mechanisms provided to us by the NATO EOP status. The whole algorithm is involved. And we do not sit idly by. We strengthen defense, we understand our drawbacks that need to be eliminated, and we are doing our best to conduct joint exercises with NATO," the expert said.

Ukraine conducts training and consultations. There are NATO ships in the Black Sea  and Russia is restrained in its actions. These mechanisms work, Musiyenko added.

"We are also moving forward, we are not standing still. There are two areas. The first is to boost military aid and joint exercises. The second is political, diplomatic efforts. We need to make good use of the UN General Assembly site to draw attention to all these issues which concern not only Ukraine," the expert summed up.

As a reminder, Joint efforts 2021 strategic command and staff exercises will be carried out according to NATO standards in Ukraine from September 22 to 30. Troops from 15 countries, including 11 NATO member states and 4 partner countries, will share their experience with the Ukrainian army. The exercises will be held at almost all training areas of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

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Published Oct. 10, 2021

By Ashlyn Dupree

ULM Office of Marketing and Communications

MONROE, LA The University of Louisiana Monroe School of Visual and Performing Arts and the Office of Recruitment hosts its annual VAPA Day on Wednesday, Oct. 13. This event is for high school students interested in art, dance, music, and theatre.

"After hosting an online VAPA Day in 2020, we are excited to return to an on-campus event," said James Boldin, DMA, Professor of Music and Associate Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts. "VAPA Day will include a variety of activities designed to introduce prospective students to the world of visual and performing arts at the collegiate level."

Students interested can register online at ulm.edu/vapaday. For more on the School of Visual and Performing Arts in the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences, visit ulm.edu/vapa.

Schedule:
DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 09th Oct, 2021) Dubai Customs received a delegation from Senegal headed by Habdul Rahman Diyay, Director-General of Senegals Customs.

The visit aimed at learning about Dubai Customs business model and the latest practices they follow in processing transactions and implementing advanced inspection systems.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Director-General of Dubai Customs, and the senior management team welcomed the visitors to the Dubai Customs main building.

The visitors listened to a presentation on the departments smart customs systems, which help increase revenues, prevent smuggling and contain customs and tax evasion.

"Dubai Customs unique and outstanding experience in developing breakthrough services and innovations has become a worldwide model," Musabih said. "We seek to enhance cooperation with other countries that work on developing their customs sector to enable them to learn from our experience following the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Musabih also talked about the Dubai Customs experience during the pandemic and working from home.

Advanced technologies that the Government Department had invested in during the past years have streamlined the process.

Trade between Dubai and Senegal skyrocketed 74 percent to AED1.4 billion in H1 2021 from AED826 million in the corresponding period in 2020. Imports amounted to AED230 million, exports touched AED228 million, and re-exports made AED981 million.

Diyay expressed his happiness at learning about the advanced customs systems and services that Dubai Customs provides to traders and passengers.

Dubai Customs highlighted specific systems in the meeting, including the Smart Risk Engine, which assesses additional security, economic, environmental and social risks. The system reduced the time needed for customs clearance to less than 10 seconds.

The Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, and its role in facilitating trade, was also presented. There are now 80 member companies in the programme who enjoy many incentives, including higher market penetration, especially in the countries that signed mutual recognition agreements.
(@FahadShabbir)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 10th Oct, 2021) The United Arab Emirates has strongly denounced the terrorist Houthi militias' attack on King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jizan with two bomb-laden drones, with one causing injuries among civilians, passengers and airport employees, while the other was intercepted by the Coalition Forces.

In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) yesterday, the UAE affirmed that targeting the airport is "a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act that threatens the security, safety and lives of civilians and travelers.

It is a war crime that requires taking all necessary measures to protect civilian objects from the threats of the Houthis."

The UAE has renewed its full solidarity with the Kingdom over these subversive terrorist attacks and reiterated its stand against all threats to the Kingdom's security, stability, and the safety of its citizens and residents.

The statement emphasised that the security of the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are indivisible, and that any threat facing the Kingdom is considered by the Emirates a threat to its security and stability.
Algiers, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Oct, 2021 ) :Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Sunday demanded France's "total respect", following a row over visas and critical comments from Paris about the North African country.

The return of the Algerian ambassador to France is conditional on the "total respect for the Algerian state," Tebboune told local media.

"We forget that it (Algeria) was once a French colony... History should not be falsified," added the president, whose country last weekend recalled its ambassador from Paris and banned French military planes from its airspace amid the tensions with Paris.
Aden, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Oct, 2021 ) :Five people have been killed in a car-bomb attack targeting the governor of Aden, the seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government, security sources said on Sunday.

Governor Ahmed Lamlas and Salem al-Socotri, a government minister, both survived the blast which went off as their convoy passed, the sources said.

"A car bomb... on Al-Mualla Street exploded while the convoy of officials... was passing," a Yemeni security source told AFP, adding that the victims were in the convoy.

The central government relocated to Aden from the capital Sanaa in 2014, forced out by Huthi rebels, who continue to fight Yemeni government loyalists in a grinding civil war.

Southern Yemen has separately been beset by periodic tensions between that internationally recognised government and southern separatists in recent years, including sporadic armed clashes.

In December 2020, officials from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) were integrated into the cabinet in an uneasy power-sharing agreement.

Lamlas and Socotri are both STC personnel.

The STC has sought to restore the independence of South Yemen, a then country which was integrated into the north in 1990.

The central government and the separatists are, despite their own differences, aligned against the Huthis.
Kano, Nigeria, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Oct, 2021 ) :Gunmen from gangs of cattle thieves and kidnappers have opened fire on a market in northwest Nigeria, killing at least 19 people, officials and local residents said Sunday.

Northwest and central Nigeria are plagued by criminal gangs of cattle thieves and kidnappers for ransom called bandits, who raid villages, killing and abducting residents as well as looting and burning homes.

The gangs have been targeting schools where they abduct students.

Officials and local residents said the gunmen Friday raided a market in Unguwan Lalle village in Sabon Birni district of Sokoto state, near the border with Niger.

"They attacked the market in the afternoon, killing 19 people," said Aminu Al-Mustapha Gobir, a local lawmaker representing the district in the Sokoto parliament.

Several people injured in the attack were taken to a hospital in Sabon Birni town, said Gobir, who attended the funeral of two of the victims in the state capital Sokoto.

One trader who escaped the attack, Abubakar Shehu, said around 20 people were killed and many others badly injured.

"They came around around 3:00 pm after everyone had returned from Friday prayers," he said.

He said the attack could be a reprisal for the killing of 11 bandits by local vigilantes fighting the gangs at a market in nearby Mamande village on Thursday.

News of the killings was slow to emerge due to the shutdown of telecommunication services in the area.

For several weeks troops have been conducting air and ground operations on bandit camps in neighbouring Zamfara state where authorities have shut down telecom services to disrupt communication between the gangs.

Bandits fleeing the military operation in Zamfara have set up camps in Sabon Birni district from where they raid villages.

The influx of bandits from neighbouring Zamfara state prompted authorities in Sokoto to suspend weekly markets and shut down telecom towers in areas on the border with Zamfara, including Sabon Birni.

Sokoto state internal security commissioner Garba Moyi confirmed Friday's attack, blaming non-observance of a government ban on weekly markets in the area.

"We have observed non-compliance with the suspension of markets in areas prone to bandits attacks including Sabon Birni," Moyi said.

Last month 17 Nigerian security personnel were killed when gunmen raided their base in Sabon Birni's Dama village which the military blamed on Islamic State-aligned jihadists.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishter Saturday said that a sum of Rs 12,000 cash relief would be given immediately to the victim families of devastating earthquake which jolted Harnai, Balochistan the other day

HARNAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Oct, 2021 ) :Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishter Saturday said that a sum of Rs 12,000 cash relief would be given immediately to the victim families of devastating earthquake which jolted Harnai, Balochistan the other day.

Speaking to media after visiting earthquake hit areas of Harnai, she said she came to assess the level of assistance needed from the federal government.

She announced the relief package under Ehsaas programme on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"Social protection is critical to earthquake induced recovery. The relief assistance would be in addition to compensation being planned for affected households after detailed damage assessment", said Dr. Sania while expressing solidarity with affectees.

In Harnai, Dr. Sania was joined by Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Qasim Khan Suri, Chief Secretary Balochistan, Mathar Niaz Rana, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar, Commissioner Sibbi Division, Deputy Commissioner Harnai and senior officers of Ehsaas and Pakistan Army.

Dr. Sania expressed deep grief and sorrow over the human and property loss that she witnessed across the district and went to village Killi Shor and other areas of Tehsil Harnai to inquire after the affected families.

Sympathizing the affectees, Dr. Sania said, "Federal government is with people of Harnai during these hard times, and we will do whatever we can to provide them immediate relief. We are fully committed to supporting the earthquake affectees. Ehsaas' shock-responsive registry will also open its desks by Monday in the affected areas." She also reviewed arrangements being made to open Ehsaas Registration Desks at the Irrigation Department of Harnai. The Ehsaas National Socio-economic registry survey has been completed in Harnai. Registration desks will facilitate self-enrollment of missed households who need Ehsaas' assistance.

Earlier, Dr. Sania also visited District Hospital Harnai and inquired after the health those who injured during the earthquake.

As per PM's directives, two food trucks of 'Ehsaas Koye Bhooka Na Soye' have also been operationalized today in district Harnai to provide cooked meals to people.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) was planning to provide wheelchairs, artificial limbs to quake victims.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ALMATY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2021) An unidentified object exploded on the territory of the engineering ammunition depot in southern Kazakhstan that burnt down in August, the Kazakh Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

A fire broke out at a military unit's warehouse in the Jambyl Region in late August, leading to at least ten blasts. Seventeen people were killed in the incident, while over 100 injured were admitted to hospitals, including 49 workers of the local emergency department.

"At 07:20 (local time, 01:20 GMT), an explosive object damaged by fire in the territory of the engineering ammunition warehouse in .

.. Jambyl Region was triggered. There was no distant scattering of fragments as a result of the explosion. Work at that time was not carried out, there were no people nearby. No damage was caused to buildings," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry warned that similar incidents could happen in the future, adding that the work on cleaning the technical area from explosive objects is still going on.
PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2021) Czech President Milos Zeman was placed in an intensive care unit at a Prague hospital on Sunday, his doctor said, adding that he could not reveal his diagnosis.

"The republic's president, Milos Zeman, was hospitalized today at my recommendation and is being treated in intensive care," Miroslav Zavoral, head of Prague's Central Military Hospital, told reporters.

The 77-year-old president twice refused to be hospitalized this week, despite canceling his post-vote speech. He is expected to grant mandate for forming a government to the opposition after it won this week's legislative polls.
Pope Francis tells the faithful that Christian life is a gift, based not on our abilities and our plans, but on Gods loving gaze.

By Linda Bordoni

Reflecting on the Gospel readings of the day, Pope Francis invited all Christians to say yes to God and savour the beauty of making life a gift.

Speaking during the Sunday Angelus in St. Peters Square, he recollected the encounter between Jesus and a man who had great possessions (Mk 10:22), and who went down in history as the rich young man, and said that the Gospel of Mark suggests that we can all see ourselves in this man and that his encounter with Jesus allows us to test our faith.

Noting the mans attitude that shows he lives his religiosity as a duty  something that needs doing in order to obtain salvation  the Pope explained that there is no commercial relationship with God based on a must-do-obtain ritual: It is a question of freedom and love.

Here is a first test: what is faith for me? If it is mainly a duty or a bargaining chip, we are off track, because salvation is a gift and not a duty, it is free and cannot be bought, he said.

The true face of God

In the second step, the Pope continued, Jesus helps this man by offering him the true face of God.

Indeed, the text says, Jesus looking upon him loved him, he explained, saying that faith is born not from duty but from a look of love to be welcomed.

In this way, Christian life becomes beautiful, if it is based not on our abilities and our plans, but on Gods gaze. Is your faith tired and do you want to reinvigorate it? Look for God's gaze: sit in adoration, allow yourself to be forgiven in Confession, stand before the Crucified One. In short, let yourself be loved by him, he said.

A gift

The third and final step, Pope Francis continued, is to ask yourselves whether we are living our faith according to the Christian yes of love.

Faith, he said cannot be limited to a series of precepts but must translate into a life of giving and gratuitousness.

A faith without giving, without gratuitousness, without works of charity, makes us sad in the end, he said, inviting believers to ask themselves: At what point is my faith? Do I experience it as something mechanical, like a relationship of duty or interest with God? Do I remember to nourish it by letting myself be looked at and loved by Jesus? And, attracted by him, do I respond freely?

And he concluded upholding the Virgin Mary, who said a total yes to God, a yes without but, and said: Let us savour the beauty of making life a gift.

2 new Blesseds

After praying the Angelus together with the pilgrims present in St. Peters Square, Pope Francis recalled the proclamation on Saturday of two new Blesseds: Maria Lorenza Longo and Don Francesco Mottola.

Announcing the news with joy, the Pope said the Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo, who was beatified in Naples, was a 16th-century wife and mother. After she was widowed, she founded a hospital for the terminally ill. The Pope said she was a woman of great faith and intense prayer life, and did all she could for the needs of the poor and the suffering.

Pope Francis also remembered the beatification of Don Francesco Mottola in the southern Italian region of Calabria. He said he was the founder of the Oblates of the Sacred Heart. Don Mottola, who died in 1969, was a zealous pastor and tireless proclaimer of the Gospel; an exemplary witness of a priesthood lived in charity and contemplation.

World Mental Health Day

Finally, Pope Francis also marked World Mental Health Day, celebrated annually on 10 October.

I would like to remember our brothers and sisters suffering from mental disorders, and also victims of suicide, who are often young, he said.

And he asked for prayers for those affected by these issues and for their families, that they may not be left alone or discriminated against, but welcomed and supported.
Relatives and friends of one of the victims of Friday's bombing of a Shiite Mosque hold a blanket over his grave in Kunduz (AFP or licensors)

A suicide bomber kills and wounds worshippers at a Shiite mosque in northern Afghanistan, in the 3rd deadly attack this week targeting a religious institution.

By Nathan Morley

A suicide bomber killed and wounded worshippers at a Shiite mosque in northern Afghanistan, in the 3rd deadly attack this week targeting a religious institution.

On Friday, a suicide bomber from the so-called Islamic State killed at least 50 minority Shiite Muslims and wounded dozens in the deadliest attack since the departure of Western Forces from the country.

Photos from the scene at the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque showed bodies surrounded by rubble inside the mosque in the Kunduz province. Police said the attack was likely carried out by a suicide bomber who had mingled among worshippers.

Shiite Muslims have long been a target of violence by extremist terror in Afghanistan, which is predominately Sunni.

In a separate development, senior Taliban officials and U.S. representatives will hold talks over the weekend about containing extremist groups in Afghanistan and easing the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans from the country.

The talks are taking place in Doha.

Elsewhere, the EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson has warned Europe must take the security threats that might arise from migration out of Afghanistan more seriously.

She urged all EU member states to properly screen and register all people arriving from Afghanistan.

According to the UN, half a million people have been displaced within Afghanistan in recent months.
A file photo of Guido Bellido and his cabinet ministers walking to Congress to ask for a vote of confidence in Lima on 26 August (AFP or licensors)

Peru`s Prime Minister has resigned only two months after taking office. Mirtha Vasquez has already been sworn-in replacing him.

By James Blears

Peru`s Prime Minister Guido Bellido has quit. It`s been accepted, confirmed and announced by the Country`s President Pedro Castillo.

Bellido`s succinct reason for his swift and premature departure is: "Instability." The President appointed him in July, and he was approved by Congress the next month. President Castillo has thanked Bellido for his work. Bellido says he`s resigned at the President`s request.

Both men are members of the Socialist Free Peru Party. Bellido had been insisting on direct State intervention in economic spheres, arguing that key sectors must be placed in the hands of Government, coming under their remit and their control. This includes and involves the natural gas and hydroelectric sectors. But President Castillo has contradicted this, publically and vocally supporting continuing investment from the private and the international sectors.

He significantly stated: "The balance of power is a bridge between the rule of law and democracy."
Normal, IL (61790)

Today

Partly cloudy. Windy this evening. Low 22F. WNW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Windy this evening. Low 22F. WNW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music.
Bangladesh police arrested at least 16 Rohingya refugees in a series of raids on camps in Dhaka after the murder of a top Rohingya community leader last week, officials said Sunday.

Rights advocate Mohib Ullah was gunned down 10 days ago by unidentified assailants outside his office at Kutupalong, the world's largest refugee settlement in Bangladesh's southeast.

His family and fellow community leaders have blamed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) -- a militant outfit behind a series of attacks on Myanmar security posts -- saying Mohib Ullah's growing popularity had enraged the group. ARSA has denied any involvement in the murder.

The 48-year-old had become one the most respected moderate voices advocating for Rohingya refugees after nearly 800,000 people fled Myanmar for Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district following military crackdowns on their villages in 2017.

"We have arrested 16 people in the past three days as part of a special drive we have launched after the murder of Mohib Ullah," said Naimul Huq, the police official in charge of the raids.

But Huq added that those arrested were not "involved in the murder of Mohib Ullah" and ARSA does not operate in the camps.

The arrests signal a wider law enforcement crackdown on the camps, coming a week after five others were apprehended in connection with the murder and local media reported that one of the men had confessed.

Rohingya community leaders and rights activists have repeatedly said members of the militant outfit are active in the refugee settlement and Mohib Ullah's family had told AFP last week that they were afraid of leaving their homes.

"ARSA has created a reign of terror in the camps," a senior leader of the slain leader's rights group told AFP, asking to remain unnamed.

"Since Mohib Ullah's murder, I haven't been able to go to my home. I've been hiding since the murder. ARSA members are following us and threatening us. I am helpless."

Another community leader said, "ARSA militants tried to kidnap one of my relatives and the son of one of our members. Now we are all scared of our life. They want to kill me."
Britain will tell the European Union again next week that "significant change" to the Northern Ireland protocol is vital for the restoration of genuinely good relations between London and Brussels.

The protocol was part of the Brexit divorce settlement Prime Minister Boris Johnson negotiated with the EU, but London has said it must be rewritten less than a year after it took effect because of the barriers businesses face when importing British goods into the province.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic, who oversees post-Brexit relations with Britain, said Thursday that the EU's executive would finalize measures next week aimed at resolving post-Brexit trading issues in Northern Ireland by the end of the year or early 2022.

But Sefcovic reiterated that he would not renegotiate the protocol and that solutions would have to be found within the terms of a deal designed to keep an open border between Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.

The European Commission's measures are expected to be presented Wednesday.

Use of Article 16

Britain's Brexit Minister David Frost is to give a speech to the diplomatic community in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, on Tuesday. He is expected to say endless negotiation is not an option and that London will need to use the Article 16 safeguard mechanism if solutions cannot be agreed upon rapidly, according to extracts of his speech released by his office Saturday.

Article 16 allows either side to take unilateral action if the protocol is deemed to have a negative impact.

"No one should be in any doubt about the seriousness of the situation. ... The EU now needs to show ambition and willingness to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol head on," the speech transcript said.

Frost is also expected to signal a desire to free the protocol from the oversight of European judges.

"The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and the consequent inability of the U.K. government to implement the very sensitive arrangements in the protocol in a reasonable way has created a deep imbalance in the way the protocol operates," the transcript said. "Without new arrangements in this area the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive.

Reacting to publication of Frost's stance on the ECJ, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the British government had created a new "red line" barrier to progress that it knows the EU cannot move on.
Left-leaning Italian lawmakers and politicians on Sunday called for measures to outlaw pro-fascism groups a day after anti-vaccine protesters, incited by extreme-right leaders, stormed a union office in Rome.

Twelve protesters were either detained or arrested, authorities said Sunday, including Giuliano Castellino, leader of the extreme-right Forza Nuova party. Some 10,000 demonstrators turned out Saturday to express their outrage at a government-imposed requirement that employees have a "Green Pass" to enter their workplaces starting next Friday.

The passes certify that a person has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, recently recovered from the infection or tested negative within two days.

Cries of "Giuliano! Giuliano!" rose from the crowd Saturday. Castellino, who due to past violence has been banned from demonstrations in Rome, was allegedly one of the Forza Nuova members who exhorted supporters to storm the national headquarters of the CGIL labor confederation. Labor unions in Italy have supported the Green Passes to make workplaces safer for employees.

Scores of demonstrators used sticks, metal bars and rolled-up Italian flags to force their way inside and trash the place.

Later, hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police as they tried to reach the square outside Chigi Palace, home to the premier's office and near the Italian parliament.

"The assault on CGIL headquarters and the attempt to repeat that at Chigi Palace leaves one shocked," wrote l'eco del sud.it, a southern Italian news website.

After the storming of the union headquarters, demonstrators then headed down Rome's Via Veneto, a boulevard that winds past the U.S. embassy. As a precaution, Italian security officials decided to usher Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. Speaker of the House, out of a nearby church where she had been attending Mass, her office said Sunday.

Earlier Saturday, Pelosi had a private audience at the Vatican with Pope Francis.

Dozens of protesters on Saturday night also stormed the emergency room at the Umberto I Polyclinic, where a demonstrator had been taken after feeling ill, and it took hours to remove them, hospital officials said. Gov. Nicola Zingaretti of Lazio, the region including Rome, said the culprits appeared to have participated in the anti-vaccine protests.

In the melee at the clinic, a nurse was struck in the head by a bottle and two police officers suffered bruises, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.

Among those calling for the outlawing of pro-fascism groups was Giuseppe Conte, Italy's former premier and the new leader of the populist 5-Star Movement.

"We cannot accept these manifestations of thuggery," Conte said.

The Italian Constitution bans any recreation of fascist parties, following the demise of Benito Mussolini's fascist dictatorship before and during World War II.

Conte spoke to reporters outside the GCIL headquarters, where hundreds of supporters demonstrated Sunday in solidarity. Similar demonstrations drew supporters in Florence, Bologna and Milan.

A Democratic Party lawmaker, Emanuele Fiano, said he'll present a motion in parliament on Monday pressing Premier Mario Draghi's government to outlaw by decree Forza Nuova and similar movements.
At least six people were killed Sunday in Yemen's port city of Aden by a car bomb that targeted two senior government officials who survived, an official said.



The explosion targeted the convoy of Agriculture Minister Salem al-Socotrai and Aden Governor Ahmed Lamlas in the district of Tawahi, Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani said.



The blast killed at least six people among Lamlas' companions and wounded at least seven others who had been passing by, al-Iryani said. The casualties were taken to hospitals for treatment, he said.



The explosion damaged several buildings in the area, quickly sealed off by security forces, according to security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.



Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed called the explosion a "terrorist attack" and ordered an investigation.



No one immediately claimed responsibility.



Aden has been rocked by several explosions in the past years, which have been blamed on local affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups.



Aden has been the seat of the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi since the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels took over the capital, Sanaa, triggering Yemen's civil war.



The president fled to Aden then to Saudi Arabia, which led a military coalition the following year to try to restore Hadi to power and threw its support behind his internationally backed government.
China and Taiwan traded barbed comments Sunday over the future of the island territory, with Beijing pressing for reunification and Taipei engaging in a rare display of its military capabilities after months of Chinese overflights.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said at the territorys National Day celebration, We will do our utmost to prevent the status quo from being unilaterally altered," under which Taiwan operates as an independently governed state even as Beijing claims the island as part of Chinas domain.



"We will continue to bolster our national defense and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us," Tsai said.

Chinas Taiwan Affairs office denounced Tsais speech, saying it incited confrontation and distorted facts, closing the path toward the negotiations that Taiwan has sought.

Taiwan displayed its military hardware, including fighter jets, tanks, and both imported and domestically made missile systems. The United States, while for decades embracing a one-China policy recognizing Chinas claim to Taiwan, continues to sell military hardware to Taipei, including $5.1 billion in arms sales in 2020.

Tsai, in her speech, emphasized the island's vibrant democracy in contrast with Beijing's authoritarian, single-party Communist state. Chinese President Xi Jinping declared on Saturday that reunification with Taiwan "must be realized."

"No one should underestimate the Chinese people's strong determination, will and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Xi declared.

In her speech, Tsai said, "The path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people."

Surveys of Taiwanese show they overwhelmingly favor their current de facto independent state and strongly reject unification with China, even as Beijing has vowed, if necessary, to use military force to bring the island under its control.

In recent days, dozens of Chinese fighter jets have flown over Taiwans air defense zone in a show of force, forcing Taiwan to scramble its jets in response. In the last year, China has conducted more than 800 such flights.



The island has looked to strengthen its unofficial ties with countries like Japan, Australia and the U.S. in the face of these perceived threats.



"But the more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China," Tsai said in her speech.
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Low rainfall plagues one of the worlds major agricultural producers. Brazil now faces a crisis of drying dams, forcing farmers to look to more expensive and less-eco-friendly sources of power. As VOAs Arash Arabasadi reports, the climate change-driven issue threatens to make worse the effects of climate change
Jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on a hunger strike since October 1, needs to be hospitalized, as his condition is worsening, his doctor said Sunday in a television interview.

Saakashvili declared a hunger strike after he was arrested on October 1 and incarcerated in the city of Rustavi, hours after he announced he had returned to Georgia following an eight-year absence.

Saakashvili was convicted in absentia in 2018 for abuse of power during his presidency, charges he says were politically motivated.

He had lived in Ukraine in recent years, but last month announced plans to fly to Georgia for local elections held on October 2, despite facing prison. He said he wanted to help "save the country" amid a protracted political crisis.

Nikoloz Kipshidze, Saakashvili's doctor, said that he had been discussing his condition with doctors at the prison where he is being held, not far from the capital, Tbilisi.

"I spoke with them for half an hour about how to get through this night. I plan to visit him again tomorrow. We will probably need to transfer him to hospital," the doctor said on Georgian television.

There was no immediate comment from prison authorities.

This article includes information from Reuters.
Congress appears poised to pass a bipartisan, $1 trillion plan that would be the largest federal investment in infrastructure in more than a decade. History shows that investing in infrastructure can transform the United States, changing how Americans move, bolstering economic prosperity, and significantly improving the health and quality of life for many.

When the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, we changed the way we moved forever, opening up the entire country and from the way humans had moved previously for thousands of years by animal to machine, Greg DiLoreto, past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), told VOA via email. [And] I think we all would agree that construction of the interstate highway system changed America in ways that greatly contributed to our economic prosperity.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which authorized the building of 65,000 kilometers (41,000 miles) of interstate highways  the largest American public works program in history at the time. Another earlier transformation occurred in 1936, when Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act, extending electricity into rural areas for the first time.

And the wave of projects that created modern sewage and water systems in urban areas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries left a lasting mark, providing reliable, clean water in cities and extracting pollution from sewage.

American cities in the late 19th, early 20th century were incredibly unhealthy places, says Richard White, professor emeritus of American history at Stanford University in California. High child death rates, repeated epidemics, and much of that was waterborne disease that came from both ineffective sewage and impure water. And infrastructure projects changed that dramatically. Probably it's been the most effective public health effort ever in the history of the United States.

Dark consequences

DiLoreto also names the construction of dams across the western United States, which increased America's ability to farm and feed the world, as infrastructure successes. But he points out that the projects created problems for migrating fish. In fact, many of the so-called successful infrastructure projects, like interstate highways, had dark consequences.

They increased racial stratification in the cities. They were built in such a way that they went through poorer neighborhoods, very often minority neighborhoods, walling them off from the city as a whole, White says. They set them apart and set in motion a set of social changes which we suffer from still. So, they hurt poorer areas, minority areas, even if they helped middle-class areas.

White, who wrote the book Railroaded, about the building of the transcontinental railroads, contends the federal government funded too many railroads into areas without the traffic to sustain them.

The railroads took government money and then went bankrupt, White says. They were very often utterly corrupt. The money was taken off into the private pockets behind some of the great fortunes in American history, and they never really delivered the economic and social benefits that they promised.

And Native Americans ended up paying the price, White adds.

Many of these railroads ended up costing Indian peoples huge amounts of land for no particular benefit, he says. It's not like white settlement was particularly successful in the land the Indians lost. So, even though it was intended to raise the standard of living for everybody in the West, it didn't necessarily do so, and the great cost was paid very often by Indian people.

Bold enough?

The stripped-down bipartisan version of President Joe Bidens American Jobs Plan (AJP) pours money into transportation, utilities  including high-speed internet for rural communities  and pollution cleanup. What the bill does not appear to contain is a single transformative project.

From the information I have, funds will be used to help us repair, replace and make our infrastructure more robust to withstand climate change and seismic risks, DiLoreto says. One might consider that transformative in the sense that our quality of life and economic prosperity depend on a functioning infrastructure.

White views the bill as backward-looking rather than forward-thinking at a time when the United States needs to transform itself to adjust to a changing world, doing things differently in the future than it has in the past.

We have our first great infrastructure bill, which is mostly intended to protect things we built in the past, which, I think, in the long run, that's going to be seen as a failing, White says. And again, I'm not saying that you should allow bridges to fall into rivers, or that the roads don't need repair. But it's not transformative.

There is one potentially sweeping project that could help revolutionize life in the United States.

Broadband has had a tremendous impact on our lives, DiLoreto says. Without a broadband system, our ability to economically survive COVID would have been difficult.

The current bipartisan plan provides $65 billion for broadband infrastructure.

If broadband in this bill works as they intend it  and they bring it into poor areas which now lack broadband, that would be a good thing, that could be transformative, White says. That could have the same kind of consequences that rural electrification had in terms of education and lightening people's workload and allowing them to do the kinds of work they otherwise couldn't do.  But if they simply make it more effective for those who have it already, it's not going to be transformative.
Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in Israel Sunday, meeting with Israeli leaders. She called on Iran to return to negotiations on a new nuclear deal. Under her leadership, Israel and Germany have had close relations including cooperation on Iran and its nuclear program. The visit comes as Iran says it has 120 kilograms of enriched uranium.

The trip marked the eighth time that Germanys Angela Merkel had traveled to Israel since she became chancellor 16 years ago. And in her last official visit, the Israeli Cabinet held a special session in her honor. Under her leadership, Germany has become Israels closest friend in Europe with close cooperation on all issues including Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett used the occasion to warn the world that Iran is moving closer to a nuclear bomb.

He said that Irans nuclear program is at its most advanced point ever, adding, The world waits, the Iranians delay, and the centrifuges spin.

Merkel said that Israels security will always be important to Germany, no matter who leads Germany. She also urged Iran to return to negotiations on a future nuclear deal. Her visit came as Iranian officials announced they had enriched 120 kilograms of uranium to 20 percent. Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The original 2015 agreement among Iran, Germany, China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), provided Iran with relief from sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.

Israel opposed the agreement, saying it could pave the way for Iran to become a nuclear power eventually. And Israeli officials welcomed the 2018 decision by then-U.S. President Donald Trump to leave the deal. Since then, they say, Iran has moved forward on getting a bomb and is closer than ever.

Chancellor Merkel also visited Yad Vashem, Israels Holocaust Memorial.

Merkel said that she considers it a stroke of good fortune given to us by history that after the crimes against humanity that were the Shoah, it has been possible to reset and reestablish relations between Germany and Israel to the extent that we have done.

She said that the situation with Iran is difficult but that without an agreement with Tehran, it will be even more difficult. Merkels meeting with Bennett followed talks between the Israeli leader and U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington in August.

Biden has offered to rejoin the deal if Iran returns to full compliance with its nuclear provisions. The U.S. and Iran have held indirect talks about rejoining the accord if Tehran returns to full compliance with its nuclear terms. Talks, however, have stalled.
For four years, the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia has been fighting to secure full justice for the blogger, who was killed by an explosive device near her home in Malta.

"Nothing prepares you for this. There isn't anything in the world that can tell you what it's like," the journalist's sister, Corinne Vella, told VOA.

Since Caruana Galizia's death in October 2017, Vella has helped run a foundation fighting for justice in the case.

That slow road to justice in such cases is a driving factor behind the creation of a people's tribunal at The Hague.

Set up by a coalition of press freedom groups, the tribunal is scheduled to begin hearing cases next month, giving many families and advocates hope that widespread impunity in the murders of journalists will be addressed.

Since 1992, more than 1,400 journalists have been killed, and in eight out of 10 cases, no one has been held accountable, according to Free Press Unlimited, one of the organizations behind the tribunal.

"To be honest, I was not aware of how many attacks on journalists there were," Almudena Bernabeu, who will be the lead prosecutor, told VOA. "I think that the need for this tribunal came to light to me as frankly an effort to put it out there to give it a voice."

The problem of impunity affects even high-profile cases, like that of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist for The Washington Post who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul three years ago. His fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, is slated to be one of many key witnesses who, along with relatives of Caruana Galizia, will testify at the new tribunal.

Justice lacking

Efforts to secure justice in the Khashoggi case have not gone far enough, critics say.

A trial in Saudi Arabia was widely criticized by the international community as not meeting international standards.

In a separate case, Turkey put several high-ranking Saudi officials on trial in absentia, but not Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He has been widely accused of approving Khashoggi's murder.

Reports by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and a U.N. special envoy both link Salman to the killing, but he has consistently denied involvement.

Bernabeu, who has a background in human rights law and cofounded the Guernica Center for International Justice, which defends the rights of victims in legal proceedings, describes the lack of justice in these cases as a kind of "double impunity."

In addition to protecting officials who may be responsible for the murders of journalists, governments that don't complete thorough investigations may be protecting themselves as well, she said.

"Though they are not the ones that are under attack or the object of a bad investigation, they're protecting themselves for the future," she said.

Tribunal cases

The tribunal's first hearing is scheduled for November 2  the U.N. international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists.

It will focus on the cases of Lasantha Wickramatunga, Miguel Angel Lopez Velasco, and Nabil Al-Sharbaji, who were murdered in Sri Lanka, Mexico and Syria, respectively.

All three took on controversial issues. Wickramatunga, then editor-in-chief of a weekly newspaper known for being critical of the government, had also received multiple threats.

Syria and Mexico have high numbers of journalists murdered in connection with their work. But killings can happen in countries deemed more stable or safe, experts say.

"It does not have to be a country in conflict  as we understand conflict in the traditional sense of armed conflict  in order for this to be a problem," Gypsy Guillen Kaiser, communications and advocacy director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, told VOA.

Vella notes that her sister's murder happened in what many would consider a stable Western democracy.

"Nobody expected that something like that could be possible in a European Union country," she told VOA. "We can only assume that if it's bad in places which traditionally protect rights, values and free expression  it can only be that much worse in places which have none of those advantages."

Caruana Galizia had been investigating the Panama Papers and corruption at the time of her death.

Malta has arrested three suspects, and sentenced one in February to 15 years in prison for involvement in the case. In August, Malta announced that a prominent businessman who Caruana Galizia's reporting tied to the Panama Papers would stand trial for her murder. A date for the trial is pending.

But a public inquiry indicated this year that the Maltese government should "shoulder responsibility" for her killing and ensuing impunity.

The people's tribunal will not have powers to punish or sentence anyone, but those involved say the process of investigating the circumstances and suspects involved will benefit press freedom globally, even if government leaders are unlikely to appear in the court themselves.

"It's about embarrassment. There's a lot of power when you are naming publicly, out loud, a country that has been irresponsible, or authorities that have been neglecting a particular investigation," Bernabeu said. "Nobody likes to hear that about your own systems and your own institutions. I think there's value in naming these things as they are and putting them out there in the public sphere."

For families of journalists like Caruana Galizia, another benefit is keeping the victims' names in the headlines and putting a human face on statistics.

"One of the most important things that can happen is to keep attention focused on individual cases so that they are not seen simply to be a statistic, that people remember you're talking about an individual's life," Vella said.

Additionally, CPJ's Kaiser said, holding murderers accountable publicly will push governments to take threats against journalists more seriously.

"A lot of the journalists who have been targeted and killed for their work are people who have a history of threats. Our hope really is that in the future, threats will be taken seriously," she said.


At first, he was just a boyfriend. He gave Ashley Maha'a gifts and attention. But then he gave her drugs and became controlling and abusive. He would punish her for breaking ambiguous, undefined "rules," only to later say he was sorry and shower her with flowers and lavish presents.

After a while, he led the Honolulu high school senior  a 17-year-old minor  into Hawaii's commercial sex trade.

"I shouldn't be here with everything that was going on. I should be dead. And the majority of the people who are in my situation are missing or dead," said Maha'a, who is Native Hawaiian.

Maha'a got out of that world years ago and is now a married mother of four. But it's on her mind as she joins a new task force studying the issue of missing and murdered Native Hawaiian women and girls. She reminds herself of her plight every day so she can fight for others similarly trapped and vulnerable.

The panel, created by the state House earlier this year, aims to gather data and identify the reasons behind the problem. As of now, few figures exist, but those that do suggest Native Hawaiians are disproportionately represented among the state's sex trafficking victims.

Its work comes amid renewed calls for people to pay more attention to missing and killed Indigenous women and girls and other people of color after the recent disappearance of Gabby Petito, a white woman, triggered widespread national media coverage and extensive searches by law enforcement. Petito's body was later found in Wyoming.

Several states formed similar panels after a groundbreaking report by the Urban Indian Health Institute found that of more than 5,700 cases of missing and slain Indigenous girls in dozens of U.S. cities in 2016, only 116 were logged in a Justice Department database.

Wyoming's task force determined 710 Indigenous people disappeared there between 2011 and September 2020 and that Indigenous people made up 21% of homicide victims even though they are only 3% of the population. In Minnesota, a task force led to the creation of a dedicated office to provide ongoing attention and leadership on the issue.

The Urban Indian Health Institute's report didn't include data on Native Hawaiians because the organization is funded by the Indian Health Service, a U.S. agency that serves Native Americans and Alaska Natives but not Native Hawaiians. The Seattle institute didn't have the resources to extend the study to Hawaii, Director Abigail Echo-Hawk said.

It's not the first time Native Hawaiians have been sidelined in the broader national conversation. The federal government's efforts to tackle the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women often focus on Native Americans and Alaska Natives  in part because it has authority over major crimes on most tribal lands, and Native Hawaiians don't have such lands in the same sense as many other U.S. Indigenous communities. An Interior Department spokesman said it instead works to support and collaborate with state programs in the islands.

Yet Hawaii faces many of the same challenges as other states, including a lack of data on missing and murdered Indigenous women. The precise number of nationwide cases is unknown because many have gone unreported or have not been well-documented or tracked.

Public and private agencies don't always collect statistics on race. And some data groups Native Hawaiians with other Pacific Islanders, making it impossible to identify the degree to which Hawaii's Indigenous people are affected. About 20% of the state's population is Native Hawaiian.

Its task force is being led by representatives from the Hawaii State Commission on the State of Women and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a semi-autonomous state agency directed by Native Hawaiians. The panel also includes members from state agencies, county police departments and private organizations.

Khara Jabola-Carolus, executive director of the commission and co-chairperson of the task force, suspects its work will show Hawaii's large tourism industry and military presence fuel sex trafficking. Money to be made from these sectors gives people an incentive to take girls and women from their families, she said.

"It's not like someone is kidnapped off the street. It's that person is enticed and convinced to cut off their family if they're a child, or a teenager," Jabola-Carolus said.

Advocates for Native American and Alaska Native women and girls say sex trafficking affects them as well, particularly in areas with high populations of transitory male workers.

Maha'a said the extent of the commercial sex industry in Hawaii also is illustrated by the number of girls and women brought to the islands from other states.

"I've met so many people on the mainland, and so, so, so many of them have told me that when they were being trafficked nationally, they would be flown here for a period of time and work here when things were slow, because the demand is so high," Maha'a said.

Advocates say a number of systemic issues contribute to the problem. Native Hawaiians have the highest poverty rate  15.5%  of any of the five largest racial groups in Hawaii, which is also one of country's the most expensive places to rent or own property.

The history of colonization has torn Native Hawaiians from their land, language and culture, similar to Indigenous communities in other states.

Rosemond Pettigrew, board president of Pouhana 'O Na Wahine, a grassroots collective of Native Hawaiian women advocating against domestic and sexual violence, said land is family, and not being connected to it severs Native Hawaiians from their past.

"When you separate yourself from what you know or what you believe, and you're no longer on land, then you're left where you don't know where you come from and who you are, and your identity becomes lost," she said.

Echo-Hawk, of the Urban Indian Health Institute, said Hawaii's task force is "monumental" and necessary to understanding the full scope of the problem.

She suspects some of its biggest obstacles will be in getting cooperation from law enforcement agencies and not having dedicated funding.

Lawmakers didn't allocate the panel any money, so its members are relying on existing resources to do their research. The most successful state task forces had funding, Echo-Hawk said.

It will be important for the task force to recognize the problems are rooted in government policies, said Paula Julian, senior policy specialist with the Montana-based National Indigenous Women's Resource Center. The solutions for Native Hawaiians, meanwhile, must come from Native Hawaiians, she said.

Pettigrew said she'd like to see resources put into prevention. For example, Hawaii's public schools could teach students about healthy relationships, starting as early as elementary grades. Lessons could address dating once students get to middle and high schools.

State Rep. Stacelynn Eli, a Native Hawaiian and a Democrat who sponsored the resolution creating the task force, said she has friends and classmates who were trafficked. She doesn't want her nieces to face the same thing because no one knew enough to take action.

"We are surviving, and I would like to see our people get to a point where we are thriving. And I think we won't get to that point until we know for sure that we are protecting our Native women and children and holding those who try to harm them accountable," she said.

The panel is expected to produce reports for the Legislature by the end of 2022 and 2023.
Indian police on Saturday arrested the son of a junior minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government as a suspect days after nine people were killed in a deadly escalation of yearlong demonstrations by tens of thousands of farmers against agriculture laws in northern India, a police officer said.

Four farmers died Sunday when a car owned by Junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra ran over a group of protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, a town in Uttar Pradesh state, officials and farm leaders said.

Farm leaders alleged that Mishra's son was in the car when it ran over the protesters, which Mishra denied. His driver and three members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, who were in a car, were all killed by the protesters in the violence that broke out after the incident.

Police also said they recovered the body of a local journalist but did not provide further details on how he was killed.

Police officer Upendra Agarwal said on Saturday that Ashish Misra was arrested following daylong questioning in the town after "he failed to furnish any supportive evidence to prove that he was not present in any of the three vehicles that plowed through a crowd of farmers killing four of them."

His father said that his son was innocent and that he was not present.

Criticism from court

The arrest came a day after India's top court criticized the state government for not arresting Ashish Mishra, against whom a criminal case of murder is being investigated by the police. On Friday, Mishra made the police wait hours to question him before sending a message that he was unwell and couldn't make it.

Darshan Pal, a farmers' leader, and Akhilesh Singh, an opposition Congress party leader, demanded the removal of his father from Modi's government.

Police earlier this week said they had so far arrested six people and filed a criminal complaint against 14 more, including the minister's son, in connection with the deaths of the four farmers. The BJP also lodged a criminal complaint against the farmers over the deaths of its members and the car driver, said Arvind Chaurasia, a senior official in charge of the district.

The violence marked an escalation in protests against agriculture laws that farmers say will shatter their livelihoods. The protests have lasted since the government passed the laws last September and have been one of the biggest challenges to Modi. Last week, thousands of farmers gathered at the edges of the capital New Delhi to mark one year of demonstrations.

The government says the changes in the laws were needed to modernize agriculture and boost production through private investment. But the farmers say the laws will devastate their earnings by ending guaranteed pricing and will force them to sell their crops to corporations at cheaper prices.
Pope Francis on Sunday met with Gloria Cecilia Narvaez, a Franciscan nun from Colombia, a day after she was freed by jihadists in Mali after more than four years of captivity, a Vatican spokesman said.

Sister Gloria was taken hostage on February 7, 2017 in southern Mali near the border with Burkina Faso where she had been working as a missionary.

"This morning, before the celebration of the holy Mass to open the bishops' synod, the pope greeted the recently freed Colombian sister Gloria Cecilia Narvaez," Matteo Bruni said in a statement.

Mali's presidency had announced Sister Gloria's release on Saturday, with a statement on the presidential Twitter account paying tribute to her "courage and bravery" along with photos of the nun taken after her release.

"I thank the Malian authorities, the president, all the Malian authorities, for all the efforts you've made to liberate me, may God bless you, may God bless Mali," Sister Gloria said in images broadcast on state television showing her with Mali's interim president Colonel Assimi Goita and the archbishop of Bamako, Jean Zerbo.

"I am very happy, I stayed healthy for five years, thank God," the nun said, smiling and wearing a yellow robe.

Her liberation had been the fruit of "four years and eight months of the combined effort of several intelligence services," the presidency said.

In the official statement, Goita assured that "efforts are under way" to secure the release of all those still being held in Mali.

Archbishop Zerbo said Sister Gloria was "doing well.

"We prayed a lot for her release. I thank the Malian authorities and other good people who made this release possible," the archbishop said.

The nun boarded a plane to Rome on Saturday evening.

Sister Gloria, 59, was kidnapped near Koutiala, 400 kilometers east of Bamako. She had worked as a missionary for six years in the parish of Karangasso with three other nuns.

According to one of her colleagues, Sister Carmen Isabel Valencia, she offered herself in place of two younger nuns the kidnappers were preparing to take.

"She is a woman of a very particular human quality, down to Earth ... moved by the love of the poor," Sister Carmen said.

In Colombia, her brother Edgar Narvaez said he was very emotional after receiving news of her release.

"She is in good health, thank God. They sent me pictures and she looks well," he told AFP.

In a letter sent last July by the Red Cross to her brother, Sister Gloria said she was held by "a group of GSIM," the al-Qaida-linked Group to Support Islam and Muslims, the largest jihadist alliance in the Sahel.

A source close to the negotiations to release her told AFP she had not been ill-treated during her captivity and during that time she had learned the Quran.

"The negotiations lasted months, years," said the source, without giving further details.

In Colombia, Vice President Marta Lucia Ramirez -- who is also foreign minister -- said she was "very happy" at Sister Gloria's release, which she attributed to the work of the government and stressed the "humanitarian efforts of the French government to contribute to this success.

National police director Jorge Luis Vargas said meetings had been held with several European and African ambassadors to try to secure the nun's release.

"With Interpol, and with other international organizations, we have always sought to bring those responsible to justice."

There were irregular reports about the nun over the years, including at the beginning of 2021, when two Europeans who managed to escape captivity reported that she was well.

Then in March, her brother received proof that she was still alive, passed on from the Red Cross.

Mali has been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency that first emerged in the north of the country in 2012, and which has since spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Kidnappings, once rare, have become more common in recent years as a security crisis has deepened in Mali, particularly in the center of the former French colony.
A report in The New York Times says that the manufacturers of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine which appears to be the worlds best defense against COVID-19, has been supplying its shots almost exclusively to wealthy nations, keeping poorer countries waiting and earning billions in profit.



The newspaper said their report is based on information from Airfinity, a data firm that tracks vaccine shipments.

According to the Times account, Moderna has shipped approximately a million shots of its vaccines to poor countries. In comparison, Pfizer has shipped 8.4 million shots and Johnson and Johnson has delivered about 25 million doses to low-income countries.



In addition, the Times said government officials in some middle-income countries have reported that their countries have had to pay more for Modernas shots than the U.S. and the European Union.



Protests in Rome



Meanwhile, thousands of protesters took the streets of Rome Saturday to protest Italys new Green Pass vaccine certification that becomes mandatory for public and private workplaces, beginning October 15.



Workers and employees will be fined if they do not comply with the certification requirements. Government workers face suspension, if they come to work five times without the pass that documents that the holder has been inoculated with at least one COVID vaccine or recovered from the coronavirus in the last six months or has tested negative in the last 48 hours.



The pass is already a requirement for many indoor venues, including restaurants, museums and theaters. It is also needed for long-distance train and bus rides and domestic flights.



The chief of Britains Health Security Agency says the U.K. is facing an uncertain winter with the circulation of the flu and the coronavirus which causes the COVID infection.



We are likely to see flu, for the first time in any real numbers, co-circulating with COVID, Dr. Jenny Harries said. Early evidence suggests that you are twice as likely to die from having two together, than just having COVID alone.



Texas politician has COVID



In the U.S., a politician who has not been vaccinated has announced that he has COVID and is being treated with monoclonal antibody injections. Allen West, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the governor of Texas, said on his Twitter account that while he was not inoculated with a COVID vaccine, his wife was, but she has also contracted COVID.



The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported early Sunday that there are more than 237 million global coronavirus infections and nearly 5 million global deaths. The center said 6.4 billion vaccines have been administered.
When Russian regulators approved the country's own coronavirus vaccine, it was a moment of national pride, and the Pavlov family was among those who rushed to take the injection. But international health authorities have not yet given their blessing to the Sputnik V shot.

So when the family from Rostov-on-Don wanted to visit the West, they looked for a vaccine that would allow them to travel freely, a quest that brought them to Serbia, where hundreds of Russian citizens have flocked in recent weeks to receive Western-approved COVID-19 shots.

Serbia, which is not a member of the European Union, is a convenient choice for vaccine-seeking Russians because they can enter the allied Balkan nation without visas and because it offers a wide choice of Western-made shots. Organized tours for Russians have soared, and they can be spotted in the capital, Belgrade, at hotels, restaurants, bars and vaccination clinics.

"We took the Pfizer vaccine because we want to travel around the world," Nadezhda Pavlova, 54, said after receiving the vaccine last weekend at a sprawling Belgrade vaccination center.

Her husband, Vitaly Pavlov, 55, said he wanted "the whole world to be open to us rather than just a few countries."

Vaccination tours

Vaccination tour packages for Russians seeking shots endorsed by the World Health Organization appeared on the market in mid-September, according to Russia's Association of Tour Operators.

Maya Lomidze, the group's executive director, said prices start at $300-$700, depending on what's included.

Lauded by Russian President Vladimir Putin as world's first registered COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V emerged in August 2020 and has been approved in some 70 countries, including Serbia. But the WHO has said global approval is still under review after citing issues at a production plant a few months ago.

On Friday, a top World Health Organization official said legal issues holding up the review of Sputnik V were "about to be sorted out," a step that could relaunch the process toward emergency use authorization.

Other hurdles remain for the Russian application, including a lack of full scientific information and inspections of manufacturing sites, said Dr. Mariangela Simao, a WHO assistant director-general.

Apart from the WHO, Sputnik V is also awaiting approval from the European Medicines Agency before all travel limitations can be lifted for people vaccinated with the Russian formula.

Getting into Europe

The long wait has frustrated many Russians, so when the WHO announced yet another delay in September, they started looking for solutions elsewhere.

"People don't want to wait; people need to be able to get into Europe for various personal reasons," explained Anna Filatovskaya, Russky Express tour agency spokeswoman in Moscow. "Some have relatives. Some have business, some study, some work. Some simply want to go to Europe because they miss it."

Serbia, a fellow-Orthodox Christian and Slavic nation, offers the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Chinese Sinopharm shots. By popular demand, Russian tourist agencies are now also offering tours to Croatia, where tourists can receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, without the need to return for a second dose.

"For Serbia, the demand has been growing like an avalanche," Filatovskaya said. "It's as if all our company is doing these days is selling tours for Serbia."

The Balkan nation introduced vaccination for foreigners in August, when the vaccination drive inside the country slowed after reaching around 50% of the adult population. Official Serbian government data shows that nearly 160,000 foreign citizens so far have been vaccinated in the country, but it is unclear how many are Russians.

In Russia, the country's vaccination rate has been low. By this week, almost 33% of Russia's 146 million people have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine, and 29% were fully vaccinated. Apart from Sputnik V and a one-dose version known as Sputnik Light, Russia has also used two other domestically designed vaccines that have not been internationally approved.

Amid low vaccination rates and reluctance by the authorities to reimpose restrictive measures, both Russia and Serbia have seen COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations reach record levels in the past weeks.

The daily coronavirus death toll in Russia topped 900 for a second straight day on Thursday, a day after reaching a record 929. In Serbia, the daily death toll of 50 people is the highest in months in the country of 7 million that so far has confirmed nearly 1 million cases of infection.

Pavlova said the "double protection" offered by the Pfizer booster shots would allow the family "to not only travel around the world, but also to see our loved ones without fear."

Since the vaccine tours exploded in popularity about a month ago, they have provided welcome business for Serbian tour operators devastated by the pandemic in an already weak economy. The owner of BTS Kompas travel agency in Belgrade, Predrag Tesic, said they are booked well in advance.

"It started modestly at first, but day by day numbers have grown nicely," Tesic said.

He explained that his agency organizes everything, from airport transport to accommodations and translation and other help at vaccination points. When they return for another dose in three weeks, the Russian guests also are offered brief tours to some of popular sites in Serbia.
U.S. Treasury chief Janet Yellen warned Sunday that it was absolutely imperative that Congress increase the countrys borrowing authority even as the immediate threat of a first-ever default on paying the governments bills has been alleviated through early December.

It would be a catastrophe if the United States does not increase the ceiling on its current national debt of nearly $29 trillion, Yellen told ABCs This Week show.

Yellen had said that the U.S. would run out of money to pay its bills on October 18, but Senate Republican and Democratic leaders agreed last week on an emergency $480 billion increase in the debt ceiling to pay the governments bills through December 3, at which time the contentious political debate in Washington over an extension of the governments borrowing authority could play out again.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and 10 other Republicans voted to clear the path for Democratic senators to increase the governments borrowing authority on a 50-48 party-line vote last week, with the House of Representatives expected this week to assent to the temporary increase.

McConnell also said he would not cooperate with opposition Democrats in a further debt ceiling increase in December. He called on Democrats to raise it on their own through a legislative procedure known as reconciliation, in which Democrats could vote for a debt ceiling increase without the threat of Republicans blocking it with a filibuster.

Democrats so far have been reluctant to use the reconciliation process because they say it is cumbersome and time-consuming. They also say Republicans should join them in raising the debt ceiling because the countrys long-term debt has occurred under both Republican and Democratic control of the White House and Congress.

The U.S., virtually alone among the worlds countries, imposes a lid on its government spending. Yellen, however, said the figure has been increased about 70 times since 1965, either to a specific amount or suspended altogether for a year or two, since the U.S. government chronically spends more than it collects in taxes.

She has called for doing away with the debt ceiling, but that is unlikely since both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, thinking it is a winning political tactic in the U.S., repeatedly blame each other for what they contend is wasteful and unneeded spending by their opponents.

It should be a shared responsibility (to increase the debt ceiling), not any one party, Yellen said. It is Congress responsibility.

We have to reassure the world that the United States is fiscally responsible, she said, adding that if the borrowing authority is not increased before December 3, it would amount to a self-inflicted crisis.

She said that if the debt ceiling is not increased, 50 million older Americans might not receive government pension benefits and that our troops won't know when or if they would be paid. The 30 million families that receive a child tax credit, those payments would be in jeopardy.
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Khemis Miliana, Ain Defla (5.8 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Light outside than it turns off | One user found this interesting.

Bouismail / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Like a wind moved the house towards the ouest for 4 seconds and stoped | One user found this interesting.

Cheraga, Tipaza (88.2 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : windows vibrating

Cheraga, Tipaza (80.3 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Merad (26.3 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s : Sa m'a reveille et mon lit a tremble fortement pendent o moin 3 ou 5 secondes

Ain Benian, Tipaza (81.7 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : J'etais allonge soudain sa bouge un tremblement de terre Lege quelque bruit de meuble

Hadjout, Tipaza (29.9 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Kolea, Tipaza (60.2 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Alger (90.2 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Khemis Miliana, Ain Defla (3.7 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : home

Dely ibrahim / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : Woke me up from sleep

Bouismail / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Like a wind moved the house towards the ouest for 4 seconds and stoped

Alger / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : It was like someone was pushing me out of bed

Djelfa / not felt : Nothing

Blida / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 5-10 s

Elachour / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s

Mahelma / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

algiers / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Alger (84.5 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : Scared

MEDEA / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short

Medea / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Baba hassen / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : I was lying in my bed on the second floor of my house I felt one single horizontal shake Other people on the basement didn't feel the shake.

DELY BRAHIM / Light shaking (MMI IV) / very short : Light shaking

Beni Messous / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s

Blida / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Blida / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : I was sleeping and it instately woke me up

Ville Nouvelle de Sidi Abdellah/Zeralda (69.6 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : Je n'avais rien ressenti bien que deja reveille.

Souidania (80.6 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

El Madania, Alger. / not felt

Dely ibrahim / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : Woke me up from sleep

Kolea (64 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

El Affroun (40.2 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Weak shaking

sidi fredj / Light shaking (MMI IV) / very short

Setif algeria (281.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Khemis Miliana / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

In bed / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Felt like a blanket wave

Fouka / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Ca m'a reveille

Douera alger / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Cherchell / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : La terre a bouge et ca a vibre

Khemisti ville tipaza (53.5 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : I was sleeping

Algiers / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Blida / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Blida / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 15-20 s : It woke me up from my sleep and i heard the wood making cracking noises

Ain benian / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 1-2 s : No think

Casbah (90.7 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

83.5 km NE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Douaouda / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Very short shake

Fadjana (25.8 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s

Khemis miliana / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

Baba Hassen (78.4 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Draria / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : 3 secousses

Bologhine (90.7 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short

Miliana / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling

Alger / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : It was like someone was pushing me out of bed

tipaza / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s

Douera (75.8 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Algiers / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Medea / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Alger / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Ouled fayet, algiers / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s

ALGER (90.7 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s : I was setting on the chair, I felt vertical shake for few second , my mother told me she heard a noise .

algiers / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Vibration

Miliana / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : It woke me up from sleep, bit strong

chaiba / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Zeralda / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s It doesn't last a long time, but made a lot of noise (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s

Blida, Ouled yaich (58.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Alger (84.5 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : Scared

Ain Defla / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Tipaza, kolea / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Blida / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Algiers / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s
Huntsville Police said one person was shot at Embassy Suites Hotel in the 800 block of Monroe Street overnight.

The shooting happened around 1 a.m., according to police, sending one person to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The incident is under investigation.

Stick with WAAY 31 for updates.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people are getting the Covid-19 vaccine booster shot every day than those who are getting their first or second vaccine shots.

WAAY-31 spoke with New Hope Pharmacy staff, who say they believe this trend is happening in Alabama, too. Staff members said they've been seeing fewer people come in for their first Covid shot but are hearing more say they'd much rather wait to get the monoclonal treatment or a booster shot.

The pharmacy said that is not the way to go.

"They're in a limited supply, and if everybody flocks to it, there wouldn't be anything left," said Sherry Newton, who works in the pharmacy department.

Newton said earlier this year, they would see nearly 500 people in a week, but now it's slowed significantly.

"We have had people come in that want it now, like stragglers," Newton said. "We'll have like 10 to 20 a week that have had family or coworkers die and say, 'Hey, I want the vaccine now.'"

Doctors and health leaders are urging people not to wait to get vaccinated. With the holiday season approaching, Newton said she's hopeful more people will come in to get vaccinated.

"That's when people go be with their families and friends they haven't seen in awhile," she said. "If you haven't been vaccinated, you don't know if you'll expose your family to the virus. Even vaccinated people can get it."

You can still come to New Hope Pharmacy to get your Covid-19 shot. The staff prefer you make an appointment beforehand.

If you'd like a consultation about the vaccine, Newton said they're more than happy to help.
Sheffield Police Sgt. Nick Risner was laid to rest Friday, but the healing process continues for many who knew and loved him.

PREVIOUS: Honoring a Hero: The funeral of Sheffield Police Sgt. Nick Risner

Sheffield Police Department released the following statement on social media, thanking everyone for the love and support they've shown this past week:

"Sheffield Police Department would like to say thank you for all the love and support shown this week as we laid our hero to rest. Please continue to pray for our officers and department during the healing process. Also, please pray for the wives of these men because they have seen a different side of the reality we face on a daily basis. We love the Shoals and thank everyone who was evolved during this process. E.O.W 10-2-2021. Sgt Nick Risner. Love like Nick, All or Nothing. R.I.P. brother, we have it from here."
Controversy comes a week before run-off vote for Rome mayor.

Rome centre-right mayoral candidate Enrico Michetti faces accusations of anti-Semitism one week before he goes head to head with Roberto Gualtieri, centre-left, in a run-off election to decide the future first citizen of the Italian capital.

The aspiring mayor finds himself in the middle of a controversy over an article he wrote last year, published on the website of Radio Radio where he has long been a host, and unearthed by the left-wing newspaper Il Manifesto.

In his article from February 2020 Michetti argued that the Holocaust is commemorated more than other massacres in history, such as the Foibe, because the Jews "control banks and a lobby capable of deciding the fate of the planet."

Emanuele Fiano, an MP for the centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) and prominent figure in the Italian Jewish community, strongly condemned Michetti's words.

In a Facebook post, Fiano said that similar expressions were used by Hitler and Goebbels, describing them as "phrases that are part of the worst heritage of anti-Semitism that bloodied Europe between the 30s and 40s of the last century, accompanying millions and millions of people to the gas chambers."

Addressing Michetti directly he wrote: I hope you will be ashamed of these words for the rest of your life. I have no pity for adults, cultured, who in 2020 make such a remark. I will not accept excuses. You don't deserve excuses."

Carlo Calenda, who ran in the mayoral election and in recent days gave his backing to Gualtieri, also lashed out against Michetti's remarks. "This 'article' by Enrico Michetti is much more serious than the usual nonsense about Rome and [his] non-existent or copied [election] programme" - wrote Calenda on Twitter - "Repeating the cliches of anti-Semitism is not tolerable."

The president of Rome's Jewish community, Ruth Dureghello, said: "Michetti's words are dangerous and hide a disturbing prejudice, while the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) Noemi Di Segni, said: "The thought that our city institutions would be led by people whose thinking is steeped in prejudice makes one tremble."

Michetti responded to the growing controversy last night by saying: The Holocaust was unique in its inhumanity against men and women who had done no wrong whatsoever, the lowest point in history. The utmost vigilance and unity is required by everyone against all forms of anti-Semitism so that what happened never happens again, not even in other guises."

During a visit yesterday to Ponte di Ferro, the Rome bridge seriously damaged by fire last weekend, Michetti said he would like to name streets after the 10 women killed there by Nazi-fascists on 7 April 1944.

The controversy comes 10 days after an explosive investigative report by Fanpage, aired on Italian television, uncovered alleged money laundering and illicit financing involving senior figures from the Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) party - which is backing Michetti - and their associates in Milan.

FdI leader Giorgia Meloni said subsequently that there is no space for racism or anti-Semitism in her party and has demanded to see the "full 100 hours" of footage which includes explicit racist, fascist and sexist jokes as well as anti-Semitic comments and references to Hitler.

The so-called Lobby Nera scandal broke days before local elections in which the biggest winner for Rome's city council was FdI candidate Rachele Mussolini, granddaughter of Italy's fascist dictator, who won more than 8,000 votes.

The run-off between Michetti and Gualtieri will be held in Rome on 17-18 October.

Photo of Enrico Michetti by La Repubblica
If OPEC+ is serious about stabilizing the oil market, it must use its monthly gatherings to manage supply more flexibly  meaning it has to be prepared to cast some of its caution aside and boost output by more than it had originally planned when the market is clearly short of supply. If the oil producers wont put more crude on the market, then perhaps the U.S. should follow Chinas example and draw down its strategic reserves.
I know people who formerly worked on various worthy-sounding Facebook initiatives and they confirm both Haugens charge and Zuckerbergs response. In practice, Facebook is not interested in making any changes that would result in users spending less time on Facebook, regardless of what other positive impacts those changes might have. Meanwhile, the rank-and-file employees with in-demand technical skills who make the company run actually do believe that they are engaged in something more high-minded than making potato chips.
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Eileen Andrews, the centers vice president of public relations, did not anticipate performance cancellations and said most issues had been resolved by the end of talks that stretched for 16 hours, into Thursday morning. The only outstanding issue, according to Andrews, was the use of IATSE stagehands for events at the Reach and in the community. Changes in staffing for such programming would be cost-prohibitive, Andrews said.
We knew that Trump appreciates the blind loyalty, promoting the channel more than 100 times on his Twitter feed, often as he complained about Fox Newss failure to back him fully and at all times. We knew that Herring was far from shy about his partiality, tweeting in early January: If anyone thinks we will throw the best President America has had, in my 79 years, under the bus, you are wrong.
I think some of my friends believe that since I have all this "free time" I would make a great free babysitter. Ultimately, I know they are stressed, and I do want to help them, but I also want to keep my family safe.
One of the valuable things that the children of parents who can afford tutors receive, Spurlock said, is an understanding that there is no shame in needing more practice with phonics  that a lot of kids need this  and that these kids go on to read the language of middle school and high school texts. For students without the means to find tutors, there is often silence, denial and shame about decoding problems. The emphasis on read before third grade often makes adults squeamish about decoding issues, as if decoding, for all children, will be always a done deal after second grade.
The Group of 20 has called a special session on Afghanistan, to be held before the group holds its Rome summit at the end of the month. Russia, which, along with China, has kept its embassy open in Kabul, has invited the Taliban to attend an Oct. 20 meeting in Moscow of the Moscow format, group, a mechanism for consultations on Afghanistan that includes Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan and India.
Migrants warm themselves near a fire as they gather at the Kuznica checkpoint at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, on Wednesday. (AP)

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenkos regime is struggling over what do with thousands of stranded people he lured from the Middle East and beyond  and the man often called Europes last dictator is trying to save face after trying to punish his neighbors over sanctions.


Volcano releases new lava stream: A new lava flow belched Saturday from the La Palma volcano in Spains Canary Islands, threatening to spread more destruction on the Atlantic Ocean island, where over 1,000 buildings have already been engulfed or badly damaged by streams of molten rock. The partial collapse of the volcanic cone overnight produced a new lava stream that started to follow a similar path down the Cumbre Vieja ridge toward the western shore to the ocean. Authorities said the new flow is within the area that evacuated following the Sept. 19 eruption, when 6,000 residents were forced to flee their homes and farms.

Hijacking fugitive is reported dead: Ali Atwa, a senior Hezbollah operative who was on the FBIs most wanted list for his role in a notorious plane hijacking, has died, the Lebanese militant group said. Atwa, who was believed to be in his early 60s, died of cancer-related complications, Hezbollah said. Atwa was placed on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in 2001 with two other alleged participants in the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847. The ordeal began in Athens on June 14, lasted 16 days and left a U.S. Navy diver on the plane dead. The hijackers demanded the release of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners in Israel.

Plane crash in Amazon kills 6: A Bolivian air force plane crashed in the Amazon jungle in northeast Bolivia, killing all six people on board, police said. Two military pilots and four civilian passengers died, according to a police report from the Beni region, where the crash occurred. The plane caught fire after going down in thick vegetation, and residents from the nearby Agua Dulce community helped to extinguish the flames. An investigation of the cause was underway.
The unexpected development complicates efforts to form a new government. Zeman and Babis, who appears to have been weakened by revelations in the Pandora Papers leaks, were expected to meet on Sunday morning in what some opposition members interpreted as a sign that the president might seek to keep the prime minister in power despite the election result. But shortly after the meeting was scheduled to take place, Zeman was seen being transported to a hospital by ambulance.
Rustam Minnikhanov, the head of the Tatarstan region, said Sunday that one of the planes engines failed. He said the pilots reported the problem at an altitude of about 230 feet and steered the plane to the left to avoid a settlement before crashing.
Among the efforts: Electronic voter cards, once used, must be suspended for 72 hours to prevent any ballot being cast twice. But reports had been circulating for weeks that political parties, including those backed by Iran, were buying votes ahead of time with clothing or cash payments. Candidates linked to the protest movement faced regular threats. Some were physically attacked. Bombs were placed outside the homes of others.
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.
One of Australias leading crypto fund managers has predicted a flood of investment into the sector from super funds and financial advisers, but only if more work is done to educate investors and better regulate the nascent asset class.

Jeff Yew, the chief executive of Monochrome Asset Management and former local head of global cryptocurrency exchange Binance, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald he believed it is only a matter of time before the countrys multitrillion-dollar superannuation and financial advice sector begin investing in crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Monochrome Asset Management chief executive Jeff Yew says an influx of superannuation spending on crypto is inevitable.

Its inevitable. Thirty years ago, portfolio managers wouldnt have had high-yield bonds because theyre risky, but now theyre a staple in most diversified asset portfolios. If you extrapolate that to the rise of Bitcoin ... you can easily see it becoming more of a reality each day, he said.

There is a big floodgate thats about to break  and we can hold off that flood for as long as possible but sooner or later it will come.
Of all the potions, designer brands and products the beautiful, 36-year-old businesswoman and beautician Kristin Fisher is paid to promote on her highly curated social media feeds, it is her latest role as the face of privileged Sydneys rampant illicit cocaine culture that has left an indelible stain.

She certainly made her mark at Waverley Local Court last week, looking like she was heading for a red carpet rather than the gloomy Bronte Road courtrooms.

Kristin Fisher arrives at Waverley Local Court last week with her lawyer Michael Bowe. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Groomed to perfection in a chic, funereal black summer dress, expensive green leather handbag and velvet stilettos, she stood out among the tracksuits, scruffy trainers and badly gelled hair of her fellow defendants.

The private school educated eyebrow queens matter - to have her cocaine possession conviction annulled before pleading guilty and being placed on a six-month conditional release order without conviction - followed the usual assortment of suburban legal woes: driving offences, restraining orders, assaults.
For Australian workers, having a child is often seen as a sacrifice. With meagre parental leave and caregiving entitlements, career and starting a family can sometimes feel incompatible.

But for the 60 Australian staff at music streaming giant Spotify, that isnt the case.

The company this year introduced new family-forming benefits, giving every employee globally access to a lifetime allowance to use for IVF, donor services, adoption, fertility preservation or fertility assessments and education. The allowance amounts to several IVF cycles in the relevant country (one cycle in Australia costs $10,000).

Sydney-based Michael Kim is Spotifys head of HR for Japan and Asia Pacific, and he helped develop the companys family benefits. Credit:James Brickwood

This is on top of Spotifys parental leave policy, which grants its 7000 staff access to six months fully paid regardless of gender or how they become a parent, with the time able to be split into separate periods up to a childs third birthday.
The timing is in the hands of Pfizer, they are already working with the TGA, priority will be given by the TGA on this. Its a matter for them as to when. This is up to an independent company and an independent regulator. The government has paved the way for it to be done as quickly as possible. Infectious diseases paediatrician with the University of Sydney, Robert Booy, said it may be that Australia follows the same path it did with children aged 12 to 15 by first offering a COVID-19 vaccine to vulnerable younger children, including those with medical conditions that put them at higher risk. Eligibility later expanded, and ATAGI now recommends two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for all children in the 12-15 age group.

Professor Booy said children who needed intensive care or have died from COVID-19 in Britain commonly had Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or major medical problems involving the heart, lungs or immune system. But the doctor said he and many of his colleagues experienced in treating infectious diseases in children were still cautious about giving a COVID-19 vaccine to young children without these conditions. Loading He said it made sense to wait for the data from the US, where he anticipates younger children could start being vaccinated as early as this month or next. Pfizer this week announced it had applied to US regulators requesting it to allow the use of its product in children aged between five and 11, submitting data from a study of 2268 participants which according to the company showed the vaccine was safe, well tolerated and showed robust neutralising antibody responses.

There are 28 million US children between five and 11, so if we can get data on the safety in millions of US children, then we can say lets do this safely, Professor Booy said. ATAGI would make a recommendation on any plans to expand eligibility to Australians younger than 12. Dr Cheng said its possible an application by Pfizer could be assessed by the TGA and ATAGI within a few months. The applications are being assessed much more quickly than they usually are, he said. If we got an application within a couple of weeks, if it was simple and there wasnt any issues, then the TGA could say yes within three or four weeks. He said ATAGIs deliberations would probably take a similar period of time.

Obviously theres lots of ifs and maybes but if they submit and all the stars aligned, it is possible it would be by the end of the year. Loading Professor Cheng said one of the issues that would have to be examined by ATAGI was cases of myocarditis, a heart inflammation condition that has affected a small number of young men and boys who have taken the Pfizer vaccine. He said questions around dispensing the vaccine for this age group would also have to be answered. The dose is a third of the usual dose. Thats actually a bit of an issue because the dose of the Pfizer vaccine is already pretty small, so a third of a normal dose is actually going to be quite tiny.

A day after the rollout of third doses to severely immunocompromised Australians was approved  a group of up to 500,000 people  Mr Hunt said that the rollout of booster shots to a broader cohort of people was now being planned, subject to the approval of medical regulators later this month. Supply and distribution is sorted. The assessment process from ATAGI is simply how long there should be between the second shot and the third shots, based on their assessment of international evidence, he said. Loading Unlike in the initial rollout, which was broken down into different phases that saw frontline workers, the elderly and people who were immunocompromised prioritised, the booster shot program will not be divided up in this way. We wont need to give priority to one group over another now, its just about the time frame [how much time should pass between the second and third dose] and Im not going to speculate on that, he said.
One of the first conversations to have with teenagers is about who they are  and that who they are online should match who they are in person. This is a lesson many adults dont understand, given social media was handed to them once they were fully formed. I was speaking once to someone about their social media use and tendency to mock people on Twitter, to which they responded: Its just Twitter. What you say on Twitter doesnt really matter. Loading But it does, and therein lies the fundamental problem. Too many people have a social media persona and a different persona in real life. They forget that social media is real life. Who they are on social media is who they are as a human. People read the hurtful, nasty and derogatory comments and it affects them just as much, probably more, than if you had said it face to face. This is the mindset we need to change. Its changing mindsets rather than laws that will improve social media discourse. This is not to say teenagers cannot make jokes online, or get into debates, or post selfies, but we need to talk to them about where those debates go (online, forever) and that they reflect their personality, even if they dont believe so. It comes down to their own integrity, and their understanding of personal responsibility. Who they are online not only reflects who they are; it shapes who they are.

Being trolled online is a horrible experience. Ive had it happen occasionally, for short periods of time. Seeing people you love trolled online is even worse, especially when you cant defend them publicly  because to throw yourself into the fray is neither helpful nor good for you. It is a strange world we live in where people feel they can attack people online, thinking the screen between them, the internet, their victims screen, and their victim means it wont affect them so much. Look at how Twitter trolls attack Leigh Sales on a nightly basis for doing her job as the ABCs 7.30 host. Loading Many send vile abuse because they can hide behind a username, but theres no hiding from the fact that sending the abuse is abhorrent. While the Prime Minister is talking about changing legislation, our eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, is working on changing mindsets, where it matters most, in schools. She is talking to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority to advocate that online safety become a more prominent part of the education curriculum. Successfully educating students will lead to an improved discourse on social platforms. In many ways, social media became a cesspool because adults today were never taught digital literacy. Social media emerged when I was in school in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Digital footprints didnt exist until I was already in the workplace and had years of Facebook statuses clumsily constructed in the third person. Were now paying for that. Its important we make up for it with the next generation of adults.

Today, students are very aware of digital literacy programs, and the e-Safety Commissioner continues to be the best resource for any teacher or student. Loading We also need to discuss who we compare ourselves with. It can be depressing to sit at home on the couch in the final days of lockdown and see influencers telling us all their routines for staying gorgeous when they are in their 20s. By virtue of biology, they are going to be at their most gorgeous. It can be impossible to leave a social media scroll feeling good about oneself. That doesnt mean well stop doing it, but it might be good to remind ourselves, and our teenagers, that we neednt compare our Sunday night, tracksuit-donning, Netflix-watching version of ourselves with that gorgeous influencer  a filtered version of reality. Social media has also become the place where so many of us house our inner lives. Our thoughts, our book lists, our scrapbooking of inspiration, and our moments of joy. During lockdown, its how we have connected with people far  and not so far  away. It is where communities have been formed, where friendships have been made. There is goodness there, amid the carnage. We just need to show the next generation that who they are online is who they are.
Loading While this is a very worthwhile project that has my full support, there is cause for concerns when a proper competitive process of government seems to have been modified to meet party political and election outcomes, Dr Pettitt said. At the heart of caretaker conventions and good governance would be keeping these processes of government and elections separate. What appears to have happened here worryingly contravenes that. The state called for film studio proposals through the MLP process in August 2020 and three were shortlisted including that from Home Fire, a proposal from Andrew Twiggy Forrests Minderoo Foundation, and one from Perth Studios Pty Ltd, which has links to the operators of Docklands Studios in Melbourne.

The McGowan cabinet selected Home Fire as the preferred proponent before the caretaker period started on February 3, but FOI documents reveal the department was asked to delay making the news public. An email from the Department of Finance director-general on January 27 details a push from the Premiers office to make the announcement, but this was scuttled two days later when a media advisor for Mr Wyatt told them to hold off. The departments strategic communications director wrote on January 29  days before a bushfire started in Woorooloo and Perth was thrust into a COVID-19 lockdown  they had been told there would not be a media event or statement before the caretaker period due to time constraints. Mins (sic) Office would like the information to be published on the website at 3pm on 19 Feb, and notification provided to all proponents on the same day, the email said.

A Department of Finance spokeswoman did not answer whether it had been bound to go live with the news on February 19, but did say the decision on when to go public considered several factors including the proponents disclosure obligations, such as ASX announcements. All of these are subject to MLP steering committee approval and this was done on February 18, the spokeswoman said. Department of Finance staff were concerned enough about caretaker conventions that they sought advice from the Department of Premier and Cabinet about publishing the decision, but ultimately the Finance director-general decided to go ahead. Home Fire was told on Friday, February 19, at 1pm it had been successful and would be invited to stage three of the MLP process to make a final offer following negotiations, while Minderoo and Perth Studios were rejected at the same time. The news was published at 3pm the same day on the WA governments website without any media releases before appearing online in an exclusive story by The West Australian at 9pm with comments from Mr McGowan and paraphrased information from Home Fire.

Negotiations, due diligence and engagement with Fremantle Port for the film studio project were ongoing as of this week. The Department of Finance spokeswoman said the department was unaware there would be any election announcements after the developer was made public. As the MLP secretariat, the Department of Finance was not made aware of election announcements. This was handled independently by the Labor Party, she said. The MLP process typically prevents proponents from speaking publicly without prior written approval from the MLP secretariat and other emails revealed the department took confidentiality so seriously it made Fremantle Port staff involved in the negotiations sign ironclad non-disclosure agreements.

The department spokeswoman said the comments from Home Fire in The West were reviewed, and it was determined it was not presenting any new information. But she did not directly answer whether the department had given permission for a Home Fire representative to speak at a Labor campaign announcement on the morning of February 20. The MLP Secretariat does not consider that there has been any communications breach by Home Fire Creative Industries, they said. WA Premier Mark McGowan, actor Kate Walsh, entertainer Tim Minchin, Howard Cearns, and Adrian Fini in Fremantle for the announcement of an $100 million film studio at Victoria Quay. Credit:Peter de Kruijff The FOI documents obtained by WAtoday did not unearth any requests by Home Fire to the department to speak at the event.

The MLP process ties the hands of Home Fire with the company unable to comment about the project without permission from the department. A spokesman for the company told WAtoday after questions were sent for this story: all enquiries relating to the film studio proposal and the MLP process need to be addressed to the market-led proposal secretariat. Mr McGowan further confused the situation at the announcement when he said the government was committing $100 million towards a new film studio despite the money actually being a Labor election pledge. Headlines for some, wait times for others The government took a different approach when it announced the news of developer Cedar Woods proposal for a multi-storey property development in Perths affluent western suburbs, where residents and councils have campaigned against density targets.

That proposal was also approved to progress to a stage requiring public disclosure before caretaker mode. Cedar Woods was keen to make an ASX announcement as soon as possible, but the news wasnt made public until March 19  six days after the election. A few days out from the polls, Planning Minister Rita Saffioti scoffed at suggestions any announcement was being held off until after the election because high-density development in the western suburbs was a politically sensitive issue, pointing instead to caretaker conventions in place. Loading The Finance spokeswoman said the Cedar Woods proposal was different to the film studio because it was unsolicited, whereas the film studio was initiated by the government under its Problem and Opportunity Statement MLP process, where milestones were set by the government before going to market.

However, a spokesman for Mr McGowan said the timeframe to publish information for both processes was co-ordinated by the Department of Finance in collaboration with the lead agency, other key stakeholders, and was subject to MLP steering committee approval. Transparency International Australia chief executive Serena Lillywhite is a vocal critic of market-led proposals, arguing they are susceptible to political manipulation. Market-led proposals allow the private sector to pitch project proposals and the government to solicit proposals from preferred candidates with arguably little oversight and transparency as to how public funds are being spent and if projects are awarded on merit, in the public interest, and not captured through undue influence by special interest groups and political party donors with deep pockets, she said. But Mr McGowans spokesman said MLPs allowed the government to explore good ideas, private sector investment opportunities and entrepreneurship to identify projects that may benefit West Australians. Last months budget papers show $105 million will be spent from 2021-22 to 2024-25 on due diligence activities, planning and construction of a state-of-the-art film studio and screen production facility at Victoria Quay.
Prague: Czech President Milos Zeman was rushed to the hospital on Sunday, a day after the country held parliamentary election in which populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis party surprisingly came in second and Zeman has a key role in establishing a new government.

The Czech presidency is largely ceremonial but the president chooses which political leader can try to form the next government. Earlier on Sunday, Zeman met with Babis, his close ally, but the Prime Minister made no comment as he left the presidential chateau in Lany, near Prague.

Czech Republics President Milos Zeman has been taken to hospital the day after the national election. Credit:AP

On Saturday, the centrist ANO (Yes) party led by Babis, a populist billionaire, narrowly lost the Czech Republics election, which could spell the end of the eurosceptic leaders reign in the European Union nation of 10.7 million people.

A liberal-conservative three-party coalition named Together captured 27.8 per cent of the vote, beating Babis ANO, which won 27.1 per cent. In a second blow to the populists, another center-left liberal coalition received 15.6 per cent to finish third.
Rome: Prosecutors investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann say they are 100 per cent certain she was murdered by a sex offender whom they already hold in custody.

The German authorities say they have the evidence to charge convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner and hope to conclude their investigation next year.

Christian Bruckner, the prime suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann.

Hans Christian Wolters, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said: Were confident we have the man who took and killed her. It is now possible that we could charge. We have that evidence now.

The team is 100 per cent convinced McCann was murdered by Brueckner, he told the Mirror.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

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Rain early. Decreasing clouds overnight. Low 36F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Rain early. Decreasing clouds overnight. Low 36F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Reading, PA (19601)

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Breezy and warm with sun followed by increasing clouds; showers towards evening, but most of the day is dry. .

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Some evening rain, then clearing late. Brisk and turning colder.
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WATERBURY, CT (WFSB) - An extensive investigation into two shootings in the city of Waterbury has resulted in another arrest.

On Saturday morning, police arrested 19-year-old Cashikaly Rodriguez for her role in the shootings and charged her with risk of injury to a child, first degree reckless endangerment, and two counts of first degree assault.

She is being held on a $2 million bond.

Rodriguez, in addition to Thomas West who was arrested earlier this month, is accused of shooting and injuring a 10-year-old boy along with a 21-year-old man on Congress Avenue back on Sept. 29.

Shooting arrests in Waterbury connected to group violence Police in Waterbury made another arrest in connection with a pair of shooting incidents, one of which involved injuries to a child.

Police said the Congress Avenue shooting was related to a shooting that happened back on John Street earlier that same day.

A woman suffered non life threatening injuries in that incident after being shot in the buttocks.

The 21-year-old shooting victim in the Congress Avenue shooting, Derek St. Hilaire, was also arrested.

In addition to those three arrests, investigators have also taken two juveniles into custody for possessing stolen vehicles that were used in connection with the two shootings.
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A clear sky. Low around 25F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming S and decreasing to less than 5 mph..

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A low-budget fright flick actor whose most lucrative role was defrauding deep-pocket investors admitted Monday he ran a multimillion-dollar Hollywood Ponzi scheme. Zachary Horwitz, 34, appeared in federal court in downtown Los Angeles and pleaded guilty to a single count of felony securities fraud carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of a plea deal that dropped other wire fraud and identity theft charges carrying decades more prison time, Horwitz admitted he duped wealthy private investors into giving him more than $650 million.

Horwitz sat quietly in the courtroom as a federal prosecutor read through the agreement. It outlined how Horwitz made false promises claiming that investor cash would go toward purchasing regional distribution rights to TV and film projects, which would then be licensed to platforms such as HBO and Netflix. While he used some of the money to pay back early investments and keep his scam going, prosecutors say Horwitz used more than $5 million to fund his lavish lifestyle, buying a luxury two-story home in the Beverlywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, complete with a swimming pool, home gym and private screening room.

Horwitz admits he swindled at least five investors out of $230 million. In one example included in his plea agreement, Horwitz says he duped an Illinois investor into sending him more than $1.4 million in December 2018 with the bogus pledge that the money was buying certain international distribution rights to Active Measures, a (real) documentary exploring alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

When he started defaulting on payments to clients in late 2019, Horwitz began fabricating emails with @hbo.com and @netflix.com addresses to lull his investors into believing their money was still safely invested and that any delays were caused by the actions of the online streaming platforms, according to the plea agreement.

Horwitz, who used the stage name Zach Avery when he acted in The Devil Below and Youre Not Alone, falsely told investors his company, 1inMM Capital, was so adept at acquiring film distribution rights and licensing them to major online platforms that he could offer eye-popping 25- to 40-percent rates of return on their investments, prosecutors said when he was charged earlier this year.

Horwitz was out of custody and accompanied by family members at the change of plea hearing. He assured the judge he was aware of the maximum 20-year sentence and not under the influence of any substances before changing his plea. The judge then warned that prison time was all but guaranteed at his sentencing set for January 3rd.

I do understand that, your honor, Horwitz said.

Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty? U.S District Court Judge Mark Scarsi asked.

Yes I am, your honor, Horwitz responded.

Judge Scarsi allowed Horwitz to remain out of custody on a $1 million bond secured with his mothers house and an ankle monitor until his sentencing.

Mr. Horwitz has always understood the gravity of the circumstances, the large amount of money involved and that this day would come, his lawyer Anthony Pacheco told the court.

Mr. Horwitz has accepted responsibility for his actions, and todays plea is an important step in that process of accepting responsibility, defense lawyer Ryan Hedges told Rolling Stone after the hearing.
Inside Hook

New Mexicos White Sands National Park is known for, well, its white sands. But tens of thousands of years ago, it was fertile ground, with parts of it sitting beside a lake  and its that aspect of its history thats prompting scientists to rethink their conception of when humans first arrived in North America.



At the Wall Street Journal, Robert Lee Hotz has more details on a new find that might well upend the conventional wisdom of the story of human migration. The short version: archaeologists found human footprints dating back 23,000 years in what is now White Sands. Can footprints be that seismic in scope? In this case, yes. Hotz writes that they are about 10,000 years older and about 1,600 miles farther south than any other human footprints known in America.



This information comes from a paper newly published in Science, which notes that the footprints suggest a temporal range extension for the coexistence of early inhabitants and Pleistocene megafauna.



The debate over when humans first arrived in North America is one thats shifted considerably in recent years. A BBC report published last year offers a good summary of the discussion  namely, that scientists largely believed that the Clovis people were the first to arrive in North America around 11,500 years ago. At the beginning of the current century, however, evidence began to accumulate that human habitation of the Americas began long before that.



As technology improves and further finds are uncovered, its likely that well learn even more about the early days of human habitation of this continent. This find in New Mexico offers an even larger section of the bigger picture.
One of the largest homes in Newport, RI, has hit the market with a whopping $29.9M price tag. It's now the most expensive home for sale in the country's smallest state.

Boasting 29 bedrooms and 18.5 baths, this 43,772-square-foot waterfront mansion known as Seaview Terrace sits on more than 7 acres along the Cliff Walk overlooking Sheep Point Cove.

Also known as the Carey Mansion, Newports fifth-largest estate (following The Breakers, Ochre Court, Belcourt Castle, and Rough Point) was originally constructed in Dupont Circle in Washington, DC, in the late 1800s.

Edson Bradley, who earned his wealth as a whiskey distiller, purchased the home in DC in 1907 and hired architect Howard Greenley to remodel and expand it. It grew to a sprawling 16,000 square feet. It covered more than half a city block and featured a chapel with seating for 150, a large ballroom, an art gallery, and a 500-seat theater.

In 1923, Bradley decided to disassemble the Dupont Circle mansion and move it to Newport, where he had purchased an Elizabethan Revival mansion known as Sea View. Together, the two homes would become known as Seaview Terrace.

The two-year process of moving the French Renaissance chateau from DC to Newport was featured on Ripleys Believe It or Not. It was one of the largest homes to be dismantled, transported by road and rail, then reassembled.

Aerial view Realtor.com

Interior Realtor.com

Handcarved ceiling Realtor.com

Bright living space Realtor.com

Today, it's the largest privately owned home in Newport. It encompasses two addresses and sits on nearly 8 acres. It features rooms that were originally imported from France, installed in the DC mansion, then reassembled in Newport.

Inside, there is an early Renaissance stained-glass window designed for the Milan Cathedral. There's also a great hall with a whispering gallery, where a person at one end of the room can hear the slightest whisper uttered at the other end.

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Watch: Hawaii's Priciest Property: How Much Is It?

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In all, there are more than 60 rooms in the mansion, including an art gallery and 500-seat theater. It's filled with ornate and intricate details, from the handcarved ceilings and staircases lined with stained-glass windows, to the towering balconies and enormous ballrooms.

Handcarved fireplace Realtor.com

We have had folks from all over the world come to look at the property, says Lea Savas, co-listing agent with Aryn Hawks of Hawks and Company. Some have said they would keep it as a private residence while others were exploring the possibility of turning it into a private club, condos, or subdividing the property. There really is nothing quite like Seaview Terrace.

Waterfront location Realtor.com

The new buyer will need to set aside money for repairs. The historic estate, which was used for years by a local private university, is in need of extensive renovation.

Salve Regina rented the property, and their lease ended in 2009, Savas says. They had dorm-style living on the second and third stories that would need to be renovated."

And if you think you've seen this iconic home on TV, we're here to tell you that you're not dreaming.

"Seaview Terrace has been featured on the Discovery Channel and Travel Channel, and most notably was filmed in Dark Shadows during the late '60s and '70s that was a daytime soap opera about a vampire family that was hugely popular, says Savas.

Seaview Terrace Realtor.com

The post Enormous $29.9M Newport Mansion Is Rhode Island's Most Expensive Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Standing before a full studio audience, Bill Maher had good news and bad news to deliver. The bad news? An oil spill has added to the list of issues California is dealing with right now. The good? COVID-19 cases appear to be on the decline. Come December, airline passengers might be back to punching each other over the armrest, he said. It was par for the course for Real Time With Bill Maher  ups and downs, along with a couple of digs thrown at social media.

Also up for grabs in the opening monologue? Squid Game, which Maher suggested that Mitch McConnell might be keeping an eye on for policy ideas. It was a more rapid-fire array of bits than usual, with Maher also covering everything from the release of No Time to Die to the protestors who recently followed Kyrsten Sinema into a bathroom.

Steven Pinker, author  most recently  of Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, was up first. Pinker brought up a few statistics to illustrate his point that, overall, living conditions had improved around the globe for the vast majority of people over the last few centuries. Mahers first question arose from that: why does it seem like so many people wont acknowledge progress? Pinkers argument was multifaceted, and included pointing out that news can often make things look worse than they are  after all, a war not happening is considered a good thing, but isnt necessarily the stuff from which headlines are made.

Pinker also argued that there was a tendency to overlook progress by some on both the political right and left, for varying reasons. But he also made a case against nostalgia for the past. Often, the best explanation for the good old days is a bad memory, he told Maher. And then the conversation took a surreal detour when Maher asked Pinker about why people see ghosts.

Joining Maher for the panel were Killer Mike of Run the Jewels and political reporter Robert Costa, most recently the co-author of Peril. Costas work with Bob Woodward on Peril and the efforts of the January 6 commission got the discussion off to an engaging start. Something that concerned all three participants was the tendency of some people to ignore subpoenas from the commission  something that, Maher observed, has an unfortunately long history. And, as Killer Mike pointed out, most people dealing with a subpoena dont really have the option of just ignoring it.

Mahers been arguing repeatedly that the nation is close to a civil war, and argued that starting to jail people for not responding to the subpoena of a congressional commission might set an alarming precedent, but the larger issue  and the lack of an easy solution  loomed over the proceedings.

It didnt hurt, though, that both panelists were both knowledgeable and engaging  and seemed genuinely interested in what one another had to say. Whether the topic of debate was reforming policing, the importance of investigative journalism or the infrastructure bill, it made for compelling viewing.

The second half of the panel discussion found all three men having an expansive conversation about the United States immigration policy  which, along the way, touched on everything from Congressional dysfunction to the differences between the U.S. and Canada in terms of their handling of immigration. There werent any definitive answers reached by the end of the conversation, but the points each panelist brought up lingered.

New Rules got off to an odd start, with Mahers jokes about the concept of libraries not landing terribly well. Far better was Maher making the case for advertising-supported free weed and having a field day with the concept of someone unaware that their dog was blind. But the conclusion of the segment turned far more somber.

I was a young man of 59 when I started using the phrase slow-moving coup, Maher said  and warned that such an event is growing even closer now. At one point, the audience applauded an observation he made about the heightened stakes and likelihood of election results being overturned; he paused and asked that they not, in fact, applaud that.

Maher observed that, since leaving office, Donald Trump has been quietly purging the Republican Party of his opponents since the 2020 election. The points he brought up have been made before  but hearing it all in one place was fully sobering. Even more so was his outlining of how a disputed 2024 election might play out. And how did Maher bring the segment and the episode to a close? Saying, I hope I scared the shit out of you. It was unnerving. It was also a reminder of what Maher is capable of when hes taking on a big enough target.  and the potential collapse of a nation is as grand a topic as they get.

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The post Bill Maher, Killer Mike and Robert Costa Deconstruct Politics on a New Real Time appeared first on InsideHook.
NEW YORK (AP)  Martin J. Sherwin, a leading scholar of atomic weapons who in A World Destroyed challenged support for the U.S. bombing of Japan and spent more than two decades researching the pioneering physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Prometheus, has died.

FILE - In this April 17, 2006, file photo, co-authors Kai Bird, left, and Martin J. Sherwin, right, hold a copy of the book they wrote "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer," in Washington. Sherwin, a leading scholar of atomic weapons who in A World Destroyed challenged support for the U.S. bombing of Japan and spent more than two decades researching the pioneering physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Prometheus, has died at age 84. Sherwin died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, at his home in Washington, D.C., according to his friend Andrew Hartman, a professor of history at Illinois State University. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

NEW YORK (AP)  Martin J. Sherwin, a leading scholar of atomic weapons who in A World Destroyed challenged support for the U.S. bombing of Japan and spent more than two decades researching the pioneering physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Prometheus, has died.

Sherwin died Wednesday at his home in Washington, D.C., according to his friend Andrew Hartman, a professor of history at Illinois State University. He was 84 and had been battling lung cancer. Kai Bird, a close friend and the co-author of American Prometheus, called him probably the preeminent historian of the nuclear age.

When we started working on American Prometheus he told me he had lots of research, but a few gaps, Bird told The Associated Press on Saturday. When I began going through all the materials I couldnt find any gaps.

Sherwin was a New York City native whose interest in nuclear research dated back to his undergraduate years at Dartmouth College, when he spent a summer working at a uranium mine out West. Sherwins ties to the arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union became frighteningly personal during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis,. He was a junior officer in the Navy and was told of plans to evacuate from their base in San Diego to a remote location in Baja California, Mexico.

FILE - In this March 3, 2006, file photo, Martin J. Sherwin, left, speaks as Kai Bird stands by after Sherwin and Bird's "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer" won the prize for biography at the NBCC awards ceremony in New York. Sherwin, a leading scholar of atomic weapons who in A World Destroyed challenged support for the U.S. bombing of Japan and spent more than two decades researching the pioneering physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Prometheus, has died at age 84. Sherwin died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, at his home in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg, File)

The rationale was to disperse military aircraft beyond the reach of Soviet missiles, he wrote in Gambling With Armageddon: Nuclear Roulette from Hiroshima to the Cuban Missile Crisis, which came out last year. Some junior officers  all of us bachelors  joked that the beaches of Baja would be a delightful place to die.

He was best known for American Prometheus, published in 2005 and winner of the Pulitzer for biography. The book was widely praised as a comprehensive and invaluable study of the so-called father of the atomic bomb who later had his telephones tapped and his security clearance revoked during the McCarthy era of the 1950s as he advocated nuclear containment and opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb.

Sherwin began working on the book in the late 1970s with an hours-long horseback ride to the mountainside ranch in New Mexico where Oppenheimer once lived. He continued over the next two decades as he accumulated tens of thousands of pages of research, from FBI files to private correspondence to interviews with those who knew Oppenheimer. Bird, whom he had befriended in the 1990s and eventually brought in to help, joked that Sherwin had come down with biographers disease, the inability to know when it was time to stop researching and begin writing.

Pulitzer judges cited Sherwin and Bird for their rich evocation of America at midcentury and called American Prometheus a new and compelling portrait of a brilliant, ambitious, complex and flawed man profoundly connected to its major events  the Depression, World War II and the Cold War.

Sherwin was also a popular teacher and lecturer who taught at Princeton University, George Mason University and, for much of his career, Tufts University, where he founded the Nuclear Age History Center. At Princeton, he was an adviser to the author-journalist Eric Schlosser and mentored Katrina vanden Heuvel, now editorial director and publisher of the liberal weekly The Nation, for which Sherwin was a contributor.

Sherwins first book, A World Destroyed: Hiroshima and Its Legacies, came out in 1975 and was a Pulitzer finalist. The New York Times praised the book for its unprecedented scholarship on such questions as whether the U.S. needed nuclear weapons to defeat Japan in World War II (Sherwin contended President Trumans decision to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki was based more on intimidating the Russians) and why the U.S. chose not to share its nuclear development with the Soviet Union when they were World War II allies.

In the mid-1990s, Sherwin was among the advisers for a planned Smithsonian exhibit about the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Japan that was canceled after veterans organizations and dozens of members of Congress objected to what they considered an anti-U.S. bias. Instead, the Smithsonian only displayed the Enola Gay, the plane from which the U.S. dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima.

In the United States, the collective memory of World War II sees the war as our finest hour," he wrote in a 2003 edition of A World Destroyed.

America without that image is unimaginable to most members of the generation that fought the war and to those in subsequent generations who have defined their view of the world and their political lives as a reflections of this image.

According to Kai Bird, he and Sherwin had been working on a proposal for a new book even though he was badly weakened by his cancer treatment. Sherwin wanted to tell the extraordinary but true story of a crew of B-29 bombers who were captured off the coast of Japan at the end of World War II and saved from execution by an English-speaking Japanese commander who brought them to Hiroshima so they could see for themselves the devastation from the recently dropped atom bomb.

He had been sitting on his story for a very long time, back to 1975 when he interviewed one of the B-29 crew members, Bird said. He was really excited about this, and I'm trying to see if I can turn this into a book proposal. On the day he died he was editing that proposal. Even as his body was giving out, he was still interested and his mind was alert.
Canadian food banks faced with a second pandemic-era Thanksgiving are counting on COVID-friendly donation events to keep the non-perishables rolling in at a time of year that's pivotal to their operations.

A volunteer organizes boxes for food at the Daily Bread Food Bank's Spring Drive-Thru food drive at the food bank in Etobicoke, Ont., on April 3, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Canadian food banks faced with a second pandemic-era Thanksgiving are counting on COVID-friendly donation events to keep the non-perishables rolling in at a time of year that's pivotal to their operations.

The pandemic's fourth wave has put the kibosh on large-scale, in-person food drives typically held at Thanksgiving, which are needed to keep the doors open year-round, said Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Toronto-based Daily Bread Food Bank.

"Demand doesn't increase over Thanksgiving, but between Thanksgiving and the holiday season is when our supply changes and allows us to plan out for the next year," Hetherington said. "So we need to get the food in now that we will distribute over the coming quarters."

To do that, Daily Bread pivoted to a drive-thru model that saw cars and vans line up to drop off canned and boxed food.

Hetherington said he was hopeful the event would bring in the donations his organization needs, but that the joy of their usual Thanksgiving food sorting event is hard to replicate.

"One of the things that I love about the public food sort is that you literally have a thousand people over the course of the day come into a giant warehouse and do good," he said. "And they're meeting new people, and they're all there for one central purpose, which is the mission to make sure that nobody goes hungry."

That mission is even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for food banks' services has skyrocketed.

Hetherington said that before the pandemic, Daily Bread saw around 60,000 clients each month.

That number has doubled in the 19 months since the pandemic began.

"Some months are a little bit better than others, but we're seeing a consistent upward trend of the number of people who are having to turn to food banks," he said. "And regrettably, our forecasting is not optimistic for the next two years."

As government support for those affected by the pandemic tapers off, he said, the food bank expects to see more people rely on it.

The same thing happened after the 2008 recession, he noted, when it took until 2011 for demand to return to normal.

Rachel Dixon, director of development for Feed Ontario, a collective of hunger-relief organizations, said the demand is particularly worrying because financial donations have slowed.

"As the pandemic has continued to go on, I think we've all grown a little bit exhausted with the pandemic," she said. "We're also seeing that play out in some of the donations.

"A lot of those first-time gifts that we got last year have not been repeated, which means that as we're going into another big season, a lot of food banks are quite worried about what that means for their financial resources."

She said that in addition to the drive-thru model, some of Feed Ontario's members have partnered with grocery stores so people can donate food right where they shop.

"It really has meant a big change for how food banks are operating, but also getting creative in the ways that they can still work with communities to ensure that they have resources and their shelves are stocked," Dixon said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2021.
XINJIANG, China (AP)  The razor wire that once ringed public buildings in Chinas far northwestern Xinjiang region is nearly all gone.

An instructor teaches Uyghurs how to change a diaper during a class at the Peyzawat Training School in Peyzawat County in China's far west Xinjiang region, as seen during a state-organized tour for foreign media on April 19, 2021. Four years after Beijing's brutal crackdown on largely Muslim minorities native to Xinjiang, Chinese authorities are dialing back the region's high-tech police state and stepping up tourism. But even as a sense of normality returns, fear remains, hidden but pervasive. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

XINJIANG, China (AP)  The razor wire that once ringed public buildings in Chinas far northwestern Xinjiang region is nearly all gone.

Gone, too, are the middle school uniforms in military camouflage and the armored personnel carriers rumbling around the homeland of the Uyghurs. Gone are many of the surveillance cameras that once glared down like birds from overhead poles, and the eerie eternal wail of sirens in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar.

Uyghur teenage boys, once a rare sight, now flirt with girls over pounding dance music at rollerblading rinks. One cab driver blasted Shakira as she raced through the streets.

Four years after Beijing launched a brutal crackdown that swept up to a million or more Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities into detention camps and prisons, its control of Xinjiang has entered a new era. Chinese authorities have scaled back many of the most draconian and visible aspects of the regions high-tech police state. The panic that gripped the region a few years ago has subsided considerably, and a sense of normality is creeping back in.

But there is no doubt about who rules, and evidence of the terror of the last four years is everywhere.

Its seen in Xinjiangs cities, where many historic centers have been bulldozed and the Islamic call to prayer no longer rings out. Its seen in Kashgar, where one mosque was converted into a cafe, and a section of another has been turned into a tourist toilet. Its seen deep in the countryside, where Han Chinese officials run villages.

And its seen in the fear that was ever-present, just below the surface, on two rare trips to Xinjiang I made for The Associated Press, one on a state-guided tour for the foreign press.

A bike sellers eyes widened in alarm when he learned I was a foreigner. He picked up his phone and began dialing the police.

A convenience store cashier chatted idly about declining sales  then was visited by the shadowy men tailing us. When we dropped by again, she didnt say a word, instead making a zipping motion across her mouth, pushing past us and running out of the store.

At one point, I was tailed by a convoy of a dozen cars, an eerie procession through the silent streets of Aksu at 4 in the morning. Anytime I tried to chat with someone, the minders would draw in close, straining to hear every word.

Its hard to know why Chinese authorities have shifted to subtler methods of controlling the region. It may be that searing criticism from the West, along with punishing political and commercial sanctions, have pushed authorities to lighten up. Or it may simply be that China judges it has come far enough in its goal of subduing the Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities to relax its grip.

Uyghur activists abroad accuse the Chinese government of genocide, pointing to plunging birthrates and the mass detentions. The authorities say their goal is not to eliminate Uyghurs but to integrate them, and that harsh measures are necessary to curb extremism.

Regardless of intent, one thing is clear: Many of the practices that made the Uyghur culture a living thing  raucous gatherings, strict Islamic habits, heated debate  have been restricted or banned. In their place, the authorities have crafted a sterilized version, one ripe for commercialization.

Xinjiang officials took us on a tour to the Grand Bazaar in the center of Urumqi, which has been rebuilt for tourists, like many other cities in Xinjiang. Here, there are giant plastic bearded Uyghur men and a giant plastic Uyghur instrument. A nearby museum for traditional naan bread sells tiny plastic naan keychains, Uyghur hats and fridge magnets. Crowds of Han Chinese snap selfies.

James Leibold, a prominent scholar of Xinjiang ethnic policy, calls it the museumification of Uyghur culture. Chinese officials call it progress.

China has long struggled to integrate the Uyghurs, a historically Muslim group of 13 million people with close linguistic, ethnic and cultural ties to Turkey. Since the Communist Party took control of Xinjiang in 1949, Beijings leaders have debated whether stricter or softer measures are more effective in absorbing the vast territory, half the size of India.

For decades, policy in Xinjiang swung back and forth. Even as the state granted special benefits to minorities, such as hiring quotas and extra points on entrance exams, glass ceilings, racism, and restrictions on religion alienated and angered many Uyghurs.

The harder the government tried to control the Uyghurs, the more stubbornly many clung to their identity. A few resorted to violence, carrying out bombings and knifings against a state they believed would never accord them genuine respect. Hundreds of innocent civilians, both Han Chinese and Uyghur, perished in increasingly deadly attacks.

The debate ended soon after President Xi Jinpings rise to power in 2012. The state chose forced assimilation, detaining Uyghurs and other minorities indiscriminately by the thousands and branding them as suspected terrorists."

Today, many checkpoints and police stations are gone and the bombings have stopped, but the racial divide remains clear.

Uyghurs live trapped in an invisible system that restricts their every move. Its near impossible for them to get passports, and on planes to and from Xinjiang, most passengers are from Chinas Han Chinese majority.

Students braid wigs during a class at the Peyzawat Training School in Peyzawat County in China's far west Xinjiang region, as seen during a state-organized tour for foreign media on April 19, 2021. Four years after Beijing's brutal crackdown on largely Muslim minorities native to Xinjiang, Chinese authorities are dialing back the region's high-tech police state and stepping up tourism. But even as a sense of normality returns, fear remains, hidden but pervasive. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Uyghurs who live outside Xinjiang must register with local police and report to an officer on a regular basis, their moves tracked and monitored. Many Uyghurs living in Xinjiang arent allowed to leave the region.

Information on Xinjiang within China is heavily censored, and state media now promotes the region as a safe, exotic tourist destination. As a result, Han Chinese outside Xinjiang remain largely unaware of the restrictions that Uyghurs face, one of a number of reasons why many in China are supportive of Beijings crackdown.

Within Xinjiang, Han Chinese and Uyghurs live side by side, an unspoken but palpable gulf between them. In the suburbs of Kashgar, a Han woman at a tailor shop tells my colleague that most Uyghurs werent allowed to go far from their homes.

Isnt that so? You cant leave this shop? the woman said to a Uyghur seamstress.

Down the street from the tailor shop, I spot Lunar New Year banners with slogans in Chinese characters like The Chinese Communist Party is good plastered on every storefront. An elderly Han Chinese shopkeeper tells me that local officials printed the banners by the hundreds, handed them out and ordered them put up, although Uyghurs traditionally celebrate Islamic holidays rather than the Lunar New Year.

She approved of the strict measures. Xinjiang was much safer now, she said, than when she had first moved there with her son, a soldier with the Bingtuan, Xinjiangs paramilitary corps.

The Uyghurs dont dare do anything around here anymore, she told me.

City centers now bustle with life again, with Uyghur and Han children screeching as they chase each other across streets. Some Uyghurs even approach me and ask for my contact  something that never happened on previous visits.

But in rural villages and quiet suburbs, many houses sit empty and padlocked. In one Kashgar neighborhood, the words Empty House is spray-painted on every third or fourth residence. In a village an hours drive away, I spot dozens of Empty House notices on a half-hour walk, red lettering on yellow slips fluttering in the wind on door upon door.

Control is also tighter deep in the countryside, away from the bazaars that the government is eager for visitors to see.

In one village we stop in, an elderly Uyghur man in a square skullcap answers just one question  We dont have the coronavirus here, everything is good  before a local Han Chinese cadre demands to know what we are doing.

He tells the villagers in Uyghur, If he asks you anything, just say you dont know anything.

Behind him, a drunk Uyghur man was yelling. Alcohol is forbidden for practicing Muslims, especially in the holy month of Ramadan.

Ive been drinking alcohol, Im a little drunk, but thats no problem. We can drink as we want now! he shouted. We can do what we want! Things are great now!

At a nearby store, I notice liquor bottles lining the shelves. In another town, my colleague and I encounter a drunk Uyghur man, passed out by a trash bin in broad daylight. Though many Uyghurs in big cities like Urumqi have long indulged in drinking, such sights were once unimaginable in the pious rural areas of southern Xinjiang.

On a government sponsored tour, officials took us to meet Mamatjan Ahat, a truck driver, who declared he was back to drinking and smoking because he had recanted religion and extremism after a stint at one of Xinjiangs infamous training centers.

It made me more open-minded, Ahat told reporters, as officials listened in.

Xinjiang officials say they arent forcing atheism on the Uyghurs, but rather defending freedom of belief against creeping extremism. Not all Uyghurs are Muslim, is a common refrain.

Controls on religious activity have slackened, but remain tightly bound by the state. For example, the authorities have allowed some mosques to reopen, though hours are strictly limited. Small groups of elderly worshippers trickle in and out.

Xinjiangs unique brand of state-controlled Islam is most on display at the Xinjiang Islamic Institute, a government school for imams.

Here, young Uyghur men chant verses from the Quran and pray five times a day. They get scholarships and opportunities to study in Egypt, officials say as they walk us around. Tens of thousands have graduated, and recently theyve opened a new campus  albeit one with a police station installed at the entrance.

Religious freedom is enshrined in Chinas constitution, said a student, Omar Adilabdulla, as officials watch him speak. Its totally free.

As he speaks, I crack open a textbook on another students desk. A good Chinese Muslim has to learn Mandarin, it says, Chinas main language.

Arabic is not the only language that compiles Allahs classics, the lesson said. To learn Chinese is our responsibility and obligation, because we are all Chinese.

As I flip through the book, I spot other lessons.

We must be grateful to the Party and the government for creating peace, reads one chapter.

We must strive to build a socialist Xinjiang with Chinese characteristics, says another. Amen!

Uyghur is still spoken everywhere, but its use in public spaces is slowly fading. In some cities, entire blocks, freshly constructed, have signs only in Chinese, not Uyghur.

In bookstores, Uyghur language tomes are relegated to sections labeled ethnic minority language books. The government boasts that nearly a thousand Uyghur titles are published a year, but none are by Perhat Tursun, a lyrical modernist author, or Yalqun Rozi, a textbook editor and firebrand commentator. They, like most prominent Uyghur intellectuals, have been imprisoned.

On the shelves instead: Xi Jinping thought, biographies of Mao, lectures on socialist values, and Mandarin-Uyghur dictionaries.

Many Uyghurs still struggle with Mandarin, from young men to elderly grandmothers. In recent years, the government has made Mandarin the mandatory standard in schools.

On the state tour, a headmaster tells us that the Uyghur language continues to be protected, pointing to their minority language classes. But all other classes are in Chinese, and a sign at one school urges students to Speak Mandarin, use standard writing.

The most heavily criticized aspect of Xinjiangs crackdown has been its so-called training centers, which leaked documents show are actually extrajudicial indoctrination camps.

After global outcry, Chinese officials declared the camps shuttered in 2019. Many indeed appear to be closed.

On the state-led tour in April, they took us to what they said was once a training center, now a regular vocational school in Peyzawat County. A mere fence marks the campus boundaries  a stark contrast from the barbed wire, high watchtowers and police at the entrance we saw three years ago. On our own, we see at least three other sites which once appeared to be camps and are now apartments or office complexes.

But in their place, permanent detention facilities have been built, in an apparent move from makeshift camps to a long-lasting system of mass incarceration. We encountered one massive facility driving along a country road, its walls rising from the fields, men visible in high guard towers. At a second, we were blocked by two men wearing epidemic-prevention gear. A third ranks among the largest detention facilities on earth. Many are tucked away behind forests or dunes deep in the countryside, far from tourists and city centers.

In Urumqi, at an anti-terror exhibition in a vast, modernist complex near glass office towers and freshly-laid highways, the Chinese authorities have rewritten history. Though Xinjiang has cycled in and out of Chinese control, and was independent as recently as the 1700s and also briefly in the last century, the territorys past is casually dismissed.

Although there were some kingdoms and khanates in Xinjiang in the past, they were all local regimes within the territory of China, one display says.

Its written in English and Chinese. No Uyghur script is seen anywhere in the exhibit. Guns and bombs sit in glass cases, ones the exhibit says were confiscated from extremists.

A prim Uyghur woman in a Chinese traditional qipao suit presents a video depicting Beijings vision for Xinjiangs future, where the sun sets over pagodas and a futuristic skyline. Many scenes look like they could be filmed anywhere in China.

Our anti-terrorism and de-radicalization struggles have achieved remarkable results, she says, in crisp Mandarin.

Officials dodge questions about how many Uyghurs were detained, though statistics showed an extraordinary spike in arrests before the government stopped releasing them in 2019. Instead, they tell us during the tour that theyve engineered the perfect solution to terrorism, protecting Uyghur culture rather than destroying it.

One night, I was seated next to Dou Wangui, the Party Secretary of Aksu Prefecture, as well as Li Xuejun, the vice chairman of the Xinjiang Peoples Congress. They are both Han Chinese, like most of Xinjiangs powerful men.

Over grilled lamb and yogurt, we watched grinning Uyghurs dressed in traditional gowns dance and sing. Dou turns to me.

See, we cant have genocide here, Dou said, gesturing to the performers. Were preserving their traditional culture.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis on Saturday called on lawmakers worldwide to overcome the narrow confines of partisan politics to quickly reach consensus on fighting climate change.

Pope Francis arrives to meet with the participants to the inter-parliamentary meeting on the COP26 in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis on Saturday called on lawmakers worldwide to overcome "the narrow confines" of partisan politics to quickly reach consensus on fighting climate change.

The pope addressed parliamentarians who were in Rome for a preparatory meeting before the U.N's annual climate conference, which begins in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 31.

Francis referred to a joint appeal he and other religious leaders signed this week that calls for governments to commit to ambitious goals at the U.N. conference, which experts consider a critical opportunity to tackle the threat of global warming.

"To meet this challenge, everyone has a role to play,'' Francis told the visiting lawmakers from many countries. "That of political and government leaders is especially important, and indeed crucial."

Pope Francis delivers his speech during an audience he granted to the participants to the inter-parliamentary meeting on the COP26 in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

"This demanding change of direction will require great wisdom, foresight and concern for the common good: in a word, the fundamental virtues of good politics,'' Francis said.

Francis said earlier he intended to participate in the U.N.'s upcoming COP26 conference, but the Vatican announced Friday that he would not attend and the Vatican delegation would be led by the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

No explanation was given, but the 84-year-old pope underwent intestinal surgery in July.

The pope expressed hope Saturday that the lawmakers' efforts at the climate conference and beyond "will be illuminated by the two important principles of responsibility and solidarity."

"We owe this to the young, to future generations," he said.

Caring for humanity's "common home," Francis said, "is not just a matter of discouraging and penalizing improper practices, but also, and above all, of concretely encouraging new paths to pursue" that are better suited to climate-protection objectives and to contributing "to the positive outcome of COP26."

Before his speech, Francis gave a private audience to Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"His Holinesss leadership is a source of joy and hope for Catholics and for all people, challenging each of us to be good stewards of Gods creation, to act on climate, to embrace the refugee, the immigrant and the poor, and to recognize the dignity and divinity in everyone," Pelosi said in a statement after her audience with Francis.

She called the pontiff's 2015 encyclical exhorting people to protect the environment "a powerful challenge to the global community to act decisively on the climate crisis with special attention to the most vulnerable communities."

During their encounter, Pelosi expressed gratitude "for the immense moral clarity and urgency that His Holiness continues to bring to the climate crisis," the statement said.

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Follow AP's coverage of climate issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
Belle Jarniewski leaned back from her computer, seething with anger after she finished watching a video on Reddit showing a Winnipeg restaurateur accosting public health enforcement officers.

JAISON EMPSON/CBC Protesters are seen holding masks at an anti-mask rally at the Manitoba legislature in Winnipeg in August 2020, including one sign that equates public health orders with Nazism. Comparisons to the Nazi era are becoming a common sight at demonstrations against public health measures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.

Belle Jarniewski leaned back from her computer, seething with anger after she finished watching a video on Reddit showing a Winnipeg restaurateur accosting public health enforcement officers.

"I'm still shaking after listening to that rant. That was unbelievable," she said.

The video shows Shea Ritchie, the owner of Chaise Lounge locations on Corydon Avenue and Provencher Boulevard, speaking with officers giving him tickets on Sept. 24 for allowing diners who choose not to be vaccinated to dine inside his restaurant.

"If they're so dangerous, shouldn't we be identifying them with something bright, like a yellow star?" Ritchie says in the video, which he filmed and posted to his personal Facebook page and that has since been circulating on social media.

"Why don't you put them in a camp until they finally comply?"

Jarniewski, the executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre and a member of the Canadian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, said this type of rhetoric has become more rampant during the pandemic.

To read more of this story first reported by CBC News, click here.

This content is made available to Free Press readers as part of an agreement with CBC that sees our two trusted news brands collaborate to better cover Manitoba.
Swamped with medical bills? The hospital that treated you may be able to help.

Debra Smith, 57, who has health problems that prevent her from working, sits in her kitchen on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Spring Hill, Tenn. Smith has about $10,000 in unpaid medical bills. Living expenses and prescriptions consume most of the $2,300 a month that she gets from a pension and Social Security. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

Swamped with medical bills? The hospital that treated you may be able to help.

Whether you learn about this before those bills wind up in debt collections is another matter.

Medical bills often represent large, unexpected shocks that can crash personal budgets. Roughly 1 in 7 U.S. residents with a credit record has medical debt in collections, according to the nonprofit Urban Institute.

Hospitals have ways to keep more people from joining those ranks. Those can include income-based discounts, payment plans, help finding health insurance or waiving a bill and writing it off as charity care.

But people frequently miss notices in their bills about assistance or have trouble plowing through the paperwork to qualify, patient counselors say. They say hospitals need to do more to ensure patients know about available help.

We need a whole new mindset, said Elisabeth Benjamin, a vice president with the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. A hospitals a charity ... (it) should be figuring out why a patient isnt able to pay a bill.

The Affordable Care Act requires nonprofit hospitals to tell patients about financial help, but it leaves the details for how that gets done or the extent of the assistance largely up to them. Patient counselors see little consistency.

Hospitals say they often notify patients several times about available help. Theyve also eased income limits for assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some have smoothed out cumbersome applications.

But it can be hard to identify everyone who needs help, said Rick Gundling, a senior vice president with the Healthcare Financial Management Association, which consults with hospitals.

I think many times when the patient doesnt have the money, they retreat or they dont ask for help, when the hospital can help, Gundling said.

Assisting people in the middle of a medical crisis can be difficult. Patients often have no idea when they receive care what it will ultimately cost and how much help they will need. A slew of insurance notices and bills that arrive later can sow more confusion.

Benjamin said she once helped a patient who had one kidney stone removed and received 28 bills.

Hospitals frequently post notices about financial help on emergency rooms walls or in bills sent to patient homes. But those can be overlooked or forgotten.

People never read the whole bill. Theyre scary and overwhelming, said Benjamin, who would like to see hospitals include a one-page financial aid form with their bills.

Other advocates say information about financial assistance should be included on paper thats a different color and more noticeable. They also want hospitals to check back in with patients to see if they need help once a bill becomes overdue.

Communication often is the biggest barrier low-income patients face in dealing with hospitals, according to Ilda Hernandez, a community health worker at the advocacy group Enlace Chicago.

Most patients, Hernandez said, are never informed about available assistance or even that hospitals have interpreters.

Theyre not told that they can ask for a social worker at a hospital, she said and so patients dont ask.

Hernandez and Enlace helped a Spanish-speaking janitor resolve nearly $100,000 in medical debt that had gone to collections after his wife had two strokes last year.

The janitor, Arturo, is a 43-year old Mexican immigrant who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition that it not publish his last name because he fears being deported. He said he tried talking about bills with one of the hospitals that treated his wife. But he never heard back about a possible debt resolution until Enlace got involved.

When you are treated, it calms you down a bit  but once the bills come, wheres the help? he asked.

Hospitals often post information about available help online. But that can be hard to find.

Jared Walker, who runs a nonprofit called Dollar For that helps people with medical debt, posted a TikTok video in January that shows how to search for financial assistance on hospital websites. It has since been viewed more than 20 million times.

Hospitals arent shouting from the rooftops that you can apply for charity care, that's for damn sure, said Walker.

Some hospitals  and state lawmakers  are trying to make improvements.

Oregon Health & Science University slimmed its application for assistance a couple years ago.

When someone requests help paying for emergency or medically necessary care, the Portland academic health center now just asks for patient income, which it verifies with a soft credit check. That approach replaced a paper application that required several documents.

Were here to take care of people. Were not here to have people worry about their medical bills, said Kristi Cushman, the centers director of patient access services.

Several states have laws that require hospitals to offer a range of free or discounted care, usually based on income, according to the National Consumer Law Center.

A new Maryland law requires hospitals to show that they provided information on financial assistance and made a good-faith effort to set up a payment plan before they sue over a medical debt.

That makes the hospital prove it has done all it can to make patient payments affordable, said Marceline White, executive director of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition.

It shifts the burden appropriately to the hospital, the multimillion-dollar entity, as opposed to the person making $40,000, she said.

No such burdens have shifted in Tennessee, where Debra Smith worries she may be denied future medical care because of her bills.

The Spring Hill resident figures she has more than $10,000 in unpaid medical bills from a string of hospital stays over the past year, even though she has coverage through Medicare. She hasn't been able to make much progress paying them off.

Smith sought help from Williamson Medical Center in nearby Franklin earlier this year for a $1,500 bill, but they couldn't settle on a payment plan that fit her budget.

Health problems prevent Smith from working. Living expenses and prescriptions consume most of the $2,300 a month the 57-year-old gets from a pension and Social Security.

She found the hospital's application for financial help online, but she never completed it. That form asks for copies of bank statements, utility and credit card bills, car payments and other paperwork. To Smith, it felt like they wanted reasons to reject her.

Medical center spokesman Mike Alday said he couldnt comment on a specific patients situation. But he did say the medical center has to confirm a patients financial need before providing help, and the information it requests is standard among hospitals.

Alday said the medical center makes financial counselors available and offers discounts and payment plans if patients dont complete financial aid applications. It would give someone with a $1,500 outstanding balance 18 months to pay it off. That amounts to monthly payments of around $83.

Smith figures she can handle about $10 a month, which she said the hospital rejected.

I know the hospitals needs their money but ... I am in need too," she said. I dont want anything for free, but under the circumstances a little understanding would be nice.

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Associated Press writer Suman Naishadham contributed to this story.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Less than two years after Facebook hired Frances Haugen to help correct dangerous distortions spilling across its platform, she had seen enough.

Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen speaks during a hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Less than two years after Facebook hired Frances Haugen to help correct dangerous distortions spilling across its platform, she had seen enough.

The idealism she and countless others had invested in promises by the worlds biggest social network to fix itself had been woefully misplaced. The harm Facebook and sibling Instagram were doing to users was rivaled only by the companys resistance to change, she concluded. And the world beyond Facebook needed to know.

When the 37-year-old data scientist went before Congress and the cameras last week to accuse Facebook of pursuing profit over safety, it was likely the most consequential choice of her life.

And for a still-young industry that has mushroomed into one of societys most powerful forces, it spotlighted a rising threat: The era of the Big Tech whistleblower has most definitely arrived.

There has just been a general awakening amongst workers at the tech companies asking, `What am I doing here? said Jonas Kron of Trillium Investment Management, which has pushed Google to increase protection for employees who raise the alarm about corporate misdeeds.

When you have hundreds of thousands of people asking that question, its inevitable youll get more whistleblowing, he said.

Haugen is by far the most visible of those whistleblowers. And her accusations that Facebooks platforms harm children and incite political violence -- backed up by thousands of pages of the companys own research -- may well be the most damning.

But she is just the latest to join in a growing list of workers from across tech determined to speak out. Nearly all are women, and observers say thats no coincidence.

Even after making inroads, women and especially women of color remain outsiders in the heavily male tech sector, said Ellen Pao, an executive who sued Silicon Valley investment firm Kleiner Perkins in 2012 for gender discrimination.

That status positions them to be more critical and see some of the systemic issues in a way that people who are part of the system and who are benefiting from it the most and who are entrenched in it, may not be able to process, she said.

In recent years, workers at companies including Google, Pinterest, Uber and Theranos, as well as others from Facebook, have sounded alarms about what they say are gross abuses of power by those in control.

Their new outspokenness is ruffling an industry that touts its power to improve society, while earning billions. Workers, many well educated and highly paid, have long embraced that ethic. But for a growing number, faith in the company line is fading.

Still, there is a difference between stewing about your companys failings and revealing them to the world. There is a price to be paid, and Haugen certainly knew that.

It absolutely is terrifying, terrifying to get to the point of doing what she did. And you know that the moment you start your testimony, your life is going to change, said Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive who blew the whistle on his own industrys practices.

Since coming before Congress Tuesday, Haugen has receded from public view. A representative said she and her lawyer were unavailable for comment.

The Iowa-born daughter of a doctor and an academic turned pastor, Haugen arrives in the spotlight with sparkling credentials, including a Harvard business degree and multiple patents.

Long before she became a whistleblower, Haugen was something of a local wunderkind.

Raised near the University of Iowa campus, where her father taught medicine, Haugen was a member of a high school engineering team ranked in the countrys top 10. Years later, when the local newspaper wrote about Haugens landing at Google, one of her elementary school teachers recalled her as horrifically bright, while not at all self-conscious.

In the fall of 2002, she left for the newly established Olin College of Engineering, outside Boston, to join its first class of 75.

Many had declined offers from top universities, attracted by Olins offer of a free education to the first arrivals, and the chance to join in creating something new, said Lynn Andrea Stein, a computer science professor.

But the school couldnt get its accreditation until it began producing graduates, making it a non-entity in the eyes of some employers and presenting a hurdle for Haugen and others like her.

The Google folks actually threw out her application without reading it, Stein said.

Stein helped persuade the company to change its mind, sending an email that described Haugen as a voracious learner and an absolute can-do person with terrific work ethic and communication and leadership skills.

At Google, Haugen worked on a project to make thousands of books accessible on mobile phones, and another to help create a fledgling social network.

Google paid for Haugen to get a graduate business degree at Harvard, where a classmate said even then they were having deep discussions about the societal effects of new technology.

Smartphones were just becoming a thing. We talked a lot of about ethical use of data and building things the wrong way, said Jonathan Sheffi, who graduated with Haugen in 2011. She was always super-interested in the intersection of peoples well-being and technology.

Sheffi said he laughed when he saw social media posts in recent days questioning Haugens motivations for whistleblowing.

Nobody puts Frances up to anything, he said.

While at Harvard, Haugen worked with another student to create an online dating platform to put like-minded mates together, a template the partner later turned into dating app Hinge.

Haugen returned to Google, before moving on to jobs at Yelp and Pinterest, at each stop working with the algorithms engineered to understand the desires of users and put them together with people and content that fit their interests.

In late 2018, she was contacted by a recruiter from Facebook. In recent interviews on 60 Minutes and with the Wall Street Journal, Haugen recalled telling the company that she might be interested in a job if it involved helping the platform address democracy and misinformation. She said she told managers about a friend who had been drawn to white nationalism after spending time in online forums, and her desire to prevent that from happening to others.

In June 2019, she joined a Facebook team that focused on network activity surrounding international elections. But she has said she grew frustrated as she became more aware of widespread misinformation online that stoked violence and abuse and that Facebook would not adequately address.

She resigned in May, but only after working for weeks to sift through internal company research and copy thousands of documents. Still, she told congressional investigators, she is not out to destroy Facebook, just change it.

I believe in the potential of Facebook, she said during her testimony last week. We can have social media we enjoy, that connects us, without tearing apart our democracy, putting our children in danger, and sowing ethnic violence around the world. We can do better.

Maybe, but those who know the industry say Facebook and other tech giants will dig in.

Theres going to be a clamp down internally. There already has been, said Ifeoma Ozoma, a whistleblower at Pinterest now trying to encourage others in tech to expose corporate misconduct. In that way theres a chilling effect through the increased surveillance that employees will be under.

Within the larger community of whistleblowers, many are rooting for Haugen, praising what they see as her gutsiness, calm intellect and the forethought to take the paperwork that reinforces her case.

What she did right was she got all her documentation in a row and she did that up front. ... Thats going to be her power, said Eileen Foster, a former executive at Countrywide Financial who struggled to find another job in banking after exposing widespread fraud in the companys approval of subprime loans in 2008.

Sophie Zhang, a former Facebook employee who last year accused the social network of ignoring fake accounts used to undermine foreign elections, said she was surprised the company had not caught Haugen when she was going through company research. Fierce denials by its executives now betray their unwillingness to change.

I think theyve fallen into a trap where they keep making denials and hunkering down and becoming more incendiary, she said. And this causes more people to come forward.

Still, Haugens actions could well make it impossible for her to land another job in the industry, said Foster. And if Facebook goes after her legally for taking documents, it will have the resources for battle that a lone employee can never hope to match.

Foster recalls how her boss at Countrywide, an ally, begged her to give it up.

He said Eileen what are you doing? You are just a speck. A speck! And I said, `Yeah, but Im a pissed-off speck, Foster said.

Years later, after enduring villainization by colleagues, rejections by employers and a lengthy court battle over her claims, she knows better. But she does not regret her choices. And she senses a similar conviction in Haugen, though their whistleblowing is separated by a generation.

I wish the best for Frances, she said.

___

Associated Press reporters Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, California, and Marcy Gordon in Washington contributed to this story.
At a time when public health officials are touting the importance of proper hand hygiene amid the COVID-19 pandemic, soap dispensers at Kildonan-East Collegiate keep disappearing.

At a time when public health officials are touting the importance of proper hand hygiene amid the COVID-19 pandemic, soap dispensers at Kildonan-East Collegiate keep disappearing.

More than 10 students who attend the high school on Concordia Avenue in Winnipeg confirmed that thieves have continuously targeted their school bathrooms since classes resumed in September.

"The soap dispensers are always missing," said one Grade 12 student, who told the Free Press he is annoyed by the trend and stocks hand sanitizer in his backpack. "They put hand sanitizer in the washroom and it was gone the next day."

Another senior student, who also stopped to talk to a reporter outside the school over the lunch hour Friday, echoed those sentiments: "(The students involved) dont care about our safety," she said. "Its basically just to get more likes on their videos."

The thefts can be traced to a viral trend on TikTok that encourages students to steal, damage and vandalize school property and then post videos about their exploits to the social media platform with a hashtag.

Dubbed the "Devious Licks" challenge, the trend has gained traction across North America and has prompted some divisions to issue warnings and police to lay criminal charges against students who have partaken in it.

While soap is a popular target, Kildonan-East students said ceramic toilet tank lids, paper towel rolls, and a hand dryer have gone missing from various bathrooms in the building in recent weeks.

One student said the clock in her math class has disappeared and has overheard students talk about stealing other furniture, such as printers.

DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Though students at Kildonan-East Collegiate have expressed safety concerns, a spokesperson for the River East Transcona School Division indicated the TikTok trend has not been an issue in its schools.

A Grade 10 student who claims he witnessed a peer stuffing a backpack with soap earlier this year said the trend is funny  until youre the one sitting on the toilet, unable to flush because a handle is missing. "When it happens to you, it sucks," he said, adding hes watched many entertaining #licks videos on TikTok.

The school has yet to issue a notice to students or families about the incidents. Principal Darwin MacFarlane did not respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the River East Transcona School Division, however, indicated the trend has not been an issue in its schools and declined to provide much detail.

"We did have some soap dispensers go missing and they have or will be replaced as soon as possible," wrote Amanda Gaudes, senior communications officer at the division, in an email, adding hand sanitizer can be found throughout division schools.

Radean Carter, spokeswoman for Manitoba's largest division in central Winnipeg, declined to comment on the trend, saying doing so would be irresponsible because it would promote the trend in the media.

Meantime, the local chapter of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents school custodians across the province, indicated it has heard from members that soap theft is an issue in Sunrise School Division.

The trend is popular because it's a way for defiant teenagers  a group that has been severely affected by social isolation throughout the pandemic  to attract attention. It allows them to garner likes and build up a reputation, said Matthew Flisfeder, a social media theorist and associate professor of rhetoric and communications at the University of Winnipeg.

"Too often, we say that our media, our social media, our platforms are creating the problem, but I dont think that (TikTok) is creating the problem. I think that, if anything, social media platforms are giving us access to understanding dimensions of our culture that are being amplified online," said Flisfeder, author of Algorithmic Desire.

Flisfeder said its important to contextualize the behaviour being captured via the trend by acknowledging "these very destabilizing and depressing times in which were living." Citing the above, he said adults should be understanding of students need to act out and lash out right now.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
Captain Kirk is headed to outer space.

For real this time.

It wont be another mission of the starship Enterprise  just Jeff Bezos Blue Origin space capsule. No five-year mission either  just about 10 minutes up and back from West Texas.

No warp drive.

No Federation.

But William Shatner  90 years old and still chubby  will be weightless and able to lay claim to having gone where no man so old has gone before.

Gotta admit, its sorta neat.

After all, Mr. Scott had to wait until he was ashes to get into orbit 

Ok, Im a hopeless, unregenerate Trekkie. I was a 14-year-old sci-fi nerd when the first episode aired 55 years ago and here I am, reupping my subscription to Paramount+ waiting for the next episodes of Picard and Discovery to drop. Ive spent most of my life hobnobbing with Vulcans, Tellarites and a Klingon or two  at least in those dark wee hours when awareness hovers on the threshold of sleep and the boundaries of here and there, now and then, real and almost-so sort of slip away into wishful dreaming  though I realize if I were to turn up in the 23rd, 24th or 25th century it would likely be as a Ferengi rather than a First Officer 

Still, Oct. 12 will let us glimpse a small, tantalizing intersection of fact and fantasy. A little good news when we all need that. Yeah, I know theres no small measure of incredulity due the spectacle of three billionaires hotly competing to do what Alan Shepard did 60 years ago. There does seem to be considerable self-indulgent silliness to it. Really, arent there better things for them to spend their money on?

Well, in all honesty, not being a billionaire myself, Im really not in a position to know. I manage to keep the heat on and not miss any meals, but billionaireism is well beyond my personal experience and understanding. Even so, its hard not to get my back up a little, pretty much assured in the assumed self-knowledge that if it were me with those multiple mega-bucks Id busy myself feeding the hungry and clothing the naked rather than trying to build the worlds most impressive carnival ride.

Now Im sure somebody will remind me that the Prosperity Gospel says that the poor will always be with us, but at 90, Bill Shatner definitely has a limited shelf life.

True enough. But seriously, isnt there a better use for all those millions?

Probably, depending on what your idea of better is. Then again, shouldnt the Wright Brothers have had better things to do with their time than horse around with really big kites down there at Kitty Hawk? And what about Galileo dropping stuff off the Leaning Tower of Pisa and staying up way too late looking at the sky with that telescope of his?

Or could it be that if Steve Jobs had gotten a real after school job instead of horsing around with gizmos in his garage wed still be listening for a dial tone instead of wasting half our days fiddling with our iPhones?

It might be good to remember that Bezos got his start having a few folks use their computers to order books. Lotsa folks figured that people had been ordering books by mail and over the phone dang near forever, so whats the big deal about another way to order books?

A few hundred billion dollars later, Amazon looks a bit more impressive, and Jeff Bezos is playing with rockets 

Well, as any Trekkie can tell you, its in 2063 that Zephram Cochrane throws the switch on humankinds first warp drive. It took Bezos 27 years to go from books to billions  2063 is 42 years away. And they never did say where Zephram got his grubstake 

Make it so.

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Mental Illness Awareness Week takes place during the first week of October each year to draw attention to the millions of Americans who struggle with their mental health every day.

COVID-19 has been difficult on all of us, for obvious reasons. But one significant toll it has taken is on our collective mental health. There have been countless reports and examples of mental health struggles becoming more frequent and more severe. The states mental health crisis is an issue we have been addressing head-on for years, but it has taken on extra significance over the last 20 months.

This year, Senate Republicans worked on bipartisan solutions to improve the states delivery of mental health service and support in a number of ways.

We know that mental health conditions can interfere with a persons daily life and activities. It can make it more difficult to maintain a steady job or pay rent or utilities. This year, we provided a supplementary services rate boost of $750 per month in addition to the monthly room and board rate in order to continue to support individuals who are struggling. When folks struggling with mental illness do not have stable housing, they tend to cycle in and out of homelessness, jails, shelters and hospitals. We are providing support to help individuals living with mental illness, so they can continue or begin their path to recovery and a healthy future.

This year also marked the opening of the new Southeast Regional Crisis Center in Rochester. As you might recall, this facility is one of six new mental health centers the legislature funded in 2018 that will allow us to provide better treatment for people battling mental health issues or substance abuse disorders. When our friends, neighbors, and family members are in crisis, we help them get back on their feet. For more information, visit https://www.crisisresponsesoutheastmn.com/SERCC or call 1-844-274-7472.

We also permanently expanded telehealth access to finally include mental health and substance use disorders. Minnesota has long been a national leader in telehealth delivery. Expanding the program to encompass mental health and substance use disorders will help us treat more people more effectively and efficiently.

Children are especially susceptible to mental health struggles  a concern that has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We provided additional funding to prioritize the mental and behavioral health needs of students and children, including establishing specific individualized treatment plans for children in outpatient services.

We provided additional funding for School-linked Mental Health Grants, the incredibly successful program that provides support to students where they spend the most time: at school. These treatments increase accessibility for children and youth who lack adequate insurance (or lack insurance altogether), improve outcomes, and help us better identify and treat mental health issues in children.

As always, your feedback is extremely important to me and I encourage you to share your input on the issues being discussed here at the Capitol. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas, please send me an email at sen.jeremy.miller@senate.mn or call my Capitol office at 651-296-5649. Its a great honor to serve as your State Senator.

Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, is Minnesota Senate Majority Leader.

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PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that his country will return 26 African artworks  royal thrones, ceremonial altars, revered statues  to Benin later this month, part of Frances long-promised plans to give back artwork taken from Africa during the colonial era.

Discussions have been under way for years on returning the artworks from the 19th century Dahomey Kingdom. Called the Abomey Treasures, they currently are held in the Quai Branly Museum in Paris. The museum, near the Eiffel Tower, holds thousands of works from former French colonies.

Macron said the 26 pieces will be given back at the end of October, because to restitute these works to Africa is to give African young people access to their culture. It remains unclear when exactly they will arrive in Benin.

We need to be honest with ourselves. There was colonial pillage, its absolutely true, Macron told a group of African cultural figures at an Africa-France gathering in the southern city of Montpellier. He noted other works already were returned to Senegal and Benin, and the restitution of art to Ivory Coast is planned.

Cameroon-born art curator Koyo Kouoh pressed Macron for more efforts to right past wrongs.

Our imagination was violated, she said.

Africa has been married to France in a forced marriage for at least 500 years, Kouoh said. The work (on mending relations) that should have been done for decades wasnt done...Its not possible that we find ourselves here in 2021.

A sweeping 2018 report commissioned by Macron recommended that French museums give back works that were taken without consent, estimating that up to 90% of African art is located outside the continent. Some other European countries are making similar efforts.

Three years later, few artworks have been returned. To facilitate the repatriation of the Abomey Treasures, Frances parliament passed a law in December 2020 allowing the state to hand the works over and giving it up to one year to do so.

The Africa-France meeting Friday was frank and occasionally heated. Macron, who is trying to craft a new French strategy for Africa. met with hundreds of African entrepreneurs, cultural leaders and young people.

Speakers from Nigeria, Chad, Guinea and beyond had a long list of demands for France: reparations for colonial crimes, withdrawal of French troops, investment that bypasses corrupt governments and a tougher stance toward African dictatorships.

Macron defended Frances military presence in Mali and other countries in the Sahel region as necessary to keep terrorists at bay, and he refused to apologize for the past.

But he acknowledged that France has a responsibility and duty to Africa because of its role in the slave trade and other colonial-era wrongs. Noting that more than 7 million French people have a family link to Africa, Macron said France cannot build its future unless it assumes its Africanness.

___

Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

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Were trying to defend our rights, Tapper told AP, when asked why so many chiropractors are involved in the anti-vaccine movement.

Vaccines save millions of lives around the world and have shown to be overwhelmingly effective in reducing hospitalization and death from COVID-19. More than 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the U.S. alone, and serious side effects are exceedingly rare.

Even before the pandemic, many chiropractors became active in the so-called health freedom movement, advocating in state legislatures from Massachusetts to South Dakota to allow more people to skip vaccinations. Since 2019, the AP found, chiropractors and chiropractor-backed groups have worked to influence vaccine-related legislation and policy in at least 24 states.

The group Stand for Health Freedom was co-founded in 2019 by another member of the Disinformation Dozen, Sayer Ji, along with chiropractor, Joel Bohemier, and Leah Wilson, who co-owns a chiropractic business in Indiana with her chiropractor husband. It says it has an estimated reach of 1 million advocates. It takes credit for killing a New Jersey bill in early 2020 that would have ended the states religious exemption for vaccines after rallying tens of thousands of residents to send emails to lawmakers through its portal.
Madison Police say one of their officers is expected to survive after being shot on State Street shortly after 12:30 Sunday morning.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the company will roll out the latest beta version of its "full self-driving" software to 1,000 owners this weekend.

Yet there aren't actually any self-driving cars for sale today, according to autonomous vehicle experts and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates cars. Tesla's "full self-driving" is more like an enhanced cruise control, they say.

Videos posted on the internet by people who already have the feature unlocked show that it might stop for traffic lights and turn smoothly at intersections, but it also might veer toward pedestrians or confuse the moon for a traffic signal.

Tesla says that a human driver needs to be watching and ready to take over at any moment, and the company is only allowing initial access to the system to the people it considers the safest drivers.

Despite those limits, Tesla is free to call its technology "full self-driving." Tesla owners who download the "full self-driving" beta must check a box confirming that they understand they are responsible for remaining alert with their hands on the wheel, and must be prepared to take action at any time. "Full self-driving" does not make their car autonomous, it says.

A person buying a Tesla vehicle on its website sees the technology described in big, bold letters as "full self-driving," but the fine print below that says the technology is a driver-assist technology. Driver-assist technologies are intended to help a human drive more safely, with features such as forward collision warning, blind spot warning and lane departure warning systems.

"The problem is that Tesla has one foot on both sides," said Bryan Reimer, a scientist at the MIT AGELab whose research has looked at driver attention with Tesla's features.

The US government has no performance standards for automated driver-assist technologies, Reimer said. Tesla or any automaker can essentially do whatever they want when it comes to these technologies.

"We're at mercy of the auto manufacturers to put in safe systems. We are reliant on drivers wanting to be risk adverse," Cathy Chase, president of the Advocates for Auto and Highway Safety told CNN Business. "The combination of those two is a perfect storm for future disasters."

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment and generally does not engage with the professional news media.

There are signs that the NHTSA is moving toward regulating driver-assist technologies, but how fast that might happen remains to be seen. It can take years to complete a rulemaking process, and sometimes an administration may halt a process a previous administration started. NHTSA's agenda earlier this year called for proposing a rule that would set performance standards for automatic emergency braking as well as specifying a test to determine if automakers comply.

NHTSA launched an investigation this summer into Teslas rear-ending emergency vehicles while using Autopilot. Chase said she's concerned that the Tesla technology may play a role in other types of crashes we aren't yet aware of.

Autonomous driving experts have long cautioned that Tesla's description of "full self-driving," and its more rudimentary predecessor, Autopilot, may lead to drivers putting too much trust in the technology. Tesla drivers have already died in high-profile crashes using Autopilot, drawing rebukes from the National Transportation Safety Board.

US Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal, Democrats from Connecticut, have called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Tesla and take enforcement action because Tesla's marketing overstates its vehicles' abilities, they say.

"When drivers' expectations exceed their vehicle's capabilities, serious and fatal accidents can and do result," they wrote.

The Federal Trade Commission, which is tasked with protecting consumers from deceptive or unfair business practices, declined to tell CNN Business why it has not taken any action against Tesla. The FTC also said it does not comment on whether it has any open investigations, a spokesperson said.

Picking the wrong technology

NHTSA and Congress, which can push the agency to regulate specific things, missed an opportunity to focus on driver-assist technologies in recent years, according to autonomous driving and law experts.

Rather than regulate driver-assist, they focused on self-driving vehicles, the types of cars that wouldn't need steering wheels or pedals. The US House of Representatives passed a law related to self-driving cars in 2017. NHTSA has released several versions of guidance for fully autonomous vehicles.

"It's jumping ahead many, many steps while we're not addressing what could be saving lives right now," Chase said.

The decision to focus on the revolutionary technology followed years of hype from self-driving companies. Some of the biggest names in the industry said the technology was only years way. But self-driving software has proven incredibly difficult and companies have failed to hit predictions. Only Waymo offers a self-driving robotaxi service, and it's in a limited portion of the greater Phoenix area. On rainy days, Waymo's vehicles require a human behind the wheel.

Bryant Walker Smith, a professor at the University of South Carolina law school, said that European regulators are far ahead of the United States on regulating driver-assist technologies. Smith said that technologies like pedestrian detection and automatic braking are sensible to mandate on new cars, and there should be performance standards for them.

"There's low-hanging fruit," Smith said. "We could save lives far earlier than we have self-driving cars."

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Here's a look at the social media network, Facebook.

Facts

Facebook had 2.8 billion monthly active users around the world, as of March 31, 2021.

It is blocked in North Korea and China.

There were 60,654 full-time employees at Facebook, as of March 31, 2021.

Facebook introduced words such as "friending" to the lexicon.

Timeline

February 4, 2004 - Facebook is launched by Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

March 1, 2004 - Students at Stanford, Columbia and Yale universities are allowed to join.

June 1, 2004 - The company moves to Palo Alto, California.

December 1, 2004 - One million users are active on the site.

September 1, 2005 - High school students are allowed to join Facebook.

September 20, 2005 - The company drops the "the" from the name and becomes Facebook.

December 1, 2005 - Six million users are active on the site.

April 1, 2006 - Facebook for Mobile launches.

September 5, 2006 - The News Feed is introduced.

September 26, 2006 - Facebook expands to allow anyone to register.

March 28, 2007 - Former Harvard classmates Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss sue Zuckerberg in federal court, alleging that he stole the idea for Facebook from them. The two sides later agree to a $65 million settlement.

October 24, 2007 - Microsoft buys a 1.6% stake in Facebook for $240 million.

March 2008 - Facebook hires Sheryl Sandberg to be the company's chief operating officer.

February 9, 2009 - Facebook introduces the "Like" button.

June 2009 - Facebook becomes the No. 1 social network in the United States, surpassing MySpace, according to PC World magazine.

October 1, 2010 - The movie "The Social Network," a fictionalized account of the start of Facebook, is released.

September 22, 2011 - Facebook introduces the Timeline feature.

November 2011 - Facebook settles charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission that it engaged in deceptive practices concerning users' privacy.

April 9, 2012 - Facebook announces that it has purchased photo-sharing site Instagram for $1 billion.

May 18, 2012 - The initial public offering of Facebook stock takes place.

October 4, 2012 - Facebook reaches one billion active monthly users.

June 2013 - Edward Snowden releases documents on the NSA's Prism program. Snowden claims that the NSA has monitored the users of Facebook and other internet companies. Zuckerberg denies Facebook cooperated with the NSA in a post.

February 19, 2014 - Facebook announces that it is purchasing mobile messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion.

March 25, 2014 - Facebook announces plans to purchase virtual reality company Oculus VR, Inc. for $2 billion.

June 17, 2014 - A study by researchers at Cornell, the University of California San Francisco and Facebook is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. For one week in early 2012, according to the study, Facebook changed the content mix in the news feed of approximately 690,000 users and manipulated the content to gauge the user's emotional response. The study found that users who were shown negative content were slightly more likely to produce negative posts. Users in the positive group responded with more upbeat posts. Many users react with anger at what they say is a dangerous social experiment.

June 23, 2015 - Stock rises 3% to reach an all-time high. The company's market value is close to $245 billion, making it worth more than Walmart, a $235 billion company.

August 24, 2015 - Facebook hits a milestone when one billion users log in to the social network in a single day.

April 27, 2016 - Shares rise almost 9% to hit an all-time high of more than $118 after the company reports first-quarter sales jumped 52% and profits were up nearly 200% compared with the first quarter of 2015.

October 30, 2016 - A ProPublica report says Facebook's Ethnic Affinities ad-customization option can be used to discriminate against users in housing-related ads, which is forbidden under the Fair Housing Act. In the wake of the report, the company announces that it plans to disable the ethnic affinity feature on ads for housing, employment and credit.

November 15, 2016 - Facebook and Google announce they will no longer allow fake news publishers to use their ad selling services. Facebook says material from fake news publications falls under the category of "illegal, misleading or deceptive" content. Zuckerberg, however, rejects the idea that fake news on Facebook influenced the recent US presidential election.

April 13, 2017 - Announces that it has cracked down on 30,000 fake accounts in France ahead of the country's presidential election. The accounts were targeted to prevent trolling, spam and hoaxes, a Facebook spokesman says.

August 3, 2017 - Rolls out a "Related Articles" feature that provides links to stories from fact checking sites such as Snopes and PolitiFact.

September 6, 2017 - The company reveals that it sold about $100,000 worth of ads during the 2016 US presidential election cycle from inauthentic accounts and pages "likely operated out of Russia."

September 14, 2017 - ProPublica reports that Facebook's platform allows advertisers to target users who enter terms such as "Jew hater" in the education or employment fields of their personal profiles. The next day, Facebook announces it removed anti-Semitic advertising categories.

September 15, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook has given Special Counsel Robert Mueller records related to Russia-linked ads that were posted on the social network during the US presidential campaign.

September 21, 2017 - Says it will share content and related information from more than 3,000 ads it sold to Russia-linked accounts with the US House and Senate intelligence committees.

October 2, 2017 - Facebook gives Congress copies of the 3,000 political ads linked to Russia. CNN reports that some of the ads depicted refugees as rapists and others promoted gun rights. A ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee says he hopes to release a sampling of the ads to the public.

October 27, 2017 - The company announces new transparency measures including a requirement for election-related advertisements to disclose the individual or organization that paid for the post.

October 30, 2017 - CNN reports that Facebook executives will inform Congress that roughly 126 million Americans may have viewed content generated by a Kremlin-connected troll farm between June 2015 and August 2017. The next day, representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google testify before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism as legislators continue to probe Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

November 21, 2017 - ProPublica reports that it was able to buy dozens of housing advertisements targeted to audiences that excluded "African Americans, mothers of high school kids, people interested in wheelchair ramps, Jews, expats from Argentina and Spanish speakers." The company had said that it removed discriminatory ad tools after ProPublica publised a report in September. A Facebook executive says that a technical glitch allowed ProPublica to purchase the ads.

January 19, 2018 - Zuckerberg announces that Facebook is surveying users to rate news organizations and assign them trust scores. The scores and other factors are going to determine how much content from each publication will appear in news feeds.

March 16, 2018 - Facebook announces that it is suspending a data firm called Strategic Communication Laboratories and its subsidiary Cambridge Analytica, which provided the Donald Trump presidential campaign with digital voter outreach services. In a statement, the social network's vice president and deputy general counsel say that Cambridge Analytica harvested user data through a third party app, violating the company's policies protecting people's information. The data was gathered by Aleksandr Kogan, a Russian-American psychology professor who built a Facebook app and got about 270,000 volunteers to take a personality quiz. The volunteers consented to share info from their profiles with Kogan for academic purposes. Kogan then turned over the data to Cambridge Analytica. When Facebook learned of the violation in 2015, the company removed the app and asked Cambridge Analytica to certify that it had deleted the harvested data.

March 17, 2018 - A joint investigation by the New York Times and the Observer of London reports that Cambridge Analytica obtained data from 50 million American Facebook users via Kogan's app. Cambridge Analytica covered the expenses of creating the app and used the information to create targeted political advertising for Trump, according to the investigation.

March 20, 2018 - A group of Facebook investors file a federal lawsuit against the company for allegedly making "materially false and misleading statements" about its privacy policies.

March 21, 2018 - During an interview on CNN, Zuckerberg acknowledges that Facebook made mistakes and should have responded more robustly to secure user data. He also says that his company is prepping to combat potential meddling in the 2018 midterm elections. Earlier in the day, Zuckerberg posts a timeline of events that led to the Cambridge Analytica leak.

July 26, 2018 - Shares plunge 19% after executives warn that revenue growth would slow as the company focuses on user privacy. The sell-off vaporizes about $119 billion in market value - the biggest single-day loss for any public company in history.

July 31, 2018 - Facebook announces it has removed a network of suspected Russia-linked accounts and pages involved in organizing political events in the United States.

September 28, 2018 - Facebook announces that an attack on the social network has exposed information on nearly 50 million users. The FBI is called in to investigate to attack, according to Facebook. On the day the breach is announced, two users file a class action lawsuit against the company.

October 12, 2018 - The company announces that it is investigating a security breach that enabled hackers to access phone numbers and email addresses for 30 million users.

November 5, 2018 - Facebook releases a report documenting the company's failure to prevent the spread of misinformation in Myanmar, where the government has been accused of carrying out a brutal campaign of violence and oppression against the Rohingya, a religious minority of Muslims. Government propaganda was posted on Facebook. The propaganda linked the Rohingya to terrorists.

November 14, 2018 - The New York Times publishes an investigation into Facebook's aggressive crisis management tactics amid the controversy over Russia's alleged use of the platform to meddle in the 2016 election. The newspaper reports that the company hired an opposition research firm called Definers Public Affairs which engaged in campaigns against Facebook critics. Definers allegedly encouraged reporters to investigate possible ties between an anti-Facebook group and the liberal billionaire George Soros. After the New York Times story is published, Facebook announces that it no longer associates with Definers.

November 15, 2018 - During a conference call with reporters, Zuckerberg says that he learned of the company's relationship with Definers via the New York Times article. The company posts a response to the article citing alleged inaccuracies.

December 14, 2018 - Facebook announces that a bug allowed third-party app developers to access photos people may not have shared publicly. As many as 6.8 million users could be affected.

December 18, 2018 - The New York Times reports that Facebook offered more of its users' data to companies than it has admitted. Despite assurances from Zuckerberg that people "have complete control" over who sees their content, The Times said documents and interviews with 50 former Facebook employees indicate that the company gave other firms access to user data.

March 21, 2019 - Facebook discloses that a vast collection of the data of two third-party app users had been exposed to the public via Amazon's cloud computing servers in a way that allowed it to be downloaded by the public.

March 28 2019 - The Department of Housing and Urban Development announces it is charging Facebook with violating the Fair Housing Act. This follows a formal complaint filed in August 2018 where HUD claimed Facebook allows landlords and people selling homes to use its advertising platform to "engage in housing discrimination." The complaint said advertisers can dictate who sees housing-related ads based on demographics.

May 2, 2019 - Facebook announces it had designated some high-profile people, including Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who's known for using anti-Semitic language, and right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, as "dangerous" and said it will be purging them from its platforms. Other people banned include Paul Nehlen, an anti-Semite who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2016 and 2018, and fringe right-wing media personalities Laura Loomer, Milo Yiannopoulos and Paul Joseph Watson.

July 24, 2019 - The Federal Trade Commission announces a $5 billion settlement with Facebook, resolving a sweeping investigation by regulators into how the company lost control over massive troves of personal data and mishandled its communications with users. It is the largest fine in FTC history.

September 6, 2019 - New York Attorney General Letitia James announces the attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia are launching an antitrust investigation into Facebook. James said "We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising."

September 24, 2019 - Facebook announces it will hire third-party fact checkers to analyze content in order to get ready for the 2020 election, but will continue to exclude politicians and political ads from its fact-checking processs.

October 21, 2019 - Facebook announces it will start labeling publications that are "wholly or partially under the editorial control of their government as state-controlled media," as part of a broader effort to prevent its platform from being abused to interfere with the 2020 US elections.

October 23, 2019 - Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee about Facebook's plans for Libra, its cryptocurrency project. The focus of the hearing expands to include a wide range of concerns about Facebook, including questions for Zuckerberg over his company's policy to not fact-check political ads run by elected officials and candidates.

May 6, 2020 - Nearly 18 months after announcing an independent board designed to hold it more accountable in content moderation decisions, Facebook announces the names of the first 20 members, which include: Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former prime minister of Denmark; Alan Rusbridger, former editor-in-chief of The Guardian; and Tawakkol Karman, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who promoted non-violent change in Yemen during the Arab Spring.

June 1, 2020 - Some Facebook employees stage a virtual walkout to protest Zuckerberg's decision not to take action on a series of controversial posts from Trump. A source tells CNN that managers at Facebook were told by the company's human resources department not to retaliate against staff who are planning to protest, or to make them used paid time-off.

July 29, 2020 - Zuckerberg, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CEO of Google's parent company Sundar Pichai all testify before a House subcommittee on antitrust to address concerns that their businesses may be harming competition.

September 3, 2020 - Zuckerberg announces that Facebook will not accept new political ads in the final week of the 2020 election campaign, but the platform will continue to allow politicians to run lies in ads through Election Day.

December 9, 2020 - Dozens of states and the federal government sue Facebook in twin antitrust lawsuits, alleging that the social media giant engaged in anticompetitive behavior. The company may eventually be required to divest assets, including Instagram and WhatsApp, effectively breaking up Facebook.

January 2021 - In the wake of the US Capitol riots, a Facebook spokesperson tells CNN that the company has removed pages and groups representing militarized social movements and is continuing to take those pages down. However, posts promoting violence during inauguration week have continued to circulate on the platform. On January 7, Zuckerberg says in a blog post that Facebook will ban President Trump's account from posting for at least the remainder of his term in office and perhaps "indefinitely."

May 5, 2021 - Facebook's Oversight Board upholds Trump's suspension from using its platform. The landmark move affirms the company's decision to suspend Trump in January after the US Capitol riots. The decision also applies to Facebook-owned Instagram where Trump has an account. The board says Facebook must review the decision within six months.

June 4, 2021 - Facebook announces Trump will be suspended from its platform until at least January 7th, 2023 -- two years from when he was initially suspended.

June 29, 2021 - A federal court dismisses the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust complaint against Facebook, saying the agency had failed to provide evidence for its claim that the social media giant holds a monopoly in social networking.

October 3, 2021 - The identity of the Facebook whistleblower who released tens of thousands of pages of internal research and documents is revealed on "60 Minutes" as Frances Haugen. The product manager who worked on civic integrity issues at the company says the documents show that Facebook knows its platforms are used to spread hate, violence and misinformation, and that the company has tried to hide that evidence.

October 19, 2021 - The Justice Department announces that Facebook will have to pay more than $14 million to settle a case that alleged US workers were denied employment because it reserved jobs for foreign workers with temporary visas in 2018 and 2019.

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DELPHI, Ind. (WLFI)-Abigail Williams and Liberty German were murdered in February of 2017 while the case still remains unsolved on Saturday their lives were celebrated here at this park which was built with love and support from the community.

"It's been a big labor of love and it's finally come together," said Mike Patty Libbys Grandpa.

"Every part of this park is stuff that they loved," said Eric Erskin Abby's Grandpa.

For the last 4 years, Abby and Libby's family members have been raising money to build the park. On Saturday hundreds of people in the community came and showed their support. That support is what sparked the idea to create the park in the first place.

"After their murder, people were sending us money different things and I didn't want the money so I said hey let's try to do something nice and the money just kept coming," said Patty. "So we thought hey lets to build them a ball field somewhere and so we got with Abby's family and said hey let just build a park."

Building the park is something family members wanted to do to help keep the memory of their girls alive.

"This is going to be a lasting legacy," said Erskin. "Long after I'm gone somebody is going to drive by and we are going to have signs don't have them yet but we are going have signs and somebody is going to say Abby and Libby park what's that about and then somebody is going to do some research."

While the day is bittersweet for the family, they hope it would lead to that one tip.. that will crack the case.

"Two little girls paid the ultimate price and we still have somebody walking around that is responsible for a double murder you know it's horrific," said Patty. "We live it every day. Not that catching the person will bring them back it's a part of it that needs to be done. Thos girls as well the community and the family we all deserve justice."

"I don't have the intricate details of law enforcement but I'll tell you I believe they have a plan so as a grandpa I just have to be patient," said Erskin.

If you would like to donate to future projects at the park you can do so by clicking here. If you have a tip about the case call 844-459-5786.
The Tennessee River is a 1,049-kilometer river in Tennessee Valley, in the southeastern United States. Originally known as the Cherokee River, the Tennessee River is a major waterway of the southeastern United States and one of the worlds most prominent hydropower and irrigation systems. The river originates in Knoxville, Tennessee, and discharges into the Ohio River, several kilometers upstream from the Mississippi River. The indigenous Cherokee people of the Southeastern Woodlands of the US, were based along the banks of the Tennessee River, particularly East Tennessee and Northern Alabama. Their presence in these areas led the river to be known as the Cherokee River. However, its current name is derived from Tanasi, a Cherokee town located on the Tennessee side of the Appalachian Mountains. Several dams have been built on the river since the 1930s which led to the formation of an area called the Land Between the Lakes - a National recreation area in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Course

Aerial view of the Tennessee River near Huntsville.

The river originates in Knoxville, Tennessee at the confluence of the Holston and French Broad rivers. It flows southwest into Chattanooga after passing Eastern Tennessee and then crosses into Alabama. After that, it travels through Huntsville and Decatur in Alabama, reaching Muscle Shoals, the largest city in Colbert County, Alabama. Before returning to Tennessee, it forms a small part of the Mississippi border with Tennessee. The rivers northern route through Tennessee forms the boundary between two of Tennessees Grand Divisions, the Middle and West Tennessee. Finally, the river runs north through western Kentucky, separating the Jackson Purchase from the rest of the state. The Tennessee River waters meet the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky of McCracken County.

History

The Market Street Bridge (also John Ross Bridge) is a bascule bridge that spans the Tennessee River between downtown Chattanooga and the Northshore District. Editorial credit: Bob Pool / Shutterstock.com

There has been a historical dispute as to the actual headwaters of the Tennessee River. For example, the mouth of the Little Tennessee River, a tributary of the Tennessee River, was considered to be the origin of the latter in the late 18th century. During the 19th century, the Clinch River at Kingston was presumed to be the headwaters of the Tennessee River. In 1889, Kingsport of the Holston River was designated as the origin of the river by a declaration from the Tennessee General Assembly. However, a federal law that was enacted the following year changed the rivers origin to its current location. The Tennessee River was not widely used during the Civil War as a military route although the Union army used it as a route to transport troops by water. In general, the rivers role as a westward passage was of low importance compared with the lower course of the river from the Ohio River. However, the north-flowing lower course had some strategic importance during the American Civil War as it offered an invasion route into the western Confederacy. Today, the Tennessee River is a prominent waterway of the Great Loop which is a system of waterways that includes the eastern United States and a part of Canada. The river also served as a major highway for riverboats through the south, which is frequently used today on the river. Prominent ports include Chattanooga, Guntersville, Decatur, Yellow Creel, and Muscle Shoals.

Biodiversity

A turtle sunbathing on a rock in the Tennessee River.

The Tennessee River supports a diversity of freshwater fishes and mussels, particularly in the Upper Tennessee River basin. The river basin is home to 174 species of fish and 85 species of mussels. However, damming and reservoir impoundment leading to habitat destruction have eliminated 25 mussel species from the river, eleven of which are believed to be extinct today. In general, the diversity of species in the river is slowly declining due to toxic spills in certain parts of the basin.
36.6 million to support families and children recover from the pandemic announced

The Deputy Minister for Social Services has announced a further 36.6 million to support children and families as part of their recovery from the pandemic and its restrictions to ensure no child is left behind.

Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan said: I am pleased to announce the funding to provide a package of support for the well-being of our young people and families in Wales. The impacts of the last year have been felt by all of us, and particularly by our children and young people emotionally and physically. This funding will provide them with continued support and more opportunities to strengthen their social, emotional and physical well-being.

I want to build on the success of the Summer of Fun, and continue to provide support for our young people, their families and also to the local economy around them that deliver these types of activities and services. Play has become increasingly important as a vehicle to help our young people to re-engage as it provides many opportunities to develop a range of different skills at all different ages.

Welsh Government detail says the 36.6 million package of well-being support will be split between:

11.6m capital funding to increase capacity in childcare, play and Flying Start settings in Wales, including funding which can be used to develop outdoor spaces, purchase C02 monitors or take other steps to support their covid response;

5m capital funding to help local authorities respond to the priorities in their play sufficiency action plans;

20m revenue to support access to play, sporting, creative and expressive, and cultural activities and experiences in Welsh and English in Wales for children and young people aged 0-25

Ms Morgan continued:This is our future generation and this package of well-being support is for all young people from every community and provide the opportunity for them to develop their social, emotional and physical well-being for now and for the future.

Welsh Government say some of this funding .will also build on the success of projects such as the Summer of Fun within education settings and provide activities outside of formal learning, linked to our Renew and Reform plan.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles said: I am pleased that, as part of our Renew and Reform plan, some of the funding announced today will also be used to directly support schools, colleges and higher education settings to promote physical, mental, emotional wellbeing through increased access to creative, sporting and cultural activities in English and Welsh. This complements a number of wider initiatives we are also developing, to ensure provision of additional quality experiences and activities in and around the school day, week and year.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sports, Dawn Bowden added, I welcome the opportunity this funding provides to build on the summer of fun activities and pleased the culture and sport sector will continue to play an important role in supporting our children and young people to recover from the pandemic. This programme is another example of how we are working collaboratively to provide our children and young people with opportunities and experiences that will have a positive and lasting impact on their health and wellbeing.
Man made suggestive comments to lone female in Cefn Mawr

Local officers have appealed for information after an incident described as in suspicious circumstances at a location in Cefn Mawr.

Police said on Friday around 3pm a lone female was approached by a male in the Heol Cefnydd area of Cefn Mawr.

The details released state, Male was driving a Black Volvo No registration mark given, Male was aged around 60 with facial hair. The driver of this vehicle has made suggestive comments to the female before driving off from the location.

North Wales Police say they are looking for any information in relation to this incident. If you have information please call them via 101 Quoting Ref Z148102.
Man who carried out serious attack on North Wales paramedic receives suspended prison sentence

A man who attacked a paramedic and left him with life-changing injuries has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Cemlyn Hughes, of Manod, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, and was given an 11-week custodial sentence suspended for a year at Caernarfon Magistrates Court on Monday.

The 29-year-old was also ordered to abstain from alcohol for 120 days and pay 500 compensation to his victim, the Welsh Ambulance Services Dylan Lloyd Davies.

Paramedic Dylan was called to reports a man had been stabbed in Blaenau Ffestiniog in December, but on entering the property, found the defendant to be uncooperative.

In the presence of North Wales Police, Hughes launched a physical attack on Dylan, leaving him with a serious shoulder injury which meant he has been unable to work ever since.

Dylan, 45, recalls: The initial report we had was that a man had been stabbed six times, but when we got there, there wasnt a lot of blood.

We were trying to understand what had happened to the man and make a scene assessment but he turned aggressive, and shouted to be left alone.

He squared up to me so I put my hand out to create some space, but at that point he rugby tackled me across the room, physically lifting me off my feet.

When I tried to defend myself, we both fell on top of the metal bed frame, him landing on top of me.

Ive been doing this job for a long time and you get a sixth sense when something is about to go wrong, but I didnt get that here which is the frightening thing.

I didnt feel threatened at all until it was too late.

Police arrested Hughes, but it was only later into his shift that Dylan realised he had sustained a serious injury.

He said: Between the shock and the adrenaline, I felt fine initially. I went back to station to report it and de-brief with my colleagues, then while we were on the way to the next call, I realised I couldnt lift my arm.

Ten months on and Im in as much pain now as I was in day one.

Doctors suspect that Dylan has torn a piece of cartilage in his shoulder, but the results of an MRI scan he had last week will confirm definitively.

If it is a significant tear, he will require surgery to fix it  but if not, he will continue with physiotherapy until he has regained his strength and mobility.

Dylan, who has been working from home on alternate duties since the attack, said: My frustration on a scale of 1-10 is eleven, to be honest.

Paramedicine is the job Ive been doing for 17 years, and this split-second act by one man means I can no longer do that  I cant help people.

My partner Kirstie is an Emergency Medical Technician so I hear first-hand how stretched the service is, and youre desperate to play your part but you cant.

The nature of our work means you sometimes come to expect aggression from members of the public  but it doesnt mean you should stand for it.

In May, the Welsh Ambulance Service launched its milestone new With Us, Not Against Us campaign in response to a rise in assaults on emergency workers in Wales.

More than 4,240 assaults were committed emergency workers, including police, fire and ambulance crews, in the period April 2019  November 2020, representing a monthly average increase from 202 in 2019 to 222 in 2020, or 10%.

Assaults ranged from kicking, punching and head-butting, to spitting, biting and verbal abuse.

The Trusts Chief Executive Jason Killens said: Our ambulance crews are there to help people, but they cant fight for someones life if theyre fighting for theirs.

Our crews might have no choice but to leave a scene if their personal safety is compromised, and this isnt helpful for anyone, least of all the patient.

A split-second act of violence can have a devastating and long-term impact on our staff, both physically and emotionally.

The debt of gratitude we owe to our emergency workers has never been greater, so now more than ever, were asking the public to work with us, not against us.

People are being asked to show your support and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #WithUsNotAgainstUs or #GydaNiNidYnEinHerbyn.
Transcend Packaging partners with Wrexhams thought leader BioPaxium Technologies with aim of expanding range to replace plastic packaging

Wales-based sustainable packaging company, Transcend Packaging, has announced it is entering a strategic partnership with fellow innovator BioPaxium Technologies, which was recognised as a top materials technology company in the UK.

The result of six years worth of intensive research and development, BioPaxium has developed extensive knowledge of advanced moulded fibre technologies which are applicable to a broad range of market segments. Unlike traditional moulded fibre such as egg cartons and cup carriers, advanced moulded fibre technology can be applied to intricate geometries allowing for broader replacement of thermoformed plastic.

The product can be engineered to be resilient to temperatures in excess of 200oC for a prolonged period in both a microwave and conventional oven or alternatively suitable for chilled or frozen products, such as chilled and frozen ready-meals. The products are designed to be recycled or home composted providing an enhanced sustainability profile.

Initially, Transcend will offer a range of lids, cups and trays to the food service market. In 2022, Transcend plans a full launch of a broader product range to provide solutions for plastics replacement to the food service, food and beverage manufacturing, health and beauty and the fast-moving consumer goods markets.

Transcend will produce its moulded fibre in Europe using a low-carbon technology. Currently the majority of moulded fibre sold in Europe comes from East Asia which is often produced using energy from coal. Due to the significant energy consumption and transit distances involved, the carbon footprint of these products is not aligned with emerging corporate sustainability objectives. By producing in Europe using low-carbon technology and minimising transit distance for European customers, Transcend aims to provide the most sustainable moulded fibre available on the European market.

An additional advantage of moulded fibre is that it allows for the use of non-traditional fibres (such as wheat straw or miscanthus) either as the sole fibre base or in a mixture depending upon client requirements. By using non tree-based fibres, materials can be utilised that were often classed as agricultural waste to create moulded fibre products suitable for composting, helping create carbon rich soil that can be used to sustain our agricultural production into the future  a truly circular product.

The partnership will see BioPaxium Technologies license its intellectual property and transfer its production to Transcend Packaging. BioPaxium will assist Transcend with new product introduction and delivering the next generation of circular economy solutions via moulded fibre to meet exponential market demand. Peter Davies, former CEO at BioPaxium, joins Transcend to lead the new moulded fibre division.

With pending legislative and regulatory proposals across both the UK and EU such as extended producer responsibility, plastics taxation and more, moulded fibre provides a more sustainable option for many applications. Moulded fibre is a strong format to assist brands in reducing their regulatory exposure whilst providing a sustainable product at the end of its useful life.

Lorenzo Angelucci, CEO of Transcend Packaging, said: We are pleased to welcome the innovative expertise of BioPaxium Technologies to our team. Rightfully, their expertise has earned them a reputation as a thought leader in both product design and quality. We cant wait to bring significant moulded fibre innovations to market together.

As we look to scale into new products and continue innovating in the sustainable packaging market space, we saw an opportunity to strengthen our team with additional expertise and truly innovative materials technology. We believe that moulded fibre will be at the forefront of change as brands look to make their packaging more sustainable and Transcend intends to be a significant contributor toward that process.

Despite being in operation for a little over three years, Transcend has already won a number of major contracts with high street brands. This includes supplying eco-friendly paper straws to the likes of McDonalds and KFC, unveiled the first on-pack bendable straw in the UK for juice brand Ribena, and recently opened an additional production facility in Europe, which is based in Italy.

BioPaxium Technologies CEO, Peter Davies said: We are delighted to be joining this strategic partnership with Transcend Packaging. Transcend has emerged as the European market leader for paper-straw production with a strong portfolio of major multi-national clients. We look forward to helping Transcend bring new moulded fibre innovations to market while expanding to new markets across Europe and beyond.
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - A member of the Tennessee National Guard arrested by Metro Police on Thursday was responding to an erotic ad purported to be by a teen that was actually an undercover police officer, according to a court affidavit obtained by News4.

William Moore, who has a rank of Chief Master Sergeant with 118th Wing, a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, was arrested after engaging in conversation with an undercover Metro Police officer and arriving at a hotel after agreeing to exchange $100 for sexual relations with who he thought was a 16-year-old.

Tennessee National Guard member arrested in undercover sex trafficking operation NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV)  The Tennessee National Guard confirmed that an active member in their 118th Wing is one of the men arrested Friday in a

Police said Moore responded to an erotic ad posted on a website known to detectives to solicit prostitution. He was one of 15 people arrested during the undercover operation.

Police said Moore entered the hotel room and laid $100 on the counter. He was taken into custody without incident, according to the affidavit.

The Tennessee National Guard released a statement on Saturday regarding Moore.

The Tennessee National Guard is aware of the events that have been reported in regards to Chief Master Sgt. William Moore who is a member of the 118th Wing. The Tennessee National Guard takes these allegations very seriously. Moore has been placed on leave while we support and assist civil law enforcement as they continue their investigation. Once the civil legal process is complete, we will determine appropriate military disciplinary actions to take. The charges made in this incident do not reflect the values of the Air Force and the Tennessee National Guard.

Moore is expected to appear in Davidson County General Sessions Court on Nov. 5.
A member of the Tennessee National Guard arrested by Metro Police on Thursday was responding to an erotic ad purported to be by a teen that was actually an undercover police officer, according to a court affidavit obtained by News4.
Former President Donald Trump racked up more than $70 million in losses over a four-year period from his Washington, DC, hotel, while publicly claiming that the hotel was making more than tens of millions of dollars, according to documents released by the House Oversight Committee.

The documents also show the hotel received millions from foreign governments in payments and loan deferral, which Trump did not disclose, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest during his presidency.

It's the first time that congressional investigators have reviewed and released details of the former president's financial information, though the Trump Organization on Friday challenged the committee's understanding of accounting and denied any wrongdoing. The Manhattan district attorney and New York attorney general investigators have reviewed Trump's financials, but none of that has been made public.

Trump's income from the Trump International Hotel reported in public financial disclosures dating from 2016 to 2020 totaled more than $156 million, the committee said Friday.

But in that four-year period, Trump's DC hotel actually suffered a net loss of more than $70 million while he was president and had to be loaned more than $27 million from one of Trump's holding companies, DJT Holdings LLC, from 2017 to 2020, according to hotel financial statements the committee obtained.

More than $24 million was not repaid and was instead converted to capital contributions, the committee said.

According to the committee, their analysis of the documents show that the Trump hotel received an estimated $3.7 million from foreign governments, which they say raises "concerns about possible violations of the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause."

The documents include details that Congress chased for years during Trump's presidency, specifically information about foreign payments to Trump businesses, over which House Democrats unsuccessfully sued for under the emoluments clause of the Constitution. The emoluments clause, an anti-corruption provision written by the nation's founders, said Congress should be able to approve any gifts to officeholders from foreign governments. But despite the House's years-long interest in an autopsy of Trump's finances, congressional approval of foreign payments the Trump Organization took in never happened.

The committee also claimed that General Services Administration documents showed that Trump received "undisclosed preferential treatment" from Deutsche Bank on a $170 million construction loan.

The terms of the loan required the Trump Hotel to start repayments on the principal in 2018, but the terms were revised that year to allow the Trump Hotel to defer those payments by six years.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Trump Organization called the findings by the committee "intentionally misleading, irresponsible and unequivocally false," arguing that the committee "has a fundamental misunderstanding of basic accounting principles -- including the difference between gross revenue and net profit," and said profits were donated back to the US Treasury. The spokesperson also said the company "invested a significant amount of time and money to save this crumbling asset which was costing American taxpayers millions of dollars each year."

"Simply stated, this report is nothing more than continued political harassment in a desperate attempt to mislead the American public and defame Trump in pursuit of their own agenda," the spokesperson said.

Deutsche Bank also accused the committee of making "several inaccurate statements regarding Deutsche Bank and its loan agreement." The loan terms did not change and there was no deferral of payment, a person familiar with the matter said.

CNN has reached out to the GSA and the House Oversight Committee for comment.

In July, the GSA turned over documents that included Trump Hotel's audited financial statements from 2014 through 2020 prepared by WeiserMazars LLC, Trump's accounting firm and three years' worth of Trump's statements of financial condition compiled by Mazars.

Various House committees have also been pursuing Trump's tax returns and other financial documents from Mazars USA and Deutsche Bank for years, unsuccessfully.

The documents released Friday raise "troubling questions" about the lease with the General Services Administration and the "agency's ability to manage the former President's conflicts of interest during his term in office when he was effectively on both sides of the contract, as landlord and tenant," the Oversight Committee's Democratic chair Carolyn Maloney wrote in a letter Friday to the GSA.

The committee is also requesting that the GSA produce more documents by the end of two weeks.

The GSA, which manages federal buildings and land, awarded the lease for the Old Post Office building in 2012. Trump opened the hotel in 2016, when he was the Republican nominee for President.

Since then, the Oversight Committee has been investigating conflicts of interest regarding GSA's management of the Trump hotel lease.

When he took office, Trump resigned from his companies but transferred his assets to a trust run by his sons, allowing him to still benefit financially from the DC hotel and his other businesses.

In 2019, the inspector general of the GSA said the agency "ignored the Constitution" when deciding to maintain the lease of the building to the hotel after Trump was elected to the White House.

This story has been updated to include additional reporting and reaction.

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VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - Experts say nearly 5,000 people in Indiana are experiencing homelessness each day.

Now, one local organization is helping out by feeding homeless veterans!

The Loyal Veterans Battalion hosted their Annual Canned Food Drive on Saturday.

This event helps stock their food pantry with the food that they use all year long!

It goes towards feeding homeless veterans and Vigo County residents in need.

Today, they hoped to beat last years total of 1,325 lbs of food.

Organizers say it's so important to give back to our local heroes!

"Helping others to improve our lives," Michael Egy with the Loyal Veterans Battalion said.

If you missed today's event, you can still help out by sending donations to the Loyal Veterans Battalion.

This is at 1000 South 14th Street in Terre Haute.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Special education teachers in Indiana will be required to be fully licensed or meet new requirements for provisional licensing after Indiana officials said the state issued thousands of emergency special education teaching permits in violation of federal law over the last four years.

Indiana issued 43% more special education emergency teaching permits in 2019-20 than it did four years before, including for teachers with emergency licenses in mild intervention, intense intervention, deaf and hard of hearing, and blind and low vision, WFYI-FM reported.

Federal law bars states from issuing emergency permits for special education teachers. The federal government has not penalized Indiana for violating the rules.

State officials said they will stop issuing emergency permits for special education next school year, instead mandating that educators be fully licensed or enroll in programs that culminate in special education licensure. Districts were notified of the change in June.

The sudden shift in policy is expected to be an added hardship on Indiana schools, which have become increasingly reliant on emergency permits due to a shortage of special education teachers.

Schools use the emergency permits when they are unable to find qualified teachers. Some of the teachers on emergency permits are certified in other areas, but others are not licensed in any other teaching areas and may have no teaching experience.

Of the nearly 4,500 emergency permits issued in 2019-20, more than a quarter were for special education, WFYI-FM reported.

School administrators said that while they agree special educators should be fully licensed, some fear the new statewide policy could add large caseloads to educators who are already licensed, or worsen the fields teacher shortage.

They also worry that barriers, including cost, for teachers to get fully licensed will lead to a decrease in the number of teachers in classrooms and an increase in case loads for qualified special educators.
VINCENNES, Ind. (WTHI) - The Indiana Military Museum held a Vietnam Veterans Appreciation day in Vincennes! This was all in an effort to promote brotherhood!

At the Indiana Military Museum, several veterans were in attendance, all to reflect on their experience in the Vietnam War. People got to take flight in a Vietnam War Huey helicopter. Sergeant Sammy Davis a medal of honor recipient was in attendance. He says it's important to honor veterans.

"Some of our veterans get to feeling like well and if we can get them to come out to events like this all of a sudden you realize they remember the brotherhood that the military brings with us in our hearts. It's just a family so we come for a family reunion."

The event offered history exhibits.. battle scenarios and so much more. Vietnam Veteran Gordon Russell says the event stirred up some emotions for him. It was his first time riding in the Huey since he was in the service.

"And I was in the first air-cab division and that's the way we got around was in the helicopter. We made air assault the first 45 days we made 30. So I received an air medal for being up in the helicopter. Like I said it just kinda brought back some memories. Good and bad."

Russell was only 19-years-old when he got into the service. He says he was in Vietnam for 365 days. He reflected on his time at war.

"We made beach assault it was supposed to been the first beach assault the army made. I wasn't really impressed with it cause when we got out on the beach enemy fire but there was no place to go but in the sand but if I had to do it again I would do it again."

Sgt. Davis was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic efforts in the Vietnam War, but he says that doesn't make him fearless.

"It says valor on it. I'm 75-years-old and I'm still afraid of the dark I'm not a brave man. What it means to me is love.

If you would like to learn more about military history, you are encouraged to check out the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes.
As climate change fuels more extreme weather events, and environmental disasters like last weekend's oil spill threaten wildlife and human health, more people are banking on clean, carbon-free energy to speed the world's transition away from fossil fuels and usher in a net-zero future.

Ending the planet's reliance on fossil fuels is critical to curbing the climate crisis, but Vijay Modi, a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University, said there are still hurdles to overcome before we can fully transition to renewables: energy storage, public acceptance of transmission lines and adoption of electric vehicles and alternative home heating.

"Once the population begins to understand that it is possible to (live) without fossil fuels, it will be easier because then they will demand the local constituencies or local bodies to push for cleaner sources," Modi told CNN. "I personally think that with the low cost of solar and wind, ample land area in the US and some appropriate government policies, this transition can come fast."

CNN spoke with energy transition experts about the most reliable energy sources -- and their challenges -- to replace coal, oil and gas and halt the climate crisis.

Solar

Humans have used solar energy since around the 7th century BC, when they used sunlight and glass to ignite fires. But the modern solar cell wasn't invented until the mid-1900s. Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy systems do not emit greenhouse gas or air pollution, which makes solar power one of the best potential solutions to the climate crisis.

Modi said the US could see solar dominate the electricity grid as early as 10 years from now.

In September, a report by the US Department of Energy outlined a path that would exponentially increase the use of solar energy in the country, with the sun powering nearly half of the US electricity. To achieve 40% solar electricity by 2035, the DOE says the US would need to install 30 gigawatts of new solar capacity every year for the next four years -- enough to power around 3 million homes, depending on their location -- and double that number again each year until 2030.

According to K. Max Zhang, an engineer and faculty director at Cornell University's Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the US has more than enough land to support the deployment of solar, which would also create jobs.

"If you have enough land for a solar farm, you're going to need to build solar panels," Zhang told CNN of the economic benefits. "And in order to build them, they need to be manufactured, and in order to have those structures mounted, you're going to need labor to install them."

Wind

Similar to solar energy, wind energy could also ramp up in the next 10 years, said Modi. According to the US Energy Information Administration, wind electricity generation in the US has grown significantly in the last three decades, from about 6 billion kilowatt-hours per year in 2000 to roughly 338 billion in 2020.

Wind energy is generated with turbines. Wind propels the blades of the turbines, which are linked to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator, which produces electricity.

Much like solar, Modi and Zhang said the US has enough land to build wind farms. And there's a vast area with high wind-power potential offshore.

"If you look all the way from Maine, to New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, we have a really amazing offshore wind resource, which is a very high-quality resource in this part of the country," Modi said.

"The good news about the United States is we are blessed with two things," he added. "We are blessed with land, and we are blessed with good wind and solar."

Geothermal

Geothermal energy takes advantage of underground warmth. It's a renewable energy source that is continuously produced. Today, people use geothermal heat for bathing, heating buildings during the winter, and to generate electricity.

Iceland has been a pioneer in the use of geothermal energy, because of its abundant source of hot, easily accessible underground water that can be converted to energy. In the US, Modi said the challenge is finding the exact locations of where these geothermal hot spots are and how close the magma or high temperatures are to the surface.

"The question we are all trying to answer is if we can go use the same kind of drilling techniques that the oil and gas industry use to go a little bit deeper," he said. "Then we can exploit that deeper source. If we could pull that off, the advantage is we could get year-round, continuous heat from it. From that heat, we could create a distribution of hot water pipes."

But there are risks. Extracting geothermal energy, according to research, has been linked to causing earthquakes -- an area that geophysicists are currently finding solutions for.

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency, the current geothermal contribution to US energy capacity is less than 1%, but the potential is more than 8% by 2050.

Nuclear

As public opinion has evolved on the climate crisis, so have views on transitioning to clean energy. The use of nuclear energy, in particular, has been contentious in the United States.

"The distinction between 100% renewable and 100% clean is seen in nuclear," Zhang said. "Nuclear is nonrenewable, but it's in the mix of what is clean electricity."

Many Republicans favor nuclear energy above all other non-fossil fuel energy sources, while some Democratic lawmakers like Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have called to phase out nuclear.

"We're not going to build any nuclear power plants and we're going to start weaning ourselves off nuclear energy and replacing it with renewable fuels," Warren said during CNN's climate crisis presidential town hall in 2019.

According to the EIA, nuclear power plants have generated about 20% of the nation's electricity since 1990. As of December 2020, 94 nuclear reactors were operating at 56 nuclear power plants in 28 states, making the US the largest nuclear power generator in the world.

Despite its capacity to replace fossil fuels, many worry about the well-known problems associated with nuclear energy generation, including radioactive waste, which is harmful to the environment and communities if it's not disposed of properly.

The problem with hydropower

Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy used for electricity generation, and until 2019, according to the EIA, it was the largest source of total annual US renewable electricity generation. The only reason the country's dependence on hydroelectricity decreased over time is because of increasing interests in other forms of electricity sources.

While experts project usage in hydroelectricity to continue, Modi said he doesn't see growth in hydroelectric in the near future, because we've already taken advantage of the best hydropower locations.

"We have already exploited good sources of hydroelectric power in the US," he said.

In addition, the climate crisis is fueling drought that is draining reservoirs in the West and triggering water shortages. In California, a major hydroelectric power plant was forced to shut down this summer due to low water levels, for the first time since it opened in 1967.

The-CNN-Wire

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The Justice Department announced Friday that it will not pursue charges against the Wisconsin police officer who shot Jacob Blake last summer.

Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake, 30, seven times while responding to a domestic incident on Aug. 23, 2020. The shooting left Blake paralyzed from the waist down.

In its finding, federal prosecutors said the evidence obtained was insufficient to prove Sheskey willfully used excessive force. The agency said it informed Blakes family of the decision.

After a careful and thorough review, a team of experienced federal prosecutors determined that insufficient evidence exists to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the KPD officer willfully violated the federal criminal civil rights statutes, the DOJ said.

The news arrives several months after the Kenosha Police Department announced that Sheskey had returned to active duty and would not be subjected to any internal discipline: Although this incident has been reviewed at multiple levels, I understand that some will not be pleased with the outcome; however, given the facts, it was the only lawful and appropriate decision to be made, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said in April.

The incident occured as officers were attempting to detain Blake after being called to the scene over a domestic dispute. Witnesses told the Kenosha News that Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women outside a home in the area when police arrived. Police, they say, attempted to use a Taser on the man prior to firing at him multiple times. Witnesses have also said Blake was unarmed.

Blake was struck by six of the bullets and is now paralyzed from the waist down.
Ridley Scotts The Last Duel may hinge on two knights fiercely battling to the death, but the real protagonist is the woman at the center of the conflict, who was a footnote in history but finally given a voice by star Jodie Comer.

The Killing Eve actor plays Marguerite de Carrouges, a French noblewoman in the late 1300s who is raped by her husbands friend and testifies in court. The accused knight Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) denies the crime, so Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) challenges him to a trial by a duel to the death to determine whether or not Le Gris is guilty. However, if de Carrouges loses the duel, the last to be legally sanctioned in France, his wife will be burned at the stake as punishment for her false allegation.

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I was looking forward to giving this woman a voice, Comer told Variety at the Saturday night premiere of The Last Duel in New York. There was so little information about her, and she was the one who experienced this horrific attack, yet there was a whole encyclopedia about the men and how they fought and what they wore and who they were. To hear the creators main focus was to give her the opportunity to speak her truth was what really grabbed my attention.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK  OCTOBER 09: (L-R) Ben Affleck, Harriet Walter, Jodie Comer, and Matt Damon attend The Last Duel New York Premiere on October 09, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios) - Credit: Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

The movie is split into three chapters. Each is told from a different characters perspective of the events surrounding the rape and leading up to the duel. First is Jean de Carrouges, then Le Gris, and finally Marguerite de Carrouges, whose chapter is labeled as The Truth.

The more we learned about this culture in medieval France, the more incredible she became, Damon told Variety. She stood up and spoke truth to power, at great risk to herself again and again and to an ever widening group of people. She was an enormously brave, heroic person. Our takeaways reading the book was this was the kind of person you should make a movie about.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK  OCTOBER 09: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez attend The Last Duel New York Premiere on October 09, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios) - Credit: Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener co-wrote the script, which draws clear parallels to the politics and fights for womens rights today, despite taking place more than 600 years ago.

You certainly cant leave the movie and say, Well that was a long time ago. Thank god, thats not happening anymore,' Holofcener told Variety. Im sure people will come out of the movie saying, Jesus Christ, that was a long time ago and were still dealing with this. Maybe not people being burned at the stake in this countrybut things are getting better and more people are speaking out if they choose, and I think thats great.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK  OCTOBER 09: Matt Damon (L) and Luciana Barroso attend The Last Duel New York Premiere on October 09, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios) - Credit: Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Added Comer, Its pretty evident that weve come so far in so many ways, and yet in many we havent learned anything, especially in regards to women experiencing sexual assault and women still fighting for autonomy over their bodies. Its kind of depressing when you go, Oh gosh, it still feels like we have another 600 years to go. Hopefully that really isnt the caseIt really holds a mirror up to society.

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Singapore is easing entry requirements for vaccinated travelers from the United States, starting Oct. 19.

The countrys Ministry of Transport announced plans to expand its vaccinated travel lanes, or VTLs, to eight more countries, allowing them to enter without a quarantine period. The country initially opened travel lanes to two countries, Brunei and Germany, on Sept. 8.

Singapore officials labeled the travel lanes a success after only two of the more than 3,100 travelers who entered Singapore from the two countries brought in COVID-19 cases. Both cases were identified through PCR tests, and the travelers were isolated and had no interaction with the community, according to Transport Minister S. Iswaran.

We have monitored the VTL scheme closely and are encouraged by the outcomes, Iswaran said Saturday.

Singapores Ministry of Transport announced plans to expand its Vaccinated Travel Lanes, or VTLs, to eight more countries, allowing them to enter without a quarantine period.

Testing requirements for travelers

Most U.S. citizens are not allowed to travel to Singapore for short-term visits.

Starting Oct. 19, travelers from the U.S. can enter Singapore as long as they show proof of vaccination and test negative through a PCR test twice: once 48 hours before departure and again upon arrival.

Travelers must also show they have only been in a VTL-approved country in the 14-days prior to departure.

 Travel to UK: England relaxes travel restrictions further

Restoring two-way travel

Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada will also get access to VTLs this October, Iswarni announced Saturday. A joint VTL launch with South Korea, set to begin Nov. 15, was previously announced Friday.

Together, the 11 countries  including the U.S., Brunei and Germany  are among Singapores top 20 trading partners and account for about 10% of the countrys pre-pandemic annual passenger arrivals at Changi Airport.

All 8 countries are already open to travelers from Singapore. So the VTLs will restore two-way quarantine-free travel between Singapore and them, the transport minister said.

 Passport status: Wait times are dropping, but travelers are still waiting months for it

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'A significant step up' for reopening Singapore's borders

Applications for the transport lanes open Tuesday, and travelers can enter the country starting Oct. 19, Iswaran said. No more than 3,000 daily arrivals from the VTL countries will be allowed per day.

We will monitor the incidence rate, observe the demand, before deciding on any further increases in capacity, Iswaran said. While still a far cry from where we were pre-COVID, this is a significant step in the reopening of our borders, and crucial to reclaiming and rebuilding our status as an international aviation hub with global connectivity.

 Bali welcomes some international flights: American tourists still have to wait

The announcement comes as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong lays out an updated plan for a new normal in Singapore, pivoting away from a Zero COVID goal to Living with COVID-19 now that more than 85% of its population is fully vaccinated.

It will take us at least three months, and perhaps as long as six months to get to this new normal, he said Saturday. The next few months will be trying. I expect daily cases to continue rising for some weeks. Our healthcare system will still be under pressure. We can slow, but we cannot stop the Delta variant.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Singapore relaxes restrictions, announces US vaccinated travel lane
Rear view of woman overlooking at Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko against clear sky

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On September 16, 2011, Kathryn Baisden's older sister, Sarah, went to a comedy show in Bellingham, WA, with their cousin. After the show, as she was driving home by herself, she was hit by a drunk driver and killed instantly. She was just 20 years old.

"I was 18 when Sarah passed, and I didn't have the faintest clue of how to process a loss that "I was 18 when Sarah passed, and I didn't have the faintest clue of how to process a loss that significant," Baisden tells Travel + Leisure. "To be honest, I went into shock after receiving the news. It didn't seem real. It didn't seem possible. I couldn't imagine her dead. I couldn't fathom it. I barely even cried. Instead, I went entirely numb."

Baisden, now 28, says she remained numb for a string of months before realizing that it wasn't serving her not to process the poignant pain she was shouldering. And so she started seeing a Baisden, now 28, says she remained numb for a string of months before realizing that it wasn't serving her to avoid processing the poignant pain she was shouldering. And so she started seeing a therapist and was promptly diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It was a lot to digest, though not a surprise to hear. In the context of therapy, Baisden had the space to fall apart and, as a result, sank into the complexity of her feelings. Her sister's ashes were divided amongst her closest friends to be scattered or buried in places they felt she belonged, and it was then that Baisden found not only a mission, but a way to heal from the trauma of her sister's untimely death.

"In her senior year of high school, Sarah participated in an educational trip to Vietnam," she explains. "When she came home, we honestly never heard the end of it. In every conversation, she would insert details from her time in Southeast Asia. The trip inspired her to continue to see the world  not just a few cool touristy destinations, but as much of it as she possibly could explore in her lifetime."

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Sarah's shortened life and the perspectives she gleaned during it, inspired Kathryn. "I wanted to live a large life," she says. "I wanted to experience the things I know she would have pushed me to experience." Baisden booked a flight to Vietnam  the first time she had ever left the continent  and, as she felt her sister's presence during her journey, began to heal.

Studies have long-touted the healing properties of travel. One 2018 study found that even taking a short trip can lower a person's stress level and improve their overall wellbeing. Another study found that women who take frequent vacations are less likely to become tense, depressed, and tired. And while traveling can be one of many important necessary distractions to cope with a traumatic loss, it can also provide respite and opportunities to simply relax and rejuvenate  also necessary parts of the healing process.

Karen Wyatt, M.D., a hospice physician, suggests there are six types of grief travel: restorative, contemplative, physically active, commemorative, informative, and intuitive. For Baisden, a commemorative grief trip, where she could honor her sister's thirst for adventure while strengthening the feeling of an ongoing connection, was a way to heal.

For Mecca Huston, 34, deciding to travel in the early moments of her grief was an attempt to simply get her basic needs met. In 2016, her son, Charlie, was stillborn at 33 weeks gestation. After a few weeks of mourning their loss at home, her husband, Sam, suggested that they travel to Cuba to "get out of our heads and connect" as a couple.

"I was desperate to do anything outside of feeling sad and traumatized, so we headed out of town shortly after our son died," Huston tells Travel + Leisure. The trip was hard. It was difficult navigating Cuba amid profound grief, and it was hard every time my thoughts came crashing back  taking my breath away on more than one occasion."

Even in the throes of the ongoing, debilitating waves of grief, Houston says traveling allowed both her and her husband to be "totally away from all the sad eyes of our friends and families," while simultaneously allowing the couple to emotionally connect, both as individuals as well as within their relationship.

"We could see we were sad and broken, but we could also see that we had more of a partnership than we ever had before our grief set in," she adds. "There were definitely moments when I could feel myself just shut down and go into robot mode, but Sam would take my hand and lead me to safety. That trip made me love my husband all the more."

Huston's trip also forced her to put her innate, expressed need to feel in control on the proverbial backburner. "Like most women in a crisis, I default to trying to control things as much as possible," she explains. "Taking out the urge to control my situation opened me up to riding the waves of grief, and I believe ultimately helped me survive our loss with my head still attached. I came out of my grief stronger and more in touch with the unpredictability of life."

Alicia Lee, 36, sought a contemplative trip in an effort to process her grief soon after her 8-year relationship abruptly ended. She and her former boyfriend were smack dab in the middle of planning their wedding  what she now knows to be their last-ditch effort of salvaging the relationship  when her relationship ended and, as she describes it, "her world turned upside down." Her immediate family was planning a trip to Egypt, and so Lee decided to join, wanting to "run away and escape" the realities of her life.

"What I didn't anticipate was that an 'escape' would actually allow me to return to my life in such a healthier, more complete way," Lee tells Travel + Leisure. "I also craved the comfort of being with my family, and this was a chance for me to spend time with them." While Lee did have the chance to experience revelatory moments during her travels  to "steal away to reflect" on where she was in her life and how "things had turned out the way they had"  her trip turned into more of an informative one, where she had the ability to learn about her mother's homeland and, as a result, herself.

"My mother tearfully showed us the apartment she'd grown up in, and the church she loved to visit as a little girl. I ate the incredibly delicious and comforting Egyptian food of my childhood, and heard beautiful Arabic phrases I used to hear my mother and grandparents speak," she explains. "I realized that not only was the world so much larger and more magnificent than the relationship I had lost, but that I was more magnificent, too. I was a human with a history from before my ex had ever entered my life, and I had a rich identity with cultural ties to one of the most magical places."

Lee says the trip was a profound turning point for her, which inspired her upon returning to the U.S., to leave Portland and move to San Francisco. "It was exactly the fresh start I needed, coming back to the comfort of friends and family," she adds. A week later, she met her now-husband, after her boss, at the time, took her to happy hour in what turned out to be a "sneaky casual set-up."

"I can't help but reflect on how transformative it was, that I was in such a different place emotionally and mentally because of my time in Egypt," she says, "and how that allowed for the universe to help me usher in the next phase of my life."

As for Baisden, who continues to travel as a way to honor her sister, her trips are now less about mourning and more about feeling closer to Sarah.

"I don't mourn her on trips. I feel her on trips. My grief is always present, but it never interferes with me fully enjoying myself on trips," she says. And while she says there's always a nagging thought in her mind that her sister should be there with her, she is also often reminded that, in so many ways, she is.

Jessica Zucker is a psychologist specializing in reproductive health. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, New York Magazine, and Vogue, among others. Her first book I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement came out in 2021.
Two grizzled mixed martial arts veterans met to cap off BKFCs event in Billings, Mont., on Saturday evening.

Former UFC competitors Joe Riggs and Melvin Guillard took off the gloves to bare knuckle box at 185 pounds in the main event of Saturdays BKFC Fight Night Montana.

The event took place at the MetraPark Arena in Billings, Mont., and aired on the FITE and the BKTV app.

The main event didnt last very long.

Guillard got the action started by offering a few punches, but Riggs decided to just defend the first few strikes instead of returning fire. Perhaps just getting a read on his opponent in the opening seconds, Riggs let the action come to him, until he decided it was time to strike.

When Riggs threw, he landed flush and dropped Guillard. Riggs gave a little push to Guillard on the way down, resulting in Guillard slumping over the bottom rope. Guillard did not return to his feet, and the fight was over by knockout just 59 seconds into the contest.

I just want the belt, Riggs said during his post fight interview. I dont care what weight, I want that f*cking belt.

This was the fifth BKFC fight for Riggs, who improves to 3-1-1 with the promotion, with his eyes set on a title shot. On the other end, Guillard falls to 0-4 under the BKFC banner.

In the co-main event, Invicta veteran and former BKFC champ Christine Ferea competed against Calista Silgado.

Ferea beat her opponent to the punch all night long, eventually finding the knockout punch in the third round to notch her second stoppage in a row. At the conclusion of the bout, Ferera called out Bec Rawlings during her post-fight interview.

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The full results of the event are as follows:

Joe Riggs def. Melvin Guillard knockout (punch)  Round 1, 0:59

Christine Ferea def. Calista Silgado via knockout (punches)  Round 3, 1:34

Lloyd Mix def. Brett Fields via knockout (punch)  Round 1, 0:14

Leo Bercier def. Luis Villasenor via knockout (punches)  Round 2, 1:26

Tom Shoaff def. Josh Wright via TKO (punches)  Round 2, 1:25

Bryant Acheson def. Josh Watson via knockout (punch)  Round 1, 0:30

Jade Masson-Wong def. Crystal Pittman via TKO (doctors stoppage)  Round 3, 0:21

Dallas Davison def. JorDan Christensen via TKO (doctors stoppage)  Round 2, 2:00

James Dennis Sawyer Depee def. James Dennis via TKO (punches)  Round 1, 1:01

Kai Stewart def. Darrick Gates via TKO (punches)  Round 1, 1:24

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Oct. 10TRAVERSE CITY  Monday is Indigenous Peoples' Day and northern Michigan schools plan to celebrate by educating about Indigenous cultures.

In 2019, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a proclamation that recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day as an official holiday in place of Christopher Columbus Day. Indigneous Peoples' Day is not yet a federal holiday, and many states still celebrate it as Christopher Columbus Day.

Native American History professor Mindy Morton said that incorporating Indigenous Peoples' Day as a holiday and community celebration helps bridge the gap in American history that either depicts Indigenous people incorrectly or avoids discussion of them entirely.

"There's so much that we have erased from our history, as though natives were just an inconvenience," Morton said.

In Suttons Bay Public Schools, Llesenia "Sunshine" Crisanto, a Suttons Bay High School student and the current reigning Miss Odawa Nation, will read "We Are Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom to preschool, kindergarten and first grade students on Monday. In the middle and high school, Native American students will present Native American powwow dancing.

"We have so much really positive and meaningful teachings that are available for all students, not just Native American students," said Director of Suttons Bay Indigenous Education Program Samantha TwoCrow.

There will also be notecards posted all over the high school next week with QR codes learn how to say words in Anishinaabemowin and English, TwoCrow said.

"This is just an opportunity to share a piece of who we are," TwoCrow said. "And to be given that opportunity within your school district is pretty awesome."

There will also be a Medicine Wheel, which teaches "how to represent all walks of life and all people of color," passed between teachers and classes on Monday, TwoCrow said. The Medicine Wheel is a good resource to "build community partnerships."

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On Wednesday, Suttons Bay middle schoolers are also going to the Dennos Museum Center to see an exhibit with Native American artwork, as an extension of the Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration.

"A lot of our families experience a lot of intergenerational trauma or historical trauma that results from just all the past history, but encouraging and hearing both sides is significantly important to the healing of all Native American people and Indigenous people," TwoCrow said. "But when you're celebrating just one side of it, you're not giving the opportunity to acknowledge the first people that originated from this land here from the very beginning."

In Traverse City Area Public Schools, Indigenous Education Program managers Amber Ochoa and Cindy Winslow will be visiting a few schools to provide learning resources to teachers and giving interactive assemblies to small groups of students to teach about local Indigenous tribes on Monday. TCAPS teachers will also be teaching about local tribes' histories and cultures on Monday.

The TCAPS Indigenous Education Program provides academic and cultural support to Indigenous students. Ochoa, the program manager, and Winslow, the cultural manager, both work with TCAPS schools to provide support and resources to Native American students.

Through a grant from the Northern American Heritage Fund, the TCAPS Indigenous Education Program has been able to create travelling exhibits that teach about indigenous culture though a historical, cultural and material approach. Winslow, who formerly worked at Eyaawing Museum and Cultural center, takes the exhibits to a different school each week. The exhibits' contents change focus each month.

TCAPS Executive Director of Communications Ginger Smith said that, in TCAPS, the schools are starting to teach about Indigenous Peoples' Day with more of an emotional connection to the tribe, as it is a significant part of the community's history.

Ochoa and Winslow both said the program's main focus is on supporting Indigneous students and making them feel included and supported by a community. The TCAPS Indigenous Education Program is more focused on a year-long approach to educating about indigenous communities and supporting Indigenous students, Winslow said.

Winslow said the program's focus is on ensuring Native American students in the school district feel "more included, more incorporated, more part of our community."

School Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations are also happening at the higher education level. At Northwestern Michigan College, the Dennos Museum Center  which has two exhibits focused on Indigenous history  is offering free admission on Monday and an outdoor event from 2-4 p.m.. It is organized by Todd Parker, the Native American success coach and members of NMC's Native American Student Organization.

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa helped fund the event.

NMC's event includes an outdoor drum and dance performance as well as singing by the Nishinabe Singers. During the drumming and dancing, the names of the dances will be called out.

"I think the takeaway is going to be that  well I hope it's going to be  that the native people within this region have a lot to offer and are a very vibrant and thriving culture," Parker said. "And I think that due to mainstream media that's not been portrayed as such for a very long time and I think that the longer that we hold events on Indigenous Peoples Day and include everyone, we're going to educate everyone about those pluses and highlight the differences and the similarities for everyone, and bring people together so that they can exchange ideas in a safe and comfortable environment."
New Delhi: Mahindra XUV700 is one of the most awaited SUVs in the Indian auto market. The Indian carmaker early this week opened the bookings for its yet-to-be-launched four-wheeler that was unveiled last month.

Within few hours of the bookings, the car broke so many records. In the just first hour, the car recorded 25k bookings, and the car was already sold out in two hours. Within three hours, Mahindra sold 50k cars of the XUV700.

The company is taking Rs 21,000 as booking fees. This means that the company has already raked in Rs 105 crores in 50,000 bookings that were recorded in just three hours.

Overall, the company sold Mahindra XUV700 worth Rs 9,500 crores or $1.26 billion. Till now, no Indian car has achieved this feat in bookings in the Indian auto industry in three hours.

Coming to delivery update, the company has so far not released any update related to when all customers will receive the delivery of the four-wheeler. However, Mahindra will start the deliveries of the XUV 700 from the last week of November 2021.

However, the delivery for individual customers has not been updated. The company is reportedly planning to reveal the individual delivery date after consulting an external consulting firm.

Both Mahindra and the third party firm will create an algorithm-based delivery process for the delivery of Mahindra XUV 700. The delivery, however, will be on a first-come and first-serve basis. Also Read: Major setback for Dream11! Gaming app suspends operations in Karnataka after FIR

Going by the demand, the delivery could take more than a year for a few customers, according to a report by Rushlane. Moreover, the ongoing semiconductor shortage could further impact the delivery timings of the upcoming XUV 700. Also Read: Upcoming IPO: Radiant Cash Management Services file draft papers for initial offer

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New Delhi: Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Roads and Highways, has invited Elon Musk's Tesla to come and manufacture electric cars in the country and has stated that the government will provide all necessary support for the production site. Gadkari said at the 'India Today Conclave 2021': "I have warned Tesla that we would not sell electric cars built in China in India." You should build electric vehicles in our country and export vehicles from India."

The government may consider cutting import duties as well as providing other benefits to Tesla, but in order to do so, the EV manufacturer would have to invest in establishing a manufacturing site in the country. Currently, India slaps a 100% import tax on imported cars costing more than $40,000 (Rs 30 lakh) inclusive of insurance and shipping costs, while cars costing less than $40,000 are subject to a 60% import tax.

Musk previously stated his desire to launch automobiles in India, but the country's import levies on EVs are "by far the highest in the world." Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: THESE Central govt employees get promotion with a salary hike of Rs 15,000 per month

We want to do so, but import duties are the highest in the world by far of any large country!" he had posted on Twitter.

The EV firm had petitioned the government to reduce the import tariff on EVs from 100% to 40%. Tesla also intends to establish a manufacturing facility in Karnataka if it achieves success with imported vehicles. Gadkari stated that whatever assistance Tesla requires to build its electric vehicles in India, "the government will supply."

Tesla has a good opportunity to build up a production facility in India, according to the minister, because the country is bullish on e-vehicles. Currently, the premium car market in India accounts for approximately 7% of the total car market. Without a reduction in import duties, Tesla will remain premium but not ultra-premium in the Indian market. Gadkari further stated that with the utilisation of alternative fuels and technology, the Indian automobile business may become the world's leading one. He stated that it was his ambition to make India's automobile sector the world's leader in the segment.

I am confident that we are going to be the number one in the world by using alternative fuel and technology within five years," the minister said.

On the issue of air pollution, Gadkari said, The most important problem which our country is facing is the problem related to pollution and the economy. And by using petrol and diesel we are going to generate air pollution in the country."

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New Delhi: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced that it is planning to hire more than 40,000 candidates direct from campuses in the upcoming months, as the demand for IT services in the post-COVID era rises manifold.

TCS, which is Indias largest IT services company, announced its bumper hiring plans, alongside posting record profits for the second quarter of the ongoing financial year. However, the company is currently faced with a talent war against other IT companies and Indian tech startups.

TCS said that the companys attrition rate in Q2 of FY22 has jumped to 11.2%. TCS Chief HR Officer Milind Lakkad pointed out that high attrition levels are expected to continue in the next two to three quarters. He also said that the high attrition rates are concernin.

We may have to increase the volume or velocity of our hiring a bit more than what we usually do because of increased attrition, Lakkad added. In the first half of FY22, the company hired 43,000 fresh graduates, more than the target announced by the company in July 2021.

TCS is now also planning to hire more than 35,000 individuals in the second half of the ongoing financial year. This means that the company will hire a total of 78,000 fresh graduates by the end of the FY2 if it meets its targets. Also Read: Shocking! Flipkart customer orders Rs 53,000 iPhone 12, gets Rs 5 soap inside box

Investing ahead of time in building our own pipeline of talent has helped us overcome supply-side challenges, and meet the execution timelines of our customers growth and transformation programs. By focusing on organic talent development and by linking learning with careers, we have kept employee satisfaction levels high, Lakkad told The News Minute. Also Read: After selling Air India to Tatas, Centre now plans to monetise 3 other AI subsidiaries, Alliance Air

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New Delhi: Home service marketplace Urban Company on Sunday denied allegations levelled by its women beautician partners of providing very low commission to them and claimed that the earnings are far more than the amount claimed by them.

Over hundreds of working women have protested outside the office of the unicorn start-up in Gurugram alleging abysmally low wages given to them and companies dealing with them in non-transparent manner.

A beautician partner of the company shared a screenshot that she got Rs 67 as payout after providing a service worth Rs 1,626.

"One of the tweets recently claimed that a beauty partner made Rs 67 for 4 orders. This is a mis-representation of facts. The screenshot shown is not that of her earnings page but a settlement ledger of the bank transfer," Urban Company said in a blog post.

It said that the partner accepted cash payments for 2 orders and online payment for the remaining two.

"Her net earnings after UC commissions and other fees for the 4 orders in question delivered between 1?3 Oct was Rs 1,941," UC said.

UC provided a calculation on the cost of service that it offers to users and wage paid to partners from that work.

Paytm founder managing director Vijay Shekhar Sharma tweeted in support of the clarification provided by the UC around complex cost structure involved in offering low cost services.

UC said that it has always been a platform where both customers and partners are equal stakeholders.

"The very genesis of Urban Company was to organize the home services industry for both customers and partners. In the absence of organized players, the market was controlled by middle-men and aggregators, who restricted market access and kept a lion's share of the margins. "However, we believe we have made the industry more transparent, reduced the number of middlemen and given a voice to the hitherto voiceless informal labour," the blog post said.

It said that under no circumstances, the company will ever shy away from doing the right thing for our stakeholders.

"This has always been reflected in our business decisions and strategy. We are not perfect, and acknowledge that we might have made mistakes in our journey so far. In the coming weeks, we will be announcing some important programs which we believe will further enhance the earnings and well-being of our partner ecosystem," UC said.

The company claimed that its partners earn a net earnings of Rs 280-300 per hour, net of commissions, fee and all associated product and travel costs.

As partners do more orders on the platform, and spend around 100 hours per month working for the platform, they see very healthy earnings of Rs 25,000?30,000 per month.

"The top quartile of service partners earn over Rs 36000 per month net of all commissions and costs. Our platform is bouncing back strongly post the second wave, and we expect earnings to be even better in October and the months ahead," UC said.

The company said that it will publish an update on this blogpost at the end of October with the revised data.

"Our estimates suggest that in the offline world, service professionals earn on average between Rs 12,000?15,000 per month," the post said.

The on-demand home services provider Urban Company in June raised USD 255 million (about Rs 1,857 crore) in funding led by Prosus Ventures, Dragoneer and Wellington Management, ahead of its plans to launch an IPO in the next two years.

The series F round - which also saw participation from Vy Capital, Tiger Global and Steadview - takes Urban Company's valuation to USD 2.1 billion.

The company also responded to the product that it provides to its beautician partners. Also Read: Upcoming IPO: Radiant Cash Management Services file draft papers for initial offer

It said that the company sells products to service professionals. "These products are genuine, branded and at much lower costs than the offline world, with us passing almost all benefits of bulk procurement to our service partners (In FY21, our products business was operated at near 0 per cent net margin at a slight loss, which can be verified through our annual audited financial statements. Needless to say, partners receive physical GST invoices against all products sold)," UC said. Also Read: Booking Mahindra XUV700? Think again as waiting period could cross 1 year
New Delhi: Days after being dropped from the party`s national executive, BJP Lok Sabha member Varun Gandhi on Sunday said that an attempt is being made to turn the Lakhimpur Kheri incident into a Hindu vs Sikh battle.

In a tweet Varun Gandhi said, "An attempt to turn Lakhimpur Kheri into a Hindu vs Sikh battle is being made. Not only is this an immoral & false narrative, it is dangerous to create these fault-lines and reopen wounds that have taken a generation to heal. We must not put petty political gains above national unity."

Eight persons including a journalist were killed during a farmers protest in Lakhimpur Kheri which turned violent on October 3.

On October 7, Varun and his mother, former union minister Maneka Gandhi were dropped from reconstituted BJP`s national executive committee, the party`s top decision making body.

Earlier on October 7 sharing a video on Twitter, Varun Gandhi said, "The video is crystal clear. Protesters cannot be silenced through murder. There has to be accountability for the innocent blood of farmers that has been spilled and justice must be delivered before a message of arrogance and cruelty enters the minds of every farmer."

On October 5, he tweeted, "This video of vehicles deliberately running over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri is enough to shake one`s soul. Police must take cognisance of these videos, and immediately arrest the owners of these vehicles, those sitting in them, and others involved."

Varun had also written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking a Supreme Court monitored CBI probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and that the accused be charged with murder under section 302 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).



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New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (October 9, 2021) said that with the withdrawal of monsoon the pollution has started increasing in the national capital. Delhi CMs statement comes as the air quality index (AQI) surged to 171 in the national capital.

"Pollution has started increasing. 09 Oct- AQI - 171 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 200 - Moderate) PM10 - 197 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 250 - Moderate) PM2.5 - 69 (0 to 30 - Good, 31 to 60 - Satisfactory, 61 to 90 - Moderate)," Kejriwal tweeted.

Pollution has started increasing. 09 Oct- AQI - 171 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 200 - Moderate)

PM10 - 197 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 250 - Moderate)

PM2.5 - 69 (0 to 30 - Good, 31 to 60 - Satisfactory, 61 to 90 - Moderate) https://t.co/EQH08MbEz7  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 9, 2021

It may be noted that an AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

CM Kejriwal has been tweeting Capital`s daily air quality since September 18. In his tweets, Delhi CM also warned that the air quality will deteriorate from mid-October due to stubble burning.

"Del air quality will deteriorate from mid-Oct (stubble burning). State govt hv not taken action to support their farmers On its own, Del air is clean. On 18 Sep- AQI- 69 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory) PM10- 67 PM2.5 - 27 (0 to 30 Good, 31 to 60 Satisfactory)," Kejriwal tweeted on September 18.

Additionally, CM Kejriwal, in a tweet on Saturday, said that the Haryana government should also help its farmers and make bio-decomposer solution free.

"Haryana government should also help its farmers like Delhi government. Like Delhi, spraying of solution should be made free in all the fields of Haryana. Then there will be no need to burn the stubble," he wrote.

The Delhi government in association with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa developed a bio-decomposer capsule that can be converted into a solution to be sprayed on crop stubble in the farmlands. Once sprayed on the fields, the solution decomposes the stubble into compost in 20 days.

Meanwhile, on October 4, Delhi CM announced a 10-point "winter action plan" to tackle air pollution in the national capital. While making the announcement, he said, "Currently, the air pollution is under control in Delhi but it will start rising with stubble burning in the neighbouring states in winters. The central government and neighbouring states did not do anything to check stubble burning by farmers which will lead to air pollution in the winter season."

In order to curb the problem of air pollution arising from the Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality and Management (CAQM) issued directions to governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to set up a `Web Portal` for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures by project proponents.

Keeping in view the dangerous condition of Delhi`s air pollution during Diwali for the last three years, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a complete ban on the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers.

There will be a complete ban on the bursting and sale of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022, in Delhi, as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The Delhi government has also launched the `Advanced Green War Room` and `Green Delhi App` app for people to send in their complaints into the problems pertaining to 10 kinds of pollution throughout the winter season.

In September this year, the Centre has released Rs 496 crore to subsidize machinery required in-situ management of crop residue with an aim to address air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) due to stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture had informed that the Centre released Rs 496 crore for Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab to subsidise machinery required in-situ management of crop residue during 2021-22.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: The Delhi University released its second cut-off list on Saturday (October 9, 2021) with the required marks seeing a marginal decline from the first list and many courses being closed for admissions to colleges.

Hindu College, which had pegged a cut-off 100 per cent for BA (Honours) Political Science has closed admissions to the course in the second list. The admissions to BA (Honours) Philosophy, BA (Honours) English, BA (Honours) Hindi, BA (Honours) History, BA (Honours) Sanskrit and BA (Honours) Sociology are also closed at the college.

Ramjas College, which had pegged the cut-off for Political Science (Honours) at 100 per cent, has not effected any change in the marks required in the second cut-off while the cut-off for BSc (Honours) Physics has come down to 99.33 per cent from 100 per cent. The cut-off for the BA programme combination in the college has dropped to 99.5 per cent from 100 per cent.

The Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), which had pegged the cut-offs for BA (Honours) Economics and Bcom (Honours) at 100 per cent, has reduced the asking marks to 99.75 per cent and 99.12 per cent, respectively, in the second list. Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa also did not find any perfect scorers for the Bcom programme in the first list and has brought the cut-off down to 98.75 per cent from 100 per cent.

Indraprastha College for Women has also closed admissions for BA (Honours) Philosophy while Gargi College has closed admissions for Economics (Honours), Hindi(Honours) and History(Honours).

At Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, the cut-off for BSc (Honours) Computer Science declined by 1.5 per cent.

The cut-off for the course in the first list was pegged at 100 per cent but there were no applications received for the course in the first list.

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New Delhi: With an aim to continue the disengagement process in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, India and China will hold another round of high-level military talks on Sunday (October 10, 2021), sources said. The 13th round of talks between the two countries since violent clashes last year will reportedly begin around 10:30 AM at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The top commanders of the Indian and Chinese military had last met in July at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side. The talks had reportedly lasted for nearly nine hours during which the two sides had agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations.

"The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on resolution of remaining areas related to disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas. The two sides noted that this round of meeting was constructive, which further enhanced mutual understanding. The two sides also agreed that in the interim they will continue their effective efforts in ensuring stability along the LAC in the Western Sector and jointly maintain peace and tranquility," the Ministry of External Affairs had said in a statement.

The 13th round of talks is taking place in the backdrop of two recent incidents of attempted transgressions by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops -- one in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand and another in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian and Chinese army personnel were reportedly engaged in a brief face-off near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh last week and it was resolved within few hours following talks between commanders of the two sides as per established protocols.

In August, close to 100 soldiers of PLA soldiers had reportedly transgressed the LAC in the Barahoti sector and returned from the area after spending few hours.

Earlier on October 2, Army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that the increase in the deployment by Chinese troops across the border was a matter of concern. He, however, stated that India has made matching deployments in terms of troops and infrastructure in its areas along the LAC and there was no way anyone would be able to behave in an aggressive manner again.

This is to be noted that the border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries took place last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. Both sides then gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

Subsequently, as a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement in February this year.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday (October 10, 2021) will embark on a three-nation tour of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

Jaishankar will be undertaking the tour from October 10 to 13. He will be in the Kyrgyz Republic on October 10-11, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. He will leave for Kazakhstan on Monday. He will then visit Armenia on October, 12-13, the MEA said.

The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the progress in India`s bilateral ties with the three countries as well as share views on developments in the region, the ministry further said.

"It will be a continuation of our increased engagement with countries in our `extended neighbourhood`," the ministry added.

This will be Jaishankar`s first visit to Kyrgyzstan as External Affairs Minister.

He will hold a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Rusian Kazakbaev, apart from calling on President Sadyr Japarov. Some agreements, MoUs are also expected to be signed during the visit.

From October 11-12, Jaishankar will be in Kazakhstan to attend the 6th Ministerial meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Nur-Sultan.

Kazakhstan is the current Chair and initiator of the CICA Forum. S Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, and call on the Kazakh leadership.

Kazakhstan is the current Chair and initiator of the CICA Forum.

Established in 1999, CICA is a forum aimed at enhancing cooperation through elaborating multilateral approaches towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. It currently has 27 member states and 9 observer states and 5 observer organisations India is a member of CICA since its inception in 1999 and has been actively participating in various activities conducted under the aegis of CICA.

Jaishankar will also be visiting Armenia on October, 12-13 the MEA said. This will be the first-ever visit of an External Affairs Minister of India to independent Armenia. He will have meetings with his Armenian counterpart as well as call on the Prime Minister and President of the National Assembly of Armenia.

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New Delhi: India and China on Sunday (October 10) concluded the 13th round of Corps Commander level talks, the discussion began in Moldo on the Chinese side at 10:30 am and ended after more than eight hours, according to sources.

As per sources in the security establishment, India pressed for an early disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh in the 13th round of military talks with China. It is learnt that a major focus of the Corps Commander-level talks was to complete the stalled disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 (PP-15).

However, no official statement on the negotiations that took place on the Chinese side of the Chushul-Moldo border point in eastern Ladakh has been released so far.

India has been insisting that the resolution of outstanding issues in all friction points including in Depsang is essential for an overall improvement in ties between the two countries. The Indian delegation is understood to have conveyed this view firmly at the 13th round of talks while pressing for bringing down tensions at Depsang.

On Saturday (October 9), Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane had said if the Chinese military continues with its large-scale deployment in the eastern Ladakh region, then the Indian Army too will maintain its strength on its side which he said is "as good as what the PLA has done."

The talks between the two countries took place in the backdrop of two recent incidents of attempted transgressions by the Chinese troops - one in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand and another in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

This was the 13th round of the military talks between the two countries to address the ongoing military stand-off between both countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, the 12th round of talks took place on July 31.

(With agency inputs)

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Imphal: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on Sunday (October 10) highlighted the fact that today India is not only manufacturing vaccines for domestic consumption but is also preparing to export them to the world. Nadda, who was in Imphal on Sunday (October 10) to inaugurate Manipur BJP`s new state party office, lauded India`s vaccination drive and said that in the next 3 to 4 days, India would have inoculated 100 crores of its population.

"Today we are making vaccines not just for our country but are also ready to give it to the world. In the coming 3 to 4 days, India will make a record of 100 crore vaccinations," Nadda said. He slammed opposition parties for their earlier claims that there were no vaccines left in India.

"The opposition used to allege earlier that there is no Covid vaccine left in India," he added. Praising the importance of Imphal in the freedom movement led by Subhash Chandra Bose`s Azad Hind Fauj, the BJP president claimed that now under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Imphal will become the gateway of development.

"This place was the gateway of independence. The first flag of Azad Hind Fauj was hoisted here and now it is the gateway of development under the leadership of Modi ji," Nadda said in his address. On the occasion of the launch of the state BJP`s new office, Nadda also mentioned the growth of the party in the northeastern state."

Our first MLA was elected here in 1995. In 2002 we had 4 MLAs. In 2006 no. went up to 6 MLAs... We are happy today that now we have 24 MLAs here," the BJP national president said. Before addressing the gathering JP Nadda offered prayers at the Shri Govindji Temple in Manipur`s Imphal on the second day of his visit to the state.

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New Delhi: Police in Bandipora have busted a LeT (TRF) module and arrested four terror associates involved in the conspiracy behind the killing of a civilian namely Mohd Shafi Lone alias Sonu a resident of Naidkhai.

A special team of Bandipora Police was entrusted with the investigation of the case and after thorough human and technical corroboration, the module was busted by arresting four terrorists associated with LeT (TRF).

The arrested terrorist associates have been identified as Tariq Ahmad Dar aka Tariq Khoucha, Mohammad Shafi Dar, Mudasir Hassan Lone, and Bilal Ah Dar aka Sahb Khoucha. However, one of the terrorist associates involved in the killing, identified as Imtiyaz Ah Dar aka Kotru is absconding and has reportedly joined the terrorist ranks.

During the course of the investigation, it surfaced that the killing was carried out at the behest and instruction of LeT (TRF) handler Lala Umar, a resident of Pakistan. To carry out the nefarious design, a conspiracy was hatched by a LeT (TRF) module of Shahgund, Hajin area. The module carried out a thorough recce of the target and all his movements were closely watched.

On a fateful evening, one of the terrorist associates called the victim for a meeting at Gundboon and after reaching the said place, a detailed ambush/trap had already been laid by the other members of the module, the victim was swiftly assassinated.

In this regard, a case vides FIR No 76/2021 has been registered at Police Station Hajin under relevant sections of law and further investigation is going on. And Further arrests are expected.

He was killed by terrorists on 5th October This was the day when M L Bindroo and a non-local Bihari resident Virender Paswan were also killed.

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New Delhi: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, who was arrested on Saturday (October 9) night in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence, has been sent to judicial custody for now.

Ashishs lawyer Avdesh Kumar Singh informed that Mishra was produced before the Judicial Magistrate after his arrest by a nine-member SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Upendra Agarwal.

A local court will hear the matter on Monday (October 11) on whether to send Ashish Mishra to police custody or not, the lawyer said.

"He (Ashish Mishra) will be in judicial custody for the time being. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate and the police had demanded three-day custody, to which we objected. The matter will be heard on October 11 and it will be decided whether Mishra will be sent to police custody," ANI quoted Avdesh Kumar Singh as saying. Mishra was then sent to the district jail.

After 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh Police, Mishra was arrested on Saturday night. DIG and Monitoring Committee Chairman Upendra Agarwal said Ashish was arrested as he was not cooperating during the interrogation.

"Matter to be heard on Monday- October 11 over whether he should be sent to police custody or not. For the time being, he will be in judicial custody," said Avdesh Kumar, Ashish Mishra's lawyer pic.twitter.com/a2gaH4QsPb  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 9, 2021

Two of the seven people mentioned in the FIR were arrested on Thursday. They have been identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey.

In the violence that erupted during a farmers protest in Uttar Pradesh on October 3, eight people lost their lives, including four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Among the other four, two who died were present in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who came to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, while one was a local journalist and one was a driver.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and knocked down farmers with his SUV.

The farmers body further alleged that he attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him. However, Ashish Mishra has denied SKM's allegations, claiming he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.

(With agency inputs)

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Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohit Kamboj on Saturday said that he will file a Rs 100 crore defamation case against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik, for alleging the formers brother-in-law Rishabh Sachdeva`s involvement in the drugs-on-cruise case.

While addressing a press conference earlier today, Malik had alleged that there exists a connection between the Zonal Director of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai unit and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. "We think there might have been some talks between Sameer Wankhede and BJP leaders," Malik said.

"After the raid on a cruise ship off Mumbai coast, NCBs Sameer Wankhede had said that 8-10 people were detained. But the truth is that 11 people were detained. Later, three people including Rishabh Sachdeva, Prateek Gaba and Amir Furniturewala were released," claimed Malik, who is also a minister in Maharashtra.

Condemning the allegations, Kamboj said that Malik is misusing his powers to defame his family. "Such people should be dismissed from ministers' posts," said the BJP leader. Calling Malik a "Kachra king", Kamboj said that he will meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in connection with the false allegations."I will file a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against Nawab Malik," said Kamboj.

The BJP leader further clarified that NCB had taken his brother-in-law Rishabh Sachdeva as he was in the same queue as Aryan Khan when NCB was checking them and later all of them were taken to the NCB office.

My Press Statement on   Allegations :

  1000000000 /- Defamation     ! pic.twitter.com/vMkf2MEzql  Mohit Bharatiya (@mohitbharatiya_) October 9, 2021

"After questioning and complete checking, NCB had got clarity that my brother-in-law did not have any involvement in the case. Thereafter, he was released," he said. "My brother-in-law has no connection with Aryan Khan," added Kamboj.

Earlier, an NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on a cruise ship that was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night. A total of 18 people, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan`s son Aryan Khan, have been arrested in the case related to the seizure of drugs following a raid at a party on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast.

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Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday (October 10) arrested two operatives of terror group The Resistance Front (TRF) which is said to be backed by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tawseef Ahmed Wani and Faiz Ahmed Khan were arrested for their involvement in the TRF conspiracy.

The agency conducted searches with the assistance of CRPF and J&K police at seven locations in Kulgam, Srinagar and Baramulla districts.

NIA was investigating a case relating to the recovery of an IED from a LeT terrorist in Bathindi Jammu on June 27. Earlier Three LeT terrorists were arrested in the case.

The agency said that during the probe they found that Pakistan-based handlers of proscribed terror outfit LeT and their associates based in J&K had conspired to cause extensive terror activities for harming general public.

They had planned that responsibility for the terrorist acts so committed would be taken by the pseudo-acronym TRF so as to maintain plausible deniability and evade law enforcement agencies, said NIA.

During the searches, the NIA said it found many digital devices including mobiles, pen drives, data storage devices and other incriminating materials.
New Delhi: A day after reports of acute coal shortage triggered panic among the citizens, Union Minister of Power RK Singh denied the existence of any crisis of power.

Singh chaired a meeting with the officials of Power Ministry, BSES, and Tata Power at his residence on Sunday (October 10) over coal shortage at power plants.

The minister said he warned Tata Power of action if they send baseless messages of power shortage to the customers. He also hit out at state-run GAIL for acts of irresponsible behavior.

In effect, neither there was, nor there is any crisis. It was created unnecessarily. I've warned Tata Power CEO of action if they send baseless SMSs to customers that can create panic. Messages by GAIL and Tata Power qualify as acts of irresponsible behavior, Union Minister was quoted as saying by ANI.

The panic ensued after GAIL sent informed Bawana gas power plant that it will stop supplying gas after 2 days because their contract was about to expire. I've asked GAIL CMD, who participated in today's meeting, to continue required supplies, he said.

I have asked the GAIL CMD to continue supplying the required amount of gas to power stations across the country. He has assured me that the supplies will continue. Neither there was any shortage of gas in the past, nor will it happen in the future, he added.

The Ministry of Coal said that ample coal is available in the country to meet the demand of power plants and that "any fear of disruption in power supply is entirely misplaced".

"The coal stock at power plant end is about 72 Lakh tonnes, sufficient for 4 days requirement, and that the Coal India Limited (CIL) end is more than 400 Lakh tonnes, which is being supplied to the power plants," said the ministry.

Singh said that Delhi was being supplied the required amount of electricity and that it will continue.

We have an average coal reserve (at power stations) that can last for more than 4 days. The stock is replenished every day. I am in touch with (Union Minister for Coal & Mines) Pralhad Joshi, he said.

This comes a day after the Power Ministry said that a surge in the revival of the economy after the second wave of COVID-19 led to an unprecedented increase in demand and consumption of electricity.

The ministry also issued guidelines on October 8 for operationalising optimum utilization of generating stations as per the requirements in the electricity grid.

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New Delhi: Days after the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which MoS Home Ajay Mishra Tenis son Ashish Mishra allegedly ran over his SUV on protesting farmers resulting in multiple deaths, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday (October 10) addressed a 'Kisan Nyay' rally in Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

Questioning PMs silence on the matter, she accused the government and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of shielding the minister and his son.

Last week, the son of Union MoS mowed down 6 farmers with his vehicle. Families of all the victims said they want justice. But all of you have seen that the government is shielding the minister and his son, said Gandhi.

The CM is shielding the minister from public forum. PM came to Lucknow to see the performance of Uttam Pradesh and Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav but couldn't go to Lakhimpur Kheri to share the grief of the victim families, she added.

She hit out at the BJP saying they only protect those in power and their rich friends.

Only two types of people are safe in this country today - BJP leaders who are in power and their billionaire friends, she said.

She further said, PM Modi called the protesting farmers 'Andolanjivi' and terrorists. Yogi Ji called them hooligans and tried to threaten them. The same minister (Ajay Kumar Mishra) said that he would make the protesting farmers fall in line within two minutes.

Gandhi also took a swipe at the PM for selling Air India to the Tata group.

Modi Ji bought two aircraft for himself for Rs 16,000 crores last year. He sold the entire Air India of this country for just Rs 18,000 crores to his billionaire friends, she said.

Earlier in the day, Priyanka Gandhi offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Durga Mata Temple in Varanasi.

Earlier this week, she was detained and subsequently arrested in the aftermath of Lakhimpur Kheri violence as she tried to visit the families of the victims. Later, after being released, she along with her brother Rahul Gandhi met the grieving families.

Meanwhile, Ashish Mishra has been arrested by the UP police after hours of questioning on Saturday. They will seek his custody from a local court on Monday.

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New Delhi: Snubbing Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh termed the Congress MPs Lakhimpur Kheri visit to meet the family of the farmers killed in the violence, an instance of political tourism.

The opposition has put constant pressure on the ruling BJP to arrest the accused responsible for the violence in Uttar Pradeshs district on October 3 that killed eight people.

Giriraj Singh, as quoted by ANI, asked, "Rahul Gandhi's visit to Lakhimpur Kheri is merely an instance of political tourism. There is no genuine sympathy and compassion involved. Wherever Congress and the other opposition parties get a chance, they go ahead with their political tourism. I would like to ask why did Rahul Gandhi not visit the family of the journalist killed in that incident? Why has he not visited Kashmir to meet families of people who are being killed over there?"

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met the family members of farmers killed in the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri late on October 6. Talking to reporters after the visit, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had said all the three families want justice.

All the three families have said one thing that they are not concerned about compensation but want justice, she said. Vadra has also demanded the resignation of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra and the arrest of his son Ashish Mishra, an accused in the violent incident.

In the violence that erupted during a farmers protest in Uttar Pradesh, eight people lost their lives, including four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Among the other four, two who died were present in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who came to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, while one was a local journalist and one was a driver. Farmer leaders alleged Ashish Mishra arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and knocked down farmers with his SUV.

Meanwhile, Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, who was arrested on Saturday (October 9) night in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence, has been sent to judicial custody for now.

A local court will hear the matter on Monday (October 11) on whether to send Ashish Mishra to police custody or not, his lawyer Avdesh Kumar Singh said.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Even as various states including Delhi, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and power distribution companies flagged shortage of coal that could lead to power crisis in the coming days, the Centre assured that there is nothing to worry saying ample coal is available in the country to meet the demand of power plants.

The power and coal ministries in separate statements asserted that coal availability is sufficient and that the fear of disruption in power supply is unfounded.

Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh reviewed the coal stock position in all thermal power plants including those plants which are supplying power to distribution companies of Delhi. DARK days ahead for India? Acute coal shortage can lead to massive power cuts - in pics

Any fear of disruption in power supply is entirely misplaced. The coal stock at power plant is sufficient for more than 4 days requirement and as the coal supply is being ramped up by CIL, the coal stock at power plant would gradually improve, the power ministry said in a statement.

The minister directed that distribution companies of Delhi will get as much power as requisitioned by them as per their demand.

NTPC and DVC have been directed to give full availability as per the requirement of DISCOMs. GAIL India Limited has been advised to make gas available from all sources, the ministry said.

The minister said he warned Tata Power of action if they send baseless messages of power shortage to the customers. He also hit out at state-run GAIL for acts of irresponsible behavior.

In effect, neither there was, nor there is any crisis. It was created unnecessarily. I've warned Tata Power CEO of action if they send baseless SMSs to customers that can create panic. Messages by GAIL and Tata Power qualify as acts of irresponsible behavior, Union Minister was quoted as saying by ANI.

Power Minister reviews coal stock position in thermal power plants Ample coal available to meet the demand of power plants Any fear of disruption in power supply entirely misplaced@PIB_India @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts

Read more=>>>> https://t.co/j5tRncr8fG  Ministry of Power (@MinOfPower) October 10, 2021

In a separate statement, the coal ministry said that the domestic coal-based power generation has grown by nearly 24 per cent in this year (till September 2021) based on a robust supply from the coal companies.

It may be noted that the comfortable coal position in the country is reflected by the fact that the CIL has been supplying more than 2.5 lakh tonnes (approximately) daily to meet the demand of non-power industries like Aluminium, Cement, Steel etc, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Centre is not ready to accept that there is a coal crisis and its policy to turn a blind eye to every problem could prove fatal for the country.

Sisodia called power minister's statement "irresponsible". "Chief Ministers across the country have been warning the Centre about the impending blackouts due to coal stock situation," he said.

"They had done the same thing when the country grappled under an oxygen shortage. They would not even accept that there is a problem. They try to prove states wrong instead," Sisodia said.

In a year when the country produced record coal, excessive rains in coal-producing belt hit movement of the fuel from mines to power generation units, impacting power generation in many states including Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.

"GAIL has been offering and supplying Natural Gas as per contract and requirement of the power plants including the ones in NCT. GAIL continues to make available the required volume of natural gas to the power plants."

E. S. Ranganathan Director (Mktg.), GAIL  GAIL (India) Limited (@gailindia) October 10, 2021

Another factor that has contributed to the present crisis is power plants that used imported coal to generate electricity, have either curtailed generation or completely stopped as a spurt in international energy prices has made it difficult for them to meet the commitments to states at a particular rate.

Tata Power, which has signed contracts to supply 1,850 MW of electricity to Gujarat, 475 MW to Punjab, 380 MW to Rajasthan, 760 MW to Maharashtra and 380 MW to Haryana from its imported coal-based power plant at Mundra in Gujarat, has stopped generation.

However, after Singh's review of coal stock position, the power ministry said the total despatch of coal from all sources (Coal India Limited, Singareni Collieries Company, Captive Coal Mines and imported coal) on October 9 was 1.92 million tonnes (19.2 lakh tonnes) against the total consumption was 1.87 million tonnes (18.7 lakh tonnes).

"Coal despatch has exceeded the consumption, thereby indicating a shift to gradual building up of coal stock," it said.

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New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday (October 9) courted controversy after saying he does not consider people who killed BJP workers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri as culprits as they only reacted to SUV running over protesting farmers and called it reaction to an action.

Addressing a press conference, in the national capital, Tikait said, "The killing of two BJP workers in Lakhimpur Kheri after a convoy of cars mowed down four farmers is a reaction to an action. I do not consider those involved in the killings as culprits.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Yogendra Yadav who was also present at the conference demanded justice in Lakhimpur Kheri violence that killed eight people including four farmers. "We are sad over the loss of lives, be it BJP workers or farmers. It was unfortunate and we hope justice is done, he was quoted as saying by PTI.

Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish is accused in October 3 violence, should also be removed from the government as "he started this conspiracy and is also protecting the culprits in the case", Yadav claimed.

He added that the SKM on Dusshera (October 15) will burn the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to protest against the violence.

In the violence that erupted during a farmers protest in Uttar Pradesh, eight people lost their lives, including four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Among the other four, two who died were present in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who came to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, while one was a local journalist and one was a driver.

Farmer leaders have claimed that Ajay Kumar Mishra's son Ashish was in one of the cars which allegedly knocked down some farmers who were protesting against the deputy CM's visit. An FIR has been filed against Ashish Mishra and others in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Earlier on Saturday farmer leaders called for the arrest of Ajay Mishra and his son in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, stating the incident was a "pre-planned conspiracy".

Late on Saturday, Ashish Mishra was arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The nine-member SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Upendra Agarwal, arrested Mishra after interrogating him for over 11 hours.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Congress party has written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking an urgent meeting over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in order to raise questions on the investigation that followed after the incident.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal urged the President to allow a delegation of seven party members led by Rahul Gandhi to present a detailed memorandum of facts.

Calling it a shocking incident of broad day massacre of farmers, Venugopal noted that it has shaken the conscience of the entire nation.

Even more tragic are the open warmings given by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra Teni and consequent trampling of farmers under a Thar Jeep owned by the Minister and his family, he wrote.

Farmers, who were eyewitnesses, have openly stated that they were run over by vehicle being driven by son of the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs. Despite all-round protests and intervention of the Supreme Court, no decisive action has been taken either against the guilty or against the Minister, he added.

The proposed seven-member delegation, apart from Rahul Gandhi, includes AK Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Adhir Ranjan Choudhury.

The letter was dated October 9, while the key accused Ashish Mishra was arrested late that day after a long session of questioning by the police.

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Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday asked why the Congress high command is silent on the beating of a Dalit man to death in Rajasthan`s Hanumangarh and she has also raised questions about the style of working of the Uttar Pradesh BJP government over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Taking to Twitter, Mayawati asked whether the chief ministers of Punjab and Chhattisgarh would visit Hanumangarh to provide compensation to the Dalit victim`s family. "The incident where a Dalit was thrashed to death in Rajasthan`s Hanumangarh district is sad and condemnable, but why is the Congress high command silent on the issue? Will the CMs of Chhattisgarh and Punjab go there and give Rs 50-50 lakh to the victim`s family? BSP wants answers or else they should stop shedding crocodile tears in the name of Dalits," Mayawati tweeted.

2.  ,                                                       Mayawati (@Mayawati) October 10, 2021

In a subsequent tweet, over the issue of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, she demanded the resignation of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is one of the accused in the case. "Also, the name of the Union Minister`s son coming in the headlines in the heinous Lakhimpur Kheri case raises many questions on the working style of the BJP government. In such a situation, BJP should itself ask its minister to resign. Only then there can be hope for some justice to the suffering farmers. This is BSP`s demand," the BSP leader tweeted.

Earlier on Thursday, a man was thrashed to death at Rohi Prempura village of Hanumangarh district in the state. The deceased has been identified as Jagdish Meghwal.

According to the police complaint filed by Banwarilal, the father of the deceased, Jagdish Meghwal had left Suratgarh at around 1.30 pm. He alleged that four people, Vinod, Mukesh, Lalchand alias Rameshwar, Sikandar, and Dilip Rajput, all residents of Prempura arrived on two motorcycles carrying Jagdish and threw him in front of his house.

"His father said that when he went to see he found that his son was lying on the ground and not breathing," Singh said.

"Banwarilal said that he suspected that his son was kidnapped while he was returning home and the accused had trashed him to death," DSP Ranveer Singh said.

In the Lakhimpur Kheri incident Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni`s son Ashish Mishra, who was arrested on Saturday night, was sent to judicial custody, according to his lawyer.

Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday after 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.

However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM`s allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place. As many as eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. Two accused identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey were arrested earlier in connection with the incident.

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New Delhi: Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have detained around 700 people in response to the killing of seven civilians from minority background in the past six days. Among those detained several are believed to have links to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami or are suspected overground workers (OGW), and come from Srinagar, Budgam or other areas in southern Kashmir, a report by NDTV stated.

A senior police officer said the individuals have been detained to "break the chain of attacks in the (Kashmir) Valley".

As many as seven people have been killed in a fresh wave of terror attacks in Srinagar in the past week. Terrorists gunned down a Kashmiri Pandit pharmacist, a school principal, a teacher, and two others in such attacks whcih are being dubbed as targetted killings. Minorities from the Kashmiri Pandit, Sikh and Muslim communities, are being targeted.

In the most recent attack, two teachers of a government school in the Eidgah area of Srinagar were shot dead on Thursday, October 7. Two days before that on Tuesday, October 5, a prominent pharmacy owner and a migrant street vendor were shot dead within an hour of each other in Srinagar.

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress will hold a silent protest on Monday (October 10) demanding the arrest of all accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and the dismissal of Ajay Mishra from the post of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, said party`s start unit president DK Shivakumar. Karnataka Congress President Shivakumar alleged that the incident in Uttar Pradesh was a `brutal assassination on farmers`.

"A vehicle belonging to the Minister and their family members has brutally assassinated farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. No action has been taken against the Union Minister of State and the culprits responsible for this act. That`s why we demand justice for the farmers", he said.

"Against this backdrop, the Congress party will hold a silent protest at the Congress office at Race Course Road in Bengaluru on Monday, demanding the immediate dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra and the immediate arrest of all the accused involved in the incident," the Congress leader added.

Along with Shivakumar, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah along with other senior leaders of the Karnataka Congress are scheduled to participate in the protest. As many as eight people including four farmers had died in the violence that took place on October 3.

Uttar Pradesh police, so far arrested three people including Ashish Mishra, who is the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni. Further probe in the matter is underway.

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Sunday claimed that modern Indian women want to stay single, unwilling to give birth even after marriage and desire children by surrogacy.

"Today, I am sorry to say this, lots of modern women in India want to stay single. Even if they get married, they don't want to give birth. They want surrogacy. So there is a paradigm shift in our thinking, which is not good," he said during the World Mental Health Day at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS).

Lamenting the "western influence' on Indian society, the Minister said people are not willing to let their parents be with them.

"Unfortunately, today we are going in a western way. We don't want our parents to live with us, forget about grandparents being with us," the minister said.

Speaking about mental health in India, Sudhakar said every seventh Indian has some kind of mental issue, which could be mild, moderate and severe.

However, according to him, stress management is an art and Indian need not have to learn but preach the world how to handle it.

"Stress management is an art. This art we need not learn as Indians. We need to preach to the world how to handle stress, because yoga, meditation and Pranayama are the wonderful tools which our ancestors had taught the world thousands of years back," he said.

About COVID-19 and mental health, Sudhakar said the relatives were not able to touch the bodies of their near and dear ones, which caused them mental agony.

"The pandemic made the government start counselling COVID-19 patients. Till date we have counseled 24 lakh COVID-19 patients in Karnataka. I don't know any other state which has done this," Sudhakar said.

Expressing his gratitude to the NIMHANS, he said the institute was counseling people from its digital platform and was offering tele-medicine.

Sudhakar also expressed his gratitude to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who spoke earlier at the event, for giving 1.5 crore COVID-19 vaccines to Karnataka every month since September, which increased the inoculation coverage in the state.

He hailed the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving 94 crore vaccines till date since the launch of vaccination drive as the country undertook the Herculean task of vaccinating the entire population free of cost.

"We are the only country which is offering vaccines free of cost. Elsewhere, people are made to pay between Rs 1,500 to Rs 4,000 per vaccine," Sudhakar said.
Mumbai: The Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police on Saturday summoned CBI director and former Maharashtra DGP Subodh Kumar Jaiswal in a phone tapping and data leak case, a senior official said here. Jaiswal has been asked to be present to record his statement on October 14, the police official said. The summons was sent by email, he added.

The case relates to the `leak' of a report prepared by IPS officer Rashmi Shukla about alleged corruption in police transfers in Maharashtra when she headed the state intelligence department (SID).

Jaiswal was the director general of police during this period.

It was alleged that phones of senior politicians and officials were tapped illegally during the inquiry and the report was leaked deliberately, but the FIR registered in this regard by the cyber cell does not name Shukla or any other official.

Officials of the BKC cyber police station had earlier recorded Shukla's statement.

Shukla is currently posted as Additional Director General of CRPF.

The FIR was registered against unknown persons for obtaining "a classified letter and classified information" of the SID under section 30 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (fraudulently retaining a message delivered by mistake), sections 44(b) (failure to furnish information in time) and 66 (computer-related offence) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, and section 5 (wrongful communication of information) of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

Jaiswal, a 1985 Maharashtra-cadre IPS officer, has also served as Mumbai police commissioner in the past.

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New Delhi: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who recently walked the ramp at the Paris Fashion Week and totally ruled the runway has now donned the hat of a photographer for husband and actor Abhishek Bachchan.

Showcasing the photography skills of his wife Aishwarya, Junior Bachchan treated fans to a stunning picture of himself from their family gateway to Dubai.

Abhishek took to his Instagram handle and shared a delightful picture of himself clicked at a beach during the golden hour.

Sharing the picture, he also revealed that it was clicked by his wife Aishwarya Rai.

"Sun, sand, and sea! #dubai @aishwaryaraibachchan_arb," he wrote in the caption.

On a related note, Abhishek flew to Paris over the weekend along with his wife Aishwarya and daughter Aaradhya.

The 'Devdas' actor graced the ramp at the fourth edition of Le Defilee L'Oreal Paris, which was an outdoor runway show hosted by the Paris Fashion Week. After the show, the trio flew to Dubai.

Meanwhile, speaking about the work fronts, Aishwarya will be next seen in Mani Ratnam's directorial 'Ponniyin Selvan'. As per viral reports and speculations, she might also be seen in Anurag Kashyap's directorial 'Gulab Jamun', co-starring her actor-husband Abhishek.

On the other hand, 'The Big Bull' actor will next be seen in 'Bob Biswas', which is based on the fictional character of the same name that became popular in the 2012 Vidya Balan's hit movie 'Kahaani'. He also has 'Dasvi' in his kitty.
New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a second foreign national in the Mumbai Cruise rave party case in which actor Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3. This is the 20th arrest overall in the matter.

The NCB on October 2 evening raided a cruise ship that was going from Mumbai to Goa and made a seizure of 13 grams of Cocaine, 5 grams of MD, 21 grams of Charas and 22 pills of MDMA and 1.33 lakhs in cash. Aryan Khan was also present on the cruise ship and was detained along with seven others Arbaz Seth Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Vikrant Chhoker, Ismeet Singh, Nupur Sarika, Gomit Chopra and Mohak Jaswal by the officials. The next day he and Arbaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha were arrested. No recovery of drugs was made from Aryan personally.

Mumbai's Esplanade court on Friday (October 8) rejected the bail plea of the 23-year-old. The star kid has been kept in the quarantine cell of Mumbai's Arthur Road jail. Although his RT-PCR report has come out to be negative, as per jail authorities, a new accused has to be kept in a quarantine cell for at least seven days.

Aryan Khans lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, while defending his client had argued to the court, "Accused number 1, Aryan Khan was invited for the cruise party. However, he did not have a boarding pass. He didn't have any seat or cabin there. Secondly, according to the seizure, nothing has been found in his possession. He is arrested only based on chats."

It is reported that Satish Maneshinde will move the Sessions Court for bail on Monday.
New Delhi: Actor Kangana Ranaut has shared an Instagram post about Jackie Chan, where she reminded her fans how the great actor apologised when he got to know about his son's drugs scandal. Well, this can be an indirect remark for Shah Rukh Khan, whose son Aryan Khan is also in jail due to involvement in drugs case.

Taking to her Instagram story on Sunday, the 'Panga' actor shared a trivia about Jacky Chan and reminded fans how the iconic star had publicly apologised after his son Jaycee was caught in a drugs scandal in 2014.

He said, "I am ashamed of son's act, this is my failure and I will not intervene to protect him" and after that, his son was jailed for six months.

In 2014, Jaycee was arrested and jailed for the possession and distribution of marijuana, and for accommodating drug users at his apartment in Beijing. Chan was sentenced to six months in state prison and served out his full sentence behind bars.

Sharing the post, Kangana wrote, "#JustSaying".

This post comes days after the 'Queen' star commented on superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan's arrest in an alleged drug case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

She had slammed those who had come forward to defend Aryan Khan.

"Now all Mafia Pappu coming to Aaryan Khan's defence.... We make mistakes but we mustn't glorify them ... I trust this will give him perspective and also make him realise consequences of his actions.... Hopefully it can evolve him and make him better and bigger It's good not to gossip about someone when they vulnerable but it's criminal to make them feel that they did no wrong .... #Word," she wrote in an Instagram story post at that time.

Many fans and stars from the film industry including actor Hrithik Roshan, Raveena Tandon, Shekhar Suman, and Vishal Dadlani among others have extended their support to Shah Rukh Khan and his family personally and over social media.

Superstar Salman Khan and Karan Johar were also spotted visiting Shah Rukh Khan's Mannat residence after the controversy busted out in media.

An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night.

Eight persons including Aryan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Vikrant Chhoker, Ismeet Singh, Nupur Sarika, Gomit Chopra, and Mohak Jaswal were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court on October 4 which remanded them to NCB custody till October 7. They were arrested on October 3 in connection with the drug seizure on the cruise ship.

As per the NCB, Aryan along with others has been booked under Section 8C, 20B, 27 (Punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 35 (Presumption of culpable mental state) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

A Mumbai Magistrate court had on Thursday sent Aryan and seven others to judicial custody for 14 days. His bail plea was denied by a Mumbai Court on Friday.
Mumbai: Amidst the ongoing controversy of superstar Shah Rukh Khans son Aryans arrest in an alleged drug case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), music composer Vishal Dadlani has come forward to extend his support to the superstars family by giving out a major statement.

Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri are going through a difficult time, ever since their elder son Aryan was nabbed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug raid on October 3.

The bail plea of Aryan Khan, who was arrested on October 3, was also denied by a Mumbai Court on Friday, which has sent shockwaves all over the nation.

Aryan has now been taken to the quarantine cell of the Arthur Road Jail with two other people. Fans and fellow friends from the film industry have been backing SRK in this matter, ever since the news has come out.

The latest celebrity who has come forward to extend his support to SRK is music composer Vishal Dadlani. The musician took to his Twitter handle and wrote, "SRK and his family are being used as a smokescreen, a soft target to distract from the 3000kg Talibani-drug haul at the Adani port, and to distract from the murder of farmers by the son of a BJP member/MLA."

If Composers count, I am. SRK and his family are being used as a smokescreen, a soft target to distract from the 3000kg Talibani-drug haul at the Adani port, and to distract from the murder of farmers by the son of a BJP member/MLA. Straight-up. https://t.co/dtk4YJ7ZHW  VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) October 9, 2021

Earlier, stars like Raveena Tandon, Hrithik Roshan, Johnny Lever, Zoya Akhtar, and Hansal Mehta among others also extended their support to the star couple on social media.

Superstar Salman Khan and Karan Johar were also spotted visiting Shah Rukh Khans Mannat residence after the controversy busted out in media. An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night.

Eight persons including Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Vikrant Chhoker, Ismeet Singh, Nupur Sarika, Gomit Chopra and Mohak Jaswal were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court on October 4 which remanded them to NCB custody till October 7.

They were arrested on October 3 in connection with the drug seizure on the cruise ship.

As per the NCB, three persons have been booked under Section 8C, 20B, 27 (Punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 35 (Presumption of culpable mental state) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

A Mumbai Magistrate court had on Thursday sent Aryan and seven others to judicial custody for 14 days. His bail plea was denied by a Mumbai Court on Friday.

On Saturday, Aryans driver was also questioned by the NCB.As many as 18 arrests have been made in the case so far.
New Delhi: Aadhaar card is one of the most crucial documents required to avail several state-sponsored benefits in India. The card is also used as identity proof by various state and private organisations operating in the country. While downloading Aadhaar Card is simple, it sometimes becomes tricky if you dont have access to the Aadhaar registered mobile number.

However, you need not worry, as the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has recently made important changes in the Aadhaar downloading process, making it easier for cardholders to get a reprint of the document. Also Read: Nitin Gadkari wants Tesla to manufacture cars in India, warns against China-made cars

In todays time, Aadhaar is required by banks and companies offering financial services to their customers. The central government has also made it mandatory for cardholders to link Aadhaar with PAN. Also Read: Windows 11: Heres how to run Android apps, games

So, if you have lost your Aahdaar Card and dont have access to the Aadhaar registered mobile number, you can still get a copy by going through the following steps:

Step 1. Visit the official website of UIDAI

Step 2. Go to the 'My Aadhaar' section

Step 3. Click on the 'Order Aadhaar PVC Card' option

Step 4. Enter your 12 digit Aadhaar number

Step 5. You can also use the 16 digits Virtual Identification Number (VID) instead of Aadhaar number

Step 6: Enter the security or captcha-code

Step 7: Click on the 'My mobile number is not registered' option

Step 8: Enter an alternate mobile number or a number unregistered with your Aadhaar

Step 9: Click on the 'Send OTP' button

Step 10: Enter the OTP that will arrive on your alternate number

Step 11: Click on the 'Terms and Conditions checkbox and select the 'Submit' button

Step 12: On the next page, you will get a preview of the Aadhaar letter

Step 13: After confirming the details, click on the 'Make Payment' option and pay for the service online. Also Read:

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New Delhi: Folks are already on their toes since the announcement of the latest Apple Watch series, following which Apple Store has now revealed that the gadget is up for pre-orders.This announcement comes just a few days ahead of the actual launch of the Apple Watch Series 7, due on October 15.

As per Mac Rumours, pre-orders are now underway, although shipping estimates for many models quickly slipped, suggesting that supplies are indeed tight as had been rumoured due to manufacturing difficulties.The tech giant unveiled the Apple Watch Series 7 in the recent September`s Apple event among other gadgets including the iPhone 13 series.

Unlike rumours had predicted, the Apple Watch Series 7 features a similar design to its predecessor, with rounded edges rather than flat edges. The Series 7 is compatible with all previous Apple Watch bands.The Apple Watch Series 7 is, however, available in new 41mm and 45mm sizes, just as rumours had predicted.

This means you get larger displays on both models, with Apple saying the bezels are 40 per cent smaller, leading to a 20 per cent increase in screen size, reported 9to5Mac.Other notable improvements include 33 per cent faster speeds for charging, with Apple saying it will now take 45 minutes to go from 0 to 80 per cent.

This new charging method will use USB-C and the current magnetic charging puck.In terms of finishes, the Apple Watch Series 7 is available in five different aluminium colours: green, blue, red, starlight, and silver. Stainless steel and titanium colours are unchanged from Series 6: silver, graphite, gold, natural, and space black. Also Read: Booking Mahindra XUV700? Think again as waiting period could cross 1 year

Customers can buy the smartwatch from the official Apple website. The company will deliver the watch in the coming days. Also Read: Urban company rejects women workers allegation, claims earning is higher
New Delhi: New leaks appear to confirm that the camera for the upcoming Google Pixel 6 will have a new Magic Eraser feature, and the devices will apparently get five years of Android security updates.

According to The Verge, a marketing website was showing images of Google marketing materials for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (the images have since been taken down). Screenshots showed the description for the previously leaked Magic Eraser, which will apparently be linked to Google Photos.

The description read, "Magic Eraser makes distractions disappear with a few taps. Remove strangers and unwanted objects in Google Photos, so the people and places that you capture remain the true stars."

As per The Verge, much of what was in the latest photos has been leaked or confirmed already; the Pixel 6 camera will have a 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens, and the Pixel 6 Pro will have a 48MP telephoto lens.

Moreover, a new report has claimed Pixel Fold, Pixel Watch, as well as new Nest speakers, may launch alongside the Pixel 6 series.

If not launched, Google could tease the device or at least give us a little bit of information regarding its development, reports GSMArena. Also Read: Aadhaar Card Update: Download Aadhaar without registered number OTP verification, here's how

Google in 2019 disclosed its development on foldable smartphone prototypes and it will use an LTPO OLED display. Also Read: Windows 11: Heres how to run Android apps, games
New Delhi: Windows 11 was released last week, bringing with it a slew of changes and improvements to Microsoft's operating system, both in terms of visual and performance enhancements. While users have been able to try out the majority of the new features after updating, the most significant change that has still to arrive is support for running Android apps on Windows, a function that Microsoft has yet to activate. While many gamers wait for the functionality, Windows 11 users can run Android apps right immediately, employing some of the same methods that Windows 10 users rely on, until Microsoft switches on the option to play Android apps in a future update.

While Windows 11 will eventually include support for Android apps on the desktop without the need for an emulator, and performance should be higher than using an emulator, users who need to run Android apps right immediately can utilise these programmes until Microsoft adds support for Android apps. However, given that the new Windows 11 version was only launched a week ago, customers may encounter issues. Also Read: Nitin Gadkari wants Tesla to manufacture cars in India, warns against China-made cars

Bluestacks

Without mentioning Bluestacks, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary tomorrow, October 11, no discussion on Android emulators would be complete. This emulator has become the most popular software and game emulator on Windows over the years, allowing users to control their gaming experience with a mouse and keyboard. Users may use their desktop to play games like Battlegrounds Mobile India and Asphalt 9, as well as access apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and others. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: THESE Central govt employees get promotion with a salary hike of Rs 15,000 per month

NoxPlayer

If you've tried Bluestacks but discovered that it doesn't work properly on your computer, you might try downloading NoxPlayer, which allows you to run many programmes simultaneously on your computer. This means you may use the Instagram app alongside WhatsApp and the Amazon app if you wish. You can also use your keyboard and mouse inside these apps if you want to, making it a wonderful choice if you want to play a few games.

Android Studio

This one is now as fast or as efficient as the other two. The service, which is only available to developers, allows users to test features such as gesture simulation and accelerometer and gyroscope simulation, which can be useful when testing your own app if you're a developer. Users should be aware, however, that while this emulator is not great for gaming, it may be used to test out apps on their computer.

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KARACHI: Abdul Qadeer Khan, a Pakistani nuclear scientist who acknowledged being part of a nuclear proliferation ring, died on Sunday. He was 85.

Khan was admitted to Khan Research Laboratories Hospital on August 26 after testing positive for COVID-19 and was later moved to a military hospital in Rawalpindi, said the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

"He was loved by our nation because of his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state," Pakistan`s Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Twitter.

"For the people of Pakistan, he was a national icon," he added.

Prime Minister Khan informed the scientist would be buried at Islamabad`s Faisal mosque, according to his wishes.

He will be buried in Faisal Mosque as per his wishes. My condolences & prayers go to his family.  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 10, 2021

Nation mourns the colossal loss of Mohsin-e-Pakistan Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan's demise. He is truly a national hero for making invincible. Indeed everyone is mortal but only a few leave an immortal legacy behind them. We are forever indebted for the legacy he has left. Long live! pic.twitter.com/TC7HrOyjAf  Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) October 10, 2021

AQ Khan was at the centre of a global nuclear proliferation scandal in 2004 that involved sales of nuclear secrets to North Korea, Iran and Libya. After a confession on national television, Khan was pardoned by then-president Pervez Musharraf but he remained under house arrest for years in his palatial Islamabad home.

In his confession, Khan said he acted alone without the knowledge of the state officials. However, he later said he had been scapegoated.

"He helped us develop nation-saving nuclear deterrence, and a grateful nation will never forget his services in this regard," Pakistani President Arif Alvi said in a tweet.
Brussels: The European Union has said that continued terrorist attacks in Afghanistan are a serious obstacle to a stable and peaceful country, where all Afghan citizens can feel safe and secure.

This comes after a bomb exploded at a Shia mosque in Kunduz province during a Friday prayer. The attack was claimed by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) and resulted in more than 150 casualties.

"The European Union mourns with the families of the victims and wishes those injured a full and speedy recovery," said Peter Stano, spokesperson of European Union External Action Service (EEAS).

The spokesperson stressed that the ISKP should be brought to justice and noted that the human rights of all Afghan citizens, including the right to life and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities must be respected.

"Continued terrorist attacks are a serious obstacle to a stable and peaceful Afghanistan, where all Afghan citizens can feel safe and secure. The European Union remains committed to peace and stability in Afghanistan and to supporting its people," Stano added.

Condemning the recent attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan`s Kunduz province, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, and sponsors of terrorism to justice. "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the atrocious and cowardly terrorist attack in Kunduz, Afghanistan on 8 October 2021," the UNSC said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, civil society representatives in Central Afghanistan called on the parties to stop fighting and return to the negotiating table.

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